Thinking Like an Engineer from Innovators Tribe ~ A Homeschool Crew Review

One reason I love being on the Review Crew is because I learn about different vendors and products that I have never heard of before. It's even better when they turn out to be a favorite of the kids. We have had a lot of fun with this review of Thinking Like an Engineer from Innovators Tribe.

Finding curriculum that has something to do with my children's interests can sometimes be challenging. Awhile back Gavin had made the comment that engineering and architecture interested him. I knew when I saw this review come up that he would be totally excited for it.

Thinking Like an Engineer is a hands on interactive program taught by Mr. Kroeplin aka Mr. K. Your child will be taken on a learning adventure that includes so much more than just basic information about becoming an engineer. They are presented with self paced lessons, hands on activities, design challenges, and so much more. They get to dive into their creativity and really put their problem solving skills to good use.

This course is designed for grades 6 - 12 and is geared for both girls and boys! I love that because it's definitely a great fit for either. We have currently been only using it for Gavin, but I think when he's done, we are going to let Edyn use it for at least a partial credit in high school.

Thinking Like an Engineer is divided in to six units. They include:

• Introduction to Engineering ~ In this unit they will learn exactly what engineering is, and they will start to use their problem solving skills in the hands on challenges.
• Introduction to 3D Design (tools for modern design) ~ this is Gavin's favorite part so far. Your student will be introduced to the engineering design software and will participate in activities and challenges using it. 
• Engineering Rollercoasters ~ This is another one that Gav is super excited about. Your child will learn about the importance of the design of a rollercoaster, the construction of one, and even how to become a rollercoaster engineer. There are plenty of hands on activities too.
• Engineering Bridges ~ I personally find this one interesting. Lessons will include discovering different types of bridges and more 3D design work.
• Nano Engineering ~ Here is all about the engineering the small things. It's a shorter unit but still looks like a lot of interesting and fun lessons!
• Thinking Like an Engineer (course conclusion) ~ Just a short closing of the entire course.

The course is a combination of videos, text like a Power Point slide show, and plenty of hands on activites/challenges. The videos are interesting and completely engaging for your student. 

Gavin loved working on the challenges. The items you will need are very easy to find, and you will most likely already have it on hand at home. For example, the first challenge that he worked on only needed paper and tape. Easy simple items! I wish I could say that I had all of the pictures from this night, but something happened to my camera and I lost most of them. Gav and his dad work on the challenges together. They REALLY enjoy this type of thing, so I let them take over. The first challenge was a tower challenge. They watched a short video and discussed the tallest tower in the world, the Burj Khalifa. Their design challenge was to build a tower of their own using only 4 sheets of paper and 1 foot of masking tape. The hard part was that they had to make the tower at least 5 feet tall, it had to stand on its own for 10 seconds, and it was to be done in an hour. 

 Their first attempt at cutting it into strips was a close shot, but it failed. It only stood for about 3 seconds at a time. They did some revamping of their idea and finally got a finished product that worked. I sure wish I had the pictures to show you! Anyway, the time and effort they put into it was a lot of fun. It really made Gav dive deeper into the thought process of how to make something work, and if it doesn't work the first time, then keep trying until it does!

This program went above and beyond what I thought it could be. Gav is having a blast using it, but the important thing is he's learning some really cool stuff! This is the type of program that can give your child a taste of something they might want to make a career out of. If you're wanting something fun and different to add to your homeschool, go check out Thinking Like an Engineer OR Thinking Like an Architect from Innovators Tribe. It's well worth it!

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Thin Stix Creativity Pack by The Pencil Grip, Inc. ~ A Homeschool Crew Review

I always get excited to be able to review any kind of art products, but these are some of my favorites. This time around, we were able to review the Thin Stix Creativity Pack by The Pencil Grip, Inc. and we love them! We have reviewed these a couple of times before, and they never get old!

What did we receive?

Like I said before, this time around we got whats called the Creativity Pack which is 24 of the Thin Stix! It has all of the colors including:

• 12 Assorted Colors 
• 6 Neon Colors
• 6 Metalix Colors

What are Thin Stix?

If I were to describe Thin Stix to someone I would say it's a combination of a marker, a twistable crayon, and tempura paint. They are some of the neatest art tools that I have ever seen. They actually are a tempura paint, but there is NO water needed, AND they dry in 90 seconds! An art tool that is mess free? That's almost unheard of! 

Another thing that I love about using Thin Stix is that you can use them on almost anything! We have used them on canvas, wood, paper, card stock, and even aluminum foil! You can see that review and project here. 

How did we use them this time around?

Well with it being fall I really wanted to do something with pumpkins. I actually thought of buying pumpkins and letting the kids decorate them with their Thin Stix, and it would have worked beautifully, but at the end of the day I know my kids. They would have "painted" or Thin Stixed that pumpkin until there was no Thin Stix left lol! I decided that we better just stick to some good old card stock.

So we grabbed some card stock and our Thin Stix and went to town! I decided that we would have a quick lesson on gradient, so that's how I had them color their pumpkins.

First I had them draw a pumpkin using a pencil. I told them it could be tall and skinny, short and fat, or somewhere in between it didn't matter. 

Next they started coloring them in. They used yellow for the top, and then transitioned to orange, and then finally red. 

After they finished coloring in the pumpkin, they drew curved lines so that it took on a 3D effect.

I let them color the sky and grass however they wanted. 

This was their final pictures!

This was a super quick and easy project that they loved doing. As you can see from their pictures, Thin Stix do not lack in color at all! They are so vibrant and will make any project pop. Doing a project like this with Thin Stix works well because you have to kind of layer the colors. The fact that they dry in 90 seconds makes it extremely easy. They dry completely too! 

I have read that you can even add a little water to them after you color/paint with them, and it will give you a water color effect! We will be trying that very soon!

I highly recommend the Thin Stix Creativity Pack by The Pencil Grip, Inc. for not only homeschool activities, but they would also be great in schools, daycares, churches, or anywhere you want to have mess free art! With Christmas coming up, they would also make wonderful and affordable gifts. The ideas with them are limitless!

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Sex by Design from Abby Ludvigson ~ A Homeschool Crew Review

If there is one subject that can be stressful to discuss as parents with our children, it's sex. Add in the fact that we are trying to teach them to lead a lifestyle that involves purity, and it becomes more than just a talk about the "birds and the bees." We have had the chance to review a home study course that helps you tackle this sensitive subject called Sex by Design written and taught by Abby Ludvigson.

We have a very open floor when it comes to talking about sex with our teenage children. I have always said that I want them to feel comfortable in coming to us with any questions that they might have. Teaching them to wait for marriage and backing it with Biblical support is something that a lot of parent's are faced with. Right now we have a 16 year old daughter who is just starting to date so this topic has been at the forefront of a lot of conversations lately. Abby Ludvigson helps parents approach this subject because she not only teaches about it, she has lived a life of purity herself.

Who is Abby Ludvigson? Abby is an urban missionary who had a strong desire to understand the issues youth are faced with today. She is also very passionate about living out the life of purity for herself, and to be a role model for today's youth. She understands what it's like to wait for your true love and the trials that come with that. Abby decided to design a curriculum to support and encourage parents of teens to help them along with this important topic.

I know as a parent that this can be a sensitive topic. Every day our children are exposed to sex. It's on TV, all over the Internet, in books, and certainly talked about in their schools. As parents, we want to make sure our children are prepared for this as they come into their teen years. We want them to have a plan before they are put into situations that require them to make what we call adult decisions. With Abby's help, we can put a plan in place, and hopefully arm them with knowledge to help them focus on purity and feel prepared.

Sex by Design is made up of multiple components, but the three main parts are the video series, the Parent Edition, and Teen edition books. Abby is very open with parents about what is being taught, and that she isn't trying to replace them, but support them. She gives parents a video to watch beforehand and tells you that the first thing you should do is watch her videos and get a feel for what the program is about.

The curriculum is broken down into seven segments or topics.

• Segment 1 ~ Plan Ahead: Living Pure in a Sex Saturated Culture
• Segment 2 ~ Counting the Cost: Every Decision has a Price Tag
• Segment 3 ~ Dating: Doing Relationships God's Way
• Segment 4 ~ Sex: God's Purpose and Plan
• Segment 5 ~ Modesty: God Cares What I Wear
• Segment 6 ~ Pornography: Its Deception and & Steps to Get Out or Stay Out
• Segment 7 ~ Secondary Virginity: Running Back to God

Some of these topics may seem a little intimidating, but honestly Abby is very sensitive in how she covers each topic. This program is not meant to be something that is taken at a fast pace. Abby wants you to take time to cover each topic in depth and really dig in to it. There are two approaches to it. You can do a run through of all topics and then go back through it a second time and dig deeper. Or, you can take the approach we are, and take it slow on the first round, digging deeper into topics that you feel are most important as you go. 

We have worked through the first two Segments. We are still actually on Segment 2 because I feel it's a very important topic. When we sit down to have a lesson, we first talk about what is going to be discussed, and then we watch the video. I love the videos because the teens get to hear Abby herself teach each topic. Like I said before, Abby does a great job in covering the topics in a sensitive manor, but also really grabbing the teens attention.  

While watching the video, Edyn likes to use the Film Outline in her book to take notes. This gives her something to look back at for quick references. The book even has a full Film Script that she can go back over and read again if she needs to. We then move on to the Follow Up/Discuss It questions. This is where you can really dig deep and foster some great conversations with your teen about the subject that is being discussed. The next part of the segment called Personalize it is where your teen can take what was being taught and apply it to their life. They can take some time to themselves and work on the Bible study that Abby includes in the back of the book. It even gives them time to really read, apply, and memorize some of the scriptures that are in the book to apply it to their lives. Lastly Abby has a section called Apply It. There are additional resources added in, and even other books that Abby suggests that follow along with the topic at hand. 

Here's a little overview of what we've done so far. In Abby's first Segment she talks about planning ahead. She wants teens to have a game plan before they are put into difficult situations. She talks about when she was 12 and making a personal pact with herself to live a life of purity. She even took steps to make it more concrete in her life such as signing a purity pledge, getting a purity ring, and even having a special picture frame for her future husband. Edyn had already started this process herself, because she too at a young age decided that she wanted to live a life of purity. She has a purity ring that she wears daily, and it means a lot to her. It says True Love Waits, and it's a constant reminder to her WHY she wants to wait for marriage. 

The second Segment is all about the cost of having sex before you're ready. Abby covers topics such has pregnancy, STD's and even the emotional toll sex can take on you if you're not ready. One of the things that has embedded itself into Edyn and Gavin's mind is the "Sexual Exposure Chart" that Abby shows. This chart gives you numbers and what it looks like to have multiple sexual partners. It's pretty scary to see it like that. Every decision that's made involving sex can have a consequence whether good or bad.

The five Segments following continue to talk about important topics in a teen's life. I am looking forward to digging into the next one because it talks about dating someone with the same values and sticking to your convictions. 

Sex by Design has been a very welcoming curriculum, and couldn't have come at a better time. Taking the time to talk to our teens about the importance of waiting and living a life of purity is so important in this day and age. I love having the support from Abby Ludvigson in the form of this program to help the discussion move along a little smoother, and help me to give my teens the knowledge they need to live the life that God designed for them. 

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Reading Eggs ~ A Homeschool Crew Review

Every once in awhile we will do a review for a product that I didn't even realize we would use every single day. Gavin has had so much fun playing online learning games using Reading Eggs.

I'm always looking for anything that is educational, but also fun. Unfortunately Gavin isn't a big fan of reading, so I love to introduce programs to him that he can use to reinforce his reading, vocabulary, spelling, etc. Reading Eggs does all of this plus so much more. I thought Gavin would be too old for this program when I first read about it, even though it said that it went up to age 13. I was very wrong because each lesson that he has done has not been easy, but challenging for him!

Reading Eggs is available for ages 2 to 13. The levels are age appropriate with different engaging games, songs, and activities. In addition to the online activities they have just released their new program guides for grades K - 2nd grade that specifically support homeschoolers! These 36 week guides provide week by week detailed overviews so that you are able to track your child's learning. They can be found in the Parent Dashboard under the Bonus Material section.

The program is broken down as:

Reading Eggs Junior ~ This is what they call First Steps and it is for ages 2 to 4 years old. Games, videos and even books will help your toddler start building their pre-reading skills.

Reading Eggs 4-5 years ~ The skills here are geared for your child as they get ready to start school. It will include phonics, sight words, and essential reading skills that are age appropriate.

Reading Eggs 6-7 years ~ At this level your child will have lessons that focus on spelling, vocabulary, and comprehension.

Reading Eggspress for ages 7-13 ~ This is the level Gavin has been working on. Here they will have more structured comprehension lessons, spelling, and live games. We also LOVE the library that comes with it.

They even have an additional program called Mathseeds that they offer to reinforce your childs math skills! Mathseeds is geared for ages 3-9 and teaches your child the core principles of math using fun and interactive lessons.

How did we use this in our school?

Like I said, we have been using this every day. Gavin loves to do it and spends about 30 to 45 minutes on it a day. When we first started Reading Eggspress, I had Gav take the placement test, and it set him right up where he needed to be. He soon figured out that he had an avatar that he was going to be able to design and personalize. He loves doing this sort of thing so he dove right in. His avatar has an apartment that he can also design and personalize. The way it works is he will do his lessons for the day and he is rewarded with gold eggs. The gold eggs are used as currency to continue personalizing his apartment with decor, pets, furniture, and more! He LOVES this!

The dashboard that he starts with each day is brightly colored and easy to navigate. He can get to where he needs to be with the click of a button. As you can see he's already got 567 gold eggs saved up to buy some cool stuff at the mall!

He starts his day with the English Skills portion and right now he's working on spelling. The spelling takes him through different spelling rules such as homophones, plurals, vowels, and more. He's a decent speller, but has definitely been challenged with some of these words!

Next he moves on to his lesson. Each lesson is broken down into parts talking about a main book in general. It will take him through all kinds of different skills. He may look up a word in a dictionary and learn what part of speech it is. He may read an excerpt from a book and then answer reading comprehension questions about it. When he's done with that day's lesson, he will continue on down the path until he gets to the end where he will take a quiz. After each section of the "map" he will get a reward of gold eggs. This of course is the part he loves!

When he's finished with all of the lessons on that "map" he moves on to the next one.

When he's done with his lesson for the day, he heads to the library. This feature is super cool! There are hundreds of books here that he can read to earn more gold eggs! They offer different genres such has comedy, adventure, myth, Earth Science and so much more. He can even start a book and if he doesn't finish, he can book mark it for the next time he comes back. They even give you suggestions for the Book of the Day!

When he's finished with everything, he can go to the mall and spend his eggs, or he can save them which is what he's doing now.

I have to say again, this is an absolute amazing program. It is not only completely educational, but also so much fun for your child. Reading Eggs challenges your student and will improve their reading skills with fun and adventure! Right now they are offering a FREE 4 week trial, so you can test it out yourself! We love Reading Eggs and I am so happy we have found it!

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Single Membership from CTC Math ~ A Homeschool Crew Review

Finding a math program to fit your child's needs can sometimes be a daunting task. I had the chance to review this wonderful program last year, and Gavin loved it! You can imagine my excitement when I found out I would be able to review CTCMath's Single Membership this year, and that they are offering 60% off plus 6 bonus months right now!

Math can be a very stressful subject for some kids. With CTCMath, your child will have short and to the point lessons that are engaging and easily understood. The child is able to work at their own speed and can even stop and rewind the video if they need to. There are over 1400 math tutorials that teach the concepts of math in a step by step process. We love that the lessons are short enough to hold Gav's attention, but are very well laid out so that the concept is explained in full detail. You will have access to every grade offered with your membership! No having to choose just one single grade. Also, there are placement tests to see where your child falls in their program.

Are you homeschooling more than one child? I love CTCMath because with the Family Subscription, you can have math for everyone. It can be utilized as a full curriculum up until grade 8. They offer high school math along with it, but it becomes more of a supplement which is also wonderful. With CTCMath you will have 24/7 access to all of it everyday so that there is no rush to get it all in.

How do we use it in our school?

This is such an easy program to use, and getting it set up only takes minutes. One thing that I like when using an on-line program is that when they give you a parent/teacher log in and a student log in. CTCMath gives you both of those options.

While logged into the parent log-in, in a glance you can see your child's overall grade, activity, awards, and weekly reports. There is also an option to get a pdf in order to print out their grades if you need it.

Another option that is offered to you is setting up daily tasks for your child. We personally do not use this option because Gav just knows what he's supposed to do next. This is a great option to have though. For example, you could go in and set up the task that you want your student to do for Monday. You could even name it Monday's work. When they sign on under the student log in, it's ready for them to go under the tasks section and see their daily work. All the student has to do is click on that specific task and it will take them to the lesson. If you have the family subscription, then you can do this for multiple students. I can see where that would be a great help for keeping it all straight. 

So for Gav, this program is used daily. After he logs in, he goes to his daily lesson. Unless he had issues on the lesson before hand, he starts a new one. If he didn't understand the previous lesson, or just needs some extra practice, we redo it. 

The lessons are laid out one right after the other, and he can see what they are plus his grade/progress on each one from the student dashboard. He can even customize the colors of his dashboard which he loves. 

The lesson starts with a short video somewhere in the neighborhood of 4 to 9 minutes. This is where the concept that they are working on is explained in full detail with plenty of examples. He has watched quite few lessons, and has not had to come to me for extra help hardly at all. The lessons are clear and very easy to understand. He loves his "Australian teacher" and even asks to do his math lessons. That's a first for us!

When he's done with the video, he moves on to his questions. He keeps his pen and paper handy next to him to work out all of his problems, and then he adds his answer in to the computer. It's very straightforward and simple for him to do.

If he does good, which he normally does, the next day he will move on to the next lesson. If we feel like he needs additional help, he will redo the previous lesson. When he's finished with the entire group of lessons on a specific topic, I have him take one of the tests to make sure that he understands it all.

The only thing that I wish they could add is maybe an option to print out extra worksheets on each topic. I think it would make it easier to add extra reinforcement to each topic being taught. I don't think this takes away from the program at all, it's just something I would love to see as an extra option.

What did we think?

Well when your child asks to do math, and actually enjoys it, you love the program! He is doing so well right now, and has strengthened all of his math skills using CTCMath! I highly recommend this program to homeschoolers, or even public schoolers that need some extra supplemental help!

Don't forget that they are offering 60% off plus 6 bonus months right now! That is a fantastic price for this program!!

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Captain Bayley's Heir by Heirloom Audio Productions ~ A Homeschool Crew Review

When I see a review for one of my favorite vendors pop up, I know it's not going to disappoint! This time we go on another wild adventure in Captain Bayley's Heir by Heirloom Audio Productions.

I think every single time I listen to an audio production from Heirloom Audio I say, "That was my favorite!" Not long after, I will get new one and it will also be my favorite. The stories are the type that keep you on the edge of your seat with quality family entertainment.

If you have never had the pleasure of listening to an audio drama from Heirloom Audio, then let me tell you a little bit about them. What they do is recreate the stories from the legendary story teller, G.A. Henty. Mr. Henty was a war correspondent, a big guy with an even bigger beard, and he lived for adventure. His passion comes through in every story he tells. He loved to share his stories with his friends and family, and throughout the years, he went on to write 122 books! This is where Heirloom Audio comes in. They take these beautifully told stories, and turn them into adventures that come alive as you listen to them. I am an avid reader, and I also listen to a lot of audio books. These audio dramas are completely in a league of their own. They are not your average audio book. These are brought to life with award winning actors, amazing sound effects, and the beautifully written sound track that goes along with it. As soon as you start listening, you enter the world of G.A. Henty, and his love for adventure is brought to life.

I want to talk a little about all of the different components that we received for this review. First off we got the 2 CD set along with the extra digital download features.

Captain Bayley's Heir Adventure Playlist ~ This is how you are able to listen online, or download it and listen to it on your phone. We have used this feature many times, and love to have the option.

Captain Bayley's Heir E-book ~ This is the original e-book, but with all new colorful graphics.

Official Soundtrack ~ Original music by Emmy-winning composer John Campbell

Printable Cast Poster ~ Printable promotion poster featuring the star studded cast

Inspirational Hymn Poster ~ I love this, especially since this book is built around one of our favorites, Amazing Grace.

Desktop Wallpaper Download ~  A stunning wallpaper for your computer.

Study Guide and Discussion Starter ~ This is an amazing extra that gives you the ability to turn this into more than just something to listen to. When we listen to this as a family, I like to have the study guide pulled up on my phone or computer. You could definitely print it out if you wanted to, because it is so beautiful and colorful. It would be nice to have a notebook devoted to all of the study guides. That way they would be easily accessible.

The study guide starts off by telling you about G.A. Henty, and a little bit about Heirloom Audio Productions. It is then broken down by every CD and track number. This makes it easier to stop the drama, and talk about each chapter. I love to use this with my kids because it makes them pay better attention to it. They start listening for details because they know they are going to have some questions about each chapter or track.

There are several different parts to the study guide.

• Listening Well ~ These are to ask your students what they've heard or learned throughout the chapter.

• Thinking Further ~ These are a little bit more in depth and will get your students thinking about things such as drawing conclusions to character's actions. These are great for older students.

• Defining Words ~ This is based on vocabulary words throughout the story. This is my kids favorite part! We go over what they think certain words mean, and then what they really mean if they don't know. 

At the end there is not one, but TWO Bible studies that are included! This is a fantastic extra that talks about God's grace, and becoming a Christian. They go above and beyond with their study guides!

One last thing I want to talk about is the new feature called Live the Adventure Club. This club adds even more fun to your listening adventure that includes different resources and other kids activities to go along with the stories.

Now this brings us to what Captain Bayley's Heir is all about. Amazing Grace. This story encompasses those words.

We start our adventure with our favorite narrator, Mr. George. He's writing a letter to his friends Ned and Gerald while on a train ride to the gold fields of California where he's conducting research for his new book, Captain Bayley's Heir. He even hired a wagon and driver so that he could experience exactly what those pioneers went through. His driver turns out to be a young and ambitious 18 year old boy who has already started his own company with a horse and wagon. He knows that Mr. George is a writer, so they start talking about it. He even tells him that he's thought about writing a book. He then asks Mr. George to tell him his story, and that's where it all begins.

It starts in England where we are introduced to Frank Norris, an 18 year old carefree kid, who is friendly to everyone. We quickly learn exactly what kind of person Frank is when he dives into icy water to rescue a dog from drowning. Harry, the dog's owner is extremely grateful, and wants Frank to come to his house and meet his parents. You will learn more about him later.

Soon after we are introduced to Captain Bayley. He is a robust and loud man who on the surface seems pretty intimidating. After learning a bit about why he is the way he is, his personality starts to make more sense. He has made some mistakes and now has to pay for them.

While Frank is attending school he sneaks out with his friends to attend a meeting of rebels who despise Brittain all because they want to see a real fight. The problem is this is completely against school rules. They end up getting into a fight and Frank breaks someone's nose. Next thing he knows, he's being told that unless he pays him 10 pounds then he will be turned in and inevitably kicked out of school. While Frank is stressing over this and telling his friends, someone anonymously leaves a 10 pound note on his desk. The problem is that he doesn't know where it comes from, and is accused of stealing it. This is where Frank's life is completely turned upside down.

Frank decides in an effort to clear his name that he is heading to America. He takes a ship called the Mississippi where he meets his new boss Hiram. Here he learns what it means to work hard, and what it's like to face treacherous storms! Frank is living one adventure after another. He ends his journey with Hiram to head to California to look for gold! Along the way he meets some cowboys that also teach him about the Pioneer journey, how to fight the Indians, and also the most important lesson on God's grace. He goes through many hard ships along the way, and in the end it only makes him stronger. In the three years that Frank is gone from England he is introduced to not only the hymn Amazing Grace, but also what it means to be unconditionally loved by God and actually have His amazing grace poured upon him.

As you can tell, we always love these books. Along with a wonderful story, they also give you so much more to think about. If you are looking for something different to add to your collection, I highly recommend Captain Bayley's Heir by Heirloom Audio Productions. You won't be disappointed!

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