A Journey Through Learning Lapbooks ~ A Review

Over the past weeks my 6th grader has enjoyed working through The Greatest Inventors from A Journey Through Learning Lapbooks. This particular Lapbook and Study Guide is intended for grades 2-8. Students will read about some of the greatest inventors throughout history and their inventions and create lapbooks to display what they had learned along the way. Lapbooking is a bit like scrapbooking but only for educational purposes. Once you get started it can almost get a bit addictive. Lapbooking is a great way to reinforce what your child is learning using a collection of mini-books, flaps, graphics, drawings, and written work, that is normally glued in a standard size file folder that fits in your lap. 

What is covered in The Greatest Inventors? Well, to start with your student will get a brief explanation of exactly, What is an Invention? After getting that out of the way the journey begins as they learn about inventors and the inventions that marked their places in history. 

• Johannes Gutenberg
• Benjamin Franklin
• John Deere
• Wilber and Orville Wright
• Guglielmo Marconi
• George Eastman
• Louis Braille
• Eli Whitney
• Leonardo da Vinci
• Robert Fulton
• Thomas Jefferson
• Galileo Galilei
• George Stevenson
• Thomas Edison
• Jonas Salk
• George Washington Carver
• Henry Ford
• Alexander Graham Bell

For each lapbook you will have a diagram of the layout of where to place each inventors information cut-out. Each cut-out includes space for the students to include pertinent information about the inventor and his invention. 

You will simply use three different color dividers to make the lapbooks. 

My daughter said, "I really enjoyed learning about so many interesting inventions and the inventors who came up with the inventions. I think that my favorite one was 'How did Louis Braille help the blind?'."

Some questions asked in the mini-book flaps are:

1. What did Eli Whitney's cotton gin do?
2. Talk about Robert Fulton's early life.
3. Talk about Galileo Galilei's Discoveries.
4. What did Wilbur and Orville Wright do early on to learn about flight?
5. What did Johannes Gutenberg's first printed Bible look like?
6. What is Polio?
7. What is crop rotation?

Included at the end of the printables are resources for:

1. Book Logs
2. Biography Book Reports
3. NICK Notes (Notes, Information & Comments, Key Words)
4. Outline Form
5. What I Have Learned Today 
6. Additional Reading Material

For the younger student parents may want to read aloud the inventor study guide and discuss any questions that their child may have. This may also be a great time to pull out unfamiliar words to add to your child's weekly vocabulary/spelling lists. This is a great time to have open discussion about topics new to your child. Example, when learning about George Washington Carver in the first sentence it talks about how he was born a slave. This may be a great time to find some books about slavery and begin a discussion about slavery. Further down it discusses crops and agriculture. Again, perfect time to find some books at the library or information of the internet on farming, pictures of crops, and adding the word agriculture to their vocabulary list for the week. Finally, search the internet for all of the interesting ways that peanuts can be used besides just eating them. Maybe make a picture collage using an actual peanut or a picture of a peanut and then either cut pictures from magazines, write words, or have them draw pictures of all of the things that peanuts are used for. 

For the older student have them do a more in depth research project into the inventor or his invention. Maybe have your student do a further investigation into the Braille System and have them actually go to the library and see if they can locate a copy of a book written in Braille. Maybe they could challenge themselves to learn the alphabet in Braille. For the older student interested in a future in medicine they could read up on the Polio Epidemic and Dr. Jonas Salk. 

I was a bit disappointed to see that no female inventors were included in this packet. 

Overall, I was really happy with the contents of the packet and my daughter learned a great deal of information. She enjoyed working through the inventors. I will say that I cut out the busy work of cutting out the  inventor cut-outs for her. It's not that she could not have done it herself but I preferred her to do something more productive with her time than cutting out some of the more detailed items such as Henry Ford's truck. With that said, I would definitely recommend this lapbook study to others. I would probably personally recommend it for grades 4-6.  

To read more reviews click here.

Social Media Links:

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The August 21, 2017 Eclipse

So if you were like me and just did not get around to purchasing a pair of glasses to observe the eclipse there were other ways to observe the eclipse! As we sat out in our front drive we were mesmerized by the beauty of the beautiful patterns that the eclipse made through the trees onto the concrete. 

Searching the internet yesterday we enjoyed the many amazing photographs that individuals posted. What a spectacular event it was. We live in the northern part of Texas and so we only got a partial eclipse. I expected it to get darker than it did. I kept on waiting but didn't really notice that much difference. Next time I intend to make it a priority to get glasses ahead of time! But thanks to so many social media outlets, news media sites, and NASA we did not miss out. Until next time....

Bible Journaling

My 17 year old daughter is a naturally gifted artist. A year ago I purchased a journaling bible for her. I am sure that everyone is all too familiar with the journaling bible RAGE. All you have to do is type the words into Pinterest and the screen floods to life with a million examples of bible journaling examples. My daughter prefers to keep her black and white pencil. I thought I would share some of her entries. I did choose to go with a high end leather bible with very wide margins. I wanted this to be a forever keepsake for her.

Mazie in the Making...

On this particular day not only was Mazie visiting but so was Mazie's brother Beau (from the same litter) and Stella (from a previous litter). They are all full blooded siblings. For those that haven't been following my previous postings about Mazie, she is a Labradoodle. Stella has a curly coat. Mazie has a wavy coat, and Beau has a straight coat. Beau reminds me of Tramp from Lady and the Tramp. Stella belongs to a good friend of ours. Beau belongs to my oldest daughter and her husband. And Mazie is currently in training at Stella's house. I thought I would share these fun pictures. 

The 3 dogs being asked to sit and stay.

Stay...

Lay down, stay.

Listen.

Listen, stay.

A dish of treats are set in front of them and they are commanded to leave it!

Leave it!

Leave it!

Leave it!

Leave it!

Leave it!

Leave it!

 In between the "leave it's" they were rewarded with treats. They all did well. Mazie

and Stella often times continued to look up at the person in charge. Beau often times laid his head down eying the treats patiently waiting to be rewarded for his patience. They were all such well behaved and smart. It was so fun to watch the sibling interact, play, and rough house with each other. 

 Mazie In The Making First Posting
Mazie In The Making Second Posting
Mazie In The Making Third Posting
Dear Mazie

Greek 'n' Stuff - A Review

My 6th grade daughter has been working through Hey, Andrew! Teach Me Some Greek! - Level 2 Set  from Greek 'n' Stuff over the past weeks. There are 8 levels in the Teach Me Some Greek Series. Level Two is intended for early elementary 2nd-4th grade.

What I received. There are several other components that can be purchased separately on the website.

• Hey, Andrew! Teach Me Some Greek! "Answers Only" Answer Key Level 2
• Hey, Andrew! Teach Me Some Greek! A Biblical Greek Worktext Level 2
• Hey, Andrew! Teach Me Some Greek! Pronunciation CD

So what exactly will your student learn in Level 2 Greek?

• Alphabet Review
• Alphabet Practice
• Vocabulary Practice
• New Vocabulary
• Final Review

After the alphabet is reviewed the remainder of the book focuses on eleven foundational Greek vocabulary words that set the stage for Level 3 that introduces Greek grammar. 

Why study Biblical Greek? The original New Testament Scripture was written in (koine) Greek and learning Biblical Greek gives students the ability to read scripture in its original version. Most of the time the author's emphasis through alliteration, poetic structure, chiasm, etc. are lost in translation. Case, mood, and voice play a role in how a passage is meant to be interpreted. Meaning often gets lost with translation. 

I took two years of Biblical Greek in my undergraduate and thoroughly enjoyed it. My husband took four year of Biblical Greek in his undergraduate, focused on Biblical Greek in his ThM as well as his PhD and currently teaches Biblical Greek. This is yet another reason that I jumped at the chance for one of my kiddos to learn some Greek. 

What my daughter had to say about learning Biblical Greek.
"My dad says that Greek is FUN and that everyone should know how to read Greek. He was really excited and proud when I started learning the alphabet and some words. Most of the letters were pretty easy to learn expect for zeta, xi, and psi." They are fun to write and using the flashcards make memorizing the letters much easier. I really liked the fun activities that the workbook used to help learn the letters. Some of the letters have weird pronunciations but the book helps you know how to say the word. Like for the letter iota you say it "ee-o-ta". When I got to learning the words that was really fun! It was kind of Greek to me, haha!! The workbook is very helpful in helping you know how to pronounce the words. There are fun activities and reminders for practices flashcards. I really like this Greek program and I think other would like it too." 

My daughter really liked the variety of activities used to teach and engage her in learning and reinforcing the letter and words. She never seemed overwhelmed or frustrated. She actually enjoyed working on Greek daily.

There are a total of 30 lesson in the workbook. Each lesson begins with the new letter or word along with pronunciation helps. Activities and writing practices are given throughout the lesson to reinforce the new word or letter as well as the past letters and words. There are reminders at the bottoms of each page to practice flashcards. Activities such as fill-in-the-blank, yes or no, matching, and coloring are utilized. 

Ideally, a student can complete Level 2 in 30 weeks or sooner if they are extremely motivated learners. Once the student has successfully learned the alphabet and the eleven vocabulary words they are ready for Level 3! 

Learning Greek requires A LOT of memorization and repetition!! Unless you are willing to adhere daily practice it will be very hard to stay on top of the learning curve. Students are not only having to learn unfamiliar letters but further on it gets much more difficult when you have to learn declensions, genders, and tenses. It is a lot of work but so worth the reward in the end. 

The answer key is very simply the answers. 

The flashcards are at the back of the workbook. The student simply 

cuts out the cards as needed.

This program is really fantastic. It is simple yet does a great job at teaching "very" basic Biblical Greek. Level 2 would be ideal for early elementary or for students that want to start out slow. I would highly recommend this program to others searching for a good Biblical Greek program of study for their students or for themselves. Looking at the program as a whole Level 8 actually has students translating scripture. 

The FAQ page is a great source of information. On this page you can also find placement tests for each level. 

To read more reviews click here.

Social Media

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Twitter:  https://twitter.com/GreeknStuff 

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/kuriakos/greek-n-stuff/     

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Heirloom Audio ~ A Review

Heirloom Audio Productions new audio drama, In the Reign of Terror is truly an extraordinary adventure. I received the physical CD's as well as digital downloads. G.A. Henty, dubbed history's master of storytelling, brings history alive in his books of daring adventures. Heirloom Audio Productions philosophy of a Christ-centered history is refreshing amidst a world of humanistic thinking. Heirloom Audio truly brings history to life. As you listen to the story unfolding you feel like you are really living the adventure. Heirloom's Audio Drama's together with Henty's great books make for an engaging way to learn history. The audio dramas are a collaboration of creative storytelling, gifted orators/actors, realistic sound effects, and amazing composed music to make for a captivating historical drama. 

What is In The Reign of Terror about?

The story opens with Mr. George meeting young Harry at Arlington National Cemetery. Harry's deceased ancestor from the Revolutionary War era is buried at Arlington. Harry wants to learn more about the American Revolution. Those that sought freedom from ternary and over taxation were not rebels trying to revolt rather individuals seeking justice and campions of freedom. There was a striking difference between the American Revolution and the French Revolution. Those in the American Revolution were seeking God's favor and grace whereas the French turned away from God believing that man could rule themselves without God's wisdom and guidance. What pursued in the late 18th century France was a gruesome and horrible reign of terror! 

Young Harry Sandwith, a young Englishman, who goes to live with Monsieur Marquis de St Caux and his family who are of nobility. Harry is to be a tudor for the children. War is about to break out and the French are calling for the arrest of nobles and their families. Harry is asked to flee with the children to protect them. They are in a fight to save God, king, and country which those in the Revolution are trying to stop. The commoners are tired of living in poverty and being under the rule of heartless and crooked nobility, as not all nobility was fair and honorable. Many of the leaders of the French Revolution spoke of philosophers who said that man needs no god and man is best ruling themselves. It was a mob uprising. Listeners will experience the day to day happenings as this period in history as the story unfolds. 

Some historical events, people and topics discussed in In The Reign of Terror are:

• St. Bartholomew's Massacre
• Class Distinctions
• Enlightenment Ideas
• Fiat Law
• Jean-Jacques Rousseau
• Maximiliem Robespierre
• Jean-Paul Marat
• Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen
• "Qu'ils mangent de la brioche"

This audio adventure is 2 1/2 hours in length. Along with the CD's the following were included in the form of downloads:

• MP3 Download
• E-Book or read online
• MP3 Soundtrack
• Printable Cast Poster
• Study Guide and Discussion Starter
• Inspirational Verse Poster
• Desktop Wallpaper Download
• Official Script Download

I have created binders with all of the study guides for the many Heirloom Audio Adventures that we have collected. After printing the guides out I put the pages in protective sleeve covers. Since printing these colorful guides can get a bit expensive placing the pages in protective sleeves ensures that over the years as my children listen to the Audio Adventures the guides stay in perfect condition. 

Study Guide
The study guide is a FABULOUS complement to the audio drama CD's. I found the study guide to be extremely helpful in discussing the story with my children. The study guide is set up to aid the younger student in understanding the story as well as challenging the older student at a deeper level. The study questions are divided into three sections.

The Listening Well - focuses on what was heard

The Thinking Further - challenges the child to think, draw conclusions, and speculate

The Defining Words - defining unfamiliar vocabulary

The study guide which is available via computer download is great for a wide range of ages. For the younger child there are vocabulary words to define and for the older child there are great discussion questions. Many times, after listening to the Heirloom Adventures, it has sparked further discussion and interest in periods of history that likely would have been overlooked.

Throughout the Study Guide you will find boxed in sections entitled, "Expand Your Learning." In these sections you will find many interesting tidbits of informations about this time period. One of the sections encourages you to read the book A Tale of Two Cities that gives another great look at life in London during the same period. 

At the end of the Study Guide you will find a three part Bible Study that discusses:

1. When God Means Evil for Good
2. Resistance to Tyranny
3. True Manliness

Each section of the Bible Study points back to scripture to see what God's Word says about the three above topics. God in his sovereign plan uses sinful acts of man to fulfill His greater plan. Scripture clearly talks about wicked rulers and what Christians are to do in such instances. And finally, what scripture says about the order of creation and man being the leader, provider, and protector of woman. 

At the end of the Study Guide you can read more about:

• The Enlightenment
• Jean-Jacques Rousseau
• The French Revolution v. the American War of Independence (comparison chart)

Heirloom's, In The Reign of Terror, is adapted from G.A. Henty's book. Henty's book series includes 122 books. The two key figures in, In The Reign of Terror are Maximilian Robespierre and  Marie Antoinette. 

Meet Some of the Amazing Cast Behind the Drama

Heirloom Audio has produced yet another great audio adventure!!! Designed for children ages, 6-16, I would most definitely say that the 16 and above crowd will enjoy the adventure too. I have had the privilege of reviewing The Cat of Bubastes, The Dragon And The Raven, With Lee In Virginia, In Freedom's Cause, and Beric The Briton. I would highly recommend these audio adventures. 

My children who range in age from 9 -17 enjoyed this new audio adventure. For my younger children this was a great way to introduce a new period in history. They have learned through listening to the many Heirloom Audio Dramas that history doesn't have to be boring. They were eager to learn more about this time in history after listening. For my older children who have studied this period of history these audio dramas bring a new way to experience history. It wasn't until I reached college that history came alive for me due to a phenomenal professor. I look forward to each new Heirloom Audio Drama and cannot wait for the next one to be released. 

Live The Adventure Club 

Live the Adventure Club is a community forum as well as a treasure trove of extra resources, games, and extras for the whole family. Your child can take online quizzes, print out coloring pages, solve word searches, and so much more. You and your child can follow along using a copy of the actual audio drama script! Don't want to print out the study guide, no problem. You can download the guide in a friendly pdf version. Teachers and parents can search through the teachers resources to find enrichments to go along with each audio adventure. 

To read more reviews click here.

Social Media
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeirloomAudio
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeirloomStories 
Google+: https://plus.google.com/b/114534826166314080647/114534826166314080647  
Instagram: @HeirloomAudioOfficial