Homeschooling From a Biblical Worldview - Book Review/Giveaway

Homeschooling from a Biblical Worldview
Israel Wayne
ISBN 0-615-11365-6

Wisdom's Gate
P.O. Box 374
Covert, MI 49043
1-800-343-1943
www.WisdomsGate.com
www.ChristianWorldview.net


Not too long ago I had the pleasure of meeting Israel Wayne, the author of Homeschooling from a Biblical Worldview.  This is one of the most scripture-filled (NIV), passionate books about homeschooling using a Biblical worldview I've read.  Let me share a bit about the book to persuade you to go find a copy.

Mr. Wayne starts his Introduction by pointing out how discipleship of young children is not happening in modern American churches.  In his book Israel reminds us that being sheltered from evil influences, being given a love of learning and the ability to reason, an emphasis on Godly character, consistent discipline, a modeled example of holy living, the call of God on our lives, training in a Biblical worldview, a freedom from peer pressure and a love of truth are all important parts of parenting and teaching our children to "know the God of their fathers".   This book is, as he says, "a unique reflection on an educational philosophy that has undergirded my (Israel's) upbringing." 

After 25+ years of homeschooling, and over fifteen years of publishing the Home School Digest, this book is an attempt at giving the reader a new perspective on parenting and homeschooling.  Take a look at what you'll find . . .

Chapters in this 159 page paperback book include:

1.     Keeping an Eternal Perspective

• Why Are We Homeschooling?
• The Obedience Factor
• The Biblical Mandate
• A Response to God, Not a Reaction to Public School
• God Wants the Hearts of Parents
• The Parents Eternal Key
• God Wants to Train and Equip Children
• The Student's Eternal Key
• God Wants to Use Us!
• Traditional Learning Methods Can Be Modified

2.     A Biblical Education

• The Purpose of Education (Secular/Humanist, Marxist/Leninist, Capitalistic, Christian)
• The Controversy (Christian Worldview, Modernism, Post-Modernism)
• The Immoral Basis of Government Schooling
• A Christian Education
• The Teaching Method
• Researching and Learning by Doing
• Emphasizing Character Building

3.     The Importance of Reason

• How the Liberals Operate
• We Need to Equip Our Children
• 12 Basic Rules/Guidelines for Rational Thinking

4.     Teaching the Core Subjects (History, Science, Mathematics, Language Arts, Philosophy, Literature)

5.     Counter Culture (High Culture, Folk Culture, Popular Culture, A Culture of Despair)

6.     Multiculturalism

• A View From the Left
• Eurocentrism
• Valid Multicultural Arguments
• The Value of Human Life
• Christian Education
• National Sovereignty
• A Biblical Model

7.     Parents' Rights  (Rights, Privileges, Responsibilities for Individuals, Families, The Church, Parent's Rights, Abuse of Authority)

8.     Socialization or Socialism

9.     Developing a Family Ministry

10.     Common Excuses to Keep From Homeschooling (Money, Qualifications, Resources, Inadequate Education, Time, Children as "salt and light", Sports and Extra-curricular Activities, College)

Complete, well-reasoned, scriptural and convicting are only a few of the ways to describe this gem!

I have to admit that this book takes a while to read because there is so much to take in.  If you are concerned about presenting your children with a Biblical Worldview while teaching them about academic subjects and life you should definitely read this!!

In addition, if you'd like to know more about the author click here to see an interview by Christianbook.com (purchase information is included also) or click here to visit Israel's website.

You can also click here to go to his Facebook page.

Because this is soooo good I want to share it with one of my readers.  For a chance to win this book:

1.  Leave me a comment telling me why you're interested in this book 
2.  For a second chance, visit Israel's Facebook page and "like" him.
3.  For another chance, visit the Wisdom's Gate site at http://www.wisdomsgate.com/ and mention which of their products looks interesting.
4.  For 5 more chances, blog about this review and giveaway and send me the link.

Drawing will be April 20th.  Good luck all.  Blessings!

Winner, Winner, Winner - See The Light Easter DVD

Congratulations to Friday's giveaway winner Wendi!!  Watch for an e-mail to verify your address.

Come and "See The Light" with The Crossmaker DVD Giveaway

"The Crossmaker" DVD
See The Light - Drawing Children To Him
2010 Legacy 4 God Publishing, LLC

http://www.SeeTheLightShine.com
http://www.facebook.com/SeeTheLightShineArt
To read other reviews/purchase this DVD at Amazon click here

I recently received a free copy of "The Crossmaker" DVD from See The Light to watch in return for an honest review of the product.  Let me tell you about this interactive DVD full of some of the best chalk art I've seen.  What a great combination - learning about the Bible and art at the same time! 

Contents:

This DVD contains the Easter Story and a number of art lessons using creative lettering (adding color and illustration to words), chalk pastel drawing, and water colors.

The Easter Story is told through the story of a boy, the son of a carpenter, who finds himself at the trial of Jesus.  The boy finds out that the cross he helped make was to be used during Christ's crucifixion.  The boy then has a face-to-face meeting with the risen Christ and learns about God's love.  The story is richly illustrated with colorful and realistic scenes. (16 minutes)

Art Lessons

**Creative Lettering - GLORY!  (28 minutes)  - this artist teaches creative lettering by adding color to the word Glory to "show" the meaning 

**Drawing Lesson Using Chalk Pastels - He is Not Here!  He is Risen!  (32 minutes)  - this artist leads step-by-step drawing lessons using chalk pastels

**A Water Color Tutorial - Three Crosses on a Hill - (25 minutes) 

&  great  Bonus Features

**Music performed by Jan Roper and Keven Dukes - "Breathing Room" - while the Easter Story is drawn
**The plan of salvation     **Commentary by the chalk artist     **The See The Light team

What I liked:  This has beautiful chalk drawings and uses an interesting "black light reveal" that makes the pictures come alive.  The story about the carpenter's son, Dominic, was easy to follow and quite moving with the illustrations.  The DVD indicates the story is for ages 3+ and the Art Lessons are for ages 6+.  I think those are pretty good age ranges for this DVD.  Having said that, I think adults will enjoy this DVD as much or more than their children.  The lessons are easy to follow and produce beautiful results quickly.  See The Light has a winner with this DVD.  I'm anxious to check out their Christmas materials.

I had a hard time finding anything I didn't like about the story and lessons on "The Crossmaker".   I wish there had been more art lessons for us to try.  I'm thinking we'll be checking out more from See The Light Shine.  Check this out if you're looking for new ways to reach your children with art.

Comments and observations are my own.  I was not obligated to provide a positive review of this product. 

GIVEAWAY!!!  I also was provided with an extra copy of this great DVD to giveaway to one lucky winner - to be received before Easter.  Drawing to be held April 15 at noon.

To have a chance to win all you have to do is visit www.SeeTheLightShine.com and leave a comment here about something interesting on their site. 

For a second chance to win "like" SeeTheLight on Facebook, you can do this from their website. 

For a third chance to win follow Pondering on the Prairie on Google Friend Connect or "like" Pondering on the Prairie on Facebook then let me know in a comment.

Blessings to all who enter! 

"Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog.  Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

And The Winner Is . . .

The winner of the Rebecca St. James CD is Heidi.
Watch for an e-mail to verify your address.  Thanks to all who entered.

Science Weekly - A TOS Review

Science Weekly
CAM Publishing Group, Inc.
attn - Subscriptions
P.O. Box 70638
Chevy Chase, MD 20813-0638

Email: inquiries@scienceweekly.com

Toll Free: 1.800.4.WEEKLY
(1.800.493.3559)
Phone: 301.680.8804
Fax: 301.680.9240




As seen on the Science Weekly website at www.scienceweekly.com.

 We've been trying a fun science supplement of late.  I received a free issue of each level of one topic of the Science Weekly periodical and a copy of the related Teacher Notes to use and review as part of the TOS Review Crew.  Let me tell you a bit about what this supplement includes.

Science Weekly is a supplementary instructional periodical, "paper",  (think four page newspaper) for parents and/or teachers, designed to help their students improve higher-ordered skills in science‚ math‚ reading and writing.  This product is for public or private schools or homeschoolers.  Science Weekly is published fifteen times per year, twice per month in September, October, November, January, February, March and April, and once in December.
Each colorfully illustrated issue of Science Weekly is written at six reading levels‚ covering grades K–6. (Yes, that means parents with two or more children can order the same topic for each child, on their individual ability levels.)  In each issue there are hands-on activities which integrate reading‚ writing‚ science‚ math‚ and technology.  The price is fairly reasonable at $19.95 per child‚ per year.  (payable in advance) (individual rate for orders less than 20 subscriptions to the same address)    Classroom subscription rates (minimum of 20 to same address) are  $4.95 per student, per school year.  There is a lot of information in these subscriptions - no wasted money here.

Science Weekly explores a great variety of topics such as Pulleys, Cats, The Flu, Glass, Fractions, Composting, The Science of Movies, The Science of Money, Scuba Diving, Poisonous Animals, Caves, Teeth, Deserts, Green Buildings, and The Moon.  This research-based publication focuses on the four key content areas: Biological science, Life science, Physical science, and Technology.

The Science Weekly issue that we received to review was about The Flu.  Along with general information about influenza, there were vocabulary explanations and suggestions to stay healthy.  The inside pages contained a section of Vocabulary questions and a section of related Math questions.  These sections were followed by a "Weekly Lab" about how vaccines work.  The next activity was about "Writing in Science".  The scientific method (including "research question", "hypothesis", "procedure" or "method", "materials" used and "results" and "conclusions") was used to explain observations and conclusions from the weekly lab.  The last page contained a "Challenge" activity about  about virus receptors.  This section was followed by "Meet the Scientist", an article about an infectious disease expert.

Teaching Notes are also included to explain the information presented at the various levels.  Activities from the student Science Weekly paper are explained, and answers are provided.  Suggested questions and Weekly Resources are also included. (recommended resources and internet resource links)


In addition to the hands-on papers, there is also an interactive online option.  The interactive online material is set up like a digital book, but on the last page are links allowing you to print the material from a pdf file, like the hands-on papers, along with answers to the activities.  Downloadable pdf file coloring books on a variety of topics are also available. 

Our favorite part of the issue was the "cool" lab about how vaccines work.  Being the teacher mom, I was glad to see all of the vocabulary and math too!  The various levels of the periodical seemed appropriate to the grade levels indicated.  This teacher mom also likes the very helpful Teaching Notes and Weekly Resources.  It was great to be able to go to the website to look at and print the online interactive materials and coloring books.  I think this one is worth checking out if you need/want a supplement to make science more fun for your students.

I received this product free from the vendor in exchange for an honest review of the product as a member of the TOS Review Crew.  Observations and comments are my own.  I am not obligated to provide a positive review.  No further compensation was received.

To find out more about Science Weekly click here
To check out the interactive version of this product click here
To check out the downloadable coloring books click here


To see what other TOS crew members had to say about Science Weekly click here

Chugga, Chugga, Chugga, Chugga - Chuggington Chuggers To The Rescue DVD Giveaway

Chuggington Chuggers To The Rescue DVD
Released 4/5/2011

Okay, this giveaway is  not my own but definitely worth checking out if you have any train fans.

This is the second Chuggington DVD.  Chuggington is an international TV series about Chuggington Train and his friends that airs on Playhouse Disney.  If you have a preschooler that is a Thomas the Train fan you should check out this giveaway on Thrifty Jinxy's blog.  The DVD contains 6 episodes your kids will enjoy.  Besides, we all need a new song in our head, right?  Chugga, Chugga, Chugga, Chugga Chuggington!

To find out more about the DVD and enter the giveaway go to www.thriftyjinxy.com .  All entries must be received by 11:59 PM CST 4/27/11.   While you're checking out the giveaway post spend some time checking out Jinxy's site too.  Lots of good stuff there!!

Rebecca St. James CD Giveaway

Rebecca St. James - "I Will Praise You"


Released 4/5/2011

Produced by Mark A. Miller
2011 Provident Label Group LLC, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Distributed in the USA by
ProvidentIntegrity Distribution, 741 Cool Springs Blvd., Franklin, TN 37067


This CD is Rebecca's first studio project since 2005. It was definitely worth the wait.   Only 2 more days until there's a lucky winner of this giveaway!!! 

I get to give a copy of the CD to some lucky winner. All that is required to enter my giveaway is one thing - leave a comment telling me your favorite Rebecca St. James song. If you don't have one yet I suspect you will after listening to this CD. (insert big grin here) Random drawing will be held at noon on April 8th.



But wait, I'm not the only one with a giveaway of this CD!  Here are several more blogs to check out along with their drawing dates.  Stop by and visit each one to raise your chances of winning.  Blessings to all.

4/8
 http://myhomeschoolgarden.com/2011/04/04/rebecca-st-james-review-giveaway/

 http://homeschoolblogger.com/alifebetterthanidese/784674/
 http://sistertipster.blogspot.com/2011/04/welcome-to-partysistert-is-partying.html
 http://homeschoolblogger.com/elcloud/785173/

4/9
 http://debrakb.blogspot.com/2011/04/review-and-giveaway-rebecca-st-james.html
 http://www.accidentallyhomeschooling.com/2011/04/giveaway-rebecca-st-james-i-will-praise.html

4/10
 http://thecowqueen.blogspot.com/2011/04/i-will-praise-you-cd-review-giveaway.html

4/11
 http://ahouseupontherock.com/review/rebecca-st-james-review-giveaway/
 http://walkinghomesk.blogspot.com/2011/04/i-will-praise-you-and-giveaway.html

4/12
 http://glimpseofourlife.blogspot.com/2011/04/review-and-giveaway-rebecca-st-james-cd.html
 http://acornsnuggetsofgold.blogspot.com/2011/04/released-today-rebecca-st-james-cd-i.html
 http://aliveinspirit.com/wordpress/2011/04/04/rebecca-st-james-i-will-praise-you-cd-giveaway-thru-41011/
 http://www.joyinourjourney.com/1/post/2011/04/rebecca-st-james-i-will-praise-you-cd-and-giveaway.html
 http://mcclanahan7.blogspot.com/2011/04/rebecca-st-james-i-will-praise-you.html


4/13
 http://ourhomeschoolreviews.blogspot.com/2011/04/rebecca-st-james-cd-giveaway.html

4/14
 http://thelegacyofhome.blogspot.com/2011/04/i-will-praise-you-cd-giveaway.html

4/15
 http://marinecorpsnomads.com/2011/04/rebecca-st-james-i-will-praise-you.html
 http://reedpartyof6.blogspot.com/2011/04/i-will-praise-you-by-rebecca-st-james.html


4/18
 http://homeschoolblogger.com/guidinglight/786373/
 http://homeschoolblogger.com/brindamorr/?p=1870

Rebecca says the collection is "her most personal recording to date."  This is some seriously great worship music. With songs such as I Will Praise You, You Never Let Go, Shine Your Glory Down, and You Still Amaze Me one can't help but praise and worship God--and thank him for the wonderful voice and heart of Rebecca St. James. The CD contains 10 songs which fill this listener with a true sense of the gentleness and power of the one true God that Rebecca sings about. This CD is such a blessing!


If you'd like to share in the preview of the CD stop by and join Rebecca's LISTENING PARTY at http:/rsjames.com/listeningparty


Or you can visit Rebecca's website at http://www.rsjames.com

Or her Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/rsjames

Or hear Rebecca explain her song Shine Your Glory Down at http://rsjames.com/updates/2011/3/22/video-rebecca-explains-her-song-shine-your-glory-down.html

To purchase the CD visit Amazon at http:///amzn.to/ggOroA

"Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Rebecca St. James - New CD - I Will Praise You - and one to share

Rebecca St. James - "I Will Praise You" 

Releases 4/5/2011

Produced by Mark A. Miller
2011 Provident Label Group LLC, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Distributed in the USA by
ProvidentIntegrity Distribution, 741 Cool Springs Blvd., Franklin, TN 37067


We've been fans of Rebecca's music since we first heard her, and when I was asked if I would listen to this new worship CD and write a review to share my thoughts of course I was excited.  This CD is Rebecca's first studio project since 2005.  It was definitely worth the wait. 

Rebecca says the collection is "her most personal recording to date."  I'd have to say this was quite evident in her song choices.  This is some seriously great worship music.  With songs such as I Will Praise You, You Never Let Go, Shine Your Glory Down, and You Still Amaze Me one can't help but praise and worship God--and thank him for the wonderful voice and heart of Rebecca St. James.  The CD contains 10 songs which  fill this listener with a true sense of the gentleness and power of the one true God that Rebecca sings about.  This CD is such a blessing!

If you'd like to share in the preview of the CD stop by and join Rebecca's LISTENING PARTY at http:/rsjames.com/listeningparty 

Or you can visit Rebecca's website at http://www.rsjames.com

Or her Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/rsjames

Or hear Rebecca explain her song Shine Your Glory Down at http://rsjames.com/updates/2011/3/22/video-rebecca-explains-her-song-shine-your-glory-down.html

To purchase the CD visit Amazon at http:///amzn.to/ggOroA


Now the fun part...

I get to give a copy of the CD to some lucky winner.  All that is required to enter the giveaway drawing is one thing - leave a comment telling me your favorite Rebecca St. James song.  If you don't have one yet I suspect you will after listening to this CD. (insert big grin here)   Random drawing will be held at noon on April 8th.

Blessings to you all!

"Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog.  Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255:  "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."



Zeezok - ZGuide to the Movies - My Side of the Mountain - TOS Review

My Side of the Mountain

Z-guide to the Movies CD

Zeezok Publishing, LLC,
PO Box 1960, Elyria, OH 44036

info@Zeezok.com   (800) 749-1681

Z-Guide to the Movies – My Side of the Mountain

Written by Tim Spickler, M.Ed.

ISBN 97801061006-002-8

Copyright Zeezok Publishing, LLC 2010

While looking for something new to do with my teenage daughter, I recently revisited an old movie favorite of mine, My Side of the Mountain, based on the book by Jean Craighead George.  It's a story about a boy named Sam Gribley, who wants to escape the big-town life in Toronto, and his wilderness experience.  Sam considers Henry David Thoreau (writer, poet, naturalist) to be his hero.  After leaving a note for his parents, Sam rides a bus to the small town of Knowlton, Quebec with his pet raccoon Gus. Sam has a goal of living by himself, off the land, for a year to learn more about nature, himself, and algae.  As pre-1840 fur trade reenactors our family has learned and used a lot of survival skills while out "in camp" so this story was a fun one to look at closer. 

After we had great fun watching the movie, we spent some quality time learning more about the film and some of the movie topics through the use of a Zeezok Publishing Z-Guide to the movie.  I received this guide free from Zeezok to use and review for this blog post. 

The guide contains a topic overview, movie synopsis, and ten learning activities. We learned more about Henry David Thoreau and peregrine   falcons, made a plan for our own wilderness adventure, complete with a self-designed shelter for living out in the wild) and talked about the good and bad experiences that led to Sam's choices in the movie.  We discussed the pros and cons of hunting, with a gun and with a falcon.  Later we'll be discussing Thoreau and   "civil disobedience".  At the end of the Guide there is a helpful bibliography list with suggested resources for additional reading and study.  We'll being looking at those resources in days to come.  We'll be doing some further nature study (when the snow ever quits, heavy sigh)  and hopefully some journaling.  I'm hoping we'll have a chance to find out more about Thoreau and his writings as well as the areas mentioned in Canada.

The Z-Guide for My Side of the Mountain contains a Table of Contents, a How to Use This Guide
Topic Overview and more including: Movie Review Questions, More about Henry David Thoreau, Surviving/Thriving in the Wilderness, Design Your Own Wilderness Home, More on the Peregrine Falcon, My Side of the Mountain Alternative Ending, Spelling/Grammar Activity, My Side of the Mountain Personal Nature Walk, Worldview Activity, Civil Disobedience Memorization Passage, My Side of the Mountain Word Search, Family Discussion, Additional Resources for Further Study, Answer Key. 

This Guide is for middle school level students.  The CD contains a printable pdf file of the study guide.  (You have to purchase the movie separately, but Zeezok carries the movie too.)   What a great way to use media with any curriculum -- reading, research, writing, grammar, natural science and survival skills all in one place--and don't forget the great family movie.  The suggested age level appears to be about right due to a few more mature concepts, but I think older students might enjoy this study also.  The student using the Guide is able to get a thorough understanding of the movie and the concepts included while having a bit of creative fun.  We enjoyed this study and may likely pick another movie guide to do later.  The price is reasonable for the varied content and activities at only $12.99.  While Zeezok does sell the movies to go with their guides, I must admit that I purchased mine elsewhere.  I think that this guide would also be good to do again at a later time, when children are a bit older, to further their understanding of some of Thoreau's ideas and writings.  All in all, a thumbs-up at our house.

To visit the Zeezok website for more information about their products click here
To check out this and other Z-Guides click here

**Current Z-Guides include:  Twelve Angry Men, A Man For All Seasons, A Tale of Two Cities, Amazing Grace, Ben Hur, Cromwell, Driving Miss Daisy, Father Goose, Flyboys, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, Inherit the Wind, Jason and the Argonauts, Johnny Tremain, Kit Kittredge, Knights of the Round Table, Les Miserables, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, My Side of the Mountain, One Night With the King, Scarlet Pimpernel, Sergeant York, The Adventures of Robin Hood, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, The Count of Monte Cristo, The Hiding Place, The Red Badge of Courage, The Ten Commandments, and To Kill a Mockingbird.



To see what other TOS crew members thought of this and other Zeezok Z-Guides to the Movies click here

I received this product free from Zeezok to use for the purpose of this review.  Comments and observations are my own.  I am not obligated to give a positive review.  I received no further compensation.

Another Winner

The winner of the Melaleuca gift pack giveaway is Jennifer.   You will receive an e-mail to verify your address.  Blessings to all who entered.  Watch here for an Easter giveaway next week.

Giveaway -  Melaleuca Gift Pack

Yes, my cupboards are overflowing with stuff - again. 

These are great products, eco-friendly, kid-safe, and very effective.

Items included in this giveaway:

 1.    4 oz. Sol-U-Mel  Stain Remover Concentrate (will clean up about anything we've tried)

2.    1 bottle Activate Immune Complex (60 capsules)  (Does wonders for the common cold)

3.    .5 oz. tube Dermatin - Clotrimazole Antifungal Cream (for Athlete's Foot, Jock Itch, and Ringworm)

To have a chance to win all you have to do is:

1. Leave a comment indicating interest.

****************

2. For another entry, click to follow me on Google Connect, or tell me you already follow.

****************

3. For an additional entry, click to follow me on Facebook Networked Blogs, or tell me you already follow.

****************

4. For one more entry, go to the "Pondering on the Prairie" page and Facebook and click Like.

The lucky winner will be picked randomly from all entries and posted on Friday, April 1, 2011.

Ecology For Every Kid - Winner!

Oh Beverly, you'll be learning about/teaching Ecology the fun way.  Congratulations.  (My darling daughter randomly picked your entry - and was tickled to take part by the way)

You will receive an e-mail to verify your address.

Thanks everyone!  Blessings.

Watch here for more giveaways.  Some that will be coming up are a Todd Wilson book, See the Light's The Crossmaker Easter Story & Art Lessons DVD, a Rebecca St. James CD and more.

We Have a Winner - The Art of Bread Making

Thanks everyone for making this first giveaway fun. 

Keep watching here for upcoming giveaways.  In addition to Janice VanCleaves Ecology for Every Kid (drawing to be held March 25th), I'll be having an Easter geared DVD coming up too.  I have a couple others up my sleeve too.





Congratulations to the lucky winner Tristan !  You'll be receiving an e-mail to verify your address. 

It's Another Giveaway - Ecology for Every Kid by Janice VanCleave

It's Another Giveaway!! 

I recently got a copy of this thinking it might be helpful to someone.  If you'd like that someone to be you just follow the directions below.

Janice VanCleave's Ecology for Every Kid

Easy Activities That Make Learning Science Fun

Some of the lessons in the book include:

• Space Sharers - What Ecology is About
• Connections - How Plants and Animals Live with and Affect Each Other
• Food Chain - How Plants and Animals Are Linked by Food
• Up and Down - Learning About the Water Cycle
• Boundaries - Understanding Ecosystems and Biomes
• Woodlands - Learning about Plants and Animals in Forest Biomes
• Watery Home - Learning about Plants and Animals in Ocean Ecosystems
• Good and Bad - How Plastics Affect the Environment
• Endangered - Learning about Endangered Animals 

          There are 25 lessons in all as well as a glossary of terms.   

To have a chance to win this book all you have to do is:

1. Leave a comment as to whether you've used any other books by the author and what you thought of them.

****************

2. For another entry, click to follow me on Google Connect, or tell me you already follow.

****************

3. For an additional entry, click to follow me on Facebook Networked Blogs, or tell me you already follow.

****************

4. For one more entry, go to the "Pondering on the Prairie" page and Facebook and click Like.

The lucky winner will be picked randomly from all entries and posted on Friday, March 25, 2011.

 

Good luck!

 

 

 





Who Is God? And Can I Really Know Him? - Another TOS Review Favorite

Who Is God and Can I Really Know Him?

Biblical Worldview of God and Truth
John Hay & David Webb    2009    

What We Believe Series
Apologia Educational Ministries, Inc.
22 Town Farm Road Bldg #13
Westford, MA 01886

Curriculum Help
Apologia Educational Ministries, Inc.
1106 Meridian Plaza, Suite 220
Anderson, IN 46016
biblicalworldview@apologia.com
http://www.apologia.com/

253 full-color, indexed pages, hardcover
ISBN-13: 9781935495079
Retail: $39.00

We've recently been reading Who Is God?  And Can I Really Know Him? by John Hay and David Webb.  Let me tell you a bit about this wonderful book I recently received free from Apologia Educational Ministries in return for an honest review of the contents.

Do you have a hard time sharing what you believe about God with others?  Do  you have a hard time sharing it with your children?  Do you or your children have a hard time sharing it with others?  Do you want to make sure your children look at things from a Christian worldview?   Check out what this beautiful book has to offer:

• Eye-appealing colorful pictures
• Easy to read larger type font
• Vocabulary definitions 
• Bible verses to "hide" in the hearts of your children
• Thoughtful prayers
• Nicely outlined notebooking activities
• Thought-provoking questions
• Interesting Quotes
• Interesting Stories
• Basic Christian Truths and Biblical references from 8 different Bible versions 
• Pictures of works of art by significant artists
• Biographical Sections about famous people
• There are even recipes for Phenomenal Brownies, S'mores Clusters and Creamy Mango Sorbet!

This book guides readers through a conversational, family-inclusive study of Bible concepts and introduces a Biblical worldview.  It's the first book in the What We Believe series which also includes:

Volume 2 - Who Am I? (And Why Am I Here?)
Biblical Worldview of Self-Image ISBN 978-1-935495-08-6 (Summer 2010)

Volume 3 - Who Is My Brother? (And Why Do We Need Each Other?)
Biblical Worldview of Servanthood ISBN 978-1-935495-09-3 (2011)

Volume 4 - What On Earth Can I Do?
Biblical Worldview of Stewardship ISBN 978-1-935495-10-9 (2012)

The information in the book is presented in 10 different lessons, written directly to students ages 6 to 14, which contain:

• The Big Idea (main topic introduction)
• What You Will Do (learning objectives)
• Short Story (about children of ages similar to your child)
• Think About It (questions to dig deeper)
• Words You Need to Know (vocabulary significant to the lesson)
• Hide It in Your Heart (verses to memorize)
• Integrated Learning (additional articles on various related topics)
• What Should I Do (godly character traits for your child to strive for)
• Prayer (adaptable to individual or family use)
• Worldview Study (Biblical emphasis)
• House of Truth (a visual model memory-aid)

The book suggests a lesson plan based on 2 weeks per lesson, 3 days per week.  (This is very flexible, however, to allow your child to learn at their own pace.)  Additional teaching materials are available through the Apologia website at www.apologia.com/bookextras (using a password you will find in the book), and Notebooking activities are presented to create deeper learning opportunities.

Lessons Included:

• Lesson 1:  Where Am I Building My Life?
• Lesson 2:  How Can I Know What's True?
• Lesson 3:  What Is God Like (Part 1)
• Lesson 4:  What Is God Like (Part 2)
• Lesson 5:  Who Are The Father, The Son, And The Holy Spirit?
• Lesson 6:  If God Created The World, Why Isn't It Perfect?
• Lesson 7:  Why Did God Create Me?
• Lesson 8:  Will God Meet All My Needs?
• Lesson 9:  Why Does Sin Keep Me From Knowing God?
• Lesson 10:  Is Jesus The Only Way To God?

We enjoyed this book and the way it is presented.  Favorite parts included the extra articles, stories, and worldview-focused sections.  My daughter liked the stories and thought they tied in well with the lessons.
The lessons definitely held her interest.  The ages suggested for this book are pretty accurate, in my opinion.  Having said that, the book can also be used and enjoyed by children a bit older too, probably up to age 16.  Older children can definitely read this on their own, but we did the read-aloud thing for more discussion.

My favorite parts were the Biblical references, the vocabulary section, the notebooking activities and the memory verses.  This book is beautiful and content-rich.  I had a hard time thinking of anything that I didn't like about this book.  I guess if there were anything I would do different it would be to stick with one Bible version.  Then again, we all have a favorite version so the mixture was okay.  The cost may look a bit expensive, but I think this one is worth it.  (And I'm a thrift store shopper that rarely buys anything new!)  I suspect we'll be checking into the other volumes too! 

I received a free copy of this book from the vendor in return for an honest review.  All comments and opinions are my own.  I was not obligated to provide a positive review.  No further compensation was received.
                        

To see what other TOS Homeschool Crew members had to say about this book click here

  

Homestead Blessings - The Art of Bread Making - It's a Giveaway!!

Homestead Blessings - The Art of Bread Making - It's a Giveaway!!

Bread, any way you slice it, it's a staple in a lot of homes.  I have a DVD of "Homestead Blessings: The Art of Bread Making" to give away.  A Franklin Springs Family Media Presentation, this DVD is hosted by Vicki, Jasmine, Hannah & Cece West.  This 56 minute DVD teaches the wonderful skill of how to make bread.  The West Ladies share advice, practical tips and even recipes.  This was educational and entertaining to watch and would be great for teaching children this wonderful "art".   

Come on, who doesn't like the smell of baking bread? 

To have a chance to win this DVD all you have to do is:

1.  Leave me a comment that you're interested in the DVD.

****************

2.  For another entry, click to follow me on Google Connect.

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3.  For an additional entry, click to follow me on Facebook Networked Blogs.

The lucky winner will be picked randomly from all entries and posted on Friday, March 18, 2011.   

Good luck!

MathRider - A TOS Product Review

MathRider
Sharper Edge Pty Ltd
31 Hannah Street
Beecroft NSW 2119
Australia
Phone: +61 2 9980 2437
Office hours: 9am to 5pm (East Australian Time – GMT+10), Mon-Fri
Compatible with Windows, Mac OSX and Linux
Current sale price - US $37.

Instant download access

Age range 6-10 years old

"30 Day Risk-Free Guarantee"  (If for ANY reason you or your child are dissatisfied with MathRider, to get a 100% refund just contact the company within 30 days after purchasing.


Caution:  You are now entering the Mathlands . . .

We recently have been using a downloadable math game from Australia.  Let me tell you about this fun supplemental way to learn basic math.  MathRider is a new math game for kids to practice the number facts of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division from 1 to 12.

The download and registration of this game is pretty easy, although you may have to download Adobe AIR if you don't have it.  After downloading, your "rider" is easily added on the Rider Menu.



In the game the player rides on different quests and learns each of the 4 math operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication and  division).  While the game is played the computer stores and analyzes what the rider knows and what they still need to practice.  The cool thing about this is that the players get to actually practice what they don't know instead of doing random problems.  There's even an overview map for each number table to see which facts are mastered (answered correctly with consistent speed).

Screenshot from Addition Quest

Each of the four operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division) has four quests, which are the same, but the rewards are different in each quest.  The riders enter answers as they move along the quest.  They pass through the Mathlands, a richly illustrated background.  At the end of the quest the rider gets to see their reward on the main screen of the game.

Quest Progress Map



Along the way your child rides their own horse and takes off on fun adventures, some of which include finding magical flowers, returning gems to elves and rescuing a princess. All your child needs to do is type in the answer to the problem presented and press ‘Enter’.

Below is a picture of one of these overview maps of mastery.  In this subtraction statistics example most areas are green (mastered), but a few orange and red areas (problem areas), need more practice. Grey areas show the problems that have not been played yet.  This kind of feedback allows parents to figure out where their children still need practice.



This game also allows multiple children to play (up to 10 on a single license), and the game tracks each child separately. (They just log in to their own game.)  This feature is great if you have kids at varying skill levels, because the game becomes "their own" based on how well they answer questions on their personal quest.  (For example, you can have a younger child working on addition and subtraction while an older child works on multiplication and division.)  This feature is also great because you pay once rather than per child.

My daughter, a horse lover, thought this game was a fun way to practice her math and gain a bit of speed in solving basic problems. Yes, she asked to do math on her own time - hurray.


This one gets a thumbs up for helping learn basic facts. We weren't that excited about the graphics, but there is good variety for the quests. There are wizards, elves and other fantasy items we don't really care for, but this is worth considering for the inspiration to quickly learn math facts. I'd be interested in seeing this game with different types of quests rather than the fantasy theme.

To see what other TOS Crew members had to say about the game click here

I received a free trial download of this game to use for the purpose of providing an honest review.  Opinions and observations shared are my own.  I am not obligated to provide a positive review.  No further compensation was provided.

What's the Scoop? A TOS Product Review: KidScoop - for Reluctant Readers

Kid Scoop
P.O. Box 1802
Sonoma, CA 95476
Telephone: 707.996.6077
Fax: 707.938.8718
http://www.kidscoop.com/
E-mail: thescoop@kidscoop.com
Geared to grades 2 through 8
Price - $97
365-day money back guarantee

 

We've been using a fun reluctant reader program for the last few weeks.  If you have a child that doesn't really care to read this might be the product you need.  The Reluctant Reader Solution from Kid Scoop is really fun!  This "solution" contains packets of weekly activity pages on a great variety of topics. There are puzzles and games which make the reading both enjoyable and  informative.  The Kid Scoop lessons are geared to state educational standards, making the fun worthwhile effort rather than just "fluff" and "twaddle".


Kid Scoop learning resources are used by both families and schools.  (The company even makes their resources available to local newspapers to publish.)  This weekly newspaper feature is for grades 2 through 8.  My 14 year old daughter found the packets to be fun and interesting.  She's a bookworm now, but she started out very reluctant to read.  She agreed that this would have been a great thing to have used at that time.  She zoomed through the pages I printed, and did all the puzzles, of course.  The product definitely held her interest and "pulled" her in to learn new information.

As a part of the TOS Homeschool Crew I was able to use the downloadable edition with my children.  These great printable packets cover Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies and Journalism by looking at topics such as

• Backpacks
• Bigfoot
• bubblegum
• budgeting
• butterflies
• Cinco De Mayo
• clay play
• Columbus Day
• Easter
• Father’s Day
• fire safety
• fitness
• gardening
• germs
• gorillas
• holidays (traditional winter holidays)
• Louisa May Alcott
• Memorial Day
• MLK day of service
• Mother’s Day
• nutrition labels
• “Old Stormalong” (sailing)
• optical illusions
• otters
• smores
• St Patrick’s Day
• tadpoles
• teasing
• Thanksgiving
• the Maya
• Tom Sawyer
• Valentine’s Day
• and many, many more

All of these great topics are presented in packets of 5-7 worksheets containing information, experiments, games, and puzzles. The pages are very eyecatching.  For $97, you have access to downloadable packets of worksheets covering almost 60 topics and a monthly 20 page online Kid Scoop newspaper in full color.  There's more than enough information to cover a whole year.  Although this looks a bit expensive at first, I think this is probably worth the price if you want to "kick-start" your child reading.  This product received a "thumbs-up" all the way around at our house.

 

 

In addition, Kid Scoop, the online newspaper, is a colorful option, set up similar to the worksheets, containing information on different monthly themes.  Parents and students can either read it online and print just the games and puzzles, or print the entire edition. (There is even an option to listen to the text, spoken by a computer-generated voice.)

Click here to learn more about Reluctant Reader Solution.

  

The Reluctant Reader Solution and Kid Scoop web site contains fun ideas and some freebies too.  You can sign up for a month of ideas sent to your e-mail inbox (free) and follow Kid Scoop on Facebook.  There is also a link to a "kids" section on the website with more fun stuff! 

For other TOS Crew reviews about this product click here 

I received a free download of Reluctant Reader Solution from Kid Scoop for the purpose of using it and providing my opinion.  Opinions and observations stated are my own.  I am not obligated to give a good review.  I received no further compensation.

Just Curious - What's a Red Tide? A TOS Review

E-Book: The Curiosity Files™- Red Tide
2010 The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, LLC
P.O. Box 8426, Gray, TN 37615
http://www.theoldschoolhousestore.com/

 CD of all 9 Curiosity Files (Blue Diamond, Dung Beetle, MRSA, Puffer Fish, Red Tide, Zombie Fire Ants, Blue-footed Booby, Cicada Killing Wasp, Quicksand) - $49

Downloadable E-books of all nine units - $46
(If you're interested in purchasing individual units, please refer to the Old Schoolhouse Store for pricing details.)

What do you know about Red Tides? Why the caution sign above? Think beautiful but deadly. I recently received a free download of the Red Tide E-Book, part of The Curiosity Files science units from TOS to review. This unit is part of a new series from The Old Schoolhouse which contains Explorations With Professor Ana Lyze—Expert in Outlandish Oddities. This is a fun unit study for kids ages 8 to 13, but it can easily be adjusted for younger and older children. There is even a lesson for special needs children included.

In this unit we got to explore the mysteries of red tides. We learned about algae, toxins, food chains, the history of red tide fish kills, oceans, microscopic organisms and more. My 13 year old daughter really enjoyed reading this unit. She found it easy to understand and thought the activities and quizzes included were fun and helpful in learning about these strange occurrences.

Did you know red tides

• are actually a build-up of microscopic algae when certain conditions occur 
• can cause these algae to build up in the tissues of shellfish and make them dangerous to eat 
• are also called Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) 
• are actually all about the algae, not the tides 
• occur almost annually along the Florida waters 
• have been documented since 1844 
• might be caused by something from the Sahara Desert 
• occur worldwide 
• may even go back as far as 10 A.D.

That's a picture of one below.

We talked about the causes of the "red" tide, where these tides occur, how the sea life is affected and things that humans should do for safety if they encounter a red tide. We found out that these occurrences can actually be a number of colors besides "red". We also learned that these tides have been occurring for a very long time and are not just the result of recent pollution or global warming.

Professor Ana Lyze and her team tackle the abnormal and the bizarre things in nature through a variety of lessons. The unit helped us explore the tides through writing, games, math (metric system and percentages) and real life concepts. We learned some new vocabulary and did some copywork too. There were also many links to other places where we could continue our research as we have time. The vocabulary activities and spelling worksheets cover both elementary and middle/high school so I could tweak the unit to fit the skills and needs of my daughter. I really liked that option.  (My daughter was able to use this unit fairly independently.)

In the Lab brought on a scavenger hunt after we talked about food chains and food webs. We looked at some history and checked out timelines and maps. There was such a great variety of materials included in the E-book that we had a hard time fitting it all in. I'm thinking that we'll be taking some of the information we've learned and make a lapbook next. This really was a fun way to learn.

This unit included things like Bible study, discussion topics, memory verses, math, history, geography and much more. We found some really interesting links and other books to read too. We even talked about experiments we'd like to do when things are a bit warmer. We did crosswords and word searches and had fun. (By the way, there are complete answer keys provided for the activities/puzzles.) This unit is 90+ pages, but you can print just those that you want to use.

See other products from this publisher HERE.

  

These units are very reasonably priced for the enormous amount of information and activities included. (See prices above and follow the link to The Old Schoolhouse Store. Another great thing, all E-Books published by The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine come with a 7-day, 100% money-back guarantee!

I received a free download of this E-book in return for an honest review of the product. Opinions and observations are my own, and I am not obligated to provide a positive review. No further compensation was received.

To see what other members of the Homeschool Crew had to say about the Curiosity Files click here

Woohoo - Check It Out

***Check out the comment on the Virtual Nerd post!!  Wonderful deal for homeschoolers!!***


Virtual Nerd
710 N. 2nd Street
Suite 300 S.
St. Louis, MO, 63102
877-677-NERD (6373)
info@virtualnerd.com
http://www.facebook.com/virtualnerd

Deal to Homeschoolers ~ 50% off their "1 & 3 Month Plans".

The Comment from Virtual Nerd added to my review post says:

"We are pleased to inform you that because Virtual Nerd www.VirtualNerd.com has received such significant interest following your review of our online tutoring service, we are offering a special discount to homeschool parents.


Homeschool parents can receive 50% off the 1 and 3 month subscription plans.

Just enter the discount code: homeschooldeal when you sign up for service. The offer is valid until March 31, 2011! "

Wow, this is a great deal if you're interested in trying their online tutoring!  Blessings to you all.

Can You DigIt? Roman Town - A TOS Product Review

Dig-It! Games - Roman Town
info@dig-itgames.com, or 1-877-21DIGIT (1-877-213-4448)

For 5th to 8th graders, kids from 8 to 88

ROMAN TOWN: THE PREMIERE ARCHAEOLOGY INTERACTIVE COMPUTER GAME FOR KIDS (CD) Price $39.95


ROMAN TOWN TEACHERS EDITION (CD)
A multiple-use version of Roman Town for the classroom setting. Pricing is on a per-license basis.
Price $299


ROMAN TOWN EDUCATOR'S MANUAL (Download)
Price $19.95

The Educator's Manual is available for download, and the game is on CD.

                                                      ***For a Limited Time Only***
****Until February 21, 2011, TOS Crew Readers can get 20% off the 2010 price of $24.95.  If you use the coupon code TOS2011 you get $15 off the 2011 price PLUS an additional 20%...so price is $19.96!

This winner of the National Parenting Center’s 2010 Seal of Approval and Dr. Toy’s Best Vacation Products Award was created by an archaeologist and former middle school educator.  Her blog is linked to the game website for further information.

Have you ever thought about sending your kids looking for buried treasure?  Have you ever wished your kids could play in dirt without getting dirty?  If you answered yes to either of these questions you should check out this fun game we've been playing.

Roman Town is a historically accurate archaeological simulation game which allows kids to learn about Fossura, a Roman town destroyed in 79 AD when Mount Vesuvius erupted. In this interactive game players excavate buildings, find ancient artifacts, and dig up treasures. Roman culture, society, and history become real to your kids during “hands-on” discovery, analysis, and problem solving.

At this authentic dig site players send out their team and participate in a complete excavation. Players get to dig, analyze, sort and reconstruct the site while learning about Roman art, architecture, language and artifacts.

There are six levels to the complete excavation, but they may be played at different times and can be saved for later. In addition, players find something different every time they play. The game contains realistic 3D graphics of artifacts.

 Kids actually get to remove dirt layer by layer, and reconstruct rare artifacts piece by piece.

Roman Town is fun for any age, with no violence or inappropriate material. You can’t play the game without learning something. Kids learn new vocabulary, think through puzzles and get a taste of what archaeology is really about.  My 5 year old loved "digging" with the computer mouse to find the artifacts/treasures .  He was getting up in the morning saying he wanted to "dig".  He was going to bed saying he wanted to "dig".  This boy is really "digging" this game.  My 13 year old liked the game, but she figured out I was getting her to learn something too so had to act like she was really "helping" her brother.

Roman Town is currently only available in a Windows version. The MAC version of Roman Town is coming soon according to the website.

The game has a really interesting feature.  The L.E.A.R.N., Locate Engrossing And Remarkable Knowledge, interactive, in-game encyclopedia, lets kids learn at their own pace. Kids can choose to LEARN more from related articles in the encyclopedia. Throughout the game are quizzes on LEARN to test players’ knowledge. 

We really like this game.  We found out you really do find something different each time too!  It was fun to find out more about archaeology and a real ancient Roman town.  This game is definitely a fun way to learn some ancient history.  For my little pirate lover the "digging for treasure" concept was wonderful.  Now, if I could use something like this for all those other topics ... hmmm.  This game got "thumbs up" all the way around at our house.  Definitely worth the price for fun learning.  If you're even slightly interested, you really should get this game - especially now while it's so cheap with the TOS coupon code!
 

The website also contains links to archaeological resource sites for further information and articles.  We'll be checking those out as we continue to play the game.  To see more information click here

To see what other TOS Crew reviewers thought of Roman Town click here

As a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew I received a free download of Roman Town to try in return for a fair and honest review.  The observations and opinions stated here are my own.  I received no further compensation.