Matific Galaxy Review

Matific Galaxy is the new fun math game in our house. Matific Galaxy is a  game based math program for grades K-6. This is an online subscription based math game/program. It can be played on a computer or by using the app on an Ipad I phone or Android device. You can subscribe in one of two ways. By grade level which is what we did or you can get all the grade levels K-6. By grade level is $19.99 all the grade levels are $39.99. This is a per child pricing but they do offer a discount for additional children. It offers over 1,000 activities and is a learn at your own pace program. The lessons and activities are based on educational curriculum that many school systems use.


We are using the 6th grade level it covers 46 different skills your child should know in 6th grade.  Division, negative numbers, ratios, data analysis, fractions, coordinate planes, volume and percents are just a few of the topics covered in this level. You subscribe online and create your log in and your child's log in etc. You can then use the program through the web browser or you can choose to download the app.  I downloaded the 6th grade app on my iPhone. We could not get it to download on our Ipad 2 it told us the soft where was to old. It downloads like any other app and you enter your log in information into the app and away you go.

My 6th grader thinks this is the best math game ever. She had been playing it daily for weeks now and is showing no signs of boredom what so ever. If you take a look at the first screen shot it has what she calls worlds. That she can choose from. Each one has different games that she can do. There are only so many worlds unlocked the more you play the more worlds you can unlock.

 The next one down is a little pixel guy that she is earning pixels to fill him in and rescue him.









This is one of the math challenges it has her complete. In this one she has to find the missing vertex. If you get it wrong you get another try.




So far all the games she has played are in line with thing she is beginning to learn for 6th grade. She voluntarily spends quite a bit of time on Matific Galaxy. I am excited that screen time is learning time and I don't have to fuss to get her to practice math.

From the parent/teacher end of things you can get some really nice reports that tell you how your child is scoring in each topic. Did not see a print button but I just do a screen shot and print when I need something for records. You can also view your child's certificates which is handy. I do sort of wish I could select which topics I want her to work on that way I could customize it for what we are currently working on in math, or so she can get some extra practice on something she is having trouble with. Over all I think this is a great supplement to any math program. If you have a kid that loves screen time this is probably something they will enjoy.




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You know you live in the country when old farm equipment doubles as playground equipment at the town park!

Bathroom

This month I learned how to glaze a window. This is an old window a neighbor gave me. I am going to use it to make a linen cabinet for my new bathroom. The things was its an old window 60+ years old. The glazing is falling our every where and I was trying to figure out how to save it. I looked around on youtube and found some how to videos. Then I hoped on amazon and picked up a tub of window glaze and bam I have this beautiful newly glazed window. It needs a little paint tough up here an there but over all its in good shape and will make a beautiful linen cabinet door.

Hewitt Homeschooling Resources Review

I have an official 7th grader in just a few short weeks. Since we have already finished our Literature for the year we have got a jump start on our Grade 7 Lightning Lit Set. by Hewitt Homeschooling Resources. We reviewed for them a while back with the elementary series and were very happy with it so I was excited to give the Jr high set a try.

What we got:
Lightning Lit: Gr-7 Student's Guide
Lightning Lit: Gr-7 Workbook
Lightning Lit: Gr-7 Teacher's Guide

What I had to order:
Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Helen Keller
Stories & Poems f/ Intelligent Children
All Creatures Great and Small

If you are ordering from the Hewitt Homeschooling Resources site you can get a package deal with the reading books included or you can just order the curriculum and obtain your reading books independently. I was able to locate almost all the book at a local library or the online library with the exception of the  book Stories & Poems for Extremely Intelligent Children of All Ages. How ever you do have to watch which editions the books are or the page numbers/chapters may be a little off from what is in the student guide. I ended up deciding to just buy the books because it was just easier for us being so rural.

The Student guide contains the lessons that your child will do. It has lessons on plot, creativity, autobiography, character sketches, brainstorming, outlining, writing, instructions on poetry etc. The workpages are what gives your student practice on the concepts that are taught in the student guide. The teachers guide has explanations on the course, a weekly lesson plan, answers to the comprehension questions and the workbook pages, It has some extra suggestions for the lessons and information you will need to know about the writing exercises.

I feel that this is a very easy program to follow. My oldest is able to navigate this mostly on her own with me checking answers and fielding questions when she comes upon something she just doesn't get. I love the book selection they are all classic stories that I loved as a 6th and 7th grader. The selection of books is well rounded and includes some poetry.  My daughter is currently reading and working through the Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Every day she comes to me to tell me some thing Tom did that she found cleaver or funny. She says she feel that the explanations in the student guide are a bit wordy but doable for the most part. She reports that the student workpages are spot on and easy to figure out.

The weekly lesson plan was a little different than the usual daily lesson plan that we have been used to with other programs. How ever with her being in 7th grade it gives her a little more practice at budgeting her time. This is how I have been doing it. At the beginning of the week I write down what lessons are required for the week on her marker board. She is then responsible for deciding when and how she wants to get those lessons completed. She has done very well with keeping up with each weeks assignments. I am pleased with the amount of work she needs to do each week. I feel like it is neither too much nor to little for her age and grade level. She starts off reading the lesson in the student guide then she moves on to any reading that need to be done in the book (Tom Sawyer at the moment) and lastly she will do the workbook pages. If she has questions she ask them as needed. If not she submits all of the weeks assignments to me on Friday and I grade them. Anything she gets wrong we sit down together and discuss it. My biggest challenge is grading the writing assignments. The teachers guide does give you some guidelines but I still find grading this part hard.

Over all I can recommend Lightening Lit grade 7 as a well rounded lit program. I feel that it doesn't cover enough grammar so you will most likely need a grammar supplement or some sort. It is reading intensive program so a reluctant reader might struggle with all the reading. How ever the books are engaging and fun and the workbook assignments are short enough not to be over whelming.

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Me and my dad bought this gazebo for my mom for her anniversary. It finally came in a month late. I couldn’t get the measurements to come out right for the frame. It took a week to get a reply from the company. They told me an error had been made on the directions and sent me new ones. I downloaded them and guess what still wrong! I fiddled around with it some more and finally got the outer frame to work. This weekend I attempted to finish it and behold more parts that are not right! One piece for the roofing frame is welded backwards and two others have holes drilled incorrectly. So here I wait again for them to ship me replacement parts. I think someone should have pulled one of these babies out of the factory and actually tried assembling it before they shipped it out. Where has quality control gone did no one take a look at the parts to be sure they were drilled correctly or that things were welded on the right end? So far I am disappointed that it’s taken me 2 weeks and I’m looking at a third week waiting on parts to get this thing assembled.

First Harvest

This is our first garden harvest for the summer. Trmpatires haven’t been quite tight at night yet for the garden to really take off but it’s coming along.