Wordless Wednesday: Dice and More Dice

 

Blogging Through the Alphabet: L is for Lee

A man surrounded by controversy, Robert E. Lee can spark heated conversations from historians and citizens alike. James M. McPherson summarizes who Lee was prior to the American Civil War quite well in Battle Cry of Freedom: 

"Lee was fifty-four years old in 1861, the son of a Revolutionary War hero, scion of the First Families of Virginia, a gentleman in every sense of the word" (280). 

Like many others, Lee made his dislike of slavery clear, but his decision to stand by Virginia led to many then and today discounting him and adding his name to the list of traitors to the United States in history. But what is the truth? Truth is very complicated when it comes to history, as there is so much evidence to wade through to find it. Today, I would like to share with you several resources to help you learn more about Robert E. Lee. 

Touring the United States 

An interesting book for the American Civil War enthusiast is In the Footsteps of Robert E. Lee by Clint Johnson. In this 186-page book, readers will be taken on a journey to over 60 different locations in over 10 states to learn more about Lee. Johnson writes in the preface, "Not many people in American history have had such power of personality and have attracted the kind of attention devoted to Lee" (XIV). When we examine the men of the past, we should try to immerse ourselves in their time period and not judge them by today's ever-changing standards. With In the Footsteps of Robert E. Lee, you will do just that by visiting the physical locations – some of which have not changed that much since Lee walked there in the 1800s.

Shaping History 

The history of the American Civil War and the examination of the causes, people, and events started almost immediately after the surrender at Appomattox. In the 1870s and 1880s, former Confederates began collecting their memories and writing their views of events. A popular theory and interpretation grew out of these writings – The Lost Cause. Tied up in this theory is the idea that Lee outshone all the other Confederate generals and ended up having to surrender due to the overpowering Union resources. 

While Lee was not the legendary man The Lost Cause portrayed him to be, the revisionist historians have swung too far in the opposite direction. In Lee and His Generals in War and Memory, Gary W. Gallagher attempts to explore arguments regarding Lee and his famous subordinates in the American Civil War. If you wish to learn more, Gallagher provides many footnotes to help you dig deeper, as well as a useful index to find out which specific topic you wish to read about. 

Family 

Another book I picked up many years ago is The Lee Girls by Mary P. Colling. It tells readers about the lives of the four daughters of Lee. For those who wish to know less about the military events of the mid-1800s to the early 1900s, reading about the lives of Mary Custis Lee, Anne Carter Lee, Eleanor Agnes Lee, and Mildred Childe Lee will provide an insight into the lives of a Virginian family greatly impacted by the American Civil War. 

History 

Even though the past is long gone, it still holds meaning and significance for us today. We should not sweep events or people that are distasteful to us or others from the pages of our books. We have the ability – with critical thinking – to learn from those who lived before us. 

Puzzles in Our Homeschool

 

I received a COMPLIMENTARY copy of this puzzle 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 tracking links. For more information, please see my Terms of Use and Disclosure Policy page. Thank you.

Finding a way to make science come to life can be challenging for some homeschooling families. What happens if your child is not interested in experiments or labs? How do you get them interested in their science lessons if science is not their favorite subject? While our oldest son enjoyed some of his science lessons, it definitely was not his favorite subject of his homeschool career. In the past, we incorporated hands-on activities like growing different plants and experimenting with the soil type and such, but how could we bring anatomy to life? Enter Dr. Livingston's Anatomy Jigsaw Puzzle: The Human Thorax courtesy of Timberdoodle. 

Included in both the 2021 Eleventh-Grade Curriculum Kit and Nonreligious 2021 Eleventh-Grade Curriculum Kit, The Human Thorax puzzle is 500 pieces of science education and entertainment. The puzzle shows a cross-section of the rib cage and its contents including the heart, the lungs, the trachea, and many muscles are also labeled in the lid of the puzzle box. While putting together the puzzle, you can easily see exactly where each piece fits into the puzzle and the human body. 

A Unique Educational Experience 

Unlike some puzzles, The Human Thorax one is not a typical square or rectangle. The shape follows the thorax of the human body but at about twice the size of a real, live human. In addition to this unique feature, the puzzle is also one that is 100% medically accurate, as it is illustrated by Mesa Schumacher, who is a certified medical illustrator. I would describe the colors as warm but vibrant, giving the impression that you are viewing the human thorax in a medical textbook or journal. 

Dr. Livingston's Anatomy Jigsaw Puzzle: The Human Thorax is one of seven total puzzles that will help your high school anatomy lessons come to life. Together all seven puzzles will look like vintage medical texts sitting on your homeschool shelf. The box has a very sturdy feel and opens and closes quite nicely. I love the fact that the box for the puzzle does not have a separate lid. What a great feature! 

Puzzling It Out 

After dinner one evening, I asked everyone to stay after we cleaned off the dining room table so we could work on the puzzle. All five of us – my husband, our senior, our second grader, our kindergartner, and myself – worked on separating the 500 puzzle pieces and organizing them by color and by which section of the puzzle we felt they belonged. These early puzzle activities kept our younger two children involved, but as soon as we dug into the actual putting together of the puzzle, they disappeared because they found it too difficult. And I agree. Dr. Livingston's Anatomy Jigsaw Puzzle: The Human Thorax is a more difficult puzzle than those they have helped us with on previous occasions. It is recommended on the Timberdoodle site for ages 14+, and I would agree with that assessment. I think it could fit nicely in a junior high or high school anatomy curriculum, but younger children will find it very challenging.

We started putting together the puzzle after dinner and continued through the evening. Then, we took a break with only part of the lungs left for the next morning. The pink section of the lungs was very difficult. We found a system that worked for us was to look for the shapes and then try individual pieces. While using colors and the shapes of the puzzle pieces for the border and heart was the way to go, we found we had to change our method when we were finishing up the puzzle. In all, it took us maybe four to five hours to complete the puzzle with those working on the puzzle changing a few times as one of the three of us took a break. 

I firmly believe introducing puzzles into your homeschool routine is a wonderful way to bring your science lessons to life. And you will be able to complete the puzzle over and over, depending upon your time and desire to do so! Each time you complete The Human Thorax puzzle, you can discuss different parts of the puzzle or introduce new activities to go along with it. Use the puzzle to label worksheets, have animal discussions, or while reading and researching.

Looking for More From Timberdoodle? 

We have had the opportunity to review several items from Timberdoodle in our homeschool. From games to puzzles, there are so many wonderful items you can purchase to incorporate into your homeschool lessons. If you need an entire kit for your 11th grader, you can purchase the 2021 Eleventh-Grade Curriculum Kit, which includes this puzzle, or you can pick and choose from the items that you need for your homeschool plans.

Book Club: Book Review of The Heart's Charge

 

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. For more information, please see my Terms of Use and Disclosure Policy page. Thank you.

I had the pleasure of reading and reviewing At Love's Command in June 2020, which is the first book in the Hanger's Horsemen series. I was very excited to have the opportunity to read and review the second in the series, The Heart's Charge. Both stories were very inspirational and exciting to read.

Finding a Safe Place for Their Hearts 

In this second book in the Hanger's Horsemen series by Karen Witemeyer, we learn more about what happened to Mark Wallace and Jonah Brooks after the events in the first book. The story opens with an exciting adventure as they come upon a woman alone needing help to deliver her first baby. Mark and Jonah are then left with the care of this infant. What exactly will they do?

The journey of Mark and Jonah takes us to a foundling home run by two independent women. One, Katherine Palmer, is already known to Mark. He had known her and actually proposed marriage to her ten years before. The second woman, Eliza Southerland, is determined that she does not need to be involved with any man and can do all the work at Harmony House with only Katherine's assistance. As you can guess, romance soon joins the tale of these four individuals.

Even with the blossoming romance between Jonah and Eliza and the rekindling of love between Mark and Katherine, there is more to this work of Christian historical fiction as two of the four Hanger's Horsemen seek to assist one young boy who says that children have been disappearing. We also see the lives of the children living at the foundling home and how Eliza and Katherine are helping them grow, learn, and love. To prevent any more of the boys who ride the rails from going missing, Mark and Jonah persuade them to stay at Harmony House. So, we see more of all the children interacting, helping each other and learning from the ladies who run the home and the men staying in its barn.

Trusting in God 

At so many moments in The Heart's Charge, we see the different characters seeking God for help and either placing their trust in Him or being reminded to do so. The story was entertaining and suspenseful. Packed in between the scared Eliza riding a cavalry horse and Mark repairing Harmony House, I found many moments that reminded me that "we've all broken his (Jesus') heart with the poor choices we've made. Yet the Good Book teaches that God delights in showing mercy" (242-243). Personally, I find myself seeking God's mercy more and more every day. Seeing the reminder of God's compassion demonstrated in a wonderful work of fiction was most welcome. It is nice to read books that are both entertaining and uplifting. 

I enjoyed the individual stories of Mark, Katherine, Jonah, and Eliza, all equally. It did not feel like any one character was neglected as we followed the four adults around with their daily tasks at Harmony House and in the pursuit to find evidence of who was kidnapping children. Sometimes when there are too many characters in a book, some get lost, but not in the case of The Heart's Charge.  

I would recommend The Heart's Charge to those who enjoy Christian Romance, historical fiction, and an entertaining tale. It provides not only much-needed relief from the hectic world of today in a good story but is also a reminder that God can see us through even the worst moments. 

Wordless Wednesday: Figures in Motion

 Please Note: I received complementary copies of these books through the Homeschool Review Crew.