TOS Review: Apologia Educational Ministries

Apologia Educational Ministries is a family-owned corporation that publishes award-winning creation-based homeschooling science curricula. 

 Apologia has recently added to their Young Explorer Series, which is designed for elementary grades K-6, ages six to thirteen.  We have used several of the subjects within the series, so we were thrilled to have the opportunity to review the newest addition, Exploring Creation with Chemistry and Physics.

We received the following:

Exploring Creation with Chemistry and Physics textbook, $39

Exploring Creation with Chemistry & Physics Junior Notebooking Journal, $24

   

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What's included in the Exploring Creation with Chemistry and Physics textbook? 

• There are 14 lessons, 280 total pages, covering atoms, molecules, simple chemicals, laws of motion, electricity, magnetism, and simple machines.  Each lesson averages 2 weeks to complete.  

• Within each lesson there are "Try This!" activities that help students understand the concept with a hands-on demonstration.  There were 10 Try This! activities in Lesson 1 and 9 in Lesson 2!  The girls, ages 7 and 4, really enjoyed the hands-on activities.  In this particular Try This! activity, they performed an experiment to understand density.   

Apologia Chemistry and Physics, Try This! activity

They each had a warm glass of water.  Mac poured salt into her warm water. 

Apologia Chemistry and Physics, Try This! activity

Mac stirring the salt.

Apologia Chemistry and Physics, Try This! activity

 Before dropping the eggs into the warn water, they had to make a hypothesis about what would happen.  They both agreed that the eggs would sink.

Apologia Chemistry and Physics, Try This! activity

Observing the results. 

Apologia Chemistry and Physics, Try This! activity

• Throughout each lesson, the student is asked to retell or narrate the presented information.  At the end of each lesson there are "What Do You Remember? questions for oral narration.  

• There are Notebooking Assignments at the end of each lesson, which include a variety of activities, such as recording fascinating facts, illustrating concepts, creating comics, and writing stories.  These assignments can be recorded in the correlating notebooking journal.

•  Every lesson concludes with a hands-on project or experiment to reinforce the material that was learned throughout the lesson.  Mostly inexpensive, common household items are needed to complete the project/experiment.  At the back of the book, there is a comprehensive list of needed materials for each lesson, which is very convenient.

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 What's included in the Exploring Creation with Chemistry and Physics Junior Notebooking Journal?

The notebooking journal correlates with the textbook and it provides a place for the students to complete and record the assignments from the text, along with many other optional activities.  Everything in the notebooking journal is optional.    

•  There is a suggested schedule for the reading of the text and completion of the activities in the text and notebooking journal.  The schedule is neatly organized into a 2-day week chart, which allows two weeks to complete each lesson.

Apologia Chemistry and Physics, Suggested Schedule

• Each lesson begins with coloring pages, which have a Bible verse at the bottom of each.  Izzie enjoyed coloring while I read-aloud the text. 

Apologia Chemistry and Physics, Lesson 1: Coloring Page

• In addition, there is a Fascinating Facts template page that includes several empty boxes and writing lines for each lesson.  You child could create illustrations, diagrams, or short narrations about anything he or she found interesting from the reading.  

Apologia Chemistry and Physics, Lesson 2: Fascinating Facts 

• There are also vocabulary activities for each lesson to reinforce the new terminology.  There seems to be a variety of vocabulary activities throughout the notebooking journal. 

• Furthermore, there is Scripture Copywork, print and cursive, included in each lesson.  I love how the copywork not only helps Izzie practice her writing, spelling, and grammar skills, but also encourages verse memorization.   

•  There are Cut and Fold Miniature Books, found at the back of the journal for each lesson.  It's very nice to have all of the miniature books in color!  The completed books can be displayed on the Paste Pages within the notebooking journal. 

 

• There are several "Test It Out" suggestions that for each lesson, including additional experiments, hands-on activities, recommended books, and audio and video resources.   

• Additionally, there are Project Pages where the student can write about what they did and learned from the various projects and experiments.

Apologia Chemistry and Physics, Lesson 4: Project Pages

• Lastly, there are Field Trip Sheets at the back of the journal.

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What did I like?

•  The suggested scheduled included in the Notebooking Journal is very convenient and extremely adaptable.

• The text is written directly to the student and is presented in a conversational style.

•  The abundant amount of Try This! activities, which were simple, fun, and very educational.

• The experiments at the end of each lesson were a great way to reinforce the material throughout the lesson. 

• The Notebooking Journal can be used as a unique journal for each child.  Everything is optional; therefore, the parent may customize it by deciding what activities and assignments will benefit their child.

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In conclusion, I would highly recommend Exploring Creation with Chemistry and Physics.

 

Sail over to read what other Crew Mates had to say about their experience with Exploring Creation with Chemistry and Physics.

Fieldtrip Friday!

The girls had a great time with friends at our local apple orchard! 

 

 

 They learned about the life cycle of an apple. 

 

Took a wagon ride around the orchard.

 

And enjoyed apple cider donuts and apple cider slushies! 

It was a beautiful day to spend on top of the mountain!

The Apple Pie Tree was the perfect book to read!

For apple ideas, check out my board on Pinterest!

TOS Review: IXL

 IXL is an interactive on-line educational program that offers state standards and common core aligned math and language arts practice skills for children.  Each grade level has a varying number of skills.  These skills are organized into categories with unlimited questions in order to achieve mastery.  Each child is tracked; therefore, questions adapt to the child's ability.  The questions will automatically increase in difficulty with improvement.  Weekly progress reports are e-mailed directly to the parents. 

Parents are emailed detailed reports containing their children’s progress every week. - See more at: http://schoolhousereviewcrew.com/#sthash.Y4pJNGAS.dpuf

IXL is one of the first names in homeschooling excellence. Long known for its math practice drills, it has recently added language arts practice drills for grades 2-4 as well.

IXL offers state standards and common core aligned math practice skills for grades K-12, including Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II. Pre-Calculus is coming soon. Each grade level has a varying number of skills, with grades 2-12 all having over 200 skills included. Students work through skills systematically to achieve mastery, earning rewards and achievements along the way. Parents are emailed detailed reports containing their children’s progress every week.
- See more at: http://schoolhousereviewcrew.com/#sthash.pRojTVP3.dpuf

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We received a one-year subscription to both the on-line math and language arts subjects from IXL.

 

 Recommended Age

Math: pre-K--12th grade

Language Arts: 2nd grade-- 4th grade

Price

Monthly Subscription: $9.95 for each or $15.95 for both subjects

Yearly Subscription: $79 for each or $129 for both subjects

Each additional child is $2 per month or $20 per year.

IXL is one of the first names in homeschooling excellence. Long known for its math practice drills, it has recently added language arts practice drills for grades 2-4 as well.

IXL offers state standards and common core aligned math practice skills for grades K-12, including Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II. Pre-Calculus is coming soon. Each grade level has a varying number of skills, with grades 2-12 all having over 200 skills included. Students work through skills systematically to achieve mastery, earning rewards and achievements along the way. Parents are emailed detailed reports containing their children’s progress every week.
- See more at: http://schoolhousereviewcrew.com/#sthash.pRojTVP3.dpuf

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 What's included in the IXL membership?

•   The math curriculum has unlimited questions for each grade level, pre-K-12, with access to all grade levels.   

IXL, On-Line Math Curriculum Program

•  The language arts curriculum has a variety of skills for grades 2–4, with access to all grade levels.

• Each child in your family can have his or her own account.  IXL will adapt to each child's skills and will track individually.  This is an excellent way to have one curriculum for a family with children of varying ages and skill levels.  In addition, the parent will have his or her own account.   

•  As each child masters skills throughout the program, they will collect ribbons, medals, and other virtual prizes.  There is special report dedicated to highlighting student milestones, where the parent can print out customized certificates. 

• As your child is completing the variety of skills, IXL is assessing his or her progress in order to generate detailed performance reports.  There are a total of 37 reports, which include grade-level proficiency, trouble spots, and even progress toward meeting state standards.  By glancing over the reports, the parent can identify each student's strengths and trouble spots.  I really liked the option that allows the parent to see the actual problem(s) the child answered incorrectly and see the answer(s) that he or she answered.  In addition, the reports track improvement over time and monitor progress basked on length of practice.  

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How did we incorporate IXL in our homeschooling?

 Mac, 4 years old, was thrilled to have her own account.  She was able to choose from a variety of icons to use as her icon.  It was extremely convenient to have separate children accounts under one family account. 

IXL on-line educational program

 During the review period, she worked on a variety of skills in the pre-K math curriculum.  The pre-K level could be used as a stand alone curriculum.  The skills and questions are very straight forward.  Once she mastered a skill, a gold medal icon was placed beside the skill. 

IXL on-line math curriculum for pre-K

 Throughout the math program, she encountered a variety of questions, including multiple choice and fill in the blank.  There is an audio icon for all pre-K to first-grade math skills.  She enjoyed being able to work on her "math" independently!

If she answered a question wrong, she was given immediate feedback with an explanation.  

IXL on-line math curriculum for pre-K

 While working on mastering a skill, she earned ribbons along the way.  There was always excitement when she entered into the "Challenge Zone"!

IXL on-line math curriculum for pre-K

 Once, she mastered a skill, a simple progress report would pop up, stating her total points, length of time it took her to master the skill, and the number of problems she attempted and answered correctly. 

IXL on-line math curriculum for pre-K

 Once certain milestones were reached or skills were mastered, she would receive a virtual prize.  She would locate and click on the green star to reveal her prize.  In addition, there was a brief summary report of her progress on the right-hand side of the screen. 

IXL on-line math curriculum for pre-K

Mac really loved getting the virtual prizes and was very disappointed when she mastered a skill, but didn't receive a prize.  I was surprised by how much the virtual prizes encouraged her to keep working through the different skills! 

IXL on-line math curriculum for pre-K

 During the review period, Izzie, 7 years old, bounced around working on skills in the second and third grade math levels.  She used the program as a supplement in order to reinforce the skills that she was working on in her math curriculum.  It was very convenient for her to be able to skip around the different grade levels.

IXL on-line educational program

The program does not teach the math skills.  It is more of a drill-practice.  For that reason, we did not use the program as a stand alone curriculum.  However, it has been an excellent supplement for Izzie to use for additional practice. The multiplication questions were a great way for her to practice her multiplication facts. 

IXL on-line math curriculum for third grade

 Throughout the program, there are a variety of questions, including multiple choice, fill in the blank, and interactive questions, which were her favorite.

 

 The interactive questions allowed her to manipulate the graphics.  In the question below, she had to move the point from 0, 0 to the correct spot on the graph.

IXL on-line math curriculum for third grade

The following interactive question, Izzie had to read the table and complete the bar graph by clicking on the white column and dragging it upward to the correct number.  

IXL on-line math curriculum for third grade

When mastering a skill, Izzie wasn't as excited about earning ribbons, gold medals, or virtual prizes.  She complained that the program wasn't fun.  It is not a flashy, game-like program.  It is more a drill-practice program.  I didn't mind the simplicity.

IXL on-line math curriculum for third grade

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IXL currently offers an on-line Language Arts curriculum for grades 2-4 to help with spelling, vocabulary, and grammar.  Just like the math curriculum, there are a ton of questions for each skill level, an award system, and multiple types of progress reports.  

The program does not introduce and explain the concepts before your child answers the questions.  Therefore, Izzie used this program as a supplement to review previous concepts and to reinforce new concepts from her everyday language arts curriculum.

IXL on-line language arts curriculum for second grade

There are a variety of questions, including multiple choice, fill in the blank, and interactive questions.

IXL on-line language arts curriculum for second grade

I really do like how immediate feedback with an explanation is provided when a question is answered incorrectly.  However, it would be extremely beneficial if there was a brief introduction containing the same information before the child started answering the questions for each skill.   

IXL on-line language arts curriculum for second grade

Throughout the language arts program, ribbons, gold medals, and virtual prizes are earned once a skill is mastered, just like the math program.  However, there is a different theme for the virtual prizes.

IXL on-line language arts curriculum for second grade

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What did I like about IXL?

•  Multiple children can use the curriculum, which is very convenient for a family with children of varying ages and skill levels.

• Each child can work at his or her own pace throughout the varying skills and the program will adapt to his or her skills.

• There was audio available for all pre-K to first grade math skills.  This was very beneficial to Mac, the non-reader.  She was able to work independently!

• There was immediate feedback for an incorrect answer.

• Weekly e-mail updates on Izzie and Mac's progress.  This was a very quick and convenient way to determine where they are in their learning.  

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What would I suggest for improvement?

• I would really like to use this program as a stand alone curriculum, not as a supplement.  My family would be able to do that if there was a brief introduction explaining the concepts before trying to answer the questions.  The feedback for the incorrect answers was very informative and explained why the answer was incorrect.  This same information could be used in the introduction.  Many times, Izzie would guess on a question so that she could see the feedback to understand/figure out what the question was asking.  Once she understood the concept, she was able to continue answering the remaining questions.  

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In conclusion, if you are searching for an on-line program that is free of distractions and is based on mastery learning, then IXL may be the perfect fit for your family. 

Sail over to read what other Crew Mates had to say about their experience with IXL.