KinderBach Piano Curriculum Review (FREE Coloring Books!)

The  KinderBach Online Piano Lesson Membership with Teacher Corner was a really fun product to review.

It is a complete online Piano program geared for children ages 3-7.  These early music lessons can work for homeschool  piano students  or in music classes in a school setting. It includes short interactive videos, accompanying worksheets, and teacher instructions.  The only things you really need are a computer, some sort of keyboard (we have a $40 piano keyboard that worked just fine:), and a printer.  I was able to download everything I needed on-line, which was wonderful for us.

My 5 year old mainly used it and had loads of fun.  We printed out the whole book and put it in a binder so it was ready to use.  They also have an easy link with each lesson so you can print as you go.   We would watch the lesson, participate in the activity (tapping, pressing the keys, and/or answering questions), and then enjoy the accompanying worksheet.  Most of the time we would watch 3 to 4  lessons at a time because we enjoyed it so much.

There are 6 levels of music curriculum to choose from.

Since we didn't have any prior music knowledge we started at Level 1.  It took a few lessons for me to get the hang of it and to really see what the program was all about.  I have to say I was impressed.  While the older kids would walk in and think it was silly, my younger ones loved it.  The characters are a boy named Frisco, Dodi the Donkey, Carla the Caterpillar, Edward the Eagle, Felicity the Frog, Gracie the Gorilla, Alan the Alligator, and Bob the Bear. Through the characters  a story is told and the children are taught corresponding music concepts.  (e.g.  Dodi lives on the D key, etc.)

Cost for membership:  $130/yr (Special Offer – currently only $95.88/year)

Where to find it: Kinderbach.com

What you get

Early Music Lessons:   Beginner piano video lessons that can be streamed to PC, MAC, tablets, ipads, and smartphones.  (Available for purchase in DVD format and Levels 1 to 3 are available in an iPad/iPhone app. along with 6 ipad games.)

Interactive Worksheets with almost every lesson:  You receive interactive worksheets that can be printed out to be put in a notebook or printed individually.

Teacher Corner:   Downloadable materials that include tools for instructors, whole group lessons, and additional resources.

Meets Kindergarten Common Core Standards:  Common Core standards are met for Kindergartners in the areas of  reading, writing, speaking and listening, language, and math.  You can get more specifics and each common core standard that it meets on their website.

Piano Pal Storybooks:  These are full color storybooks that go along with the lessons.

Songbooks:  4 different songbooks (hymns, Christmas,  Patriotic, and Everyday) are included with their MP3 accompaniments.

And So Much More:  There is so much more I have yet to learn and explore on their website.  I really look forward to learning more with my little guys.

Review Summary

Pros:   A very thorough piano curriculum that is effective in getting the students interested and engaged.

Cons:  Some of the songs and surfer guy accents are a little outdated.  Older kids catch on right away and make comments but the little guys don't have a clue.

Here is a fun, little video that gives you a sneak peak of the product:

There is a free two week trial that you can sign up for.  Just click on any of the pictures to hop on over.

And now for the FREE...

Just click on the this link -Free Coloring Books and copy/paste the codes in at check out.  Enjoy:)

"A House for Dodi" book - use the Coupon Code: DODIHOUSE

"Train Stations" book -- use the Coupon Code: TRAINS

You can connect and say thank you to KinderBach for these cute coloring books at these sites:

Facebook

Facebook for Teachers

Twitter: @KinderBach

Pinterest

YouTube

Have you found anything in this resource that might interest you?  Why would you or would you not choose this product in your classroom?  Please share any thoughts you might have in the comments section below.  You can read more reviews from the crew here.

Thank you for traveling with TheTravelingclassroom ... I hope you found this review helpful:)

Schoolhouseteachers.com Curriculum, Lapbooks, Classes, & More (Review)

My first assignment with the Schoolhouse Review Crew is to  become reacquainted with Schoolhouseteachers.com and  their yearly membership option .  The first time I looked at the website I didn't realize what it was.  As I explored the website, I was pleasantly surprised by the family learning options available.  I keep wondering,  "How in the world did I miss this valuable resource?"  This is just one of those affordable resources that you don't want to pass up.

As soon as I logged into the website I found some unique electives my children had been asking for.   Here at Thetravelingclassroom, we love to take pictures!  My 15 year old has been asking for photography lessons.  Immediately we found  a beginning photography class.  He is already working through the two weeks of lessons and we are both learning a whole bunch about photography.  Photography  Lesson 1 consisted of a quick analogy lesson with homework.  The homework was to read the camera's user manual and take a few pictures in auto mode.  Lesson 2  was also a quick lesson on aperture with some more picture taking homework.  Below is an example of the homework for Lesson 2, see if you can tell the difference.

Which do you prefer?  (One draws your focus more to the flowers than to the leaves)

These photography lessons have been very easy to understand and learn from.  My son is already asking for the next lesson.

What is it?:  Schoolhouseteachers.com is an online resource specifically geared toward helping home education classrooms.  They offer a variety of teaching styles including lapbooks, Charlotte Mason, Classical, Christian curriculum, and Unit Studies.   Their website has resources such as student classes, videos, lesson plans, on-line record keeping, curriculum planning forms, e-books, and audio presentations from homeschool speakers.  They also offer family discounts on curriculum with your purchase.   It is almost as if they have brought the home school convention to your doorstep.

Who is it for:  There are tools and curriculum available for  PreK - High School.

Cost for membership:   The cost is $3 for the first month and then $12.95 for each additional month.  They also have a special discounted  price for the yearly membership option - $139.  The annual membership includes the Gold membership to applecore on-line record keeping.

What you get

Over 50 courses:  The courses are presented in audio, video, and PDF formats.  There is a broad list of core subjects and electives:  Art/Drama, Computer/Technology, Electives, Foreign Languages, History, Geography, Social Studies, Math, Music/Voice Reading, Writing, Spelling, Science/Nutrition, Special Needs, Just for Parents, and Extra Resources for Members.

Applecoresystem.com Silver Membership:  You receive:  Course Tracker, Grade Reporting, Report Cards, Portfolio, and Attendance on-line record keeping tools.  You can purchase the gold membership for an additional $10 for the year to have access to all of their tools (all of the above plus Scheduler and Transcripts).    

Certificates Gallery:   There is an area for members to download a wide variety of certificates of accomplishment: from tying shoes to mastering multiplication skills.  Here is a cute one we used:)


Course Checklists:   There are course checklists available for daily progress and skills learned for the whole family.  There is a list for elementary, middle school, and high school.  As I was looking through the website I made a yearly overview  organizer.  These are subjects that I would like to explore with my children.

If this is something you are considering for your family you can use this checklist also. You can  download a blank copy here to take with you over to their website.  While you are there you can jot down a few notes of subjects that might be helpful for your family.

And So Much More:  There is so much more I have yet to explore on their website.  That is why I made the above organizer.  There is no way we could explore all of the subjects covered in one month.

Review Summary

Pros:  I really like all the options available and resources for the price.  There are many subjects to explore through a variety of teaching methods.   It is an amazing resource for families with multiple children at different age levels and interests.  There really seems to be something for everyone, including teachers.

Cons:  The site isn't very user friendly.  My kids became bored quickly while looking at the website.   Although there are great number of resources available to them, they were unable to appreciate it because it didn't capture their attention.  The teacher needs to sift through the material to find what is appropriate for their students and then present it to them in a meaningful way.  Because I am very visual person this website didn't really present itself for what it really offers at first glance.   I am glad I was able to participate in this review to experience what it really has to offer.

Have you found anything in this resource that might interest you?  Why would you or would you not choose this product in your homeschooling?  Please share any thoughts you might have in the comments section below.  You can also read more reviews here:  http://schoolhousereviewcrew.com/schoolhouse-teachers-review/.

Thank you for traveling with Thetravelingclassroom ... I hope you found this review helpful:)

Reading Comprehension - A Review and Giveaway!!!

As a homeschool teacher I am always on the look out for easy to use products that I can incorporate into our classroom.   With a busy schedule and different age groups to teach, I can genuinely appreciate a product that can be used  with minimal explanation. This frees up some valuable time that I can use teaching other subjects!  Little Red's Schoolhouse has some great items that do just that.

 

This last week our classroom was able to use Little Red's Reading Comprehension packet.  This packet has over 80 pages of great learning materials.  There are worksheets AND fun activities included!

 

I found this packet simple to use.  First I selected worksheets that we would  use during the upcoming week. I then printed them out as booklets.   After folding each booklet, they were ready to use! (Some of the kids used brads or raffia to beautify their booklets:)

This product is geared for grades 3-5.   I used it for my 2nd - 8th graders! My 2nd grader used it to learn about new language topics, while my 8th grader used it as a review!

 

This packet has easy references so you can use each page for before reading, during reading, or after reading. The attractive layout and cute graphics were an added bonus to these worksheets. There are definitions and simple explanations on each page.

 

  This worked great for our classroom! Even though all my kids are reading at different levels, they were all able to use these to learn and reinforce important language concepts.  

  

 

 Everyone here at Thetravelingclassroom has been learning a bunch this past week!  We will be using the  other reading activities this next week along with the cute Reading Royalty Achievement Certificates and Badges when we are finished!  

  You can read more of what is include in this packet at their TPT store.

 You can also grab the FREE  Reading Royalty Achievement Certificates and Badges here.  Don't forget to leave a comment if you download it!

And now for the Giveaway!  One winner will win this bundled pack below ...just click on the pictures to learn more about each of them - a $10.50 value!

Classroom friendly supplies  has also generously donated a beautiful pencil sharpener to one of my readers.  What a great addition to this  bundle -sharpened pencils!  I know I love a sharp pencil, don't you?

I have also decided to throw in something from Thetravelingclassroom! Wow, what a giveaway!!

Enter below to win the bundled products above from Littlered's Schoolhouse, your choice of one item from Thetravelingclassroom, as well as a pencil sharpener of your choice! 

 Thanks for traveling with us!

This post is a product review.  I received a free PDF copy of this product in exchange for an honest review.  The opinions and ideas expressed here are solely my own.  

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Let's Get Acquainted Linky Party - Tic Tac Toe!

It is time to get Acquainted with your fellow teacher bloggers!!!

Today I am linking up with Latoya !  If you linked up too, please say so in the comments below!  ( I would love to get to know you a little better :)

Topic- Tic Tac Toe

How it Works:  Look at the graphic below.  It is a Tic Tac Toe board filled with different categories.  You will post about three of these categories but they have to make Tic Tac Toe.  For example, you can choose to write about 3 topics that go vertical, or 3 topics that go horizontal, or three topics that go diagonal. 

I am choosing 3 topics that are vertical in the left hand column:

I went to Biola University 

 (I graduated B.S.R.N; it was hard to choose between that and a teaching degree:)

My favorite memory was dorm life in Sigma  and all the social Betty meets Bob activities!!

My First Year Teaching (homeschooling) was when my first two children were 4 and 2, it was time to get down to business!

We put our alphabet & calendar on the wall and sang our songs everyday.  It was amazing when they started learning how to read!  It was so exciting to be the one to teach them !   To see their excitement when they "got it" and they learned how to read was the most exhilarating experience ever!  We used this curriculum and loved it:)

My Father's World First Grade a Complete Bible-based Curriculum
We also went on ALOT of field trips (nature hunts, pet stores, libraries, pumpkin patch, etc.)  We had ant farms, butterfly farms....oh, the memories! 

 Here's a great story for you....when we ordered the ant farm.  Live ants came in the mail.  HUGE LIVE ANTS!  We were supposed to put them into their new gel ant farm habitat.  THEN, they escaped!  They were crawling everywhere!  Where was the teacher (mom, me)?  Standing on the couch, screaming:)  My lovely little guys were not afraid at all. They ( then 5 & 3 years old) gentle picked them up and got them all contained in their little habitat!  Phew, that was a close call:)  Those were the best days ever!  We have some great memories:)

My Favorite Grade to Teach & Why:

I LOVE teaching pre-k through 1st!  I guess you could say I am kind of an

expert at it now because I have been teaching that specific grade for 12 years!  I love the hands on, arts & crafts, and the simplicity of learning:)  (Not to mention their cute little accents before they learn how to pronounce their words correctly:)  I attached a little widget with all my favorites...we still use them.  I absolutely love these teaching materials and highly recommend them!

Thanks for stopping by and traveling with us:)

Purim Sameach!!

This past weekend we celebrated Purim here in Panama with some friends.



Purim is a fun Jewish Holiday just like Hannukah. It is a celebration based on the book of Esther in the Bible during the time of the Medes and Persians about 500 years before Yeshua (Jesus). (Purim is usually in Feb. or March every year).

We had a wonderful time. We played lots of games; bean bag toss, musical chairs, hit our Haman Pinata, and had a costume contest! There were lots of prizes and yummy food for everyone.


This is a picture of everyone with their cast of characters on spoons for our Purim Readers Theater and play.

Here they are:  King Xerxes, Haman, Mordecai, Esther (Hadassah), Queen Vashti

Our huge Hamantashen cookies with brownie centers.  mmm- delicioso

Party Favors:)

Our Haman Pinata!  Boy, was this a blast!  Candy was flying everywhere & he lasted a really long time... everyone got a turn!  It was hilarious watching the kids diving for the candy:)

Another picture with the girls in their pretty Queen Esther style Dresses.  Each one had their own perception of what a Queen Esther should look like:)

Do you like the rain boots & butterfly wings?  She walked around feeling so pretty in her outfit!  So cute!

If you haven't done anything for Purim yet you should check this out!

Everything You Need To Have a Purim Reader´s Theater!  It's not to late to learn some history about Purim and have some fun:)  Just click on the picture and it will take you over to some more details in my TPT store.

If you didn't see our Reader's Theater video you can go see it here.

I used my Party Planner and I must say I was much more relaxed being organized!  I was able to sit

back and enjoy all the fun:)  If you are planning a party, I would definitely suggest using something to help you get organized.  It helps take away a lot of the stress and makes your party become more of what you envision it to be!  Just click on the picture to learn more about what is included in my Party Planner!

If you didn't grab the freebie for the planner, hop back over and grab it here!

I hope & pray you have a wonderful Purim holiday season with your family & friends!

Purim Sameach!!!

Hall Pass ..Fun Word Families & Giveaways & stuff:)

I'm joining a Linky Party today - Hall Pass -What a great idea!

 

Product-

 My favorite product of mine this week is...Fun Word Families! (  this one is kid inspired:)  It was their idea to turn them into hats and use keyboards to " type write"!  Oh, how I wish I was close to a Goodwill here where the keyboards and typewriters were $1...I would get them each a keyboard, typewriter, or word processor!  What a fun way to learn to read!

Area- 

Outside...I love Field Trips! I'm definitely a field trip teacher.   I think they learn the most outside seeing something new and inquiring about it:)

Signal-

Music...turn the music on & I've got every one's attention!  It always changes the tone of the day or the pace:)  Now to either get a tape player...I know they are outdated...or figure out how to get all those songs into a modern piece of equipment:)

Sanity-

Mommy day outs!  Alone, coffee, & shopping....so relaxing:)

  Now you can click on the hall pass picture and see everyone else is doing with their hall pass  There is also a giveaway going on  you can hop on over to if you need anything math related...Hope you have a great day!