One of our investments for the 2011 school year was Scholastic’s Interactive 3D Maps: American History. It was actually recommended by the core programme we are using, but the book itself was bound to be a hit with two map loving young boys. Not to mention they really enjoy doing hands-on projects, so mixing the two together sounded like it…
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Envision Teaching Latin with Visual Latin
The thought of teaching Latin made me want to hide under a table. I did not think there would be any way for me to teach Latin. I never took Latin in school. I have no experience in this subject and quite frankly it is an intimidating subject if you are unfamiliar. Knowing that I decided to homeschool to provide…
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Learn Our History DVD’s
My husband and I have been thrilled to introduce the Learn Our History DVD’s to our children. We both have a passion for teaching fundamental truths about the history of the United States in our homeschool. Believe it or not, much of what we read/hear/watch is either extremely watered-down or downright misleading. Not so with this series of DVD’s from…
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LightHome Publications Penmanship Books
I like handwriting books. They make life simple: Get out the book, turn to the page, write, put the book away. Repeat until the book is finished. This year, though, I decided that the shipping and handling on my favorite handwriting book was outrageous. I refused to do it. What’s a homeschool mama to do? Download handwriting books instead! So,…
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Explode the Code Review
Explode the Code is a phonics based program I consider invaluable in helping my daughter learn to read. The series starts with three pre-literacy primers then progresses to a series of 8 books for children grades 1-4. A Curriculum Choice Review
Primary Arts of Language: Writing
This review is Part 2. If you haven’t already read my review of Primary Arts of Language: Reading, please do so before continuing with this post. Primary Arts of Language: Writing by Jill Pike of Excellence in Writing is the companion program to Primary Arts of Language: Reading. While the reading program focuses on early phonics and reading skills, the…
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Hands And Hearts Curriculum
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…
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Native American Legends by Terri Cohlene and Charles Reasoner
While perusing the library’s database in search of books about Native Americans, I discovered a wonderful little series of Native American legends written by Terri Cohlene and illustrated by Charles Reasoner. There are six titles in the series. Each presents a legend and a different tribe of Native Americans. Clamshell Boy is a Makah legend telling how a boy, born…
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Teaching Textbooks
For the past few years we haven’t used a math curriculum of any sort. Yes, you read that right. For several years we’d been “free flying” as I call it, learning math through games, hands on applications, & stories. We had a grand time of it, and both of my children had a firm foundation in basic mathematics. However, we…
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Jacob’s Ladder Reading Comprehension
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?…
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