TabletClass Math ~ Foundations Math Course, Part 2

"Failure is not an option and if you don’t quit I 

promise I can help you learn so much more math than you ever thought possible."

John Zimmerman

I am truly speechless. I am one proud mama. My daughter has successfully completed 88% of the Foundations Math Course. There have been zero tears! Math has always been such a struggle for my daughter. Since beginning Foundations Math she has only come to ask me one question. Math is understood and she can do it on her own! I almost cannot believe it. Don't get me wrong it's not that I believe that my daughter isn't smart because she is. The truth is she is battling some pretty big beasts right now, namely severe ADHD and Slow Processing Disorder. For those that are not familiar with Slow Processing Disorder. This disorder has nothing to do with intelligence. It deals with the brain needing more time to take in and respond to information. The fact that my daughter has almost completed this course on her own is HUGE! John Zimmerman I thank you from the bottom of my heart. You obviously have a true gift and knack for being able to communicate mathematical concepts in a way that even the students that are struggling the most UNDERSTAND. 

Thank you for your passion and all of the 

dedicated work that you have put into TabletClass Math. 

 

ESV Study Bible

ESV Study Bible 

The ESV (English Standard Version) Study Bible was first published by Crossway Publishers in 2001. With a 14-member Translation Oversight Committee, more than 50 Bible Scholars, and a 50 plus member Advisory Board the end result was the most comprehensive study Bible ever published. The ESV Bible text is an "essentially literal" translation while the study notes provide a deeper understanding of Scripture. With regards to the doctrinal perspective of the ESV Study Bible it is based upon classic evangelical orthodoxy with historical ties to the Reformation. To read more about how the ESV translation came to fruition Crossway Publishers has a wonderful article entitled 10 Things You Should Know about the ESV Translation. I highly encourage you to take the time to read through this as it gives an excellent overview of why the ESV translation was created. Crossway has many purchase options for their ESV Study Bible. In this review, I am looking at the ESV Study Bible in TruTone Chestnut with Smyth-sewn binding. This particular Bible retails for $79.99.

The ESV Study Bible features:

• 20,000 study notes

• 80,000 cross references

• 200+ charts

• 50+ articles

• 240 full color maps and illustrations

• Extensive concordance

• Extensive introductions to each book of the Bible

• Single column page layout for scripture

• Study notes are in a double column layout 

• This particular Bible has a lifetime guarantee. Only available on select Crossway Bibles.

Study Bibles are designed to provide plenty of room for note-taking as well as highlighting. Obviously, some pages will have more note-taking space than others but you will have that with any Study Bible. Since the mid 90's I have been primarily using a NAS (New American Standard) Study Bible. It is so difficult to give up a Bible that has your own notes all throughout. I have been using a hardcover version of the ESV Study Bible when doing Bible study and when I need further clarification on difficult scripture passages. I personally have found the ESV to be preferable to other versions and most definitely the most comprehensive study Bible to date. After receiving the ESV Study Bible in TruTone Chestnut with Smyth-sewn binding I will be retiring my NAS Study Bible forever. I am excited to start adding my own notes as I study, hear God's Word being taught, and grow through my weekly Bible Study. I am grateful for the team of scholars who worked on this amazing ESV Study Bible. 

Jerusalem in the Time of Solomon (c. 970-930 B.C.)  

" You know that David my father could not build a house for the name of the Lord his God

because of the warfare with which his enemies surrounded him, until the LORD put them 

under the soles of his feet. But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side. 

There is neither adversary nor misfortune. And so I intend to build a house for the name of the 

LORD my God, as the LORD said to David my father, 'Your son, whom I will set on your

throne in your place, shall build the house for my name.'"

This year in Bible Study Fellowship (BSF), we are studying Israel's history across fifteen books in the Old Testament. From its split into two nations, Israel's exile into Babylon, the many kings and prophets, and how God used the Old Testament to set the stage for the long-awaited Messiah, the books that will be read and be the focus are Isaiah, Micah, Hosea, Joel, Jonah, Amos, Jeremiah, Lamentations, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Obadiah, Nahum, Zephaniah, and Habakkuk. 

The charts of The Divided Kingdom: Kings of Judah/Israel are so helpful. With all of the kings, it can get extremely confusing. Some of the kings reigned for years, while others reigned for only months or days. To be able to see all of the kings for both Judah and Israel listed side by side with reference information is great. 

Wow, it is mind-boggling to think about the time that went into cross-referencing the events between books. Again, what a great help while working through some of the more challenging aspects of studying the Old Testament. 

The Tabernacle Tent 

The illustrations in the ESV Study Bible are amazing. The colors are bold and rich. 

The detail is also quite impressive. Exodus 26 gives a very detailed description of the 

tabernacle. In the middle of the chapter in the study note section is a wonderful 

labeled full-color illustration of the tabernacle tent.   

Galilean Fishing Boat 

In Matthew 14:22-33 we read about Jesus Walking on the Water. 

The boat in the illustration is the type of boat that Jesus and his disciples probably used. 

This is based on the remains of a fishing boat found on the shore of the 

Sea of Galilee from approximately 2,000 years ago. 

This article explains how the Old Testament points to a promised Messiah

and how the New Testament message cannot be separated from the Old Testament.

Herod's Temple Complex g

When the Gospels and the book of Acts refer to entering the temple or teaching 

in the temple, it is often not a reference to Herod's temple itself, but rather

to this temple complex, including a number of courts and chambers that surrounded the temple

I did not know this.

The Herodian Dynasty

Maps

I love maps to reference in my Bible. They help me to visualize in my mind where places

were, how far someone traveled, and what the journey would have entailed. 

This particular map entitled Nations at Pentecost is incredible. Jews from all over the world

which was what is shown on this map came to Jerusalem to celebrate the annual festival. 

Jerusalem is right above Judea on the Mediterranean Sea. 

The two competing empires, the Roman Empire (green) and the 

Parthian Empire (grey) both came. 

Book Introductions

Every book has an extensive introduction. Each books introduction will vary to some degree.

The Introduction to the book of Hebrews includes:

Author, Audience, and Title

Date

Theme

Purpose, Occasion, and Background

Key Themes

History of Salvation Summary

Literary Features

Outline

The ESV Study Bible utilizes a single column page layout for the scripture text. 

The study notes at the bottom are in two separate columns. 

At the end of the Bible are very helpful articles on the following topics.

God's Plan of Salvation

Biblical Doctrine: An Overview

Biblical Ethics: An Overview

Interpreting the Bible

Reading the Bible

The Canon of Scripture

The Reliability of Biblical Manuscripts

Archaeology and the Bible

The Original Languages of the Bible

The Septuagint

How NT Quotes  and Interprets the OT

OT Passages cited in the NT

The Bible in Christianity

The Bible and World Religions

The Bible and Religious Cults

History of Salvation in the OT

Charts and Diagrams Index

Maps Index

Concordance

Daily Reading Plan

Weights and Measures

Colophon

The last pages of the Bible are dedicated to colorful maps. 

The Bible includes a brown ribbon bookmark. 

The ESV  Study Bible is truly a wonderful study Bible. I would highly recommend this

Bible to anyone who is searching for a study Bible. You will not find another study Bible with

this amount of notes, illustrations, maps, charts, and helpful articles. The ESV  is written on an 

8th-10th grade reading level. The Bible itself is beautiful. The gilding on the edges of the 

pages are gold metallic leaf foil. The wording on the spine of the Bible is engraved into the leather. 

I will cherish my new Study Bible  for years to come. 

Disclaimer: I received this in exchange for my honest thoughts. 

TabletClass Math ~ Foundations Math Course

 

I cannot say enough wonderful things about TabletClass Math. I have used many math curricula over my twenty-three years being a home educator. No math curriculum has made me say WOW! I have used: Math U See, Singapore Math, Saxon Math, Life of Fred, Math Mammoth, CTC Math, Rod and Staff, Teaching Textbooks, and High School Math Alive. I reviewed the curriculum last October and am so glad that I did. My review of TabletClass Math is an unbiased opinion of the curriculum. John Zimmerman, founder, and teacher of TabletClass Math is a phenomenal instructor. He knows how to teach math to make it make sense. Did that make sense, lol? 

Foundations Math Course 

and

Learning Differences

Not only does John Zimmerman know how to effectively teach math but he also has worked with many students with learning differences. He believes that student's need to feel confident in their ability to learn before they can be successful. So many students struggle with math and lack the confidence in their ability to do math. Does your child struggle with math no matter how much time you spend working with them? Does your child forget math concepts learned days, weeks, months, and even years ago? Do you find yourself explaining concepts multiple times but your child still does not understand? Does your child cry every time it comes time to do math? Is MATH a four-letter word? Do you sometimes feel your child is lazy and not trying hard enough? If you have answered yes to many or all of these questions your child may have what is called Slow Processing Disorder. Slow Processing Disorder often goes hand in hand with ADHD and Dyslexia. A child can have both ADHD and Dyslexia or just one. Slow Processing Disorder affects not only math but all academic subjects. It even spills over into everyday life. 

So what exactly is Slow Processing Disorder? Slow Processing Disorder has nothing to do with a person's intelligence; it deals with the brain needing more time to take in and respond to information. Many students have trouble processing information fast enough, whether listening, reading, or observing. This inefficient processing is a general characteristic of a child with Slow Processing Disorder. Children with this disorder have a slower reading rate, vocabulary deficiency, and trouble with reading comprehension. Concerning math, a student often has evidence of a specific learning disorder impairment. The memorization of math facts, accurate math reasoning, the efficiency of math recall, math reasoning, and difficulty learning and retaining math concepts are a few of the math deficiencies seen in a student with Slow Processing Disorder. 

Students not diagnosed with Slow Processing Disorder until middle or high school have a common deficiency in some basic math concepts that need addressing before moving on in math. The next step is finding the correct math placement for success. Each of the math levels has a placement test. There is also a Contact Us page if you are still unsure where to place your child. John Zimmerman has created a course called Foundations Math that covers the exact deficits that need addressing. 

Foundations Math is three chapters long. My daughter, in ninth grade, was recently diagnosed with ADHD and Slow Processing Disorder. She is working through Foundations Math. Here is what is covered.

   

Here is a lesson example. These screen shoots are just a small sampling 

what makes up a full lesson. They also may not be in distinct order. 

Each lesson begins with directions.  

Next, the lesson objectives are listed and John will explain in further detail 

what each objective means and gives examples. 

John is explaining the objectives by giving examples of concepts that

go along with the definitions.  

Each lesson has between one to three mini lessons that are about 

six to fifteen minutes in length. Student can easily pause and scroll

back and forward if they need to come back to review a concept that was taught.   

This is what the lesson screen will look like. John speaks as he

uses the board to write out and highlight problems. 

important  please read

After your student completes the lesson problems the answers are included

at the end so that your student can check their work. John has videos of all the

lesson problems worked out step by step! Any problems your student gets wrong

can be viewed on the videos so that they can see what they did wrong. 

Having a complete understanding of the current concept is so

critical before moving on to the next lesson. 

At the end of each lesson John reviews all concepts taught in

the lesson to reinforce the material. 

I hope that this review of TabletClass Math

has been helpful. Please be sure to read my review of

TabletClass Math Algebra I to get a bit more 

information about the curriculum. I highly recommend 

TabletClass Math for your students. 

John offers complete curriculum classes in Pre-Algebra through Pre-Calculus. 

There are Test Prep, College Entrance, Placement, Credit, and Teacher Certification.

John also offers college level complete curriculum classes. 

Play Together Caterpillar

The Play Together Caterpillar is a fun and engaging, multi-sensory, developmental 

toy for your baby. The ultra soft feathery tail will stimulate your baby's 

senses. The feathery fabric tail may even give your baby a tickle and a giggle. 

The firm rainbow handle attached to the tail is velvety soft and the 

perfect size for tiny hands as they learn to grasp. For chewing and teething the 

flexible, silicone, leaf shaped teether with grooves will give your baby oral stimulation 

and relief as those first teeth start coming in. The body of this adorable caterpillar 

is stuffed with fun sounding crinkly material. The head has a low volume jingle bell 

inside that will not startle very tiny babies. The face features embroidered eyes

and nose and two adorable poke-a-dot antenna. The Play Together Caterpillar is part 

of Timberdoodle's 2022 Tiny Tots Curriculum Kit. Recommended for newborns 

to about 18 months it will definitely grow with your baby. 

My grandson is 8 months old and is crawling all over the place. 

Instead of adults handing him toys only a few months ago he is now exploring,

 touching, and choosing his own toys to play with.

Intently looking, feeling, thinking. 

Into the mouth it goes. 

Everything goes in the mouth whether it is musical toy, cloth book, 

wooden toy, or not even a toy. Little man is still toothless but for a short

time seemed intrigued by the feeling of the ridges on the leaf on his gums. 

So much new to for the senses to take in and discover. 

You always have to wonder what is going on in their little minds as they are

looking and feeling. There is a soft and very flexible strip inside so that the

plush tickler remains upright. 

A scrunched up face of surprise when he discovers that such an inviting 

looking ball of fluff doesn't taste like what he thought it would. 

The Play Together Caterpillar is machine washable! The feathery fluff which

is actually a fabric is able to withstand lots of play and the washing machine too. 

GUND the maker of this 12" Tinkle Crinkle The Play Together Caterpillar is part

of their Tinkle Crinkle Collection. 

Did you know that babies come out of the womb ready to learn. They rely on

their parents and caregivers to provide them with love, stimulation, nutrition, a

safe and healthy environment to grow and thrive, and so much more. They 

need to hear our voices and see our mouths move as we speak. At birth a

baby has billions of neurons waiting to make connections (neural synapses). 

Those connections that are not hard wired need to be developed. Multi-Sensory

toys such as the Play Together Caterpillar help to develop those synapses. As 

you talk to your newborn and gently caress their skin with the feathery fabric

you are creating connections in your baby's brain. As you shake 

the caterpillar and they hear the soft jingle of the bell or the crinkle sound of the caterpillar's body the neurons in your baby's brain are creating neural synapses. 

As they grow month by month and they begin to take in the brilliant colors, the

textures, the sounds, the feels, and even the tastes new connections

are developed. This caterpillar can eventually become a soothing and comforting

toy when your baby begins to teethe. With the flexible, silicone leaf

your baby can find comfort in a toy that they have become familiar with

as a BABY'S FIRST TOY. As they teethe on the leaf they can rub their 

hands and fingers over the soft fabric which is also often a source of 

comfort for many little ones. And yes, all the while they are creating new

NEURAL SYNAPSES. 

Pat-A-Cake ~ A Timberdoodle Review

 

Pat-A-Cake First Book of Nursery Rhymes is a sturdy baby and 

toddler friendly board book. Each page has one nursery rhyme with 

interactive suggestions such as: hold up one finger, then two, mime eating,

make meowing sound, rock child. Each page also has a colorful 

illustration that goes along with the nursery rhyme. 

Pat-A-Cake is part of Timberdoodle's 2022 Tiny Tots Curriculum Kit

for Birth to age 2. One thing that stood out to 

me was that babies, toddlers, and children of all 

ethnic backgrounds were represented in the book. Children with

glasses, red hair, brown skin light and dark, a child with a

patch on one eye, and a child with a cast on 

were some of the cute kiddos pictured. 

My 8 month old grandson absolutely loves this book!

The first couple of times he sat intently listening to the 

nursery rhymes being read and sang to him. Once he

became familiar with the pictures and he could anticipate

how some of the rhymes would start he would get so

excited and laugh and grab the book and jump around on our laps.

The first nursery rhyme "The Man in the Moon" I had never heard before.

The man in the moon

Looked out of the moon

And this is what he said, 

"It's time I should be getting up.

All the babies are in bed."

The nursery rhyme on the opposite page "Ten in the Bed" I knew.

There were ten in the bed

And the little one said,

"Roll over! Roll over!

So they all rolled over and one fell out...

Repeat the verse with numbers from nine to one

There was one in the bed

And the little one said,

"Alone at last!"

Look at those precious feet. He was moving them all around with excitement. 

Nursery Rhymes are often the first books that we introduce to our babies.

The bounce of nursery rhymes grab the attention of little ones. They 

are introduced to voice inflection, pitch, and volume change. They hear

patterns, rhyming words, repetition, and lots of new words. 

Nursery Rhymes often tell a story that has a beginning, a middle

and an end. Many rhymes have the adult actively participating

with the little one. Nursery Rhymes are the beginning building blocks 

to literacy, developing imagination, participation, memorization, and so much more. 

"Star Light, Star Bright" and "Good Night, Sleep Tight"

My grandson loves touching all of the pictures as the nursery rhymes

were being read to him. 

My grandson is mesmerized by the colorful pictures and takes

in all the details of each picture as the nursery rhymes are

being read to him. The two nursery rhymes on these pages are

"I Had a Little Chicken" and "Diddle, Diddle, Dumpling".

I was not familiar with "I Had a Little Chicken".

I had a little chicken, the cutest ever seen,

It washed up the dishes, and kept the house clean.

It went to the mill to fetch me some flour,

 It brought it home in less than an hour;

It baked me my bread, it picked up my mail, 

It sat by the fire and told many a fine tale. 

The nursery rhymes included in Pat-A-Cake are:

Pat-A-Cake

Hot Cross Buns

Pussy Cat, Pussy Cat

Little Miss Muffet

Jelly on the Plate

Humpty Dumpty

Hey Diddle, Diddle

Little Jack Horner

Doctor Foster

Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary

Rain, Rain, Go Away

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear

Roses are Red

A Wise Old Owl

Bright Sun

The Baby in the Cradle

Three Little Kittens

Jack and Jill

I Had a Little Chicken

Diddle, Diddle, Dumpling

The Man in the Moon

Ten in the Bed

Star Light, Star Bright

Good Night, Sleep Tight

I would definitely recommend Pat-A-Cake for babies and toddlers.

We started reading this to our grandson when he was 7 months

old and he absolutely loves it. He isn't saying anything except for

dada but he definitely gets his point across when he wants us to read

this book to him. It is currently his favorite book at our house.