See n Read review

I was presented with the opportunity to review the product See-N-Read, which is a reading tool developed by CadenaSmith Enterprises.  Dr. Sylvia Smith tells of her daughter Robin's difficulty with reading in school, and how the development of the See-N-Read system helped her daughter overcome numerous obstacles in reading and make great achievements in her academic career.

The See -N-Read reading tool comes in a book size, which is 5 1/2" wide for smaller books and in a document size, which is 8 1/2" wide for larger books or documents.

 In addition, there is also a MemoryMark version, which is the same see-n-read tool with the clear window cut out for the reader to have the option of highlighting the passage read without moving the tool.

Another option is the eSee-N-Read, which is the See-N-Read version for the computer.

                                                                        

The See-N-Read is backed by numerous research studies and child-tested reviews that prove the See-N-Read is an assistive device that helps reduce incidence of skipping words and/or lines and pattern glare.  It is proven to work well for all ages and skill levels as well.
Fortunately, my school-aged children are all very fluent readers and do not have any problems with reading comprehension.  Upon trying the See-N-Read reading tool, they commented that they found it to be useful for keeping their place on a page if they had to stop reading and close their book, as well as helping them to maintain their place on a page while reading.  However, our trials with math are quite different.  The See-N-Read reading tool was helpful in aligning numbers while performing all math operations.  It also helped them to maintain focus on one problem at a time, instead of seeing all the problems at once. This reduced their anxiety while working on one of their more difficult subjects, allowing for our school time to run smoothly.   The See-N-Read reading tool and Memory Mark were both very helpful while completing our homeschool studies.  The eSee-N-Read is also an option and can be downloaded for a free trial at the See-N-Read website, www.see-n-read.com.
The See-N-Read reading tool is available in a 6 piece combination pack for $17.99.  It can also be ordered in varying increments if desired.  The Memory Mark can also be ordered in a 6 piece combination pack for $17.99, or in varying increments as well.  To learn more about the See-N-Read reading tools availability and pricing please visit their website at www.see-n-read.com.
Overall, I was very pleased with this product's performance.  It truly lives up to what it says it will do to help with one's reading, in addition to numerous other advantages.  The See-N-Read products are highly recommended by this homeschool family!


I received this product for review purposes only.  I did not receive any compensation for this review.

Review of The Master Ruler from Master Innovations

My family and I had the opportunity to use and review the Master Ruler, a neat and highly useful measuring manipulative from Master Innovations.  We received the standard ruler, the metric ruler, the Marvels of Measurement poster and the Master Ruler workbook.  The development of The Master Ruler came about when a teacher recognized that her students were not able to use a ruler without a lot of confusion.  The Master Ruler eliminates this confusion by giving the user a way to distinguish decimeters, centimeters and millimeters through the use of separate layers on the ruler.  Color coding and index tabs  also make it easier for the student to identify and separate, learn equivalent metric fractions, and learn to measure each part of a meter by using its own layer.  The Master Ruler workbook contains about 22 pages of measuring activities as well as an answer key.  Both the workbook and the Master Ruler are appealing and fun to use.  In addition, the Master Innovations website (www.themasterruler.com) is a useful resource for learning more about using The Master Ruler and the other products offered by Master Innovations.  

My family enjoyed the opportunity to use The Master Ruler.  My husband, who is considered the math expert in our family, found that teaching math and measuring skills through estimation with The Master Ruler was useful in the homeschool setting.   Additional worksheets in the workbook would be useful for providing more learning opportunities and reinforcement of the measuring concepts.

To learn more about The Master Ruler and Master Innovations other products, please visit their website at www.themasterruler.com.

I was not compensated for the review of this product.  

Book Collectorz Review

Book Collectorz is a downloadable program that will allow you to keep track of all your books, cd's, and dvd's.  It is a great idea for the book collector or family that enjoys reading and therefore has a lot of books that they want to keep on hand. 

 Simply entering the book titles or scanning the ISBN barcodes will record the book's information into a database for your reference at a later time.  Situations that may require you to have a list of your possessions for insurance purposes, or even to avoid buying books you already own, would make the Book Collectorz program beneficial for you.  Checking your list of books while away from home is even possible with Book Collectorz.  You can use the Book Collectorz program with a PC or MAC.  In addition, there are various other items of interest to accompany the program that are featured on the website www.collectorz.com, such as a barcode scanner, a user manual and a user forum.  The version of Book Collectorz that I was able to try was the pro version, which sells for $49.95.  You can get a trial version of Book Collectorz for free, or try the Book Collectorz standard edition.  There are also bundles that you can choose from.  Visit the website www.collectorz.com and find out more about how Book Collectorz may benefit your family!

I was not compensated for this review.

PG Key Review

     PG Key is a small device that makes managing computer safety a lot easier!  When we first received PG Key, we were ready to install the key and find out how it would work.  Having tried out some other alternatives to managing the safety of our family computer, we were wondering if PG Key would be able to meet our expectations.
     Installing the PG Key was fairly easy.  It involved simply plugging in the key, installing the software and then subscribing to the PG Key website to access the full function of the device.  Next, we were able to set up blocks of websites and arrange for notifications when a user attempted to access something that was blocked.  Once this step was met, the PG Key then would regularly record all activities that took place while one was using the computer.  It supplies you with a a movie of what the key recorded, which was a very nice feature.Also, the PG Key recorded all keystrokes on an internet log, which could provide parents with useful information if they were monitoring their children's access to sites that require passwords.
     There were only a couple of dislikes of the PG Key.  Because the key is small, of course there is a concern that it may get lost.  But, the PG Key comes with instructions on what to do if this happens.  Secondly, we ran into a situation that required us to unblock a website.  The wait time for this unblock to take effect was quite lengthy, so it wasn't possible to immediately access the website although it had been unblocked.  Also, we decided to uninstall PG Key but found that our browsers didn't recognize that PG Key had been uninstalled.
     PG Key is a good program with a few minor technical issues involving its filtering features.  It would be a great piece of equipment to add to your computer.  Of course nothing is as good as the direct monitoring of your child while he is using the computer, but PG Key comes pretty close to letting you know exactly what took place during others' use of the computer.  I would definitely recommend it!
If you are interested in PG Key, please visit their website at www.pgkey.com.
I was not compensated for this review.

Soli Deo Gloria Review/Young Hearts Longing for God

     Young Hearts Longing for God is a study of the book of Psalms for elementary, middle and high school level students.  In thirty lessons, the student will gain quite a bit of knowledge about the book of Psalms as well as engage in some personal reflections of one's thoughts on the Bible verses found in Psalms.

     My children really enjoyed using Young Hearts Longing for God.  It was simple but not too easy and allowed for some creativity as well.  Based on our experience, I would recommend Young Hearts Longing for God to those looking for a Bible curriculum.

     If you are interested in learning more about Young Hearts Longing for God or other resources from Soli Deo Gloria resources, please visit their website at www.solideogloriaresources.com.

     I was not compensated for this review.

Schleich Review

     When we received the Schleich animal figurines in the mail, we were so surprised and excited!  The kids thought someone had anonymously sent us a present.  What a delight when we opened our package and found out that we had received these great animal figures for a review.
    

     Some of the animals we received were the Gnu calf, the Okapi, and the Asian elephant calf.  These figurines as well as the others that came in our package are of excellent quality.  The detail and workmanship that went into making these animal figurines is remarkable.  Not only are they beautiful to look at, but they are also fun to play with.

     My kids are ages 14 to 1 1/2.  Believe it or not, all four of them were interested in these animals and have enjoyed playing with them.  Even us parents have found the animals to be fascinating and fun.  One additional positive note for those parents with special needs children is that the animals are softly textured and feel really good to the hands.  Not only would they encourage pretend play, but they would also help improve on fine motor skills.




     From a homeschool standpoint, the Schleich animal figurines could be used in a variety of ways.  Your students could look up information online about each animal, or use them to tell a story.  They could also be used as manipulatives in math.  Basically, the Schleich animal figurines are can be used for educational purposes in any way you choose.

     If you are interested in learning more about Schleich products, you can visit their website at www.schleich.com.  On the website, you can use the store locator feature or place an online order.

     I was not compensated for this review.

Salem Ridge Press Review: From Bondage to Freedom, Marie's Home and Before the Dawn

     I had the exciting opportunity to review three books from Salem Ridge Press.  The titles we received were "From Bondage to Freedom", "Marie's Home" and "Before the Dawn".

     Salem Ridge Press is a publishing company founded by Daniel Mills.  The books published by Salem Ridge Press are generally Christian oriented.  They are geared towards providing the reader with historical information on Christianity and it how it existed in history.    They could serve as supplementary material to your homeschool social studies curriculum or bible curriculum, making the books versatile for the user.  

     Salem Ridge Press has high standards for its published material.  It follows the bible verse taken from Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brethren,whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

     The book titled "From Bondage to Freedom" is a nicely bound book that was written by Emma Leslie.  It begins with a preface, a listing of helpful historical notes, important dates, a table of contents and a table of illustrations.  Throughout the book are multiple footnotes giving the reader definitions for unfamiliar words.  The language of the book made it difficult for my 8th grader to read, however.  He continues to work on reading the book, as he is an avid reader.  

     The books titled "Marie's Home" and "Before the Dawn" were e-books that we received.  "Marie's Home" , written by Caroline Austen, begins with a publisher's note and a table of contents.  "Marie's Home" is easier to read and follows the author's connection with the past as she receives her grandmother's journal.  "Before the Dawn" was written by Emma Leslie.  It depicts the struggles for religious freedoms in Europe during the 14th and 15th centuries.  "Before the Dawn" is similar to "From Bondage to Freedom" as it begins with a publisher's note, a preface, multiple historical notes, important historical dates, and several maps.  The book also provides the reader with explanations of unfamiliar words through the use of footnotes.  

     The books that my family and I had the pleasure of exploring would be a nice and informative addition to a homeschool library.  As a parent, I know that these books would be clean and safe material for my children to read.  If you are considering purchasing these books, plan to read them over an extended period of time with opportunities for you and your children to discuss the books in small increments.

     I received these reading materials for review purposes only.  I was not compensated for reviewing these books.