Schoolhouse Review: Spanish for You!

Probably my biggest regret from High School and College is that I never took a foreign language.  I took plenty of math and science, but foreign language wasn't required and my schedule filled up with other things.  I've tried to make sure that my children have an appreciation for foreign languages and have made sure that they have the opportunity to take several languages themselves.  Mind you, I've never felt like I was capable of teaching them another language, but I can certainly find people who are.  My older two take high school Spanish in our homeschool co-op, but there hasn't been a class for my middle schooler.  I've looked at several programs for her and finally found one that is working for us -- and I can even follow the directions to teach it.

A Spanish curriculum for children in grades 3 - 8, Spanish for You  takes a fun approach to teaching the language.  It is a hands-on program that includes auditory files to make learning Spanish easy.  Developed in themes and following a unit study approach, Spanish for You is family-friendly and can be used as a stand alone study for your child(ren) -- (or you can tag along like me and work through it together).  Our review has targeted my 6th grade Princess, so I asked her to choose with theme we would begin working on and she chose Estaciones [Seasons].  That was a perfect choice as Spring is giving way to Summer and warm weather is arriving.

What I especially like about Spanish for You curriculum is that it is comprehensive in nature and doesn't simply teach words and phrases.  Created by Debbie Annett, language educator and author, the aim of Spanish for You is that students learn to actually communicate with others in Spanish.   This is so incredibly important today.  We live in a global community and communication skills are at an all-time low.  Knowing one or two phrases in a foreign language will only allow you to ask for simple directions, and will not allow for the development of true friendships.  I love the fact that terminology is integrated in a fun and exciting way so that my daughter will be able to use what she is studying in a real way, in the real world, and develop real friendships.

Full of activities and games that make learning fun and keep it interesting, Spanish for You provides students with multiple opportunities to really process the Spanish language.  Free worksheets are provided for additional practice to make sure your students really comprehend what they are studying.  There are even free mini lessons available on the website for you to get a perfect feel for what Spanish for You has to offer.

For purposes of review, I received a download of the entire Estaciones theme pack which included:

• the Student Textbook (57 pages)
• the complete Lesson Guide (26 pages that cover an entire 24-week school year broken down one week of lessons at a time.  Students typically work 4 days a week and can follow the Lesson Guide step-by-step to complete their work and master the skills assigned.  You can even see a sample of the Lesson Guide and see how easy it is to use.)
• Self-checking Worksheets that my Princess does by herself.  (With just a little help from her older sister because she thinks it's cool, too.)
• Audio Files for the entire Textbook -- including additional audios by a native speaker
• Flash Cards and Pictures to be used in learning activities

Additional items that we found helpful were our printer, paper, cardstock, pencils, markers, and a Spanish-English Dictionary.  (We had a physical dictionary, but you could use one online, as well.)

So, how did Spanish for You work at Long Leaf Academy?

As you can see in this picture, I like to see it all laid out in front of me and formulate a plan for where we are headed.  I began by printing the Lesson Guides for the first 5 weeks of Estaciones and highlighting each of the activities that would be done throughout the lessons.  This allowed me to easily find what I needed to print so that my Princess would be prepared when we sat down each day.  I printed the worksheets that correlated to the week's lessons and paired them with the textbook pages that she would be studying.

I printed out the flashcards (on light pink cardstock) and cut them apart so they would be ready for my Princess to begin.  I laid them out and the neatest thing happened.  My Junior, the Artist, walked into the room and looked them over.  She said, "Mom, these are not in the correct order and that's driving me crazy."  Funny thing was, I had not even told her what "order" they should be in or even what the flashcards represented.  She knew immediately that they represented the months of the year and the seasons.  She sat right down and began to put them in correct order.  THEN, she offered to help her sister with Spanish -- and even volunteered to teach the course for me since she knows Spanish and I don't.  My heart be still.

I had the Princess start to work on a Spanish word find (included in the Activity Pages) so that she could begin to be acquainted with the words and allow her brain to get used to the idea that something new was coming.  We both thought that this was a fun way to train her brain and it helped her to not be intimidated by the Spanish language.  I really do believe it was a good way to encourage her in this new endeavor.

The weekly Lesson Guides are laid out in such a way that your students really can do Spanish for You all by themselves.  They offer a step-by-step approach beginning with New Vocabulary and walk you through what to read in the Textbook, what activities to do (including which Worksheets to complete), which games to play to reinforce what you're learning and which audios to listen to.  Reviews are built in weekly so that students are continually building on their vocabulary and communication skills.  My Princess is having no trouble completing her work and understanding what she is studying.  She doesn't mind sitting down to each day's lesson and can usually finish what is required within 15 - 20 minutes.  She'll definitely be continuing with her Estaciones theme pack throughout the summer.

You can give your children the gift of language by purchasing Spanish for You theme packs.  There are several to choose from (with more on the way) and each package stands alone.  They do not have to be done in any particular order -- you just need to dive in and get started.

You can purchase graded packages (3-4 Grade, 5-6 Grade, OR 7-8 Grade) for only $39.95 OR you can purchase the entire 3-8 Grade Package for only $64.95.  This makes it quite economical for a family to study Spanish for an entire year together.  The Princess and I are enjoying studying together and learning all about the Seasons {along with big sister, too}.  It's perfect for us and I think will be loads of fun for you and your children as well.

 I was given the opportunity to use and review Spanish For You as a member of the Schoolhouse Review Crew.   You can check out the Crew Review and see what other members of the Schoolhouse Review Crew thought as well (or just click on the banner below.)








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Mother's Day Wisdom

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Fun Times in the Land of Oz

It's been a WONDERFUL day.   I traveled far away to the Land of Oz with my favorite "Dorothy" ever for her very first Broadway musical.  Wicked was awesome but seeing the delight on her face and the joy in her eyes was better than words can even begin to describe.  It did this mama's heart good and I'm so happy I could share the adventure with my girl.

There's nothing quite like good times and good food with good friends to make you smile and remember how blessed you are.  We started with yumminess and ended that same way -- with loads of laughter in between.  What a marvelous journey.  Thanks, y'all.

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Schoolhouse Review: Papa's Pearls

What could be more fun than receiving a new book in the mail?   Why, receiving a new book in the mail that has a personal note from the author telling you that "you're fantastic," of course.  Papa's Pearls:  A Father's Gift of Love and Wisdom to His Children and Grandchildren by Diane Flynn Keith is just the boost I needed to remind me to continue the race and finish out this school year strong.  A 112- page softcover book divided into 17 Chapters based on the pearls of wisdom from her Papa, Papa's Pearls is truly a love story from daddy to daughter and granddaddy to grandchild that stands the test of time and warms the heart of all who read it.

Diane's "Papa," named Carol Joseph Flynn by his parents, was born in 1922 and lived through some of the most colorful time periods in recent American history.  A child of both the Prohibition and the Depression, Papa was a student in the school of hard knocks who (by his own admission) was on the fast track to prison when his saving grace came in the form of Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal program, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC).  Having lived through the "worst thing that could happen" and surviving, Papa learned the importance of hard work and felt that "everyone deserves a second chance."   His time with the CCC literally turned his life around and helped him become hire-able in a time when finding a job was tough because there simply were not enough jobs to go around.  Due to his diligence and integrity, Papa proved to be a successful businessman.  A hard worker who loved his family with all of his heart, Papa taught his children to be a true friend to all they met and to help others through life.

Full of wisdom and strength, Papa'a favorite role was not as successful business owner, even though he was one.  Instead, Papa's main focus and the first love of his life was as mentor and cheerleader for his family.  How I loved reading his ideas and sharing his "pearls of wisdom" throughout this book. How I enjoyed hearing his love shine through as he spoke to his wife, his children, and his grandchildren.  Papa knew to keep the main things the main things.  He lived a life that truly was about others and he knew that what people need most in life is knowing that they are loved without a doubt.  Papa made sure that each of his family members KNEW that he loved them and cherished them for who they were.  He reassured them frequently that they were loved, that they were important, and that more than anything else, they were family.  He understood the need to belong that we all share and he made sure that his family knew they belonged together.  How refreshing to be reminded that "You ARE special and you ARE fantastic."  I truly believe that many of the issues that we face in our world today are caused by a lack of self-esteem and feelings of worthlessness.  We could all use more of Papa's wisdom and love.

Here are a few of my favorite quotes from the book:

Always see yourself in a favorable light.  Believe in yourself.  Don't let others tell you who you are.  Know who you are, what you're good at, and rely on your strengths.  (63)

Papa taught me to find value in the every day moments.  (74)

Papa knew instinctively to take some time off to play with family and friends.  Give yourself permission to play with the joy and abandonment of childhood.  (96)

Can't you just feel the love?


It has been a joy and a delight to read about Papa and share him with my children.  As we read through Papa's Pearls, I was reminded of my own Poppa -- my grandfather, Ellis P. Rushing.  My Poppa would have turned 92 years old today.  Like Papa, my Poppa loved his family and loved his wife.  His legacy to us is that he loved her more than anything.  There was never any doubt in our minds.  As we read, my daughter shared this about our Poppa:

I don't remember any advice from Poppa, per se . . . all I know is that he loved Mama Pete more than anything . . . and that he loved us and enjoyed us.  [This was evident] in the way he acted.  He was always kind and caring.  And the way they sat there, side by side in their chairs.  I never heard him say something unkind.

I agree with my girl.  Like Papa loved his wife, my Poppa loved my grandmother.  He thought that she was the most beautiful woman in the entire world -- and told her frequently.  He called her "the Beautiful One" and spoke of her in the most glowing of terms.  It was a beautiful love that they lived out in front of us and it has impressed upon our hearts how we are to love others.

How privileged we have been to read Diane Flynn Keith's story of of love and compassion towards her Papa through the pages of her book.  How blessed that we have had the opportunity to reminisce about our own Poppa, as well.

You can pick up your very own copy of Papa's Pearls:  A Father's Gift of Love and Wisdom to His Children and Grandchildren and be inspired to love more yourself for only $21.97.  This includes shipping and handling and will come autographed for you.  Who doesn't need a little more FANTASTIC in their lives these days?

You'll want a copy for yourself -- and several to share -- because these pearls of wisdom never dull.  A GREAT READ, Papa's Pearls will bless you from the beginning to end.

Papa loved his family -- and will inspire you to make sure that your family knows how much you love them.  He reminds us that we MUST take the time to TELL what we KNOW.  I'm convicted that I just don't TELL my family enough how very much they mean to me.  They'll be hearing it a lot more from now on.  Won't you join me?

Our families need to be reminded that This Day Has Great Potential.  Share YOUR pearls.

I was given the opportunity to read and review Papa's Pearls as a member of the Schoolhouse Review Crew.    You can check out the Crew Review and see what other members of the Schoolhouse Review Crew thought as well (or just click on the banner below).   

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Blooms

I DO NOT have a green thumb.  Never have, probably never will --that anomaly is my mom.  

But I do enjoy a few blooms around my house.   My knockout rose is beautiful right now and my hibiscus is delightful.   I was afraid I'd lost it this winter and that it wouldn't even leaf, much less produce flowers.  

But, oh, how beautiful they both are and how happy they make me today.  Reminds me that GOD loves hearing from me, even when I've been dormant or hiding.  

"Consider the lilies, how they grow . . . And if GOD cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, HE will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?"  Luke 12:27-28

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Thankful for . . .

Just got to tell you that today I'm especially thankful for good friends with testosterone (that I like and approve of) for my Boy Scout.  Today I'm thanking GOD that my boy has good friends that are GOD-fearing, not-of-this-world, boys.

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Schoolhouse Review: Home School in the Woods' The 20th Century in America LapPAK

I recently admitted that I'm a timeline momma wannabe and that I am working hard to become a timeline momma.  There are actually two things that I consider to be the epitome of homeschool success stories -- one is that timeline I'm working on and the other is lapbooking through unit studies.  We haven't done lapbooks in YEARS but my Princess and Boy Scout enjoyed them immensely the last time we did.  I was super excited for the opportunity to jump in and try one again and we've been working diligently to complete the absolute coolest lapPAK by Homeschool in the Woods Publishing.  Amy Pak (as in lapPAK) is the creative genius behind Homeschool in the Woods and she's a homeschooling mom like me -- so I KNOW that she knows just what it takes to get students motivated to learn.

The 20th Century in America is hands-down our favorite activity that we've worked on together ALL year.  This 22-project lappak written with students in the 3rd - 8th grades in mind, has been absolutely perfect for Long Leaf Academy.  I am enjoying sitting around the table with two of my favorite students and watching their faces as learning comes to life.  Isn't that truly what every mom wants for her children?    Now, if you don't mind indulging me, I'd like to share with you exactly what it takes for The 20th Century in America lappak to come to life.  Keeping in mind that as all homeschool mommas do, we adapted portions of the study to best fit our needs.

It all started with an e-mail . . .

And once that e-mail arrived, I immediately began the download process -- it was painless.  I quickly downloaded the files and we were set to begin.  I couldn't wait to try out my new printer so I printed the Text Assignments and Project Directions (a pdf that compiles everything together for you in a step-by-step way to make the most of the lappak) in order to find out how we should proceed.  We gathered all of our supplies and it was time to begin.  As you can see in the picture below, most of what you need for this lappak is probably hiding right in your own home.  (My paper cutter has been one of my best friends as we work through it.)

Paper, Scissors, Colored Pencils, Tape, Glue, and File Folders -- Oh, My, FUN

At this point, we were more than ready.  We were EXCITED.  Provided with the directions is a reading booklet to help you begin your exploration of the 20th Century.  This booklet could be printed many different ways -- whichever way best suits your family -- and I chose to print it on full 8 1/2 x 11 pages and comb-bind one for each child.  This served as our starting point for each project and our beginning text.  For each of the projects included, there is an accompanying reading.  I read aloud the text then turned the Boy Scout and the Princess (8th and 6th grades) loose on the artistic nature of the project.

Something worth noting:  You could do this entire lappak by printing on white paper and cardstock, or you can use colored paper and cardstock.  I'm all about color (and I happen to have plenty on hand) so we printed the components using a mixture of all that I had.  I especially like the neon colors of paper and cardstock -- they are totally tubular (slang terminology from the 80s -- gotta love it).  Because my printer is new to me, it did sometimes take me a few tries to get the pages printed correctly when I needed to flip them over when the lappak components were double-sided.  Silly, printer, sometimes seemed to have a mind of its own -- but I won.  Amy Pak makes suggestions for each project that is to be included in the completed lappak, but you are certainly free to do it as you like.

And then they were off . . .

Because we've finished our core studies for the year (and had just wrapped up the 19th Century), I wanted The 20th Century in America lappak to be a delight-directed experience for us.  We started at the very beginning -- wars that America has been involved in in the 20th Century -- and from that point, my boy was hooked.  We decided to just dive into the study and make sure to complete the basic lapbook BUT each was allowed to go more "in-depth" on the topics that most interested them.  What that has meant for us is the opportunity to taste new foods (or really old foods for me), the chance to watch YouTube videos that pertained to the project being studied, the excitement of finding movies on Netflix, and the fun surrounding discussions of "I remember when" with mom, dad, and grandparents.

The "extracurricular" moments as we've study through the lappak have made quite an impact on each of us.  There were tears shed as we watched the Hiddenburg Disaster, the Space Shuttle Challenger lift-off, and the famous "Tear Down This Wall" speech by President Ronald Reagan.  We've laughed together watching early "television" and seeing newspaper articles from times gone by.  My children were shocked to see how big the first computer was -- and find it hard to believe that I lived in a time before there was even an internet.

We've studied Art Movements (and even tried out a few new techniques) and great artists (they understand how much I like Norman Rockwell now).  We've looked at Famous Authors of the Century and counted how many of them we've actually read together.  We've eaten macaroni and cheese casserole and caramel apple pie.  My Princess has enjoyed trying the "new" recipes on the nights she cooks each week.   We've laughed at the different Fashion statements made through the decades -- and pulled out some clothes from my day that were stuck in the back of the closet.  Funny thing, that neon is back in style now.  I even offered to model some of the "fashions" that were, but they turned me down completely.  HMPH.

We've been reminded of the sacrifices of Modern Missionaries (and watched The End of the Spear), danced to fun Music (minus our blue-suede shoes), and caught up with some People of Interest (bring on Bill Cosby's laughter anyday) -- all in the name of learning.  And although The 20th Century in America lappak is aimed at students in the 3rd-8th grades, it has been a neat family resource because it has gotten us talking and laughing and thinking together.

And did I mention that you can adapt this lappak?  Amy suggests that you store each completed project in a ziploc-style bag.  We certainly could have done this, but instead chose to store our completed projects in the file folder that would become the lappak.  This worked great for us.

But one of my favorite adaptations was a stroke of pure homeschool mom genius {even if I do say so myself} . . . after we cut out all of the Slang Terminology cards, I had each child put them in alphabetical order before they put them in the little file pocket we'd made to go into the lappak.  Tricky, I know -- but a great reinforcement of skills.  And they will NEVER know that it wasn't actually a lappak requirement.  

There really are a multitude of ways that you can shape this lappak to be everything that you want it to be.  You can utilize it to study numerous topics in great detail and make sure that your children have a deep appreciation for and knowledge of ALL that is important about the 20th Century.

As I think you can tell, we really are having the best time as we tackle the 20th Century and all that it involves.  You can purchase a download for only $21.95 or have a CD sent to you for only $22.95.  This is a great price for weeks of study (and even months if you do all of the extra activities suggested) that can be used for all of your family.  I highly recommend that you give this study a try and that you check out all of the great products at Homeschool in the Woods.  You're family will be glad you introduced them to perfect hands-on learning fun.

I was given the opportunity to use and review The 20th Century in America by Home School in the Woods as a member of the Schoolhouse Review Crew.    You can check out the Crew Review and see what other members of the Schoolhouse Review Crew thought as well (or just click on the banner below).   

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