Bible Unearthed

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

Drive Thru History® Adventures is one of our family's favorite video series, so we're always excited when we get to review something from them. This time, we've gotten early access to a brand new series called Bible Unearthed. 

Dave Stotts, the host of the award-winning Drive Thru History®, believes that "education should be culturally engaging, fact-filled, and super fun." He spends his time traveling the world to teach on location to give viewers a glimpse of historic sites and bring history to life. He calls it Adventure Learning, and not only is it educational, it's highly entertaining. Dave is able to take documentary-style dialogue and add in humor and silliness in a way that grabs the attention of even the littlest ones of the family. 

In Bible Unearthed, Dave teams up with a couple men to explore the importance and impact of archaeology: Randall, Drive Thru History® lead writer and longtime travel companion and Titus Kennedy, PhD, archaeology expert and friend. The three of them explain how discoveries help us better understand the ancient world through this 12-part series.

Archaeology, or "study of the ancient," is a "rediscovery of the past through systematic investigation and excavation." Though the topic is woven throughout the Drive Thru History® segments secondhandedly, they wanted to highlight it through episodes of its own.   

1. What Is Archaeology?
2. The Impact of Archaeology
3. Locating Archaeological Sites
4. The Life of an Archaeologist
5. What's Being Discovered Today?
6. Archaeological Mysteries
7. Top Discoveries in Bible Archaeology
8. Getting Involved in Archaeology
9. Trends in Archaeology
10. Weird Archaeology
11. Accidental Discoveries in Archaeology 
12. What's Left to Be Discovered?

The men sit in their "secret lair of archaeology" and discuss the topics for each segment. They incorporate replicas of artifacts, maps, tools, the Bible, timelines, pictures, and more and use a chalkboard to teach. There are also clips on location of real archaeology sites.   

Each episode is around the 15 minute mark, packed with enough information to whet your appetite without feeling overwhelming. Of course, in typical Drive Thru History® fashion, there is some subtle humor mixed in, such as Dave playing with replicas or dropping them, getting reprimanded, and other silliness. 

Bible Unearthed is more than just videos though. It is a full 12-week course with written exposition, worksheets and answer guides, Dig Deeper articles, and activities. There is also a sample weekly schedule for those who want to stay on track. 

The written expositions expound on the topics in greater detail and are filled with fascinating pictures. The worksheets have 5 discussion questions for each episode such as What suggests that the David and Goliath story was a historical event? and What kind of architectural evidence relating to the book of Esther did archaeologists find in Susa?. The Dig Deeper articles were written by Dr. Titus and cover topics like the importance of chronology, the Mesha Stele, the Gallio Inscription, and Solomonic Gates. The activities, like copying a portion of an ancient Biblical text, drawing and analyzing pottery, excavating coins hidden in the yard with a metal detector and mapping the location, and learning about weight price by pretend bartering with a friend, add a deeper, hands-on approach to learning about archaeology. 

Our family is thoroughly enjoying this study of Biblical archaeology.  My kids range in age from 5-14 years of age. Here is what  they said:

"I like everything!"

"I like that it's about archaeology. I like learning history." 

"I like how they talk about different things they've found at dig sites and about different tools they use. I find it cool how they found things proving that the Bible is true."

"I like that they actually go to the places instead of just showing pictures of them. And I learned that they use sandbox toys, haha."

"Dave is hilarious! Because of that it's easy to pay attention and want to learn more."

Bible Unearthed is engaging and full of content. It is different from the other Drive Thru History® Adventures, but it is equally appreciated in our home. Not only has it taught us much about the past and how it relates to the Bible, it has sparked an interest in archaeology in my kids. Who knows, maybe one of my little ones will find his own rare discovery one day!

You can connect with Drive Thru History® Adventures on the following social media sites:

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You can read more reviews of this series on the Homeschool Review Crew blog.

World War II Study

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

World War II has become my favorite time period to read about on my own the last couple years, and while I've read the kids some biographies and talked about the circumstances during that time, we've never done a full study of it. When we had the opportunity to review a product from one of our favorite companies, I knew that the Time Traveler's U.S. History Studies: World War II would be perfect.

Home School in the Woods is known for their detailed, hands-on history curricula. We have used various resources from their many product lines over the years and have loved each one. From their Project Passports to their Activity Studies to their Hands-on History Lap-Paks to each À La Carte item, the choices are full of information, high quality, and so very fun. This was our first experience with the Time Traveler's U.S. History Studies series, and it did not disappoint!

Home School in the Woods is a family business that was started as a way to make history real, understandable, and applicable. Using timelines and realistic illustrations as a foundation, they've created many resources to make learning history an enjoyable process.

The World War II study is part of the Time Traveler's U.S. History Studies series which covers topics such as Colonial Life, The American Revolution, and The Civil War among others. Each Time Traveler's is a complete study of a specific topic with multiple projects and accompanying text. The units are geared toward grades 3-8 and were created to include everything for a compact assignment.

The download (also available as a CD) comes as a zip file. Once you open it, and see the multiple folders, click on the "start" file. At that point, the entire program will open in your browser, making it very easy to use. Instead of clicking through multiple folders, trying to bounce back and forth among the resources, everything is laid out as you need it.

There are full step-by-step instructions for each component. The Text Pages are the informational part of the lessons. The text is engaging and fact-filled and can be read word-for-word while teaching. The Project Pages list each project for the lesson, including detailed instructions, illustrtions, and needed materials. The Masters are the printable pages for the projects. They are individual PDFs and sometimes offer different choices of style and format.

I love studying together as a family as much as possible and appreciate that these studies from Home School in the Woods can easily be used with a range of ages. My kids are 14, 12, 10, 8, and 5 years old, and each one is enjoying learning about World War II. I read the lesson texts to them, stopping many times to further discuss an idea, research additional information, or look at a map. We've had many good discussions about freedom, the abuse of power, keeping leaders accountable, and fighting for what is right. 

The lessons begin long before the war by explaining what the world was like after WWI and describe the events that led up to the next world war. From there, the study teaches chronologically touching on topics such as individual battles, America's official entrance to the war, Hitler's Fortress, concentration camps, peace, and more. Lesson 25 ends the study with a Celebration Day, complete with authentic ration recipes, activities, games, and more.

Like all the resources from Home School in the Woods, this one is packed with activities! Many of the pages--timeline, penmanship quotes, war terms, propaganda posters, military medals, and many others--will be kept in a 3-ringed binder. There are some multi-step projects that will be added to throughout the study, such as a detailed lapbook, sample newspaper, record book, and mapping major events. There is also hands-on learning options, too, like planting a victory garden, sewing a garrison cap, cooking war ration recipes (like the buttermilk sponge custard that we made), making a souvenir pillowcase, and sending a soldier care package. 

There are so many activity suggestions that you can easily choose which ones would be best for you and your kids.

We have been doing 1-2 lessons a week depending on the number of activities we've chosen and taking into consideration our relaxed summer schedule. The text is perfect for the target age, explaining the details in simple terms while sprinkling in more advanced vocabulary and concepts. The study offers many options for activities that vary in both content and skill. There are even a few games included like Bingo using foreign war terms, a Battleship-type on paper, and a trivia file folder game. 

While there is already plenty of information and activities in the study itself, you can find many more books, videos, and other suggestions in the Additional Resources section to further your learning.

The World War II Time Traveler's U.S. History Studies truly is a hands-on adventure in history!

Home School in the Woods offers many products that teach history. With this being an election year, the U.S. Elections Lap-Pak would be a perfect addition to your school day. It's important that our children understand the election process and appreciate their responsibility to vote. If you'd like to see just how thorough the study is, you can read our review from a few year ago. I think it's time we pull it out and work through it again, too!

Home School in the Woods is generously sponsoring a giveaway through the end of August. You can get a FREE copy of Greek Life! File Folder Game when you use code TOSGameNight. Happy learning!

You can connect with Home School in the Woods on the following social media sites:
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If you'd like to learn more about all that Home School in the Woods has to offer, you can read more reviews of their products on the Homeschool Review Crew blog.

The Hidden Message

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

I admit, this is not a review I would have been excited about when I was in high school or even college. Sadly, I was not interested in learning facts about people or events that did not currently affect me. As I've gotten older though, and especially once I started homeschooling my own children, historical learning has drawn me. I now appreciate the importance of our past and the connection it has with our future. 

I was intrigued as soon as I read about The Hidden Message of the Great Seal. This book from The Hidden Message, LLC and written by Michael Kanis is a wealth of information as it deciphers the symbols of our national seal. If you consider yourself a patriot or a history buff or if you've wondered why certain symbols were used throughout the course of history, you need to keep reading.

The Hidden Message of the Great Seal: How Foundational Truth from the Dawn of Liberty May Rescue a Republic in Peril takes the reader on a historical journey. It starts during a pivotal time when the desire for a seal was first declared; it pulls facts from all time periods prior starting with Genesis and "In the beginning;" and it gives a challenge for those in the present day as they prepare for a future worthy of our great nation's past. 

The founders of our country endowed the seal "with vital truth for the preservation of the Republic." Kanis made it his mission to learn those truths while on a trip with his son to Philadelphia. A visit to Valley Forge, a dollar bill, and an explanation from an educated friend sparked a longing for understanding.

The book works through the national seal piece by piece to gain a deep understanding of every aspect. It explains about the lives and characteristics of the people that influenced the components, both deliberately and unintentionally. Thomas Jefferson. Benjamin Franklin. John Adams. Charles Thomson. Francis Hopkinson. John Knox. William Barton. John Bradshaw.

The book explains so many interesting facts:

• Why the seal represents the American people
• About the slight difference between the original seal and the version on the one dollar bill
• How the story travels around the world from America to England to Italy to Israel to the Netherlands and more
• How God's covenant with Abraham is reflected in the design of the seal
• Shows multiple designs options of the seal all with a consistent message and similar symbols
• Teaches about the mottos, phrases, symbols, metaphors, colors chosen specifically for their meanings
• Touches on biblical numerology and how it's reflected in the design
• That the founding fathers built this nation on a belief and trust in God and His Word

Congress adopted our national seal on June 20, 1782. Though hundreds of years have passed, the author claims to have arrived at an understanding of the seal which has not been communicated or understood from that day until now. That is a bold statement, but since I have not spent countless hours in deep study of the topic, I cannot claim that I know enough to either refute or agree with him. I will say that the information presented is fascinating and well-researched.

Kanis sought to be conservative in his analysis, thoroughly testing and understanding the meanings of the allegories of each symbols without adding his own connotations to the seal.

The book is paperback and approximately 12" x 9" with more than 250 pages and endnotes. It is filled with pictures, images, charts, and quotes that beautifully bring the past to life. The topic is deep, and the writing is evidence of that. This is better suited for a high school course in American history or government or for adult reading. While I often read higher level books to my little ones, I chose to read this one alone, soaking up the information as I delved deeper into the allegorical meanings. 

The book itself is awkward to hold because of its size, so much so that I found myself not as willing to pick it up to read as I otherwise would. Also, the bottom corner arrived bent and creased throughout the entire book because it was shipped in only a packing envelope. A hardcover may help with both of those issues. 

I found the information fascinating and am looking forward to learning more about our National Seal and all that it represents.

If you are interested in understanding the symbols chosen by our forefathers, you can currently purchase The Hidden Message of the Great Seal for half price with coupon code HOMESCHOOL. May we continue to uphold the morals and freedoms paid for when our seal was created.

You can read more reviews of this book on the Homeschool Review Crew blog.

Traveling Around the World and Through History with Carole P Roman Books

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

Anyone that knows our family knows that we love reviewing books. The foundation of our education is reading, so we're always looking for new and exciting literature to supplement our learning. Over the years, we've added many books by Carole P. Roman to our home library.

Over the last few years, Carole has written over 50 books and won countless awards for her works. Not only is she an accomplished author, she's a generous one, as well. We were able to choose any 4 of her titles. She has various series in her collection from books teaching about cultures and civilizations to bedtime stories to early reader chapter books to books about pirates teaching morals and more. Though they are all charming, we are partial to her If You Were Me series and were excited to read more. We received the following books from Carole P. Roman's assorted series:

If You Were Me and Lived in...Ancient China
If You Were Me and Lived in...the Ancient Mali Empire

If You Were Me and Lived in...Brazil
If You Were Me and Lived on...Mars

If You Were Me and Lived in...Ancient China is one of the first books in the Ancient Civilizations Through Time collection. The books in this series are much more in depth and contain much more information than the Culture series books. Each one places you, the reader, in that location during that time period. This 75+ paperback gives a fantastic description of what it could have been like to live in China in A.D. 150. It explains what it may have been like to live during the Han dynasty when poetry and literature were encouraged and paper and porcelain were created. It explains the importance of the Silk Road and how it impacted the people of China. You learn about various occupations and how people were treated differently because of them, how houses were built and functioned, and what kind of foods were eaten. You'll read about how the family dynamic was greatly respected, about wearing tunics as clothing, how colors influenced decisions, a sign that someone had been punished, and the emphasis on numbers. There are pages teaching religion, education, professions, toys, music, and more.

The back of the book contains a glossary of places, things, and philosophies that are pertinent to that time and place. It also has a section of important or famous people and a description for each. These resources can be used as a springboard for further study.

If You Were Me and Lived in...the Ancient Mali Empire is another book that teaches kids about an ancient civilization. This one, taking place in the 1300s teaches all about living in the height of the Mali Empire, also known as the Mandingo Empire. Like the others in the series, it also teaches the main points of the period such as city life, religion, houses, occupations, clothing, food, and more. It explains about the importance of baggy pants, why the people relied on salt, what tradition women couldn't participate in, the meaning of the word Mali, and what gift a man would bring to ask for a wife. With more than 75 pages, there is a lot to learn.

Some of the famous people mentioned in the back include Inari Kunate, Abu Ishaq Ibrahim Al-Sahili, Sassouma Bereté, and Shihāb al-Dīn Abū al-Ábbās Ahmad B. Fadl Allāh al-Úmarī. Just don't ask me to pronounce them.

If You Were Me and Lived in...Brazil is one of 25 books that teach geography. Kids learn what it's like to live in different countries as they read through the Cultures Around the World series. The books follow a distinct pattern. The book begins with a picture of the country along with its capital and then shows where it is on the globe. Next is a brief description of the capital city. The book also gives examples of what you may have been named if you had been born there, what you'd call your parents, and what type of currency you'd use. It talks about popular places to visit (including the vast number of trees in the Amazon), some of the common foods (brigadeiros sound yummy), types of recreation (anyone can play Cinco Marias), and a special holiday (bring on the parades).

There are other facts, too, like the word for school, where the president lives, and more. The last few pages of the book are filled with the pronunciations of the foreign words used along with brief definitions.The pronunciations are also found written throughout the story, but it's convenient to have a list of these words in one place. Around 30 pages in length, the book can easily be read in a single sitting.

If You Were Me and Lived on...Mars is a fun addition to the Cultures collection. Instead of focusing on a country, this book describes to kids what it might be like to live on the distant Red Planet. How would you travel there? How long would it take? Why would you have to wait two years to make the return trip home? It's all explained in this 40+ page book. It talks about physical aspects of the planet, like why its color is red, what it is made of, the consistency of the atmosphere, and where it is in the solar system. It explains how you would have to bring all supplies from Earth to survive the harsh conditions and what you would have to do in order to live there. There's information about moons, temperature, gravity, and dust storms. If you have a space-loving kiddo like my 7-year-old, this is a great book!

My kids and I enjoyed these books greatly. With literature being the focus of our schooling, I depend on living books for the majority of our learning. A book that puts you in the story and teaches without feeling like work is the preferred way to learn history in our home. These books are not full curricula on the topics, by any means, but they are a wonderful introduction. We had many "rabbit trail" discussions that were encouraged by the stories and took the time to look up pictures and more information along the way. The pictures are colorful and fill the pages. 

The kids have been walking around saying Timbuktu just because it's fun, quoting Confucius sayings, making a grocery list for homemade pão de queijo, and dreaming about viewing Earth from outer space. Traveling around the world and through history using books is a great way to learn about the world around us!

If you'd like to learn more about cultures of our world or civilizations of the past, Carole P. Roman has many award-winning options to choose.



You can connect with Carole P. Roman on the following social media sites:

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You can learn more abut Carole P Roman's wonderful books by reading more reviews on the Homeschool Review Crew blog.

Appaloosy Horse Books

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Anyone who knows our family knows that we love to review books. Since the foundation of our schooling is literature, I require my kids to read a substantial amount every day. There is a lot to be learned from fiction, and the kids generally relish in it daily, however, I also insist that they read nonfiction, too. I always appreciate when we find books that blend the two types, ones that teach factual history through a fictional story. That is what we received from Author Mattie Richardson/Appaloosy Books.

Mattie Richardson has been called "North Dakota's Teen Author" as she wrote her first book at 13 years old. She has since written more books while juggling a full-time journalist job and a part-time music career. She also speaks to schools and groups to encourage other young writers. Horses are another passion of hers and evidently the inspiration of Mattie Richardson's Horses in History Series. We received all four books in the series and couldn't wait to learn about the past.

The Horses in History series is just that, horses in history. Mattie's stories each highlight a portion of history and the importance of horses during that time.  We've heard these accounts from men over the years, but Mattie lets us see the stories from the horses point of view. These original narratives add a whimsical touch that helps ages 8-14 get a better understanding of our past.

My 11-year-old read three of the books and helped me with the summaries.

Appaloosy  is set in 1877 during thr Nez Perce War. It is 125 pages.

It's about an Indian's horse named Storm. The Indian breaks him, but didn't wear a saddle. The Indians and the White men battle and Storm is stolen and sold. The man who bought him thought the horse is good for nothing, so he sold him to a girl named Faith. Storm liked the girl, but since she didn't know his name, she renamed him Star. He got to know Faith and her family, and then he was stolen again with the rest of the family's horses. The horses escaped and had the choice to be free horses or return to Faith. He chose to return. 

Dusty's Trail takes place in the early 1860s during the Pony Express era and is nearly 75 pages long.

It's about a horse named Dusty. His owner Levi wanted to get a job with the Pony Express to help care for his widowed mother. She was afraid to lose him, but he ran away and took the job. They spent their days riding from place to place. One day, they show up at a station to find that all the people were dead and the horses stolen. Levi and Dusty rode to the next station to warn the people. Dusty became famous because he was so fast and ran so far as a cow horse. Then, Indians attacked. Levi fell off and was captured while Dusty ran away. Eventually, Dusty decided to save Levi. Another horse named Ace went with him. A man tried to capture the horses, but some flour from the man's wagon fell on Dusty and made him white. The horses escaped and made it to Indian Territory. Dusty found Levi tied up in a teepee. As they were escaping, the Indians woke up. Since Dusty was white from the flour, the Indians thought he was a spirit and let them leave. Dusty became famous again.   

Golden Sunrise centers around the Alamo in 1936 and is just about 100 pages. It is sprinkled with Spanish words to add to the authenticity. 

The story is told by Cheyenne, a Golden Palomino in Northern Texas. Cheyenne's owner, Jared, longs to become a volunteer soldier in Texas's fight for independence. The pair becomes stationed in San Antonio to help defend Fort Alamo. As the battles rage, Cheyenne and Jared hide a cannon, help protect each other, and befriend James Bowie and Davy Crockett.

When Jared died at the hand of the Mexicans, Cheyenne became moody and withdrawn and refused to eat. It took the loving touch of Jared's younger brother Austin and his use of her secret name to restore her will to live. Over time, Austin gained her complete trust and friendship. As Texas became free and independent, the new friends vowed to "Remember the Alamo!" 

Day and Night is set during the Civil War and is around 150 pages in length.

It's about two horses: Shiloh and Tucker. The chapters swap back and forth between the two horses. They are as different as day and night. Tucker is sold to a man who needed a work horse. Eventually the Yankees come and called him a Rebel and stole his horse. Tucker was sold to the army. He ended up with a man named Ben. They went through war until he proved himself. Then he became a colonel's horse. In battle, he saw his brother Shiloh, but he didn't recognize him at first. At the next battle, someone got shot, and Ben offered to help. 

Shiloh was sold as a last resort because his owner needed money. The man who bought him was really mean. Shiloh was stolen by a girl. When her mother wouldn't let her join the army, she ran off with the horse. She then asked the general if she could join, but since she was a girl, he wouldn't let her. She decided to cut her hair off, pretended to be a boy, and changed her name. The men let her join. In battle, Sarah was shot. Ben offered to take her to a doctor, but since she was really a girl, she refused. Ben stitched her up. 

In the end, Ben and Sarah got married and the horse brothers were united again.    

The beginning of each book has a list of words the reader should know. There are both foreign words and period words that are no longer commonplace. Each one is given a short definition to help the story flow.

The end of each book dedicates a few pages to a Blast from the Past, which is the background history from which the story is set. Of course, there is information about the wars, but other interesting facts are noted as well, including how the appaloosa horses got their name, what a quarter horse is, the mystery behind the word palomino, and more.

Along with the four paperback books, we received the PDF version of the Day and Night Enrichment Guide. The guide is divided into eight parts that correspond to the book. The first seven sections follow the same format:

• Reading Comprehension
• Vocabulary
• History
• A Soldier's Life
• Living History Activity
• Geography
• Horses and History
• Creating Your Own Stories
• Biography
• Further Reading  

The last section finishes up the story with a conclusion and optional field trip activity.

The guide has nearly 100 pages of enrichment ideas: fill-in-the-blank, short answer, coloring, crafts, map work, recipes, word search, and more. There are photographs and much historical information to supplement your study of the Civil War. There is a full accompanying answer key, as well.

This impressive enrichment guide is packed full of information. It could easily be used as a full study on the Civil War.

Day and Night was my daughter's favorite because it followed the story lines of the two horses. She appreciated the historical information woven into the books.

If your child is interested in horses and the past, you should consider Mattie Richardson's Horses in History Series.



You can connect with Mattie Richardson and Appaloosy Books on the following social media sites:
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You can read more reviews of these books on the Homeschool Review Crew blog.

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Progeny Press Study Guides

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. This time, we were able to use two of their downloadable resources: The Long Way to a New Land Study Guide and the Little House on the Prairie Study Guide.

Progeny Press is a Christian company owned by Michael and Rebecca Gilleland. It is their mission to "teach our children to think clearly, to understand literature, and to rely on the scripture for truth and values, and enjoy themselves while they do it!" They offer more than 100 study guides for classic, popular, and award-winning books. The guides are designed to help students better understand and enjoy literature by getting them to think through the themes and ideas written in the stories. The study guides are available in three formats: a physical book, a CD with a PDF ebook, and a downloadable PDF file.

The Long Way to a New Land Study Guide is designed for grades K-3. The guide accompanies the book by Joan Sandin. The Long Way to a New Land is a short chapter book for young readers and has roughly 65 pages with pictures on each page or spread and a large font. The story takes place in 1868 as Carl Erik and his family faced starvation during the "hunger years" in Sweden. When all the grass and crops dried up and the cows could no longer give milk, the family realized it was hopeless to stay in their homeland. They packed needed belongings and sold what they could in order to purchase boat tickets for America. The story follows their journey as they dealt with crowded spaces, smelly living quarters, sickness, and the unknown--all for the hope that this new land offered.

The study guide has 50 pages of learning activities. It starts with a synopsis of the book, background information, and details about the author. There are a handful of Before-You-Read activities including vocabulary words, a family tree, map work, the history of steamships, and more. The guide is then broken into sections that correspond with the chapters of the book. Each chapter highlights vocabulary using matching, fill-in-the-blank, short answer, synonyms, and more. There are also things to teach cause and effect, early grammar skills, emotions, inventions, and questions to make the reader think, along with some fun pages like a crossword puzzle and word search.

The chapters also have Bible verses that complement the lessons in the story in the Dig Deeper sections. 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.

The study continues even after the story is finished by learning from the illustrations, looking at the story, and After-You-Read activities. The guide ends with suggestions for further reading of other books by the author and those of related interest for the age range. A full answer key is at the end.

My younger boys (ages 9, 7, 4) and I completed this study together. They especially enjoyed the story because their great-grandfather emigrated from Sweden, just like Carl Erik and his family. This account helped them to understand the difficulties their ancestors experienced and appreciate their sacrifices. The book explains the hardships in a way that perfect for this age group. The boys and I would read a chapter and then complete a page or two each day from the guide. We printed out some pages for them to complete, but we answered the majority of the questions together aloud.

 
Because we like to learn as a family as much as possible, I chose a second study guide. The Little House on the Prairie Study Guide is for the 4th-6th grade group and has 62 pages. My kids range from preschool-9th grade, but everyone can benefit from spending time together getting lost in the pages of a book. Many people are familiar with the beloved Little House on the Prairie books. This one, the third in the series, follows the Ingalls family as they leave their little house in the big woods and travel from Wisconsin to the prairie of Kansas. The account greatly details how they built their life--from cutting the trees to carrying river rocks to pegging doors and making a rocking chair with only sticks. Everything they had was found in the land around them. The story is one of hard work and determination, but also one of hope, brotherly love, and acceptance. 

The guide begins with the same type of sections as the other (synopsis, author and background information, and pre-reading activities), but then suggests reading the entire book before delving into the meat of the study. This format worked well for us as the kids got to simply enjoy the story without stopping to work. There were a few times when we had to go back to review parts of the story where they didn't remember exactly, but that's all part of the process.

This guide for the upper elementary includes vocabulary skills and comprehension questions, but they are more difficult than the lower level. Also, this guide has an editable PDF so a student can type the answers directly without having to print it out. Because of that option, a separate file with the answer key is given, so a student does not have access to the answers himself. Another way that this level is different is that the Bible verses are not written out, encouraging the learner to grab his Bible to look them up himself. There are a lot of "what do you think," "what does this mean,'' "why or why not" questions.

Other activities include making cornbread (which my 11-year-old daughter made by herself) and molasses milk, watching some Little House episodes (now a new favorite show for the kids!), learning about fire drills, visiting a farmer's market, creating an inside-out Christmas list (a great tradition to start), cutting out paper dolls, and listening to fiddle music. The study covers art, music, writing, science, dramatic story-telling, history, games, fun, and more. This unit study type of approach assures that there's something for each kind of learner.

As always, my kids enjoyed these studies from Progeny Press. We had many thoughtful conversations about life of the past and how blessed we are now. The books were a good reminder that we could live a simpler lifestyle with many fewer possessions and that we take too much for granted. We make family read aloud part of of regular schooling, but it's good to take our learning deeper. I appreciate that these guides incorporate Bible lessons to help kids see a deeper meaning behind the stories.Whenever you can apply a lesson, rather than just hear about it, it's much more likely to make a lasting difference.

Even though we reviewed elementary guides, Progeny Press offers many study guides ranging from kindergarten all the way through 12th grade and cover many popular books. There truly is something for everyone. If you have older students, make sure to check out the upper level guides, as well. Their resources are greatly enjoyed in our home.

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Be sure to head to the Homeschool Review Crew blog to read more reviews of these study guides and more offered by Progeny Press.

Library and Educational Services LLC

It is no secret that our family reads--a lot--so it's not surprising that our favorite reviews are often book reviews. This time though, we're not talking about a single book, but a whole pile of interesting and educational materials.

Imagine my excitement when we were able to choose our own books from Library and Educational Services LLC. We were given the choice of one book from the best-selling Who Was . . . ? series, one CD from the dynamic Lifehouse Theater CD series, and a selection of the Reinforced Hardcover Library Binding Nonfiction books.

      

Library and Educational Services is a small, family-owned company right here in Michigan. They've been in business as a whole-sale distributor for over 40 years, selling to libraries, schools, re-sellers, specialty stores, churches, missionaries, daycare centers, and ministry leaders. The merchandise is carefully selected to ensure they represent Christian morals and values. They specialize in materials for children, though they do offer many products for the adult crowd, as well. From Bibles to biographies to DVDs to marriage helps to coloring books and everything in between, there is something to appeal to everyone. 

On top of their great selection are their great prices. All of their materials are between 30% to 70% off publisher's list prices every day. I personally have ordered from them multiple times and have been very pleased with both the products and the prices. And my kids are always thrilled when they get a big box of new books!

We've been big fans of the Who Was . . . ? books for a while. In fact, we own over 50 titles from the series. I require my kids to spend a certain portion every week reading a biography. While we have many different types in our personal library, the Who Was . . . ? books are a favorite. They are perfect for the middle grades with a slightly larger font size and vocabulary usage. Each book is right around 100 pages and is filled with sketch drawings on nearly every page. There are also timelines in the back and additional bibliography suggestions. Along with the Who Was? books which focus on people of the past, there are What Was? (events), Where Is? (places), and Who Is? (people of the present) titles.  

We were given 1 book, but I ordered an additional 4 to add to our collection. Occasionally, a single title might drop lower in price from another retailer, but in general, this is the cheapest place to purchase these books. In fact, they have dropped even lower than the every day price during a current sale. All the titles in the series are only $2.89. I already placed another order of 10 of these books! The ones I got for this review though are Who Was William Shakespeare?, Who Were The Brothers Grimm?, What Was the Great Chicago Fire?, What Was Pearl Harbor?, and Where Is the Tower of London?.

Another great aspect that I never noticed before is that the What Was? books each have an additional 16 pages of historical photographs and the Where Is books have a full-color, fold-out map with pictures on the back. These bonus pages help the places and events comes to life and give the reader a more vivid understanding. I've enjoyed looking through these pictures of the past.

The Lifehouse Theater CD series is also something we were familiar with as we already owned a couple productions. These On-The-Air audio dramas are adaptations of classic stories from literature, history, and the Bible. The stories come to life through powerful performances, beautiful music, and rich sound effects, making a "theater of the imaginations."

We chose "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi." The story is based on a short account within Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book. In it, a pet mongoose bravely protects his human family from a pair of deadly cobras. This version begins and ends with a side story as a missionary relates the courage of Rikki-Tikki-Tavi to calm a young boy who had been bitten by a snake and wins over the boy's aloof father in the process. The story encourages bravery, faith, and love. This production is well done and was enjoyed by the whole family. This particular story is right around a half hour, but others in the series are more than twice that length.

Choosing our Reinforced Hardcover Library Binding Nonfiction books was a more more difficult task than deciding the other materials. There are just so many options! Since my kids range in age from 4 years to 13 years and naturally have different interests, I picked books that would not only be educational, but intriguing, as well. Here is our loot:

• The Black Death 1347-1350
• Bloodiest Battles (set of 4)
• Ye Yucky Middle Ages (set of 4)
• Real Life Science Projects (set of 2)
• Extreme Survival (set of 2)

I admit, I am a book nerd, but I have to say that these books are beautiful! There is just something special about a brand new pile of books, especially ones that are as well-made as these. All but the survival books are hardcover with sturdy binding. The books are full of color with eye-catching pictures and pleasing formats. The books are designed to teach kids all sorts of important and fascinating facts, but even I have been reading my way through them and learning new things.

My daughter did find a single defect in one of our books. She was reading Who Was William Shakespeare? when she came across a page that was flipped and torn. The page wasn't cut properly so it was substantially larger than the others, causing it damage.

I headed to the site, clicked the contact us button, and then filled out the form through the email link. I gave my information and explained the situation. The next day I received a personalized email from customer service. She was friendly, apologized for the defect, and shipped me a new book. Mistakes happen; how you handle them is important. The customer service at Library and Educational Services LLC is fantastic.

I have always been pleased with my experiences with Library and Educational Services LLC. They have a vast selection of quality books at amazing prices. Here is a sampling of materials we own that they sell: the Rush Revere books, set of 26 Profiles of the Presidents books, Adventures in Odyssey CDs, Drive Thru History DVDs, pack of Cartoon Nation books, Go Science DVDs, and, of course, dozens of Who Was . . . ? books. They truly offer something for everyone.

Head over to Library and Educational Services LLC today and don't forget to take advantage of their sale on the Who Was . . . ? series!

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Since members of the Crew were able to choose their own titles for this review, there are so many more books and CDs that have been used by homeschooling families this summer. You can read those reviews on the Homeschool Review Crew blog.