Behold and See 6: A Review

Yesterday during our school hours the iPad told us of a new study on salmon behavior--a link to it was posted by a prolific Facebook friend.

It was an "Aha moment"! We are using Behold and See 6 for Science and had read recently about the curious and amazing behavior of the salmon: it returns to the very place it was born to lay its eggs even after years in the open ocean. The article in question was about a new study where scientists think the salmon may actually use earth's magnetism to help direct them on their way back to their birthplace.

We wouldn't have read the article, or cared about salmon at all, if not for the wonderful Science curriculum. I will spare the reader of this review from details of the curriculum per se. Publisher Catholic Heritage Curricula is very generous in providing information and details about it, along with many sample pages.

As it happens with any good curriculum, if I am reading it aloud to the 6th grader, family members of different ages will invariably stop to listen as well. In this case it is most likely the eighth grader. Never mind she is two grades ahead: she loves it, and when I ask the workbook questions orally she can answer  them all.

What's to love in this curriculum? Start with the professional presentation, binding, layout and overall quality: outstanding.  The book is gorgeous and everything about its quality of production is top-notch! What a delight to have something so professional done available to the Catholic homeschooler.

Then the writing is wonderful. The right combination of story-telling, engaging language and the right amount of information provided on any given topic. The lessons revolve a homeschool family studying science together and we get to "know" them pretty well! In this manner the book also inspires families to follow their example of creative whole-family learning models.

The organization is also so well done: chapter divisions, illustrations, photographs, sidebars definitions and workbook links, he workbook, labs. Everything has been very well-thought of!

I use the poetry volume by the same author and publisher so I am familiar with her capabilities: suffice is to say she graduated Summa Cum Laude from The University of Dallas and, having a son there, I can attest to almost-impossibility of this feat.

Enjoy browsing through the samples and informational on their site. This science volume is recommended for 6th grade but truly I think it can be done from 3rd to 8th grades... well, actually, I am much older and I am learning as well!

From a blog reader in Canada

A blog reader from Canada and I corresponded over the last couple of days and I thought I would post it here instead of in the comments' box because it is a little longer--and also because I have been meaning to post on exactly what she is asking for! Thanks for writing, Lara!

What I quote below is a compilation of her pleasant emails:

Hi Ana,

I am a homeschooling mother of 4 girls (so far) in Ottawa, Canada. I love your blog. I discovered it through the real learning blogs. I am half Italian/half British married to John (Portuguese...his parents are from the Azores).

Congratulations! I am so excited to see you have finished your workbook. I can't wait to see it. This upcoming year we will be doing Canadian history but I was wondering when your workbook would be available. Because of your high regard for A Child's History of the World, I bought a copy and hope to use it next year.

Ana, if you have the time, would you mind sharing with me or on your blog your approach to homeschooling. Your children in college are doing so well. I just wondered what you have them study each year. There is so much out there to chose from that it can get so confusing. I know you have a love for living books as I do. I just wondered what you used for writing.

Homeschooling in Canada is doing well but here in Ottawa there are very few Catholic homeschoolers. I am the only one in my large parish of 1000+families. So I get a lot of inspiration from various homeschooling blogs including yours.

Thanks again for your wonderful blog. It is such an enjoyable read and I discover many fascinating blogs because of you. We enjoyed the David Attenborough nature films you recommended....the girls - 10, 8, 4 and 2 - love them. I am an avid Jane Austen fan and loved your review on the Pride and Prejudice movies.

Thanks, Ana!

blessings,
Lara Boccia-Pacheco

Working on the next workbook

As the weather transitions us into the inside-the-house season, I make progress in my next workbook. I'm past the halfway point into Light of The Nations Part 1.

Using my Sea to Shining Sea Workbook

I have a group of students working through Sea to Shining Sea and using my workbook. I will try to post here any resource materials I use at home with my girls along with the book. Keep in mind that I peruse the library shelves to see what they have, and you will be served well doing the same instead of trying to find a specific author/title at times.

We are reading aloud the delightful Brendan the Navigator by Jean Fritz.

History Workbook

Every Wednesday Number Six and three friends get together to listen to new chapters from our favorite History books for kids, A Child’s History of the World, and to work on new pages of a workbook I am writing to go with it.


Yesterday some nice drawings were spotted... they learned about Roman Columns styles, and had to choose their favorite for their own mansions... and they also drew Xerxes watching from his throne on a hill the disastrous ending of the Battle of Salamis!

History Workbook Sample pages!

I just noticed the Catholic History Textbook Project has included sample pages of my workbook on their page.
Here is the link.

As I have said in my last post, I am working on the very last chapter of Light of the Nations, part 2. Below is the proof of the pudding.

Back to work for me

I am definitely thrilled to be back on board with the folks at Catholic Textbook Project, working on the workbook for All Ye Lands, which was the only one of their published textbooks for which I hadn't written a workbook yet.

I've always loved this specific volume, what with all of the Geography and introduction to World History... I couldn't love my job any better!

History

The girls and I were talking today about Number Six's team third place last night at Quiz Bowl. We talked about the more difficult questions, especially the many on Government, and the ones the girls got right, and wrong.

At dinner time I was suggesting to Number Seven that she reads A Child's History of the World again, on her own, still in this third quarter. I told her I remember how both Numbers Three and Two read it on their own before they went on to high school.

Then Number Six said that she always realizes how many Quiz Bowl answers comes to her from studying that book so long ago with her friends here at our kitchen table. She said that the workbook pages I prepared for them comes to her mind, every time a question comes up. I was so happy to hear it.

As it is, I have been receiving a steady stream of emails since my webinar, with requests for free copies of the workbook I wrote for our favorite History book. It gladdens my heart that others enjoy the activities, and that their kids love the book! This is one I received just today:

Dear Ana, Thank you!!! This is absolutely perfect for my 3 girls! It is just what we need to reinforce what we read in the book, it’s short and simple and fun. I can’t wait to use it right away. Thank you so much for sharing it with us. Can I offer you our prayers for your family in return? You just made my day on this very cold first day of spring! Lenten blessings, K.

Using my Sea to Shining Sea Workbook, II

Like I promised, here is a second post on using my workbook with a group of students. Chapter Three took us through the story of Juan Diego and the California missions. I sent them the CHC link for a Guadalupe How-to-Draw and also found this simple California Mission how-to-draw. (I have wonderful artists in the class).

I also requested via ILL a book that looks beautiful: Romance of the Bells by Jean Stern. My library unfortunately has little or nothing for kids about the CA missions. I sent them links for Dover and Bellerophon titles, and of course I sent them to the post of our own visit to a CA Mission!

Sneak Preview

I have begun work on the new workbook for Light of the Nations, and as usual loving it! I should be done with it by Christmas!

I received many congratulatory emails on the publication of the Sea To Shining Sea workbook... thanks all!

History Workbook, update

While I was in Brazil, Number Seven was assigned a chapter of the History text All Ye Lands--and I printed the "beta" version of the workbook I am currently working on for her to complete. I always add drawing exercises--because I've encountered positive responses to them even from reluctant artists, and especially from my own daughter. These are two of her quick drawings from that chapter--the growth of the Church. I just love them. I'm now in the Asian chapters, and soon will be done!

All done with my Light of the Nations 2 Workbook!

I was up late last night and very early this morning, but I was determined this would be done by Palm Sunday! As Husband passed by and asked if we were opening a bottle of champagne, my reply was, "No, it is actually kind of sad... yes, a ton of work, but work I loved to do! I couldn't have done it if I didn't love it!" I attached images of four different pages of the last chapter.

Workbook Update

I lingered longer than I ever wanted in the French Revolution, only to immerse myself into the Napoleonic era... and be brought to tears by the final paragraph of that chapter. On to Romanticism, the changing European political boundaries, the industrial revolution, and now we enter the 20th century.

 The thing about this project is that I am constantly fascinated by the reading, and I love the hours I spend coming up with and writing the students' exercises! Who wouldn't love this work, as it is so enjoyable to read the history of the western Christian world with what is most important in mind: who man truly is, and how in history few, and always the humbler and most forgiving, walking in God's path, are the ones who bring forth the idea of true justice and peace.

Note: my workbooks for Sea to Shining Sea and Light of the Nations Pt 1 are available from the Catholic Textbook Project's site. (I did not write the one for All Ye Lands). I am beginning Chapter 16 as of today of 20 chapters of this volume, should be available in the spring.

My History Workbook: done!

It's finished!

Not completely proofread and looked over-- but done. I have a handful of friends using it this school year, and giving me feedback before distribution, about which I am not quite sure yet what to do.

But it is finished! What a good feeling. I thank God for it!

Two books

I have been busy fishing up a wonderful project: a workbook for Sea to Shining Sea of the Catholic textbook Project.

But here are two very recent publications I must post about, picked up at the library last week.

The first one is Mama Miti, by Donna Jo Napoli, a new book about a story that has been told in at least a couple of picture books before. One of them I posted here a while back. Read about a woman responsible for a renaissance of tree-planting in Kenya, aNobel prize winner, and also a graduate of Benedictine college! The illustrator was careful in using a very authentic style!

The second book is The Tree that Time Built, a book of poems selected by Mary Ann Hoberman, U.S. children's Poet Laureate and author of our family's favorite picture book, the Seven Silly Eaters. However you feel about Darwin and his ideas on Evolution, you will love the myriad of poems all revolving on the natural world, many by Hoberman herself.

Sneak Preview

I am half way done with my latest History Workbook project... seeing the light at the end of the tunnel!

Planning next homeschool year...

We happily found out that due to his Great Books education, Husband owns different translations of many of the books Number Three needs for his Kolbe Academy year! With some Kolbe's affordable program and some recycling from last year, we may actually have enough left over in the education budget to fulfill the kids' P. E. dream: a trampoline! Number Three is easy to plan with Kolbe, as well as the middle schoolers.

Numbers Six and Seven are a different story: an advanced third grader (I was looking today at fifth grade spellers!) and a very reluctant first grader (who really should go back to Kindergarten), with very diverse personalities, a close friendship but a total inability to do a single subject together!

Looking at materials today I am amazed at how language workbooks "jump" from K to grade 1... does anyone know of a fun, colorful first grade languages arts workbook that takes it a little slower? My computer desk is covered with lists and catalogs! And yet I am just not there yet... Thanks to all of you other Catholic bloggers who have been posting their curriculum ideas and choices.

Sweet Potatoes, and busy, busy!

Number Four brought the last of the sweet potatoes in yesterday. They are plentiful, and delicious roasted with garlic and salt! He has also begun bringing in the regular potatoes, we just had fresh mashed potatoes for dinner! With the extended warm weather, which is wonderful, life has been overly busy lately. We have a very complex activity schedule while we are still dealing with bringing produce in. I am also working intensely on the workbook for Light of the Nations Part 2, work that I love to do, but extremely time-consuming. I am beginning to look for ward the holiday break!

Working on the new Workbook

... for the Catholic Textbook Project newest volume, Light of the Nations Part 2. I must admit I love the work although it is difficult to manage the time for it at home sometimes.

Number Seven, artist

She has always enjoyed drawing, and lately her figures have become so nice. I am always afraid these will get lost as most of them are in surprising blank spaces (eg inside workbook covers). Posting them here can preserve them for later years. By the way the "kitty stroller", she says, is based on a real one she saw the other day.