Latest and Greatest

Lately we have been enjoying the new educational material that we have been ordering. It seems every other day, a new package is coming in the mail- very exciting for the kiddos.
Probably the biggest hit has been the math software games (I felt they needed a little boost in that area). It takes them through places in a town where they have to help the clerks in stores and markets. Many real-life everyday concepts are used that show the kids how prevalent and needful math is in real life. The concepts covered involve, reading maps and graphs, geometry, problem solving/critical thinking, all types of weights and measurements, probability, reading bus and train schedules, money, plus all the basic operations. They earn money each time to buy an arcade for the town and gradually as they earn more, get to put new games in their arcade and then manage it. They often have to make repairs on the games, and chart their net and gross income as well. These Atari style games are simple but fun to be sure, and I like that they don’t have a lot of fast flashy color or noise, killing or racing, but involve more problem solving and critical thinking skills. We still have to limit their time on it of course. The two we bought covers K- 5th grade levels.
Nathan got his own software called Charlie the Church Mouse and it covers all K-2 skills. There are 6 different bible story adventures. You start out hearing part of the bible story, then have to do an activity, such as helping David with his sling shot practice. Problems pop up on the screen and you have to click on the right answer and he slings a stone at it. Then after that set of problems, you hear more of the story , then more activities. It is really well done and true to the bible. Eden got a ABC bible verses cd which she enjoys listening to constantly and is always going around singing them. All the rest of us have not been able to help but memorize these simple verses with references too( In KJV). It has been a great tool for all of us. It is also very soothing music and children’s voices , and sets and very peaceful atmosphere in the house, to be always hearing God’s word.

WE haven’t finished Gladys Aylward yet, mostly because the around the world adventure/ missionary book set we ordered came in. 10 titles , such as Amazon, Rainforest, The Outback, Coral reef, Wild West, The Himalayas, Kiwi Islands, etc. These are not only very informative about the whole region, history, flora and fauna, but also glorifying to God as missionaries relate their adventures and spiritual analogies with nature and events. Eden got up very early with me one morning (5:00am) and wanted me to “read” them all. There are simple black and white drawings on every other page that I would skim and tell her about. I think we went through about 7 of them. Her favorites were always the ones with water and fish. She also particularly likes me to “read “ her the Swimming Creatures of the Fifth Day. Her mind is like a sponge- I’m constantly amazed that her interest level in older topics is so high at age two.
The kids enjoyed reading the Max Axiom science graphic novel about the digestive system. Which is kinda like MacGyver meets Mrs. Frizzle on the magic school bus. We got one to try instead of the whole set and found out sadly, that it is secular like the magic school bus with occasional references to evolution and inaccurate teaching like that. I also bought a 4d puzzle of the digestive system that they really enjoyed putting together. It held Eden’s interest for days until I finally had to put it away as she always wanted to walk around with it and dropping it.
Micah has been using his new prisma coloring pencils extensively as well as doing a few lessons of geometry here and there. He has also been listening to a lot of preaching cds in on Romans, Becoming a Man, and other teachings by Pastor Michael Pearl. And of course enjoying the math software and it’s arcade. It is under his level , but he said it was a good review.
The plastic tubes that their smencils came in soon became test tubes for experiments involving food coloring ( Eden’s legs are still red!) So Jacob and Hannah bought some plastic worm making science kit at the store. Unfortunately they didn’t turn out right because the chemicals were old. But for $2.00 It was still worth the learning experience for them to read and follow directions, mixing the chemicals and observing- then cleaning up there mess ( except for the red food coloring that got left out). I see a chemistry set looming in the future of our ordering.
A friend of ours loaned us the “Sugar Creek Gang” cd set, and we have really been enjoying listening to these Godly stories.
Well that is the latest and greatest!