I love this simple little book! It is such a wonderful idea to use a mnemonics device to learn vocabulary! In our homeschool we've used mnemonics device for learning mulitplication tables, AWANA verses and much more. The people at Vocabulary Cartoons have created a way for students to learn vocabulary through mnemonics device!
Here's the gest of the way it works from the website...
Vocabulary Cartoons works on the principle of mnemonics. A mnemonic is a device that helps you remember something by associating what you are trying to remember with something you already know. A mnemonic device could be in many different forms like; rhymes, songs, pictures to name a few. For example, "Columbus sailed the ocean blue in fourteen hundred ninety-two" is a classic mnemonic rhyme which helps you remember when Columbus discovered America.
Following the mnemonic principle of association, Vocabulary Cartoons link together an auditory (rhyming) word association and a visual association in the form of a humorous cartoon. These powerful mnemonics help students retain the meanings of words longer and with less effort than trying to memorize definitions straight out of a dictionary.
In the example below, the new word FATHOM is associated (linked with) the rhyming word FAT THUMB, which in turn is then presented visually as a humorous cartoon. The more outrageous and bizarre the cartoon, the easier it is to remember.
There are many ways to use this book, but my family simply flipped open the book and picked a word. We read it several times, looked at and then when Dad came home we told him about it, then showed him the cartoon. It was quite effective. Whether or not you're preparing for the SAT's, this book is a great addition to any homeschool library!
You can go here to learn more about Vocabulary CArtoons and see their prices, and you can go here to see what others on The Crew had to say about Vocabulary Cartoons!
Several times now I’ve been the lucky recipient of the Math Tutor DVD’s. I am really pleased with this program. I love anything that will help me teach higher math. Higher math is scary. I like how these DVD’s have short simple lessons and not a lot of fluff or extra nonsense.
On the cover of the disks you get a break down of what’s on them. You can have your child watch the entire thing, or you can have your child go through their regular math curriculum, then when they get to the spot in your curriculum where you are learning about, say, subtracting Integers, you pull out the pre algebra DVD and have them watch that segment for reinforcement. Or you can just pull out the DVD when the child is having trouble in an area for a new and fresh explanation.
We have already done pre algebra so I only had my children watch a few lessons for reinforcement. I think this was actually really helpful since we did it right before we started Algebra. That is also a good way to use these DVD’s as just a quick review at the beginning of the year before you start the next level.
You can click on the link below to find out more about the Pre Algebra DVD. Also, here is a segment of the DVD so you can see for yourself what it’s like.
Disk 1 Sect 1 - Real Numbers Sect 2 - The Number Line Sect 3 - Greater Than, Less Than, Equal To Sect 4 - Absolute Value and Adding Integers Sect 5 - Subtracting Integers
Disk 2 Sect 6 - Multiplying Integers Sect 7 - Dividing Integers Sect 8 - Powers and Exponents Sect 9 - Order of Operation
This DVD could not have come into our house at a better time. My son was just about to start Algebra at the local community college. So far we’d done Algebra at home and we’d not used a Ti calculator so neither of us knew how to use it. Within just a few lessons he had enough information to go to his first day of class, confident that he could use the basic functions on the calculator. He continued to watch the rest of the lessons on this DVD and I really believe he is going to get much more out of the calculator than his brother did who just played with it till he figured it out. For our family, this is my favorite of the Math Tutor DVD’s. You can go here to see more about this DVD and see a video.
Disk 1 Section 1: Overview of the Calculator Section 2: The Mode Menu Section 3: Basic Arithmetic and Exponents Section 4: Logarithms and Square Roots Section 5: Sin, Cos, Tan Section 6: Scientific Notation and Storing Variables Section 7: The Math Menu and Catalog Menu Section 8: Convert between Fractions and Decimals Section 9: Finding the Min and Max of a Function Section 10: Calculating Derivatives and Integrals Section 11: Absolute Value, Rounding, and Integers Section 12: Converting between Degrees and Radians Section 13: Working with Complex Numbers
Disk 2 Section 14: Using the Equation Solver Section 15: Graphing and Tracing Functions Section 16: Using Tables and Split Screen Modes Section 17: Find the Exact Value of a Function Using Graphing Section 18: Finding the Zeros of a Function using Graphing Section 19: Finding the Max and Min of a Function using Graphing Section 20: Finding Intersections of Functions using Graphing Section 21: Finding the Derivative of a Function by Graphing Section 22: Calculating the Definite Integral by Graphing Section 23: Drawing on a Graph Section 24: Graphing and Tracing Sequences
Disk 3 Section 25: Graphing and Tracing Parametric Equations Section 26: Converting between Rectangular and Polar Coordinates Section 27: Graphing and Tracing Polar Equations Section 28: Permutations, Combinations, and Factorial Section 29: Working with Histograms and Box Plots Section 30: Graphing Statistical Scatter Plots Section 31: Calculating Mean, Median, Standard Deviation, and more Section 32: Performing Statistical Regression Section 33: Calculating with Matrices Section 34: Solving Systems of Equations with Matrices Section 35: Calculating Interest Rates Section 36: Calculating Mortgages and Loans Section 37: Calculating Savings and Investments
So, you can go here to find out more about the Ti Calculator DVD, here to find out more about the Pre Algebra DVD and here to find out about all the DVD’s Math Tutor offers and their pricing structure (Very reasonable, in my opinion) and you can go here to see what other’s on The Crew had to say about Math Tutor DVD’s
As a veteran homeschooling mother, I know how frustrating it is to buy something for your homeschool only to realize it is not what you expected. That is why I started this blog.
I have used many, many products over the years and I will review them for you; the good, the bad, and the ugly.
I know that there are as many ways to homeschool as there are children to be homeschooled. There is no one right way.
I hope that by reading my reviews, you will be better able to choose what will work best for your family.
