Write Shop Review

My family was given the opportunity to review Write Shop book C as part of the TOS crew.  Since I have one very reluctant writer I was eager to give this a try.  Write Shop was created by two home schooling Moms and is an incremental writing program. Each lesson builds upon the previous one  and continually includes review of the previously taught material to reinforce what is being taught.

There are three books in the elementary series and the guidelines for choosing are book are as follows:

	No Prior Writing Experience	Limited Writing Experience	Writing at Grade Level	Writing above Grade Level
Kindergarten	Book A	Book A	Book A	Book A
1st Grade	Book A	Book A	Book A	Book A or B
2nd Grade	Book A or B	Book A or B	Book B	Book B or C
3rd Grade	Book B or C	Book B or C	Book C	---

Book C has 10 lessons which are as follows:
1.  Planning the Story
2.  Writing a Mystery
3.  Self-Editing
4.  Journal Writing
5.  Describing a Thing
6.  Describing a Person
7.  Describing a Place
8.  Writing a Book Report
9.  Writing a Simple Report
     (no research needed)
10.Writing a Simple Research Report

The program offers parents several options for scheduling the writing program so if you only want to work a 4 day school schedule you have that option or if you have a slower writer, like I do, you can stretch out the lessons into a 3 week schedule.  I really like the flexibility this!!


Another thing I like was with each activity there were often additional parental notes giving you options for doing things a little differently if you chose.  This was so helpful for me as my youngest didn't always like the first option of the assignment but looking over the parents tips I was always able to find a slightly altered activity that made him happy and made things much easier for me:)!





You can purchase Write Shop either as a ebook $28.95 plus activity book $4.50, or a print addition $32.95 plus activity guide $4.95.  Write Shop also also more advance writing programs on their site.

My family thoughts:
I liked the program it gave options for scheduling allowing for flexibility, always a plus.  I like that there were additional suggestions given after each activity so if your child wanted to do things differently you had ideas already written down for you.   I used this program with my DS who is 7 and a very reluctant writer and my DD who is 10 but a much better writer.  My children like that there were many different activities for each lesson, that while each activity reinforced writing they weren't all writing activities.  For example the time memory game in the first lesson.  My son love it and ask to play it several times...while I can't find the picture I took of them playing it, trust me it as a hit for them both.  The game was so successful I modify the game after playing it several times and we were able to create our own verbal stories using the Story template we made, another activity suggested by Write Shop.   We then wrote them down and read them to Daddy when he got home.

Write Shop is offering 15% off any WriteShop Primary and Junior products in the WriteShop store (including e-books) using coupon code CREW15 at checkout. Offer valid through June 15, 2012

You can read more reviews over at the TOS crew page.

 **Disclaimer: As a member of the TOS Crew, I received this product, at no cost to me, in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are mine.

Cupcake Nazi

I am sure most of you have heard of the Soup Nazi from the TV show Seinfeld.  Well, last week, the children and I meet the Cupcake Nazi!!  It is at times like this when I wish I was a gifted writer so I can make this story really come to life on this computer screen.   But alas, I am not so try to bear with me here as I try to relay the story and find the humor in it.

We were attending cupcake decorating class with some of our fellow UK homeschoolers.  This was being held in a local operating cake decorating store.  We were escorted in to this absolutely amazing room filled with the most amazing decorated cakes.  So I (along with several other parents) immediately started taking pictures of these amazing creations.  The children were oohing and ahhing and generally fascinated with the cake designs.  My children particularly were astonished to see these cake designs as their mother (me) is a very basic cake designer, as in there is icing and rainbow sprinkles on top of a cake that bears more resemblance to the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and that is it:)!  

I had only taken 3 pictures before the store owner told us quite loudly and firmly we were not to take any pictures of the cakes on display and asked to immediately delete all pictures.  I complied with the request, but, luckily, there is a difference between "Delete" and "Delete All" on the camera!  I thought this was a rather strange request, because her cake designs can be found on her website (which, surprisingly, isn't CakeNazi.Com!).  I know this because I have since checked!  Who knew that cake designs is a secretive business........

I'd post a picture of one of her cakes, but I'm afraid that I might get a letter from her attorney (what if she reads my blog...........).

Once the children were settled at the tables, 4 children to a table with one knife and two rolling pins to share between them in the center of the table, the parents were ask to leave the room.  Well, this I had a problem with as I have a child who needs additional assistance.  When I informed the owner of this, I was told to stand at the class room door.  In addition, all the parents were told not to take any pictures of our children decorating the cupcakes as we would have pictures of her cakes in our photos.  I never realized there was such a thing as cake espionage, but there must be.  I guess we could have been sent by a clever cake design competitor thinking "I'll send in a group of homeschool moms with young children; they'll never suspect them of spying".  Alas the competition would be wrong as we were highly suspected of cake design espionage:(  I wonder if there is money is this line of work!

Well you can imagine this did not go over well with a bunch of homeschooling MOMS!  Many of us, myself included ignored this rule and we zoomed in, from the doorway,  to capture our children decorating their cupcakes.  The store owner, who was also instructing the class was not happy--so much so that she twice asked to speak to the organizer of the event privately to inform her that the parents must comply with her demands.  The organizer tried hard to work with this women to come up with a compromise, but after giving the organizer a second scolding the owner attempted to shut the door to the room where the children were seated.  Unfortunately for her, I was standing at the door and refused to budge.  She tried to shut the door, but luckily, I have a very tough foot and managed to wedge it in the door.  We the exchanged stares for a second like two gunfighters in a B-movie Western, I said not a single word, she backed down and left the door open.  I wasn't leaving my children in a room with her unattended for even a second!!

While I will admit she was very friendly with the children, there were still a few problems, like having only one knife (luckily, not sharp!) and two rolling pins at a table that four children had to share, which meant waiting turns, and lots of time for children to not be busy and looking for others ways to amuse themselves.  Hmm, a room full of young kids being told to wait their turn for a chance to decorate their cupcake--you can imagine how THIS is going to end!  It was not long before there were children rocking back on chairs, hanging over the low barriers separating the children from her precious cakes.  Children climbing under the tables and generally trying to find ways to amuse themselves while waiting their turn.  At that point, I think I was rocking back and forth too, foot firmly planted in the door, thinking of my Happy Place.

I was worried that a child (not necessarily mine) would knock over one of the cakes by accident.  Every once in a while a anxious parent (me included) would rush into the room to try to settle a child down and then quickly leave.  Talk about being on pins and needles.

Little Man patiently waiting his turn for the knife to begin frosting his cupcake

Princess having a turn at icing her cupcake

The finished masterpieces

Thankfully the kids had no idea of the crisis occurring in the other room and once they got to eat their creations we were able to forget the inconveniences of the day.  Mom on the other hand will be avoiding all future cake decorating classes and stick to my rainbow sprinkles!!!

That evening, when my husband asked where his cupcake was, I responded "NO CUPCAKE FOR YOU!!!!!".

CapJax Review

We have had the opportunity to try out CapJax Math review program thru TOS.  This program is to help children review the four basic math facts areas of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.  You can down load this program for one year for a cost of $29.95 on their website CapJaxMathFax.  If you prefer there is a CD available for an additional charge.  You can also purchase merit badges for your children who master the various level for an additional $4 cost, this could be a great way to motivate a child if they like that sort of thing:)

Once downloaded it is an easy program to use and your children can begin playing it right away. At a glance here are the benefits of the program per the CapJaxMathFax site:
 

1. Uses a computer to provide drill and practice so that practice time is not limited by teacher availability.
2. Automatically generates exercises. Teachers don't prepare quizzes. They merely provide the parameters for them.
3. Builds exercises for any of the four math tables (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division) or any combination of tables.
4. Guarantees student success by taking small steps through levels of
   difficulty.
5. Can focus practice at a single level of difficulty or may review earlier levels.
6. Randomly generates problems without repetition.
7. Allows variable numbers of problems in an exercise.
8. Reduces learner stress by timing facts individually.
9. Provides immediate positive feedback for correct answers.
10. Provides extra reinforcement for fast, correct answers.
11. Displays an overall performance report at the conclusion of each exercise.
12. Prints reports for teacher review and for use as certificates of achievement.
13. Displays and prints item diagnostic details.
14. Uses a rating system that allows students to keep personal scores and
    set goals.
15. Charts student rating progress graphically.
16. Maintains a database of student activity over time.

My family's thoughts:
I am using this program with my 7 year old DS and my 10 year old DD.  My son loves the program and will often ask to play outside of designated school time.  He finds the rush of getting the answer correctly before the 3 seconds a fun game!  My daughter on the other hand is not as keen.  I think this is due to the pressure of the 3 sec time that I initially used.  She didn't like the pressure of coming up with the answer so quickly.  I have since changed the setting to not show the time but unfortunately she has not been able to recover from the initial set up.  This is entirely my fault so I wouldn't fault the program for this.  I like that I can print out a progress graph and put it in their education folder which documents their progress with learning their math facts.

Disclaimer- I received a free subscription to CapJaxMathFax in exchange for my opinion of this program.  The comments above are my own views and were not influence by CapJax!

To see what others on the TOS crew are saying about this program go here!

Celtic Harmony Camp

Last week we joined up with a local UK home schooling group to visit a early Britons Celtic camp to learn more about the life of the early Britons.

 Once there the children were greeted with a Celtic blessing and had their face painted to protect them while in the camp.

Outside the round house used by the early Britons
















Inside the round house and learning about the importance of fire and how cooking was done.

 Children learned to make simple rope the way the early Britons did.  Since our family are Viking re-enactors we found many of the activities similar to the way things were done in our period even tho it was several hundred years earlier.

 Carding sheep wool

 spinning wool into thread using a drop spindle

 Weaving on the wall of the round house.

Learning about the importance of spirals to the early Britons.  There are many beliefs regarding the spiral and it is seen everywhere and in everything they do.










Learning about the types of plants they used to make dyes.  Also plants that they eat.















One of the activities that we did that I thought was great was a trading bargaining activity.  Money was not very important to the early Britons, but food, clothing, tools, and the like were.  So the children were given several items and then asked to trade with the other children to see if they could make a good trade.  It was interesting to see what the children thought were valuable commodities back in those days.  Unfortunately this activity was done indoor during a down pour and all my pictures turned out too dark:( 

 Next, we were shown what Celtic money would have looked like and the kids were able to trade modern money for Celtic money and then go to the store (not my favorite activity)

 View of the money up close

 Out of all the things to purchase my two children chose a wooden bird whistle.  It wasn't long before I banned them from the round house to the tree outside in the pouring rain to continue their whistling.  This lovely toy has now been designated as a outside toy only at home:)!  My husband swears it won't be too long before it disappears altogether:).








At the end of the day we had story telling and old Celtic myths and legends along with music.   My daughter who loves myths recognized both of the stories told on this day.














We had a lovely day learning about the early Britons and were amazed how similar they were to the viking period of which we are more familiar.

I am linking this up to the Field trip hop--see button on my side bar.

Camping trip

Mother's Day weekend my son's cub scout troop had a camp out.  So the family decided to go and participate in the activities.  This was a monumental event for me as the last time I went camping in a tent was over 20 years ago and it was a traumatic experience.   I swore I would never do it again.  In fact when I married my husband I clearly stated that I DON'T tent camp and he swore he wouldn't ask me too.  For the record I do camp but only in heated or air conditioned campers with a toilet!

 However, being a mother requires you to make supreme sacrifices for your children.  So I found myself willing renting a tent and packing the car to go knowing that it has not stopped raining in our area for nearly 2 weeks and the ground would be muddy (horrid flashbacks) and that it is barely mid May and in England it is still COLD, temps ranging in the low 50's during the day and low 40's in at night.  Really my kids have no idea what this weekend was about to do to me!

 Our troop camp site.  It was quite a feat to find a spot in the field that wasn't too muddy to set up your tent.  By the end of the weekend the entrance way to our tent and the kitchen tent was nothing but mud. 

Our rented tent, which we needed help from those veterans campers to set up otherwise we would have been sleeping under the stars or in our car!:)  My prayers were answered as the rain clouds finally broke and we had sunshine for 2 whole days:)!!!

We had a fun day full of non stop activities and finally entered our tent around 10pm the temperatures had dropped and our shoes and socks were filthy (I should have taken pictures).  I bundled the kids up in thermal undies, clothes, extra thick socks and on top of their sleeping bags thick viking woolen cloaks.  It was still COLD!!!  However everyone was so exhausted that it didn't take long for the children for fall asleep.  I did not sleep quite as well but I expected that.

 My boys sleeping at 6 am the next day, but I was up and ready to go home:)  but we still had morning activities to attend.

So the big question is do I still hate tent camping...honestly...I prefer my camper!!












However, should my children need me too, I will load up the car and go tent camping again, but only for them and no one else;)!

What have you done for your kids that you never thought you would do?
 

Rhuddlan Castle

While in Wales we stopped by Rhuddlan Castle which wasn't far from our hotel.  It was one of castles King Edward the 1st built and it played an very important role in Welsh History as it was here that the new English government was established in 1284 after the defeat of the Welsh.

Looking at the dry moat that surrounds the castle.  

 

Full view of the castle ruins from one side

Looking down into one of the old towers

View from above into the courtyard of the castle.  The old well is still visible

I love the juxtaposition of this photo old vs new

looking at the entrance of the castle from inside the courtyard

Walking the rampart to the castle

Unfortunately  this castle was destroyed in the 1600's  during the English civil War:(

Viking Craft Day

Our local re-enactment group held a Viking craft weekend so we could all learn a new skill to use during our living history events.  Since I am still trying to figure out what viking skill I have I signed up for a few things that interested me.  My husband decided to not bring his Viking war gear so he could also concentrate on learning a few Viking crafts.

My husband taught the kids how to fight using a spear (with a soft point)

Other group member still wanted to practice their fighting skills

My husband attending the leather workshop learning how to stitch leather properly.

I joined the cooking class and learned how to cook the Viking way over the fire pit.  We made oat cakes and cooked fish over the fire pit.

There was also a dyeing class learning to dye linens and wools using natural material. 














Both my husband and I took the arrow making class.  I have found out I am not too bad shooting a long bow.  I may make that my fighting skill for future events.

My arrow made from scratch.  I am quite proud of it:)!  It is a blunt arrow so I can't accidentally injure anyone:)

My husband sat in on an old English language class.  He really enjoys learning old English













Both of us worked on our Long bow skills, we are going to invest in a long bow so we can practice more at home and take back with us to the states.

I also took a class in textiles and learned how to do tablet weaving but I don't have a picture of that:(

It is my Husband and my hope that we will be able to use these  skills once we return to the states to show kids how the vikings really lived instead of the silly versions they see on TV and in the Movies.  We aren't quite sure how we planned to do this but that is why we keep learning and participating in this part of history re enactment.