Lynette's Reviews

Gathering all the classes your high school student needs to graduate can be an intimidating process. Although requirements vary from state to state, most include a high school-level health course.

Alpha Omega's LIFEPAC Electives kit offers a one-semester Health set. This program is extremely easy to implement. Everything comes in one box. There are five student workbooks with tests, a spiralbound teacher's guide with all the answer keys, and little to no planning required.

Most students will be able to do the daily reading, questions, and activities on their own. Once they have completed the daily assignments and self tests, they should be well-equipped to study for the end of the unit tests.

All lessons are taught from a Christian perspective. The course covers anatomy and physiology of the body, nutrition, exercise, spiritual health, mental health, social health, personal hygiene, safety, first aid, disease prevention, drugs, and the environment. We all want our kids to have a healthy future; this program will help reinforce good habits for a lifetime.

—Lynette, Winter 2014

Biology is usually a high school student’s first major science course with lab work. The curriculum my family selected was Exploring Creation with Biology. I chose Apologia because of the creation-based perspective and stayed with Apologia all through my children’s middle school and high school years. Just before my oldest child was beginning high school, I attended a conference that featured Dr. Jay Wile as a speaker. He was so encouraging about taking on high school-level classes that may not be in our area of expertise. He said parents become fellow learners alongside their children. He really helped take the pressure off! We’re there to help our children find their way. A child who learns how to dig in until they arrive at a place of understanding will be equipped for a future as a lifelong learner.

The 594-page hardcover Student Textbook is broken into 16 modules. Each day your student will read a few sections and answer questions. The labs are spread throughout the textbook. Each chapter has a study guide and a summary that will help the student prepare for the module exams. All the answers are included in the 200-page Solutions & Test Book.

The labs will require extra equipment and specimens. Check out the convenient lab kits CBD carries; there are several sets available to make gathering necessary supplies and equipment easy. You’ll need a microscope and prepared slides, as well as dissecting equipment and specimens.

—Lynette, Winter 2014

Using Editor in Chief is a fun way for students to flex their grammatical muscles. It’s an effective supplement to any grammar or writing program—students are asked to find the usage, punctuation, and spelling errors in the text of a story, so learning becomes a game as they search. The workbooks help the student put grammar rules to work in a practical way and help develop critical-thinking skills, too.

My daughter used Editor in Chief beginning in the fourth grade and really enjoyed the workbooks (which may have influenced her choice of English as her major in college). Levels A1 and A2 are recommended for grades 4 and 5, levels B1 and B2 for grades 6 to 8, and levels C1 and C2 for grades 9 to 12. The exercises are a challenge, and become even more challenging as the student progresses.

During high school, my children had the benefit of editing in a group setting. They would peer edit other students' work and would, in turn, have their work reviewed by others. Both of my children became excellent writers, and I feel the exercise of editing, learned at an early age, was a large part of their success. Editor in Chief is a fun and effective way to begin learning this valuable skill!

Each workbook includes a "style" guide, an editing checklist, and an answer key. Approx. 60 reproducible pages each, softcovers.

—Lynette, Summer 2013

When I was homeshooling my children, I read aloud to them daily. We took a history-based approach to our reading time, using literature to tell the stories of our past. One series we pulled from regularly was Christian Heroes: Then & Now. This series not only told fascinating biographies of brave men and woman, it also exposed us to new countries and cultures.

There are hidden treasures in these books about our Christian ancestors. They tell tales that build our faith by revealing God at work in the lives of people who placed their trust in him! They are testimonies to how God will work through both ordinary and extraordinary people alike. They celebrate the type of courageous, dedicated, and godly heroes we want our children to admire.

Little pieces of the stories bring back the fondest memories of our homeschool days. I found these books personally faith-building, and I know they have helped shape my children's faith as well. Approx. 200 pages each, softcovers from YWAM.

—Lynette, Summer 2013

Early elementary school is the best time to introduce facts that will become the foundation of future learning, because, until about fourth grade, kids have an amazing capacity for memorization! Early instruction filled with numbers, times tables, spelling words, letters, and sounds stays with them throughout their schooling.

Using music as a tool to memory learning is both easy and fun. Somehow putting information to quirky tunes really helps with recall. I used Grammar Songs with my kids to study parts of speech and punctuation rules. There are activities and exercises throughout the book to reinforce the concepts in each song.

From this same series, we used Geography Songs for continents, oceans, and countries, as well as the solar system. We had a blast learning about Africa, the most challenging continent, with 57 countries in one song! States and Capitals Songs covered all 50 states and their capitals.

The songs themselves won't win any music awards, but when information is put to music, the process of memorization becomes much easier. Vast amounts of knowledge can be accessed by recalling the tune to a song. My children still remember some of the songs we learned, and they are adults now!

Tip: We used the CD's in the car to make better use of our driving time.

Kit includes audio CD with 16 songs, 68-page student workbook featuring song lyrics and written exercises, teacher's guide with activity suggestions, and answer key.

—Lynette, Summer 2013