National Doughnut Day Freebies!

This Friday, June 5th, is National Doughnut Day!  Celebrate by taking advantage of one of these great offers:

Duck Donuts:  Registered Duck Donuts Rewards members get a FREE cinnamon sugar doughnut between June 5th-7th with their rewards app.  You must download and register in the app by June 4th.

Dunkin’ Donuts:  Get a FREE classic doughnut of your choice with any beverage purchase on June 5th at participating locations.

Krispy Kreme:  Get a FREE doughnut of your choice EVERY DAY between June 1st-5th.  Now that’s a celebration!  They’re calling it National Doughnut Week.

Enjoy your doughnut goodies!

Memorial Day Plans 2020

So I have to admit…the same ads this Memorial Day weekend do look a bit different from the usual…perhaps even a little dismal by comparison.  Almost no local grocery store chains included any beef related sales except for Kroger.  I went to Kroger, but of course, their t-bone steaks that were on sale were completely wiped out since they were the only ones with a sale on beef.

My alternative plan was to hit Sam’s Club.  Unfortunately, their lean burgers were also all sold out.  But in lieu of doing a big end-of-school-year dinner out as we normally would have this time of year to celebrate the kids being done with school, we decided to splurge a bit on our cookout instead.  So I did manage to score a sliced, smoked, whole beef brisket from Sam’s Club…6 lbs of beef!  I figured that should last us at least a few days.  I grabbed some Sweet Baby Ray’s honey barbecue sauce, some sharp cheddar cheese slices, and a couple of bags of fresh rolls from the Sam’s Club bakery to make brisket sandwiches.  I figured I’d grill some onions to go on them, too.  I also grabbed a big tray of mac and cheese to go in the oven.  Then I hit Albertson’s for a sale on soda, a big tub of watermelon, and fresh corn on the cob.  I’m all set to serve up some strawberry shortcakes for dessert, as well.  Yum!

We’re fortunate that everyone is off work on Monday, so everyone will be home (unless Hayden takes off to his girlfriend’s house, but I’m hoping they’ll hang out here instead).  That doesn’t happen too often, so that will be nice.  My grill is on my covered patio out back, so I can use it rain or shine.  Good thing, too, because I understand we’re due for rain and thunderstorms here in DFW for at least the next 10 days!  Ugh.

Happy Memorial Day, and remember to honor those who have lost their lives for our country’s freedom.

Help the Fight Against Coronavirus…Become a Contact Tracer!

Just do a quick Google search, and you will find a myriad of news stories about the army of contact tracers that are needed across the country in order to track and notify people who have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for coronavirus.  This need will continue to ramp up as testing increases and more and more of the economy begins to reopen and perhaps return to full-speed ahead and some point down the road.

So many people have lost their jobs, and many need to work from home because there is still no daycare or schooling available for their children.

That’s where this new era of contact tracers comes in to help both problems.  In some rural areas and places that are still experiencing stay-at-home mandates, contact tracers can work from home.  In other areas, they work at the Public Health Department.  But in either case, anyone can train in just 1 week at home, and surprisingly, the certification course is being offered online for FREE by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Health using the Coursera platform.  The cost of the course is being sponsored by Bloomberg Philanthropies which makes this course free through December 31, 2020.

The course consists of 5 hours of video instruction (1 hours per day) that teaches you about coronavirus, how it’s spread, and how contact tracing works.  Then you take a 1-hour course exam online.  Once you’ve passed, you receive your certificate!  You can even get a digital certificate that is automatically displayed with your LinkedIn profile.

Sign up today, and join the fight against coronavirus!

REVIEW: Math Refresher for Adults by Math Essentials

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

I have been a fan of Math Essentials products for many years in my homeschool, so I was looking forward to using and reviewing Math Refresher for Adults myself.

WHAT IS IT?:

Math Refresher for Adults is a math practice book that helps adults to easily review essential math skills from basic math through algebra.  It’s a great way to refresh your math skills so you can help your kids with their homework, prepare for a college math placement test, prepare for the SAT/PSAT, prepare to reenter the workforce, etc. 

This 270-page workbook includes practice exercises, review tests, answer keys, a glossary of terms, and a few pages of handy reference guides.  The general math topics covered include whole numbers, fractions, decimals, percents, geometry, integers, charts and graphs, and word problems.  It also includes 20 pre-algebra and algebra topics such as integer operations, exponents and square roots, ratios and proportions, percents, number lines and coordinate systems, equations and algebra based word problems, and probability and statistics.

This book is available for just $28.95.

OUR EXPERIENCE:

Over the years, we’ve used other products from Math Essentials that were instrumental in getting my kids over a hump in the math learning journeys.  My oldest son, now 20, was always great in math until he hit algebra, and then he really struggled.  After trying other things, we had the opportunity to try out No-Nonsense Algebra and really reached a breakthrough!  Later, my daughter was struggling with math in middle school, so I got her the Mastering Essential Math Skills Book 2 for Middle/High School, which greatly helped her to improve her standardized test scores the following year.  When the time came, she, too, used No-Nonsense Algebra and did pretty well with it, which was saying a lot considering her lack of confidence and her need to be relearn concepts before she really got them.

With those positive experiences behind us, I was excited to try out the Math Refresher for Adults for myself.  I had every confidence that it would be a great product, and I was not disappointed!  One of the things that makes these products stand out is the tips section in every lesson that gives simpler methods of doing the work and straight-forward examples that are easy to understand and follow.  Each lesson in these programs is designed to be completed in about 15 minutes per day.  Another thing that sets this and the other products apart is that each book provides an access code that takes you to FREE video tutorials for every lesson in the book.  My kids always enjoyed the videos and found them easy to understand.  We liked that the teacher, Richard W. Fisher, is very animated and interesting to listen to.  He doesn’t speak in a dry, boring, monotone way like teachers in other math videos we’ve used in the past.  This Math Refresher for Adults book also includes access to these video lessons.  The web address and access code is printed in the tips section at the front of the workbook.

Each lesson includes 4 review problems that draw on previous lessons to start out, and there is a small section for note-taking, as well, in case you need to make any notes after watching the corresponding video.  Then there is a section of helpful hints that really do save you time and help refresh your memory on the topic at hand.  There are also 2 sample problems provided, which allow the student to try a couple of the new problems and check to make sure their answers are correct before they begin the practice problems for the lesson.  There are a total of 10 lesson problems to work plus a problem solving question at the end of each lesson.  There is a handy space down the margin of the page to record your answers in one place so that grading is really simple.  When you’re finished, you simply flip to the answer key in the back of the book and compare your answers.  These are simple answers, not an explanation of how to work the problem to arrive at the answer.

To begin the review, I tried out the first 4 lesson pages at the beginning of the book, which were just addition and subtraction lessons with whole numbers.  I did these just to illustrate how the individual lesson pages work.

 

                                  Addition                           Addition with Large Numbers

 

                                Subtraction                           Subtraction with Zeroes

I’ve always been really good at math, so from here on out, I decided to skim over the individual lessons and only do the review tests for each section in general math.  There was only one lesson I decided to do as a refresher, and that was for the classification of triangles.  This is not something I have to do every day, so I thought I could probably use a refresher in that section.

Classification of Triangles

There were 8 review tests in general math, plus a final review for that whole section.  After completing the 8 review tests and repeatedly getting them all right, I decided to skip the 8-page final review test for general math containing 160 questions.  Instead, I moved on to look more closely at the pre-algebra and algebra portion of the book.

 

                        Reviewing Geometry              Reviewing All Integer Operations

  

             Reviewing Charts and Graphs            Reviewing Problem Solving

I took a much closer look in this portion of the book, knowing there would probably be some things I might need to review if I don’t have practical application in my daily life.  I looked over the symbols and meanings associated with the use of sets, and then I completed the lesson on slope, which I didn’t remember how to do.  Once I began the lesson, I remembered teaching it to my kids, and it was super easy, so it was a great refresher for me.

Slope of a Line

Beyond that, I found that I really just needed to do the 7 review tests in this portion of the book.  Honestly, it was so much fun for me that I just kept working my way through this book until I felt like I was done for the day!  I was doing it in my spare time, and  I found it truly relaxing!  It was kind of like doing a puzzle book while you watch tv.  I know that sounds odd, but math was always my favorite subject.  My kids are so NOT like me in that regard!

  

Rev. All Integer Ops   Rev. Exponents/Sq. Roots   Rev. Ratios/Proportions

  

         Rev. Percents            Rev. # Lines/Coord. Sys.   Rev. Equ./Alg. Word Prob.

Rev. Probability/Statistics

I did so well with the reviews that I knew I was ready to take the final review test for pre-algebra and algebra.  This was a 6-page test with a total of 100 questions.  I got 99%, and I was kicking myself for the silly error I made on the one problem I missed.  I had run out of room to write, and my numbers ran over the page numbers at the bottom where I could no longer read my writing very well.  If I could wish for one improvement with this book, it would be that there might be just a tad more room on some of the pages to work the problems without needing separate scratch paper. 

  

  

Final Review – Pre-Algebra and Algebra

I really enjoyed the layout of this book, and I feel like I’m up to speed and ready to teach pre-algebra and algebra to my youngest son for the last time!  He will be starting 7th grade in June, and he just began a basic math and pre-algebra course, so my confidence is up, and I’m ready to help him tackle the next couple of years of math!  I would highly recommend this book to anyone who needs to brush up on their skills for any reason, and those online math videos are there and ready to assist you if you need a true reteaching of any lesson.  Those videos are concise, fun to watch, and a great resource when you need them.

Take a look at what other Crew members have to say about Math Refresher for Adults as well as other products from Math Essentials by clicking the banner below.

REVIEW: Starter Kit by Fermentools

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

I love to make foods from scratch and try to eat as much whole foods as possible, so I was thrilled to learn something new by reviewing the Starter Kit by Fermentools!

WHAT IS IT?

The Starter Kit from Fermentools provides all the tools you need to get started in preparing your own fermented foods at home!  It includes a storage bag, a rubber ring, a stainless steel lid with a special hole in the center, a glass fermentation weight (like a tamper), an “air lock” that inserts through the lid for “burping” your foods during the fermentation process, 2 rubber stoppers (one with a hole for inserting the air lock), a whole pound of Himalayan powdered salt to preserve your foods while they are doing their magic, and a basic instruction guide with a basic sauerkraut recipe!  All you need is the food for the recipe of your choice and a clean, wide-mouthed mason jar with a metal ring!

The Starter Kit provides enough salt for you to prepare a number of fermented food projects one at a time. If you want to prepare multiple jars simultaneously, then you would need additional tools.  The Starter Kit is available for just $21.49 and can be used over and over again!

OUR EXPERIENCE:

I felt slightly intimidated when my starter kit arrived, mostly because I’ve never attempted to can or preserve any foods in my whole life!  I’ve always been leery of canned foods, worried about contamination and making myself or someone else sick.  But after doing much research, reading the included pamphlet, and perusing the many additional recipe options provided on the Fermentools blog, I decided to proceed with the basic sauerkraut recipe.

I’ve always loved a good Reuben…it’s my favorite type of sandwich.  So I decided to make the sauerkraut to go on homemade Reubens at some point.  Now my whole family is not crazy about sauerkraut…I’m definitely the biggest fan.  But after reading that a batch of fermented sauerkraut can keep for an extended period of time in the fridge, I decided it was worth it to make some!  I was also inspired by reading that a batch of fermented sauerkraut has as much probiotics as a whole bottle of probiotic supplements!  I’m all about natural foods and improving digestion naturally, so I was actually excited to give this a try!

I had read that it was important to make sure your cabbage is finely shredded and fairly consistent in size, so I decided to spend a little extra money and start with the pre-bagged, pre-shredded angel hair cabbage from the grocery store.  That way, not only would I be spared the mess of shredding it myself (and perhaps taking off the skin of my knuckle in the process), but I would also have the benefit of knowing the weight of what I was using.  I used about two and a half 10-oz. bags since my desired amount was 2.5 lbs. of shredded cabbage.  To that, I added 1.5 Tbsp. of the Himalayan powdered salt in a very large bowl and began mashing and squeezing it with my hands.  (Please note that the website provides a chart for calculating the amount of salt needed for your brine).  I was amazed at how quickly the water was released from the cabbage, and what had seemed like way more than would fit in a quart jar shrank down to about half a jar full!  It also produced enough liquid to pour over the top and cover the cabbage I had tamped down with the included glass weight.  Now I later discovered that I’d made a mistake here…I failed to leave the weight in the jar.  I removed it.  But you see at the end that all’s well that ends well.

After ensuring that all of the cabbage was covered by the brine, I added the rubber seal and the metal lid with the hole in it, screwed it down with my metal ring, inserted the cork with the hole in it, and inserted the air lock.  Voila!

Now after the fact, I again realized another mistake I’d made, which I only found out after reading a comment from a more experienced fermenter.  I never put water in the air lock up to the line to seal the food.  Turns out that the burping happens through the water that you put in the air lock.  Woopsie!  I didn’t do that, but I guess we must have clean air in the house, because my sauerkraut did not mold, even without the complete seal!  Call it beginner’s luck if you must.

In any case, I stuck my jar in a dark hall closet and let it be for 7 days.  The website recommends 7-10 days, but I just couldn’t wait any longer.  So after a full 7 days, I removed the jar and was thrilled to find no mold or discoloration!  The instructions had suggested that a little white residue on top is normal from the growth of healthy bacteria, but I didn’t even see that!  I removed the lid and gave it a whiff…no odd smell!  It smelled just a bit yeasty and a big sour, just like it was supposed to!  And I was thrilled to see that the sauerkraut had expanded to fill up the jar, just as it was supposed to do!  So I put my plastic screw-on lid onto the jar and stuck it in the fridge to keep for a later date when said Reubens have been slated for the dinner menu.  Yum!  Now I’m a little suspicious that without the glass tamper inside, the top bit of sauerkraut was no longer submerged in the brine, so for safety’s sake, I may just scoop out the top bit and toss it.  But it honestly looks really good, just like store-bought sauerkraut.

  

I’m calling it a success, and next time around, I’ll remember the two lessons I learned about leaving the glass tamper inside and adding water to the air lock.  There’s plenty of salt in the bag to do this project many times over!

So if you have ever wanted to try making your own fermented foods, you might want to give this starter kit a try!  There are so many types of recipes on the blog, and I see some pickles and perhaps some sourdough bread in my future, for sure!

Check out what other Crew members have to say about the Fermentools Starter Kit by clicking the banner below.

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If you think you’re ready to give it a try, here’s a discount code for 15% off your order through June 30th just for you!  CODE: CREW2020

Vocabulary Spelling City FREEBIE for All

We’ve been using Vocabulary Spelling City for many, many years.  Even if you use another spelling program, you can use the site for weekly spelling tests using your customized lists.  The basics of the site are free, and kids can play games with spelling and vocabulary words to aid in their learning.  But with a paid premium membership, lots of other features are unlocked, like grade tracking for educators and parents and additional premium games for students.

In support of families faced with home education during the pandemic, the site announced a promo code,VSCFree90, which gives new subscribers free premium access for 90 days.  For existing subscribers, entering the code under your premium renewal automatically extends your premium subscription expiration date by ONE YEAR for FREE!  How great is that?!?

I’m not sure when this offer ends, so take advantage of it while you can.  Use this link for full details on where to enter the code and how to sign up if you haven’t already.  If you are a current subscriber, pay particular attention on where to enter the code to extend your renewal.

Enjoy!

Homeschool Plans for 2020-2021

We’ve always schooled year-round from June to June.  This year, I left out some breaks so we could finish in mid-May, so we’re in the home stretch!  We were off this week for the last time this school year, and we only have 3 weeks left (12 actual school days)! 

I firmed up plans for our new 2020-2021 school year in early March at convention time.  Fortunately, I was able to slip in and out of the vendor hall opening night of GHC at the Fort Worth Convention Center just a day before the convention was canceled due to coronavirus!  I got exactly the things I still needed, so I was all set.

2020-2021 CURRICULUM PLAN

7^th GRADE

SUBJECT	CURRICULUM
Math	CTC Math – Basic Math & Pre-Algebra
History/Reading	Bookshark 7
Language Arts	Write Shop Junior E
Science	Apologia Exploring Creation with Zoology 3: Land Animals
Spelling	Spelling City – HMSV Word Lists – Grade 8
Vocabulary	Vocabulary/Spelling City - Wordly Wise 3000 Word Lists – Level 7
Spanish	La Clase Divertida Level III
Bible	Bible Quest – Old Testament

We’re continuing to use most of the things we used this school year, which is great.  We settled on some programs that were a really good fit for us this year.  I’m hoping to review CTC math pretty soon, and that will give us access for another year.  Holden has done SO well with that, and I love that we can pre-test and skip things he knows well, and also repeat things he hasn’t quite grasped before moving on.  That’s so important!  It’s truly self-paced, and I love that for him.

We’re going to make even better use of our premium subscription to Vocabulary Spelling City this year.  Since our Wordly Wise 3000 Online program was discontinued in the middle of our school year, we had to improvise.  But for our new school year, I’m going to return to the word lists he would have studied with Wordly Wise 3000, but have him practice them using the online games at Vocabulary Spelling City.  And with the code they issued to existing subscribers to help during the quarantine for coronavirus, we got a free year added on to our subscription!  That was awesome.  Also, we used it for spelling tests from our spelling book, but we’re going to drop the book altogether and just play games and take spelling tests on the site using the word lists from the spelling book series we were using.  Holden enjoys online games, and he hates writing.  I think it will be a win-win to let him use the words in other ways as he’s learning to spell them.  The site makes it so easy to assign games and activities, and it keeps track of his progress and grades for me.  We’ve always loved it!  So now we’ll be getting more use out of it than ever before.

Senior Gamache from La Clase Divertida told me at the convention that Level III is much more advanced than the previous 2 levels, so he suggested we slow it down, do even more repetition of the lessons, and spread it out over 2 years.  That works out well for us since we just plan to homeschool 2 more years until high school!

We’re looking forward to Apologia Zoology with land animals.  I remember reviewing it a few years ago when the kids were younger.  I know it starts out with body language of dogs and what it means.  I think he will be fascinated by that!  I know I learned a lot in just that one section.  I think this will be a really interesting year for science!  I was able to pick up the lab supply kit from Natures Workshop at the convention, so we’re good to go there.

Holden did pretty well this year with Write Shop Junior, so we’re moving on to the next level.  He is a reluctant writer, so he’s still within the recommended age range for someone in that category.  We had a good time with the assignments this year, and the varying activities keeps it light and fun.

Bible Quest was something I reviewed this school year.  We were given both the Old Testament and New Testament lesson books, so we plan to continue with that this year.  We should have plenty of material to get us through the year.

I still had Bookshark 7 from when Haylee did it a few years ago, and nothing has changed in terms of the book list, so I didn’t need to buy any new books!  That’s a first. 

I got my schedule binder prepped and ready to go with weekly tabs, and I entered the whole Bookshark schedule into Homeschool Planet for the year, so the bulk of that work is done!  It just took me a few hours one afternoon to get everything set up. Now I just need to schedule out the other subjects, and I’ll be ready for our first day of school before I know it!  I wanted to start getting everything ready now so I don’t have all the prep work to do during our month-long break that we get this year.  That’s a rare thing for us…we usually just have a week between school years…so I’m looking forward to every minute of it!