A Net in Time

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Reviews

Review: College-Ready Writing Essentials™

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Are you looking for a program to help your students get ready for college level writing? Look no further!  BetterRhetor has come out with a college writing course for your high school students.  Help your students succeed with  College-Ready Writing Essentials™ (CRWE)! 25 lessons to teach your children, your students what is expected of them in a college level assignment.  This review is of the full package of CRWE. 

College ready writing essentials BetterRhetor

What I am Reviewing

BetterRhetor.
College-Ready Writing Essentials™.
William Bryant, PhD.
I reviewed the full package.
Reviewed for: Homeschool Review Crew
Age: highschool (junior/seniors), graduated highschool, early college.

Writing, college, writing essentials, college readiness, student success, academic writing

You can learn more about Mr. Bryant at his website. 

BetterRhetor

The Details of College-Ready Writing Essentials™

25 lessons are presented to the student in this online writing program.  It specifically targets the skill of writing a college level paper.  These 25 lessons are divided into five sections. 

  • Overview (one lesson)
  • Planning (lessons 2-11)
  • Drafting (lessons 12-19)
  • Revising (lessons 20-23)
  • Finalizing (lessons 23-25)

Two additional resources are provided.  A PDF of Key Terms, and bonus guide to the culture of college.  Using the students knowledge, skills, behaviors, and awareness to form a piece of writing to inform and persuade their readers.

Since my lad has a love of writing research papers I thought this course would be a good fit for him advancing into highschool.  He’s just in grade nine so I wasn’t sure if it would be too advanced for him.  He likes it so that’s a good thing eh?  🙂

College ready writing essentials

I love that this online course is so nicely laid out.  The lesson order provided on the left side of the screen, the made text on the right.  Part of me wished there was a video component, but my son wisely pointed out that having it all written down meant he could reread easily instead of having to hunt down the specific portion he didn’t understand. 

When it came to doing the lessons, my ninth-grade son said “It wasn’t hard to read, but it also wasn’t extremely easy.”  He took his time doing the lessons, I expected one lesson completed each week. In three weeks he easily got four lessons done before heading off to camp.  

Easy to read

College ready writing essentials

Sometimes when working on a on-line program it is difficult to maintain your progress.   This academic writing program allows you to save your progress, helping you to easily move forward from lesson to lesson. 

College ready writing essentials

CRWE is meant to be completed over the course of five weeks.  At 25 lessons that would be one lesson daily.  Go at the speed of your student. Some may need longer to complete each lesson.  My son commented “Younger students will want to read the lesson one day, and then do the assignment the next day.  Older students would have no problem doing it all in one day.“

The assignments for each lesson are found at the close of the lesson. These files open as PDF’s that you can either print off or store on your computer. 

College ready writing essentials

PDF’s mean options

The advantage of a PDF file is the option to print or not.  Your student can easily do all their work in a notebook, or you can print off each worksheet for your student to write directly on it.  They are done in black/white making it easy on the printer.  Since it’s a PDF there is no time limit on completing the work other than what you arbitrarily set. 

College ready writing essentials

CRWE is a self-paced course.  It is meant to be done over five weeks but you can easily stretch that out as needed. It is an online program and you are granted life-time access so you can use it with all family members.  Their goal is to help your students be better prepared for college level writing, utilizing all their skills in persuasion and information gathering. 

Don’t let your students be part of the 75% of young people not prepared for college. Learn more about this gap and how to address it at The Writing Gap.  Help them learn the skills necessary to succeed pursuing their dreams.  Let them write, and write well in the subjects of their choosing. 

College ready writing essentials
Sample worksheet

Thoughts/Recommendations

I asked my son what he thought of College-Ready Writing Essentials™.  “It has a lot of reading and I couldn’t do it as fast as I wanted to.  I liked it though and want to finish doing it“. 

I loved the responsiveness of customer service.  My son does his work on his own laptop and for whatever reason I couldn’t transfer over to him.  I wrote and asked customer service what to do and they happily set my son up with his own account.  My lad loved this!  His own account, mom can’t mess things up by checking future lessons and messing up bookmarks or whatever.  It was excellent in his mind, and for me as a parent, it was just the answer I needed. 

One of the benefits of the BetterRhetor program is they offer two levels, the full and the premium.  I can totally see the advantage of doing this program twice.  Once in grades 9/10 doing the full program then doing the premium package in grade 12.   Read the reviews, come to your own conclusions. 🙂

College ready writing essentials

Read Other Reviews

Did you know that 31 other members of the crew reviewed BetterRhetor?  Some of us reviewed the full package, others the premium. I know you don’t want to miss reading those reviews.  You can check them out over at the Homeschool Review Crew Blog. 

BetterRhetor

You can find BetterRhetor on the following social media accounts. 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/collegereadywriting
Twitter: https://twitter.com/collreadywrite
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/collegereadywriting
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/collegereadywriting

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9/11 Courage and Tributes

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9/11 is an event that the world will long remember. Horrific violence against people just living out their lives.  How do we help our children remember the terror, and the hope of this event?

9/11 Courage and Tributes is a short picture book aimed at upper elementary children.  It introduces these children to the memorials that help us remember the tragedy of 9/11. Pictures and easy to read text make this a winner of a history book. 

9/11 courage and tribute

What I am Reviewing

9/11 Courage and Tribute.
Kristie Kiernan Bouryal
Gabe and Haruka Ostley (illustrators)
Context Productions.
Series: Discovering Heroes.
Reviewed for Ascot Media.
7-11 years, Trade paperback, 58 pages,
History, 9/11, American history, Children’s history,

In this story, based on true events, Tyler, Olivia and Sophia spend the weekend with their grandparents to learn more about September 11, 2001. The family visits very special tributes created to honor and remember people who lost their lives that day. By asking questions and actively listening, the kids learn about 9/11’s lasting impact and the courage of everyday heroes, including their role in our nation’s largest water evacuation. Join in their discoveries. Help the kids of today and tomorrow to never forget.

9/11 courage and tribute

The Details of 9/11 Courage and Tribute

Three excited children are ready to travel around the USA in order to see the tributes to the 9/11 tragedy,  They visited Angel’s Circle, talked with Marine Firefighters, and saw the FDNY Memorial Wall. The 9/11 Tribute Museum was next on the tour.   Seeing the reflecting pools where the Twin Towers once stood amazed the children. We learned about other memorial scattered around the country.  The children last visited the Staten Island memorial.    

9/11 courage and tribute

As the children visit each of these places wonderful, full colour pictures were included.  Five pictures included by the talented Gabe and Haruka Ostley.  They did an excellent job of showcasing Ms. Bouryal’s writing.  

I was introduced to heroes I hadn’t known of before, like all the boaters who rescued people from the shores, getting them all to safety. 

9/11 courage and tribute

One of the things I really enjoyed in this informative book is the inclusion of real photos of the places the children visited.  Along with the photos was additional information about them. 

9/11 courage and tribute

Thoughts/Recommendations

9/11 Courage and Tributes is an excellent introduction for children on the various tributes set up around the country to honour those who were part of the 9/11.  These tributes remember those who were part of it, whether the individual was injured, died or helped.  They will be remembered. 

The pictures, combined with easy to read text, with likeable characters all combines to make a book young history buffs would enjoy.  Therefore, go out and get it eh?  🙂

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Into the Blizzard

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Wow!   I read this book yesterday afternoon, and wow.   I’m still trying to imagine a storm as fierce as this storm of 1978.  Into the Blizzard drove me to youtube to learn more. 

Can you imagine snow deep enough to cover houses?  Waves high enough to wash houses away?   This was just a MASSIVE storm.  Into the Blizzard is the storm of men who aimed to help, heroes doing what they do, at threat to their own lives.  This is indeed their story. 

Into the Blizzard

What I am Reviewing

Into the Blizzard.
Michael J. Tougias.
Adaptation of “Ten Hours Until Dawn: the true story of Heroism and Tragedy about the Can Do.
Christy Ottaviano Books
True Rescue Series
9-14 years, trade paperback, 288 pages
Reviewed for Raincoast Books.

Heroism, Tragedy, Hurricane, Storm, Natural Disaster, True, Rescue, Ocean, USA history,

In the midst of the Blizzard of 1978, the tanker Global Hope floundered on the shoals in Salem Sound off the Massachusetts coast. When the Coast Guard heard the Mayday calls, they immediately dispatched a patrol rescue boat. But within an hour, the Coast Guard rescue boat was in as much trouble as the tanker – both paralyzed in unrelenting seas. Enter Captain Frank Quirk who was compelled to act. Gathering his crew of four, Quirk plunged his forty-nine-foot steel boat, the Can Do, into the blizzard.
Perfect for fans of the I Survived series ready for a longer form account, this middle-grade adaptation of an adult nonfiction book chronicles the harrowing journey between Captain Quirk and the Coast Guard as they struggled in the holds of a radical storm. It’s an epic tale of heroism and bravery at sea.

table of contents

The Details of Into the Blizzard

Three parts, 24 pages, 288 pages.  16 pages in the middle of the book with historical photos.   I received an advanced reader copy so I don’t know if these pictures will be in colour or in the black/white that I received. 

Into the Blizzard

Each part was highlighted with a photo of waves.  Either a one or two page photo spread.   I would be hopeful these would be in full colour as they are marvellous pictures don’t you think?  To me they show the beauty and dangers that a high sea would possess. 

Into the Blizzard cover

I found the text very easy to read, with enough technical information to teach me something, and yet simple enough to follow along well.  The men, the heroes of the story were well-defined, interesting men.   We were brought into the mind-set of just who these men were. Who they were, was an inspiration.  Men determined to do what needed to be done. 

At the beginning of the book we are shown the vessels involved in this event. 

into the blizzard

Thoughts/Recommendations

You know that Natural Disasters unit I reviewed a bit back?  This book would be a perfect complement to unit study.  It would also be a great addition to a study on oceans, heroes, or hurricanes.   It’s also a great stand-alone book, but for those looking for a living book to bring the heroes and harshness of life into reality…this book will do that job well.   I found it a good solid read.  The end result for some of the men wasn’t good, but understanding the harshness of the oceans and weather, and still they went out.   That mind-set is worth exploring and trying to understand. 

This book reminded me of just how small we are compared to the forces of the earth, and how brave people stand up regardless. 

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Super Mazes in Space

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Who does love the fun of a good maze.  Super Mazes in Space has us trying to catch Reducto before he gets away with the Galaxy Vacuum.  Can you catch him?   Follow his path through 10 mazes in space. 

Super Mazes in Space

What I am Reviewing

Super Mazes in Space.
Loic Mehee (artist).
Twirl.
26 pages, Hardcover
1-4th grade, ages 6-9.
Reviewed for Raincoast Books.

Mazes, Space, Activity Book, Adventure, Elementary

Ten incredible mazes combine with a space adventure to provide a stellar game book for every puzzle-solving kid! Comics artist Loic Mehee, who created the fantastic pop-up seek-and-find book The Great Escape, has come up with yet another impressive display of well-constructed, intricate mazes, and a thrilling space story involving Reducto, a supervillain who snacks on planets! It’s up to the reader to help intergalactic detectives Celeste and Neutrino stop him . . . before it’s too late! The mazes will entertain and challenge kids’ brains while improving their problem-solving and visual-perception skills. It’s a mind-bending must-have for hours of engaging play!

Super Mazes in Space

Details on Super Mazes in Space

This has got to be the most hands-on maze book I have ever seen.  Flaps to lift. 

Super Mazes in Space

Pages to fold out. 

Super Mazes in Space

Page elements to lift, look through, and work through. 

Super Mazes in Space

So many adventures are packed into this 26 page book.  Lots of great colour and interesting mazes to do. 

Thoughts/Recommendations

Maybe I am slow at mazes, but I found these mazes a challenge to do. I can’t see a 6 year old doing them, but a 8 or 9 year old… for sure!  Do not limit yourself to the youngsters though, I can easily see upper elementary youth thoroughly enjoying this hardcover book. 

Super Mazes in Space would be a fun addition to any space, apollo 11, or moonlanding study.   You may find these books helpful

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Dark Skies

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Dark Skies is a fascinating book.  Like really.  Eve though I received an ARC copy so all the pictures are in black and not colour, I felt so inspired.  I want to go visit some of these places and see the skies they portray.  Valerie Stimac has put together a wonderful guide to AstroTourism. 

Dark Skies

What I am Reviewing

Dark Skies: A Practical Guide to AstroTourism.
Valerie Stimac.
Lonely Planet.
288 pages, trade paperback
Reviewed for Raincoast books. 

Space, AstroTourism, travel guide, exploration,

Witnessing the sweep of the Milky Way, the remains of comets burning up in our atmosphere, or the shimmering aurora, we better understand the universe and our place in it. Lonely Planet’s Dark Skies, the first world’s guide to astrotourism, can help you experience all of this and more first-hand.

Meticulously researched by dark sky expert Valerie Stimac, this comprehensive companion includes guides to 35 dark-sky sites and national parks, whereto see the aurora, the next decade of total solar eclipses and how to view rocket launches, plus the lowdown on commercial space flight, observatories and meteor showers.

Dark Skies contents

The Details of Dark Skies

Dark Skies is divided into sections to help you plan your dark sky tour:

  1. Stargazing focuses on the basics of appreciating the dark sky, with an overview on how to stargaze and what types of objects to look for, as well as tips for the urban stargazer.

  2. Dark Places is devoted to 35 of the best places around the globe for stargazing and experiencing the night sky, including sites designated by the Dark Sky Association.

  3. Astronomy in Action features some of the world’s top research facilities and observatories,where you can get a closer look at space science.

  4. Meteor Showers has everything you need to know aboutthe most consistent and impressive meteor showers that happen annually.

  5. Aurora is divided into two parts, one focusing on the aurora borealis in the northern hemisphere and the other on the aurora australis in the southern hemisphere.

  6. Eclipses follows the schedule of total solar eclipses over the next decade. If you’ve never experienced totality, here is your definitive guide to planning your trip.

  7. Launches helps you experience a different side of astrotourism: rocket launches and the countries that allow you to travel to see them.

  8. Space Tourism discusses the future of humans in space – including you! The major players in the evolving space tourism market are detailed, plus the world’s most common destinations and experiences.
Dark Skies

What else?

Not only are we invited into several different aspects of astrotourism, but we an education is received into all things astrotouristy.  🙂 I know, it’s not a word, but seriously this is a tantalizing book.  Don’t you think it would be cool to see a meteor shower?  How about visiting the McDonald Observatory? Or what about going out to the Chilean Desert? 

Parks from all around the world where sky phenomena can be observed.  Parks like Mt Bromo in Indonesia where an active volcano creates spectacular sky displays, whose mountain top provides opportunity to see The Milky Way, Andromeda Galaxy and more. 

Dark Skies

Learn all the great countries to visit like Sweden, Russia, Norway and more. What time of the year is best for viewing the night skies.   Just a well-rounded, highly informative book that has turned my attention to the night skies.  Now…. give me a quiet night with no clouds and let me gaze above.

My Thoughts/Recommendations

I imagine the the final copy will be filled with colour, and if so, that you will be all the more inspired to gaze up into a clear night sky.  Once you have your fill of where you are, that you will then want to travel and see even more wondrous sites. Wouldn’t it be neat to see The Milky Way in person?  Can you imagine seeing the Auroras?  The whole world is waiting for you.  

This book would be an excellent addition to any study of the stars, or as part of an astronomy unit.  It could be used to plot out a trip around the world as an astrotourist, or give some grounding into the observatories from around the world. Therefore my conclusion that Dark Skies is a great book.  Go out and borrow a copy, or buy your own. You won’t regret it. 

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Space On Earth

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Did you know that space technologies don’t cost as much money as you might think? And they create lots of spill off jobs?  I know… that last was a shocker to me. How would space tech affect earth?  That’s the question that Space on Earth answers.

Space on Earth review

What I am Reviewing

Space on Earth: intergalactic facts about the world around you!
Dr. Sheila Kanani
Del Thorpe (illustrator)
Alma Junior
128 pages, trade paperback,
Grades 3-4
Reviewed for Raincoast books.

Have you ever looked up into the sky and wondered about space, astronomy and the universe? Perhaps you have. But you’ve probably never looked around you – at the sunglasses you wear or the selfies people take – and thought about space. The truth is, there is more of space on earth than you realize. . . 
Full of amazing facts about everyday innovations inspired by space travel and sections on the people who brought them to us, Space on Earth is an entertaining and fascinating look at space and the untold relationship with the planet we live on, helping children not only to feel the awe and wonder of the universe, but also to understand the reasons why space is relevant to us here on Earth.

table of contents

Details on Space on Earth

Three categories are discussed on how space tech interacts with the world at large.   Technology, health and fashion. 

One example of technology is solar power.  This was used for space travel.  Fuel weighs a lot so if they had to haul batteries up to space as well… the load would be too heavy.  Solar panels are a lot lighter and let the space craft create electricity.   Over many years the technology was adapted for use by anyone. 

Space on Earth

As you learn about the different technologies such as cochlear implants you also get to meet scientists and learn amazing facts.  Each example comes with a short biography on the scientist involved. Since there are all these details, I find this a great book. 

You’ll find simple black and white illustrations throughout.  You will find these illustrations work well with the text.

Space on Earth

Thoughts/Recommendations

I’m told that Space to Earth is for children 8 and up.  I think it would be great for students from grade 3-6.   To discover the wonderful things that space exploration has given us.  Who would have thought baby blankets for premmies would be developed, or that patients with dementia be helped, or our sound systems be improved.   Space tech making our lives better, creating jobs for people that wouldn’t have existed otherwise. 

I love that we told about the scientists and doctors who helped develop the technology. It’s a great way to expand the learning you know?  Learn about the tech, research the developer. 

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50 Things to See in the Sky

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What with all the information floating about because the 50th anniversary of the moonlanding, people are interested in sky above us.  There are so many interesting phenomena to observe.  Today I have book for you called 50 Things to see in the Sky. 

50 Things to see in the Sky

What I am Reviewing

50 Things to See in the Sky: (illustrated beginner’s guide to stargazing with step by step instructions and diagrams, glow in the dark cover)
Sarah Baker.
Maria Nilsson, illustrator
Princeton Architectural Press
Hardcover, glow in the dark cover, non-fiction
144 pages, all ages
Astronomy, Star-gazing, astrophysics, space science, science, Space, Sky, constellations,

Reviewed for Raincoast Books. 

This hip and handy guide helps you learn the science behind blue skies, sun dogs, and the solar eclipse, and shows you how to observe nocturnal wonders such as lunar halos, Martian ice caps, and far-off galaxies. Fifty celestial phenomena come to life with expert tips from astrophysicist Sarah Barker and stylish illustrations by Maria Nilsson. Any explorer can become an adept observer with their guidance, and more ambitious stargazers will be able to discover more distant sights with the help of binoculars, a telescope, or a local astronomy group. 

50 Things to see in the Sky

Details on 50 Things to See in the Sky

Do you want to learn about constellations and other unique space phenomena?   50 Things to see the sky is just the book for you.

With simply drawing and concise text you can discover fascinating things about the sky above us. 

50 Things to see in the Sky

This non-fiction read first explains some basics about astronomy.  We learn about the equipment needed, the best time to observe and how to navigate the skies. 

From there we move on to space things we can see with the naked eye.  These include items such as the milk way, various constellations, shooting stars, coments, sun dogs, dog star and supermoons.   24 in all. 

50 Things to see in the Sky

Moving a bit further afield we will discover the andromeda galaxy, Saturn’s ears, the Swan nebula and pulsars.   There are 14 phenomena in this section.  You’ll need a telescope to see most of these. 

50 Things to see in the Sky

The sky isn’t limited to just the near and a bit further, you can also, with the right equipment see far, far away.  Objects such as a white flag, quasars, an ice volcano, and a baby solar system.  12 destinations to explore. 

Warnings are given … such as not to look directly at the sun, it’s rather dangerous to your retinas. Directions are provided to help locate relatively static destinations like constellations.  Advice is given such as looking for places on the moon when it is not full.. A dimmer moon affords a better chance to see what you are looking for. 

Thoughts/Recommendations

50 Things to see in the sky is a helpful little book to have around if you want to do some sky-gazing.  Bring it along on the next clear night and look at the world above us.  Spot those constellations, be amazed at the milky way, marvel at the auroras, and realize the world is so much bigger than we tend to think on. 

I loved the tidbits of information thrown out… like Mars is covered in dry ice (a new factoid for me).  Or that space phenomena have often been mislabeled until they are seen by a more powerful telescope, This shows better definition enabling them to be to better classified. 

It does talk about the earth being really old, and other non-creationist ideas, just so you are aware.   It’s a fascinating book and makes me wish I had a really powerful telescope so I could see some of what’s up there better.  🙂

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