math reviews Archives - Pea of Sweetness

Supplementing Our Homeschool with K5 Learning {Review}

June 6, 2017 by Emilee Evans

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Policy for more information.
I don’t know about you, but I think extra practice in math and reading is always a good thing. We have been using the online program from K5 Learning to not only practice math and reading but spelling as well! They’ve been learning a few extra things as well!

For our K5 Learning review all three children (ages 11, 9, 7) have been using the online program. We access it on both a laptop and Nextbook running Windows 10 and using the Google Chrome browser. We have not had any issues accessing it.

What is K5 Learning?

The K5 online program is a supplemental program for not only homeschoolers but any child in Kindergarten-5th grade who needs extra practice! It is an account based program easily accessible online. It can be used for up to four children, and each child has their own log in. So there is nothing to download, and progress is saved online. It includes K5 Math, K5 Reading and K5 Spelling.
Although it is a supplemental program, it’s not simply a “sit down and practice” program. It definitely helps foster a sense of independence because it actually offers instruction as well. Lessons are short and interactive. They are fun, interesting and engaging.
Additionally, K5 Learning includes customized worksheets to take the learning offline. The worksheets are produced based on what your child is learning. It further reinforces key lessons and offers learning without the screen. This reduces arguing about who gets to use the computer right now as well!
K5 Learning Review - Worksheets

Assessments

One of my favorite aspects of K5 Learning are the Assessments. I am generally not one to focus on grade level as much as having the kids work wherever they are in each subject. That is what the K5 Learning Assessments are all about. How kids progress through K5 is based on the assessments. Children start right where they are rather than where their age or grade says they should be.
I am so glad they offer this option because, otherwise, my kids wouldn’t have started the program where they need to. Because of my kids’ special needs, they do have some learning challenges. My oldest (Autism spectrum) has a moderate reading delay but does very well in math. In fact, he tested a grade above in math! So he was able to start at a lower level in reading, but a higher level in math. My youngest son (Sensory Processing Disorder) has a slight reading delay but is on target for math, so he was able to start where needed as well.
My daughter’s assessment suggested she’s at a 5th Grade level for both subjects. So in her case, I’m glad she has been able to learn at a higher level. By “school age” she would be in 3rd Grade, but for curricula that is based on grade level she does 4th Grade work. I love that she doesn’t have to be held back.

Our K5 Learning Review

My kids have been enjoying K5 Learning. The short, interactive lessons keep their attention, and they have been both practicing as well as learning things. Spelling has been great for my older kids because it’s something I just don’t do enough of as it is. It’s really challenged them in a good way! This is one of those programs that I don’t have to beg them to do. They get online and do it independently.
What they are learning and practicing goes beyond just the basics. It’s not just reading. It’s inferences and comprehension as well. Math isn’t just numbers. It’s shapes and money as well. Even doing the worksheets has encouraged the kids to do more.
We did come across a couple of challenges, though. For example, my oldest (who has the moderate reading delay) does well in comprehension. So, the comprehension portion of reading would be at a higher level. It required reading at that level, though. So I would have to read with (or to) him so he could answer the questions. For math, the older two kids were working on things they’ve never learned. There was no way to go back or skip it from what I’ve seen. I’m not sure if this was a case of problems associated with Common Core because I try to avoid Common Core so it would make sense that they didn’t learn it if that is the case. Otherwise, it might just be above their level.
Regardless, we like K5 Learning and definitely plan to continue using it to supplement our homeschool.

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Members of the Homeschool Review Crew have been using the K5 Learning online program with their children of various ages/grade levels. See what they thought in their K5 Learning review by clicking on the banner below!

Times Table the Fun Way {Times Alive Review}

February 9, 2017 by Emilee Evans

My kids are very different learners, but if there is anything they agreed on last year it was that they don’t like multiplication. Needless to say, when I was presented with the opportunity to share a Times Alive review, I was definitely excited! Times Alive offers online lessons with animated songs and stories to learn times tables the fun way.

For our review we received a 3-month subscription, though it is offered as a month-to-month subscription with an initial setup fee. Once the account is setup it can be easily accessed online from any computer that is connected to the internet. If you like to take learning on the go, it can work on an iPad if the iPad has a FLASH app so it is capable of using FLASH programs. Our iPads don’t have a FLASH app, so I didn’t opt to try this option. We have been accessing it from both a desktop and laptop computer.
I have been using Times Alive with both my 10 year old son and 9 year old daughter. Getting started with Times Alive has been easy. It has an easy to navigate interface that also helps track progress. It’s important to note that if you do use it on multiple devices, be sure the children using it only use it on that same device. For example, my daughter was using it on the desktop while my son was using it on the laptop. If they use it on the other computer, they can still log in and do lessons, but their progress won’t be saved on that computer.

When I first told the kids they would be working on multiplication they both groaned. Since starting Times Alive, though, I haven’t heard a word of complaint again! It teaches all of the times tables through fun stories and songs. Sometimes I get complaints from my oldest about things that are taught this way because he’s “too old for it,” but he didn’t feel that way about Times Alive.
When first starting Times Alive they were given a “Pre-Test,” which did get groans from both. Neither did terribly well, and it took them a long time to finish it. As they progress, I see how quickly they go through the little Progress Check quizzes that are given every few lessons. A couple of times they noticed it threw in a few problems they hadn’t actually learned through Times Alive yet. They’d get a little hung up on them, but I was surprised how quickly they could answer the others (and get them right, too)!

Each lesson only takes a few minutes, and if you’re not paying attention, it’s easy to keep going through additional lessons without realizing it. It happened to my son, at least, when he first started it! The kids have been doing one lesson per day each week day. This is more than the suggested schedule, but they haven’t felt overwhelmed. In fact, they like doing it every day! Since we are at the beginning of our new homeschool year, we have been using Times Alive exclusively for math. I think it will make easing back into a full math easier because they will have their times tables down!

Times Alive Review

Overall, we have been loving Times Alive. It’s fun and interactive, and it’s memorable. The kids have been easily remembering their times tables, and this will definitely help them as they move on with math for our 2017 school year. They can recall them easily which is definitely which will definitely be helpful! It’s easy to access and use, the lessons are short and fun. It’s been the perfect way to teach them their times tables!

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Would you like to know what other members of the Schoolhouse Review Crew thought? Check out their reviews by clicking on the banner below!

LearnBop Online Math Review

June 23, 2016 by Emilee Evans

We’re currently just over halfway through our school year (we start in January), and we’ve had a touch and go year with Math. It seems some concepts the kids have really caught on quickly while others have been more challenging. Recently our older two children (ages 8 and 10) have been getting math help through LearnBop. We were given a 12 month subscription to LearnBop for Families to facilitate our review.

LearnBop has been available for schools for some time but had recently introduced LearnBop for Families. It is an online Math Tutor for grades 3-12. On their website it notes “it doesn’t just test a child’s ability to do math, it teaches them to solve problems as an expert math teacher would.” That’s what most of us need, right? Math can be tricky, and having a resource to help children learn to solve math problems is definitely helpful!
LearnBop for Families is accessed solely online. It can be accessed anywhere you can connect to the internet. Each child is provided with their own login information and account. No matter where they are they can access their information, and it is always saved. It provides a learning path that is ideal for each child. Parents can further alter this learning path if they feel it is needed. It helps identify and close learning gaps.

LearnBop Online Math Review

Our kids have been using LearnBop 4-5 times per week to supplement our Math curriculum to fill in those gaps. The first log in often determines their attitude for an online program. LearnBop allowed them to choose a fun avatar. Brayden chose a Pirate Navigator and Aurora chose a Fashion Designer. They were definitely options they haven’t had before, so they really liked that! Both of them have been following the recommended 3rd Grade Roadmap. I didn’t explore additional options as this Roadmap was just what they were needing!
It notes the steps that need to be taken to complete each Unit Concept, but I didn’t find the flow to be intuitive. The kids would log on, and wouldn’t be too sure exactly what they should do that day. I wasn’t quite sure either. As with anything, though, I encourage learning at their pace, so we fell into a routine that worked for them.
Units are broken down into videos. There are required videos as well as additional optional videos. Unfortunately, our older son likes to do things in exact order. He was moving through the first concept very slowly as he continued to watch multiple videos and not starting any bops. Once I was able to convey they are optional, he was able to move on. In order to complete the Unit, they must meet 90% mastery on their bops.
$LearnBop Online Math Review$
Additionally, I have my own login as a parent where I can monitor each of their progress. I can see what they’ve completed, what their next step is, what they need to reach mastery for that Unit, their achievements and more. I have found using my dashboard regularly also helped me get a feel for the flow and help guide them to their progression.
Overall, I think LearnBop is a nice online math program. Although it wasn’t intuitive for us at first, we were able to fall into a routine that worked for us. I appreciate that it’s not just asking them to answer math problems but to really learn to solve them. I think that is exactly what they’ve been missing! I do like that there are additional videos for each unit as needed because they do come in handy with the concepts that are more challenging!

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Many members of the Schoolhouse Review Crew had the opportunity to review LearnBop for Families with children of various ages. See what they thought by clicking on the banner below!

Making Learning Fun Through Games {Sunya Publishing Review}

May 26, 2016 by Emilee Evans

I am a big fan of educational games. I love when the kids are having fun while learning important information. It’s even better when we can all play together as a family. We have been playing the educational math game Sunya – The Magic and Wonder of Math and Science Adding & Subtracting. Sunya Publishing is a new educational publisher, and this is one of their two games.

For our Sunya review we received the Adding & Subtracting Game which includes a spiral bound School and Homeschool Teacher/Parent Guidebook as well as two sets of cards and a number line. The Guidebook includes game instructions as well as interesting information like the Hindu-Arabic Numeral System and Math Facts and Riddles. Because this is a new product we also had the opportunity to compare gray scale pages to full color pages. I personally like the the full color pages best, but I do tend to prefer color.
The Adding & Subtracting game is recommended for ages 7+ and 1-5 players. We have been playing this game with our family. Our oldest two children are ages 10 and 8 and are both at the 3rd Grade level for math. Our youngest, who is 6, just teams up with either my husband or myself. That way he can still feel included as well.

There are multiple ways to play this game. The first way is the Basic Game of Sunya Adding & Subtracting. I found that this game was definitely the easiest game for everyone to understand, and it’s the game we have been playing most often. It is a lot like many other card games where you try to discard all the cards in your hand. When you do so you say “Sunya.” Sunya is actually a word from Sanskrit that means empty or void of any quantity. Perfect description, right?
In this version of the game, players make number “sentences.” They must be correct problems (ex. 2+3 = 5). Players continue to place cards to make correct number sentences, and the one who runs out first is the winner.

It took a lot of reading to feel like I finally had a grasp on the other two games, and to be honest, I don’t feel like I did ever get a good grasp on it. I even found the first game to be a little confusing at first, and I am not sure we’re even playing it exactly right, but we’re playing in a way that makes sense, and everyone is learning and having fun.
Plus, there are a variety of math facts for young children at the end of the Guide. It includes using the cards for flash cards, sequencing, matching, making equations as well as the Math and Science Facts and Riddles (these cards are included in the decks.

Sunya Review

Overall, I do feel there is a big learning curve to the Adding & Subtracting game. I do love the concept, though, and we make it work. We play in a way that everyone can have fun, and the kids are definitely learning as well. I like that it challenges not just practicing math facts, but there is a component of critical thinking as well. The additional suggested activities, facts and riddles are a great addition!
Members of the Schoolhouse Review Crew reviewed both the Addition & Subtraction game as well as the Multiplying & Dividing game. Check out their reviews by clicking on the banner below.