Learning Geography Through a Fun Game: Review of Continent Race

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.

For the past several weeks we have had the fun of playing and reviewing a geography-based game produced by Bryon's Games. Continent Race is created with children ages 7 and up in mind but our entire family (ages 4 and up) had a lot of fun playing it and learning about the world. There are multiple ways to play the game per the game card rules (a basic level of play and an advanced level of play with additional options) which made adapting it easy for our homeschooling family.

About the Game

So what do you get when you purchase Continent Race? The box contains:

• 5 Continent Lists with Maps

• 1 World Map (which is much like a game board because it folds and fits into the box) 

• 205 Country (Flag) Cards

• 3 Antarctica Wild Cards
• 1 Game Rules Card 

Continent Race is recommended for ages 7 and up and each game is approximately 30 minutes in length. The object of the game is to be the first player to collect the required number of country cards from the continents. So, one would need to collect two cards from Australia/Oceania and four cards each from Africa, Asia, the Americas (North and South combined into one area for the game's purposes), and Europe in order to win. However, in the basic level of play, one would only need to collect the necessary cards from 3 continents to win. In advanced play, players need to collect all the required cards and one could add in two additional options: mystery cards and challenges. The mystery cards are ones that do not have the color of their continent on it. For example, the country of Denmark is not blue like the other European nations so players must look on the world map or the Continent Lists to be able to correctly identify to which continent it belongs if they don't already know. 

If one is using the challenge feature, players can challenge another player when they draw a card with a C on it to look over the Continent List for 15 seconds and then name off as many countries as they can. The two players take turns naming as many countries as they can until one player can no longer name any countries. The winner gets to draw 3 additional cards from the draw pile and keep the most useful (discarding 3 cards afterwards).

The Game Rules Card offers additional information and answers some questions you may have, such as why are their only five continents (Europe, Asia, Africa, The Americas, Australia/Oceania) represented. It was determined that Antarctica would be too easy and North and South America were combined as North America contains so few nations. Overall, the idea was that Bryon wanted to represent the five Olympic rings. 

How Did Our Family Use the Game in Our Homeschool?

We modified Continent Race a bit to fit the needs of our homeschooling family. We required players to try and say the name of the countries when they put down the cards to fill the continents. We did not require winners to call out and locate the countries on the map as is one of the requirements on the game card to win. We will be incorporating this rule as our children get older as it is an important part of using the game to help reinforce geography.

We found that as more players started putting down groups that more and more people were able to collect the necessary cards to complete continents. This meant the end of the game moved much more quickly than the beginning of the game.

Working towards collecting all of the necessary cards to win!

We shuffled in the Orange Mystery Cards after we had played the game several times. I am not sure why but I had trouble keeping those orange cards separated and set as different in my mind. I kept thinking they were either a new continent or part of the Americas.

We have not used the scorecard yet that is provided on the site but our first grader was very excited to see that they offer one. Plus you can download and print the flags to color!

Pictures from one of our many games

What Did We Think?

Our family really enjoys all types of games – from those that are just for pure fun and entertainment to those that are educational like Continent Race. We play games all the time in our house and homeschool. In fact, I would like to spend more time playing games as a family.

From the very opening of the box, I really liked the way that Continent Race looked. The materials are well-made and very colorful. I am very impressed with the quality of materials. As games are meant to be played over and over, I can foresee Continent Race standing the test of time. While there are a lot of cards that could go missing (for some keeping 205 cards in one place may be difficult), I love that the box containing everything is sturdy. Everything fits very neatly in the box and so far the bands to keep the cards together are doing their job. The five Continent Lists with Maps are printed on a sturdy cardboard that is thick and the World Map is also made of a thick cardboard material with a laminated finish. 

I love using products in our homeschool that can bring us all together as a family while we are learning. As geography is sometimes a subject that is completed in isolation (labeling a map, coloring in different nations on a printout, etc.), it is nice to have a game where we can all be together and learn about the nations around us. I found the game to be a lot of fun to play (even though I have never won).

Our six-year-old said, "If you don't know a lot about the continents and countries, the game can help learn about the world." He likes that the capitals of the countries are printed on the cards. He said, "It could be the best continent/country game for kids." One of his favorite parts was using the Continent Lists with Maps. I can see him using them outside of the game, too, for his homeschooling

Our four-year-old likes the idea of the challenges. She wants to try those out (we have been holding off on doing them because we are playing with such a wide range of ages). And even though she doesn't completely understand the whole concept of the game, she did win the first time!

I am very happy to report that our homeschooling teen really enjoyed the game, too. He had fun with pronouncing the different names of the countries as well as helping his brother and sister do so. I also learned just how much geography he knows – which is a lot!

My husband found the game a great outlet for our family to enjoy each other's company in an unplugged and round-the-table way. He liked that he could see his kids learning before his eyes as they took in the maps, country names, capitals, and geography of the world's nations and continents.

I would recommend Continent Race for families seeking a fun, educational game for their home. It would be perfect for a classroom setting, co-op, or homeschool. I could even see it making a good addition to a library's game collection.

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In addition to reviewing Continent Race, families of the Homeschool Review Crew also reviewed the Connections Stationary Kit. Please visit their reviews, too!

W is for Wheeler (Blogging Through the Alphabet)

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Joseph Wheeler was born into a family from New England in Georgia. He would go on to join the Confederacy when they seceded in 1861. During his time in the Confederate army, he participated in hundreds of battles and skirmishes. After the American Civil War, he continued to serve the nation by serving 8 terms in the House of Representatives as a Democrat and participating in the Spanish-American War in 1898.

Before the American Civil War

On September 10, 1836, Joseph Wheeler was born in Augusta, Georgia. After the death of his mother, the family moved back to Connecticut but only stayed a few years as financial circumstances forced Wheeler's father to move the family back to Georgia. Joseph Wheeler stayed in Connecticut to continue his education and then eventually was admitted to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in the class of 1859.

After graduating near the bottom of the class of West Point, he was sent to New Mexico to serve as an officer in the Regiment of Mounted Rifles. During his time serving there, he earned the name "Fighting Joe" while fighting skirmishes with Native Americans.

Joseph Wheeler (image from Library of Congress)

Time During the American Civil War

After starting out as a first lieutenant of artillery, Wheeler was appointed colonel of the 19th Alabama Infantry, then promoted to chief of cavalry of the Army of Mississippi, then brigadier general (in October of 1862), then major general (in January of 1863), and then in 1864, he was promoted to lieutenant general.

One of the factors that played into his promotion was his work building coastal defenses at Pensacola Bay. He drew the attention of General Braxton Bragg, who had him promoted to colonel. As colonel, Wheeler would build forts and help train recruits. Wheeler later proved his worth again at the Battle of Shiloh. He led his regiment to cover the retreating Confederates on the second day.

Wheeler was also active leading the rearguard after the battles of Perryville, Stones River, and Chickamauga. He continued to lead the cavalry to cause disruption and problems against the Union. While Sherman was leading his own attacks, Wheeler had his cavalry in action against the Union almost continually during the Atlanta Campaign and the March to the Sea.

He was captured in Georgia in 1865 as he was providing cover for Jefferson Davis' flight from Richmond, VA and remained at Fort Delaware until his release on June 8, 1865.

Serving the United States

Wheeler eventually settled in Alabama after the war and became a cotton grower and politician.  He was elected to Congress in 1881. He would go on to serve eight terms in the House of Representatives. He would try to position himself as a moderate between the Republicans and the Independent Democrats who were supported by small farmers. While serving, he tried to bridge the gap between the North and the South and rebuild the Southern economy.

Spanish-American War

President McKinley appointed Wheeler a major general of volunteers when war broke out in 1898. He would receive command of the unit that was charged with the invasion of Cuba. The engagement he took part in on June 24, 1898 would be important because it got rid of the threat of enemy troops that might interfere with landing operations as well as clearing the way to Santiago. (Allegedly when the Spanish began to retreat, Wheeler cried out "We got the damn Yankees on the run!" Could this be due to the fact the Wheeler was 62 years old, or that old habits die hard?) After this attack at Las Guasimas, he fell ill but did participate in the battle of San Juan Hill and provide advice for the U.S. forces.

After the Spanish-American War

Wheeler commanded the Camp Wikoff at Montauk Point on Long Island, New York. He was commissioned a brigadier general in the regular army in June of 1900 but resigned only a few months later.

Joseph Wheeler died on January 25, 1906 after a long illness and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. He is one of few former Confederate generals buried at the National Cemetery.

He was the only Confederate corps commander to hold the same position in the United States Army. I find it so interesting that he was able to serve both the South and then the North after the American Civil War. It is also of note that when former Confederate General James Longstreet saw Wheeler in his U.S. Army uniform, he said that he hoped he would die before Wheeler so he could be there (in the afterlife) to see Confederate General Jubal Early cuss out Wheeler for being in a blue uniform when Wheeler himself arrived (last of the three). I can't help but wonder how today's world views Joseph Wheeler's place in history.

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Book Club: Book Review of Venturing with God in Congo

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.

On a few occasions, I pick a book to read and review based upon a cover. This was the case with my desire to review Venturing with God in Congo by Darrell Champlin published by Conjurske Publications. It is a beautiful hardcover book with an intriguing cover that makes one feel like they are in the jungle with the missionaries as they share the Word of God. And when you flip through the book, you will find illustrations of various African animals on the pages at the end of the chapters.

What is the Story About?

Venturing with God in Congo is the story of missionaries bringing the word of God to those living in the jungles along the rivers of Kasai and Lukenie in Congo. The stories told mostly occur from 1954 to 1964 and, in general, the chapters can be read almost independently of each other. Darrell Champlin introduces us to his family, their journey to their mission at Nkole Nkema, and their experiences while ministering to the natives of Congo.

As the story is set in Africa, there are a lot of tales involving animals and the necessity to killing those animals to survive. A few of the photographs are even of animals that Champlin killed such as the rogue elephant, a python, and a cape buffalo. The stories regarding elephants, pythons, and other hunting expeditions are detailed in various chapters. Through the chapters we also learn how they traveled either by bicycle or truck on the uneven roads and stayed in the rest houses of the small villages. In some villages they were quite welcome, while in others, like Ongo, the Gospel was rejected (at first). 

As I said, you can read most of the chapters independent of each other but—if there is a connection—notation is made either with a small explanation at the beginning of the chapter or with a footnote referring to the corresponding chapter where you can learn more about the story. For example, in the chapter, "Independence: Congo Style," readers are referred to the chapter, "Bima! Bima! Irene Ferrel," to read more about the history of Congo and the independence from Belgium.

What Did I Think? 

I really enjoyed reading Venturing with God in Congo. I found it to be an informational, uplifting, and a wonderful account of the lives of missionaries, specifically those in Africa. I would recommend it to those who seek to know more about the lives of individuals who are bringing the message of God around the world. It is very well-written and easy to understand. I could see it working quite well as a read aloud for families with slightly older children than we have (four-year-old and six-year-old). I will be asking our teenage son to read it when he is done his current religious studies course because I think it is very eye opening. 

There are many specific things I appreciated about the book's messages. I love the point that was being made when discussing how the people of Africa are different from those who live in America. There are many who feel that missionaries should not be going into different worlds and trying to change those people. After all, those individuals have their own religions. Champlain's response is: "They also have their own medical systems...so why do you champion better health care for them?" I love this point. If people object to missionaries changing tribal peoples, then where do we draw the line? Just with religion? I feel that after reading the chapter called "The Little People in the Phonograph," I think I am better equipped to justify missionaries now.

In addition to being better equipped to explain the importance of missionaries, I also came to the realization that it is a lifestyle I do not think I could lead. Besides facing Congo natives who were not friendly, Champlin and his family also lived with a great variety of insects (including ants that could eat a person's home to nothing), ate a poor diet (which was supplemented with Champlin's hunting of native animals), lacked easy access to medical care (reading the birth tales was scary), and faced many more difficulties.

I appreciate the fact that many of the chapters begin and end with a quotation or reference from the Bible. On more than one occasion, the inclusion of the Bible quote led me to putting down Venturing with God in Congo and picking up my own Bible. Books that encourage thinking behind the book are great. One specific example occurred at the end of the chapter about Mark's illness. Champlain quoted Jeremiah 33:3. The family called upon God and He answered.

My only problem with the book came with the consistent calling of venomous snakes as poisonous snakes. Champlin writes of killing "poisonous snakes" in their home. He even devotes a chapter to his wife's fear of them ("Killing a Poisonous Snake A Missionary Wife's Way"). There is no such thing as a poisonous snake as they are not dangerous to eat. They are classified as venomous as they inject their venom into victims through biting. This does not distract from the book at all. It is a personal pet peeve of mine but one that may annoy others who are into animals and zoology. 

I would recommend Venturing with God in Congo for those who enjoy reading Christian non-fiction, stories about missionaries, and those seeking to open their eyes and the eyes of their families to the world around them. 

Who is Conjurske Publications? 

With the high quality of Venturing with God in Congo, you might be interested in learning more about the publisher. Conjurske Publications has a simple mission: "to reprint the greatest Christian literature from the past several centuries and present it to Christians across the globe today." One of the keys to their mission is providing quality books that will "satisfy the desire in each of us to hold, read, and possess beautiful books" and I feel they completely fulfilled that goal with Venturing with God in Congo. Personally, I will be looking at their books to see what else they offer to add to our bookshelves.

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And don't forget I wasn't the only one reading Venturing with God in Congo. The Homeschool Review Crew had the opportunity to read and share the book in their homeschool. 

Book Club: Review of Several Books by Carole P. Roman

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 younger children love to read. So, we are always excited for the opportunity to review books in our homeschool. As we have previously reviewed books by Carole P. Roman, our first grader was so happy to look through all the books by Ms. Roman that we haven't yet read. Our family was able to pick four books from Carole P. Roman's assorted series:

• If You Were Me and Lived in...Peru 
• If You Were Me and Lived in...South Korea 
• If You Were Me and Lived in...Ancient Greece
• One to Ten: Squirrel's Bad Day 

How do you pick from so many GREAT books?

I sat down and took a look at the list of all of the books by Carole P. Roman to narrow down my picks before asking our children. Almost immediately, I was intrigued by One to Ten: Squirrel's Bad Day. I thought lessons of putting events into perspective would be a good one for our daughter. I also knew I would like to add to our collection of civilizations throughout history so we picked If You Were Me and Lived in...Ancient Greece which is full of history facts and gentle illustrations. And finally our first grader wanted two books from the Cultures Around the World series. He wanted to see what life was like for children in South Korea and Peru. 

How Did We Use The Books? 

With almost any books we receive, our first grader will read through them on his own before I even know he has done so. The first night after they arrived, I was busy and he read through both Peru and South Korea on his own. When asked if he liked them, he said, "They were really good." 

One evening shortly after the books arrived for review, I sat down with our daughter and read One to Ten: Squirrel's Bad Day. We took our time going through the book, examining the pictures and discussing what rank we would give experiences on the 1 to 10 scale of the rabbit. One stands for not so bad and ten represents the absolute worst. I am trying to continue to use the scale of 1 to 10 when our daughter gets upset so we can put the problems in perspective.

Our first grader is studying geography so we took time on separate days to read the books about life in South Korea and Peru. We talked about the different names and words used in both books and compared them to names and words used in America and in English.

It took more than a few days to read through If You Were Me and Lived in...Ancient Greece as it is a longer book with lots more details. For example, we were able to talk more about the gods and goddesses of Ancient Greece (as they are sprinkled throughout the text as well as contained in a glossary of names in the back of the book). And we were able to look up more information on the Olympics, the difference between the government of Ancient Greece and the United States of America, and Alexander the Great.  We also picked up some extra books from the library to read. (I love books that inspire us to read even more books!)

How Could You Use the Books in Your Homeschool? 

There are numerous ways in which homeschooling families can use these books during their day. Perhaps this is why so many homeschoolers love books! With books by Carole P. Roman, there is a great variety of ways to incorporate the books in your homeschool day: 

• As part of culture studies 
• As part of geography studies 
• As a starting point to research food from other nations 
• Visit art or history museums to view art pieces mentioned or shown the books 
• As part of history studies 
• As part of studying character traits 
• As read alouds 
• Bedtime reading 

What Did We Think? 

Personally, my favorite of the four was If You Were Me and Lived in...Ancient Greece. As you may know, I love history, so this was a fantastic add to our bookshelves. While I have other books about Ancient Greece, they are all written at middle school or above reading level. So this book is more easily accessible for our first grader. I also like that it has a pronunciation for each of the new names and terms to aid our children in reading the books aloud. 

Our first grader really enjoyed the two in the A Child's Introduction to Cultures Around the World series. He seems to gravitate towards studying geography and maps, so these made him quite happy. I appreciated that the books contain a pronunciation guide to help you read names and words that may be unfamiliar. (This also allowed us to work on proper pronunciation and learning how to use those guides with our son.)

I asked our son what his favorite part was in the series and he pointed out the last page where it says: "So you see, if you were me, how life in Peru could really be." These two pages are in each of the Child's Introduction to Cultures Around the World series that we have read with the name of the country changed, of course. He enjoyed reading about the history, the games, the food, the holidays, and about the culture in general.

My daughter enjoyed One to Ten: Squirrel's Bad Day. She felt sorry for the animal characters when we read about their bad experiences including when fox slipped on the ice, when the frog did poorly in school, and the when the squirrel's hamster died. I liked that we could talk about bad days and how to properly handle them in relation to imaginary characters she could relate to.

Do You Want to Learn More about Carole P. Roman? 

Don't forget to check out the other reviews by members of the Homeschool Review Crew! With so many great books to pick from, you will be sure to read about one you might love, too!

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Book Club: Book Review of The Boxcar Children Early Reader Set

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 first grader loves to read. So, whenever we get the chance to review books, we jump at the opportunity. I was very excited to receive The Boxcar Children Early Reader Set because I had no experience with the Boxcar Children series prior to reading these four books. I am always on the lookout for new books to introduce to our children. So, we appreciate finding ones that are appropriate and free of questionable content. These books, written by Gertrude Chandler Warner, published by Albert Whitman & Company were a fantastic addition to our homeschooling day. 

General Information About the Books 

The Boxcar Children Early Reader Set contains the first four books in Gertrude Chandler Warner's Boxcar Children series adapted for early readers. The Boxcar Children series tells the story of Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny who were orphaned and in the first book (published in 1924 but re-issued in 1964 by Albert Whitman & Company) find themselves living in a boxcar in the forest. 

The books included in this set are: 

The Boxcar Children 
Surprise Island 
The Yellow House Mystery 
Mystery Ranch 

In the first book we meet the four children and learn that they were hiding from their grandfather because they thought he was mean and didn't want to live with him after the death of their parents. Surprise Island starts with the beginning of summer – the perfect time to go on an adventure! The entire book details the children's experiences living on the island without their grandfather. They meet up with Joe who joins them on their adventures and teaches the children many new things including teaching Violet to play the violin. The children learn of Bill who lived in the yellow house in the third book. They explore the yellow house and discover a clue to the mystery of what happens to Bill the previous resident. And finally in Mystery Ranch, the children visit their great aunt's ranch and try to cheer her up. All the while, they explore a mystery of rocks and a secret campsite. 

These four books are part of the Time to Read™ series which is an early reader program. Early reader programs are created to provide reading success to children regardless of their age or grade. This particular series has three levels which helps parents pick the books that fit the reading abilities of their children. 

The three levels are: 

1. Beginning to Read 
2. Reading with Help 
3. Reading Independently 

The Boxcar Children Early Reader Set is Level 2: Reading with Help. I think this is a perfect placement as our four-year-old could read some of the story with my help and our first grader was able to read them by himself (he has been reading independently for a while now). So, I think they are perfect for a five-year-old! 

How Did We Use The Boxcar Children Early Reader Set in our Homeschool?

I gave all four books to our first grader to read on his own when they first arrived. As he loves reading, I knew that he would read them at his leisure. He actually read them all by himself before we were able to read them together.

I chose to read them during the review period as bedtime read-alouds. The first night I read one, our first grader wanted me to read another and then another. (I only read two that night.) He wasn't trying to stall bedtime. He really enjoyed the stories.

Our four-year-old then decided one afternoon she wanted to read Mystery Ranch to me. So we sat down together and she went through the first several pages with a little bit of help with the names of the characters and words like exciting and passenger. But unlike some other learning-to-read books, she did not seem to be discouraged by the few words she did not know. She was also able to follow the story as she was reading the book. And she was very excited to see what the rocks were that were found on Aunt Jane's ranch.

What Did We Think?

I really liked the books. I found them easy to read aloud to our two young children. They are just the right length. The illustrations are bright and colorful. And another great bonus is that the text is large and easy to read – no crazy font or colors. I appreciate books that are easy on the eyes as a parent.

The fact that the children wanted to live in a boxcar is really cool. So many children dream of living on their own in a treehouse, tent, or cave. So the idea is likely to connect with children who love adventure. I also think the way they became orphans and living on their own was handled in a very good manner. Nothing super sad or scary.

Our son's favorite book was Surprise Island. He really liked the museum that the children created while collecting items (like shells) as they were walking up and down the beach. In the story, Joe helps the children identify the objects with books he brings over. (I can see our children creating their own museum much like the Alden children did in the book.)

When I asked our son to tell me what he liked about The Yellow House Mystery, he grabbed the book and sat there laughing as he re-read when Joe's canoe tipped over. He then read some of it out loud to us, which caused his sister to want to see the book, too. He liked the fact that Bill was able to make a new start at the end of the book. A good lesson to be learned about the ability to start over.

After reading Mystery Ranch to our four-year-old, I asked her what she liked about the book. She proceeded to flip through the book and explain what she likes about each part or illustration. She concluded this with: "It's the best book that I love."

Personally, I can't wait to check out more in the series including the ones that aren't adapted for early readers. I think they will be a good fit for our homeschooling journey. As our teen fondly remembered The Boxcar Children series from his younger years, we are sure his siblings will continue to find them as fascinating as he said he did.

Do You Want To Learn More?

Other members of the Homeschool Review Crew read The Boxcar Children Early Reader Set, too! Please be sure to check out their reviews to see how they used the books in their homeschool. And why not take a look at all the other great books from Albert Whitman & Company.

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