Organizing your digital resource

I don't know about you but I have e-books, coloring pages, catalogs, projects, articles, tons of other resources that are all digital.

When I started this homeschool journey I knew e-books were going to be a huge part of our school. I decided from the beginning that I would try and keep them organized. Well after 2 computer crashes and a laptop dying I  think I have finally come up with a solution that is working for us.  I sync my net-book with my external hard-drive about twice a month and once a month I move files from my desktop to the external hard-drive sorting them into their prospective folders.

I have articles sorted by method (Charlotte Mason, Montessori, Traditional, etc..) I have subject files (art, Bible, math, grammar, history, etc..) and then I have publishers for companies I have a lot of stuff from (Hands of a Child, Simple Schooling, TOS,) I have a folder of photos and a folder for MP3 files from online conferences , etc...  It isn't a perfect system, but so far I've only purchased 3 items I already had.

A couple of things I have learned. 1. Know the policy of the online store you purchase things from. How long do you have to download the item? What if something goes wrong and you lose files?  2. If you get something for free and you enjoy it, make a note so you can support that vendor again. 3. Know the vendor's copyright policy. Can this item be used with a co-op or is it single family only; and PLEASE abide by their guidelines, many of these vendors are homeschool families just like you.

If you like a vendor share a link with friends on Facebook or twitter, many of these companies have Facebook pages where they will share ideas and possibly freebies or deals.

Do you have a tip for storing your digital media for homeschooling? Share a comment or link below.

Homeschool Mega Giveaway Sponsor: Usbourne Books

Durable, fun and an established name, with over 1,400 titles,Usborne Books, has something for everyone and is a name that is trusted.


From the Usborne website,

"In 1973, Peter Usborne decided that educational, non-fiction books would need to change in order to compete with TV and comics. He borrowed some ideas from those two media and hired educational consultants to oversee the writing to make sure that the books would satisfy the child's interest, but also arouse it. Explanatory books which merely explain are doing only half the job; if a book fails to make its subject attractive and interesting to the reader, chances are the explanation will fail. Usborne Books are designed graphically to draw the students in, to make them want to learn the material and to help them retain that knowledge.

The magic of Usborne Books is that they make both reading and learning fun and not a boring or intimidating experience. Peter Usborne set out to break down a child's resistance to reading and learning at home. These books are so well organized that children absorb and recall much of the vast amount of information presented."



One of the many fabulous giveaways that is going on, "Usborne Books" is giving a lucky winner, the chance to win 21 different books from them; A great way for a new homeschooler to start a library or for current homeschoolers, build up their current library. So drop by "Usborne Books", discover all they have to offer!  Don't forget to participate in Molding Minds Homeschool-Mega Homeschool Giveaway and tell your friends about it too!

Before Five in a Row Review: Children's Literature for Homeschool

You can never spend too much time with your children and even better yet you can never teach them too much.  Before Five in a Row takes on both of those ideas in a fun creative way.  Full of fun activities that are tied to children’s books BFIAR is a great book of activities for new homeschoolers as well as seasoned ones. What a great way to instill the joy of learning in your children and make it fun while you are at it. 

Before Five in a Row is filled with 24 mini units based on stories that children love. It is set up for children ages 2-4 but the activities can be adapted to be used with older children.  We had fun with several of the activities and my boys are 6 and almost 9.   I love the idea of teachable moments and this book helps parents see those teachable in everyday activities. 

My boys especially loved that some of their favorite stories are featured in this book: Goodnight Moon, Caps for Sale, Prayers for Children, and Runaway Bunny are books my boys love even as they grow older.  

The book is available to purchase exclusively at Rainbow Resources for a price of $35.00. While it may seem like a lot if you consider that you are getting over 20 units that is a really good price and actually works out to be less than $1.75 per unit study.. You really can't beat that... Most of the books are available to purchase through Rainbow Resources (they actually have a bundle deal of books that includes 19 of the books)  you can also find many of these books at your local library. 

If you have younger kids and you are looking for a great program for them that will instill a love of books and learning then Before Five in a Row is a great resource. I would also recommend it to preschool teachers as a great tool for groups. 

21 days of Prayer for Sons winding down part 1

Well I must apologize. I have been so overwhelmed with the harvest this year that I have completely missed posting Warrior Prayers passages.  I am going to post an overview post and include the 10 verses for each day so that you can continue to pray for our precious sons.

Day 4 Integrity:  What is integrity? That is hard for my boys, especially since they are young.. I really want to teach them that no matter how hard it is or who is around them it is always better to stand up for what is right.  I love how Brooke includes Proverbs 11: 19 “He who is steadfast in righteousness will attain to life…”  Being steadfast in your faith and strong in your conviction is key and training our boys to realize that peer pressure isn’t right and that standing up for what is right take true convictions.

1 Kings 9:4

Job 27:5

Psalm 101:2

Titus 2:7

Luke 1:27

Daniel 1:8

Philippians 4:11

1Timothy 4: 12

1 Samuel 17

Genesis 12

As you pray these verses for your sons remember to ask God to give them strength as they face these challenges; and don’t be afraid to admit to them that we are not perfect, share your imperfections and failures and ask for forgiveness from not only our sons but the Father above.

Day 5 Avoiding Foolishness

The parable of the 2 types of men, a foolish man and a wise man is the perfect analogy for today’s verses. What type of men are we raising? I pray I am raising wise men rather than foolish. Remind them that foolish choices result in foul consequences.

Titus 3:9

2 Timothy 2:23

Ephesians 5:4

Matthew 7: 26

Ecclesiastes 4:13

Titus 3:3

Proverbs 14:7

Ephesians 5:17

Proverbs 19:1

Ecclesiastes 10:2

As I finish up this post  I keep reminding myself although the official 21 days is nearing the end we should always be praying for our sons, daily they need us and they need their Heavenly Father in their lives.

In him,

Homeschool Mega Giveaway

I am so excited! There has been  a steady inbox and mailbox full of great prizes for this give away.  I am so thrilled to share some really great homeschool products and blogs with you! This giveaway form will show below. Just click on each method of entry, follow the directions and it will automatically enter you no matter which blog you enter from! Be sure to check back on those blogs every few days to read about the great companies who have sponsored this giveaway. With a prize lot of over $1000 in value, there is something for everyone!



I have looked around and while I can't say for sure, I am almost sure that we are about to introduce you to the largest homeschool giveaway ever! Ok, maybe not ever, but it is going to be big! So without further hesitation here is what you have all been waiting for!! Browse through, check out the great products, visit blogs and vendor sites, and enter to win!!

This post is part of a group giveaway hosted by Molding Minds Homeschool please check back during the giveaway for  sponsored posts about the various companies participating. Unionvale Homeschool is excited to participate in this giveaway and will add commentary to the products we are familiar with.

BigIQKids review: online supplemental learning

Have you tried BigIQkids ?  For the last month we have been working in BigIQkids with both boys.
What is BigIQkids ?  BigIQkids is an online learning environment what rewards kids for finishing their lessons with access to fun games.
That is a very simplified description of the program. There aren't a ton of bells and whistles to this program. It is easy to use , easy to navigate, and fun for the kids. It was also very easy to adapt to each of the boys' level.

For Nathan, we used the spelling program in the premium account set to the lower level. Each week he would get a new set of words and "Jake" one of the automated voice characters talked Nathan through the word list and various activities in the spelling section. The spelling program was very comprehensive , touching on definitions, pronunciation, and repetition.  During the final quiz if a words was missed the student is asked to pause and write that word down 3 times. The quiz is also set to retest until 100% is achieved.  While we don't use the same method at our classroom setting the computer setting works well for that goal.  The program also sent me an email report of successes and progress.

For Cameron we focused more on the Math section. I was able to adjust the number of problems and the areas we were working on as well as the percentage of various types of problems. In Cameron's case I set the program at 75% addition and 25% multiplication to match our math curriculum.  I also set the number of problems to 16 so he would do 12 addition problems and 5 multiplication problems. This seemed to be a good balance for him as BigIQkids was not a daily activity but 2 or 3 times a week. The math section became a quiz for him which helped us work on his test anxiety issues.   I would have liked to have seen some other math activities for him to work on other than just simple quizzes.  But overall the program was a good supplemental environment for us and gave him the opportunity to earn game coins and play games in a fun educational environment.

One area of the program the boys both enjoyed was the BigIQ Buddy. After earning 2 game coins the student can create and personalize their own Buddy to reflect their personality. My boys actually changed up their Buddy a couple of times during the month. They understood it cost them 2 game coins each time but that didn't seem to bother them, it was just something fun for them to do..


We did use the geography section of the program a couple of times but the boys didn't seem to engage with it as well as the other sections of the programs. I'm not sure if it was because they figured it out rather quickly or what but the boys would rather work on the Math or Spelling than the Geography/ State section. As a Mom I did like the various activities within the State Program but decided it wasn't worth the battle to make the boys do it; definitely one of those choose your battle moments.

Cameron and I talked about the program this afternoon as I was getting ready to write this post and I asked him what were some of your favorite parts of the program. He of course talked about the games section. That lead to questions about the various games and he compared the games to the online gaming community he plays on. That to me speaks tons, if an educational site and it's games can compare to a gaming community then it is a hit.

The price is also a concern for me, one of the best parts of BigIQkids is their free version. The free version is comprehensive and includes Spelling and Math program The premium version includes Spelling junior,  the Buddy, and the Geography sections. The cost of the premium versions are set up for individual or classroom settings and range from $7.99 for a month of premium Spelling Junior to $149.99 for a year of classroom interactive Math.  If you would like to see a price chart or a comparison of the basic versus premium there is a page on BigIQkids that details it out.

You can also connect withBigIQkids on twitter.

**We received a subscription to BigIQkids as a member of the Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew in exchange for our review. All opinions are ours and no other monetary compensation was received.***

Homeschool Mega Giveaway: Christian Liberty Press

Christian Liberty Press is a homeschool curricula publisher that offers full curriculum for grades K-12 as well as supplemental materials.

From the website:

Whether you are a new or seasoned educator, or somewhere in between, we can help you sort through the maze of curriculum choices. It is our aim to minister to you in the great task of educating students in the fear and admonition of Christ. Our site not only outlines curriculum for each grade level but also provides a guide to evaluating the various subjects from a biblical worldview. It is our goal to provide you with the highest possible quality of Christ-centered educational materials at an affordable price. Please take time to discover how our resources can help you.


Christian Liberty Press has offered up a complete set of Studying God's Word books A-H to be part of the Mega Homeschool Giveaway. These books will give your child a firm foundation in Biblical knowledge including history and catechism drills. Please take a moment to visit Christian Liberty Press online and then go enter the giveaway for a chance to win this great prize as well as many others!



**Unionvale Homeschool has not used Christian Liberty Press as a whole but we do have several of their books that we have thoroughly enjoyed. ***