Supplement

Accent Your Syllables

Book cover: 'Accent Your Syllables'
Author(s): 
Cathy Behrens

This is a 30-page, self-published book with an answer key that fits into a unique category within the language arts curriculum. Accent Your Syllables is a brief worktext that first introduces the rules for syllabication and accents in English, then provides many exercises to practice applying those rules. The rules are printed in a blue ink and are easy to find on the pages. This course would be best suited for a student who is reading fluently, as the words are generally multi-syllable.

Elementary Diagramming Worktext

Book cover: 'Elementary Diagramming Worktext'
Author(s): 
Mary Daly

This is simple, clearly presented, and in a pleasing font; examples are profuse, and exercises numerous. It includes a complete answer key, on different colored paper, in the back of the book. Ours was just a shrink-wrapped set of 3-hole-punched pages which we put into a simple binder. No fancy bindings, but an excellent presentation. The eight chapters include The Sentence: Subject and Verb, Three Articles, Adjectives, Direct Objects, Linking Verbs, Adverbs, Prepositions, and A Peek Ahead.

The Little House Cookbook

Book cover: 'The Little House Cookbook'
Author(s): 
Barbara M. Walker
For all those of you whose mouths were watering at all the descriptions of food in the Little House Books (particularly Farmer Boy!), Barbara Walker (inspired by the requests of her own children) has done a great deal of research in compiling lots of recipes (over 100) and other background information on the meals from these books.

Catholic Math Activities

Book cover: 'Catholic Math Activities'
Author(s): 
Mary Ann Grobbel

If you're looking for a way to liven up your math program or to bring in some painless math review you have to pick up this book. Catholic Math Activities provides dozens of math games that children actually enjoy playing and almost all of them only require dice and simple home-made material. The author makes use of children's interests by revolving the games around things such as baseball cards and animals. What really pleased me about this program is the clever way our Catholic faith was brought into these games.

The Children's Book of Virtues

Book cover: 'The Children's Book of Virtues'
Author(s): 
William Bennett
This lavishly illustrated story-book was inspired by (and includes stories from) the best-selling story collection The Book of Virtues. This has been a favorite book in our family since my oldest was just two. The stories include: The Little Hero of Holland, the Tortoise and the Hare, The King and His Hawk (a cautionary tale about anger involving Genghis Kahn - my daughter liked this story so much that she had it almost memorized at the age of 2 1/2), St. George and the Dragon, St.

Rare Catholic Stories and Poems

Book cover: 'Rare Catholic Stories and Poems'

Make sure you have a hankie close by when you read these books. These faith inspiring stories surely must have contributed to the steadfastness that Catholic children displayed years ago. The stories in both volumes include main characters that are young and old, male and female thus appealing to everyone. Each story is short enough to be read by an average 4th grader in five to ten minutes. Follow up comprehension questions range from simple recall to more the more thought provoking type that would open the door to many wonderful parent child discussions.

Catholic Stories for Boys and Girls

Book Cover: 'Catholic Stories for Boys and Girls, vol 1'

These charming readers, which are appropriate for a second grade reading level, contain "stories written and compiled in days long past by Catholic nuns in America and dedicated to Mary the Mother of God our dear Lady of the Miraculous Medal." My second grader (who is somewhat advanced in reading level) enjoyed these very much and polished off all four volumes in the first week of school - including one book which she read straight through without putting it down (she requested that I include that detail in the review).

The World of Language Series

Book cover: 'The World of Language Series'
Author(s): 
Ruth Heller

This series of six books introduces young children to concepts of grammar through very entertaining and sometimes humorous poetry and extremely colorful pictures. The titles are: Kites Sail High: A Book About Verbs, Behind the Mask: A Book About Prepositions,A Cache of Jewels and Other Collective Nouns, Merry-Go-Round: A Book About Nouns, Many Luscious Lollipops: A Book About Adjectives and Up, Up, and Away: A Book About Adverbs.

Subtraction Songs

Product image: Subtraction Songs kit with CD
Author(s): 
Kathy Troxel

Audio Memory offers math audio tapes and CDs for practicing "Math Facts" in Addition, Subtraction and Multiplication. (Sold separately from each other). These are Math drills set to music (of the synthesized variety). Although these make for an easy memorization aid, I found the songs almost unbearably sappy. (My children did like them though.)

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