Schoolhouse Review–Golden Prairie Press

Golden Prairie Press is my newest review with TOS Schoolhouse Review!  MG and I had a chance to review the e-book, Uncovering Exciting History. Amy Puetz is the head honcho of Golden Prairie Press and the author of this e-book, and others (which were reviewed by other TOS reviewers – click on the link at the bottom of this review post to read about them all!)

This book is available from the website as a PDF, MOBI, EPUB, audio book, and a printed book. I downloaded it on my laptop for my own reading, and on my husband’s iPad for MG to read.  Right now, it’s on sale for $11.96, regular price being $14.95.  Check it out!

Those are the details, but what did we think about it?  My readers know me well enough to know we’re not really a super techno family.  Papa and I use our computers for this and that, but the children really don’t use the computers much.  The idea of reading a book from a screen?  I am not really on the fence about it – I don’t care one bit for it.  So you would expect me to greatly dislike this product, but surprise!  It was quite well-received!  The privilege of using Papa’s iPad held a particular allure, and the fact that this book was specifically FOR MG made the whole review even better :) 

So once I got past my issue with MG reading a book on a screen, (she had no problems with that, let me tell you!) it was smooth sailing!  It took a smidge to figure out how to navigate the book, but that was only because we had never done it before (you folks who read loads on tablets or e-readers would have thought us so silly!) Amy has a lovely style of writing, and like the website says, the book is written in such a way,“revealing America’s Christian heritage in short, easy-to-read nuggets.”  You can view a sample of Golden Prairie Press ‘ Uncovering Exciting History here.  The chapters are pretty short, and  carry you through American history with a broad brush. 

Some neat things that Amy includes in this 184-page book are maps (love that!) and MG’s favorite – the projects.  It’s not an overload of images and maps and extension ideas, but enough to engage the middle-school-age reader.  For the mom, I tend to think that if it’s there, we have to do it.  As this is geared towards MG as the reader/interacter of the text, she does a fine job in giving “just enough”! 

Here is what MG had to say:

“Broad topic, and yet you don’t really miss much.  She doesn’t go into lots of details, but she gives you enough information so that it’s exciting, not boring.  The way she writes, it’s almost like she lived there!” 

When asked if she would be interested in reading other Amy books, MG said, “Yeah, I like ‘em!”  This, coming from she who reads only high fantasy!

Amy also has a monthly e-mail e-zine, Heroines of the Past, that you can sign up for here: http://amypuetz.com/MailingList.html

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Disclaimer:  As a member of TOS Schoolhouse Review Crew, I was given this product, free of charge, in exchange for a timely and honest opinion. 

Billy Graham in Quotes, a Review

We all know who Billy Graham is.  An evangelism career that has spanned 70 years.  His life’s work to share the Gospel of Christ. 

His son has compiled quotations from his professional and personal works to share with all of us in this book, Billy Graham in Quotes.

I chose those this book in particular to review from Booksneeze because as soon as I saw it, I knew my mother would love it.  And I love my mother.  And let me tell you, she is going to have plenty of Billy Graham snippets to read!  I thought this would be more of a booklet, one of those cutsie little bedside table things that are a dime a dozen, designed for a little warm, fuzzy that tops off a gift set or something as such. 

Not this one.  This is a hardback, thick and full of whole passages of Graham’s heart poured out on all sorts of matters.  He speaks hope and encouragement, so you definitely get your warm fuzzies.  But Graham also speaks it real, keeping things in perspective.

Graham has written many books, and this one might be one that either sends you running for more, or it might be enough to get your fill.  Either way, it’s A LOT of Billy Graham.  It’s a good pick-up,put-down sort of book, one that I think I would most likely only get…for my mother, who will like it.  And I like her :)

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze® book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”  Translation: I received this book from Booksneeze for free…well, except that I had to give an honest review.  I guess that means it’s not totally free, is it?

Support for Heart of Dakota

**Updated 9/1/12 to add two Facebook groups, thanks to reader Sara!**

Heart of Dakota is our curriculum of choice for the 2012-13 school year, as I posted a month or so ago.  In coming to that decision, I used, in part, the wisdom and experience of mothers near and far away.  One mother in our homeschool group, Jennifer, uses HOD and loves it. She was a wonderful resource, but she sent me online to find answers to questions she felt like she shouldn’t or couldn’t answer.

One of the places she sent me to the forum for Heart of Dakota that is actually found *on* the Heart of Dakota website! This is my favorite spot, my first go-to spot for anything and everything HOD.   Author Carrie Austin is there to help, as is her sister who has used all the curriculum books, and a whole slew of mothers who are a wealth of knowledge!  I went to them with question after question after question, down to darn nit-picky things, and the folks were always there to help as much as they could.  They would ask more questions, and keep me in check.  Remember, HOD books are based on your child’s SKILL, not AGE. 

A second place I found is the Yahoo! Group for HOD users, HomeschoolingHODMoms.  I tended to get a little faster response times here, but really, I think it was the same folks on both pages!  This group isn’t sanctioned by Heart of Dakota (though Carrie is ok with it!), so there is a bit more talk of how folks use HOD with other books.  There is also to be found there a wonderful collection of files, made by these moms, that you can use with whatever book(s) you are using at the time.  I haven’t used any yet, mainly because I have found what we are doing to be enough, but there are some lovely things there! 
Another place where you can find inspiration and peek into HOD days, is the 2012-13 HOD Blogroll, put together by Dusty at Reach to the Moon and Back. The list is growing, but it has folks who have a blog, who plan to use HOD this school year and intend to blog about it.  If you blog and think you will be keeping up with things you do in your homeschool, you, too can add your blog to the roll (just remember to grab the button for your blog!)

 

It’s really neat to see how others are using the books, and their take on things.  Some post lots, others post as inspiration moves them, but it’s another enjoyable way to see Heart of Dakota in action!  By following these blogs, you are also establishing a relationship of sorts with this blog mama (who is likely on one or both of the aforementioned boards!) for additional support.  It’s just good stuff all around!

Adding to the resource bank are two groups on Facebook:  FansOfHOD and the Heart of Dakota official Facebook page.  I have only been a member, or “liked” the pages for a couple days, and am already loving what I am getting from there!

I wanted to share these spots online in connection to HOD because if you were thinking of using Heart of Dakota, these resources are available to you, and will be SUCH a blessing in your decision-making process!  And once you decide to use HOD, these same resources become outlets for support, accountability, and encouragement.

If any readers are considering Heart of Dakota, I hope this helps!

Schoolhouse Review Crew–SchoolhouseTeacher.com

As a part of the Schoolhouse Review Crew, I was able to gain access to a new resource for homeschoolers, SchoolhouseTeachers.com and what a resource it is!

SchoolhouseTeachers.com is a subscription based site (pay by the month- $5.95 or by the year-$64.96).  And you can try it for the first month for just $1!  A buck! 

For that cost, you get:

• access to The Old Schoolhouse digital magazines, plus back issues
• e-books, once a month
• all the planners you can fathom (which is what I am going to talk about)
• lesson plans on anything you can imagine
• and more!

I played worked with a variety of different options on the website.

I love calendars, list-making and whoo boy, did this website come through!  As a part of your subscription, you have FULL ACCESS to ALL TOS planners!!  For you, for special needs learners, primary grades, intermediate grades, high school ages! 

What’s more, these TOS planners aren’t *just* homeschool planners…..they have HOUSEHOLD forms for your home binder!  Yes, it’s true!  I didn’t use the homeschool materials, but the link at the bottom of this review will offer you many other Review Crew members who did – check it out!

Schoolhouse Planner (for the Mamas and the Papas)

These pages are editable pdf files, so you can type in permanent things prior to printing.  The editable spaces are blue, but they print clear. 

Of course, there is a whole passle of homeschool files that you can access that hit everything, and I mean EVERYTHING that you can possibly need to document:

• Unit Study, Notebooking
• Field Trips, Scheduling
• High School, Evaluations

Plus, you will have at your fingertips:

• Must Know, List of Lists
• Curriculum Library, Course of Study, many articles

You can click on the link at the bottom of this review to see how other Schoolhouse Review Crew members used this resource!

Click HERE or on the image above to see some samples!

-Calendars-

• Full 2012 and 2013
• single-page full month
• two-page spread monthly layout
• two-page spread monthly with lines

-- perfect to print out the two full-year pages for the front of my notebook and then the 2-page spread, unlined. 

-Household Planner Section-

The options here for inclusion in your home keeping binder are astounding! The main divisions that are offered include:

• Family Health
• Gift Giving
• Family Forms (family history, stories and the like – you know, the warm fuzzies)
• Vacation and Travel Planning

These forms are in addition to all the chore list options – of which there are a gaboodles!, car maintenance lists and check-off sheets, garden planning tools (YAY!!!), appliance and electronic inventory lists and more! I hadn’t even thought about appliance inventory lists!

-Bible Section-

You have a few reading schedule options, based on what you feel you need:

• Year-long Bible Reading Schedule
• Chronological Year-long Reading Schedule
• 90-Day Reading Schedule

Plus, you have:

• Prayer Journal Template
• Personal Prayer Scripture Reference
• Bible Study Notes!
• (Daily) Bible Reading Highlights

Then, you are start getting into information of import:

• Books of the Bible
• Old Testament Kings of Israel and Judah (how cool is that, to have this reference handy when reading?)
• Miracles of Jesus, Parables of Jesus, Jesus’ Life Timeline
• Significant Women of the Bible (neat!)
• Scripture Reading for Special Holidays (they’ve officially thought of everything.)

-Kitchen Section-

You’ve got your conversion sheet, all kinds of recipes, a pantry checklist, and then…THEN you have all the different kinds of menu planning sheets: for weekly AND monthly preferences, in addition to holiday meal schedules, meals for company, as well as canning and freezing sections! Can you hear me getting excited over here?

-Finance/Stewardship Section-

Included in this set of files is a great article about family stewardship.  When it comes to the forms, there are so many options for keeping up with your money, for the adults AND the children:

• Budget Record Sheet
• Household Budget Sheet
• Personal Financial Inventory
• Kids Financial Record
• Holiday Budget Form
• Comparison Shopping Form

There are also some forms that might come in handy for home businesses and the like:

• Fundraising Form
• Mileage Log
• Monthly Expense Log
• Monthly Purchase List
• Monthly AND Daily Postage Expense Log

-Names and Numbers Section-

Good heavens, these folks leave no list-making stone unturned!  There are 65 pages worth of grouping your people:

• Christmas Cards
• Babysitter
• Birthday and Special Occasions
• Addresses
• Important Dates

and more! 

Can you tell I like planners and lists? You can take a SITE TOUR, which I found really helpful.

There are SO many other reviews of Schoolhouse Teachers, each talking about different parts of the program – please take some time to check them out by clicking on the link below!

Disclaimer: As a member of the Schoolhouse Review Crew, I was supplied this product for an honest review.