Homeschool Book Reviews by Cindy Downes

	*Homeschool Book Reviews*

There are so many homeschool books and products out there that it is impossible for me to evaluate them all. Therefore, I only review relatively new and/or unique products that work well with The Checklist and multi-level teaching. Occasionally, I have other experienced, currently-homeschooling moms who help me with book reviews. I hope these reviews will help you choose homeschool books and learning products that will meet your family's needs. NOTE: I do not put bad reviews on my website. If it's not here, it's either because I don't like it or I haven't seen it yet.

Note to Publishers: I do not accept advertisements. However, if you would like your product to be considered for this Web site, please email me at: cindy@oklahomahomeschool.com. Cindy Downes

Listed in Alphabetically by title:

All American History, Uniting America's Story, Piece by Piece by Celeste W. Rakes.

When I first received Volume 1 of this curriculum, I thought it was going to be just another history textbook. However, I was pleasantly surprised! This one is unique and worth considering for your children.

The reader is excellent and the information is well presented. I think students will enjoy the text. Each unit includes easy-to-read text, illustrations of famous people and events, maps, and a section on the impact of the unit's events on our nation. The illustrations, however, are black and white which makes it somewhat less interesting than a similar book in color. Maybe a future edition will add color illustrations

What I like the most is the activity book! Each unit includes activity worksheets to accompany the text. The fun part is that Celeste has included small images of famous people and flags to cut out and paste on the worksheets. Visual learners and your younger children will like this part and it will help them to remember what they learned. The worksheets also include a fill in the blank and multiple choice quiz to check older student's memory, as well as map work and additional ideas and resources for further study.

This curriculum comes in three parts: The Student Reader, a Student Activity Book, and the Teacher Guide with Answer Key. Normally, I don't like having to purchase a separate teacher book, but in this case, it's not that expensive ($16.95) and it is well worth purchasing. It includes a lot of background information as well as additional activities that will make multi-level teaching a lot easier. For instance, in the lesson on the Revolutionary War, students will make invisible ink secret messages, create a newspaper, make candles, go on a nature hike to identify trees and animals, learn how to fly and store a flag, and much more.

I particularly recommend this to parents who have visual learners and who have to teach multiple grade levels at one time. The author recommends it to be used for grades 5-8, but I would not be afraid to use parts of it with younger children.

American History Teacher's Book of Lists by Fay R. Hansen:

This 500+ page book is a must for anyone teaching American history. You'll find copies of many primary sources such as the Mayflower Compact, Bill of Rights, and Articles of Confederation; profiles of major people in history and government; timelines of events; and facts related to economics, politics, health, crime, and public education. Also included are listings of American authors, musicians, historians, craftspeople, and much, much more.

Keep it on your desk and you'll have a handy reference guide that can be used for lesson planning or to make quizzes, handouts, unit studies, and vocabulary lists. For example, if you are doing a study on World War II, there is a list of major battles, major weapons used, military casualties, military leaders, which countries participated in the war, major events, and America's relative economic position. There is also a copy of the Atlantic Charter of 1941, FDR's Address to the Nation, and a chronology of the development of the atomic bomb. More than enough to help you teach this topic and provide handouts to your students.
Ancient China, To the Great Wall and Beyond by Judy Wilcox.

I am extremely impressed with Ancient China, To the Great Wall and Beyond by Judy Wilcox. Judy has created a resource that is fun, easy-to-use, and chock full of information about China (from ancient time to modern day). It was written to be used with K-6 grade, but I believe it would make a terrific supplement for 7-12 also. There is enough "meat" in this unit that your teens will learn as much or more about China from this than from most junior or senior level textbooks. The best part is that they will have fun doing it!

The unit is scheduled for a twelve week period and is divided into daily lesson plans. Each lesson includes a reading in the book and timeline information. Projects are included with each lesson that involve research, reading, composition, map work, art, music, science, hands-on activities (crafts, models, recipes, etc), and field trip ideas.

The lessons begin with the geography of China, then progress through history by dynasty, and conclude with information about modern China. At the end of the book, there is a test for the unit as well as a glossary, a list of books for further study, timeline figures, and maps.

From the moment I picked up this book, I was "hooked." I read the book cover to cover, wishing the whole time that I was still homeschooling or that I had had a chance to be exposed to this kind of learning when I was a young student. The information is presented logically and simple enough that anyone can understand it. I particularly liked how Judy integrates Christianity into the curriculum and includes projects that has students compare the religions of China to that of Christianity.

I can't recommend this unit enough. Ancient China has a fascinating history and plays an important role in our world today. You will be doing your children an injustice not to expose them to the history of China. Now, there is a resource that will help you do just that! And when you are done, you can check this off your copy of The Checklist.

PS: I have added an update to The Checklist to incorporate this unit. Those of you who already own The Checklist can add it to your notebook. Those of you who don't can view a sample here: Ancient China (updated September 2007): http://oklahomahomeschool.com/Cklist_Rev.html

Ancient History Portfolio & Timeline by Barbara Shukin, Review.

During the years I ran a support group, we would have portfolio night, where everyone brought their portfolio to show off. Of course, the winners were always the ones who were scrapbookers! Their portfolios were beautiful, colorful, and exciting while ours were dull, practical, and boring. Oh, if I had only know about Barbara's book, I could have given them a run for the money! It may not be scrapbooking, but when finished, it IS a work of art!

Barbara has put together a mini portfolio for history. She has designed each page so it's neat and orderly and then gives you all the ideas you need to complete the boxes. The assignments include reports, narration, vocabulary, copy work, and timelines. You can look at her website for color pictures of sample portfolios (http://www.homeschooljourney.com/index.html).

Barbara created these resources to be used "by an individual, child or adult, and will become a unique record of the student's "journey through history", a beautiful history book of the student's own making, something to refer to later as the student's interests grow and expand, and above all, something to treasure."

I recommend this resource for those of you who have children who are Read/Write and Visual Learner (especially if they love to make booklets) and for moms who would like help in creating a portfolio of your child's history work.

Anthony and the Magic Picture Frame by Michael S. Class.

This is an innovative book that will stimulate your child's interest in history. Although written for ages 12 and up, this can easily be used as a family read-aloud for younger children. Your child will be transported back to the time of important historicbal events using real photographs of "Anthony" superimposed on historical photos of the people he visits including Charles Lindbergh, Lou Gehrig, Thomas Edison, and Dr. Jonas Salk. While on these "visits," Anthony learns about the Apollo Moon Mission, The Great Depression, Immigration, Polio Vaccine, WWII, the Holocaust, and more. Real quotes from real people make the story come so alive that you almost believe Anthony is there!

Included in the book is a list of books, movies, museums, and music related to each topic as well as footnotes that are lessons in themselves. I also like that the author chose to include references to God and Bible scripture rather than make this "politically" correct.

The author, Michael Class, wrote the book to encourage "young people to become productive, honest, thoughtful, moral citizens—and to contribute in a positive way to American society and the world." He has done an excellent job of fulfilling this mission. I highly recommend this book for everyone, even adults.

Balancing the Sword.

I made a great discovery at the OCHEC Homeschool Convention - a Bible study resource called Balancing the Sword. So many times, parents ask me what they should use for Bible study and I usually tell them - the Bible! I know that seems obvious but parents are so used to doing curriculum for everything that they think they need a curriculum for studying the Bible. Unfortunately, Bible curriculums are usually structured around someone else's theology or philosophy so it's hard to hear what God is saying to you personally.

Balancing the Sword is different. You simply read a chapter in the Bible and then refer to Balancing the Sword for questions about that chapter. You must also read the cross references listed to find all the answers. The cross references follow the theme of one verse throughout the Bible. By time you get done reading everything, you've learn so much more about the topic and all through reading the Word, not someone's commentary. it's amazing what you learn!

For instance, in the first chapter of Genesis, I learned:

1. God created light here on earth. There is no sun in heaven - He is the light.
2. Night time is the beginning of the Jewish day. We once walked in darkness but now we are in the Light.
3. God gave stars as signs for seasons, days, and years. These will remain as long as the earth remains, but will disappear at the Day of the Lord. A star was used to show the location of Jesus at His birth. Man uses stars to interpret the weather, but most are unable to interpret the signs of the times.
4. God wants us to be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it using its vast resources in the service of God and man. God gives dominion to whom He chooses for His purposes.

There are two volumes. Each of the two volumes cover all 66 books of the Bible but with different questions so you can go through the Bible two times using the two books. You can do it from Genesis to Revelation or start anywhere in the Bible that you want to. Although it is based on the KJV, it does not seem to require that you use that version. I use the Amplified and The Message and had no problem.

You are given permission to make copies of the questions for your own family so you can give each child a blank sheet of questions to answer. (I would probably do this orally as a family - maybe once in a while writing the answers to keep in my portfolio as records.)

Check it out. This might be just what you are looking for! See some sample pages here: http://www.balancingthesword.com/PDF_Files/Samples_of_Both_Volumes.pdf
Beyond Numbers by Katherine A. Loop.

If you want to know what homeschool graduates are doing, just look at the number of books being published by them! Beyond Numbers, written by homeschool graduate Katherine Loop, is another one that I recommend.

Several years ago, I read a book called, Mathematics: Is God Silent? by James Nickel. It was so inspiring and informative that I began recommending it to everyone I could. However, it's not an easy read and most people just couldn't take the time to digest it. When I learned that Katherine had written a book which included a simplified version of a portion of Nickel's book, I was extremely anxious to read it.

She didn't disappoint me! Katherine's excellent book is easy to read. It will not only help you understand God's purpose for math and how math testifies of God, but it will also give you some practical suggestions for implementing what you learn into your homeschool program. In addition, she rates current math curriculums as to how well they present math in the context of God's Word and includes a sample idea notebook for using math in your daily lives. Congratulations, Katherine, on a job well done! For more information or to order, check her website.
Biology 101 by Wes Olson.

Your visual and auditory learners are going to LOVE this. As a matter of fact, Biology 101: Biology According to the Days of Creation, developed by Wes Olson, is going to be enjoyed by the whole family!

The topics covered in this 4 disc set include Defining Life and Life Classification, Plants, Aquatic Creatures, Avian Creatures, Land Animals, Mankind and Genetics. It also includes a printable 114-page guidebook and a 12-page "Course Accreditation Program."

First, what I liked: I loved the beautiful videos; the animated graphs, charts and illustrations; the background music was pleasant and added to the learning experience. The host (also Wes Olson) was an excellent speaker and kept my attention with clearly defined definitions, anecdotes, and interesting facts. During the plant segment, he takes the viewer to a variety of places to study plants: the bakery to learn about grains, a restaurant to learn how algae is used to make ice cream and salad dressing, and the forest to watch a forester drill a tree ring sample to find out the age of a tree. He also offers memory tips like learning that stamen ends with "men" so it's the male part of the plant, and he shows how plants are used in scripture to illustrate spiritual truths. The animations are excellent and easy to learn from so everyone in the family will benefit from watching the videos.

What I didn't like: There is no real lab work included to speak of, only a few simple projects. The "accreditation program" is not adequate for students going to college or entering any science-related field. I recommend supplementing the curriculum with additional research, composition, and lab work. The guidebook did not include much more than what is included on the videos, so it's not really that helpful. Perhaps this is a feature they will improve in the future.

However, I liked the videos themselves so much, I highly recommend them as the foundation for a biology course or a unit study for all ages. You could teach topic by topic as in a unit study and use the videos as the "meat." Simply add additional reading, research, composition, and lab to suit, depending on grade level, interests and abilities. Much of the extras could be found on the Internet for free. The cost of Biology 101 is only $69.95/set, a full year's course that can be used by your entire family. You can't beat that!
Blackline Maps of World HIstory - Review

Blackline Maps of World History by Terri Johnson (Knowledge Quest). This resource will help you teach the geography of the world to your children in grades 1-12. You can use it as a stand-alone map study, along with a unit study, or as a supplement to a textbook. There are four books available: The Ancients (5000 BC - 400 AD), The Middle Ages (400-1600), The New World (1600-1850), and The Modern World (1850-2004). The complete set includes lesson plans and maps that cover the time period from 5000 BC to 2004 and permission is given individual purchasers to reproduce the maps for noncommercial, individual use.

The lesson plans include instructions for completing the map exercises and several questions to answer. Your children may have to research the answers in an atlas, a history book, or on the Internet. Doing so will help them learn important information about the country or historical event being studied. As Terri says in her book, "It only makes sense to study geography alongside history. In history, we learn about times, places, and people. Each aspect of historical study is important in its own right, but they cannot be studied exclusively of one another. For example, when you study the Norman Conquests, you learn that it took place between 1066 and 1087 AD and that it was the Normans of France who crossed the English Channel to conquer Britain. After reading about this event in history, why not have the student look at a map or globe to find out where it took place? Better yet, have him label and color a map drawn specifically of that region and for that time period in history. When children have visual cues, it helps to cement fact into their minds."

I LOVE the CD version! It includes everything in the book version, but is in pdf format. (You will need the latest version of Acrobat Reader to use it. This is free software that you can download off the Internet.) What I love about the CD is that it is convenient and stores easily. You simply insert the CD, open the file to the Index, click on the chapter you want to study, and you're instantly there! Now, you can print out the lesson plan and the maps you need for the day's lesson and then put the CD back on the shelf. How easy can it get?!

For those of you who like to put together your own course of study, this resource is a must! It will go exceptionally well with The Checklist. It's in timeline sequence, as is The Checklist. As you cover the history portion of The Checklist, you can use this resource for your children's map studies. After they complete their study, check it off on The Checklist as a record of what your children have covered.

I highly recommend this resource! Also available from Knowledge Quest is Blackline Maps of American History which includes 80 maps of US history (America's founding and development) as well as historical maps that depict battles and expansion, etc. and state maps which include capital, date of statehood, state bird and flower, and other important facts. I haven't seen this one, but it should be just as well done.
Bootmaker to the Nation by Dr. John Slade.

A few days ago, I received a 721 page book called, "Bootmaker to the Nation" by Dr. John Slade, to review. My first thought when looking at the enormous tome, was, "Fat chance I'll get around to reading this." I dropped it on my coffee table and forgot about it. Later that evening, I picked it up and started ruffling through, wondering who I could give it to to review for me! However, having nothing pressing to do at the moment, I began reading the first chapter. I was immediately hooked!

The book is historical fiction set at the time of the American Revolution, 1763 to 1783. The story is told from the point of view of a London boy named Benjamin and an American girl named Genevieve. Dr. Slade begins the story in London where Benjamin, an 18-year old cobbler's son, is kidnapped and taken aboard the Lively, a British frigate, to be pressed into His Majesty's navy. During the trip over he is forced to become a topman where he must climb to the top of the ship's mast to furl and set the sail. This whole section kept me biting my nails! After he lands, he is then forced to learn to become a soldier for the Redcoats. His only goal, however, is to escape and get back to London.

The story then takes us from Benjamin's story to Genevieve's story. I don't want to say much more about the plot because that's what kept me hooked! And while I was hooked, I learned about each of the battles of the Revolution, the weapons that were used, the people involved, and why we fought the war. This was much better than a history textbook!

Dr. Slade's goal in writing the book is to teach us to "love American history, understand our nation's first war, meet our Founding Fathers as people, not as wooden heroes, and look to the future with an educated eye." He definitely fulfills this goal. I highly recommend this for 9th graders and up. It's available at local bookstores.

Cozy Grammar Review.

Let me proceed this review with some facts: My maiden name is Edwards. My favorite movie is Pride and Prejudice. I've read every Agatha Christie mystery written and I love Earl Grey tea. So, how could I not love Cozy Grammar! Cozy Grammar, produced by Splashes from the River, is a video teaching resource. Splashes from the River produces several video courses that teach basic grammar, intermediate grammar, punctuation, and essay writing. This review relates to the Basic Cozy Grammar Course.

The main character in this video is the author, Marie Rackham, an active, full-of-life, senior citizen and retired school teacher who lives in British Columbia. In her preface, the author says, "I wanted to get out of the classroom - to present grammar in an everyday setting. The coziness of a home, the familiarity of a garden, the fascination of a beach, and the ever changing moods of the Pacific Coast weather combined to make a stimulating, but non-threatening, setting for teaching a potentially dry and boring subject."

I can assure you that she did exactly that. She used the beautiful setting of her home in the Pacific-Northwest to teach basic grammar skills. For instance, in the first lesson, she teaches about the kinds of sentences while welcoming you into her home and drinking tea. In the second lesson, she teaches about subjects and predicates with a demonstration of chopping firewood, building a fire, and then relaxing in front of it. She illustrates nouns by having a dinner party with friends. She uses name plates to teach personal nouns; she sets the table to show common nouns; she serves the meal while teaching collective nouns, indefinite nouns, pronouns, etc.

I thoroughly enjoyed her slightly English accent, her somewhat "stuffy" English ways, the beautiful scenery, and the background music consisting of piano compositions from composers such as Bach, Chopin, and Beethoven. The experience was pleasant and relaxing, as well as informative. After viewing each segment, there is a worksheet to complete that reinforces what has been taught, as well as tests to be given as needed.

There are a few segments that may bother some Christian homeschooling families. One is the segment where Marie is having a dinner party and she pours red and white wine in her guests glasses. The other is when she uses a buddha and yin/yang symbol to talk about adjectives. These incidents are brief and I think so minor to the program that they shouldn't present a problem for most families, no more than seeing them in a TV ad or at the mall. I would use these segments as talking points, if desired.

I highly recommend this series for children who are visual and auditory learners. I would begin the Basic Grammar course with children who are reading fluently and ready for formal grammar instruction. The course is simple to use and is an enjoyable way to learn grammar, especially for those who dislike the traditional textboook approach.

Unfortunately, I think most teenagers are will think this series is a little too "cheesy" for them. I don't believe you'll find many of them volunteering to watch it. However, I have an idea! Why not assign your older teen to watch it with your younger child to "help him" learn grammar. That way your teen can save "face" and it would give you time to work one-on-one with another child or do housework while this is going on!

My suggestion for this company is that they should create additional sets of Cozy Grammar with new actors and call them, "Wild West Grammar" for the western folks and "Shopping Mall Grammar" for the metropolitan type. That way everyone can enjoy watching them as much as I did! For pricing and more information, log onto to their website at: www.splashesfromtheriver.com.

Creative and Crafty Writing by Karine Bauch and Jan May.

Creative and Crafty Writing is just what you need to help your visual and kinethetic students learn to write. The Christian-based program offers twelve, one-hour lessons that will teach your student to write a fable, a news story, and a short story. With each lesson, the student not only learns the techniques of writing, but he or she also creates a craft project to supplement the lesson. This is where the curriculum shines!

For instance, the lessons on Writing a Narrative (short story) begin with learning about theme and setting. The students learn to describe the time and place for their story by completing a worksheet that guides them through the process. I particularly like the way the author incorporates vivid adjectives into the lesson.

After completing this lesson on theme and setting, the student creates a thematic pencil holder to further emphasize the theme element. Subsequent lessons work on creating characters, plot (conflict, complications, climax, and conclusion), dialogue, great beginnings, and title selection, each with additional craft projects to make them really fun!

Other lessons in the book include creating a newspaper, complete with clip art to cut out and use for illustrations and writing a fable in a student-created My Treasure notebook. Each lesson takes about one hour to complete.

This curriculum makes a great summer project, or use it to teach specific writing skills during the year, such as those found in The Checklist, page 130-131 (Writing Project Ideas). For more information or to order, check their Web site.
Drive Thru History America with Dave Stotts.

This resource is produced by David Barton and Nita Thomason. It describes itself as "cutting edge, entertaining, fast-paced curriculum that teaches the history of our nation from a Christian worldview" and it generally lives up to its claim.

Included in the curriculum is a DVD and a student workbook that focus on eight historical figures: Benjamin Franklin, Dr. Benjamin Rush, George Washington, Benjamin Banneker, Haym Salomon, Abigail Adams, Noah Webster, and John Quincy Adams.

Each segment involves watching a color, video presentation and then completing a section in the workbook. The video presentation is hosted by Dave Stotts who drives around in a Hummer as he teaches the subject. The presentation transitions back and forth from the host (sometimes dressed in historical costume and filmed on location) to a narration over drawings, artwork, or animated graphics. The host is witty and interjects a bit of humor here and there, such as wearing hideous-looking false teeth, to make it more interesting for kids.

The workbook includes information about each person's life, as well as student activities which range from research and writing assignments to mock simulations and group discussions. Other activities include puzzles and poetry memorization as well as questions to be answered after each chapter.

I recommend this resource for 6th grade and up, although younger children may enjoy the video. In addition to being a stand-alone curriculum in character education, it will also make a great resource for an American history unit study or to enrich a traditional American History curriculum. It is not a stand-alone American History curriculum.

This curriculum will appeal to Visual, Auditory, and Read/Write learner. There is not much here for the Kinesthetic learner but it could certainly be used along with hands-on projects that you add yourself.

The best part of the curriculum is that it is Bible-based and encourages good character development. The focus is on each person's achievements and how each one served because of his/her faith in God. The activities encourage the students to analyze and imitate these good character traits. There are not too many resources out there that do this well, but here is one that I recommend.

The homeschool kit, which includes the DVD and the workbook, is $49.99. You are given permission to copy the workbook for classroom use so there is no need to buy a separate workbook for each of your children. Contact: www.dthamerica.com for more information or to order.

The Elements.

Most homeschool moms that I know are not particularly fond of teaching science. I guess it's a girl thing! But today, there are so many great resources that make teaching science easier that it should become more and more "girl" friendly! Here's one of those resources: The Elements published by EDGEucation Publishing. This resource is a fun way to teach your children about the 109 elements. Your children will be introduced to each element through a funny character to color and a short bio. The workbook includes test sheets and stickers to reinforce what is learned. A great introduction to the elements for all ages. Also available is The Elements Flash Cards. Colorful flash cards help children to memorize the names and facts about each of the 109 elements. For more info, check out their website.

Exploring Creation with Astronomy by Jeanne Fulbright.

You are so blessed to have curriculum like this available to you! As I read through this textbook, I got so excited about teaching it that I forgot my kids were grown! (No, I don’t want to teach someone else’s!) This is the curriculum I dreamed about when my children were young. It’s interesting, fun, easy-to-use, and best of all, teaches so much more than traditional textbooks!

I like it because:

It is Christian-based and accurate scientifically. For instance, in the unit on Mars, I read that giant meteors hit Mars, which sent pieces of Mars flying into space. Some of these pieces actually landed on earth. I knew this, but this I didn’t know: In the same way that giant meteors sent pieces of Mars to earth, there is a possibility that these meteors sent pieces of earth to Mars. So if they do find life on Mars, there is an explanation!

It is interesting to read. This could be used as family reading so all can enjoy or as independent reading for upper elementary grades. The writing is not full of jargon that makes many science textbooks so dull and hard to understand. Jeanne writes so that anyone can understand it. She even makes you laugh now and then!

It is fun! After you read the lesson, there are oral questions to answer, writing assignments, and hands-on projects such as making a rocket or a compass. The projects are easy to do; the supplies needed truly are “household products,” and there is a complete listing of supplies needed in the front that you can print out as a shopping list.

The only complaint I have is that it is out of date. It was published in 2004. With science, you need constant updates. However, she has remedied this by including a Course Web site where you can get updated information, corrections to the text, links to other interesting Web sites that will enhance learning, a printable notebook template for the kids to complete (love this!), and even more activities to do! Maybe out of date isn’t too bad!

The Exploring Creation with. . . series currently includes Exploring Creation with Botany, Exploring Creation with Zoology (Volume 1 covers Flying Creatures, Volume 2 covers Swimming Creatures, and Volume 3 covers Land Animals - all following the seven days of creation.)

Exploring Creation with Botany follows the same framework as the others, but some of the unique features are a focus on Latin words, an introduction to careers in botany, and an introduction to taxonomy. There is also a printable notebook template available and many fun activities!

Exploring Creation with Zoology again follows the same format as above. There is also a printable notebook template and a set of printable flash cards available for Volume 1, which is the volume I have for review. Volume 1 introduces the field of zoology and Binomial Nomenclature. This course thoroughly covers birds and insects. Some of the fun activities include a Nature Scavenger Hunt, making your own field guide, building a bird feeder, mapping bird migration, making an ant farm, and raising butterflies.

For those of you who like the work already done for you, I can’t think of a better way to teach science in the elementary grades than by using this series of books. HIGHLY recommended.
Exploring the World of Mathematics by John Hudson Tiner.

Since I was taking College Algebra last semester, I picked up the book, Exploring the World of Mathematics, to read in order to supplement my understanding of math. Great choice! Not only did I learn more about mathematic principles but I learned more about the history of math, how math applies to everyday life, and even how math is used in scriptures!

I suggest that sometime during your child's 5th-8th grade years, you go through each chapter with him - maybe as a summer course or one day a week on Friday. Most kids will like the book, too, as it teaches them how to solve logic problems that can fool their friends! Like this one: Have your friend secretly choose a number from one to ten. Tell him to add six to the number, double the results, and divide his answer by four. Next subtract half of the original number. When he is done, you can tell him what his number is 100% of the time. You'll have to read the book to find out how!

Exploring World History and Exploring American History by Ray Notgrass.

Exploring World History comes in two volumes: Part I - Creation through the Middle Ages and Part II - The Renaissance to the Present. These are huge, spiral-bound volumes (900+ pages) that are created for use in high school but could be adapted for use with all your children in a multi-level setting.

The companion volume In Their Words, Original Documents, Poetry, Stories, and Hymns from World History is one of my favorite parts of the Exploring World History curriculum. In this volume, Mr. Notgrass has compiled a selection of "original resources from world history that range from the Code of Hammurabi around 1750 BC to speeches by Ronald Reagan in the 1980s. It includes significant documents, speeches, excerpts from books, poems, short stories, fables, and fairy tales. A special feature are many hymns from 200 AD to the twentieth century."

For example, during the lesson on the French Revolution, you'll be reading A Tale of Two Cities as a family read-aloud which you started at the beginning of the unit. During this particular lesson, you will also read 'The French Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen' from In Their Words. I like the way Mr. Notgrass incorporates historical documents with historical fiction, the best of both worlds - your kids will enjoy learning!

Exploring American History comes in two huge volumes also (700+ pages): Volume I - Columbus to Reconstruction and Volume II - Late 1800s to the Present. Again these could be used for several years in a multi-level environment. In addition to the American History textbooks, you will also read from A Documentary History of the United States which includes documents, speeches, and letters from American history, The World's Greatest Speeches, and 100 Great American Poems.

Another feature I like in both curriculums is the writing assignments. For example, during the lesson on The New Deal in Exploring American History, you will read the lesson in the textbook, read Franklin Roosevelt's Inaugural Address in The World's Greatest Speeches, begin To Kill A Mockingbird, and work on a writing assignment from a list of choices (example: Do some research and write a two-page biography of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt.) You would have to adapt this assignment for younger children - perhaps using the "Famous Person" form on my website. The World History curriculum also includes a Nation Project assignment where your student chooses one country on which to research and write throughout the course of the study along with or instead of the other assignments. Grammar points are also included with each lesson, but this will not take the place of a grammar curriculum. It is a good review, however.

The text of both curriculums is written in a prose style that is easy to read, similar to the Apologia Science style. The World History text is easier on the eyes as it is larger print; however, the print on the American History is adequate for you younger folks! Black and white photos and maps are interspersed throughout the text to add interest. The only thing that could make this better (however more expensive) would be color.

For those of you who use tests and quizzes, he offers an optional Quiz & Exam Book for each curriculum. I highly recommend purchasing these also, even to those of you who do not use tests, as they are wonderful resources for discussion questions after each lesson.

The literature list in both curriculums is excellent; however, some of it is too difficult for primary-aged children. If you are teaching all grade levels, you may want to substitute something else for family reading when the assigned book is not appropriate for your younger children. Then have your older children read the assigned reading on their own.

Scripture lessons are also included, along with questions related to the reading. This curriculum is written from a Christian point of view which makes it especially good for families who want to incorporate Bible with their history studies.

For those of you with high school students, this could be used as a self-directed study for students who are motivated to work on their own.

Each of these curriculums would be excellent resources to use along with my Multi-level Planning Guide for History.
Hands of a Child.

Are you looking for a quick, easy & fun way to teach history and science? Then check out the kits at Hands of a Child. Each kit becomes a colorful, lap book made of file folders and construction paper that illustrates what your child has learned during the unit. Each kit comes with a lesson plan and printable masters. You supply paper, file folders, brads, and glue. All you have to do is copy the masters, cut out, and then have your children complete the lessons. You can even buy a kit already printed - all you do is cut out and teach!

The lessons are written from a Christian perspective and include biographies, literature, state history, science, and history. Topics range from the Human Body to Wireless Communication to the French Revolution. Each lesson is multi-level so you can use it, as is, for several grade levels or you can adapt it for PreK-12. All of the newer kits come with a study guide which gives you all the factual information you need to complete the lesson as well. For the older kits, you will need to research the factual information yourself using a textbook, encyclopedia, or the internet.

For example, In the North Carolina State history unit, your child learns state facts, geography, climate, government, economy, people, religion, important dates, major cities, colleges and universities, wildlife, and vocabulary of the state through reading of the text included. They reinforce this learning by completing "projects" that go with each lesson and are added to the folder as they progress. When completed, the folder is easy to store and makes great "memory book" of your child's school years.

These kits are perfect to use along with The Checklist and highly recommended for the Read/Write and Visual Learner or any child who likes to make booklets, color, cut out and paste. To see samples, prices, and how to order, please check the website.

History Through the Ages by Amy Pak

I love Timeline products and this one did NOT disappoint! On a scale of 1 to 5, this is definitely a 5! Amy has created a resource that can be used throughout your homeschooling career that will help you and your children make sense of history. And if you've never used a timeline, this one makes it very easy to get started. Everything you need is available from one resource.

First, the History Through the Ages Record of Time notebook. This is georgeous! The timeline pages are printed on heavy stock so they won't tear out easily and your timeline pieces won't see through the back of the page. These pages are then inserted into a 3-ring notebook (about 13' wide by 9" high) with a beautiful, full color, hard-bound cover, making this easy to store and something that will last a long, long time. Also, included are 17 maps of the ancient and modern worlds..

Second, the Timeline Pieces. The timeline pieces are purchased in sets (Creation to Christ, Resurrection to Revolution, Napoleon to Now, and America's History). They are printed on white paper, complete with a picture and a short description of the piece. Children who like to color, can color the pieces which will make your book even more colorful. The CD gives you the option to print the pieces with or without the descriptive text and in both wall and notebook size!

Last, the Suggested Placement Guide. One of the most helpful features of this set is the placement guide. This shows you where to place your timeline pieces so that all of them will fit in your notebook. Without this, you may have trouble as you create your book. If you place the timeline pieces in the wrong place, then later when you go to add others, you may find there is no space to squeeze in a piece that needs to go between two previously placed pieces.

Now you may be thinking, "that's is a lot of money to spend on a timeline" but let me assure you that it will be money well spent. How many textbooks do you buy that last for 12+ years? Or that will be used by the whole family? And that will be a treasured memory book of your homeschool days? This timeline is all that, as well as a tool that will help you teach your children the history of the world and demonstrate how these historical events work together to tell God's Story.

Hold That Thought

If you have a child who is a visual and loves maps, charts, and graphs or if you're looking for a simple way to teach the US states, you'll love this curriculum. It comes on a CD and is made up of worksheets that are in pdf format (free Acrobat Reader software is used to print them out.) Simple print out the worksheets on your printer, 3-hole punch, and place in a binder. You can print the cover of a color cover stock or have your child create his/her own cover.

The worksheets cover all 50 states. Students have to do their own research to complete these worksheets. When your child is done, he will have learned where each state is located in the US, and each state's major cities, abbreviations, state symbols, average precipitation, highest and lowest point, time zone, and population. He will also learn about each state's natural resources, write a timeline of major events for each state, and discover what to see and do in each state.

After your child has learned about each state individually, he will learn something about the US as a whole. He will learn about the regions of the US, the time zones, largest and smallest state, largest city, longest river, largest lake, largest desert, highest and lowest point, and hottest and coldest temperatures. He will write the National Anthem, color the US presidential seal, identify and color the National bird and flower, write the Pledge of Allegiance, write the incription from the Liberty Bell and Statue of Liberty, color the flag, and identify major landmarks in the US. A vocabulary list is also included.

After he has learned about the states and the US, your child will write down his perfect vacation and map it on a US map. A great way to review!

Finally, there is a test at the end. (I normally don't like tests but I love this one!) Your child has to identify outlines of each state and write in its capitol. Then he has to look at several US maps where the boundary lines are messed up and fix them. For example, the boundary between Oklahoma and Texas may be missing so the child has to draw the boundary back in.

I highly recommend this resource for grades 1-6. I recommend teaching from this for two or three weeks each year, selecting worksheets that would be suitable for your child at that age. The next year, review what you learned last year and add a little more. If you did this each year from grades 1 through 6, they would be well educated in US geography by time they reach 7th grade. The other alternative would be to teach it one year. I would recommend teaching a one-year course in 4th, 5th or 6th grade.

For more information or to order: http://www.holdthatthought.com/
Homeschool Psych: Preparing Christian Homeschool Students for Psych 101 by Dr. Tim Rice

As many of you know, I am currently in college and also have a child in college. What I am learning is not just academics, but also the effect of college on our Christian students. I've watched first-hand as MOST of our own church kids go to college and then begin to struggle with their faith. Many are leaving it behind altogether. What I have learned from this is that our kids not only need to have an excellent academic and Biblical education, but we must also equip them to live and work in the secular world, as well. Don't shelter your child from the theories of the world and then send them to college (or work) where they hear them for the first time. Instead, introduce these theories while they are home with you in the context of your Christian worldview.

Many of you already do that with history, science, and literature. Now, there's a way to do that for Psychology. If your child is going to college, it is extremely likely that they will have to take Psychology 101. Thanks to Dr. Time Rice, there is now a way to prepare them for it, while they are at home with you.

The goal of this textbook is to help prepare Christian homeschool students for college-level, introductory psychology. The course comprises two parts. Part I teaches the history and background of psychology and why it needs to be taught in a Christian worldview. Dr. Rice also gives examples of how the study of psychology can be used to serve God in the world of mental health care, business, child care, marriage counseling, missions, and more.

Part II includes an overview of key concepts commonly taught in an introductory psychology class. This is the fun part! Your student will learn all about the brain, the nervous system, personality, and the theories of many famous psychologists. Part of the lessons include researching these psychologists to find out about their worldview and how it affected their theories - a real eye opener! A workbook is included with excellent, thought-provoking questions to answer that will lead the student to an understanding of psychology from a Christian worldview so that he or she will be prepared to intelligently discuss psychology in a secular classroom.

Dr. Rice realizes that Christians have varying views of psychology and is careful to avoid pushing his opinion on the student. His goal is only to introduce the student to what they will learn in a college classroom. Therefore, he keeps his opinions out and allows the parents to teach it in the context of their own views. As he says, " It is not the purpose of this text to settle any arguments between Christians."

I highly recommend this textbook for students preparing for college. Document this course on page 170 of The Checklist. For more information on Dr. Rice and Homeschool Psych, visit his Web site.
It Wasn't Much, Ten True Tales of Oklahoma Heroes by Jana Hausburg.

Although It Wasn't Much is recommended for juvenile readers, I thoroughly enjoyed it myself. It makes learning history as easy as eating fudge! The stories are short and easy to read, but they are packed with adventure, heroic exploits, historical facts, and inspiration. There are ten biographies of not-so-well known Oklahoma heroes such as Rosemary Hogan who was a nurse during World War I in the Philippines and a POW, Fern Holland, an Oklahoma Cherokee, who joined the Peace Corp and was killed while serving in Iraq; Rufino Rodrigues who rescued 150 miners at the risk of his own life; and Robbie Risner, from Tulsa, who kept up the morale of his fellow Vietnam POWs from the time he was captured in 1965 until the time he was released in 1973.

Included in each chapter is more information about the setting of the story, definitions of difficult terms, suggestions for additional reading, a list of Internet resources related to the topic, and a list of places to visit in Oklahoma that compliment the story. And finally, on the Web site, there are additional pages of study resources, discussion questions, writing exercises, and teacher resources. A lot for your money!

For more information or to purchase, see the publisher's Web site: Forty-Sixth Star Press.
KitBook: Electric Circuits by Ed Basconi and David M. Jones

Calling all Kinethetic learners! Here's a product that offers hands-on fun as well as thoughtful instruction. The kit contains everything you need, including the batteries. The instruction book is clear and easy to read. It contains nine different lab experiments that are completed with the attached "power Page" and included components.

I had a terrific time building a lamp, a buzzer, and a simple circuit. I then experimented with conductors, insulators, switches, circuits in a series, parallel circuits, and electromagnets. The components were first class and I loved the way you simply "snapped in" the components on the "power page." No wires to cut and no soldering. And, because the components are snapped in, you can use the kit over and over again!

The Student Workbook contains eight chapter reviews composed of multiple choice, fill in the blank, and essay-type questions. I like the fact that the students have to actually learn something to complete the reviews. I can see why this won a Parents' Choice Award!

I recommend that you use this kit with page 163 of The Checklist. This kit would also make a wonderful Christmas or birthday gift.

For more info, visit their Web site.
Knowlege Box Central Lapbooks

Astronomy Lapbook. For those who enjoy lapbooking, this resource is a must! The completed lapbook is made up of file folder covers and 27 booklets inside. Directions are included for creating the lapbook and what information each of the 27 booklets should contain. For example, there are booklets for writing the definition of a light year, what a sun spot is, biographical information about Galileo, vocabulary words, and moon phases. There is also a booklet for illustrating the solar system and one on space shuttle disasters. There's even a word search template! Very thorough coverage of astronomy that will work well with any astronomy curriculum.

Additonal Lapbooks titles are available including topics in history, Bible, geography, science, math, literature, and home economics, as well as lapbooks that go along with the American Girls series. In addition to the Astronomy lapbook, I was sent an Egypt lapbook and the Exploring Creation with Zoology, Swimming Creatures of the Fifth Day to review.

In the Swimming Creatures lapbook, the instructions not only include what information to write on the booklets, but also where to find the answers in the Apologia textbook - nice feature for mom and dad! This lapbook was created to go along with the Apologia series. Other titles in this series are available.

The Egypt Lapbook was my favorite. The instruction book not only included instructions for putting the lapbook together, but detailed information about Egypt to read. There is no need for another textbook!

The layout in both Swimming and Egypt were better than the layout in the Astronomy booklet - the colors were “happier,” the choice of artwork was more interesting, and the layout looked more professional.

Each lapbook is sold in four different ways: (1) e-book - everything is sent by e-mail. You download the templates and guide book, print it out on your own paper, and provide your own file folders; (2) CD - same as e-book except on CD; (3) Do-it-Yourselfer - Purchaser received printed templates, file folders, and a printed guidebook in mail, purchaser must assemble; and (4) Pre-assembled - everything cut out and assembled, ready to write in. Comes with printed guide.

I would heartily recommend these lapbooks for children who love making booklets and enjoy writing. And when you're done, you'll have wonderful memory-books of your child's learning that you'll enjoy for years to come!

NOTE: I would not recommend these for children who do not enjoy cutting, pasting and/or writing. (Although a work-around would be for them to type on the little booklets before gluing them in the folder. You would; however, need a regular typewriting as the formatting would be difficult on a computer.)

Learning with the Movies.

If you do unit studies or just like to enrich your homeschool program with videos, you have to have this book by Beth Holland! This is another resource I discovered at the OCHEC convention and immediately purchased.

Learning with the Movies includes a listing of cinema movies and made-for-TV movies. The beauty of this guide is that all the movies are organized chronologically beginning with Bible Times and Ancient Egypt through 1900's. If you are doing a study on Rome, simple look through the section on Ancient Rome! For instance, in the Rome section, she has included Ben-Hur, Demetrius and the Gladiator, fall of the Roman Empire, Julius Caesar, Jupiter's Darling, Quo Vadis?, The Robe, Sign of the Pagan (about Attila the Hun), and Spartacus. There is also some blank space for you to list additional movies as you find them.

Finally, she has also included movies related to the Music/Arts (example: The Agony and the Ecstasy which is about Michelangelo), Biographies (example: Abe Lincoln in Illinois), Sports (example: Brian's Song), Science/Nature (example: Apollo 13), Horses (example: Miracle of the White Stallions), Medicine (example: The Girl in White), Literature (example: A Christmas Carol), Holidays (example: Miracle on 34th Street), and Family Films (just plain fun).

Each movie listing includes its production date, Beth's star rating, and the parental guidance rating (PG, G, etc). An alphabetical listing is in the back of the book. Highly recommended