When we heard about author Carole P. Roman, we decided to explore Carole P. Roman Books and Collections. What a great decision! Do you want to learn about the history and culture of other nations? Author Carole P. Roman has created a collection of books that you will enjoy reading to your children. Both you and your children will enjoy learning about other places and historical times. Our books arrived at the end of February. It was perfect timing! In March, we dove into Europe in our homeschool geography co-op. Of course, I brought the three books to geography co-op. The books were cheerful, easy-to-understand, and fit perfectly in our studies. They were jam-packed with information, too! We read If You Were Me and Lived in Germany, If You Were Me and Lived in Italy, and If You Were Me and Lived in Viking Europe. Let me tell you about all three books.
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Home School in the Woods is known for their beautiful timelines, maps, lap-paks, and hands-on activities to make learning history fun! I was so excited to review their American History Newspaper Collection, one of their A La Carte Projects products, especially since we're studying U.S. history next school year. The American History Newspaper Collection includes 7 different newspapers to take students from the Age of Exploration to the 20th Century. The newspapers are Explorer Weekly, Town Crier, The Daily Bugle, Westward Weekly, The Camp Kettle, The Industrial Times, and Frontline News. Each newspaper has headlines with space underneath for an article, as well as ads and empty boxes for photographs. They are gorgeous! My whole family loved them! We worked on the Town Crier, a newspaper for Colonial Times. The newspaper came with headlines and we wrote a story beneath. There were also ads. You can see on our pages below we wrote out an ad for Caravel Cruises and Ye Ol' Apothecary. We enjoyed working on each paper. As a homeschool mom, I appreciated the depth of the headlines. There is something about King Philip's War on page 2 of our newspaper, which very few history books even mention. Once the newspaper pages are finished, there are easy directions to put it together. We are going to finish the other American newspapers next year along with our American history unit study. "Hey, does anyone want to listen to Taming the Lecture Bug? It's a DVD. I'm showing it during lunch." I was at homeschool co-op and wanted to hear from other homeschool moms thought of Parenting Made Practical's Tame the Lecture Bug and Getting Your Kids to Think workshop. I also read the book Taming the Lecture Bug and Getting Your Kids to Think. Five moms watched it with me. Our children range in age from 10 to 31. We all homeschool, love our children, and want to raise them to love and serve the Lord. Joey and Carla link have been in ministry for 40 years. They have served on pastoral staffs at churches and with Growing Kids, Int. I loved the style of the workshop. It was conversational and kept my attention (I can get distracted easily!). They got to the root of the issue. We don't necessarily struggle with drug use and sexual immorality in our children and teens, but we face attitudes and passive rebellion. How do we respond to it? All of the Moms that watched the lecture (I would call it a workshop, rather than a lecture because I felt included, not lectured to.) admitted to lecturing instead of dealing with root issues. Maybe not all the time, but at least sometimes or often. We were all challenged to ask questions to deal with the root issue instead of exploding to vent our frustration. Thank you, Joey and Carla. All my children already know cursive and my grandchildren are too little, so I recruited my friend Mercy. She has not learned cursive yet, so we took the plunge together with CursiveLogic Quick-Start Pack from CursiveLogic. As a bonus, we got a beautiful coloring book, The Art of Cursive. CursiveLogic breaks learning to write in cursive down to easy-to-understand and apply steps. The Quick-Start Pack comes with the workbook and full access to the webinar for a year. First you learn the Orange Oval shape and the letters that use that shape. We worked on the orange oval shape, This is followed by other shapes and letters that use that shape. Children go step-by-step in a sequence that makes sense to both teacher and student. Wow! I love it! It''s a logical and easy way to learn the letters step-by-step, taking children from success to success to success. Okay, I have to admit it, when I first opened the Magik Stix Washable Markers from The Pencil Grip, Inc., my first thought was, "Wow! I love all the beautiful colors!" It's true! I love colors! The Magik Stix came in a set of 24 in a handy-dandy clear carrying case. I was so excited for my grandsons to come over so they could try them out. Rusty and Cooper loved the bright, shiny colors, too! They wanted to hold them and asked for paper. I set them both up with markers and paper. Rusty began to color on paper, trying out different methods of drawing and coloring. His younger brother was enjoying experimenting in his high chair. Within minutes we had lost several marker caps. After several minutes searching under the table, we found all but one. "Perfect," I thought to myself, "I can find out if the markers will go for seven days without drying out." Six days later, still no cap and the marker still made a beautiful green mark across the paper. Drive Thru History Adventures homeschool video curriculum combines two of my favorite things: laughing and history! I love to watch Dave Stotts! He is funny and silly. All of my kids love to watch him, too. I said a "YES! Pick me! Pick me!" when asked to review Drive thru History American History Adventures from Coldwater Media, Inc. My son loves all the different cars in the videos. All of us love seeing all the exciting places Dave visits. It's like going there ourselves. Unlike a boring museum tour guide, Dave Stotts is funny, exciting, and full of interesting information. He travels to different places in an different vehicle and shows you historical sites while teaching you about history from a biblical and historically accurate perspective. I had the privilege of reviewing the American history curriculum with twelve episodes. This series covers Columbus to the Constitution. Created for homeschoolers, this entertaining history video curriculum combines the best of everything: travel, video, humor, fine art (on the website pages), primary sources, worksheets, and answer keys. The lessons are simple and fun! "Can we borrow it now?" little Gracie asked, staring at the green CD cover in my hand with the Saxon man and woman on the cover. Inside was Wulf The Saxon on two CDs with over two hours of non-stop audio drama and adventure from Heirloom Audio Productions. "We have to listen to it first." I shook my head sadly. I hate saying no to little children. Both of our families love listening to audio dramas. My older children grew up on Adventures in Odyssey. We loved hearing our audio friends having adventures at Whit's End. So, I was so excited when I heard about Under Drakes Flag, a G.A. Henty novel turned into a radio show. I listened to it and loved it! When I was asked to review Wulf the Saxon, I was so excited! Another G.A. Henty book brought to life! I started listening to the CD by myself, but was soon joined by interested family members. Everyone agreed! This was a great story! More than that, this was a great dramatization of a great story! One of the most important battles in history, the Battle of Hastings, comes alive in this dramatization. English history takes a turn that will entwine England and France together. We see the story unfold through the eyes of Wulf, a young Saxon man. This story gripped our hearts. We traveled back in time to eleventh century England and were caught up in the struggle for the throne. Would the Angle-Saxon king retain his throne or would England be ruled by a foreign invader? Of course, Wulf is noble, loyal, and filled with courage whether it's capturing a Welsh castle rescuing his shipwrecked king, or fighting Vikings at the Battle of Stamford Bridge. I don’t know what I was expecting, but I was blown away when I entered the SchoolhouseTeachers.com world to review their yearly membership. I felt like I Alice dropping into Wonderland: amazed and a little overwhelmed. Where would I start? I wanted to see EVERYTHING! Every photo, every course, every video, and every lesson plan was beautiful and professional-looking. I decided to investigate high school online classes first. I picked out several courses including Spanish I, an online elective, They Lived for God, and American History: Columbus to 1914 with Socratic Method. Next, I headed to a focused area. Since I’m a history buff, I chose history. I felt like a kid in a candy shop. So many choices, so little time. Focused Area: HistoryFor younger children, my favorite course was American History in Picture Books by Cindi Allison because that’s the way I taught my children when they were little. Using classic picture books like Leif the Lucky by Ingri and Edgar Parin D’Aulaire, Squanto’s Journey by Joseph Bruchac, and The Babe and I by David A. Adler, we explore history by reading picture books and engaging in hands-on fun. I am planning to do this course on Grandma Day with my grandsons. Delving into Classical Archaeology with Regan Barr, I was excited because so much of what we believe about ancient cultures is based on archaeology, but it has limitations, too. This course doesn’t just focus on history, but how archaeology is used to learn about history and what the limitations of archaeology are. The reading was interesting with lots of color photographs. Review questions and ideas for further exploration were at the end of each unit. My favorite part was digging into Pompeii, a fascinating trip to the past when a volcano explored rapidly freezing an entire city in time. We can also read about it from Pliney the Younger. This material stirred up a greater hunger to learn more! Remembering my sweet grandsons, I decided to head to the Preschool Playground to get more ideas for Grandma Days. Preschool PlaygroundAllow me to introduce you to an award-winning picture book: When I was Young in the Mountains by Cynthia Rylant. This lovely book was awarded as a Caldecott Honor Book and a Reading Rainbow Book. I can see why. I hope you will give it a look as well. Its 28 pages are all filled with beautiful drawings and simple descriptions of a time gone, by Diane Goode, by that most of us only have pictured in movies and TV shows. I was introduced to this book as part of a Middle School Writing curriculum. The repeated use of the phrase “When I was young in the mountains” at the beginning of many of the sentences in this book provided an excellent example for young writers to think about when they were young and write a collection of sentences about their own adventures. Winner of the John Newbery Medal, Sarah Plain and Tall is a delight. I’ve said it before about many other books, but it remains true of this little gem. Written for children, this book takes us through the emotional story of a little prairie family who lost their mother and hopes to find another. A difficult childbirth left the young farmer with an infant, Caleb, a little girl, Anna, and no wife. Everything changed that day, but the young farmer struggled on for years, trying to make the best of the situation. Loneliness, perhaps feeling overwhelmed by the amount of work his farm requires, or simply concern for his children led Jacob, also known as Papa, to advertise for a wife. The one reply he received surprised the entire family. Sarah Elisabeth Wheaton from Maine answered his ad. Sarah seems to be forthright, honest, funny, and a definite possibility. She further adds to her appeal by writing letters to each of the children as well as the father. After exchanging a few letters, Sarah agrees to come to the prairie to meet the family, see the farm, and let everybody concerned decide if Sarah should come to be wife and mother to the small family. I just finished reading a book about the early Christians who risked their lives to follow Jesus. Wow! It was a great story. I went back in time to the Roman Empire to meet Christians who were living in a pagan culture, yet serving Christ with godly lives. I enjoyed meeting these brothers and sisters in the Lord: the old soldier, the elder of the church, the beautiful young girls, and the "bad guy" who was destined for something better. I loved their faith and devotion to Jesus and one another. Arrested because they refused to sacrifice to the Emperor, I was nervous about their fate, but challenged and inspired by their bravery. You will enjoy Sent to the Lions by A. J. Church about early Christians who paid the price to follow Jesus. Wow! Eternity in their Hearts by Don Richardson will blow you away! "This book reveals startling evidence of belief in the One True God in cultures around the world!" says the cover. And it does! It's amazing! I get so excited when I read this book! I stand amazed at the Holy God who is so filled with love and compassion that He would prepare so many different cultures to recognize and receive the Gospel. God truly wants all men everywhere to hear and respond to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Isn't Our Heavenly Father wonderful?! Don Richardson, the author of Peace Child, another amazing book, shares true stories from different places around the the world. In each case, you see God preparing a people to respond to Jesus when the Gospel arrives. This book is a history of pagan cultures who still have the seed of faith in the One True God. Why is this? Because at the beginning of time, Adam and Eve walked with God in an intimate relationship while they lived in the Garden of Eden. Though they sinned, rejecting life with God, there was still a knowledge that was passed down of the One True God who created the earth and everyone who lives in it. That true knowledge, though marred in time, still exists. And we serve a God who searches for the lost, longing to bring them home to love and know Jesus Christ. It was Christmas Eve 1956 when Michael Bond purchased a stuffed bear for his wife in a store near Paddington Station. That impulsive gift would inspire Mr. Bond to write a book, A Bear Called Paddington, that would introduce the world to Paddington Bear, delighting children of all ages and nations. From deepest, darkest Peru, Paddington travels in a lifeboat across the ocean eating marmalade to stay a live. With a suitcase in his hand and a note on which is written, "Please look after this bear. Thank you." You see his Aunt Lucy grew old and had to move into the Home for retired bears. This whimsical tale begins with Paddington being found by the Brown family at Paddington Train Station in London, England. And so, the adventure begins. You will love Paddington's well-meaning, but often misguided attempts to right a wrong (as perceived by Paddington, but usually a misunderstanding). His escapades are hilarious and he is the sweetest, most well-meaning bear ever! The theme of true love in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice goes beyond the mere fairy tale happily ever after. The author truly believes that people can overcome their moral failings to see others as valuable. In Miss Austen’s time not all people were Christians, but a Christian worldview dominated the culture, giving clear moral guideposts. Though her novel is set in a society with diverse social classes and prescribed ways of living that are quite unlike our culture today, her message is one as old as time. Life comes down to interactions between individuals who make the choice to see one another as valuable because they are created in the image of One True God or to be filled with pride, seeing themselves as superior. The author believes that true love can blossom when moral failings are dealt a death blow. Jane Austen takes us back in time to Georgian England where life is slower, manners matter, and people know their place in society. Like today, young people are looking for a spouse and parents are eager to be right in the middle of the courting and wooing. In this delightful tale, we meet Elizabeth Bennett and the wealthy Mr. Darcy. Mr. Darcy views himself superior to Elizabeth and her family, but against his will, he is attracted to her. Elizabeth finds Mr. Darcy smug and prideful. Rank or birth does not negate a person’s worth. As a pastor’s daughter, Jane Austen places high value on personal accountability for one’s actions, especially how people treat other people. Bad behavior is bad behavior whether it is performed by Elizabeth’s own mother being indiscreet or Mr. Darcy refusing to dance with the ladies who are not attractive enough to arouse his interest. Both display selfishness. "This book will change your life!" my pastor promised me. I was far from home and struggling with sadness and disappointment. It was a hard season. I read this little book and my pastor was right! It changed my life! That was not the only time I read Prison to Praise by Merlin Carothers. This is one of those books that I try to reread every year or so. Yes, it's that good! Prison to Praise shows how an angry young man was changed by the power of God through the Gospel. It is also the story of how one man of God learned to praise God in everything! Bored with military training at Fort Benning, Georgia while waiting to be sent overseas in World War II, Merlin and some friends walked out of camp, stole a car, and went joy riding. After being captured by the F.B.I., Merlin found himself in military prison. Sentenced to five years in the federal penitentiary, his sentence was suspended so he could serve in World War II. After serving six months in the stockade at Fort Dix, Merlin, a paratrooper, headed to Europe to serve in the 82nd Airborne. Next, he found himself as one of General Eisenhower's guards living in Frankfurt, Germany. Because of his combat record, Merlin received a complete pardon for his earlier illegal escapades, but that didn't stop him from making massive amounts of money in the black market. Attending church out of duty with his grandparents, Merlin heard God speak to him to make a decision to follow him or it would be too late. He surrendered his heart to Christ and was hungry for prayer, Bible reading, and fellowship. God called him to the ministry and while he worked his way through college and seminary, he preached in local jails. I will let you learn the rest for yourself. You see, Merlin was on an adventure with the Lord! He was set to learn lessons that would allow him to live each day in unspeakable joy! |
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