Cave Tools Instant Read Digital Thermometer For Cooking Review & 15% Off Coupon Code

Note:  We have been provided a product in exchange for our review.

Anyone who bakes and cooks understands the importance of a good thermometer. We do a lot of baking in our house to include using the BBQ and the smoker. We have had a couple of different thermometers but decided to give the Cave Tools Instant Read Digital Thermometer a try given how much we've liked the other products we have reviewed from Cave Tools. As always, it didn't let us down and this one has features that none of the other ones we have had such as the ability to read instantly, fits in the pocket with a nice pocket clip on protector case and re-calibrates itself. When the battery wears out, a simple watch battery is all that is needed to replace it. The large digital display was my favorite too as you can see in this picture, it's quite easy to read:

The 100% stainless steel design is shatterproof and waterproof ensuring its durability. My main smoker "worker" is my son-in-law and he was very happy with the thermometer. He was able to smoke two delicious pieces of pork and it was smoked to perfection thanks to the Cave Tools Instant Read Digital Thermometer. It's easy to wash and easy to store.

To purchase, visit either Cave Tools Instant Read Digital Thermometer on Amazon or on the Cave Tools page.

To save 15%, use code LH58KB66

Interested in our other reviews? Just click the link to learn more:

Cave Tools BBQ Grill Light

Cave Tools Smoker Box for BBQ Grill Wood Chips

Cave Tools Meat Claws

Beer Can Chicken Roaster Rack



Summer is finally here and it's a great time to get your grill and smokers fired up!

Hake Publishing Hake/Saxon Grammar and Writing 3 Review

In our latest learning endeavor, we discovered and wanted to introduce you to the homeschool grammar program from Hake/Saxon Grammar and Writing 3, from Hake Publishing. This is a three book program separated by concise lessons introducing children to what I found is the just the right amount of material per lesson. The set includes a consumable textbook for the student, a teacher's guide and a writing workbook. It is a comprehensive English language arts curriculum that emphasizes writing, vocabulary development, spelling and grammar all in one. Instead of separating each one into long boring lessons, it is built into the one program making learning it more fun especially for the student that likes to write like mine do. Within the examples and exercises are what they call Core Knowledge® content from other subject areas so the student is also learning other facts. 

As I learned, some of the grade levels have a special emphasis such as the fourth grade curriculum covers insects and animals while the fifth grade curriculum covers the fifty states which I think is pretty cool!

The helpful optional guidelines in teaching the Hake/Saxon Grammar and Writing 3 include:

• Beginning class:  each class begins with a dictation or a journal entry which the journal entry is my student's favorite. The nice part of this curriculum is the parent/teacher does not have to sit over their student to start each lesson. If you keep a routine, the student will know, based on the optional guideline, every Monday is dictation to prepare for the test on Friday and so forth. 
• The dictation is read the first day of each week noting the grammar and punctuation marks. On Friday, the parent/teacher reads the passage to the student and they write it using the grammar and punctuation they remembered.
• Journal topics only require about five minutes of time which my student liked even though she enjoys writing, she doesn't want to spend a large chunk of her day writing. These are done on days Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
• Grammar lessons should be taught in sequential order as this is how it is presented. The student needs to understand and build on their knowledge for the next lessons. There are some optional "More Practice" sections for some lessons furthering their understanding of the material presented.
• The Grammar tests are given after the completion of every five lessons. They are short and only consist of twenty-five questions so the time is just right. There is a suggested schedule for teaching the lessons in the beginning of the Teacher's Edition.

"I really like this!" <- Those are words any parent/teacher wants to hear!

Every now and again, I will come across a curriculum that my children like and this was a win for her. I am going to purchase another set for my other child given how easy it was to teach my youngest. My middle one watched me teach the younger one and said she would like to try it too. 

The lessons are not long either. They are just enough to reinforce what they learn and to ensure they comprehend and understand. This is a "More Practice" page to give you an idea:

This is one of the test pages:

Overall, it's a very good curriculum in terms of length of each lesson, speed in how fast you want to cover lessons as there are suggestions but ultimately, it's up to the parent/teacher on the timetable for teaching and I really like how each lesson includes vocabulary words, Latin and Greek root words. Another key component that I liked is how it encourages students to write in a concise way and not to use too many words. As a writer, many new writers make the mistake of trying to incorporate words to add to the word count without adding real value to the sentence. This is good to teach at a younger age that in order to get the point through to your reader, it's better to be concise and not too overly wordy. 

Another topic that is covered is types of writing. For example, in Lesson 11, the student learns about Persuasive Writing and after they complete that lesson's assignment, in Lesson 12, they learn to evaluate their persuasive paragraph which is another good habit to get into of proofing a paper before considering it final. 

It really is a comprehensive Grammar and Writing curriculum that I'm glad I had the opportunity to review. It does take a little time to get used to where everything is contained within the three books. I think I would have preferred some tabbed areas to have found everything easier. Again, it's a very minor inconvenience and I will be purchasing copies of the older grades. All the Hake/Saxon Grammar and Writing grades include:

• Grammar and Writing 3
• Grammar and Writing 4
• Grammar and Writing 5
• Grammar and Writing 6
• Grammar and Writing 7
• Grammar and Writing 8

Click below to see what others in the Crew thought about the curriculum: 

Nike Missile Site C47 - Porter County, Indiana & Contaminated Soil

What is technically Hobart, Indiana, yet very close also to Portage, Indiana, is an abandoned Nike Missile Site known as C47. Off a rural road protected by overgrown brush and trees in spring, summer and fall, one can find the remnants of what is left behind. From deteriorated buildings marred with graffiti to the remains of elevator doors and bunkers, it's an interesting site. The Nike defense system erupted in response to the Cold War era across the United States. They were radar guided anti-aircraft missiles aimed at protecting populated cities. The ultimate plan was to curtail any attack from ever occurring. There is one renovated site available for public viewing and it's in California. This helps to explain the system in detail:  https://www.nps.gov/articles/nike-missile-site-c47.htm

This is the map of each building or structure of importance:

These are comparisons of how they were years ago versus now:

Even though the facilities were all closed, the remains still haunt the areas they once were built to safeguard America. The bigger question remains is what was left behind especially in those water filled bunkers like the one on a lowly little country road in Porter County, Indiana? A news story from the Chicago Tribune helped answer some of that in fact, there was chemical contamination on the site that is very slowly moving into the ground water. It is being monitored and it is claimed there is no risk to people as of yet. A remediation plan begins August of 2019 that will include limited excavation to remove some soil and they will mix it with other soil that will have chemical amendments to treat the contamination. This worked in a pilot study so they have hopes it will work for the entire site where contamination occurs.

The article can be found here.

More photos:

Memoria Press Classical Composition I: Fable Set Review

When I think of Classical Christian Education, I think of Memoria Press so I chose the Classical Composition I: Fable Set to review with my daughter. It's important to me that my children have exposure to as much classical education as possible as I believe it's a proven approach to education. How can one go wrong but to be educated similarly as John Milton, William Shakespeare, and Benjamin Franklin all experienced? The Classical Composition I: Fable Set is for grades 4-12 and I've decided I will purchase another set for my other daughter. I encourage all my children to read and write as next to play, there is nothing better to spark the imagination. Knowledge is truly gained by reading and I believe, by writing. 

The set included a Student Book, a Teacher's Guide and Instructional DVDs. If you aren't familiar with Memoria Press, it's been my experience with other items I have reviewed, they include these great instructional DVDs that help to reinforce what is being taught. I love them! The 14 exercises are organized in a simple yet organized way to teach.

Apparently, ancient writers invented a way to teach writing known as progymnasmata. It's not only a disciplined approach to communication but fosters the ability to appeal to their audience's heads and hearts. I found from reading the Memoria Press website, Quintilian and Cicero employed the progymnasmata way to teach their students the art of communication. Mr. Jim Selby, of Whitefield Academy, developed the Classical Composition and the students at Whitefield Academy have a 100% qualification rate on the optional essay portion of the ACT and SAT which to me, speaks volumes to the success of this program.

I have to admit that one does have to take the time to read the Teacher's Guide and perhaps watch the instructional DVDs for each lesson ahead of time to gain a better understanding of how the course is taught and to be able to effectively guide the student at first. The learning curve was short for both myself and my student.

Lesson 11

Each lesson is broken down into a fable with sections used to teach the student to think differently and to write something that is truly engaging. Learning from repeating others is a great way to learn how to write. 

Each lesson has steps for both the teacher and the student that is consistent across every lesson:

• The fable, to include a vocabulary list, provides more student teacher engagement as well as exercises to write synonyms. 
• I have an older student that this would be perfect for as she's very conscious of speaking out loud.
• Three Plot Components which is tricky if this is the first time you have heard of this. This is where the Teacher's Guide and Instructional DVDs come in handy to further your own knowledge and provide the confidence needed in guiding the student through this section.
• Variations Part 1, which is the same as above, required assistance from the Teacher's Guide and Instructional DVDs for me to feel confident in teaching it.
• The Outline is an excellent exercise that will teach the student how to summarize what they read. It provides clarification of the events and the outline provides the student an aid for the Narration exercise.
• The Narration exercise continues to foster creative thought and thinking when they have to narrate the fable in their own words. 
• Paraphrases I and 2 provides the student with an opportunity to use figures of description to rewrite as well as training the student to view a set of ideas from differing perspectives.
• Variations Part 2 is the same as Part 1.
• The Final Draft encourages the student to use their work from Paraphrase 1 or 2 to rewrite their work.

Overall, I enjoyed the Memoria Press Classical Composition I: Fable Set due to the ability to really encourage and foster such a way in writing that it will last a life time. The lessons are not like I've seen in any other curriculums which really allows for immense creativity. The set not only teaches students to write creatively but it also adds vocabulary words and the practice of identifying and finding synonyms which I think is critical in the writing process. My student seemed to be really challenged by each lesson and was inspired to excel as each lesson was completed.

Follow Memoria Press on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Google+ and YouTube. 

Check out what other Crew members thought about Classical Composition I: Fable Set as well as some of the other Memoria Press products:  
New American Cursive
New American Cursive 1 New American Cursive 2 (Scripture) New American Cursive 2 (Famous Americans) New American Cursive 3 (Famous Quotes) 
Traditional Logic: 
Traditional Logic I Complete Set Traditional Logic II Complete Set
Classical Composition: 
Classical Composition I: Fable Set
Classical Composition II: Narrative Set.

The Critical Thinking Co.™ Understanding Pre-Algebra Review

Math has not been my strong suit nor one of my children's. When presented the opportunity to review another product that might help both of us, I was happy to sign up. What I found about The Critical Thinking Co.™ Understanding Pre-Algebra math curriculum is it was easy to follow. It provided both of us an opportunity to learn together. Understanding Pre-Algebra teaches students in understanding the concepts and elements that lead to discovery. It's broken down into 15 chapters with a final exam, a glossary and all the answers making it a year long curriculum. 

What I liked about how the Understanding Pre-Algebra is:

• How the lessons are set up. The student will read a few pages and then practice what they learned. 
• The pages are also broken up with bits of background information as well as little drawings and important boxes containing math rules in different colors thus making the page more pleasant for a student especially if they might feel overwhelmed. 
• The book is large which I feel is better than cramming a lot of information in a smaller book.
• The pages are perforated allowing for the parent/teacher or student to tear out a lesson and complete outside the book which I prefer. 
• You can start wherever you feel the student needs to begin. For example, if the student is already proficient in chapters 1-3, begin at 4 and there will be no disruption to the learning process.
• The Reference Sheet also provides List of Formulas and a Table of Square Roots 1-120 that I laminated allowing her to keep it nearby when needed to complete the practice sections.

As the student progresses through the lessons, the concepts continue adding to their understanding and preparing them for Algebra. I think it's a well thought out curriculum and honestly wished I had this when I was in middle school. It's helped my 11-year-old understand more to where she's not so afraid of Algebra now. I feel the page layouts help to eliminate the intimidation factor and provides just enough instruction to not overwhelm the student thus encouraging them to continue on as they progress with each practice reinforcing that they do truly understand what they are learning.

I would recommend the The Critical Thinking Co.™ Understanding Pre-Algebra math curriculum for grades 6-8 or for anyone needing a refresher or someone who never really understood Algebra from years ago! Although she's still not a fan of math, she at least understood it better.




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Check out what others from the Crew thought about The Critical Thinking Co.™ Understanding Pre-Algebra as well as Critical Thinking Detective Book 1, Something Fishy at Lake Iwannafisha, Critical Thinking Detective: Vocabulary, Dare to Compare Level 1 and Vocabulary Riddles Book 1:

Home School Navigator Reading and Language Arts Curriculum Review

The Home School Navigator Reading and Language Arts Curriculum is a comprehensive language arts curriculum that we are reviewing in this post. There are six different curriculums broken into levels: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Indigo. We started with Indigo and for each month, there are downloads that break down the month into weekly assignments, day by day. This is nice if you are the type of educator that likes to pre-plan and know what you are teaching and/or prepare for the week. The beauty with Home School Navigator is it's flexible. It's a tool to utilize as the parent or educator sees fit with each student. You can print the handouts or use a white board to review the assignments and you complete the activities that you feel are best for your student whether it's all activities or just a few.

The Level Guides at the start of each Level includes:

1. A listing of the entire month's handouts per week.
2. A material list that includes a teacher's guide.
3. Handouts and answer sheets where applicable.
4. Month two begins an activity called "Interactive Notebooks." This activity is a hands on activity allowing the student to use creativity while learning. 
1. Each print out for the Interactive Notebook includes instructions for the student. 
2. The pages are matched to the book that was assigned. For this review, we are focusing on Month Two and the book "Holes" by Louis Sachar.
5. An answer key follows to ensure the student understands the lesson broken down by chapter.
6. Vocabulary quizzes.
7. A final Check-In for the month's portfolio that encourages the student to have goals, to focus on what needs more work, new goals and what they found interesting that they learned for that month.

This is my student working on the  "Holes" Interactive Notebook.

After I prepared for the month's assignments, my student was able to begin work. What I noticed about the design of Home School Navigator is there is a routine to the assignments. So once the student becomes acclimated to how to use it, it will become easier. Mine had to get used to opening links and not closing out the Home School Navigator page where she was working. It usually starts out with an introduction video by a Home School Navigator teacher and then the student proceeds to follow the easy instructions on how to proceed.

I like that Home School Navigator breaks the activities into very practical lessons from following instructions to phonics/word study/vocabulary to computer skills, independent reading and poetry. The root word hand outs are an important part of learning how to spell too. There is also the option to upload and save copies of the work or a check box can be clicked to note that the assignments were completed without uploading. If you upload, at the end of the year, the student can download the portfolio. Overall, I think it's a very comprehensive and inexpensive curriculum for students of various levels. I think for the older students, they will learn how to navigate with the various links and videos to where it won't cause them issues. For younger students, I do believe they will require a little more assistance from a parent but to me, that is not a hindrance as I like to ensure my student is understanding what they are learning.

There are also supplies that can be ordered such as the books that coincide with the Interactive Notebooks.

I would recommend the Home School Navigator Reading and Language Arts Curriculum.

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