Our family loves reading. Literature is the foundation of our education, so we always appreciate reviewing products that are based around books. There's something very special about opening a story and getting lost in its pages together as a family.
When we want to take our learning deeper than just simply reading the book, we utilize the help of study guides. These aids enrich the experience and help the reader fully grasp the themes within the pages. One of our favorite companies to use for this purpose is Progeny Press. We've used their products multiple times in the past and were excited to work with them again using the The Josefina Story Quilt - eGuide.
When we want to take our learning deeper than just simply reading the book, we utilize the help of study guides. These aids enrich the experience and help the reader fully grasp the themes within the pages. One of our favorite companies to use for this purpose is Progeny Press. We've used their products multiple times in the past and were excited to work with them again using the The Josefina Story Quilt - eGuide.
We generally like to do these studies as a family, but since I chose a book from the 1st-3rd grade list, I figured my 8th grader probably wouldn't be interested. My daughter is over the recommended age too, however, since she's a bibliophile I wasn't surprised when she was eager to join it the study with her younger brothers.
The Josefina Story Quilt, written by Eleanor Coerr, is a short chapter book. Only 60+ pages long and large type make the book a quick read. The story takes place in 1850 as it follows Faith, her hen, and her family as they pioneered to California. The story relates their struggles and surprises. It's a story of perseverance, love, and true friendship.
The study eGuide is 33 pages long and contains various activities that are designed to help students understand the story at a deeper level. The beginning includes a synopsis of the story, a short background of the author, and historical facts about wagon trains in the 1800s. The Before-you-read Activities get the student busy with map and encyclopedia skills, a recording of a classic, and discussion questions. There are also many vocabulary words pulled from the story and exercises that teach their definitions.
The story is broken into two sections in the guide. Both parts include questions about the book along with some questions to make the reader think. Within these sections are also Bible verses that complement the lessons in the story. The verses are written out in the guide itself, but we chose to pull out our KJV and read directly from the Bible. There are also questions that accompany the verses and reinforce the themes.
There are some hands-on activities that are included, as well. There is a crossword puzzle, a recipe for golden white bread (which my 10-year-old made completely by herself), and art projects such as creating a wagon wheel poster and sewing quilt squares. The guide ends with suggestions for further reading of other books by the author and those of related interest for the age range.
My kids (10, 8, 6 yr) enjoyed the story. They felt sad for Faith at the end, but were happy that she had put so much care and effort into her quilt. They enjoyed working through the discussion questions with me and completing some of the other activities. I, personally, appreciate that the guide incorporates the Bible and helps the kids see a deeper meaning behind a cute story. Whenever you can apply a lesson, rather than just hear about it, it's much more likely to make a lasting difference.
The Josefina Story Quilt was a quick study for my little ones, but if you're looking for more involved learning, Progeny Press offers study guides from kindergarten all the way through 12th grade. Their resources are greatly enjoyed in our home.
You can connect with Progeny Press on the following social media sites:
You can read more reviews of this eGuide along with the others reviewed by fellow homeschoolers on the Homeschool Review Crew blog.
No comments:
Post a Comment