My Journeys Through Life . . . Herding Cats In New Mexico!

The Critical Thinking Co. is a curriculum provider that I’ve always heard pretty good things about, but had not had much chance to check out through the years. Because of this, I was very pleased to be given the opportunity to use one of their products for review with my boys.

I was sent a 250 page copy of the book Surfing The Net: Science, written by Jennifer Katherine Brooks.

Surfing The Net: Science is full of inquiry based worksheets which go along with many free internet videos, articles and games. The sections cover seven different areas of science topics along with their sub-topics:

1. Animals

• Amphibians
• Animal Cells
• BIrds
• Fish
• Insects
• Invertabrates
• Mammals
• Reptiles

2. Atmosphere

• Climate
• Clouds
• Precipitation
• Severe Weather
• Weather Instruments
• Weather Forecasts
• Winds

3. Ecosystems and Habitats

• Deserts
• Food Webs
• Forests
• Grasslands
• Oceans
• Rain Forests
• Taiga and Tundra

4.  Energy

• Electromagnetism
• Energy and Conservation
• Fossil Fuels
• Hydroelectricity
• Nuclear Energy
• Solar and Wind Energy

5. Geology

• Erosion and Weathering
• Minerals
• Rocks
• Plate Tectonics
• Earthquakes
• Volcanoes

6. Plants

• Plants
• Plant Cells
• Flowering Plants
• Non-Flowering Plants
• Fruits and Vegetables
• Trees and Shrubs

7. Space

• Solar System
• The Sun
• The Moon
• Constellations and Stars
• Space Exploration
• Asteroids, Meteors and Comets

Because the Critical Thinking Co. has such a generous copyright policy, the first thing I did was to take the book to a local office supply store. I had the binding cut off, and the entire thing three hole punched, then I put it into a three ring binder, sliding the cover into the clear pocket on the front. You don’t really NEED to do this, but I just hate the way the copier picks up the curve between the pages, and you wind up with the grey or black ink showing where the curve was. But that’s just me. 🙂 As I said, this is a very generous copyright policy. The owner of this book is permitted to reproduce up to 35 copies of each page per year, within one home or one classroom.

One of the things I really like about this book is that it isn’t just a book full of worksheets. This book is teaching us how to use the internet for research, but in a safe way. For those to whom it is important, this book does correlate with science standards in most states. This is not something that is of concern to me personally, but I know that many of you have to worry about. Completing the entire book will bring you through grades 3, 4, 5 and 6.

In each topic, we are covering critical thinking skills in a variety of areas, such as defining, describing,analyzing and synthesizing, expanding knowledge, and investigating. In each activity, we are given a series of things to do, such as watch a video, play a game, search for images, use an interactive website, etc . . .

Here are some things I especially like about this book:

• We are given a landing site link, where we find every single link that is listed in the book. This does make it somewhat easier, especially for the kids who can just click the correct link instead of having to type it all out, especially in the beginning of learning to research online.
• The author spent a great deal of time in researching and choosing fun, interesting, educational websites. She chose to include only trusted , age appropriate sites.
• The author further chose NOT to use YouTube links. May of them are posted by secondary sources, and may not be reliable. Also, we in our home simply don’t let our boys go willy-nilly  checking anything out on YouTube, as much of it is really inappropriate for children.

All in all, I think this is an excellent resource. I LOVE the copyright policy, which allows that I may use it for each of my children as they are ready for it.

As always, I would just love it if you join me on all of my “Journeys Through Life.” Just go to the “sign me up button” at the top of the blog, enter your email, and you will be notified whenever there is a new post here. Hope you’ll join me! 🙂

Standard Deviants Accelerate has an online, supplementary group of Homeschool Courses which cover a multitude of subjects, including Biology, Algebra, Arithmetic, U.S. History, English Composition, Earth Science, Chemistry, Nutrition, and also a handful of AP courses such as AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP U. S. Gov. & Politics, and AP Eng. Composition.

The courses are planned for students in grade 3 through grade 11 or over. what would be best for my children are the courses for they younger grades:

1. Arithmetic (Grades 3+)

2. Fundamental Math (Grades 4+)

3. Earth Science (Grades 6+)

4. Nutrition (Grades 6+)

When the students click on a subject such as Arithmetic, for example, he will see a good deal of headers. In this case, I found the following topics:

1. Whole numbers and the number line

2. Addition and subtraction

3. Multiplying whole numbers and word problems

4. Dividing whole numbers

5. Understanding decimals

6. Understanding Fractions

7. Line, shapes, and fractions

8. Measurement

9. Patterns and graphs

10. Subject Review

Under each of these headers I found a number of sub-topics. Under the header Understanding Decimals, for example, are the following sub-topics:

1. Decimal Basics/Adding and Subtracting Decimals

2. Multiplying and Dividing Decimals/Rounding Decimals

3. Scientific Notation/Problem-Solving Using Decimals

Chapter Review

When the student chooses one of the sub-topics, they will find a short video lesson accompanied by read along text, explaining whatever concept they are looking at.

The videos are performed by a group of fun young people, as opposed to a regular teacher.

The videos are fun and silly, and make us laugh. Another way to make learning fun!

There is a parent administration area as well. Here, you can view what your student has done, and grade their written assignments.

Once you assign your student to his or her class, the student the student may then log in and have access. They can actually, if they are good about self monitoring, continue on their own.

The Homeschool Courses from SDA appears to be a terrific supplemental program for any family wishing to expand and/or re-enforcing what they are learning in their regular curriculum.

To see what other crew members thought, please click the banner below.

As always, I would love to have you join me on all of my “Journeys Through Life.” Just go to the “sign me up” button at the top of the blog and enter your email, then you will always know when there’s something new here.

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For the second time this year, my family has been lucky enough to be chosen as reviewers for products from a company called Koru Naturals.

All of the Review Crew members were given the same two main products, Skin Clear Cream and Manuka Honey Propolis Soap, along with a third product. My additional product was Argan Oil and Sandalwood Hair Tonic, while other reviewers received either this same product or one of several others.

My previous review discussed some other products than this review will be about, but we really liked them, which is why I am sharing the link here.

First, let me tell you about the wonderful Skin Clear Cream.

I received a 4 ounce jar of this product. The two basic ingredients that have always been in it are raw, unpasteurized Manuka Honey (rated at 20+) and pure steam-distilled East Cape Manuka Oil. Koru Naturals has, however, added the following:

1. Kawakawa and Harakeke: two traditional Maori remedies for many skin conditions

2. Burdock Root: a Chinese root rich in several minerals and used traditionally for skin conditions

3. Thyme: a natural astringent and anti-inflammatory extract from leaves

4. Canadian Aspen Bark: a natural preservative

What this product does NOT have, which I know will make many people very happy, are parabens, artificial colorants or fragrances.

I am not prone to acne, but it is also a very nice morning and evening face cream to use after washing my face.

Fair disclosure, do not use on anyone under the age of 12, and avoid using during pregnancy.

This truly is a very good product, and I highly recommend it, especially if you have a preference for using natural products as much as possible. My face is feeling very soft and nice during this review. 🙂

The second product that every reviewer received was Manuka Honey Propolis Soap.

This has been a huge hit here. 🙂 First, *I* love it! it feels so nice, and it smells so good, and my goodness, it seems like it is going to just last forever! This is a 4.93 oz, boxed soap, yellow in color. The soap combines Manuka Honey and Propolis, which have natural intense moisturizing and skin protective properties, something I can sure use.

I am not the only one in our family who loves this soap, though. One of my twins, “The Puzzler” just loves it. He asks to use our shower so he can use my “Bee” soap, lol!

Now, on to the Argan Oil and Sandalwood Hair Tonic.

I wanted to review this product mainly for my twins, who are bi-racial. Our hair stylist recommends using oil in their hair, and one of the boys, if his hair gets a bit long between hair cuts, gets pretty frizzy.

Argan Oil and Sandalwood Hair Tonic contains Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa (Argan) Oil*, Santalum Spicatum (Australian Sandalwood) Oil,* Helichrysum (Helichrysum) Essential Oil*, Citrus Bergamia (Bergamot) Essential Oil, Citrus Paradisi (Pink Grapefruit) Essential Oil.*organic ingredient, making it yet another great product for those who have a preference for natural products.

“Mr. Loquacious” was not a fan, I’m sorry to tell you. He did not care for the sandalwood scent, telling me that it reminded him of sandalwood incense used in his foster home before coming to us. For him, it brought back a lot of trauma, so he’s not using it. His twin has no issues with the scent, and on his own is using it whenever he washes his hair. *I* like the scent, but then again, when I was a teen (back in the dark ages, y’all) my friends and I burned incense, and we did use that scent.

I would very much recommend this company, and any and all products hat I have reviewed from them. 🙂

To read what other review crew members thought of these and other products from Koru Naturals, please click the banner below.

As always, I would love to have you along on all of my “Journeys Through Life”. Just go to the “sign me up” space at the top of the blog, enter your email, and you’ll always know when something new is happening here! 🙂

“The Batman”, The Artist”, me and our piano teacher Mrs. Aubrey Grantham, after our last recital together before she and her family moved to Ohio to serve in her husband’s father’s church.

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I have a confession to make right here and now. I was never taught Geography when I was in school. In fact, to this day, I cannot read a map. I have to rely on GPS to get me to just about anywhere! I really had despaired of teaching Geography to my kids, and along came a lovely review copy of the digital version of Drawing Around the World: USA, which came from a company called Brookdale House.

With Drawing Around The World: USA, my kids and I can learn the states and capitals for our entire country, in just minutes a day. We are also learning the capitals, and the actual placement on the map of the United States of each state.

One of the things my kids enjoy is finding out interesting facts about each state. They are looking forward to Michigan and New Mexico, because they were born and raised in Michigan until three years ago when we moved to New Mexico. I think they are looking forward to those states because in Michigan, there is a very special state stone, and here in New Mexico, they were thrilled to discover that our new home has a state cookie! 🙂

The suggested schedule is a four day week.

1. Study the new state, complete the State Fact Table, and locate and label each new state onto the dashed, black and white map. Then, the student is to draw all states studied thus far.
2. Locate and label each new state onto the dashed, black and white map, and draw all states studied up to now.
3. Locate and label each new state onto the dashed, black and white map, then draw all states studied so far.
4. List, from memory, the states studied thus far. Then, within the blank box, draw from from memory, all of the states you have learned.

If you follow this schedule, you and your children will have learned the placement of each and every state in the United States of America, along with Washington D.C. in only 27 weeks. We are going somewhat slower though, so it will take longer. Only two of my kids have real artistic ability, “The Artist” and “Mr. Loquacious.” In fact, “Mr. Loquacious” has, on his own been working on a notebook of state flags for the last few years, so he already knew the capitals and some facts about some of the states! 🙂

Because we are having trouble with drawing the correct shapes and placements of each state from memory on the blank map, for now we are sticking to the map which has the dashed black and white spaces. Since this is a digital product, we can go back and do it again later when we all feel a bit more comfortable with the drawing part.

We do enjoy this program, and recommend it to anyone, in particular those who enjoy learning at a gentle, slow pace. I believe something which takes only minutes a day certainly fits that bill. 🙂

To read more about what the Review Crew members thought of this and other products from Brookdale House, please click on the banner below!

As always, I would just love to have you join me on all of my “Journeys Through Life.”
Please go and click on the “sign me up” button at the top of the blog. Just enter your information, and you will be notified whenever anything new is posted.

All of the boys with our favorite hairstylist Jody Muniz, at her brand new, owned by her, shop! I’ll probably post more about it after her big grand opening open house this coming Saturday!