Everything You Need to Ace…

Back in August last year, I had the opportunity to review three titles in the series Everything You Need to Ace.   I had received the English Language Arts, the World History and the Science titles.

My husband was so impressed with these books that he asked if there were other titles in the series.  “Yes – Math and American History.” , I answered.  “Try to get them as well.”

It is pretty rare that my husband will take the time to check out some books I receive to review so for him to suggest that I get the other two titles is pretty meaningful.

The BIG FAT NOTEBOOK™ series is built on a simple and irresistible conceit—borrowing the notes from the smartest kid in class.  Inside each of the title you will find every subject’s key concepts summarize in small chunks of information so that you can digest that your own rhythm.   And to make things a bit easier on everyone the critical ideas are highlighted in neon colors, the definitions are explained, doodles illustrates the tricky concepts and mnemonics helps to memorize.  Finally you will also find some quizzes at the end of each chapters to help you cement the information in your brain.

Math

Everything You Need to Ace Math . . . covers everything to get a student over any math hump: fractions, decimals, and how to multiply and divide them; ratios, proportions, and percentages; geometry; statistics and probability; expressions and equations; and the coordinate plane and functions.

The math book has been a great reference for us – especially in the pre-algebra lessons when my son forgets how to do a calculation like the Pythagorean theorem.

American History

Everything You Need to Ace American History . . . covers Native Americans to the war in Iraq. There are units on Colonial America; the Revolutionary War and the founding of a new nation; Jefferson and the expansion west; the Civil War and Reconstruction; and all of the notable events of the 20th century—World Wars, the Depression, the Civil Rights movement, and much more.

I was hesitating about this specific title because we are Canadians.  But come to think of it, this book is a perfect summary to discover what happened during the history of America.   And since they are our closest neighbors why not learn a bit about them.  

My Thoughts

This series of book is amazing.  Each title is a great addition to your personal library whether you homeschool or not.   Right at the tips of your fingers you can get information about English Language Arts, Math, World History, American History, as well as Science.  

I would like to suggest some other titles to Workman for future publications: Geography and Canadian History.   I am sure that these two subjects would be popular as well.

I give my two thumbs-up for the titles in the Everything You Need to Ace series.  They are great resources to have at hand when you desire to verify some concepts, learn new facts or simply read for the fun.

Everything you Need to Ace books are available on amazon.ca and amazon.com.

   
  
  
  
  

 

Disclaimer: Thanks to Thomas Allen for sending me the above mentioned books for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Brain Quest Workbooks

Brain Quest Workbook
From Workman Publisher

I received three of the Brain Quest Workbooks to review on my site.  

About the Grade 3 workbook

Jam-packed with hundreds of curriculum-based activities, exercises and games in every subject,Brain Quest Grade 3 Workbook reinforces what kids are learning in the classroom. The workbook's lively layout and easy-to-follow explanations make learning fun, interactive, and concrete. Plus it's written to help parents follow and explain key concepts. Includes spelling and vocabulary, parts of speech, reading comprehension, odds and evens, magic squares, multiplication tables, Brain Boxes, and much more.   The grade 3 student will be able to revise and grasp more using this workbook as a supplement during the year.

About the Grade 5 workbook

For the first time ever,  5th graders can reinforce what they learn in school with a new workbook from Brain Quest. This workbook boasts 300 pages jam-packed with curriculum-based activities and exercises in every subject, with a focus on math and language arts. It also will grab the attention of the child because of the bright color and fun design in it.  Fifth graders will enhance their skills in reading comprehension, multiplication and division, fractions and decimals, algebraic thinking, and probability and data. The workbook covers spelling and vocabulary, language arts, reading and writing, math skills and word problems, multiplication and division, fractions and decimals, geometry and measurement, data, algebraic thinking, social studies, and science. 

About the Grade 6 workbook

Finally, 6th graders can reinforce what they learn in school with a new workbook from Brain Quest.  This brand new book boasts 300 pages jam-packed with curriculum-based activities and exercises in every subject, with a focus on math and language arts. You will find full-color illustrations throughout the book which gives it a bright, lively style that will appeal to older kids. It is engaging, user-friendly, and written to make schoolwork fun. Sixth graders will also delve into research and analysis, metaphor and meaning, ratios and proportions, expressions and equations, and geometry.  The workbook covers spelling and vocabulary, language arts, reading and writing, math skills and word problems, multiplication and division, ratios and proportions, geometry and measurement, statistics and probability, algebraic thinking, social studies and science.

Are they worth it?

In conclusion, the Brain Quest Workbook are fabulous and can be a great addition to supplement learning or in an homeschool environment.  And to top it off  each workbook comes with a mini-deck with 100 all-new Brain Quest questions and answers.   I would personally like to have a Canadian edition when it comes to money and measurements as well as history but it isn’t always possible for publishers to print various copies on a title.    Consequently, even though there are exercises based on US data and/or history I think these workbooks are worth considering because of the learning that can be done with them.   I personally really like the language arts section with vocabulary, spelling, reading and writing exercises which can help your students to get more practice. These workbooks also go well with the Brain Quest questions for all grades that I have previously reviewed. 

Workman has published various BrainQuest Workbook from Preschool to Grade 6.  They are all available for purchase at your favorite store, even amazon.ca and amazon.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disclaimer: Thanks to Thomas Allen for sending me the above mentioned product for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.