Math Mania

Math Mania

Math is NOT my 4th graders favorite subject in the world. She struggles with math and does not have a lot of confidence in her skills. Whenever I can vary it up, that is a good thing. This workbook has been wonderful for reinforcing concepts that she is currently learning. Math Mania is geared for the 4th grade level, ages 9-10. 

In the workbook your child will learn:

• multiplication
• fractions
• decimals
• operations

At the end of each of the four chapters your child will earn a, Great Job, certificate!! The pages are perforated for easy tear out. The answers to all work can be found in the back of the book. 

The concepts taught tend to build fairly quickly so this would be a great workbook to use as a review once most of the concepts have been learned. If you have a little MATH GENIUS in your house this may be the perfect pace for them. This workbook would be great for summer math review to keep math skills sharp. 

My daughter liked that the pages were not too busy with problems. The instructions were clear. After verbally explaining and demonstrating a problem or two she was set to go. I will more than likely pull this workbook out for future review purposes since some of the concepts are a bit advanced for her. 

To find more great products you can go to Education.com or doverpublications.com. 

I received a copy of this workbook for my honest review. 

Fingerprint Drawing

Fingerprint Drawing

Art Fun at your fingertips!

Who doesn't like art?! When my kiddos saw this book they were so excited to get their hands dirty and create their own fingerprint pictures. This book gives your child step-by-step instructions on how to create everything from patterns, single fingertip creations, to whole page fingerprint portraits.  

Included in the book you will find:

• materials needed
• finger techniques
• printing
• drawing and filling in
• make up your story
• loads of ideas

Your child will learn how to use the tip of their finger, two fingers, flattened fingertip, combining fingertip and flattened fingertip together, and using fingers to create waves and spirals. You child will have endless fun creating just about anything they can imagine. You do not have to be an artistic person to create fingerprint drawings. 

We used washable, watercolor paints so I didn't have to worry about stubborn clean-up issues. By adding one drop of water into a color gives the perfect print. Do not saturate the paint or you will end up with a watery mess. To finish the creations we used thin Sharpie Markers and gel pens. 

I will have to confess, I had just as much fun creating these fingerprint pictures as my children. While working on our creations some friends came over. Of course, they wanted to make some too. The youngest fingerprint artist was only 2 years old. He absolutely loved dipping his finger in the paint and making a collage of fingerprint colors.

To find more great products you can go to Education.com or doverpublications.com. 

I received a copy of this workbook for my honest review. 

Fun with Nature

Fun with Nature

My daughter has been working through the workbook, Fun with Nature, a workbook of natural science topics. This workbook's target audience is 2nd graders, or ages 7-8. Your child will get to explore plants, animals, rocks, trees, dirt and other earth based science topics. While learning about the earth your student will learn important academic skills such as: 

• drawing conclusions 
• writing
• labeling
• reading comprehension
• vocabulary
• reasoning
• experimentation

If you child loves hands on science, Fun with Nature, has that covered. Some of the fun experiments and hands on activities include:

• soil shake up 
• how old is that tree
• leaf collection

At the end of each of the four chapters your child will earn a, Great Job, certificate!! The pages are perforated for easy tear out. The answers to all work can be found in the back of the book. The pages are colorful and the font and print size are perfect for the younger reader. 

My daughter absolutely loves this workbook and cannot wait to work in it every day. She has learned so much!! Some of the concepts in the workbook have been overlooked in her current curriculum so I am pleased with how this workbook has filled in those missing gaps. 
My daughter is 7 1/2 years old and in the 2nd grade. She is able to read the directions and understand concepts that are taught. 

To find more great products you can go to Education.com or doverpublications.com. 

I received a copy of this workbook for my honest review. 

Got SPD

Sensory Processing Disorder

Living with SPD is difficult for the affected individual as well as those around them. What exactly is SPD? In simple terms it is when the brain has trouble receiving information from the senses. This site is a wonderful tool to navigate the basics of what Sensory Processing Disorder or Sensory Integration Dysfunction, whichever term you want to use. 

Does your child have difficulty with:

• change
• clothing
• texture
• smells
• sounds
• food aversions
• calming themselves
• getting messy
• crowds/chaos
• sitting still
• feeling settled

My 7 year old struggles with many of the above. As we get back into our normal school routine she is using some basic sensory friendly tools to help her focus:


Bouncy Bands

Sensory Seat

Chewy Necklace

First day back....

Today we jumped back into schoolwork after a fun and relaxing Christmas break. I am pleased to say that there was NO crying, NO complaining, and NO slow poking. Before you think my kiddos are angels or they just really love schoolwork let me say, they are not. Getting up and out of bed was a bit of a process, but went much better than expected.

We have added in some extra workbooks to the mix for variety and something new. The workbooks are not to replace any of our current curriculum. At first there were some sighs and groans but then the kiddos actually decided they were kind of fun!!

I really do not believe in NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS but I am hoping to reincorporate poetry memorization back into our  requirements. My older children memorized a great deal of poetry. With the craziness of life I have let it fall to the wayside for the younger kiddos. Kiddos are like gigantic sponges. This semester I want those sponges to be full of poetry.

I cannot wait to share our fun adventures with you all this semester!!!

2016

In 2016 I want to choose faith over worry!!

What exactly is worry? Well, worry is nothing more than borrowed trouble. Worry is unbelief in disguise. Worry does not relieve tomorrow of its stresses, it merely empties today of its strength and joy. Worrying will not change anything. Worry can be crippling both physically and emotionally. 

Websters Dictionary defines worry as:

WORRY

verb  wor·ry   \ˈwər-ē, ˈwə-rē\

Simple Definition of worry

1. to think about problems or fears
2. to feel or show fear and concern because you think that something bad has happened or could happen
3. to make (someone) anxious or upset
4. to cause (someone) to worry 

What the Bible says about worry.
 Jesus said:

25 “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? 27 And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? 28 And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, 29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! 31 Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ 32 For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 6:25-34
Corrie ten Boom said:"Worrying is carrying tomorrow's load with today's strength -- carrying two days at once. It is moving into tomorrow ahead of time. Working does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength."