IXL.com Math and Language Arts Review -TOS Crew #hsreviews

Does you little one like math and language arts?  Or is it like pulling teeth to get them to do their schoolwork?  Would they do their work if they thought it was play?  Well, let me introduce you to IXL.com an online site with math and language arts practice for kids.  You can get an online math membership or an online language arts membership or a membership that includes both. We were given a year membership to both Math and Language Arts for up to three children as part of the Crew Review Team.

Membership is $9.95 per month per subject with options of adding the other subject or additional students for more.  If you want both subjects for a month it is $15.95.  A yearly membership is $79 for one subject.  If you wish to do both subjects for a yearly membership it is $129.  Each additional child is $20 per year if you do the yearly membership or $2 a month for the monthly plan.  Obviously, the yearly both subject is the best deal; however, if you child is not in grades 2-4 you will not be able to use the language arts section until they expand.

Their online math section has something for grades preK all the way up to 12th grade.  This includes pre algebra and algebra.  They are also working on a section of calculus coming soon.  I like that the math sections are listed out by grade and then by topic.  For instance, the second grade math contains 218 skills that should be mastered.  You can then click on whatever skill you wish for your child to work on and they can work until mastery.

There are more than 2500 math and language art skills combined at this time.  In a years time your child will not be able to learn and complete them all, but they can at least get their one grade done!  With your membership, whether monthly or yearly, you do have access to all levels!  So if your child does master one level you do not have to purchase a new year subscription to get the next level, you simply move them on up.  I love that!  I have some kids that excel and move through things quickly while I have others that are slower and take more time to learn.  I love the flexibility of the program.

Here is my take on this program:  It is perfect for homeschooling because your child can move at their own pace.  I think it is better for older children or children who are motivated to do things on their own so that you are not constantly asking them if they have done their lesson for the day.  We are not a large computer family.  Until recently my kids did not do a lot of computer school so they are still learning.  That means they are slow to answer some questions just because they don't know where all the keys are.  But, they are good with this program because it does not penalize them or immediately mark them as wrong just because they took their time on  a question.  The end results are what matter.  I am near to help them if they need it or they are free to do it on their own.  I have found at the end of lesson time that they have done an extra lesson or two somedays during their time just because they got done and wanted to go on.  It was fun.  It was not thought of as "doing school" so much as it was having fun and playing games.  That is the ultimate homeschool experience.  We're having fun, we're not just learning!

Language arts is a much smaller section right now with only materials for grades 2-4.  They are working on more for this section and are set to expand it soon.  We didn't do as much with the language arts as we did the math because it only has grades 2-4 currently and I only have two kids in these grades.  My two are in second grade so they are just at the beginning of the coursework available.  There are 82 second grade language art skills.  We did not use them in order. . . . . in fact we jumped into homophones first because it was what we were talking about and I wanted to re-enforce what we were learning and then move on from there.  Some of the lessons we had already covered this year so they were very easy for my kids and they just blasted through them.  Others were concepts we had not talked about and they took a bit more doing to get those down.  I think the way these are taught is great because even weeks after mastering a subject my child still could remember what they had learned.  It's more than just memorizing to get on to the next skill, it's learning.  It's learning so they will still remember it for years and years to come.

We like what we have seen so far of this program.  I have not gone past the second grade though.  Soon we might get to pass into third grade math and I can talk about that, but I didn't really go looking as my kids aren't ready for that yet.

I would like to mention they do have an app for iPad users for grades K-6 in math.  We don't have an iPad, iPod or anything that technologically advanced.  We're still learning how to use the computer around here!  But if you do I think it's a great resource to help take school with you where ever you go.  You can do school while waiting at the doctor's office even!  Big mommy grins at that!  It's so much easier to keep your child occupied in new places if you have something familiar to do, so why not school!  For me the why not is more in the I don't want to have to lug around that many books and pencils, but then again if it's all on the iPad you don't have much to carry.  No excuse for being late on that days math work!

Like what you're seeing and want to find out more?  Jump on over to the Main Crew Blog and see what other reviewers had to say!

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Math Mammoth Lt Blue Grade 2 Homeschool Review -TOSCrew #hsreview

We were able to review the download version of the Light Blue Series which is the equivalent of Grade 2 Math from Math Mammoth.  Math Mammoth is a wonderful math program for kids in grades 1-8.  Each series comes with all you need to do math with your child for a full year!  Our goal is to complete this second grade course over the summer with my two who just finished first grade!  How well they do with this will determine if they start 3rd grade math in the fall or do more for 2nd grade.  They really whizzed through their 1st grade coursework so I'm thinking I have some math lovers on my hands!

The download version of the Light Blue Series includes two sections of worksheets for the kids to do.  These are titled 2-A and 2-B.  You can print these or have your child complete them online in the PDF form using the special tools so they can type in their answers!  I think that is really neat but with only one computer and two kids doing the work it was easier for me to print them off and make a binder for each child with both packets.  Each section was roughly 160 pages printed out which means you would need a binder large enough to hold at least 320 pieces of paper.  To make it easier for flipping and adding scratch paper as needed(or extra worksheets) I put each childs sections in a 3 inch binder.  You can also access the answers.  Also included are the tests, reviews, and a neat program that allows you to build your own worksheets if your child is struggling in one area!

My kids have been using the curriculum for their math for about a month now.  We started soon after receiving the download.  We are now halfway through the first section and are working with addition and subtraction using numbers 0-18!  It's so fun to watch them count out to help them get the right answers without a numberline.  Our oldest daughter likes to tap her fingers against her nose when she needs the extra help counting while our oldest boy likes to tap them on the table.  I have to hide my smiles and giggles so I don't break their concentration!

The download version of grade 2(which I received) is currently selling for $34.00.  With a purchase of the downloadable version through Kagi you also get the Soft Pak program free.  The Soft Pak program contains additional resources to use with your second grader!  These programs include:

Math Maker- printable worksheets

Math Master- online worksheets that you can print off results sheets for to include in your homeschool records

Math User- 900 multilevel word problems with built in calculator

True/False Math Challenger- math facts presented in true or false fashion(my kids can definitely use this!  They're not great with true/false)

Language Arts Master- over 4000 words for spelling and vocabulary as well as grammar help

Test Maker- use this to create personal word lists for your child to use in the Language Arts program

Test Master- online way to take the tests you create

Also available to purchase is the entire light blue series on CD which includes grades 1-6 at a cost of $141.00.  The workbooks are available to purchase instead of printing off from $14.95-$17.95 depending on which grade level you are needing.

I also wanted to mention that they offer a free 7 day trial online at their website if you're not sure if the program will work for your children or not.

We are enjoying our journey with the 2nd grade math and can't wait to see what our next week of learning will bring!

Make sure you hop on over to the TOS Crew main blog post to see what everyone else thinks of this program.  We had people reviewing all grade levels so if your child is past this grade you'll still find a review that covers their grade if they are in 1-8!

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A+ Tutorsoft CD Software Review

I received the A+ Tutorsoft Inc. CD Software for 1st grade to review.  The CD software is for A+ Interactive Math for 1st grade.  They also offer an online version of the CD software.

Before I tell you about this product, I want to share a discount code that the company is offering.  Through the end of March you can receive 50% off by using coupon code SPOFFER50!  Wow!  That is an awesome discount and a great one to take advantage of if you're looking for a great math software for your kids.  And if you keep reading I'll tell you what we think of this one!

I have to admit when I signed up to review this I thought we would be using it with my oldest daughter.  Instead her little brother decided that this was his new favorite thing in the world!  He's always liked math and is actually very good at it.  He's 6 years old and ahead of his 8 year old sister!

Patrick sat at the computer the first day he used this course and did three lessons.  He listened and interacted during the "talking"--lecturish portion and then did the questions that went along with the lesson.  After he finished the first lesson I was going to shut it down until the next day but he begged to do another!  When a child begs to do school, well it's normally best to let them!  So I let him do a second lesson and second question set.  He then decided on his own to go to the third and was well into it before I realized he had even begun!

Our regular math book has not begun to teach skip counting yet and he is finding this to be one of his favorite things that the program covers.  He will go back to those lessons just to listen to them and count with them.  He does not like having to wait until the afternoon to work on his math now because he wants to have more time to use this math program before Daddy gets home from work and might need to use the computer. 

My 8 year old daughter is also in the 1st grade math program and has been using this software.  She tends to get a bit bored listening to the lessons but loves doing the worksheets.  She wants her worksheets in front of her on paper though so we print hers out while Patrick does his on the computer.  This works out well for us so that they can both be using the program at the same time with only one computer!

The CD program does not automatically keep track of your children's grades for you.  It does however, provide you with a space where you can input when they did each lesson, what their score was on their questions, and a small section for notes.  Because it also has you set up a parent account I can do this for both children daily without having to get into both of their accounts.  I am like my daughter and prefer being able to do things with pencil and paper so I tend to print these off and fill them in by hand.  You can print them off after filling them out by week or by month to include in your homeschool planning folder as well.

The A+ Tutorsoft Interactive Math program was very easy to install.  We simply put the disc in the computer and followed the instructions.  It allows you to set up a parent account as well as multiple children accounts.  We received the premium edition on cd which retails at $124.99.    If that seems a bit pricey make sure to remember the coupon code for 50% off that I shared earlier.  I think the cost is reasonable considering you have a full years worth of math for your child, you can use it for more than one child, and it also has extra worksheets you can print off to do with your child.  

You can learn more and see more examples of the CD premium software by visiting this page on their site. 

We are not required in my state to do standardized state testing, but I believe this would cover all of the necessary components for each grade level and provide your child with a very solid basis for 1st grade.  I personally love that it doesn't take a lot of my time to sit and teach this to my children.  They love the colorful graphics and the "online teacher" helping them to learn.  Sometimes I think all our children need to get past a roadblock in learning is someone else to help explain!

Don't take my word as the only ones on this program, check out the other Crew Member Reviews on A+ Tutorsoft Inc to find different grades as well as some reviews of the online program.  

Disclaimer:  I was provided with  a copy of this curriculum for free in association with the TOS Schoolhouse Review Crew.  I was not compensated in any other way besides this curriculum.  All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own and not influenced in anyway.  I was not coerced to write a positive review but rather wrote my own thoughts(or those of my children) on the curriculum.  I am disclosing this to be in compliance with the FTC Regulations.

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