Middle School » The Curriculum Choice

Sisters in the Wilderness, an Introduction to Canadian History and Literature

Elementary, Geography, High School, Highschool, History, Literature, Living books, Middle School No Responses »

Feb 222012

Here’s a wonderful introduction to Canadian history and literature for the whole family: Sisters in the Wilderness. This DVD portrays the mid-19^th century pioneer life of two sisters who sailed from England expecting an easy existence in the Canadian bush. Incorporating both contemporary artwork and dramatization, this quality film full of beauty, pathos, humanity, and history tells the story of Susannah Moodie and Catharine Parr Traill, both writers. Their two families settled in the bush close to each other and, after years of hardship, moved to town. Throughout their lives both Catharine and Susannah continued to write about their experiences. The movie Sisters in the Wilderness is based on their books.

Although not designed as a curriculum, Sisters in the Wilderness can be used as the basis for a thorough study of Upper Canada pioneer life. It shows

the English background of many immigrants,
the ocean journey,
the arrival in Canada,
survival and adaptation in winter and summer,
hardship and ingenuity,
the Rebellion of 1837
and so much more.

Each element of this beautifully produced movie highlights a fascinating aspect of the history of Upper Canada in the middle of the 19^th century and beyond.

After watching Sisters in the Wilderness and seeing how real pioneer families lived, younger students understand A Pioneer Story much better.

Sisters in the Wilderness gives older students an appealing introduction to the two women’s books as well.

Catharine Parr Traill, the optimistic sister, wrote The Backwoods of Canada, focusing on hints for new colonists and on nature. There is a wealth of practical and everyday history in Catharine’s writing. This book is part of our Canadian geography curriculum.
Susannah Moodie, more gloomy and literary, wrote the famous book Roughing it in the Bush. This sombre personal history of an upper class British gentlewoman trying to survive in the woods was written as a warning to those ‘back home’ who were considering such a move. Roughing it in the Bush has become one of the foundational works in Canadian literature, greatly influencing it in modern times.

In summary, Sisters in the Wilderness, available from Northwoods Press, introduces the whole family to Canadian pioneer life in a delightful way and sets teens on the path to studying Canadian literature.

Disclosure: I received a review copy of Sisters in the Wilderness from Northwoods Press.

Written by Annie Kate, a Christian homeschooling mom of five, who reviews and blogs at Tea Time with Annie Kate. You can read her other Curriculum Choice reviews here.

Spectrum Writing-8 Review

Middle School, Writing 1 Response »

Feb 152012

Have you ever wondered how to help your young teens progress with their writing skills? And how to evaluate how they were doing?

We did, when my daughter was 13 years old or so. We looked through a number of great homeschool writing curricula and then chose one that writes to the student: SPECTRUM WRITING grade 8. We love their writing exercises and how well they describe the steps of the Writing Process, in clear, simple language. Each chapter includes a section which helped me to evaluate my daughter’s work, right along side her.

SPECTRUM WRITING grade 8 – offers a variety of essays and fiction activities to chose from. I followed my daughter’s interests, and had her pick which she would like to do. She decided to try short stories first and later take on essay writing. By the time she was ready to tackle the essay writing, the story writing practice made her writing confidence strong.

As a published writer myself, secondary to being a homeschooler, I recommend starting with whatever writing is the most comfortable and familiar. For example, a child who loves science might like to try Chapter 6, as it is the most like science experiment write-ups. The young cook might like Informational Essays, as they are step-by-step similar to recipes. It’s all a matter of putting pen to the page!

Pick and choose what works for your young writers. In our homeschool, we started with Chapter 4, then went on to Persuasive Writing much later.

SPECTRUM WRITING grade 8 – Chapters:

Writing Basics
Expressive Writing (includes personal narrative)
Descriptive Writing (includes sensory)
To entertain (story writing)
Persuasive Writing (debate kids would love this chapter)
Explanatory Writing (such as science experiment write-ups)
Informational (includes recipes, how to’s)

After each activity or assignment there is a section called “Revise” which includes questions to help the teacher evaluate the student’s work. Each question guided me as to what to expect from the work.

Benefits of SPECTRUM WRITING grade 8:

Written directly to the student.
Each chapter has sequential writing activities, which are straight forward and easy to follow.
Writing terms, such as “voice” are defined clearly.
Reviews writing basics, and includes fiction writing and a variety of essays .
Includes many clearly written forms which help the student to put her thoughts down on paper.

When my daughter finished, her story writing was ready for essays. Next, we chose persuasive writing. First there was a web form, to help generate ideas. Then to build the essay, another form was used to list each of her points, see photo.

Once the first draft was written, she worked on editing and then publishing her writing in its final form. My daughter enjoyed printing it out from her computer.

We always waited to discuss any grammar, spelling or mechanics issues until after the first draft. That helped the words find their place on the page! My suggestion is whatever helps the creativity and work to flow out. Whatever the student writes, follow his or her interests, and the writing skills will follow, too.

For more information, please visit www.FrankSchaffer.com

Watch for more SPECTRUM WRITING reviews in the future, from K to 12.

~Written by Betsy, a veteran homeschooler who likes unit studies and offers Homeschool Consulting, as a volunteer, to new and experienced families. She can be reached on her Facebook, at Jane Sproger.

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Online Learning with Clever Dragons

Geography, Mathematics, Middle School, Online No Responses »

Feb 082012

Clever Dragons is a really neat online learning tool geared toward BOYS ages 7 – 12 (but my son is 15 and there were still several places he found that were helpful and fun)! Boys. Dragons. Need I say more? *grin* This online program covers all the main areas of teaching: Language Arts, Math, Geography, History and Science. If your boys are anything like mine, sitting and “doing school” is super boring for them, this program allows them to learn while having fun! Please note: online learning is definitely not my favorite but I do enjoy finding things they like to do that also offers them the opportunity to learn – this program meets that need.

Taken directly from their site:

Clever Dragons is an educational and entertaining website exclusively for boys between the ages of 7 and 12. On Clever Dragons boys can access interactive learning materials, play age-appropriate games, view specifically selected videos and communicate with their friends. By completing the learning materials and videos users can earn Gold Coins – the virtual currency on Clever Dragons. This currency can then be used to play games or access other fun content. Together with www.always-icecream.com, its “sister site” for girls, Clever Dragons is the first website that combines all these aspects of online usage in an educational and safe format.

Here is a general breakdown of what is taught at each level:

Beginner (7-8): Basic mulitple choice questions, Basic spelling quizzes, Typing 1 (letters), Instrument Quiz, MiniMe Customization
Intermediate (9-10): Advanced Quizzes & Basic Drills, Language Quizzes (Synonyms), Typing II (words), Classical Music, Anatomy & Health Quizzes
Advanced (11-12): Advanced Drills & Equation Solver, Lanuages Arts Quizzes, Typing III (passages; coming 2012), Clothing Design (coming 2012) and Science Quiz
Applied (7-12): CastleWorld Shop & Money Budgeting, Messaging & Commenting, CastleWorld Desing Studio

Here is a sample of one of the quizzes (this particular one was very easy, obviously):

They also offer parent reports which look like this:

We have watched some of the videos since I took the above snapshot and let me tell you, there are some amazing videos! The site has learning videos along with just fun videos. I think our favorite right now is the Amazing Insects video. It was really cool!

One part of the program we did not participate in was anything to do with friends or online chatting and messaging. We just don’t allow that in our home for our boys at this time.

Overall, we LOVE this program! Clever Dragons has so many learning games for the boys to play. There are around 75 games!

So, if you love what you are reading, but have a girl? Don’t fret! As mentioned above, they have something similar for girls called Always Ice Cream!

Now…the cost:

Monthly: $5.95
Two Months at one time: $11.90
Annual: $47.40
Lifetime: $119.00 but ON SALE for $69.00 if purchased before February 15th!!!

Have a wonderfully blessed day!

Come visit Dawn over at her blog, Guiding Light Homeschool, on Facebook and on Twitter…friends are ALWAYS welcome!

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Take Five! for Language Arts

High School, Language Arts, Middle School, Writing No Responses »

Feb 062012

One of hardest subjects for me to teach is writing, especially creative writing. As a long time homeschooling mom, I appreciate that I don’t know everything about everything. Two of my children are gifted writers and it has always been a challenge to offer them interesting writing programs, stimulating them to tap into their creative juices. Finding a resource that meets my high expectations is like finding a treasure!

I received Take Five! for Language Arts as an electronic download to review. I knew immediately upon opening the file that I was going to be able to use this with my high school age son AND he was going to enjoy the simple but imaginative assignments.

The assignments are actually written for practice in critical thinking and just happen to include creative thinking and writing as well. These are not your usual hum-drum writing assignments. Some of the prompts have you make a list or chart, sometimes you actually do a quick sketch before writing, or some of the prompts build on each other from day to day.
Each activity is intended to be done in five minutes so they are easily worked into an otherwise busy high school schedule.
The price is a little high at $23.95 but since the target age group for this book is grades 6 – 12. I could have used this as a resource making it a part of a larger language arts program in middle and high school making it a good investment.
This book would complement many styles of homeschooling including classical, Charlotte Mason, eclectic, or even unschooling.
There is just enough variety to make it interesting, leaving the writer wondering what tomorrow’s assignment will be. Yes, anticipation for the next assignment!

Things to note:

Sometimes you need more than pencil and paper to complete an activity but never anything you wouldn’t already have in a well-stocked homeschool.
I found that Take Five! for Language Arts was really something I needed to be involved in, reading the narrative, prompt, and extensions together with my son. This way we could adapt the assignment if needed or go a little farther if we found it was a “bell ringer” of a topic.
I do not assign a score or grade with these assignments. The task is always to complete the prompt, share it, and receive feedback. I think this gives my son a little more freedom to write or create in a way that fits him.
There is an index at the back of the book categorizing the prompts by language arts skills involved and I found that to be very helpful. For example, if I was looking for a prompt that used persuasive writing, I could scroll to that section and read down the list of prompts working on that genre of writing.
You can download the Table of Contents and a Sample Activity from the publishers website: Maupin House.

My teenage creative writer and I give this program a big thumbs up!

Written by Barb-Harmony Art Mom. I blog at Harmony Art Mom and am the creator of Harmony Fine Arts. I would love for you to join us for the Outdoor Hour Challenges at the Handbook of Nature Study.

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Stack the States App Review

Apps, Elementary, Geography, High School, History & Geography, Middle School, Preschool 1 Response »

Jan 302012

The iPad has become a teaching tool. Educational apps abound, with an amazing variety of subjects available. In the geography category, we have Stack the States by Dan Russell-Pinson.

Stack the States is both fun and educational; a game that uses some of the best mobile features – interaction and manipulation. While learning about the 50 states by answering questions about them, this app requires critical thinking skills as well. Your brainpower is tested in your ability to stack your states successfully.

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Understanding Government DVDs

High School, History, History & Geography, Middle School No Responses »

Jan 162012

As we find ourselves cooped up more often during the winter, we (unfortunately) tend to watch a bit more TV. I’ve tried to make sure at least some of what we watch is super-productive and the Just the Facts: Understanding Government DVD set fits the bill.

Each of the three DVDs takes a detailed look at one of the three branches of the United States government system – The Executive Branch, The Legislative Branch and the Judicial Branch. Running approximately 50 minutes each, I can best describe the format to be much like you might find on the History Channel. A narrator talks as some photos or footage is shown, while expert interviews pop in to explain more or offer commentary.

The content of the programs is easily understandable for children 5th grade and older, but is quite suitable for adults, too. Undoubtedly, some children will find the DVDs to be boring simply because they are documentary-like rather than cartoon-like. However, the information presented is extremely valuable and worthwhile.

Each DVD sets out to give a bit of history about why the Founding Fathers chose to create such a government as ours and how each entity is supposed to uphold the Constitution and protect our rights. The duties, obligations and limitations of each branch are covered in-depth, as well as such things as where they meet, who helps them in their duties and how individuals are chosen for various positions. After watching the entire set, my children have a very solid understanding of each branch of government!

As the teacher, I like the extras as much as the programs. Each DVD offers a Teacher’s Guide and Bonus Material which turn the TV time into way more than just vegging out.

The Teacher’s Guides – which can be viewed from the menu on your TV or inserted into your computer and printed out as a PDF file – offer:

Learning Objectives – the things your child should know and be able to discuss by the end of the program, and can also be used as test questions if you desire.
Vocabulary Lists – important terms and definitions.
Web Resources - just a few pertinent websites for further study.
Expert Bios – a bit more about the experts who have been interviewed during the programs.

The Bonus Material includes:

Another brief, but informative video tied to each DVDs theme. For instance, the bonus track on the Executive Branch DVD is on the topic of the Presidents of the United States. A brief biography, some trivia and pictures or photos of each president are covered.
An on-screen multiple-choice quiz based on the material from the program. One question at a time is placed on the screen along with multiple choice answers. A narrator reads each question and possible answer to your child, then a check mark comes on the screen to show the correct answer. I wish the check mark allowed for a little more thinking time, but you can easily pause the DVD if you like.

Besides some of the text being a little jiggly on my o-l-d TV, I thought the quality of the DVDs was very professional. They have been a wonderful help as my children have been part of government classes at co-op this year.

*Through 2/29/12, The Cerebellum Corporation is offering you 30% off any of their Social Studies or Standard Deviant DVDs using the coupon code HOME30 upon checkout! (The DVDs are already 20% off and your coupon code will take an additional amount off to give you a total of 30% off the regular price.)

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Geography Songs

Elementary, Geography, Middle School, Preschool 3 Responses »

Jan 062012

You know how, in secret societies, people recognize each other by a sign, a gesture, or a word? Well, that’s how I used to feel about Geography Songs.

You’d just have to start, “North A-MER-i-ca,” and any homeschooler nearby would join in, “South A-MER-i-ca!” That’s how we could tell who homeschooled.

I haven’t heard much about this CD lately, and that’s a pity because it’s one of the catchiest ways to learn basic geography facts. In over thirty songs with accompanying outline maps, Kathy Troxel teaches names and locations of countries of the world, as well as oceans, planets, and states of the US. Some songs are just listings of names. Others also tell about the culture of an area.

The music is light, cheerful and catchy, occasionally even tying in with the culture of the countries in the song. It remains pleasant even after hearing it hundreds of times…and that is important.

My children begged to listen to it. If children color the map while they are listening (mine don’t like coloring), they will learn the locations even more quickly. In any case, this is a great basis for any geography study.

Our version is old but the CD has been newly updated and includes a large world map as well.

Listen to samples and buy at Audio Memory or download individual songs from Amazon.

-Written by Annie Kate, a Christian homeschooling mom of five, who reviews and blogs at Tea Time with Annie Kate. You can read her other Curriculum Choice reviews here.

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Grammar Made Easy by Connie Schenkelberg

Elementary, Grammar, High School, Language Arts, Middle School No Responses »

Dec 302011

Grammar Made Easy

Grammar Made Easy: Writing a Step Above
Author: Connie Schenkelberg
Format: Print and ebook
Pages: 117
Cost: $25 (ebook) or $29 (print)

We are on our third year homeschooling and my son is in 9th grade. Prior to homeschooling, he was public schooled and always got A’s and B’s on his report cards. Imagine my surprise to find that somehow his basic understanding of grammar was missing! Another shocking thing, which honestly made me feel a bit better, was I came across a lot of high school basic grammar items. We tried several different things and finally found this…Grammar Made Easy…what a blessing from the Lord (really)!

The book is recommended for middle school but can be used from elementary to high school. It does not require a lot of teacher preparation nor is there a lot of student work. It is not intended to drill the student but to get the student thinking, learning and liking grammar. What a concept! Grammar Made Easy does include diagramming, which I know some people like and others do not. The good thing is – if you don’t like it, you don’t have to use it! You still benefit from the rest of the teaching.

Each of the 15 chapters is set up to be one week of assignments, but you can work through it at your own pace. For us, we did a chapter a day for the beginning chapters and then slowed down to focus on things that were more challenging. Additionally, Grammar Made Easy truly starts at the beginning with the “S V Sentence” (The Subject-Verb Sentence) and works up slowly from there.

The part I really liked? Grammar Made Easy puts a word in more than one place and makes you think about what part of speech it is. The lessons do not just tell you “this is a noun” or “this is a subject”. That is what we were struggling with and this has helped us overcome it. Praise the Lord!

If you are interested in finding out more, you can see a sample lesson by clicking HERE. Or you can order your own copy by clicking HERE.

Contact information:
Everyday Education, LLC
P.O. Box 549
Ashland, VA 23005
jceved @ comcast . net (take out the spaces, of course)

Have a wonderfully blessed day!

Come visit Dawn over at her blog, Guiding Light Homeschool, on Facebook and on Twitter…friends are ALWAYS welcome!

Hands And Hearts Curriculum

Elementary, Hands On, High School, History, Middle School, Mom Helps, Preschool 2 Responses »

Nov 282011

It’s a well-known fact that we learn best by immersion. When we’re studying a foreign language, it’s recommended that at some point, we fully immerse ourselves into the language and culture to learn and absorb more. But, when it’s time to study history, learning by immersion can be a little tricky. We don’t always have the resources (or, time!) to re-create a version of the past to immerse ourselves in and most history textbooks leave much to be desired.

So, what’s a family to do?

Recreating the past has just gotten easier with Hands and Hearts. When I stumbled across Hands and Hearts History Kits, I was sold after reading what came in the kits. Each kit is jam-packed with everything you’d need to do projects from the past as well as a CD with printable instructions and background history – making learning so much fun!

For example, the Early American History Kit included everything I needed for the following activities:

(as stated on the website…)

Dip candles: This kit contains 100% pure beeswax and natural wicking. Your child is sure to enjoy creating his own hand-dipped candles, then eating or studying by candlelight.

Craft an apple pomander: After reading about the importance of fragrant herbs in early America, your child will enjoy creating a spicy-smelling apple pomander.

Make and play the Bowl Game: The Bowl Game was a favorite game for many Indian tribes, and it was a favorite for our testers as well!. Your child will paint the wooden playing pieces, then enjoy playing the game with others. Comprehensive math tie-in projects are included.

Prepare and drink black brick tea: Think you know about the Boston Tea Party? Think again! We don’t want to ruin the surprise, but you may never look at tea the same way after trying a cup of this brew!

Create a talking feather: No, this feather isn’t going to start chatting with you. A talking feather was a decorated ceremonial feather used by Indians during gatherings. Only the person holding the feather was allowed to talk. Your child will be delighted to create his own talking feather using an imitation eagle feather, real buffalo bone beads, genuine rabbit fur, leather, artificial sinew, and more. You will be delighted with the lessons he will learn about social graces!

Stitch a lavender sachet: Your child be so proud of making this fragrant and beautiful sachet made with lovely dried lavender and attractive calico fabric. The time spent stitching it will give him or her a glimpse of the work that went into creating clothing and linens long ago.

String a bone cross necklace: This amazing necklace is made from a hand-carved bone cross and authentic glass tile beads.

Decorate and play a bamboo flute: This simple toy was enjoyed by many children long ago, and your child will enjoy decorating his own bamboo flute with leather and genuine glass crow beads. He will enjoy playing it even more!

Learn about the importance of beads in early American history: You and your child will be fascinated by our section on beads. We include a bag of genuine imported lampwork beads, trading and valuing information, and several bead projects from which to choose.

Create a wonderful keepsake notebook: We include a packet of reproducible notebook pages, information on notebooking, and specific notebooking suggestions.

Learn timeless language lessons: Our copywork section draws from classic sources such as The New England Primer, the founding fathers, and more.

Study the geography of early America: Our Early American History Discovery Kit includes maps from Knowledge Quest, Inc., and comprehensive, easy-to-implement lesson plans co-authored by Terri Johnson of Knowledge Quest, Inc. and Kate Estes of Hands and Hearts.

Hide God’s Word in his heart: Our exclusive Bible Truths Cards will help your child discern important Bible truths drawn from the KJV and the New England Primer.
This kit includes a comprehensive instruction manual containing full background information for every project, and clear step-by-step illustrated instructions. Everything you need to do all of these projects is right in the box – *you need only to provide an apple and two empty metal cans (like soup cans). All materials are of the very highest quality and are extremely historically accurate. Your child won’t just be learning about history – he will be living it!

Each kit – whether you want to learn about Ancient Egypt or Ancient Greece and Rome – are full of learning possibilities and everything you would need for the activities. Most kits are between $39.95 and $69.95, which is well worth it when you consider the contents are provided as are the CDs with instructions and history lessons – and, the gas you didn’t have to waste while trying to find similar items.

Bottom Line – Would I Recommend It?
Yes! It’s a great time-saver and packed full of fun ideas. Of course, you could put your own kits together, but in my opinion – these are reasonably priced and make things a lot easier and faster!

-Written by Ashley. Find more of Ashley’s writings and reflections on motherhood, marriage and life on her blog.

Jacob’s Ladder Reading Comprehension

Elementary, Junior High Language Arts, Language Arts, Middle School, Reading No Responses »

Nov 162011

Have you ever wished for a reading comprehension program that encourages higher order thinking skills? Questions that require deep thinking, inference and opinion? Questions based on “living” literature selections rather than dry paragraphs? All of this in assignments that can be completed in a lesson or two? Not to mention, reading comprehension available for children as old as 9th grade?

I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing levels 4 and 5 of the Jacob’s Ladder Reading Comprehension Program, which covers all the bases above!

Each of the books consists of 20 lessons divided into three chapters.

Chapter 1 focuses on Short Stories – like The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, The Gift of the Magi and The Tell-Tale Heart.
Chapter 2 focuses on Poetry – like Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, Ulysses, and Not They Who Soar.
Chapter 3 focuses on Biographies – like Emily Dickinson, Marie Curie and Harriet Tubman.

For each lesson, your child must read the 1-7 page literature selection then work “up the ladder” to complete questions or activities. The reason the program is titled “Jacob’s Ladder” is because nine different activities are suggested as follow-up to the reading. The activities are written on a pictoral ladder. The lower the question or activity is on the ladder, the lower the thinking skill; the higher the question or activity is on the ladder, the higher the thinking skill. You may choose to assign as few or as many of the activities as you like.

The thinking skills are divided into six types of skill content.

Ladder A focuses on prediction skills. These activities will include sequencing, cause and effect, and consequences and implications.
Ladder B focuses on deductive reasoning skills. Activities include recalling details, classification and generalization.
Ladder C focuses on literary analysis skills. Activities include identifying literary elements, making inferences and determining themes or central ideas.
Ladder D focuses on the skill of creating new materials based on information in the reading. Activities include paraphrasing, summarizing and creating own materials.
Ladder E focuses on the skill of emotional development. Activities include understanding emotion, expressing emotion and using emotion.
Ladder F focuses on the skill of metacognition. Activities include planning and goal setting, monitoring and assessing, and reflecting.

The nine activities offered for each reading lesson include a mixture of the various skills. As I mentioned before, you can choose to assign as few or as many of the activities as you like. You may also decide to allow your child to choose one or more of the activities herself. Depending on how many activities you require, the lessons can last as long as 30-45 minutes one day or 30-45 minutes/day for a week or more. Several of the lesson ideas lend themselves to co-operative learning, too, if you’d like to allow your children to work together occasionally.

The books are published by Prufrock Press, a publisher of materials for gifted children. While these books are certainly appropriate for gifted children, they will serve homeschoolers well, too! Anyone who has a good reader that needs to take comprehension to the next level will love Jacob’s Ladder. While the books are on the expensive side at $39.95 each, they provide wonderfully in-depth reading lessons that are sure grow to your child’s higher order thinking skills.

-Written by Cindy, an eclectically Charlotte Mason mom of 3 living in Central KY. You can find her blogging at Our Journey Westward and find her NaturExplorers studies and other creative homeschooling helps at Shining Dawn Books.

-Cindy received the Jacob’s Ladder books as compensation for her honest review.