Reviewed by Janice Campbell

I love the study of words. Words are the building blocks of communication, and the more of them you know, the more likely it is that you will be a good writer and speaker. In addition, words are just plain fascinating!

For many years, I used and recommended vocabulary programs based in Latin and Greek roots, and I still like those programs. I realize that roots-based programs seem inaccessible to some people, so I’ve found an alternate program that’s amazingly user-friendly, highly effective, and fun. It’s WordBuild: A Better Way to Teach Vocabulary, and the entire program is contained in two comprehensive levels. WordBuild is “based on morphology, the study of the units of meaning in words. Just as phonology is the study of the sounds that make up words, morphology is the study of the meaningful pieces of words. A mastery of phonics helps students “sound out” unfamiliar words; a mastery of morphics helps students “mean out” unfamiliar words.”

The first series, Foundations, contains two levels and is designed to be used anytime after phonics have been taught. This level focuses on building words by adding prefixes and suffixes to words the student already knows. The second series, Elements, contains three levels and moves into the teaching and manipulation of Greek and Latin root words. After five years of study, the student should have not only a vast vocabulary, but also the tools to decipher virtually any word they encounter in the future.

Each week the learner is presented with a morpheme (word piece) such as “mob,” which means “to move.” There is a page of Word Fun Facts and a 15-minute activity for each day of the week to help the student learn and retain all the variations of the word. The very helpful teacher’s guide provides objectives and examples, as well as talking points, suggested dialog, and extended learning activities.

On Day 1, the student is presented with a Root Square, which provides more morphemes and challenges the student to combine two or more word parts to make as many words as possible. In the “mob” square, choices include four other forms of the root, plus “ive,” “auto,” “ize,” “com,” “im,” “ion,” “re,” and “ile.” If you play with those for a few minutes, you’ll get an idea of how many possibilities there are.

On Day 2, the student breaks apart words and matches them with their definitions, placing the number of the answer in the corresponding square of the Magic Box. When the box is correctly filled, the sum of the numbers is the same both across and down.

On Day 3, the student will use another visual aid, the Stair Steps to fill in words they discover from provided definitions.

On Day 4, the focus is on using newly acquired vocabulary in context. Students use an optional Comprehension Booster worksheet to choose the correct word to fill the blank in a sentence.

On Day 5, there is a 10-question multiple-choice assessment. I’m not usually a fan of multiple choice, as it’s just too easy, but when all the possible answers are based on the same morpheme, it boosts the challenge level. For example, one question asks the student to choose “Which word means to cause to be able to move?” The answer choices include “mobilize, mobile, or motile.” It’s clear that the student will need to have a good understanding of the morphemes in order to satisfactorily complete the questions.

The Foundations level would work very well in the elementary years, while Elements (from which the “mob” example was excerpted) would work well for middle and/or high school students. Students who complete the five years of WordBuild study early may wish to move into a root-based program for further study, or simply take Latin or another foreign language along with a solid literature program such as Excellence in Literature to build vocabulary naturally.

Each level of WordBuild comes with

• Individual softbound Student Activity Books covering a full year’s curriculum
• Complete Teacher’s Manual with Answer Keys (written so that it can be used in classroom, co-op, or homeschool)
• Customizable software to quickly create additional exercises
• Access to online printable exercises

In addition, the Elements levels come with a free CD of WordBuild The Game®. This CD-based game installed easily on my computer and was an entertaining way to practice word building. There are several choices of accompanying music, from Vivaldi to techno, or the music can be turned off entirely while playing. The CD is compatible with both Mac and Windows.

Overall, this is a sound, comprehensive program that will provide a good vocabulary foundation. The Teacher’s Manual is an integral part of the program and makes teaching the units absolutely simple. The short daily lessons are compatible with Charlotte Mason’s belief that short lessons result in better retention of knowledge. WordBuild is well-done and visually appealing, and is a great option for vocabulary study.

Visit DynamicHomeschool.com for more information.

The public schools that most kids attend have several disadvantages compared to homeschools. The main idea of one curriculum for all the students and one teacher for an entire class brings the possibility of individual attention to each student to near zero. Some children who require special attention in these classes may end up failing due to the ‘one size fits all’ education system. Here are some of the main disadvantages of this schooling system.

Bigger class sizes: Most public school systems have large class sizes. In these classes many students do not receive the attention they need. Most studies show that homeschooled children often outscore public school students. Another study shows that classes with less students score better than classes with more students. This clearly shows that more personalized attention leads to better results, and homeschooling provides students with much more one-on-one attention than is possible in public schools.

State determined rules: In public school systems, the state usually determines the rules for the school. This does not consider the fact that some children are different from others. Some children suffer in this system causing them to perform more poorly than they are capable.

Same curriculum for all: Public schools have the same curriculum for all the students. Usually some students are stronger in math while others are good at literature. The same curriculum sometimes causes problems to a student whose only choice is to go into a field of literature while he has to take up math which he finds useless for his cause.

Common grading system: The public schools grading system is very much separated from the students. Each student should be scored individually, keeping in mind their abilities and weaknesses. Some grading systems can be very tough on the morale of some students.

Common pace of teaching: In a class of 30 students, all are taught the same thing at the same time and are given the same time to assimilate and understand the new concept. Each student has a unique curve of learning which takes different lengths of time to capture a new concept. If the required amount of time is not given to a student, then he or she will not be able to learn the subject well.

Common method of teaching: Among all the students, some learn better from books, some learn better by listening to lectures while others learn better by doing activities on the subject. When a teacher teaches at the same pace, some students may find it hard to learn as the teacher’s method of teaching varies from the students way of learning.

Competition towards success: Public school systems, with their common curriculums and grading system, usually end up creating a sense of competition among students. Though this may sometimes be good, this is generally detrimental to the students. When the competition gets tough, some students resort to malpractices during tests. Excess competition among students can not only occur in studies but also in sports, events and other interpersonal arenas.

Homeschoolers are uniquely poised to raise their children to be stewards of the Earth.  We can expose our children to experiences designed to stimulate that deep affection for our home-planet. Our children will  want to do what's ecologically best for the planet if we raise them with an earth-friendly or green-lifestyle, so that recycling, composting, and eating less processed foods or mass-farmed meats comes naturally to them.  We can give our children an education that teaches them how this world works the way it does, so that they will better understand why it's so important to live sustainably.

Even if you don't believe in global warming, it's hard to deny all the benefits of living an earth-friendly lifestyle.  Putting less chemicals into your body ensures good health and long life.  Organic garden practices ensure healthier plants and backyard ecosystems.  Eating local meats and produces supports your home-town community, as well as giving you peace of mind in knowing that what you're eating hasn't been raised in an inhumane factory-farm.

I'm sure by now we can all think of a number of ways we can promote sustainable practices in our homes (ie-recycling, composting, using energy-efficient light bulbs, etc.), but recently it was brought to my attention something that I think many of us may have over-looked.

The power of the Earth's image as a teaching tool.

The Earth's image from space, or "The Astronaut's View", evokes a deep emotional response from each of us that educators can utilize to encourage Earth-awareness and sustainable-living practices.  Mark Joyous and the people at the Earth Seeds Network (http://www.earthseeds.org/home) have realized this connection, and have developed a line of educational materials to inspire that feeling.  One of the organization's five key initiatives: "The Earth in Every Classroom" aims to put an image of the Earth into as many public locations as possible (classrooms, churches, local meeting halls, libraries, etc.) in the hopes of providing a reminder to the public that we are all one family, living on the same small planet.

Some of the resources offered by the Earthseeds Network are:

• Earthseeds Curriculum Kit: National standards-based, interdisciplinary curriculum materials, which portray how we are all connected and teach global responsibility from an environmental and sociological standpoint.  Lessons are  for Pre/K--6th Grades and submitted by such renown organizations as the Ocean Futures Society, Solar Energy International, GeoEducation.org, Earth Child Institute, and Kids for Saving Earth.

• Ambassador's Kit: Provides a wealth of authentic Earth images for use in classrooms, camps, houses of worship, public places, and homeschools! The kit comes with their  Award-winning Astronaut's Globe (a 16" beach-ball made with 2000 NASA images of the Earth from outer-space), a 16"x23" full-color Earth poster, and a 30-pack of Earth postcards.

• 40" Astronaut's Globe: Winner of a Parent's Choice Award in 2004, and made from 2000 Nasa photos, this is an inflatable globe and it comes with a 20-page full-color "A Crewmember's Guide" filled with fun facts, activities, and resources.

These are just a select few of the resources that the folks at Earthseeds offer, and only one of their programs designed to reach the public and promote sustainable lifestyles.  You can, of coarse, go to their website and have a look at the Earthseeds Network, their initiatives, and a full listing of the supplies they offer.

Teaching our children to live a sustainable lifestyle should be as important to parents as teaching them to be moral, hard-working citizens.  Homeschoolers can give special attention to Earth education, teaching those hows and whys, and instilling an appreciation for the Earth that might otherwise be glossed-over or even over-looked altogether in a more traditional educational setting.  We can raise our children to be stewards of the Earth, to appreciate all life as part of the whole system; that there is a delicate balance to the Earth's ecosystems, and that we must live within our means if life on Earth is to continue as we know it.  The Astronaut's View is a provocative teaching tool to be used wherever people congregate; and I would recommend including such resources in any homeschool where sustainable practices are observed and wherever Earth education is taught.