General Resource

Old Mother West Wind and other stories

Book cover: Old Mother West Wind and other stories
Author(s): 
Thornton Burgess

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.

History Links: Unit Six – Ancient Greece

Author(s): 
Jennifer Alles
Barbara Little
Kim Staggenborg
Unit Studies, or integrated curriculum, present a wonderful opportunity to study one topic in depth while taking side-trips to study related topics. The History Links units have been prepared to help Catholic families study a broad range of subjects, over all grade levels, organized by historical time period, from a Catholic point of view. That doesn't sound too easy to do, but the authors have made it so.

A Litany of Saints

Book cover: 'A Litany of Saints'
Author(s): 
Ann Ball
When I see Ann Ball's name on a book, I expect a treat. This book is no exception. A Litany of Saints begins with an introduction to the Communion of Saints and Catholic practices regarding their veneration. This section is clear and easy-to-read, including the changes instituted as a result of the Second Vatican Council. The footnotes provide many sources for additional reading. Next comes a history of litanies in general and the text of the formal "Litany of the Saints".

Handbook of Nature Study

Book cover: Handbook of Nature Study
Author(s): 
Anna Botsford Comstock

This is a very informative handbook on a large portion of nature, originally written for elementary school teachers. It covers wildlife, insects, farm animals, birds, fish, trees, flowers, weeds, vegetables, rocks, minerals, soil, climate, weather, magnets, the sun, moon, planets of our solar system and much more. According to the 1986 foreword, most of the living things described are common in the northeastern states of the U.S. but it covers a lot of material that would be helpful in other parts of the country as well.

Great Moments in Catholic History

Book cover: Great Moments in Catholic History
Author(s): 
Father Edward Lodge Curran

Inviting the reader in with its black and white illustrations on each page, Great Moments in Catholic History presents one hundred exceptional events in the history of the Catholic Church. Originally published in 1938, each page presents a great moment beginning with the Annunciation and ending with Pope Pius XI's 1937 Encyclical letter on Atheistic Communism. At the end of the book there are 500 quiz questions, 5 for each of the 100 historical events, to review the lessons learned.

Augustus Caesar's World

Author(s): 
Genevieve Foster
We've found "Augustus Caesar's World" by Genevieve Foster to be a wonderful resource. The book covers the period from 44 BC to 14 AD with events and ideas for that time, all over the world. I feel the stories really give my son a great sense of life during this period. The illustrations are outstanding line drawing of characters, maps and especially the time lines. Just wanted to share a great resource.

Gi'Me Elbow Room, Folk Songs of A Scottish Childhood

Book cover: 'Gi'Me Elbow Room, Folk Songs of A Scottish Childhood'
Author(s): 
Bonnie Rideout

Three time national fiddle champion Bonnie Rideout put together an enchanting collection of songs and poems for children on this mp3 album, originally released on CD. She has set traditional poems and nursery rhymes (such as "Bobbie Shafto" and "Wee Willie Winkie") to traditional Scottish tunes and includes familiar songs such as "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean" and "Oh Dear, What Can the Matter Be."

Beck Family Musical Series

Each set in this series contains two or three tapes and a book. The books contains the lyrics and music to a wide variety of folk tunes from around the world, hymns, and Gregorian chants. The Gregorian chants are relatively difficult, but the other songs are fairly easy to sing. I didn't know many of the songs, but we have enjoyed learning them. Each set of a book and tapes is roughly aimed at different ages, but I am having no trouble using the 4th-6th grade set with my seventh grade daughter. The sets are 1st-3rd grades, 4th-6th grades, and 7th-8th grades.

Wee Sing: Around the World

Book cover: Wee Sing: Around the World
Author(s): 
Susan Hagen Nipp

This audio tape or CD and booklet take you around the world, continent by continent, by introducing you to favorite folks songs or children's songs from each country. Someone from each country introduces themselves in their own language and then in English and the song is sung in each language as well. The booklet includes all the words to the songs in the native language and English, simple piano notation and guitar chords. There are charming illustrations including each country's flag. You'll also find a little description of each country.

A Child's Book of Lullabies

Book cover: A Child's Book of Lullabies
Author(s): 
Shona McKellar
Illustrator(s): 
Mary Cassatt

This is a songbook of lullabies illustrated with paintings of mothers and babies by American artist Mary Cassatt. The songs are mostly classics such as Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and Now the Day is Over, but you'll also find Cum By Yah. Mary Cassatt was an impressionist from the 19th century and her paintings include lots of baby bottoms and nursing mothers. They are all very sweet, but not necessarily everyone's style. It is sold by Dorling Kindersley with a tape of the lullabies.

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