NatureGlo's eScience

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.

Our family loves learning about science and the world around with a natural, hands-on approach. That's why I was pleased to review NatureGlo's eScience, a site filled with nature-based online math and science unit studies.

Gloria Brooks has over 20 years of eclectic teaching with child-directed learning. She has helped students all over the globe to fall in love with the natural world while also covering other subjects. By leaving dry textbooks behind and heading into nature, her goal is to ignite passion and curiosity to produce lifelong learners. She created the NatureGlo's eScience MathArt and Science Course Bundle as a one-stop, nature-based eLearning center for ages 10-18.

NatureGlo's eScience (NeS) offers 31 courses divided in 5 categories:

• MathArt
• Marine Biology
• Herps (reptiles and amphibians)
• Botany
• Geology

The topics that are taught vary greatly and cover all sorts of interesting things: Galapagos tortoises, deep sea creatures, polygons and patterns in nature, giant redwood trees, gray wolves, rock hounding, Komodo dragons, chameleons, tide pools, queen conchs, Leonardo da Vinci, geometric snowflakes, and more. There's even a one-lesson class on bubbleology. 

The classes are easy to use. Once you begin a course, a list of the lessons is given, showing what is included. Many of the courses contain a PowerPoint slideshow, pre-lesson activity, main lesson videos, and activities.

The lessons may contain instructions, reading texts, downloads, videos, and additional links. The main lesson videos are pre-recorded live classes that Gloria has done with her students. They can be a bit awkward to watch as an outsider. There are pauses as you wait for a student to respond along with the feeling of being left out during discussions in which you can't partake. My kids enjoy when Gloria is teaching, but are somewhat aloof with the interaction of the students.

As you finish each lesson, there is a Mark Complete button to click. That will cross off the lesson from the list and highlight a checkmark next to it. There is also a bar to show progress along with the percentage that is completed for the entire course.

My middle child (10 years) is my biggest nature kid. He especially loves learning about animals and can rattle off multiple facts about all sorts of creatures. He's currently working through the Herps Zoology: Poison Dart Frog, Python, and Caiman course. He has completed a Venn diagram, colored realistic pages, watched people handle pythons, learned that there's more than one type of reticulated python and that poison dart frogs lay their eggs and then transfer the tadpoles to water, and is working on drawing a caiman.

My daughter (12 years) is my artistic child. Of course, she was drawn to the MathArt courses and The Geometric Beauty of Snowflakes. She learned that there are triangular flakes and ice needles and created snowflakes out of popsicle sticks.

The dashboard has all the record-keeping: courses, achievements, certificates, grades, and more. You can see the date a course was started, the percentage that's been completed, and the grade. If your child doesn't click that Mark Complete button at the bottom of the lessons, none of that information will be recorded. Ask me how I know, ha.

I allow my kids to choose which classes they want to complete, but if you're looking for a more formal schedule for study, Gloria has created a RoadMap of courses. Following this plan will take you on a learning journey through all of the mathart and science lessons in a systematic way.

My kids can work through the courses mostly by themselves. Some of lesson pages feel distracting because of the amount of information on each page. My son was confused by all the links on the DK Find Out! sections. Also, we had issues with various videos and links and would get error codes such as 404 Not Found, Sorry the file you have requested does not exist, Video unavailable, and File is in owner's trash. We have also had videos that have either not played at all or have taken an extremely long time to load.

Despite the issues, we have enjoyed the information in the classes. Whenever possible, we just look for a similar video or print coloring pages from a different source. I do wish there were more hands-on activities though. If you'd like a virtual tour the site and all it has to offer, there is a video that explains it in detail.

My son told me, "I really like the slideshows and videos that show the animals." If you, too, want to delve deeper into MathArt and Science classes in a self-paced, natural way, you should check out NatureGlo's eScience.

You can connect with NatureGlo's eScience on the following social media sites:
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You can read more reviews of NatureGlo's eScience 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.

Exploring the U.S. Life-Saving Service

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 was excited to review Exploring the U.S. Life-Saving Service 1878-1915: 17 Student Workshops with 120 Activities from Rebecca Locklear. My middle child is my outdoorsy one. He loves learning survival skills, knows how to tie a dozen various knots, and can talk your ear off about living in the wild. I am always looking for new books and ideas to feed his hobby. With well-over 100 activities, including many based around survival, I knew this eBook would pique his interest.

Rebecca Locklear wrote this study to bring light to a long-forgotten organization. The U.S. Life-Saving Service dedicated their lives to saving others. From 1878-1915, these men watched the coasts for signs of distress and worked to rescue those whose ships were sinking. These surfmen were the precursor to the U.S. Coastguard and many of their procedures for search and rescues were carried over. Rebecca's great-grandfather, "Skipper" Eldredge, devoted 15 years of his life to this service. It was in his honor that she created this study.

The study is divided into 4 units with 17 workshops:

• Unit 1: Life at the Station House
• Unit 2: Working Together
• Unit 3: The Culture of Character
• Unit 4: Relevance Today

Each workshop, or lesson, begins with a description of its objectives and a list of needed materials. It also notes the age range that the material is geared toward, varying between grades 4-12.

The introductory workshop is packed with background information. It explains what the purpose of the Life-Saving Service was, including how many men were on each crew, what their responsibilities were, how they lived, how they trained, what tactics they used for rescues, what they ate, what they wore, and more.

Each subsequent workshop focuses on a specific aspect of life. The teacher is given reading materials, questions, and exercises to aid in the learning. There is a variety of activities throughout the lessons which cover cooking, drama, skits and improvisation, music, poetry, games, stories, videos, and other engaging hands-on projects.

There are additional sections in the book to further your study. There are projects involving art and music; research ideas that include archaeology, Coston Flares, rescue devices, ships and safety, social issues, and much more; information on why ships sink, and recipes for food sampling of the time. There is also a glossary with 35 sea terms with brief descriptions.

I have been using Exploring the U.S. Life-Saving Service as a unit study with my kids ranging in age from 5-12. I read them the background information for the lessons and then we talk over them further. As much as I love hands-on learning and incorporate it daily into our studies, these discussion have been my favorite aspect. We've talked much about duty, sacrifice, good deeds, integrity, perseverance, hard work. selflessness. We've thought about how it would have felt to be a surfman, to be his wife, to be his child.

We made molasses muffins, used clues to guess various sea creatures the men ate, laughed at true stories involving skunks, identified types of ships by their silhouettes, translated Morse Code, used critical thinking to figure out if rescues were successful in true scenarios of the past, created our own citrus smelling salts, practiced polite manners, learned how to find the good in poor situations, and partook in other interesting activities.

We're getting ready to start Unit 4, which explains how the Life-Saving Service is relevant today. I'm excited, because this section covers steps for survival in emergencies, gives a list of survival essential items, teaches how to handle being cold and wet, and other life skills. 

We are very much enjoying this study of Exploring the U.S. Life-Saving Service 1878-1915: 17 Student Workshops with 120 Activities. Many of the activities are geared toward larger groups and would be great for co-ops or scouts. We were able to easily adapt things as needed though and were able to complete the exercises with our family. I love that the book is filled with photographs of everything from the surfmen to their drills to shipwrecks to the stations and more. They help bring the explanations to life.

There is much to be learned from the lives of the Life-Saving Service crew. These "storm warriors." Angels in oilskins. Surfmen. I think their testimony is best summed up by their motto:

 You have to go out, but you don't have to come back.

You can connect with Rebecca Locklear on her website and Facebook. You can also sign up for a monthly email filled with teaching tips and the latest news about her resources.

Some of my Crewmates also reviewed The Mayflower at Cape Cod which is a book that connects the year 1620 with life today using stories, activities, and research. You can read reviews of that study and also more of Exploring the U.S. Life-Saving Service on the Homeschool Review Crew blog.

LitWits

Many people know that literature is near and dear to our hearts. Our family reviews books quite often, but it's always fun when we receive resources that help us enhance our study of classic books. Even though my kids spend a large portion of their school day quietly lost in a story, I still work to incorporate read-aloud selections as a family. Quite often, the kids will be building with Legos, sketching, or crafting as they listen to me read. If they keep their hands busy, it help their minds to focus on my words. We've spent many, many hours together in this way. 

Sometimes we read simply to enjoy both the story and our time together, but other times, we like to dwell on themes and principles through enrichment activities. We've used many different resources over the years to deepen our learning, but recently we were introduced to LitWits. Even though this was a new company for us, I was immediately drawn to their style of education. Their LitWits Kits start with great books and then engage students in fun, hands-on, and meaningful activities.

LitWits was founded in 2010 by two sisters, Becky and Jenny. The pair have backgrounds in literature and journalism, and both have experience with teaching. Growing up, they thrived on good books and spent their days reading and reenacting the stories. They got older and wanted to share their love of books with others. At LitWits Workshops, they conduct experiential literature classes for ages 7 and older in Santa Cruz. Obviously, not everyone can make a trip to California, so the sisters have adapted their classes for classroom and homeschool teaching in the LitWit Kits.

Over 100 books have been brought to life through the LitWits workshop through the years. Nearly half of those have been converted into downloadable kits. We had the opportunity to choose 4 titles to use in our home. For a literature-loving family, this was no easy task! I eventually settled on the following kits:

A Wrinkle in Time
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Maybe it's because we just finished a biography read aloud or because I'm personally reading a heavy historical account on my own, but I realized all the books I had chosen were fantastical and whimsical. I knew they would be the perfect books to bring to life with my kids.

I had recently purchased A Wrinkle in Time to read with my kiddos since I had surprisingly never read it myself. That was an obvious choice and the perfect first kit for us to use. Since you read the story in its entirety before starting the activities, I grabbed the book and a cup of tea while the kids gathered some toys, and we spent a few days traveling the universe. Once we returned, we delved right into the kit.

Each LitWit Kit includes the following:

• sensory prop ideas -- see, hear, and smell what the characters did
• bookbites ideas -- taste what the characters ate
• creative project ideas & instructions/templates -- make something a character made
• kinetic activity ideas & instructions/prompts -- do what a character did or should have done
• academic handouts -- learn the story's narrative, vocabulary, setting, and more
• creative writing handouts -- write what a character wrote or felt
• takeaway topics -- know what the characters knew
• learning links -- learn more about the characters' world
• audiovisual links -- see and hear the characters' world

You can access all of the materials on their site (either by scrolling or clicking the section title) or download it directly to your device. All of the activities list supplies and directions along with the application to the story. There are also pictures included from the student workshops.

Some of the sections have questions and prompts to get your kids thinking more about the story and deeper about other things in life. For instance, while we were scaling the solar system with objects from around the house, we talked about how to remember the planets in order, just how far we are from the sun in light years, and tried to fathom how large the universe truly is. We even got a view of the basketball sun from the marble planet of Pluto.

My kids had a lot of fun making origami cubes and transporting themselves into scenes from the story, dressing up their little brother as Mrs. Whatsit, creating their own odd characters in a writing prompt, eating "alien eyeballs" while listening to space music in the dark, and more.

Along with the hands-on activities and worksheet handouts, there are many learning links to take your study deeper. There are links about the book and author, including a biography, videos, reviews, an obituary, and others. There are nearly two dozen links to supplement ideas in the story from learning about the Kennedy Space Center to study about the Theory of Relativity and irrational numbers to viewing images of the brain. We even learned the difference between hot chocolate and hot cocoa!

You can take your study even deeper by learning about specific warriors against the Black Thing (think Jesus, Einstein, Shakespeare, Bach, etc.) There is an entire Beyond the Book section and many audiovisual resources. There is also a Pinterest board dedicated to A Wrinkle in Time with additional ideas.

There are so many learning opportunities included in this one kit that we might choose to study it for weeks still! Even though we're still very much involved in the A Wrinkle in Time activities, I'm eager to get started with the other kits, too.

We'll send Alice tumbling down an interactive rabbit hole and eat delicious little cakes in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, become the characters while determining their responses and actions and invent magical candy prototypes in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and create tiny Kansas tornadoes in jars and learn about perspective and clarity while transforming our world through DIY green spectacles in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The possibilities are endless once we add in all the supplemental links, too!

The LitWits kits are the perfect combination of literature and intentional learning. They are filled with both worksheets and hands-on activities along with additional links for further study. Because there are many opportunities for learning, it is easy to adapt the plans to fit your needs. You can do a quick review adding in a few projects or lengthen the study by incorporating additional subtopics and ideas from the book.

If you love good literature and expounding on its aspects like we do, LitWits might have the perfect resource for you.

You can connect with LitWits on the following social media sites:

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

Pinterest

You can learn more about additional LitWit Kits by reading the reviews on the Homeschool Review Crew blog.

Ancient Egypt Online Unit Study

I am excited every time we get to review unit studies. I love fully immersing ourselves in a topic and applying its concepts in multiple subject areas. This comprehensive method helps you learn more, retain it longer, and have fun while doing it. 

I was recently introduced to Techie Homeschool Mom who offers many different unit studies. Beth Napoli, the creator of the site, has embraced this technology-prevalent world that we live in. Her enthusiasm for digital learning along with her researching skills inspired her to combine some of the fabulous resources she's found into digital unit studies. Originally, she created these studies as a way to educate her own five girls; now, she's sharing her work with the rest of the internet. She offers studies from artists to inventors to the solar system and more, but it was her Ancient Egypt Online Unit Study that grabbed my attention.

My kids are fascinated by Ancient Egypt--mummies, pyramids, hieroglyphics, all of it. We've studied this time period before, but there's always more that we learn, especially since we've added little ones to our family since then.

This unit study couldn't be simpler to use. There are no additional books you need to collect or resources you need to find. Everything you need for this E-course is only a click away with the exception of hands-on materials for projects. The course list is to the left of the screen. As you finish a lesson, it is automatically checked as completed on the list and the next lesson appears. The phrase Beth uses is "just click," because that is all you do to find the materials for the study.

Here are the main modules of the course:

• Egyptian Civilization
• Hieroglyphics
• Rosetta Stone
• Egyptian Daily Life
• Inventions and Technology of Ancient Egypt
• Ancient Egyptian Clothing
• Famous Egyptians
• Pyramids
• Mummies
• Final Project

The means of learning varies around websites, articles, videos, and online quizzes and games. There are a few digital tools that you may need to create free accounts for, but everything else is straightforward. We have viewed the Nile River through satellite images, translated hieroglyphics (one of our favorites!), watched papyrus being made, learned dozens of facts about Egyptian life, and more. 

There is also a Book Club portion of the course. A few options are given, though you could choose any book that relates to the period. We decided on the audio of The Cat of Bubastes for our study. While we love family read alouds, listening to the book while driving for a recent vacation was the perfect way to pass time. Henty's writings are rich in vocabulary and filled with history. The story set the scene for deeper Egyptian learning.

As always, our favorite portions were the hands-on activities. There is a list of projects and needed supplies in the Before You Start section, making it easy to be prepared long before you need something. The kids made their own cartouches using foil and enjoyed seeing my cartouche necklace my parents brought back from Egypt years ago. We played Senet multiple times and liked it so much that we've added it to our collection. The best activity overall though has been making a variation of the oldest recorded recipe in the world. The treats are quite similar to homemade Larabars, which we make every so often. We made half of the recipe as directed and the other half without coating the balls in honey because I figured they'd been too sweet. We used the different versions as an experiment. As expected, everyone preferred the honey-less option. We then used the extra dates that we had purchased to make a chocolate and peanut butter variation and rolled them in cocoa powder. So good. Those poor Ancient Egyptians didn't know what they were missing out on by not having chocolate! 

The Ancient Egypt Online Unit Study is geared toward mid-elementary to middle school age to use on their own, but will also appeal to both those younger and older. We chose to use the course as a family study. I read aloud the articles and such and the kids and I watch the videos together. This format encourages deeper learning, too, as conversations always lead to further study. Each module takes approximately 2-3 hours to complete, depending on your style and pace of learning. We work through it usually twice a week. Naturally, some sections take us longer than others, because we find them fascinating. 

We are nearly at the halfway point now with still so much to learn. I've already peeked ahead and saw directions for a Venn Diagram comparing clothing, a slideshow about ancient jewelry, articles about famous people, a video explaining how the pyramids were built, and information explaining amulets. I know the kids are going to be thrilled when we get to the lesson when we mummify a doll. Today though, we're learning about inventions that the ancient people created. The course is completely self-paced with unlimited access forever, so we can take as long as we like soaking up the information. I'm even thinking we will revisit this study again in a few years when the little ones are older. 

Because this is a techie study, online and social sharing is encouraged. Suggestions include creating a Pinterest board for the study projects, answering comments in the Book Club section by posting comments online, and following Techie Homeschool Mom on various sites. We chose not to participate in the social aspect, but discussed the topics and projects among ourselves instead.

We are greatly enjoying learning all about life long ago in the Ancient Egypt Online Unit Study. The course is easy-to-use, filled with fascinating resources and information, and includes varying projects and materials. I'm already trying to decide which study should be next--Famous Artists for my crafty girl or Famous Inventors for my science-minded boys or even the 4th of July for some fun historical summer learning. Techie Homeschool Mom has made fuss-free studies that are perfect for the digital age. 

You can connect with Techie Homeschool Mom on the following social media sites:

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

YouTube

Instagram

Many other families used some of the additional studies found on Techie Homeschool Mom. You can read those reviews on the Homeschool Review Crew blog.

Ben Carson: A Chance at Life

If you know our family, you know that we love reading and that books are some of our favorite review items. My kids enjoy reading for a while each day on their own as the foundation of our education is literature, but they especially love when my husband or I read aloud to them. We read all sorts of books, but we've all grown to love biographies. We like reading about the lives of people, knowing that that events actually took place. The kids are fascinated to study the actions, vocabulary, foods, dress, and thinking of past periods and seeing they ways in which our lives differ.

The books from YWAM Publishing are our favorites for biographies, and I often recommend them to others. We like them so much, in fact, that we own over 30 of their books from various lines including the Heroes of History, the Christian Heroes: Then & Now, the Heroes for Young Readers, and even a couple of their audiobook biographies. One might think that we wouldn't be excited to receive another one of these books, but my kids were thrilled to choose another title. This time, our study of the past didn't take us back hundreds of years. Instead, we learned about an influential person still living in Heroes of History - Ben Carson: A Chance at Life by Janet and Geoff Benge.

 As I listed off names for the kids to choose, I came to Ben Carson. "Who's that?" they asked. I read aloud the description for the book on the website to whet their appetite. By the time I finished, all the kids decided they needed to know more. What made his story even more intriguing to them is the fact that Ben Carson grew up about 30 minutes away from where we live.

The book begins at a pivotal time in Ben Carson's life. His father had just left the family, leaving his mother to raise him and his brother alone. They lived in a poor section of Detroit, but his mother was determined to make a better life for the family. She worked three jobs, moved out of state with family for a time to save money, and was willing to work hard. She taught her boys a strong work ethic, too, and insisted that they turn off the television and spend their time reading instead of filling their days with mindless entertainment. Consistently reading two books a week and writing reports along with being fitted for glasses, made an improvement in Carson's education. His grades began to soar as he rose to the top of every class.

Carson continued to put his all into his studies as he worked through the JROTC (Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps) program, attended Yale University, and excelled at his temporary summer jobs. He got married, finished med school, and started a family.

During his residency years, Carson became intrigued by brain surgery and was eager to simplify the process. Where others saw challenges, he saw opportunity. He used X-rays to quickly locate the foramen ovale, preformed a lobectomy to save a man's life, and studied brain tumors through New Zealand white rabbits and MRI machines.

Carson preformed many well-known surgeries including separating multiple conjoined twin sets and many brain hemispherectomies. He became greatly revered, not only in his specific medical field, but also for his advocacy of education. He traveled for both passions--to various countries to preform surgeries and all across the United States to speak at schools and rallies. He has influenced many and saved countless lives. His work ethic, dedication to education, and dependence on God has made him a role model for all.

Along with the book, we received the digital unit Study Guide. The guide helps to further your study including geography, social studies, and history, to name a few. It designed to benefit all learning styles, group and individual study, and a wide range of ages.

The guide includes the following:

• Key Quotes - seven well-known quotes that can be used for memorization, understanding meaning, and displays
• Display Corner - a list of objects, books, and photographs from Carson's life and places he lived that could be gathered and displayed to bring life to learning
• Chapter Questions - six questions for each chapter: vocabulary, factual, comprehension, and open-ended interpretation (answers are at the end of the guide)
• Student Explorations - essay writing, creative writing, hands-on projects, audio/visual projects, arts/crafts 
• Community Links - meaningful field trips, guest speakers, service projects
• Social Studies - reproducible maps, geography, terms/vocabulary, timeline, conceptual questions, 
• Related Themes to Explore - history, science, literacy, music, military, popular culture
• Culminating Event - project displays, cultural food, music, activities, oral presentations
• Books and Resources - books, movies, documentaries, National Geographic articles, websites

The kids and I always enjoy the deeper study that comes from using the unit study guide. There are many different activities that reflect a wide range of learning styles, so there's something that appeals to everyone. Because there are so many options, it would be difficult to use the entire study. One thing that we always do with these studies is discuss the comprehension questions at the end of each chapter. It helps to review the story and understand it more fully. We especially enjoy the vocabulary review. Words like immaculately, quell, meticulously, abolished, and intractable are some of the words that are highlighted.
   

To further our study, we experimented with one of our chemistry sets, practiced suturing after a surgery by sewing felt, observed various objects through a microscope, filled in a map of Michigan, researched more about lobectomies and conjoined twins, and had many conversations on the importance of education. Some of the other activities we would like to incorporate include creating a model of the brain with clay, drawing a map of Australia or South Africa, write a Proverb in calligraphy, and read one of the books written by Carson himself. There are many other activities, projects, and ideas to supplement the learning.

To say that we enjoyed this book is an understatement! I have read many of these biographies from YWAM Publishing and this is easily my favorite one. There are many life lessons that are underlying themes throughout the entire book: don't judge a person by their looks, you can change your circumstances through hard work, reliance on God is crucial, reading and education are keys to a successful life, and more. My kids and I had many good conversations while reading this. I especially love how much attention was made to reading. Literature is a huge part of our education. It was encouraging to point out to my kids how important it is to someone as successful as Ben Carson, as well.

There are some intense sections of the book, such as step-by-step details of surgeries. My daughter left the room during one such description of a hemispherectomy as it spoke about drilling into the skull, cutting through skin and tissue, removing pieces of the brain, and dealing with extreme blood loss. The boys, however, were fascinated. In fact, one of them was so enthralled with the story that he asked to reread it himself as soon as I finished reading it to them. 

Heroes of History - Ben Carson: A Chance at Life has motivated us to learn more about the surgeon with "gifted hands." We are inspired to read one of his books to study deeper about his philosophies and put them into practice.

Until then, we'll remember the poem his mom quoted that shaped his life:

If things go bad for you

And make you a bit ashamed,

Often you will find out that

You have yourself to blame.

Swiftly we ran to mischief,

And then the bad luck came.

Why do we fault others?

We have ourselves to blame. 

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