Book Club: Book Review of These Tangled Threads

 

I received a COMPLIMENTARY copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. I was neither required to write a positive review nor compensated in any other way. This post contains affiliate links. Please see my Terms of Use and Disclosure Policy page for more information. Thank you.

The Biltmore Estate (and its surrounding countryside) is the backdrop for These Tangled Threads by Sarah Loudin Thomas. Woven throughout a prologue, 48 chapters, and an epilogue, readers are introduced to a selection of characters from 1897 to 1924. Three main characters share their lives with us as we learn about weaving, woodworking, family, and truth. 

About the Book 

Sarah Loudin Thomas shares her knowledge of the Biltmore Estate, where she worked for six years, with her audience. The story starts with young Arthur meeting Mr. Vanderbilt and takes us through events in the first and second decades of the 1900s. 

Arthur is joined by Lorna, who works for Biltmore Industries and is tasked with designing and weaving fabric for the engagement of Cornelia Vanderbilt. The next main character is introduced as we see her joining the Biltmore Village. Gentry is a young girl who will be training in the weaving room under the tutelage of Lorna. As a 16-year-old, she is not eager to focus and lacks patience in completing her tasks. Conflict arises as the three characters interact in the 348-page paperback book from Bethany House.

At the heart of the novel, Thomas tells the story of the relationships between Arthur, Lorna, and Gentry. The three each have their own troubles. Arthur was sent away by his alcoholic parents and has a clubfoot. Lorna is a skilled weaver but lacks the creativity needed to design her own patterns. And poor Gentry was sent away by her unloving grandfather after her mother died. In between these details are tangled threads that bring them together again and again. 

Appalachian Author Highlights Historic Vanderbilt Wedding as Centennial Approaches

My Thoughts 

As someone who enjoys historical fiction, I was intrigued by the description of These Tangled Threads. I had a general knowledge of the Vanderbilts – in fact, I think I read another work of historical fiction featuring Cornelia – but I knew little else specific to this industry or locale. 

May I admit that I had trouble following the story when I first picked up the book? It arrived when I didn't have a lot of time to devote to more than one chapter during each reading. This made it difficult to follow the jumps between character perspectives and years in the different chapters. After a few personal and family events passed, I sat down and devoted time to reading These Tangled Threads. With the extra time to read uninterrupted, I followed the story much better.

I really enjoyed the story of Arthur. His attempt to help a family member was touching and well-written. I loved seeing his losses and successes detailed. And I was so happy with the end of his story. 

I didn't connect as closely to Lorna or Gentry, but without these two young ladies, the story would not advance. In the end, I appreciated the honesty that emerged and the growth of the characters. 

I would recommend These Tangled Threads to those who enjoy historical fiction and Christian novels. Through all the troubles, the book is encouraging and uplifting.

Book Club: Book Review of Kiki Finds Her Voice

 

I received a COMPLIMENTARY copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way. This post contains affiliate links. Please see my Terms of Use and Disclosure Policy page for more information. Thank you.

Finding inspirational books for children can be daunting. There may be a lot of children's books available, but do they all align with your worldview? It's not easy to find ones that align with our Christian worldview, so I am always happy to see children's books published by Zonderkidz™. We were lucky enough to receive Kiki Finds Her Voice: Be True to You and Embrace Your God-Given Gifts to read and review. 

I am not too familiar with music after the late 1990s. The little that I do know tends to be what is in pop culture on social media, as I don't listen to the radio or watch a lot of television anymore. So, I will admit to not knowing Kierra Sheard-Kelly before taking a look at Kiki Finds Her Voice. 

About the Book 

This hardcover book is geared towards ages 4-8. In the story, we meet Kiki and her "kinda-sorta" friend, Brittany, and her friends, Sophia and Ashley. The four girls are preparing to audition for the Bates Elementary Talent Show. 

When the girls audition, everyone is very happy except for Kiki's mom. Her mom feels that she is not old enough to be singing a song with those lyrics. Kiki shares that the song is everywhere, but her mom reminds her that they follow Jesus and not everyone else. Her parents remind her that she needs to do her own thing and not worry about fitting in. 

The book continues with the rest of Kiki's story and closes with an author's note. The story is based on a real-life event of the author. She wanted to share her story "because I want you to always remember God gave you your passions and your purpose for a reason. You were not made to be everyone else." 

Our Thoughts 

From the cover of the book to the colorful illustrations inside, Kiki Finds Her Voice is a warm and inviting book. And even though the book is written for ages 4-8, I think any child who is familiar with the Grammy Award-nominated gospel singer would enjoy the story. 

I love that the book allows Kiki to be upset, but her parents help her understand why she doesn't need to fit in with the rest of the world. It is her chance to lead – even if the other girls aren't happy with the song change. It is very encouraging and refreshing to read a book where a character is different because they are following God.

Our daughter really enjoyed Kiki Finds Her Voice. I think it is a great addition to our bookshelves! 

Interested in more from Zonderkidz™? 

Book Club: Book Review of The Berenstain Bears Storybook Bible Search and Find

Book Club: Book Review of Tiny Truths Little Lights Devotional

Book Club: Book Review of Fiona and the Easter Egg Hunt

History in Your Homeschool: A Review of Discover! Social Studies 6

I received a COMPLIMENTARY copy of this curriculum from the Timberdoodle in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way. This post contains affiliate links. Please see my Terms of Use and Disclosure Policy page for more information. Thank you.

How do you teach history in your homeschool? There are so many great ways to incorporate the study of the past. No matter what your child's learning style, I have found that Discover! Social Studies 6 offers you lessons, ideas, and more to help meet your child's needs and abilities. 

What is the Discover! Social Studies series? 

It is included in the 2023 non-religious 6th-grade curriculum kit from Timberdoodle. But just because it is in the non-religious kit doesn't mean that there is no talk of religion. Religion is interwoven in all societies you will be studying about. When studying Ancient Egypt, there is a lesson on the religious practices, which introduces the polytheistic nature of their religion and mummification. In the chapter on Ancient Israel, your child will read about the Tabernacle, Moses, Passover, and a few other key details of the Hebrew religion. 

Each chapter has several lessons and a chapter review. When looking at Chapter 5: Ancient India, your child will study: 

• Harappan Civilization (one of the earliest Ancient Indian civilizations; it was highly advanced but disappeared for unknown reasons)
• Ancient Indian Caste System (Aryans and the Vedas are introduced; a chart depicting the castes and their locations, as well as their Hindu names, is included) 
• Buddhism in Ancient India (information about Siddhartha and a comparison of Buddhism, Christianity, and Hinduism in a Venn Diagram is included)
• Language in Ancient India (a look at the languages and spread of different languages)
• Mauryan Empire (learn about the great leaders like Ashoka and Chandragupta Maurya) 

What topics are included in Discover! Social Studies 6? 

The focus of Discover! Social Studies 6 is the study of ancient civilizations. Your child starts by learning about the themes of World History and how they will apply that to ancient civilizations. Then, it moves forward to learning about the characteristics of civilizations by looking at Sumer and Mesopotamia.

Chapters include the following civilizations: 

• Ancient Egypt 
• Ancient Israel
• Ancient India 
• Ancient China 
• Ancient Greece
• Ancient Rome
• Mesoamerica (Olmec, Mayan, Aztec) 
• Ancient Africa (Aksum, Ghana, Mali, Songhai, Shona) 

History in Your Homeschool: Bringing it to Life 

 

In addition to readings and questions that promote critical thinking, there are real-world applications and activities that help bring history to life. From simple activities such as burying an object in the backyard so your child can see what it is like to be an archaeologist to exploring the movement of languages through the world, "in the real world" sections provide your child with a unique way to study history. This application allows your child to study things that might interest them outside of the history curriculum such as architecture, art, or military strategy.

Other activities include creating a timeline to show the kingdoms of Ancient Egypt, explaining how Passover is celebrated, and researching different mountains to compare their similarities and differences. Each lesson also has academic vocabulary to study and a review of the material studied. When they are finished with each chapter, there is an assessment available in the teacher's guide that can be a test.

 

Our Thoughts on Discover! Social Studies 6 

As a former world history teacher, I was very happy to see how this curriculum is laid out. The introductory chapter was well thought out and allowed for great conversations about civilizations and how we can study history in general. Except for the chapter assessment and confirming a few answers, I haven't really used the Instructor Guide too much. 

I have enjoyed discussing the ancient civilizations with my fifth grader that I used to teach to ninth graders. It's amazing how homeschooling allows one to teach such a wide variety of topics. So while this curriculum is written for sixth grade, you could use it with a younger or older child depending upon their skills or what area of history you wish to pursue. 

When I asked our son his opinion, he said, "I like it." He does struggle sometimes with answering the questions in detail but when that occurs, we usually talk about the answer instead of just focusing on writing it down. So there are lots of ways you can use this in your homeschool. 

Discover! Social Studies 6 allows families to bring history into their homeschool in a more structured way. So if your homeschool and children thrive on structure, I recommend you check out this curriculum. 

Are you looking for more resources from Timberdoodle? 

• Thinking Critically and Creatively: A Review of Critical & Creative Thinking Activities
• Adding Writing Into Our Curriculum: A Review of Daily 6-Trait Writing Grade 3
• Dice, Decks, and Boards: Penguins Huddle Up™ Game
• Including Geography in Your Homeschool: A Review of Skill Sharpeners Geography - Grade 2
• Supplementing Fifth Grade with a Geography Workbook

Thinking Critically and Creatively: A Review of Critical & Creative Thinking Activities

I received a COMPLIMENTARY copy of this book from Timberdoodle in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way. This post contains affiliate links. For more information, please see my Terms of Use and Disclosure Policy page. Thank you. 

Are you looking to add some fun activities into your homeschool day that will help your children think critically and creatively? In Critical And Creative 5, students will work through 46 engaging topics with over 140 pages of challenging activities to help them build their critical and creative thinking skills. We were blessed with the chance to review this book in our homeschool thanks to Timberdoodle. 

About Critical and Creative Grade 5 

In Critical and Creative Thinking Activites, Grade 5, students will gain valuable practice through a broad range of thinking skills. The first two pages in the unit present the topic in a general way. They might need to draw on previous experience or look at the topic in a new way. The third and last page of each unit features things like logic puzzles, riddles, and secret codes. 

Let's take a look at one unit: Earthquakes and Volcanoes. On page one, students are asked what would be scarier, to be caught near a volcano when it erupts or to be caught in a big earthquake and why. Here is where the creative part of their brain should be getting a workout. Then they need to identify words using only the letters found in Volcanoes. The clues include: helps to walk or not to win.  On page two, children are asked to write sentences about earthquakes, identify true and false statements, and discover what volcano erupted in Washington state on May 18, 1980 thorugh a series of clues. Finally, on page three children work through a logic puzzle to discover facts about Mount Saint Helens. 

What are the topics that will help you think critically and creatively? Your child will find the following general topics: 

• Places (in the woods, in the kitchen, etc.) 
• Nature in Action (rain, sunshine, giant squid, etc.) 
• Time to Eat (school lunch, breakfast, etc.) 
• Sports and Games 
• Things I Use (shoes and socks, wheels, etc.) 
• In My World (light and dark, sticks and stones, etc.) 

How Did We Use Critical and Creative? 

I started off assigning each page in each topic to our fifth grader. After a few units, I discovered that this was not going to work for our son. There were some topics where he lacked experience and some where he had no interest whatsoever. The first topic where we hit a roadblock was "In the Water." He does not know how to swim and while enjoyed time in the pool and beach this summer, he has no interest in jumping in the water or diving. So when one activity asked him to number water activiteis 1 to 9 of things he would must like to do, he froze. He had no interest in swimming laps, jumping off the low dive, or going down a waterslide. And I couldn't see the point of forcing him to complete that activity. 

The beauty of homeschooling is that I can tailor his education to his needs and interests. So we changed things up. I would assign one topic every few days and ask him to pick from among the three pages. Sometimes I asked him to do more than one page from the topic but it all depended on the topic. 

When looking at the pages he chose to complete, there is no pattern. While he does enjoy the logic puzzles, he doesn't necessary pick on page over another in each topic. I think it really depends upon the day when he selects which page to complete. 

Some of the pages definitely seem to interst him more. For example, he showed me several time the page Dinosaur names in Greek and Latin while he was working on it. And was very proud of his own made up dinosaur. 

Our Thoughts 

I love books that help develop critical and creative thinking skills so I was looking forward to using this book with our son. He has enjoyed other books with a similar approach but this one didn't seem to meet his needs. Since we are homeschooling, we are making the book work for us by picking and choosing what we are completing. 

One thing to note is that it is designed for use in a classroom. You are given permision to copy it for a single-classroom. At least one page made mention of completing something on the reverse side which confused our son since we are just completing the work in the workbook and on scrap paper. 

I would recommend you check out this book for yourself to see if it would fit well in your homeschool. You can easily complete it in a year if you assign about three pages per week. It would be a good resource for your child to work on indepdently while you work with another child in your homeschool. 

Do You Want To Learn More About Timberdoodle Resources?

• Adding Writing Into Our Curriculum: A Review of Daily 6-Trait Writing Grade 3
• Dice, Decks, and Boards: Penguins Huddle Up™ Game
• Including Geography in Your Homeschool: A Review of Skill Sharpeners Geography - Grade 2
• Supplementing Fifth Grade with a Geography Workbook

Book Club: Book Review of 'Twas the Season of Lent

 

I received a COMPLIMENTARY copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way. This post contains affiliate links. Please see my Terms of Use and Disclosure Policy page for more information. Thank you.

How do you and your children prepare for Easter? Next year, you can prepare with 'Twas the Season of Lent: Devotions and Stories for the Lenten and Easter Season. This beautiful hardcover book is written by Glenys Nellist and illustrated by Elena Selivanova. 

With 'Twas the Season of Lent, your family can start a new Lenten tradition. Over the course of forty days, you will share "the powerful meaning of Lent through prose and poetry, Scripture and prayer" (book jacket). Each day provides a specific message from the Bible, and most include a prayer. 

Woven through the book is a poem similar to 'Twas the Night Before Christmas. If your children are familiar with that poem, they will definitely enjoy the reading of this book each day. 

The topics and messages shared are those familiar to Christian families. On day one, children learn about Lent and then move on to read or hear about: 

• Four fishermen who join Jesus 
• Jesus as a teacher
• Nicodemus and his questions 
• How to pray and what to pray
• Parables
• And more. 

And the book closes with the poem on day forty. 

Our Thoughts 

I think this is a lovely book. The content opens up the room for a lot of good conversations with children. Before or after reading the day's entry, you could read the actual verses in the Bible. These are listed where applicable. For example, on day twenty-nine, when you read about love for everyone, Matthew 8:1-3 is listed. 

"Jesus reached out to heal, hold, and bring hope to everyone" (36). 

My daughter was very happy with the arrival of 'Twas the Season of Lent. She is quite happy to sit with me as I read each day's entry. 

I would recommend 'Twas the Season of Lent to families wanting to start new traditions. It will be a beautiful addition to your bookshelves. 

Interested in Other Book Reviews? 

Book Club: Book Review of The Berenstain Bears Storybook Bible Search and Find

Book Club: Book Review of Tiny Truths Little Lights Devotional

Book Club: Book Review of Fiona and the Easter Egg Hunt

Book Club: Book Review of Easter Love Letters from God, Updated Edition

 

I received a COMPLIMENTARY copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way. This post contains affiliate links. Please see my Terms of Use and Disclosure Policy page for more information. Thank you.

Are you looking for a book to read this Holy Week? Easter Love Letters from God (Updated Edition) is a lovely hardcover children's book that tells the story of Jesus' last week on Earth before his crucifixion and resurrection. The stories from the Bible are shared by Glenys Nellist and illustrated by Sophie Allsopp. 

The contents of Easter Love Letters from God contain the following stories: 

• King of Kings (Ride in Jerusalem) 
• What Love Looks Like (Washing Feet) 
• The Secret Supper (Last Supper) 
• The Gloomy Garden (Gethsemane) 
• The Darkest Day (Crucifixion) 
• The Quiet Cave (Burial) 
• The Super Surprise (Resurrection) 

Each of these stories indicates where specifically in the Bible you can find the story. For example, if you want to read about the Last Supper in the Bible, Easter Love Letters from God directs you to Luke 22:14-20 and John 14:1-6. 

The illustrations are simple, and the colors selected for each scene are perfect. Many of the individual pictures are highlighted in a light yellow, and there are embellishments of what look like photographed pieces, such as scrapbook pieces. 

While the sentences are simple to read, the message is very clear. In The Darkest Day, we read of the despair felt and the sadness of the Earth itself. A very important moment is presented in a way that children will be able to understand. 

"The wind howled. The whole earth trembled. The rocks shattered." 

In addition to engaging stories and beautiful illustrations, there are two other key features in this book. Each section includes a letter to your child from God. You could add your child's name in the space where it says "Dear____________," or just merely read their name aloud. Personally, I feel these letters really help connect the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus with our children's own lives. And the final feature is "God's Wonderful Words to You." Each of these "Words" is a quote from the Bible. The last one reads: "You are all children of God by believing in Christ." Galatians 3:26. 

At the very end of the book, there is a short poem inviting your child to write to God. And with that, this book becomes a beautiful keepsake for you and your children. 

My Thoughts 

I was very pleased with Easter Love Letters from God. This is a wonderful book for children! I also think it would be the perfect gift for inside an Easter Basket. I highly recommend this book. 

Interested in Other Book Reviews? 

Book Club: Book Review of The Berenstain Bears Storybook Bible Search and Find

Book Club: Book Review of Tiny Truths Little Lights Devotional

Book Club: Book Review of Fiona and the Easter Egg Hunt

Develop Critical Thinking with Discover! Science 3

I received a COMPLIMENTARY copy of this homeschool resource from Timberdoodle in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way. This post contains affiliate links. Please see my Terms of Use and Disclosure Policy page for more information. Thank you.

Are you looking to study science in a new way in your homeschool for third grade? Discover! Science 3 is written to develop critical thinking through challenging questions and a variety of creative projects. It is written with homeschoolers in mind, so parents will find the teacher's guide helpful. 

If you purchase this curriculum, you will receive three books: the two student texts (3a and 3b) and the teacher's guide (which is used for both texts). And while it is not faith-based, it doesn't appear to put down a Biblical worldview.

What Will Your Children Study in Discover! Science 3? 

The first six chapters focus on an introduction to science, animals, plants, and how they interact (food webs, ecosystems, etc.). As your child continues, they will be studying matter, sound, energy, water, and more. Here are a few specific topics studied: 

• Temperature of Cold-Blood Animals 
• Explore Birds' Beaks 
• Endangered Plants and Animals 
• Plants as Energy 
• Changing Matter 
• Sound Waves 
• Friction 
• Minerals 
• Weather Tools 
• Digestive System 

They will answer such questions as: "How do you think the cold would affect a cold-blooded animal? What about heat?" or "Describe how an animal or plant species becomes endangered." And they will complete boxes and charts that show the photosynthesis process, observations on science experiments, and more. There are also fill-in-the-blank and multiple choice questions to review topics. 

A Typical Day for Our Homeschool 

While it is recommended to do two lessons or a lesson and a review per week, we've been taking a slower approach as we have another science curriculum we are also using. When we first started out, I assigned pages to our daughter for completion and then checked her work afterward. We would then talk through questions. I found she wasn't retaining the information like I would have liked her to, so we changed things up.

While I still assign the vocabulary for her to complete on her own, I often read aloud the following pages either before she reads them or after she reads them. Her brother (fifth grade) joins us for the discussions and some of the activities. I find this helps her remember the information. For many of the questions, I just write down the answers they provide, or I will have her go back in fill the answers in later that week to reinforce the concepts.

Another way I have assigned the work is by asking her to read certain pages, and then we go over the answers together orally later. When we were completing the review on Fish, Amphibians, and Reptiles, she read the review page in the morning. Then, after lunch, we compared and contrasted the features of the three, describing similarities and differences. 

My Thoughts 

One of the things I particularly like about this science curriculum is that it is NOT heavy on experiments. While our daughter LOVES experiments, I find them tedious and challenging at times. If a curriculum does not include all the materials, it is just one more thing for me to purchase and prepare. Discover! Science 3 incorporates other projects that allow our daughter to go beyond the text, and we've included a few ourselves. 

For example, we completed a reptile research notebooking project. It allowed me to use notebooking pages we already had so they could dig deeper into learning about three or four specific reptiles, including the Galapagos Tortoise, the chameleon, and the milk snake.

We also made a simple snake with pipe cleaners, noodles, and some construction paper. I love that this project had materials that we already had around the house and was simple to put together but had a high educational impact. We were able to discuss the way a snake's body moves, its skeleton, its organ placement, and how it smells. 

Since this curriculum is dependent on reading and writing, there is quite a bit of writing. Sometimes, it almost feels like too much for our daughter. Hence, the reason why I sometimes write down the answers. 

In a lot of ways, this curriculum also feels like it is written more for the classroom than a homeschool. The Instructor Guide definitely lends itself to being more of a classroom teacher guide than one for homeschool parents. I would have preferred to have had the student books reproduced but with answers and teaching instructions listed within it. I found myself having to open the student book and the instructor guide to line up objectives, information on supporting your student and learning styles, and extension activities. The instructor guide also has the assessment or chapter tests in it. So, you will need to either photocopy those pages or share the guide with your child. 

While we are enjoying Discover! Science 3, I don't think it is quite the right fit for our family. I encourage you to check out Timberdoodle to read more about this science program for yourself. 

Do You Want to Read More Timberdoole Reviews? 

• Adding Writing Into Our Curriculum: A Review of Daily 6-Trait Writing Grade 3
• Dice, Decks, and Boards: Penguins Huddle Up™ Game
• Including Geography in Your Homeschool: A Review of Skill Sharpeners Geography - Grade 2
• Supplementing Fifth Grade with a Geography Workbook

Book Club: Book Review of Fiona and the Easter Egg Hunt

 

I received a COMPLIMENTARY copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way. This post contains affiliate links. Please see my Terms of Use and Disclosure Policy page for more information. Thank you.

What an adorable book! Fiona and the Easter Egg Hunt is one in a series of children's books about a real-life hippopotamus born at the Cincinnati Zoo. In this hardcover book by Richard Cowdrey, children follow Fiona and her prehensile-tailed porcupine friend, Rico, on the journey to create, hide, and find colorful Easter eggs. 

Who is Fiona? 

Fiona was born prematurely on January 24, 2017. She received around-the-clock care from Cincinnati Zoo's animal care staff and even help from nurses at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital to help her during those first years. While the average newborn hippo weighs between 55 and 120 pounds, Fiona weighed only 29 pounds. She is the smallest-born hippo to ever survive. Fiona is now a big sister to Fritz, who was born on August 3, 2022. 

About the Book 

Fiona and the Easter Egg Hunt is a fantastical tale of two friends seeking to give their other animal friends a fun spring experience. When Fiona and Rico see that the zoo will be holding an Easter Egg Hunt soon, they decide to create one for their animal friends. 

This dream to create an animal Easter Egg Hunt is the theme of the story. Fiona and Rico both decorate and fill the eggs before they set off to hide them. Fiona, wearing bunny ears and carrying the basket, and Rico hide the eggs in trees.

At one of their first stops, Mrs. Swann requests their help so she can gather grass and leaves to make her nest cozier for her six swan eggs. Both Fiona and Rico agree to watch the eggs. During their time watching the eggs, the basket of eggs for the Easter Egg Hunt get dumped out and must be retrieved. If your child is very observant, they will see that one of the white swan eggs finds its way into the basket of Easter Eggs. 

In the rest of the book, we follow Fiona and Rico as they hide the eggs. And then Mrs. Swan finds one of her eggs missing. Now all the animals help to find her egg. But Fiona is the lucky one who spots it as it is hatching. And the little cygnet thinks Fiona is his mama! 

Our Thoughts 

While it might be helpful to have read others in the series prior to reading this book, I don't think it is necessary. I did explain a bit about Fiona to our children prior to reading the book. I have enjoyed watching videos of her and her brother as they play together and do hippo things. 

This is an adorable children's book. While it focuses more on a secular aspect of Easter, the message of bringing joy to others, helping others, and perseverance is a good one for any children's book. As long as you are okay with Easter Egg Hunts, I think this would be a great book for families with young children. 

I love that it allowed us the opportunity to talk about the different animals in the book, such as the

• prehensile-tailed porcupine 
• swans
• koalas
• polar bear
• tortoises 
• giraffes
• and more! 

And because the baby swan first sees Fiona when it hatches, we discussed baby birds and imprinting, too. 

Our son and daughter just loved the book! They thought it was very cute. And now our daughter wants all the books in the series. 

Adding Writing Into Our Curriculum: A Review of Daily 6-Trait Writing Grade 3

 

I received a COMPLIMENTARY copy of this book from Timberdoodle in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way. This post contains affiliate links. Please see my Terms of Use and Disclosure Policy page for more information. Thank you.

While many of the subjects our third-grader has been studying include some writing, nothing focused on it specifically. So, I wanted to add writing to our curriculum, and with the opportunity to review Daily 6-Trait Writing Grade 3, it was the perfect time.

About the Workbook 

The workbook is designed to be used in a classroom setting. The lesson plan information is located at the beginning of each week for the teacher. Because of the way the book is set up, two of the four days of worksheets has the teacher's lesson plans located on them. So, you will need to decide – how will you share the work with your child(ren)? I photocopied side one and four for our daughter and then pulled out day two and three of the workbook.

Each week has a similar set up. Monday introduces the idea or concept, children practice it with short passages and questions on Tuesday and Wednesday, brainstorm ideas on Thursday, and then write on Friday. 

The book has 5 units: 

• Ideas
• Organization 
• Word Choice
• Sentence Fluency 
• Voice 
• Conventions 

And each unit has five weeks of lessons. These lessons are geared towards being taught with more than one child. For example, opportunities are given for students to work together and for you to collect ideas from a classroom of children. I found some of this put pressure on our daughter. She wasn't always willing or able to answer every question in the teacher lesson plans, so I had to adapt lessons quite a lot. 

Our Thoughts 

I really like the idea of Daily 6-Trait Writing Grade 3 as it provides short assignments focused on key topics that will help your child become a better writer. Mixed in are short grammar lessons, such as the discussion of commas when teaching about organization. These two topics fit hand-in-hand. 

With each week following a similar teaching pattern, children who thrive on consistency will do well. Knowing what to expect is important for children, and this workbook sets them up for success. However, if they find one or more activity difficult, they may dread those days. Our daughter was not fond of writing when we started out, so Fridays were not a fun day for her. I ended up staggering when I would start each week, so that the activities did not always fall on the same days. In other words, weeks would start on a Wednesday or Thursday, and then we would pick up again on Monday.

As a former teacher, I really wanted to like using Daily 6-Trait Writing Grade 3 in our homeschool. Unfortunately, I am finding out that the longer we homeschool, the more books designed for the classroom don't work for our family. With teaching only two children who don't happen to be on the same level for writing, it was difficult to make this resource work in our curriculum.

This is a good resource if you are teaching multiple children out of one workbook. With reproducible student pages and the opportunity for lots of class discussion, this will really help you add writing into your curriculum. There is an assessment rubric, so if you are unsure as to how to grade or evaluate your child(ren)'s work, you can do so easily. The tools are there to help teachers (and parents). 

One of the features I really like is something quite simple. At the end of the book there is a page of proofreading marks. I really like that the common proofreading marks are all listed on page. We'll be copying that and keeping that in the front of our language arts notebook for easy reference! 

Other Things to Know When Adding Writing Into Your Curriculum 

Daily 6-Trait Writing Grade 3 is published by Evan-Moor®. Permission is given to photocopy the pages in the book for single-classroom use. Correlations are available online for the current standards. So if you are interested in adhering to national standards, you have that information at your fingertips. 

There is a handy "How to Use This Book" guide in the beginning. This explains the teacher overview pages, the student activity pages, and ways to use the book. You can teach the lessons trait by trait or just pull out the lessons for the topics where your child(ren) need help and extra support. 

More Curriculum Choices 

Are you looking for more for your homeschool? Check out my other posts featuring Timberdoodle products. 

• Dice, Decks, and Boards: Penguins Huddle Up™ Game
• Including Geography in Your Homeschool: A Review of Skill Sharpeners Geography - Grade 2
• Supplementing Fifth Grade with a Geography Workbook

Puzzles and Homeschool Science

I received a COMPLIMENTARY copy of this puzzle from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way. This post contains affiliate links. Please see my Terms of Use and Disclosure Policy page for more information. Thank you.

As you may have seen in past posts, puzzles and homeschool science is a natural fit for our family. I have one more fun puzzle to share with you from Genius Games. The last puzzle is The Human Eye, which is part of the Dr. Livingston's Anatomy Jigsaw Puzzle Series. It provides a larger-than-life look into the anatomy of yet another human structure for your homeschool classroom. 

The Human Eye Puzzle 

This 544-piece puzzle comes in a beautiful box with a magnetic closure on the flip lid. You could easily display the box on your bookshelf as it looks like an encyclopedia spine at first glance. It was illustrated by Mesa Schumacher, a certified medical illustrator, so it is 100% medically authentic. The inside of the box contains a diagram that labels the different parts, making for a unique science lesson while working on the puzzle. 

The puzzle itself is not your typical square or rectangle, as it is the shape of the illustrated eye. It is 32 inches by 22 inches when complete and shaped similar to a comet. This cross-cut section of the eye depicts the following:

• Optic nerve
• Dural sheath
• Macula and Fovea 
• Retina
• Cillary body 
• Lens
• Cornea
• Pupil
• Iris
• And more! 

Puzzles and Homeschool Science 

While we are not currently studying human anatomy in our homeschool science lessons, puzzles like this are a great way to take a break from normal lessons and talk about something new. Of course, they will also be perfect if you ARE studying human anatomy. 

Puzzles also provide us with some valuable family time offline. As we sit around the dining room table, we can talk about the day, practice important social skills, and learn about the subject of the puzzle itself. It's a fun way to connect. (pun intended) 

My Thoughts

Personally, I found this puzzle to be easier than the heart and brain puzzles we have put together previously. The differences and variety of colors really helped in putting this puzzle together. In fact, we completed this in one evening. 

I would recommend The Human Eye puzzle to families who are interested in completing a fun and challenging puzzle. Whether you homeschool or not, this is a fun family activity. 

Other Puzzles in Our Homeschool 

• Puzzles in Our Homeschool: Dr. Livingston's Anatomy Jigsaw Puzzle: The Human Thorax
• Anatomy Puzzle for Kids: A Review of the Dr. Livingston JR Human Body Floor Puzzle
• Puzzles are Great Fun! A Review of the Human Heart Floor Puzzle
• Puzzles as Science Resources: Doctor Livingston JR. Human Brain floor
• Teaching Homeschool Science: A Review of Owl Anatomy Floor Puzzle
• Homeschooling with a Dinosaur Puzzle
• Studying Anatomy with Puzzles: Pregnant Mother Anatomy Jigsaw Puzzle Review
• Piecing Your Heart Together: A Review of Dr. Livingston's Anatomy Jigsaw Puzzle: The Human Heart

Book Club: Book Review of Up from Dust

 

I received a COMPLIMENTARY copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way. This post contains affiliate links. Please see my Terms of Use and Disclosure Policy page for more information. Thank you.

Heather Kaufman's latest book, Up from Dust: Martha's Story, is a nice mix of Biblical fiction and the examination of real events from the Bible. In the first book of the Women of the Way series, readers are introduced to the family of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus of Bethany. Events start in the book with the birth of Mary and continue through the lives of the three siblings. 

With the untimely death of their mother, Martha becomes responsible for rearing her siblings with the help of their grandmother and a few women from Bethany. While she and Lazarus are similar in demeanor in some regards, Mary is a rambunctious child who never seems to listen. She is often out wandering on her own instead of fulfilling required tasks. While their father is still with them, that doesn't mean that he necessarily helps raising his children. In fact, he seems to have never gotten over the death of his wife.

Throughout the story, we see the father move to raising sheep, and this is where the first love of Martha appears. A young shepherd is hired to take care of the family's flock. A future seems to be in the works, but hardship strikes and things change. Years pass, and the family has become prosperous. Eventually, their father dies, and Lazarus takes on the full responsibility of the family. 

It is during this time that Lazarus is in charge that the family hosts Jesus. This is where we see events follow the Bible accounts more closely. After all, we don't really know anything about the early lives of the three siblings. So Martha's first love, the relationship with their father, and the friendships in Bethany are all fictional accounts provided by the author. 

My Thoughts 

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Up from Dust. The joining together of Biblical fiction and real accounts was beautifully done. Kaufman explains in her author's note how and why she made the decisions she made regarding the fictionalized parts, which I appreciate. 

The lives of the three siblings really came to life – especially that of Martha. After reading this book, I felt like I really knew her. Even though many of the details were fictional, one could, after researching the time period, easily see the events taking place. Whether or not they would have happened to Martha, it doesn't matter. They are typical of the time and thus historically accurate, in that manner. 

I would recommend Up from Dust to those who enjoy Biblical fiction. It was a good work that I was eager to read each day. My only complaint is in regard to the book cover. The book itself has an odd texture and is not one that I enjoyed holding. I wish book companies would not use textured paper for their book covers. 

Want to Read More Reviews 

Book Club: Book Review of The Worry-Free Parent Workbook

Book Club: Book Review of All's Fair in Love and Christmas