General Resource
Life of Jesus
We put this poster up in our upstairs hallway thinking that the colorful pictures would be attractive to the little ones and help them develop a better understanding of the Life of Jesus. The full color drawings are attractive but dignified. It's been a big hit so far. I find my six year old reading words here and there, my four year old asking about what happens in different pictures and my two year old pointing to her favorite scenes. The pictures include simple descriptions and dialogue along with Biblical references.
Bernie (age 4) says: "I like Christmas and Easter and Palm Sunday and the Last Supper. And I like when Jesus was baptized. Jesus made water into wine."
Terri (age 6) says: "I think the poster looks pretty. It is about God. I like the pictures of Palm Sunday. It looks like fun."
Gus (age 8) says: "It's sort of like a Picture Bible on one poster."
Four reproducible work sheets cover "the Miracles of Jesus", "the Parables of Jesus", "Who is Jesus" and "Events in the Life of Jesus".
Update March 2024: Ascension Press used to carry these wall charts but no longer does. However, they are still being published (see the box at the top of this review for details).
Linnea in Monet's Garden
This book is a clever way to introduce children to the works and life of Claude Monet and help them to start appreciating the works of the Impressionists. "Linnea" is a little girl with a love for art and flowers who travels with her friend and neighbor Mr. Bloom (a retired gardener) to France to visit the restored estate of Claude Monet and the museums displaying his art. Besides the illustrations of this story, there are reproductions of some of Monet's paintings, old photographs of him and his family, and photographs of what his estate looks like today. Linnea helps to explain the idea of imporessionism and share her enthusiasm - especially of standing on the Japanese bridge. The book also includes a brief biography, a timeline and Monet Family Tree as well as information about other books on Monet and the Museums and other attractions visited by Linnea in the story. I'm waiting for them to write "Linnea in the Louvre" and "Linnea visits the Sistine Chapel"! : )
Litany Matching Game from Illuminated Ink
Lord of History Card Game
It's nice to find a colorful Catholic history supplement of this nature that includes both saints and other figures of importance. I'm sure that many children will enjoy this fun way of learning about key Catholic figures from history. It should also serve to inspire them to learn more about their favorite ones. Even though I've read a great deal about History, simply reading these brief sketches helped me make some interesting connections that I hadn't yet made. My only complaint is that the writing style in some portions of the biographical sketches is rather poor.
25 glossy cards (2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches)
This item was donated for review by Lord of History (www.lordofhistory.com)
Making Music Praying Twice
Music Theory Learning Wrap-Ups: Introductory Kit
Kit includes four sets of 10 flashcards: Keys & Notes, Signs & Symbols, Rhythm & Vocabulary, Intervals & Chords
Our family has been enjoying Learning Wrap-Ups in a variety of subjects to drill and practice basic concepts. Each set consists of ten key-shaped plastic flash cards attached at a pivot-point with a string to wrap back and forth from question to answer. After finishing each key, simply look at the back to be sure the string matches up with the self-correcting answer key. I love how my children can study independently with these sets AND they can be used over and over again. They are sturdier and more self-contained than ordinary flash-cards (and don't get lost under the couches!). Learning Wrap-Ups may be purchased one set at a time or in money-saving multi-set kits.
This music theory kit includes four sets of Learning Wrap-Ups on Musical Theory for piano students:
Keys and Notes: Match notes on a staff to keyboard, letter notes to keyboard, notes with the same name on different staffs, fill in notes sequentially, etc. Includes some sharps and flats.
Signs and Symbols: Match musical terms (like mezzo forte and descrescendo) to their abbreviations, match musical symbols (like repeat, sharp and treble clef) with their meaning, find the relative minor for each major key, match the key with its signature in the treble clef, etc.
Rhythm and Vocabulary: Match notes to rests of equal value, match musical terms (like dolce and lento) to their English translations, match note groups of equal value, "How many counts per measure?", etc.
Intervals and Chords: Find the note to complete the chord, Match the chord with its name, Match triads to their black & white key patterns, etc.
Each set may also be purchased individually.
Made by Learning Wrap Ups.
Old Mother West Wind and other stories
You are probably already familiar with the animal stories written by Thornton Burgess in the early 1900s. These go by titles such as "The Adventures of Johnny Chuck" and "Old Mother West Wind" and are sold by Dover Press for only $1. Each book tells about the life and adventures of various animals in such a way that the child easily learns about animal habitat and woodland lessons. In "Old Mother West Wind" the book starts off telling about her children, "The Merry Breezes" who carry scents of animals as they fly along ruffling (tickling) the fur of different animals. Later in the book we read about a bird who, one night, almost looses her eggs to a skunk without a strip. Now we have an idea of why God gave skunks stripes. My daughter silently reads a chapter from these books each day and narrates them at dinner. These are written at the second grade level.
Our Musical Year
Level 1 (1st and 2nd grade) includes 93 songs 130 pg. spiral-bound manual and two CDs - one learning CD and one sing-along (instrumental)
Level 2 (3rd-6th grade) includes 91 songs 142 pg. spiral-bound manual and 3 CDs. Includes music instruction and basic theory lessons
We've had a lot of frustration with finding a good music program for our family. We were unable to use the songbook that came with our package curriculum because I did not know most of the songs and we don't have a piano or the ability to properly play them if we did. When I tried to find recordings of the songs from the songbook, I was told it was out of print. I looked for other songbooks with tapes or CDs to go along with it but I was not happy with the ones I bought. They either did not have the traditional Catholic songs for children or when I was able to find some of the music for the songs I wanted my children to learn, there was no words for it to help them follow along. Also, it was very difficult to teach them when there was other children singing on the tape. I had a hard time getting them to put forth any effort and participation in music class and felt they were not learning much about music.
Finally, we purchased Our Musical Year at a homeschool conference. Since we have started using the book and music in this program, our children have increased their participation so much because they enjoy it and I feel they are really learning. Now they want to use it not only for music class, but also for fun. They are already singing some of the songs around the house and we have only used it a few times. I feel it is well worth the money because I can use it for more than one year and for more than one student. Also I think of all the money I wasted on other things to try to help me teach music class. I really like how the book is set up to go along with the liturgical year and the fun and patriotic songs are great too. I feel these are the kind of songs I want my children singing instead of what they hear on the radio. They are not just learning songs to sing either. They are learning about how music works with the notes going up and down. The learning CD is slow enough and clear so they can really hear the notes and they can understand the musical terms I teach them. This is my first year home schooling my 7 year old and 4 year old. We also have a 1 1/2 year old and a baby due this summer. This is just what I have been looking for all year long. Now I will feel better prepared for next year.
Patriotic Leaders of the Church
Each chapter (with the exception of the last one - which is a compilation) unveils the biography of a famous figure in the Catholic Church: Archbishop John Carroll, Cardinal James Gibbons, Archbishop John F. Noll, and others. (If you don't recognize his name, you will soon find out his enormous contributions to society and the Church). There are also a few Catholic laymen briefly mentioned, such as Charles and Daniel Carroll. Actually each chapter is not so much a typical biography, following his life, as it is a defense of why each person was chosen - highlighting what makes them both a patriotic American and an exceptional Catholic.
Utilizing his journalistic background, Fink uses anecdotes to draw us in to each biography where he supplies numerous snippets from various, primary sources to demonstrate how each person was both an outstanding example of the faith, defending the Church in the public square or living it in an extraordinary way, and a true American.
For those who are ignorant of how Catholics and the Catholic Church were treated in the past, this will be an eye opening experience. How many people know about the penal laws against Catholics in the original thirteen colonies or that John Quincy Adams was virulently anti-Catholic? These and many other facts supply important information about Catholics and the Catholic Church often found missing from history classes or textbooks - even some Catholic ones! More importantly, we find out about those unsung "heroes" who defended the faith in those difficult and trying moments in history, as well as those who defended or assisted their country in its time of need.
To find out about those we should be indebted to for their many contributions to society and the Church such as Cardinal John J. O'Conner (who was actively involved in the public square from speaking out on controversial subjects to visiting the sick in hospitals or participating in various Vatican agencies) you will want to read this book.
There are also Chapter Notes with a breakdown of the primary sources used in each chapter. This would be helpful for anyone doing further research on a particular priest.