The Critical Thinking Co.™: Sentence Diagramming (A Homeschool Crew Review)

I think there are two kinds of people in the world: those that love to diagram sentences, and those that don't.  In my experience, there is no in-between! Luckily for The Critical Thinking Co.™, I like to diagram sentences for fun.  Lucky for me, when we were asked to choose one item to review from a list of several products, Sentence Diagramming: Beginning was among the choices.  It's for students in grade levels three through 12, and since Jude is entering the grade 3 level of his regular grammar program, I was thrilled to teach him how to diagram, too.

Why do I love diagramming?  I think because it is very orderly. Sentences are made up of specific parts of speech.   Every part of speech has a particular place in the diagram picture, and when you diagram a sentence, you will always put the same words in the same space.

I also think that diagramming truly helps a student become a better writer.  They become more aware of sentence structure, of having a balanced number of adjectives and adverbs rather than none at all or so many that a passage becomes unwieldy. I'm watching Matthew struggle with his writing, and I am thinking that he will soon be adding a sentence or two a day to his workload.  Yes, at first a sentence can take several minutes to decode, but once you've had practice, it takes longer to find a ruler!

(And yes, I've turned into my mother.  When I was in the fifth grade, our only written homework every night was math and one sentence to diagram. I can hear her voice: "Where is your ruler?  A ruler.  I said, FIND YOUR RULER.")

Sentence Diagramming: Beginning is a 72-page soft-sided workbook.  It can be used as a consumable, but the publisher generously allows photocopying within a single family.  As a parent of multiple students, I definitely appreciate this bit of potential frugality! The program begins with breaking down the simplest of sentences: a simple subject and a simple predicate, and adds a new part of the sentence/part of speech with each subsequent lesson.  After finishing a second-grade level general grammar program, Jude knows subjects, predicates, objects, adjectives, adverbs, and conjunctions. This experience creates enough mix-and-match parts of speech for him to be able to start diagramming.

Each lesson contains several pages of practice, progressing from observing completed sentences to independently diagramming.  Students are first asked to compare incorrectly diagrammed sentences with correct ones, then diagram sentences in a fill-in-the-blank scenario, and then given a sentence and basically told: "Have at it!"

We found the first few chapters quite easy.  They focused on subject/verb, subject/verb/direct object, and sentences with adjectives.  Jude did well grasping the concept of where things went but needed a little extra help with practicing.  It is easy to hop from the workbook to a practice notebook and then back again.

Honestly, I think the hard part was trying to figure out sentences that fit the correct pattern.  I would begin to write sentences, but have to go back and change things because I was naturally putting prepositional phrases -- i.e., "The cowboy rode in a rodeo," or wanting to continue "Annie ran," with a modifier like "quickly," that he hadn't yet learned.  I loved that there is an appendix in the back of the workbook with the answers, but I would have really liked a maybe three or four-page section that had a list of sentences that went with each of the exercises. As you continue through the book, the sentences get more detailed, adding in conjunctions, prepositional phrases, etc.   If you want to keep practicing the simpler sentences, you'll need to add in a notebook/outside worksheet program for supplementing.  We are getting into the habit of creating and diagramming two or three sentences each day for practice.  Here are our Election Day practice sentences:

Overall, I think this is a very clear way to introduce sentence diagramming. Jude was intimidated at first, but after a bit of practice, he remarked, "You know, this is kind of fun!"

Hey, Jude?

In addition to this workbook, the Crew reviewed a preschool academics software bundle, Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic Before Kindergarten!™ as well as the Language Smarts Level E program. Click the banner below to read reviews about each of these items.





©2012- 2016 Adventures with Jude. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://adventureswithjude.com

Homeschool Legacy: Thanksgiving with the Pilgrims (A Homeschool Crew Review)

I'm always torn between trying to keep up with "regular" school work and adding in "fun" programs.  It's tricky for us to balance new projects with our usual lesson plans, because when we digress from the routine, it can be hard for us to get back into it, but I hate to "add on" too much because then we have rebellion. One of our successes from last year was a unit study from Homeschool Legacy -- it's once-a-week format struck the right balance for us.  The boys are studying American history, so combined with the time of year, it seemed an excellent opportunity to try out their five new Once-A-Week Micro-Study offerings, Thanksgiving with the Pilgrims.

What makes a Micro-Study different from Homeschool Legacy's traditional Once-a-Week Studies? The easiest way would be to call them "Studies Light," but I hesitate to leave it at that because that connotates they are more "fluffy," with less substance.  By no means! These studies are of equal quality to the full-length ones, but the coursework is less intense.  It can be completed quickly -- each week's assignment takes about 90 minutes, either all in one afternoon or spread across three days, as compared to their regular studies that can be used daily or take a full school day to complete a single week's lesson.

The Micro-Studies are geared towards students as young as first grade and provide more of an "overview exposure to the topic" than the in-depth study of Homeschool Legacy's traditional program.  The lessons still can be spread across six weeks,  but we found that since we could complete a week's worth of tasks in a day, it was easy to do the entire program's activities in a little over a week -- perfect for us for a holiday-themed unit study! The only task we couldn't finish in a week was the suggested reading. There are three books listed (choose one, two, or all), and at 80+ pages each; since we couldn't complete even one in under a week, we opted to just continue with it as our daily read-aloud until we were finished.   However, we've been able to get back to our "regularly scheduled afternoon work" quickly -- important for boys who think that four days without their usual work list means they are done with grammar forever!

Each day's work consists of reading about a half page of information about the Pilgrims and completing an activity that goes along with the passage.  The passages are easy to read -- they score at Grade 4.4 on the Flesch-Kinkade grade level.  This puts them right in the middle of Homeschool Legacy's target of Grades 1 through 8 for these studies.  Jude (grade 4) read them easily, and even Damien (reading at a 2nd grade level) had few difficulties.  Most of his stumbles were actually over  Native American words (names) like "Tisquantum" and "Massasoit" that even I had to slow down to read.

 The activities range from practicing map reading skills to stringing popcorn and cranberries.  The popcorn and cranberries actually highlight a difference between Puritan life and modern celebrations of Christmas; we learned that the Puritans spent Christmas Day, 1620 building homes.  Why?  Because to them, it was just a Monday, and the day after the Sabbath.  They didn't celebrate Christmas as a holiday! (The boys decided they wouldn't have been so happy to leave the Netherlands -- and Sinterklass -- behind to build houses in America!)

Micro-studies from Homeschool Legacy are available as downloadable files.  This means that many of the activities are hyperlinked for easy study -- just click the highlighted text and poof! you are where you need to be.  While we actually changed what we did for the map skills activity and opted to use Google Maps, I appreciated the hyperlinked virtual field trips to Plimoth Plantation (and yes, that's now going on our "real life field trip" bucket list!)  Yes, I could have googled it and found the link, and I probably would have pinned it on Pinterest, but it was nice to not have to find it when we were up to that part - we could just click and keep on going!

 My only complaint is that there isn't quite as much "come back next year" potential as the full-length studies.  I think we could probably do another Thanksgiving with the program if I added more research to it as they got older -- for example, instead of just mapping the towns in England and the Netherlands, I would consider adding a little bit of "tell me about those countries," or "look up more about the Massasoit tribe that helped the Pilgrims."  There are several other Micro-Studies, but given the choice, I would invest in the full-length Native America study versus the Many Nations Micro-Study.  I would love to see a full-length Thanksgiving study, along the order of their Christmas Comes to America, to be able to circle back to the holiday each year and study it a little more deeply each time.

Overall, we enjoyed this short unit study. It was enough information that the boys were excited to learn, but not so much that it was overwhelming for them, and it fit into our schedule nicely.  I'd call it a success when both mom and student are happy!

For more about Homeschool Legacy, follow them on Facebook.  You can also read about the other studies the Crew has been working on by clicking the banner below.







©2012- 2016 Adventures with Jude. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://adventureswithjude.com

CrossTimber Personalized Name Gifts (A Homeschool Crew Review)

The meaning of a name is important.  In the Bible, Naomi says, "Do not call me Naomi [‘Sweet’]. Call me Mara [‘Bitter’], for the Almighty has made my life very bitter." (Ruth 1:20)  The story of Zacharias culminates with him regaining his ability speak after he writes of his newborn, "His name is John," which means, "God is gracious." Jesus charged Simon with leading the early Christians with the words, "Blessed are you, Simon, son of Jonah...I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church," changing his name to reflect his new role in the Church.  (Matthew 16:17-18)   When we chose names for our children, the biggest challenge Neal and I faced was "Do we like the meaning of the name?"  As much as we tested the sound of names, and any potential nicknames, the deciding factor in what name each baby was christened was the meaning of his or her name.   Luke means "light," Matthew means "gift of God," Celia is from the Latin "caelus," or "heaven," Jude means "God is praised," and Damien means "to overcome." I think a name is one of the most important gifts a parent gives to their child.

CrossTimber is a family-run company that designs beautiful name gifts, but owner John Dehnart is as passionate about name meanings as I am!  I was so excited to receive a Personalized Framed Plaque with Name Meaning and Bible Verse from them to review that is not only artistically beautiful but also delves deep into name meanings.

Crew members were given a gift certificate to CrossTimber and allowed to choose from many different personalized gifts, from name plaques to coffee mugs.

When we were selected for this review, I wasn't totally certain what I would pick. I was leaning toward a coffee mug for Jude, who is very interested in genealogy and etymology, but how does a mama choose ONE child?  John is always up for checking out a name, so you know what you're ordering. I decided to see what CrossTimber had researched for Celia. (She got moved to the top of the list because while the boys have found mugs and keychains with their names on them, it's very rare for us to find anything in a gift shop with her name on it.)  Most consider Celia to be a derivative of Cecilia, which means "blind," but we chose it because of its Latin root. I admit wanting to test John's skill into finding name meanings.  Silly me! John LOVES a good research challenge.

I contacted him through the website, explained the background on our choice of  Celia's name, and he promptly emailed me back with the following:

He also gave me suggestions on what would be on plaques for each of the boys, and now I really didn't know what to choose.  Then I thought about Neal.  No, he's not an afterthought -- I just was focused on "pick a kid."  In the interest of not risking a cry of playing favorites, I thought that maybe I would get a gift for Neal, especially since his is not a common name, and finding something with the correct spelling is nearly impossible.  I asked John if he could tell me about Neal's name. I thought about getting a single name plaque for Neal and saving it for Christmas, but then I realized one with both of our names would make a great anniversary gift.

I love our plaque!  There are over 100 different combinations of designs to choose from, with eleven "picture postcard"  backgrounds, from mountains to river scenes, in the multi-name-plaque category. I selected the "Harvest Fields" background for two reasons.  First, it is a nod to our family's business in agriculture.  (We sell packing supplies -- boxes, crates, etc. -- to farmers.)  However, continuing on the name theme, I've been told that Falciani means farmer, so a harvest seems appropriate for an October anniversary.

I was impressed with the shipping, too.  It came very well padded, so safe from any mishaps in the postal system.  It also came very quickly!  CrossTimber asks that you give them two weeks to get your item to you, including transit time.  Even in the massive Crew rush (there are 90 families on this review, and many of us ordered additional items), I still received my order within the two weeks allotted.

Bookmarks are available for purchase with orders, and included for free with larger orders. However, John tucked a bookmark for each of us.  Each has our name, the meaning, and the Bible verse from the main item.

In addition to the gift of a bookmark for larger orders, CrossTimber offers some nice discounts.  I know when you're a small business, even small discounts can take big bites out of your bottom line, so I appreciate their generosity!

CrossTimber is also holding a Christmas "Giftaway"!  One winner will receive a free personalized gift, while nine others will receive $10 gift certificates.  The contest ends on December 4th, 2016, so you will have your item by Christmas.  There are several ways to enter, including daily options, so make sure to come back and increase your chances of winning!


a Rafflecopter giveaway
After learning how dedicated John is to finding the meaning of names, and seeing the quality of CrossTimber's work, these may become my go-to for new baby and Christening gifts, or a wedding gift, etc.  It would also be something special for a new Confirmand to present him or her with the meaning of the newly chosen Confirmation name.  A gift from CrossTimber will help share just how special a person's name is!

To learn about the name gifts other Crew members received, click on the banner below.






©2012- 2016 Adventures with Jude. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://adventureswithjude.com

Middlebury Interactive Languages (A Homeschool Crew Review)

From when he was in early elementary school until this year, Matthew has studied Spanish.  After struggling through Spanish II and a semester of Spanish III, he decided to take a break from it and study Latin.  However, in today's economy, the ability to speak Spanish is a very marketable skill, so when we had the chance to review Middlebury Interactive Languages' High School Spanish I Fluency, I thought this would be an excellent opportunity for him to keep practicing his skills.  (This is a two-semester course; we received access to the first semester for the review.)

Middlebury Languages offers programs for elementary, middle school, and high school students in Spanish, French, Chinese and German.  There are two styles of courses: immersion and explicit instruction.  The fluency courses are based on an immersive methodology.  Imagine disembarking from a plane and being thrust into a foreign city and needing to navigate around.  That is very similar to how the Fluency course works. The program uses activities and videos where a student is asked to observe keywords, inflection, tone, and body language, the same as you would in person.

In working with Matthew, I began to realize a good deal of his struggle with Spanish last year was in speaking and being able to understand what others were saying. At first, he panicked because the videos feature native speakers who sometimes spoke very rapidly.  He had difficulty understanding the words, just by sound.  In this exercise, however, he did quite well because he could read as he listened.

On one hand, if he was dropped off in the middle of Madrid or Mexico City, he would be forced to listen, formulate the language in his head, and speak. That's a tall order.  At the same time, I've been to Italy but do not speak the language (Spanish, Catholic Church Latin, and Italian restaurant menus are as close as I get), and while a conversation with a native was difficult, there were plenty of opportunities to attempt to "read and speak" or read along with something like a menu. Gestures and facial expressions also were employed to convey points.  I think that while Matthew's other program focused on conversational Spanish that was more "pick a topic, and we'll talk back and forth" combined with a more traditional grammatical approach, this multi-sensory approach may be better for him.  Being able to hear and see the words he is learning, and in context, will help him gain confidence.  I think also being able to see gestures and movement help, as opposed to a face-to-face but behind desks conversation.

When you're looking at fluency in a language, learning cultural norms are crucial as well.  One of the areas where this program is better than most others I've seen is that it features examples of how Hispanic idioms are a bit different from English.

I can say that despite six years of Spanish study of my own, I never knew this.  I would never consider gordito to be a compliment, but it is. Without knowing the culture, it would be easy to find myself offended rather than flattered someone was calling me a pet name.  I think learning the culture of the people you are speaking with is just as important as the words they say.

Matthew had a relatively easy time of this. I think because he did have a history with the language, it made it easier for him to work on using Spanish rather than learning Spanish . It moves at a very rapid pace, as opposed to a more traditional course that gives you many opportunities to learn a particular set of vocabulary words or grammar concept. Unit 1 focused on greetings, culminating in the ability to introduce yourself.  

There was only a minimum of formal vocabulary and grammar included at the beginning, and Matthew felt that if he hadn't already known "Soy de Nueva Jersey y tengo quince años..." from prior instruction, he would have been totally lost in the "learn where you're from, how old you are, and write an email/record a voicemail with this" sections.  I think the program is more appropriate for students who have studied with a more traditional program and are now looking to work on putting the "book knowledge" to the test in a situation that more resembles a real-world experience.  He was able to complete several activities in a single day -- he spent about 45 minutes each day and was able to finish about a third of a unit each time.

Overall, I liked this program for him. I think we are going to continue with the course to help with his fluency skills. I am looking at it to be a "bridge" for him for this year.  He's not quite ready for Spanish III because his foundation is shaky, but this is certainly strenuous enough to count as a third language credit.  Importantly, it is helping to build his skills and confidence that he really has learned more than he realized, and giving him the chance to build upon the skills he has, rather than letting them stagnate or wither.

To read about the other Middlebury Interactive Languages programs the Crew has been working on, click the banner below.








©2012- 2016 Adventures with Jude. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://adventureswithjude.com

Being Part of the Homeschool Review Crew

It's hard to believe that we are coming to the end of our 4th year on the Homeschool Review Crew.  (If the name is a little unfamiliar, it's because the Crew had been called the "Schoolhouse Crew"  since our family joined, but we've recently changed our name to better reflect being part of the homeschool community.) When we first became Crew members, Jude and I were bumbling our way through Kindergarten.  Four years later, thanks to the Crew, Jude has made it well into fourth grade, and we've even successfully graduated one surprise-homeschooled high schooler! When I was asked to write about why the Crew has been a blessing for us, I realized I could probably write an entire dissertation!


People say, "You get to try stuff for free, right?" Well, sort of.  It's true that the costs aren't coming out of my wallet, but a good review does take time to write.  I'm the first person to say that time is valuable. That's why I choose not to go to six grocery stores in search of the rock bottom price on things but instead use the time to write reviews.  Looking back through past reviews, we have tried over two hundred products! That's a lot of time invested.

What stands out most is we have test-driven at least twelve phonics and reading programs over the years. When I think about what it would have cost to purchase them and then find most didn't work for Jude, I know I would have given up long before we got to number six or seven. We've paid for them in sweat-and-sometimes-tears equity.

Time spent on Crew reviews are a big reason why we've been able to travel so much over the over the last few summers. Reviewing has allowed us to leave the product's monetary value in our homeschooling budget. This means that instead of buying full curricula for each boy, we've been able to shift money into our "Adventure Fund." I'll trade the 20 or so hours it takes me to learn a new program, take and edit pictures, and write a review for the opportunity to tour America!

But being part of the Crew isn't just about getting "free" stuff or the chance to travel.  After trying all that I found easily, as well as some "new to us" programs with the Crew, I was at the point of giving up when it was time to volunteer for yet another new phonics and reading program. I said, "I'm so burnt out.  I'll never give up on Jude, but I'm tired of failing. He is tired of failing.  If you want us, we'll do it; if you don't need us, I'm ok with that."  The Crew leadership decided they wanted us, so we reviewed Essential Skills Advantage. It was the one that clicked, and Jude took off like a rocket.  It was the right program, at the right time, but the confidence booster of being chosen was more than.  It wasn't one more "Well, why do you need to try program number nine? Maybe it's not the programs; maybe it's him.  Or, maybe it's you, and you can't teach him."  It was somebody saying, "You can do this. You have it in you, and I know your brain is fried, but I know you'll still give it all you have. Just try.  You got this!"  Calling ourselves the "Homeschool Review Crew" isn't just a catchy title.  The Crew is a group that works as a crew, working together and lifting each other up.

Many of the things we've reviewed have been programs I had never heard of, too, but have made a huge difference for us.  Celia got involved with one review, testing out online violin lessons for six weeks.  We were so impressed that we decided to continue with the lessons.  (This is where having tried things lets us know what works or doesn't so we spend actual cash wisely.)  Three years later,  she's now a first chair violin in our local youth string ensemble, thanks in large part to her online teacher, Jeremy.  Late last spring, she added piano lessons with Antonia, another MacPhail instructor.  Two trophies for successful violin jury exams reside on our piano; our house is now filled with the music being practiced preparing for juries in both instruments.  Without the Crew, we'd never have known about this program, and it's made a huge difference in her life.  On our trip this past summer, we stopped in Minneapolis, and she got to meet her teachers at their studio. I practically had to tie a string to her ankle, so she didn't float away from the sheer joy of playing with them in person.



I'm always surprised at the variety of things we get to review.  We've tried out programs for every grade, from preschool to high school. Of course, most are curriculum related, but it's not just "three Rs."  Science, music, history, and foreign languages are all things we've taught using review items. We've also expanded how we think of learning.  It's not just pencil-and-paper We've also reviewed inspirational books, a few "pampering just for Mom" items,  and even a company that creates beautiful diplomas! Many people talk having "child-led" homeschools; we are Crew-led learners!

The Crew is currently looking for new members!  If you're a blogger and homeschooler, I encourage you to explore becoming part of the Crew.  If you meet the guidelines and think you would be a great addition to the Crew, you can find the application to join here.  Tell them Meg F. sent you!

 If you're not quite convinced that the crew is right for you, think about it, and then please read what other members are saying about their experiences by clicking this link: What being on the Crew means...  (The link will be live on Friday, October 22 at 8 am Eastern.)

©2012- 2016 Adventures with Jude. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://adventureswithjude.com

MyFreezEasy (A Homeschool Review Crew Review)

When Luke began his Junior year of high school, he decided to take a cooking course.  He's a master sandwich maker, but even he conceded that even a grilled cheese sandwich wasn't really a "hot dinner."  He became very proficient in the kitchen, trying old favorites and branching out to adapt new recipes.  By now I can say, "I'm busy doing schoolwork with the others.  There are pork chops in the fridge, do something with them," and an hour or so later, dinner is on the table.   Matthew has watched Luke in the kitchen and has been itching for his turn, so when we received a MyFreezEasy.com Meal Plan Membership from MyFreezEasy, he suited up in the kitchen and was ready to cook.

Easy there, cowboy!  Let's find something to make first.

MyFreezEasy is a subscription service that creates meal plans for busy families.  In it's strictest sense, you can create meals that fill your freezer in one bulk session, and cooking becomes "grab a bag and go" plan.  Meals are divided by cooking style (slow cooker, skillet, etc.), by ingredient (ground beef vs. other cuts of beef, pork chops vs. chicken, etc.), and even allergy accommodations (gluten free, dairy free, etc.).  Below is a sample of the "ground meat" category:

Each month, MyFreezEasy releases eight pre-organized meal plans that include recipes and shopping lists planned around a particular style of cooking or food, as well as a Build Your Own Meal Plan option. Having them organized by protein is a good idea for if you are thinking "Chicken is on sale this week," or "I have some ground beef to use up, but I'm not sure what I want to do with it."  It's also nice that you're not flipping through skillet pork chop recipes when you know you want something for the slow cooker.   You can swap out another dish from same pre-made plan genre (ie, chicken, ground beef, etc.)  if the pre-planned list has something that won't work for you.  However, since I knew I wanted to try several different types of recipes  before committing to a freezer full of them, we chose to mostly work within the BYO version.  Among the things we made were Chicken Parmesan, Slow Cooker Beef and Black Bean Chili, Peachy Pork Chops, and Stuffed Peppers.

One thing I appreciated is the recipe measurements are usually generous.  We generally doubled the ingredients and still had leftovers! That's something that rarely happens with recipes served to teen boys! I appreciated having a night off in the kitchen when we ate them up!  The one time we didn't have much left was when we made Chicken Asado -- my chicken pieces were on the smaller side and didn't go as far.

I was skeptical when we first started this because we're not a "bulk cooking family."  Even when I can tomatoes in the summer, I put them up plain, preferring to flavor them based on what we're eating when I open the jars rather than winding up having six jars of salsa and no pasta sauce!   Much of our meat is bought in bulk -- every few months, we contract with a local butcher for a whole pig, a bulk order of chicken, etc. We receive it frozen, so it's pointless to defrost and re-freeze it just so it's in the "right" zip-top bag.  I also was a little confused with why it would be worth the freezer space for some of the meal.  One example is the chili we made. It certainly makes sense to brown the ground meat and freeze that, so it's ready to go, and I can certainly get on board with freezing prepared chili, but it didn't make sense to me to open cans into plastic bags.  It's more storage-space-efficient for me just to open everything directly into the crock pot when I'm making dinner. For the pork chops, based on the freezer directions, it made more sense to me to take pork chops and already-frozen (and unless it's early July, generally less expensive that fresh) out of the freezer on the night I was ready to cook.

(c) MyFreezEasy

MyFreezEasy meals are very easy to prep. Directions are well written, so I can hand a beginner cook like Matthew a printout and say "go make this."  There have been a few things he's needed help with, like learning how to pit peaches and the "wet hand/dry hand" technique for breading chicken.  He would have been able to make the chili completely on his own, but apparently, the pop top on the first black bean can fought back. (We had to fall back and re-engage with a "use the can opener" strategy.)  After seeing what Luke has made over the past two years, I know Matthew was a bit nervous that his meals would be as well received.  These were simple to make, helping him build his confidence in the kitchen.

Most of the recipes are reasonably flexible, which is good for a new cook.  For example, the stuffed pepper mix called for "ground beef."  Since we had some Italian sausage in the fridge,  we used that instead.  Matthew learned that a cooking recipe is a guide, and generally as long as you're substituting something similar, you can adjust recipes and make them your own. (Since sausage is really seasoned ground pork, so it works while a steak would not be a good choice even though it's still beef.)  We also made the Chicken Asado recipe, up through marinating the chicken, and then grilled it instead of baking.  (I didn't get a picture of that one -- it disappeared too quickly!)

In almost every recipe, we adjusted the spice content -- my only real complaint is they recipes overall are very mild.  We followed the pork chop recipe precisely, and found the flavor was good but little flat; next time we make it, we'll add a bit more ginger and maybe some allspice.  I knew looking at the chili recipe that one teaspoon of garlic powder was not going to be enough for our family, so I stepped in and taught him how to pour ground spices into his hand to measure.  He learned sometimes you DO need to measure carefully -- we were out of chili powder and had to make more, and in that scenario, measuring is necessary to keep the proportions even -- and other times, you can measure with the "eh...looks close enough" method.

One thing I wasn't impressed with was the allergy flagging.  I admit, I am pretty biased on this one because I've been working around allergies for ten years now, and as I read recipes, I just swap ingredients in my mind.  Many of the recipes were inherently free of the top 8 allergens, but sometimes recipes in the "gluten free" category were notes like "use gluten free bread crumbs," or "serve with gluten free sides." Several of the recipes were dairy based and said, "Unfortunately, there's not a good way to do this dairy free."  This is from the stuffed pepper recipe.

However,  lasagna can easily be made dairy free using dairy-free cheese substitutes, and we made the peppers using a vegan cheese.  Even the "parmesan cheese" topping on our chicken rendition was dairy free (you should have seen the happy dance I did in the grocery aisle when I found it -- this recipe gave me a reason to use it!)  Yes, in some dishes it can be omitted, and I wouldn't expect her to know every brand, but I wish there was a little more effort put into the allergy offerings than just "choose gluten free sides" or "skip this item/recipe."   There were several recipes that Matthew read at face value and was disappointed until I pointed out how we could work around them.

We are enjoying our subscription to MyFreezEasy.  There is a good variation -- the menu lineups change each month, with some new recipes added and others retired, so there is something new to choose from as well as favorites.   Because of how we grocery shop, I don't see us making many recipes to fill the freezer, but the "from the freezer" direcitons to the recipes will be a good guide for what Matthew needs to take out and defrost for his turns cooking dinner.

For more about MyFreezEasy, follow them on social media or click the banner below to read others' reviews.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/freezeasy
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/freezeasy
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/5dollardinners/freezeasy






©2012- 2016 Adventures with Jude. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://adventureswithjude.com

If You Were Me and Lived In... by Carole P. Roman (A Homeschool Review Crew Review)

In the past, we have enjoyed several books from Carole P. Roman's "If You Were Me and Lived in..." series.  These short picture-style books introduced children to many different cultures from around the world.  Roman has now expanded on the theme with an 8-volume group of history books for older students.  If You Were Me and Lived In... brought to you by Carole P. Roman and Awaywegomedia.com now travels not just around the world but also through time, from ancient Egypt and China to the American West.  Crew members each received four books to review -- two we selected and two that the publisher chose for us.  Our family received soft-cover editions of:

• If You Were Me and Lived in Elizabethan England (vol 3)
• If You Were Me and Lived in Ancient China: The Han Dynasty (vol 5)
• If You Were Me and Lived in The Middle Ages (An Introduction to Civilizations Throughout Time) (vol 6)
• If You Were Me and Lived in The American West (Volume 7) 

In addition to the paper versions, the series is available as Amazon Kindle downloads, both for individual purchase and as part of the Kindle Unlimited Program.

These books are written in a conversational style, but have more complex texts than the original series.  Each includes information from clothing to diet to expected household duties about what life might have been like for a child living in that era.  Status was conferred by the father's trade:  a scrappy London baker, a wealthy doctor in the Liu Bang's court, a
 Norman knighted by William the Conqueror, or a homesteader who traveled the Oregon Trail.
In addition to the informational stories, each contains a short section with biographies about major rulers and historical contemporaries of&nbspthe era, followed by a glossary of terms introduced in the story.  Pronunciation of these words is included in the glossary, and often within the story.   Using the Fleisch-Kincaid reading scale (the same one used to determine the readability of legal documents), these books average around a 7th to 8th-grade reading level.  I think these could be used with younger students, with assistance in reading.  Fourth grader Jude was able to most of the reading aloud, but he did need some help in places.

Jude, my little American historian, loved the book on the American West.  This past summer, we traveled along the Oregon Trail, including along the Platte River in Nebraska, making several stops at National Park Service sites along the trail. While we did not go all the way to Oregon, we learned about the hardships of the trails, the Native Americans in the territories, and different styles of wagons and how to pack them efficiently.  Much of this book was interrupted with, "I remember this...the Junior Ranger book said..." or "Remember the Ranger told me..."  As he read about how children would walk along the trail, he reminded me that even he got to walk along the trail, too.  Even without a road trip along the trail, this book gives a student a lot of information about what it was like to be a settler in the West.  It could be used as the basis for a unit study; the book easily becoming the hub of the wheel and spoking out in many directions to explore study the Homestead Act, the Native Americans, the geography of the land, cowboy culture, etc.

We also enjoyed the volume on Ancient China.  Another stop on our summer road trip was The Field Museum in Chicago, where we divided our time between the famous T. rex Sue and the museum's special feature exhibit on Emperor Quin Shihang's dynasty and his Terracotta Warriors.  This story features the Han Dynasty, which begins with the death of Quin and the ascendance of Liu Bang.  Having a small amount of background, we were able to move forward into the era that brought the Silk Road and the teachings of Confucius to the west. We learned about how a courtier's child lived, dressed, ate, and studied.  One of the featured biographies was Hua Mulan...yes, that Mulan, of the "dressed as a boy to take her father's place in the army" legend.  Like ...American West, this book easily provides a foundation to build a unit study, this time of the Han Dynasty.

We're looking forward to using the other two books as Unit Study guides for western European history.  The Middle Ages will slide nicely into Elizabethan England, and we may augment the era with Volumes Eight and Two, ...Viking Europe and  ...Renaissance Italy, when we study the Middle Ages.  You could combine ...Ancient China with ...Ancient Greece (Volume 1) to create a large study of ancient cultures.

I liked these books as a stepping stone from the simpler "just the culture" of the original "If You Were Me and Lived in..." books to more advanced texts.  They are simple enough for later-elementary readers to understand, yet complex enough to be used with middle school age students.  We will be referring to them for a long time to come.

©2012- 2016 Adventures with Jude. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://adventureswithjude.com

Heirloom Audio Productions: The Cat of Bubastes (A Homeschool Review Crew Review)

For the past few years, we've eagerly awaited the next "Legendary Story of G. A. Henty" offered by Heirloom Audio Productions, and our wait for The Cat of Bubastes began early this summer when we last visited with Mr. George back in Beric the Briton as he was sailing for Egypt. Matthew was especially eager to hear this audio drama adaptation because he read the book when he studied ancient Egypt during his World History course.  As always, we were not disappointed.

Once again, an all-star cast headlines this recording. Brian Blessed reprises his role of G. A. Henty, sharing the story of his time in Egypt. (After so many times hearing him as G. A. Henty, when we hear him in other roles, the kids all say "Hey! It's the CD guy!")  The rest of the cast is an action-adventure dream team of unmistakable voices:  Anthony Daniels (Star Wars), Sylvester McCoy (Dr. Who/The Hobbit), Elizabeth Counsell (The Chronicles of Narnia), Russel Boulter (Ben Hur),  and John Rhys-Davies (The Lord of the Rings, Indiana Jones).

The story begins just outside Egypt, as a new crop of captives has been brought as slaves.  A vivid description of the Egyptian culture is given, from the statues of Egyptian gods to some humorous though less-than-charitable translations of the language.  We had a good laugh over the teasing.
Each of Henty's stories has an underlying theme that propels the story forward, and  The Cat of Bubastes is no different. Ameres of Thebes chooses Amuba to be one of his slaves, who in turn asks for his friend Jethro to be taken into the house as well.   He agrees, remarking, "It is the duty of all men to give happiness to those around him if it lies in his power."  This theme continues throughout the story, where respect regardless of rank, position, or appearance is expected simply because it is the way things should be.  Ameres even reprimands his wife for her inhospitable behavior towards the slaves, and the boys in turn instinctively offer to take in an Israelite girl, Ruth, when her grandfather worries for her future.

 Much more than just an "audiobook," Heirloom Audio productions are considered "Active Listening Audio Adventures" - audio dramas with fast moving stories that use dialog, music, and sound effects to draw the listener into the piece. No detail is overlooked, down to thundering footsteps racing towards the distant shrieks of a woman under attack from a snapping crocodile, and even the battle to save a friend from the vicious beast.

This is the first time we've directly compared one of Henty's original texts with an Heirloom Audio adaptation. If Matthew had had his way, he would have liked to have listened to this rather than reading the book.  Despite being considered one of Henty's greatest action stories, I found the original story dry as well. Generally, I would say that it's better to first read the book, and then watch (or listen to, in this case) the "movie."  However, I think introducing the story with this production, which carefully adapts the original story, and then reading the book would make the book more approachable to younger readers or those who struggle with keeping characters, plot, and themes organized when reading.

In addition to the 2-CD story set, Crew members received access to downloadable extras. One of our favorites was the MP3 version of composer John Campbell's soundtrack.  While the music beautifully enhances the spoken story, several of the pieces are spellbinding in isolation.  I know that voice acting can be difficult, and the actors in the drama are excellent at bringing the story to life, but once again, I find myself wanting to play the soundtrack itself over and over again.

Another downloadable extra is a chapter-by-chapter study guide.  It includes not only questions that test listening skills, but also critical thinking skills.  I like how the latter are worded because they are extremely open-ended and easily interpreted on many levels.  The questions and vocabulary words are organized by Chapter/CD Track, making it easy for the boys to go back and re-listen to catch anything they may have missed on the first listening.

However, I think my inner fan-girl totally geeked out to the 18-minute "Behind the Scenes" video.  Video clips from the recording sessions are interspersed with interviews with the director, producer, etc. Some of my favorite classes as a theater student were the dialect instructions.  Dialect plays a huge role in a production, and one of my biggest peeves is an actor who slides in and out of dialect.  I especially loved seeing how Dialogue Coach Daniel Philpott keeps everyone's voices balanced.

Once again, Heirloom Audio Productions has produced an exceptional story for all ages of listeners.  At the close of the story, "Henty" hints at returning to "London on the 14th of July, which is a date that has significance in quite another story..." Could that be hinting at an adaptation of Henty's retelling of the French Revolution?  We will be anxiously awaiting their next offering!

For more reviews from the Homeschool Review Crew, click the banner below.  You can also read our past reviews of other productions, and follow Heirloom Audio Productions on Social Media:

Beric The Briton
The Dragon and the Raven
With Lee in Virginia
In Freedom's Cause
Under Drake's Flag

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeirloomAudio
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeirloomStories
Google+: https://plus.google.com/b/114534826166314080647/114534826166314080647
Instagram: @HeirloomAudioOfficial






©2012- 2016 Adventures with Jude. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://adventureswithjude.com