<link>http://aliveinspirit.com/wordpress</link> <description /> <lastBuildDate>Wed, 15 Feb 2012 06:16:23 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en</language> <sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency> <generator>http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1</generator> <atom10:link xmlns:atom10="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/aliveinspirit/iLfA" /><feedburner:info xmlns:feedburner="http://rssnamespace.org/feedburner/ext/1.0" uri="aliveinspirit/ilfa" /><atom10:link xmlns:atom10="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" rel="hub" href="http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/" /><atom10:link xmlns:atom10="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" rel="hub" href="http://superfeedr.com/hubbub" /><item> <title>ALEKS: Assessment and LEarning in Knowledge Spaces http://aliveinspirit.com/wordpress/2012/02/15/aleks-assessment-and-learning-in-knowledge-spaces/ http://aliveinspirit.com/wordpress/2012/02/15/aleks-assessment-and-learning-in-knowledge-spaces/#comments Wed, 15 Feb 2012 06:16:23 +0000 Barbara http://aliveinspirit.com/wordpress/?p=4752 ALEKS: Assessment and LEarning in Knowledge Spaces
is a web-based assessment and learning math system. My kids have both been using ALEKS for a short time now. You can read an overview of ALEKS on their website for specific details. With ALEKS your student gets an assessment of their current knowledge and after being placed within the program your child proceeds through [...]]]> ALEKS: Assessment and LEarning in Knowledge Spaces
Photobucket is a web-based assessment and learning math system. My kids have both been using ALEKS for a short time now. You can read an overview of ALEKS on their website for specific details. With ALEKS your student gets an assessment of their current knowledge and after being placed within the program your child proceeds through lessons helping your child to master the various areas within the course you have placed them in.   ALEKS has a large selection of courses you can choose from based on your student's needs.  A list can be viewed HERE on the ALEKS website.  Along the way your child is reassessed and provided work to master the various areas until he/she completes that portion of their lessons. Your child sees a visual representation of the topic areas that they have to master for a specific course and is shown how much of that subject matter has been mastered which is represented graphically by a pie graph. Photobucket

ALEKS is geared for grades 3 through 12th and even those above those grades can benefit. Unlike some programs that just provide multiple choice question and answer lessons, ALEKS uses "adaptive questioning" throughout the program to enable the student to master the material to ensure it will be learned and retained as a result of completing the subject material he/she is learning in the program. Both my children genuinely liked ALEKS which is saying something since my oldest normally does not like math and tries to avoid doing math lessons. Both my children enjoyed the challenges presented in the ALEKS program.   As a parent I am able to track the progress of my children and I receive status reports by email that detail the progress of my children.  I am informed of how much of the course my child has mastered of the total topics being covered, given an attendance report of how long my child used ALEKS within a certain time period as well as shown quiz results and provided a link to get online reports. Photobucket

I like ALEKS because I can feel confident that my child not only is being asked questions but has the ability to ask for help while working on the problems in the system. If my child is not familiar with how to do the current problem she can click on the explain button to get help in doing the problem. ALEKS also has a section that provides for mastery of basic math facts called ALEKS QuickTables.  According to their website it is described as follows: "ALEKS QuickTables is a research-based math fact mastery program for multiplication, division, addition, and subtraction for grades 3 and up. The online program offers an interactive Student Module with ongoing assessment, learning, review, and visual tracking of student progress. In addition, the Master Account allows parents to monitor student progress and adjust program settings to best fit student needs. "

QuickTables includes "Interactive Games Provide Additional Review and Built-In Rewards ".

I find it is difficult to present everything there is to know about ALEKS without duplicating what is described on their website , so I suggest you visit ALEKS website and take the tour as well as sign up for a free trial to check it out for yourself. ALEKS pricing for one student is as follows:
  • $19.95 per month
  • only $99.95 for 6 months! Six months for the cost of five
  • only $179.95 for 12 months! Best Deal: You save $59.45
For multiple student rates check out their pricing HERE. I have personally experienced the benefits of ALEKS through my children and suggest you check out ALEKS for yourself. You can read what my fellow TOS Crew members had to say abotu ALEKS by visiting our crew blog and reading the reviews for yourself. Note: I received a free trial of ALEKS as a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew in order to provide an honest review for my readers.]]> http://aliveinspirit.com/wordpress/2012/02/15/aleks-assessment-and-learning-in-knowledge-spaces/feed/ 0 See-N-Spell: http://aliveinspirit.com/wordpress/2012/02/12/see-n-spell/ http://aliveinspirit.com/wordpress/2012/02/12/see-n-spell/#comments Mon, 13 Feb 2012 02:31:09 +0000 Barbara http://aliveinspirit.com/wordpress/?p=4732 See-N-Spell:
See-N-Spell is a 40-page quick reference guide which includes over 300 commonly used words in order to help writers improve their spelling and vocabulary. The guide organizes words alphabetically and by part of speech. There is also a section for commonly misspelled words as well as an area where you can write in your own [...]]]> See-N-Spell:
Photobucket PhotobucketSee-N-Spell is a 40-page quick reference guide which includes over 300 commonly used words in order to help writers improve their spelling and vocabulary. The guide organizes words alphabetically and by part of speech. There is also a section for commonly misspelled words as well as an area where you can write in your own words that you may want to refer to easily. The guide is geared toward grades four through adult to help writers choose words that they normally would not use because they are not confident in the spelling or usage of the words. My children have been working on their writing skills this year and one thing they have had trouble with is keeping from using the same simple words over and over again in their writing. Rather than going to a dictionary or thesaurus to look up different words to use, they had been just selecting easy words that they already were confident with and that were easy to spell.  Using See-N-Spell, they were able to enhance their writing compositions and started to develop a better writing vocabulary. While not every word is in the See-N-Spell reference guide, it has been a good start to give them more confidence in their writing skills. See-N-Spell has really worked well to supplement their current writing curriculum. When you purchase a See-N-Spell reference guide you also receive a free See-N-Read reading tool. Photobucket This reading tool is useful to help readers reduce word and line skipping and aid readers in maintaining a better focus when reading longer passages. You can read more about the See-N-Read tool HERE on their website. You can purchase your own See-N-Spell quick reference guide along with a free See-N-Read for only $9.99 HERE. Check out what my fellow TOS Homeschool Crew members also had to say about both See-N-Spell reference guide and the See-N-Read tool by visiting our Crew Blog. Note: I received a free See-N-Spell and See-N-Read as a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew in order to provide an honest review for my readers.]]> http://aliveinspirit.com/wordpress/2012/02/12/see-n-spell/feed/ 0 Cooper and Me and the Military: Review and giveaway http://aliveinspirit.com/wordpress/2012/02/11/cooper-and-me-and-the-military-review-and-giveaway/ http://aliveinspirit.com/wordpress/2012/02/11/cooper-and-me-and-the-military-review-and-giveaway/#comments Sat, 11 Feb 2012 23:59:06 +0000 Barbara http://aliveinspirit.com/wordpress/?p=4728 http://www.cooperandme.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cooper-and-Me-Inc/214695101924101 Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/cooper_and_me a Rafflecopter giveaway “Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”]]> http://aliveinspirit.com/wordpress/2012/02/11/cooper-and-me-and-the-military-review-and-giveaway/feed/ 0 I Love Your Presence: Review and Giveaway http://aliveinspirit.com/wordpress/2012/02/10/i-love-your-presence-review-and-giveaway/ http://aliveinspirit.com/wordpress/2012/02/10/i-love-your-presence-review-and-giveaway/#comments Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:09:32 +0000 Barbara http://aliveinspirit.com/wordpress/?p=4716 I Love Your Presence: Review and Giveaway
Who doesn't love good worship music? You know the kind you can either just sit and listen to and reflect about God and who He is or you can join in with to sing praises to Him. Well I received a free download copy of the I Love Your Presence album which was released by [...]]]> I Love Your Presence: Review and Giveaway
Who doesn't love good worship music? You know the kind you can either just sit and listen to and reflect about God and who He is or you can join in with to sing praises to Him. Well I received a free download copy of the I Love Your Presence album which was released by Vineyard Music through iTunes on 1/10 and physically released on 2/7. I really have enjoyed every song in this collection and think you will too!  Normally I have a favorite song to let you know about but I really could not pick just one or two from the whole collection because I enjoyed all of them.  I am giving away a download copy of it to one of my readers that you can enter at the end of this post.  I will select a winner on 2/17/12. Here is some information I received about I Love Your Presence:

"I Love Your Presence was recorded live at the Burn Bright: Worship and The Kingdom Of God conference, hosted by Vineyard Worship. Several hundred worship leaders and worshipers gathered in the Arizona desert to explore the nature of God's kingdom through music and teaching with some of the Vineyard's most gifted communicators and musicians. This inspiring collection of songs recorded live at the The Vineyard Church North Phoenix will immerse listeners in the powerful worship that was the highlight of the event. I Love Your Presence reminds us to not just think of worship as singing songs, but also laying down our lives for Him. "

Check out these links where you can find out more about Vineyard Music and the I Love Your Presence album: Website: http://www.vineyardmusic.com/vm/ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DiscoverVineyard Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/VineyardMusic iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/i-love-your-presence-live/id491711353 a Rafflecopter giveaway
"Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services 
mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I 
only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. 
I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: 
"Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
]]> http://aliveinspirit.com/wordpress/2012/02/10/i-love-your-presence-review-and-giveaway/feed/ 0 Math Rider http://aliveinspirit.com/wordpress/2012/02/10/math-rider/ http://aliveinspirit.com/wordpress/2012/02/10/math-rider/#comments Fri, 10 Feb 2012 06:56:35 +0000 Barbara http://aliveinspirit.com/wordpress/?p=4687 Math Rider
What comes to mind when you think about a program that drills math facts towards the goal of mastery? Is it a tedious boring task where your child goes through a flashcard type approach? Do you think of your child rolling their eyes and dreading such a task? Do you hear, "Oh Mom do we [...]]]> Math Rider
Photobucket What comes to mind when you think about a program that drills math facts towards the goal of mastery? Is it a tedious boring task where your child goes through a flashcard type approach? Do you think of your child rolling their eyes and dreading such a task? Do you hear, "Oh Mom do we have to do that again?" Well recently my family has had the opportunity to try a software math facts game whose goal is to ensure your child masters the basic math facts to ensure a solid foundation for their math knowledge. Instead of basic drilling techniques Math Rider has created a fantasy world full of castles, horses, princesses and other fantasy related items where your child along the way learns their basic math facts -- addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Photobucket According to the Math Rider website the game is described as follows: "Your child is taken into a land of fantasy and quests. Living in the Land of Ray and riding a horse called Shadow, he or she will set out on various noble adventures. Riding across amazing, digitally matte-painted moving backdrops of distinct fantastic lands, they will accomplish their quest, be it finding magical flowers, returning gems to the elves or even rescuing a princess!" Photobucket In addition to going on a math quest, your child can also take practice runs and set up which math operations they wish to work on, what type of practice to do whether obstacle course or timed practice, as well as setting up a number range and number of questions for that practice run. There is also an area that they can view their own progress so that they can see how far they have come in learning their math facts. Photobucket During the game your horse will slow down or speed up depending on how fast you are able to answer the questions so that children will not get frustrated the game is moving too quickly or slow for them. A lot of thought has gone into the development of this game both for the child as well as the parent's benefit. I have been very impressed by Math Rider for anyone who has a child needing to master their math facts as well as those who need to fine tune theirs. The game itself adapts to your child as he or she plays so that they are exposed to those facts that they still need to know while identifying which ones they have already mastered. In this way your child is not bored by having to go over and over those facts they already have learned but are helped to advance toward mastering the ones they still need to learn. As a parent you have plenty of information that you can access to see how your child is progressing so that you can see where your child stands in learning his or her facts. Throughout the game your child only has to type the answer to questions and the game controls the action on the screen so your child does not need to be frustrated with controlling characters and can focus on the important part which is learning their math facts while enjoying the rewards of the game as they provide the correct answers to math problems. The game can handle more than one child so that once one child is done for the day another can sign in and play at their own level. You can go to the Math Rider website to learn more about Math Rider for yourself as well as get a free trial. My youngest has been playing Math Rider and has really enjoyed the game. Not only has she been improving her math fact skills but she generally enjoys signing in to play the game. She loves completing the quests and seeing the rewards at the end of each one. You can choose to stop for the day and sign in at a later time to complete the one you are working on. So your child does not need to be frustrated by having to complete a quest in one sitting and instead can come back to it again without losing where they stopped in a quest. Also there are 4 different levels of difficulty for each quest so your child can also control how they progress in reaching their goals. The story line that begins each quest is both in text on the screen and read to your child so that their ability to read does not become a factor in any way that would keep him or her from having a good experience with Math Rider. If math facts are something that your child still struggles with or has yet to start working on then I really suggest you check out Math Rider as a tool to aid your child on their own quest toward math mastery. Math Rider has enough game play, animation and other features to make learning math facts exciting and fun yet not too much where it becomes a hindrance and distraction in what is really important which is the actual learning of the math facts. Math Rider is geared toward elementary ages and really would be valuable for any child needing to build their math foundation in order to progress successfully through any math curriculum. Math Rider can be purchase HERE for $37 until February 15 when it goes back up to $47. You can also read the reviews of my fellow TOS Homeschool Crew member on our crew blog. Note: I received a free trial of Math Rider as a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew in order to provide an honest review for my readers.]]> http://aliveinspirit.com/wordpress/2012/02/10/math-rider/feed/ 0 Word of the Day: Courage http://aliveinspirit.com/wordpress/2012/02/08/word-of-the-day-courage/ http://aliveinspirit.com/wordpress/2012/02/08/word-of-the-day-courage/#comments Thu, 09 Feb 2012 04:14:39 +0000 Barbara http://aliveinspirit.com/wordpress/?p=4684 Word of the Day: Courage
"Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:6 Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I [...]]]> Word of the Day: Courage
"Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:6 Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I will try again tomorrow.” - Mary Anne Radmacher Andrew Jackson One man with courage makes a majority. Douglas MacArthur Last, but by no means least, courage—moral courage, the courage of one's convictions, the courage to see things through. The world ; is in a constant conspiracy against the brave. It's the age-old struggle--the roar of the crowd on one side and the voice of your; conscience on the other. Mark Twain It is curious—curious that physical courage should be so common in the world, and moral courage so rare. La Rochefoucauld Perfect courage means doing unwitnessed what we would be capable of with the world looking on.]]> http://aliveinspirit.com/wordpress/2012/02/08/word-of-the-day-courage/feed/ 0 Classical Astronomy’s Celestrial Almanack http://aliveinspirit.com/wordpress/2012/02/08/classical-astronomys-celestrial-almanack/ http://aliveinspirit.com/wordpress/2012/02/08/classical-astronomys-celestrial-almanack/#comments Thu, 09 Feb 2012 03:37:54 +0000 Barbara http://aliveinspirit.com/wordpress/?p=4669 Classical Astronomy’s Celestrial Almanack
"God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars." Genesis 1:16 NIV Whenever our family studies astronomy I am reminded of this verse in Genesis. As I look up into the night sky I marvel at how many stars and [...]]]> Classical Astronomy’s Celestrial Almanack
Fourth Day Press "God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars." Genesis 1:16 NIV Whenever our family studies astronomy I am reminded of this verse in Genesis. As I look up into the night sky I marvel at how many stars and planets exist out there that I can see, not to mention the many more I cannot see with my naked eye. My youngest has always been fascinated by the night sky as well as the sun during the daytime hours. Recently I was provided a copy of Classical Astronomy's February ezine issue of the Celestial Almanack. It is a 21 page illustrated ezine that portrays a monthly view of what is happening with the sun, stars and planets during the current month as well as the signs that are occurring in the sky during the season with a Christian viewpoint. The ezine can be read and studied as is or as a supplement to the Classical Astronomy's Signs & Seasons curriculum. Although I cannot give you my views on it based on using the Signs & Seasons curriculum, I can give you my view about this ezine as a standalone product. Feb issue In the February issue you can learn about various constellations you can see with the naked eye including most prominently, Orion, which happens to be my favorite constellation. You will learn about some of the planets such as Jupiter, Venus, Mars and Saturn. Not having read the Celestial Almanack I would never known that in February we could start to watch as Jupiter and Venus draw close to each other high in our sky above the horizon nor had realized ow very bright they are compared to our sun and moon. In Celestial Almanack you can explore the various phases of the moon and signs of the season. The February issue begins with a discussion about the leap year. You will find very specific information, both described as well as illustrated, about the positioning of the sun, moon, stars and planets during the current month as well as a discussion about what to expect in the skies. You are not required to have anything but your own unaided vision to benefit from the information provided to you. I found the current issue to be very informative as did my children. Rather than having to explore and research on our own, the information was well laid out and well documented so that we could focus on what was currently happening as well as what to expect throughout the rest of the month. Knowing that God created everything and then learning what we do know about the sun, moon, stars and planets just makes it even more incredible. The author is very passionate about the wonders of the sky and it is clearly conveyed through the material in the issue we received. The issue contains wonderful illustrations of what to expect when you view the night sky during the current month of February. Celestial Almanack is definitely worth receiving either as a supplement to your science curriculum  or as a standalone product so you and your children can learn more about the night sky each month. You can purchase a PDF download of the current issue for $3.00 from Currclick. You can find our about Celestial Almanack as well as other products by visiting Fourth Day Press's Classical Astronomy website. In addition, you can also read what my fellow TOS Crew members also had to say about Celestial Almanack by viewing our blog post. Note: I received a download copy of the Celestial Almanack for free as a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew in order to provide an honest review for my readers.]]> http://aliveinspirit.com/wordpress/2012/02/08/classical-astronomys-celestrial-almanack/feed/ 0 Monday morning thoughts with coffee— http://aliveinspirit.com/wordpress/2012/02/06/monday-morning-thoughts-with-coffee/ http://aliveinspirit.com/wordpress/2012/02/06/monday-morning-thoughts-with-coffee/#comments Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:34:52 +0000 Barbara http://aliveinspirit.com/wordpress/?p=4666 http://aliveinspirit.com/wordpress/2012/02/06/monday-morning-thoughts-with-coffee/feed/ 0 Wholesome: http://aliveinspirit.com/wordpress/2012/02/02/wholesome/ http://aliveinspirit.com/wordpress/2012/02/02/wholesome/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2012 04:28:20 +0000 Barbara http://aliveinspirit.com/wordpress/?p=4659 Wholesome:
From http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wholesome whole·some adj \ˈhōl-səm\ Definition of WHOLESOME 1 : promoting health or well-being of mind or spirit 2 : promoting health of body 3 a : sound in body, mind, or morals b : having the simple health or vigor of normal domesticity 4 a : based on well-grounded fear : prudent b : [...]]]> Wholesome:
From http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wholesome whole·some adj \ˈhōl-səm\ Definition of WHOLESOME 1 : promoting health or well-being of mind or spirit 2 : promoting health of body 3 a : sound in body, mind, or morals b : having the simple health or vigor of normal domesticity 4 a : based on well-grounded fear : prudent b : safe — whole·some·ly adverb — whole·some·ness noun See wholesome defined for English-language learners » See wholesome defined for kids » Examples of WHOLESOME a wholesome dish made with vegetables less-than-wholesome entertainment that wasn't appropriate for children a young actor known for his wholesome good looks First Known Use of WHOLESOME 13th century Related to WHOLESOME Synonyms: able-bodied, bouncing, fit, hale, hearty, robust, sound, well, well-conditioned, whole, healthy Antonyms: ailing, diseased, ill, sick, unfit, unhealthy, unsound, unwell [+]more See Synonym Discussion at healthful, healthy -----------Quote---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Must be out-of-doors enough to get experience of wholesome reality, as a ballast to thought and sentiment. Health requires this relaxation, this aimless life." -Henry David Thoreau ]]> http://aliveinspirit.com/wordpress/2012/02/02/wholesome/feed/ 0 Compassion http://aliveinspirit.com/wordpress/2012/01/30/compassion/ http://aliveinspirit.com/wordpress/2012/01/30/compassion/#comments Tue, 31 Jan 2012 01:52:36 +0000 Barbara http://aliveinspirit.com/wordpress/?p=4652 Compassion
com·pas·sion    [kuhm-pash-uhn] noun 1. a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering. verb (used with object) 2. Archaic . to compassionate. "Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn." Romans 12:15 "Finally, all of you, live in [...]]]> Compassion
com·pas·sion    [kuhm-pash-uhn] noun 1. a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering. verb (used with object) 2. Archaic . to compassionate. "Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn." Romans 12:15 "Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble." 1 Peter 3:8 "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." Galatians 6:2 "So that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it." 1 Corinthians 12:25-26 ]]> http://aliveinspirit.com/wordpress/2012/01/30/compassion/feed/ 0