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Tailgate Market Hendersonville NC
For this Walk and Talk Wednesday post, I wanted to focus on local foods.
Have you ever sat down to a meal and looked at where each item was grown? It would be very easy to sit down to a breakfast for example, and eat eggs from Illinios, bacon or sausage from Idaho, bread from Kansas, orange juice from Florida, strawberries from Chile, blueberries from Brazil, butter from Pensylvania, cream cheese from Wisconsin, and so on. How far did your food travel before it made it to your home for your family to eat?
What is local food?
Local food by definition is food produced within a 100 mile radius of the consumer.
I don't buy everything local, but I try to buy as much as I can. For example: honey, jams, bread, free range chicken & eggs, fresh garden produce, fresh orchard produce, raw milk, soaps, lotions, cleansers, etc. There are plenty of meats locally raised, but I have yet to find 100% grass fed beef and organic local grains among other things in my immediate area here in NC. But I try to buy what I can, and support local producers and the local economy as much as it fits into my family's lifestyle and budget.
When I lived in Indiana, I was so blessed to have folks support me as a farmer and store owner and my my products. The Weston A Price Indy Chapter and Cincinnati Chapter, and the Cincinnati Locavore movement supported me and purchased lots of my products that I raised on the farm. People from all over Indiana (north, south, east, and west), Dayton OH, Cincinnati Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, and lots of places in between came to load up on our beef, chicken, eggs, and produce. Folks who came from over an hour away would always bring big coolers to load up on meats and other cold products. Sometimes even whole coops would have an order filled and bring a truck load of coolers. Even local folks came regular and in addition to meats and cold items, they bought bulk grains, locally bottled coconut oil, local raw honey, local maple syrup and other several other items in our country store too. In addition, we had lots of crafts made by local artisans for sale too including some dear Amish friends who made handmade items like greeting cards and candles, a local farmer who made goat milk soap and lotions, and more.
I have been on both the farmer's side of raising local foods, and the consumer's side of supporting local farms and local foods. When I moved to NC, I went on a search to find the freshest nutrient dense local foods I could find. We visited several farms directly and traveled near and far. One great resource we found was the local farmer's market called the Tailgate Market in Hendersonville, NC. It is a special gem on the journey of local foods and local farmers and producers meet in downtown Hendersonville, NC on Saturday mornings.
I love to take my children with me and walk and talk at the Tailgate Market.
It is still spring, but items already in season included: chicken eggs, guinea eggs, turkey eggs, whole frozen chicken, pork (assorted cuts), various breads, cookies, deserts, jams, turnip greens, collard greens, radishes, lettuce, herbs, flowers, plant starts for the garden (tomatoes, squash, lettuce, greens, peppers, hebs, etc.), early strawberries, soaps, lotions, cleansers, local wood carvings and art, etc.
We bought some chickens and fresh free range pastured eggs. These chickens are moved daily in moveable pens in a pasture and allowed to free range on grass. They are fed grains, but they are allowed to supplement their diet by eating a full range of bugs, seeds, and a variety of weeds and grass every day.
We also bought some fresh baked goods from the Balson Bakery. They are a local homeschool family that produces a wide range of baked goods, jams, applesauce, fresh eggs, fresh plants and potted herbs for you to grow in your own garden, and they make recycled market bags that are hand sewn by their daughters.
My kids love picking out a few bags of their homemade cookies and jars of jam.
These recycled market bags are sewn from re-purposed feed sacks. Aren't they cute?
You can find venders selling homemade soaps, lotions, bath salts, remedies, and more.
My kids enjoy walking around and meeting each of the local producers and learning about what they have grown or made to sell at the Tailgate Market.
From fresh breads . . .
To delicious edible flowers, beautiful plant arrangements, and herbs . . .
The kids have a great time exploring at the market.
This vender had turkey eggs (sold out), guinea eggs, and chicken eggs.
Can you guess which of these are guinea eggs?
I used to raise a variety of eggs on my farm in Indiana too. FRESH EGGS ARE DELICIOUS! I used to raise free range chicken eggs, duck eggs, goose eggs, turkey eggs, and guinea eggs. My favorite eggs to eat fresh were chicken, turkey, and guinea. My favorite to bake with were duck and goose eggs. I loved to make cakes and homemade noodles with duck and goose eggs. Yum!!!
These are guinea eggs. I love these eggs for breakfast!
This farmer spent a long time teaching us about edible mushrooms. I will share some great pictures and things we learned from him in a future story. But he was a wealth of information and I was so glad to meet him and learn about different kinds of local mushrooms he was selling. He has agreed to come and teach kids a life skills class for our outdoor programs we have in the park. I can't wait!
I bought some fresh collard greens from this vender. He also had fresh eggs and rainbow chard for sale.
Another farmer with a variety of eggs and hand crafted wooden art for sale.
She had chicken eggs in various colors of brown, white, blue, and green. Some of the light brown eggs almost look pink. These colors are natural variations from various chicken breeds. The green and blue and pinkish brown are produced by the Aracauna chicken.
Seems we just can't help ourselves when surrounded by all this great produce, but to buy some more locally grown fresh vegetables. It is a good experience for my children to learn to clearly ask the vender for the product we are want and to pay the vender. As we walk along the market and talk to the farmers, and buy their products, the kids are learning how to do business, exchange currency, count money, meet local producers, and choose healthy food for our family. These are all valuable life skills.
I encourage you to see if you can find a local farmer's market in your area to support. If there is not a market close by, perhaps there is a local farm that will sell to you directly.
Your body will thank you from the fresh nutrient dense foods you feed it! Your local farmers will thank you for your support. Your kids will thank you for quality time together as they spend time walking with you outdoors and meeting other people from your community and they feel they belong to something special. They become connected to the people who make their food and it becomes important to them.
Check out Local Harvest to find a local farm near you. Other places to look might be your local news paper classified adds, a local 4H extension office, and the farm and garden section of craigslist.org .
Be sure to read about other great adventures we have made in our search for local foods and other stories written about the Tailgate Market too.
This post will be linked up with:
No Time For Flash Cards
Raising Homemakers
Sharing Time
Have you ever sat down to a meal and looked at where each item was grown? It would be very easy to sit down to a breakfast for example, and eat eggs from Illinios, bacon or sausage from Idaho, bread from Kansas, orange juice from Florida, strawberries from Chile, blueberries from Brazil, butter from Pensylvania, cream cheese from Wisconsin, and so on. How far did your food travel before it made it to your home for your family to eat?
What is local food?
Local food by definition is food produced within a 100 mile radius of the consumer.
I don't buy everything local, but I try to buy as much as I can. For example: honey, jams, bread, free range chicken & eggs, fresh garden produce, fresh orchard produce, raw milk, soaps, lotions, cleansers, etc. There are plenty of meats locally raised, but I have yet to find 100% grass fed beef and organic local grains among other things in my immediate area here in NC. But I try to buy what I can, and support local producers and the local economy as much as it fits into my family's lifestyle and budget.
When I lived in Indiana, I was so blessed to have folks support me as a farmer and store owner and my my products. The Weston A Price Indy Chapter and Cincinnati Chapter, and the Cincinnati Locavore movement supported me and purchased lots of my products that I raised on the farm. People from all over Indiana (north, south, east, and west), Dayton OH, Cincinnati Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, and lots of places in between came to load up on our beef, chicken, eggs, and produce. Folks who came from over an hour away would always bring big coolers to load up on meats and other cold products. Sometimes even whole coops would have an order filled and bring a truck load of coolers. Even local folks came regular and in addition to meats and cold items, they bought bulk grains, locally bottled coconut oil, local raw honey, local maple syrup and other several other items in our country store too. In addition, we had lots of crafts made by local artisans for sale too including some dear Amish friends who made handmade items like greeting cards and candles, a local farmer who made goat milk soap and lotions, and more.
I have been on both the farmer's side of raising local foods, and the consumer's side of supporting local farms and local foods. When I moved to NC, I went on a search to find the freshest nutrient dense local foods I could find. We visited several farms directly and traveled near and far. One great resource we found was the local farmer's market called the Tailgate Market in Hendersonville, NC. It is a special gem on the journey of local foods and local farmers and producers meet in downtown Hendersonville, NC on Saturday mornings.
I love to take my children with me and walk and talk at the Tailgate Market.
It is still spring, but items already in season included: chicken eggs, guinea eggs, turkey eggs, whole frozen chicken, pork (assorted cuts), various breads, cookies, deserts, jams, turnip greens, collard greens, radishes, lettuce, herbs, flowers, plant starts for the garden (tomatoes, squash, lettuce, greens, peppers, hebs, etc.), early strawberries, soaps, lotions, cleansers, local wood carvings and art, etc.
We bought some chickens and fresh free range pastured eggs. These chickens are moved daily in moveable pens in a pasture and allowed to free range on grass. They are fed grains, but they are allowed to supplement their diet by eating a full range of bugs, seeds, and a variety of weeds and grass every day.
We also bought some fresh baked goods from the Balson Bakery. They are a local homeschool family that produces a wide range of baked goods, jams, applesauce, fresh eggs, fresh plants and potted herbs for you to grow in your own garden, and they make recycled market bags that are hand sewn by their daughters.
My kids love picking out a few bags of their homemade cookies and jars of jam.
These recycled market bags are sewn from re-purposed feed sacks. Aren't they cute?
You can find venders selling homemade soaps, lotions, bath salts, remedies, and more.
My kids enjoy walking around and meeting each of the local producers and learning about what they have grown or made to sell at the Tailgate Market.
From fresh breads . . .
To delicious edible flowers, beautiful plant arrangements, and herbs . . .
The kids have a great time exploring at the market.
This vender had turkey eggs (sold out), guinea eggs, and chicken eggs.
Can you guess which of these are guinea eggs?
I used to raise a variety of eggs on my farm in Indiana too. FRESH EGGS ARE DELICIOUS! I used to raise free range chicken eggs, duck eggs, goose eggs, turkey eggs, and guinea eggs. My favorite eggs to eat fresh were chicken, turkey, and guinea. My favorite to bake with were duck and goose eggs. I loved to make cakes and homemade noodles with duck and goose eggs. Yum!!!
These are guinea eggs. I love these eggs for breakfast!
This farmer spent a long time teaching us about edible mushrooms. I will share some great pictures and things we learned from him in a future story. But he was a wealth of information and I was so glad to meet him and learn about different kinds of local mushrooms he was selling. He has agreed to come and teach kids a life skills class for our outdoor programs we have in the park. I can't wait!
I bought some fresh collard greens from this vender. He also had fresh eggs and rainbow chard for sale.
Another farmer with a variety of eggs and hand crafted wooden art for sale.
She had chicken eggs in various colors of brown, white, blue, and green. Some of the light brown eggs almost look pink. These colors are natural variations from various chicken breeds. The green and blue and pinkish brown are produced by the Aracauna chicken.
Seems we just can't help ourselves when surrounded by all this great produce, but to buy some more locally grown fresh vegetables. It is a good experience for my children to learn to clearly ask the vender for the product we are want and to pay the vender. As we walk along the market and talk to the farmers, and buy their products, the kids are learning how to do business, exchange currency, count money, meet local producers, and choose healthy food for our family. These are all valuable life skills.
I encourage you to see if you can find a local farmer's market in your area to support. If there is not a market close by, perhaps there is a local farm that will sell to you directly.
Your body will thank you from the fresh nutrient dense foods you feed it! Your local farmers will thank you for your support. Your kids will thank you for quality time together as they spend time walking with you outdoors and meeting other people from your community and they feel they belong to something special. They become connected to the people who make their food and it becomes important to them.
Check out Local Harvest to find a local farm near you. Other places to look might be your local news paper classified adds, a local 4H extension office, and the farm and garden section of craigslist.org .
Be sure to read about other great adventures we have made in our search for local foods and other stories written about the Tailgate Market too.
This post will be linked up with:
No Time For Flash Cards
Raising Homemakers
Sharing Time
Spanish For You Review
I was so excited when The Old Schoolhouse Review Crew was given the opportunity to review Spanish For You!. I am looking forward to teaching my kids Spanish and this product looks like a good fit for our family.
Created by an experienced Spanish teacher, Spanish For You! promotes a method of learning Spanish centered around various cultural themes . Spanish For You! teaches reading, writing, and speaking skills in a fun theme based way.
Themes currently available to choose from include Fiestas, Estaciones, and Viajes, with many more themes coming soon. Free Samples are available for each theme, just click on the picture of the theme you are interested in and download a pdf sample from that curriculum. Free mini lessons and Free Worksheets are also available.
Complete Theme Packages Include:
•Spanish For You! soft cover book of the theme (allow up to 2 weeks for delivery) or E-book (trial pkgs.)
Plus the following downloads:
•Audio download (MP3) of the entire book. You use these as the lesson guide instructs.
•A free bonus audio of the entire book recorded by a native speaker from Mexico. (MP3)
•24-30 Week Lesson Guide (PDF) - The student (and parent if needed) follows this guide step-by-step to know what to do, at whatever pace works for you.
•Self-checking worksheets (PDF) - You just print these as you need them. The lesson guide will tell you what you need to print and when.
•Free set of pictures for making flash cards and other activity materials. (PDF)
PRICE:
Each complete theme for all grades 3-8 retails for $64.95
Each grade can be purchased indiviually too for $39.95.
Or you can buy each of the individual products within the package separately too. Be sure to check the website for all of the different purchace options.
Spanish For You! products are geared for kids in grades 3 through 8. Each theme is meant to last for a whole school year and includes 24 to 30 weeks of lesson plans and more.
Our Experience:
We chose Fiestas as our focus theme for this review. Fiesta means festival or festive celebration in Spanish and comes from the Latin root word that means feast. We chose Fiestas to learn with Spanish For You! because our family loves to feast at festive celebrations. Fiestas seemed like it would be a good fit for us and a fun way to get our feet wet with the Spanish Language. You can view a free sample of Fiestas and see how interesting it is.
I am thrilled to use this resource in our homeschool. We will be studying the Spanish language based around these Spanish fiestas:
Lesson 1: Birthdays
Lesson 2: Mexican Day Of The Dead
Lesson 3: Carnival
Lesson 4: Holy Week
Lesson 5: April Fair
The lessons are set up to use for 10 to 30 minutes four days a week. You can do more or less depending on your homeschool needs. Here is what our week 1 looked like:
Day 1 is a review of vocabulary words, listen to audio, play two games.
Day 2 is a review of vocabulary, listen to audio, complete a worksheet,
print and listen to "Happy Birthday" song from Spain and sing along.
Day 3 is review flash cards, complete worksheet, new vocabulary audio.
Day 4 is a review of flash cards, listen to vocabulary audio,
interact with audio
But just as we were getting started a few weeks ago, I had to postpone learning further with it due to a major life change. We are moving! I'm in the middle of packing, and I have had to totally change our routine for the past several weeks and the next few weeks too. It's quite challenging to pack your entire life, let alone the challenge of packing the lives of 8 family members, and move across the country. This is a huge transition for our large family.
I plan to re-start this program with my all of my kids toward the end of summer after we are settled into our new house and new routine. I will give an update later in the year and share with you how we have progressed with this curriculum. I know the kids are going to like it as much as I do. We love themes! We also love making unit studies out of most themes we are learning with. I think it will work out great in our homeschool learning adventures. In addition to the curriculum, I plan to have them watch a few festival videos, dress up, make some fun foods, and practice the new Spanish words they are learning during our homeschool festivals to go along with the Fiestas learning adventure too. This is going to be so much fun!
What I like about the program:
1. I like the ease of use. The study guide is mapped out for me and is easy
to follow.
2. We do everything together as a family, and with this curriculum we can all
learn together at the same time even though we are different ages.
3. I like the flexibility and can teach this as slow or fast as we need to.
4. There are audio files that help with the pronunciations and the product
includes all the materials we needed to successfully use this curriculum.
5. This course is easy to teach.
Spanish For You!'s motto:
"Its easy! Just follow the lesson guide and go!"
Be sure to check out what others on the Schoolhouse Review Crew had to say about products by Spanish For You!.
Papa's Pearls Review
I love stories about family, faith, endurance, and advice on living a good life. We recently read Papa's Pearls by Diane Flynn Keith from Homefires, and it encompasses all that and more.
Diane is the creator of Homefires.com and Carschooling.com and Universal Preschool.com . She is an alternative education specialist, parenting coach, homeschool coach, and author.
She is a wise woman and she attributes that wisdom to listening and observing her father. She wrote Papa's Pearls to share her father's wisdom with others, and share what has helped guide her on her life's journey, and as a tribute to her dad.
Papa's Pearls by Diane Flynn Keith
Retails for $ 21.97 for an autographed copy.
This is a wonderful story about Papa and how he told stories to convey wisdom to his family. I was excited to read a book about something other than parenting and curriculum. It seems that has been my main focus this past year and I don't get a lot of reading time for mom. This paper back book is easy to read and is only 112 pages and is divided into 17 chapters. Each chapter centers around a saying or words of wisdom Papa shared with his family during his life.
Some of Papa's sayings include: "Everyone deserves a second chance" , "When you fall down - get back up" , "Be grateful every day", "Life's to short, take a little time off, relax", and many more. The "pearl" represents not only tidbits of wisdom he shared with his family, but also the analogy of the oyster who takes sand that is irritating and could possibly kill the tender animal inside and makes it into a pearl. It takes a potentially bad situation and makes it into something positive which is another one of Papa's sayings "take a bad situation and make it better".
This is a great book to keep at your bedside to read or take with you on the go. It can be read to the whole family too. I think it would be a great book for teens to read and write a short summary of the chapters and what they gleaned and will be able to apply in their own life. If you are looking for a nice gift to give (graduation, birthdays, Christmas, etc.) this would be a great gift. This book can be used to inspire others to be the best that they can be.
Please check out what others on the Homeschool Review Crew had to say about Papa's Pearls.
Diane is the creator of Homefires.com and Carschooling.com and Universal Preschool.com . She is an alternative education specialist, parenting coach, homeschool coach, and author.
She is a wise woman and she attributes that wisdom to listening and observing her father. She wrote Papa's Pearls to share her father's wisdom with others, and share what has helped guide her on her life's journey, and as a tribute to her dad.
Papa's Pearls by Diane Flynn Keith
Retails for $ 21.97 for an autographed copy.
This is a wonderful story about Papa and how he told stories to convey wisdom to his family. I was excited to read a book about something other than parenting and curriculum. It seems that has been my main focus this past year and I don't get a lot of reading time for mom. This paper back book is easy to read and is only 112 pages and is divided into 17 chapters. Each chapter centers around a saying or words of wisdom Papa shared with his family during his life.
Some of Papa's sayings include: "Everyone deserves a second chance" , "When you fall down - get back up" , "Be grateful every day", "Life's to short, take a little time off, relax", and many more. The "pearl" represents not only tidbits of wisdom he shared with his family, but also the analogy of the oyster who takes sand that is irritating and could possibly kill the tender animal inside and makes it into a pearl. It takes a potentially bad situation and makes it into something positive which is another one of Papa's sayings "take a bad situation and make it better".
This is a great book to keep at your bedside to read or take with you on the go. It can be read to the whole family too. I think it would be a great book for teens to read and write a short summary of the chapters and what they gleaned and will be able to apply in their own life. If you are looking for a nice gift to give (graduation, birthdays, Christmas, etc.) this would be a great gift. This book can be used to inspire others to be the best that they can be.
Please check out what others on the Homeschool Review Crew had to say about Papa's Pearls.
Great Empires Review
We are enjoying another wonderful unit study and lap book project. This one is by Home School In The Woods and is a review of Great Empires activity study.
Who is Home School In The Woods?
Home School In The Woods is the brain child of Amy Pak, a homeschooling mama. She has been homeschooling her kids since 1996. She and her husband are raising 4 beautiful kids.
Amy Pak came up with fun timelines to relate historical figures and events in time so she could teach history to her kids. Before becoming a homeschool mama, she was a graphic designer and illustrator. Over the years she created unit studies and timelines for her own children, and then started sharing them with friends, other homeschoolers, her local coop, etc. Then in 2002 she began her business of creating and selling illustrated historical timelines to the public. Each of her family members, her husband and all four of their children, participate in operating the business. She gives all the glory to God for her business and her family. She is a true Homeschool Super Hero! Read the About Us page on her website for more information about Amy Pak and Home School In The Woods.
GREAT EMPIRES
Great Empires
Activity study for elementary grades.
Download PDF retails for $ 18.95
CD retails for $19.95
This activity study is designed to be an easy way to learn about great empires in history. The activity study is really a bundle of mini unit studies on 14 different great empires from around the world during different parts of history. Each empire study takes about 2 to 3 days to finish, or you can adjust it to take longer or shorter for your homeschool needs. If you complete 2 empires a week, you will complete the study in about 7 weeks.
Our Experience
Though it is easy to do in 3 days or less, we adjusted the schedule to work on only one empire per week. I like to move at a slow steady pace on projects and this one fit right in with our homeschool style. It will take us about 14 weeks to complete the whole study.
I received a pdf download of the product and printed off all the materials for each empire and placed it in a three ring binder. I placed dividers between each empire so we could easily find each one. I love using three ring binders with clear window sleeves on the front. I copied the picture of the product and placed it in the outer sleeve and marked the spine. This will be a useful homeschool tool for years to come as I have 6 children of different ages and I know we will be using this again in a few years for the younger kids.
I am amazed at the amount of work that has gone into making this product so much fun homeschoolers:
activity projects, arts and crafts, worksheet, lap book pages,
reading suggestions, games, two recipes for each culture we study,
historical timeline, maps for each empire, internet links for further study,
and more.
We made our own schedule using Great Empires that fit our homeschool needs and was easy to implement. Most of the activities are accomplished in 20 minutes to 60 minutes depending on the activity.
Monday: Read about the empire, locate it on the timeline, and locate it on the globe.
Tuesday: Map the empire and watch related videos we found on you tube.
Wednesday: Worksheets or crafts
Thursday: Cook and eat foods with ingredients from that culture.
Friday: Read library books, and internet links for further study (this is where your
own individual preference comes in. You can stretch this out and do as much as
you want to learn about each empire.)
There is a whole lot to do in this activity study of 14 different empires. So far we have completed Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, and Vikings.
Empires we are studying:
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Greece
Ancient Rome
Ancient China
Arab-Muslim Empire
English Empire
French Empire
German Empire
Japanese Empire
Mongolian Empire
Russian Empire
Spanish Empire
USA
Viking Empire
In Ancient Egypt we read about the great empire of Egypt, found Egypt on the globe and mapped a worksheet. We placed it on our historical timeline. We made Egyptian fig cookies to snack on. We also made an Egyptian Cartouche with salt dough, and inscribed Egyptian hieroglyphics, then painted it the color of clay.
In our study of Ancient Greece, we read about the Greek Empire, placed it on our historical timeline, found it on the globe, and completed a map worksheet. We researched Greek weaponry and made a shield. We made Greek hummus to snack on with veggies. We love hummus! We also researched Greek Art and painted our own Greek pottery.
Viking Study we read about the Scandinavian Viking Empire and found it on the globe. We made a map and studied the voyage of Leil Eriksson. We placed our Viking picture on our historical timeline. We researched the Viking longboat and made Beef Stew for a meal. We also researched and made Viking Coins which was a fun and easy project to do, and the kids now go around the house playing with their coins and pretending they are Vikings.
We researched Viking coin designs on the internet and made our own coins by cutting out 2 inch circles of corrugated cardboard, drawing designs from the time period, tracing the designs in liquid glue, then painting the coins.
We took the coins outside, and all three big boys took turns spray painting them different colors of grey, tan, and greenish brown to make them look like coins from the Viking era. They sprayed one side, then waited for the sun to dry the paint, then turned them over and painted the other side.
We are looking forward to finishing the rest of these wonderful units. We plan to take a school break for the summer, then get back to learning with this activity pack more in the fall. Learning history this way is so much fun!
Amy Pak has laid everything out very nicely. It is easy to spend a day or two, or the whole week learning about Great Empires in history using this activity pack. A homeschool mom with no experience teaching history can easily complete this activity study with her kids and have a great learning adventure!
Be sure to check out what other homeschool families on the Schoolhouse Review Crew had to say about products by Home School In The Woods.
Who is Home School In The Woods?
Home School In The Woods is the brain child of Amy Pak, a homeschooling mama. She has been homeschooling her kids since 1996. She and her husband are raising 4 beautiful kids.
Amy Pak came up with fun timelines to relate historical figures and events in time so she could teach history to her kids. Before becoming a homeschool mama, she was a graphic designer and illustrator. Over the years she created unit studies and timelines for her own children, and then started sharing them with friends, other homeschoolers, her local coop, etc. Then in 2002 she began her business of creating and selling illustrated historical timelines to the public. Each of her family members, her husband and all four of their children, participate in operating the business. She gives all the glory to God for her business and her family. She is a true Homeschool Super Hero! Read the About Us page on her website for more information about Amy Pak and Home School In The Woods.
GREAT EMPIRES
Great Empires
Activity study for elementary grades.
Download PDF retails for $ 18.95
CD retails for $19.95
This activity study is designed to be an easy way to learn about great empires in history. The activity study is really a bundle of mini unit studies on 14 different great empires from around the world during different parts of history. Each empire study takes about 2 to 3 days to finish, or you can adjust it to take longer or shorter for your homeschool needs. If you complete 2 empires a week, you will complete the study in about 7 weeks.
Our Experience
Though it is easy to do in 3 days or less, we adjusted the schedule to work on only one empire per week. I like to move at a slow steady pace on projects and this one fit right in with our homeschool style. It will take us about 14 weeks to complete the whole study.
I received a pdf download of the product and printed off all the materials for each empire and placed it in a three ring binder. I placed dividers between each empire so we could easily find each one. I love using three ring binders with clear window sleeves on the front. I copied the picture of the product and placed it in the outer sleeve and marked the spine. This will be a useful homeschool tool for years to come as I have 6 children of different ages and I know we will be using this again in a few years for the younger kids.
I am amazed at the amount of work that has gone into making this product so much fun homeschoolers:
activity projects, arts and crafts, worksheet, lap book pages,
reading suggestions, games, two recipes for each culture we study,
historical timeline, maps for each empire, internet links for further study,
and more.
We made our own schedule using Great Empires that fit our homeschool needs and was easy to implement. Most of the activities are accomplished in 20 minutes to 60 minutes depending on the activity.
Monday: Read about the empire, locate it on the timeline, and locate it on the globe.
Tuesday: Map the empire and watch related videos we found on you tube.
Wednesday: Worksheets or crafts
Thursday: Cook and eat foods with ingredients from that culture.
Friday: Read library books, and internet links for further study (this is where your
own individual preference comes in. You can stretch this out and do as much as
you want to learn about each empire.)
There is a whole lot to do in this activity study of 14 different empires. So far we have completed Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, and Vikings.
Empires we are studying:
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Greece
Ancient Rome
Ancient China
Arab-Muslim Empire
English Empire
French Empire
German Empire
Japanese Empire
Mongolian Empire
Russian Empire
Spanish Empire
USA
Viking Empire
In Ancient Egypt we read about the great empire of Egypt, found Egypt on the globe and mapped a worksheet. We placed it on our historical timeline. We made Egyptian fig cookies to snack on. We also made an Egyptian Cartouche with salt dough, and inscribed Egyptian hieroglyphics, then painted it the color of clay.
In our study of Ancient Greece, we read about the Greek Empire, placed it on our historical timeline, found it on the globe, and completed a map worksheet. We researched Greek weaponry and made a shield. We made Greek hummus to snack on with veggies. We love hummus! We also researched Greek Art and painted our own Greek pottery.
Viking Study we read about the Scandinavian Viking Empire and found it on the globe. We made a map and studied the voyage of Leil Eriksson. We placed our Viking picture on our historical timeline. We researched the Viking longboat and made Beef Stew for a meal. We also researched and made Viking Coins which was a fun and easy project to do, and the kids now go around the house playing with their coins and pretending they are Vikings.
We researched Viking coin designs on the internet and made our own coins by cutting out 2 inch circles of corrugated cardboard, drawing designs from the time period, tracing the designs in liquid glue, then painting the coins.
We took the coins outside, and all three big boys took turns spray painting them different colors of grey, tan, and greenish brown to make them look like coins from the Viking era. They sprayed one side, then waited for the sun to dry the paint, then turned them over and painted the other side.
We are looking forward to finishing the rest of these wonderful units. We plan to take a school break for the summer, then get back to learning with this activity pack more in the fall. Learning history this way is so much fun!
Amy Pak has laid everything out very nicely. It is easy to spend a day or two, or the whole week learning about Great Empires in history using this activity pack. A homeschool mom with no experience teaching history can easily complete this activity study with her kids and have a great learning adventure!
Be sure to check out what other homeschool families on the Schoolhouse Review Crew had to say about products by Home School In The Woods.
Math Rider Review
Some of my kids enjoy doing math, and some don't. Despite their likes and dislikes, I hope all six of my children will be able to learn a good foundation in math. For the past six weeks or so, two of my kids have been reviewing a computerized math game called Math Rider and I have seen improvement in their skills already.
Math Rider downloads right to your computer and is a fun way to practice math skills including addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division from numbers 0 to 12. The kids go on a journey "quest". They must hurry along the journey, answering math questions as fast as they can while their horse jumps obstacles. If they answer correctly their horse jumps the obstacles and speeds along the journey. If they answer incorrectly, the horse slows down on the journey, they are given the correct answer, and travel along at a slower pace.
Here is a short video clip with more information about Math Rider. You can also check out more free Math Rider videos on You Tube.
Math Rider is geared for children in 2nd grade through 6th grade. It retails for $47 for a home license. It can be used with up to 8 children in the same household. It is also available for school license too. No need to worry about it becoming obsolete because Math Rider will send you free updates to the program for life. You can try before you buy with the free 7 day trial offer.
Math Rider is available for both Windows and Mac computers. System requirements for Windows:
2.33GHz or faster x86-compatible processor or Intel® Atom™ 1.6GHz or faster processor for netbooks
Microsoft® Windows® XP Home, Professional, or Tablet PC Edition with Service Pack 3; Windows Server® 2003; Windows Server® 2008; Windows Vista® Home Premium, Business, Ultimate, or Enterprise (including 64-bit editions) with Service Pack 2; Windows 7; or Windows 8
512MB of RAM (1GB recommended)
Minimum display resolution: 1024 by 768
Our Experience
Each morning my 8 year old and 12 year old spend time playing and learning math with Math Rider.
The 8 year old really enjoys playing on the program and looks forward to doing it each day. The 12 year old has been a willing participant, and has sharpened his math skills, but he isn't as excited about it as his younger brother. He is entering the "twilight zone", I mean "teen zone" and likes a lot of special effects.
I was able to select the difficulty level for each of the boys. I could choose from easy, medium, difficult, and master skill levels. They can choose to do a practice run before they take the actual challenge. The game keeps track of their progress for the actual challenges. Once they complete a quest, we can click over to a new page and see their progress and mastery of numbers that they have practiced. They really like to see their progress through the challenges.
The game is interactive and changes speeds based on the answer time of the student. If the student answers quickly and accurately the game speeds up, and it slows down after the student gives wrong answers. It also stops to show the student the correct answer when they get the answer wrong.
Here is what the kids have to say about this program.
From the 8 year old: "It is fun to try to beat the clock before it runs out of time.
I have tons of fun doing the math on it. My older brother has lots of fun too.
When I beat the clock, I move to the next level. I love to get 100%."
From the 12 year old: "It is a fun way to practice math, but I wish it had
more detail and special effects in the games to make it more exciting. I like
going on the journey, but I just want a little more interesting things to go along
with it."
From Mom: "I am happy to see the kids want to work on their math skills.
I like that the program is challenging and interactive for them. I think this is an
excellent way to encourage elementary grade students to practice math skills."
Be sure to stop in and read what others on the Schoolhouse Review Crew had to say about Math Rider.
Math Rider downloads right to your computer and is a fun way to practice math skills including addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division from numbers 0 to 12. The kids go on a journey "quest". They must hurry along the journey, answering math questions as fast as they can while their horse jumps obstacles. If they answer correctly their horse jumps the obstacles and speeds along the journey. If they answer incorrectly, the horse slows down on the journey, they are given the correct answer, and travel along at a slower pace.
Here is a short video clip with more information about Math Rider. You can also check out more free Math Rider videos on You Tube.
Math Rider is geared for children in 2nd grade through 6th grade. It retails for $47 for a home license. It can be used with up to 8 children in the same household. It is also available for school license too. No need to worry about it becoming obsolete because Math Rider will send you free updates to the program for life. You can try before you buy with the free 7 day trial offer.
Math Rider is available for both Windows and Mac computers. System requirements for Windows:
2.33GHz or faster x86-compatible processor or Intel® Atom™ 1.6GHz or faster processor for netbooks
Microsoft® Windows® XP Home, Professional, or Tablet PC Edition with Service Pack 3; Windows Server® 2003; Windows Server® 2008; Windows Vista® Home Premium, Business, Ultimate, or Enterprise (including 64-bit editions) with Service Pack 2; Windows 7; or Windows 8
512MB of RAM (1GB recommended)
Minimum display resolution: 1024 by 768
Our Experience
Each morning my 8 year old and 12 year old spend time playing and learning math with Math Rider.
The 8 year old really enjoys playing on the program and looks forward to doing it each day. The 12 year old has been a willing participant, and has sharpened his math skills, but he isn't as excited about it as his younger brother. He is entering the "twilight zone", I mean "teen zone" and likes a lot of special effects.
I was able to select the difficulty level for each of the boys. I could choose from easy, medium, difficult, and master skill levels. They can choose to do a practice run before they take the actual challenge. The game keeps track of their progress for the actual challenges. Once they complete a quest, we can click over to a new page and see their progress and mastery of numbers that they have practiced. They really like to see their progress through the challenges.
The game is interactive and changes speeds based on the answer time of the student. If the student answers quickly and accurately the game speeds up, and it slows down after the student gives wrong answers. It also stops to show the student the correct answer when they get the answer wrong.
Here is what the kids have to say about this program.
From the 8 year old: "It is fun to try to beat the clock before it runs out of time.
I have tons of fun doing the math on it. My older brother has lots of fun too.
When I beat the clock, I move to the next level. I love to get 100%."
From the 12 year old: "It is a fun way to practice math, but I wish it had
more detail and special effects in the games to make it more exciting. I like
going on the journey, but I just want a little more interesting things to go along
with it."
From Mom: "I am happy to see the kids want to work on their math skills.
I like that the program is challenging and interactive for them. I think this is an
excellent way to encourage elementary grade students to practice math skills."
Be sure to stop in and read what others on the Schoolhouse Review Crew had to say about Math Rider.
Mommy Metabolism Workshop
I was so excited when I was selected by Mommy Parties to host a product review for Random House of Haylie Pomroy's newest book The Fast Metabolism Diet. Haylie Pomroy is a respected expert on metabolism, wholistic nutrition, and natural food science. She has helped thousands of people heal their bodies with healthy foods. She has four clinics across the country and is well known and respected in her field.
I was sent several copies of the book, coupons (Applegate Farms, Celestial Seasonings Teas, Artisana), a $20 Target gift card, and a MyTime Digital Crockpot to assist with The Fast Metabolism Diet "Make and Take" Mommy Party.
I was definitely interested to host this review party and learn what Haylie Pomroy had to say in her book about healing my body. I put my thinking cap on . . . and my kids and I talked about how we could bless our local community with all this great stuff that came for this review. . . and from there we set up a Mommy Metabolism Workshop with local moms to talk about our metabolism, learn about foods that help rev up a slow metabolism, and heal the body's glands and organs.
The Set Up:
I received a copy of the book to review, and 10 copies to give away to local moms and spread the word about this wonderful book. If you know me, you know I take every opportunity to love on families and build them up every chance I get. Mom's are always the last to have their own needs met. This book review was the perfect opportunity to pamper local moms, and build them up in their quest to be healthy while providing for the needs of their families.
I sent out an invitation on the local mommy loops I am apart of for moms to join me. About 500 moms/families in our local area (Hendersonville, NC / Asheville, NC / and Greenville, SC) received the email detailing the book and diet highlights, and details about the workshop. I was able to accept 10 mom's for the workshop and asked them to RSVP. I wish I had 100 books to give away for the workshop and could have invited 100 moms to come, but I only had 10 of these wonderful books.
The only expense the moms had in attending the workshop was to bring a recipe from the book. After they secured their seat, I sent them the recipe from the book. We doubled the recipes so there was enough to eat at the workshop, and extra for moms to take servings of each dish home with them to freeze and use to kick off the first week of their new diet from the book. Each mom brought containers, and I provided extra zip lock bags so moms could take home some of everything. The workshop was kind of like a cookie swap, but it was a "metabolism diet" swap! HOORAY!!!
My kids and I went shopping for decorations, tableware and supplies, and ingredients for three of the recipes (pepperocini pork roast, watermelon smoothie, and stevia sweetened lemonade), several bags of ice, and two cases of bottled waters. I also bought several fresh fruits and vegetables, nut butters, coconut water, and coconut milk to use in my table display and talk on nutrition. My daughter had a great idea to go with a Pink Flamingo theme. She loves Pink Flamingos! We found pink flamingo cups, plates, napkins, pink silverware, yellow table cloths, and fun decorations that all coordinated beautifully and it was a hit! We set out fresh flowers too. Our color scheme was pink, yellow, blue, and silver.
I also found cute bags to hold each mom's The Fast Metabolism Diet book, 4 tea bag samples of Celestial Seasonings Peppermint Tea, coupons for $$ off Applegate Farms organic meats, a button pin from Applegate Farms, several recipe cards, a "Pink Flamingo" silly ball (good for squeezing out "mommy stress"!), and a feathery "Pink Flamingo" ink pen for keeping a food journal or taking notes in their books.
We had lots of interests to fill our spots for the workshop, and then a few last minute cancelations, and ended up with 6 moms and 20 kids at the workshop. Even though we did not fill all ten spots, I still thought this was a great turnout. I have also had several emails from moms wanting to know more. Plus during the workshop, two more moms who were not "officially" at the workshop, sat at nearby tables and listened in. Then after the workshop they came forward to talk with me one on one about all they had seen and heard us talk about. They were very excited to learn more. So the exposure of information for moms on this just seemed to keep expanding and growing.
We set up the workshop at the local park picnic shelter. Mom's could bring all their kids and let them play on the playground while we had our meeting, so it was a win win for mom's and they did not have to find child care. Some of the teens sat in and listened to the workshop too. We could easily monitor the children on the playground from our vantage point, yet they could play and we could talk. Oh, thank God for parks and playgrounds!
The Workshop:
Our discussion centered around nutrition, the three phases of The Fast Metabolism Diet, physical activities in our weekly routine, and we had a personal sharing time. Each mom shared her personal testimony about why she was struggling with her health, her metabolism, or weight issues. Each mom was welcome to take a walk around the paved path at the park, hulla hoop, or join the kids for a game of kickball after the workshop too. Every mom had a precious story to tell during our sharing time and I was truly blessed by their experiences.
I need this information as much as anyone. My own metabolism has slowed to a snail's pace and I have gained a lot of weight over the past few years. It seems that no matter how hard I try, or how active I am, nothing changes. I seldom share pictures of myself because I am so discouraged about my weight. I have been looking for answers, keeping a food and activity journal, posting progress stories in Walk and Talk Wednesday posts, and more. But I actually have seen very little progress in in changing my metabolism and very little weight loss. I am going to implement the strategy in this book and do this diet for 28 days. The science makes sense to me and I believe this will jump start my metabolism. This workshop was such a refreshing time of learning and sharing. I truly enjoyed researching this book and hosting this workshop. Be sure to read my review of the book and my 28 day experience when I get it posted.
A few highlights from our discussion about the book:
D. I. E. T. stands for Did I Eat Today? This is a big deal. How many times does mom skip eating during the week? Though I am over weight, I miss a lot of meals. I am so busy with my kids, that I often neglect myself. When we don't eat, our body slows down the metabolism and stores more food as future fuel in the form of fat. Not eating doesn't help us loose weight, it sets us up for becoming over weight.
Keys:
Eat within 30 minutes of waking up in the morning.
Eat every 3 to 4 hours (Breakfast, Snack, Lunch, Snack, Supper, then rest).
Science principles behind the diet:
http://www.fastmetabolismdiet.com/diet/science-behind-the-diet/
3 Phases of the diet involve both eating and exercise and are divided up during the 7 days of the week and repeated for four weeks for a total of 28 days. Why 28 days? Because the natural rhythm of the body is on a 28 day cycle. You can adjust the days so that your "day 1 of phase 1" begins on a different day of the week if desired. Well rounded food choices (diet) come from approved foods for each phase listed in the Master Food Guide in the book.
Phase 1 UNWIND is on Monday and Tuesday
Well rounded diet with focus on carbs.
Cardio activity for 30 minutes on day 1, then rest on day 2.
Goal is to unwind from stress and calm the adrenal glands.
Phase 2 UNLOCK is on Wednesday and Thursday
Well rounded diet with focus on lean protein.
Strength activity on day 3, then rest on day 4.
Goal is to unlock stored fats and build muscle.
Phase 3 UNLEASH is on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Well rounded diet with focus on healthy fats.
Stretching activity on day 5. Rest on days 6 and 7.
Goal is to unleash the burning of stored fats for fuel, balancing
hormones, and strengthening the heart.
Haylie's Rules:
These are recommendations (10 do's and 10 don'ts) for success that the author suggests to make the diet successful for each person.
All of the mom's were eager to learn, and had lots of questions. They brought the foods they had prepared and set them up on the tables and plugged in their crockpots to keep the hot foods hot while we had our discussion about the book. They sat at picnic tables and relaxed and took it all in. They were so much fun to talk to. The workshop was very interactive with these lively moms. It was fun to do this workshop with them.
Each mom took home a a book and goodie bag. The book is a hands on resource to help them be successful in reaching their personal goals.
Menu:
To help mom's see how easy and delicious the diet from the book is, we made four recipes for lunch / supper, three recipes for snacks, and two beverage recipes for our workshop, plus we had all the ice cold water we could drink. I did not include any breakfast recipes, but I would have enjoyed doing these too.
All of the recipes in the book are delicious. The book contains 50 recipes, and a huge Master Food Guide to use to create your own recipes from. The book also has a sample eating schedules to show you a great way to plan your eating times through out the day for several body types. There is also several sample menu plans for each phase. Each of the 50 recipes in the book can be divided into 4, and some into 6, portions or servings. So you can make them one week, eat a serving and freeze the additional portions. Now you have ready made meals in the freezer (and snacks in the fridge) to use through out the 28 days of the program.
Phase 1
Turkey Chili, page 187
Fruit Snacks Tray from Phase 1
Blueberries, Cantaloupe, Oranges, Mangos, Strawberries, Cherries (or watermelon), Blackberries (planned, but due to a cancelation this tray was absent. I didn't have time to prepare another one but I wish I had so moms could see and taste delicious fruits used in the diet). There are many more options and we just chose a few to show the variety.
Vegetable Snacks Tray from Phase 1
Bell Peppers, Broccoli, Carrots, Celery, Tomatoes, Jicama. There are many more options we just chose a few to show some of the variety. We served samples of cashew butter with celery and jicama as a snack option too.
Watermelon Smoothie, page
We made this drink during the workshop. I brought a blender, frozen watermelon chunks, stevia, ice, and peppermint tea (the recipe recommended mint extract, but I did not have this). It was a cool minty icy sweet PINK sensation in the mouth! Many moms said they really enjoyed this smoothie. If left to sit a bit, and the frothy pink ice melts, this turns this drink into a beautiful purple color.
Phase 2
Stuffed Mushrooms, page 213
Pepporocini Pork Roast, page 210
We used a boneless pork loin roast. There are herbs (dry mustard, oregano, rosemary), sea salt, and chopped pickled banana peppers (found in the pickle isle in the grocery store) in this dish, though you can't see them in this photo because they have fallen into the broth. But once the roast is pulled from the crockpot, they are stuck to the other side. I just flipped the roast over on a plate and the chopped peppers looked very pretty on the meat and taste delicious in this recipe. My 10 year old son helped make this recipe and he did a great job. I will post another story about making this roast in the crockpot and show you step by step with lots of photos.
Phase 3
Coconut Curry Chicken, page 224
This delicious flavorful dish is served with quinoa, a delicious nutrient dense grain.
White Bean Hummus with Cucumbers, page 231
Sweet Potato Hummus with Cucumbers, page 232
Other:
Lemonade (made with stevia).
Recipe not in the book, but this beverage is suggested for occasional use during the diet. We made this on site during the workshop. This makes 1 gallon. Fruit Juices (when juice is separated from the fruit fiber) are not allowed on the diet because of the high rate of sugar delivery to the blood stream. However, an occasional glass of lemonade is allowed as long as you are drinking plenty of water through out the day. Several whole fruits are used in phases 1 and 3, but not in phase 2. However, lemons and limes are the only approved fruit (fruit juice) in all 3 phases so you could enjoy this beverage during the diet as long as no sugar (or sweeteners that become sugar in the body) is added. For 1 gallon of Lemonade: use 12 lemons (or limes for limeade), cut three or four lemons in thin slices and place in the bottom of pitcher. Pound for a few minutes to release the juice and oils. Squeeze out the juice of the remaining lemons and ad to the pitcher. Stir in 4 teaspoons of liquid stevia (ad more stevia if you want it sweeter). Fill with filtered water and ice. If you only want to make a quart of lemonade, then reduce the size by using 3 lemons or limes, 1 tsp stevia, ice and filtered water to fill a quart jar). Enjoy delicious and naturally sugar free lemonade! Everyone said this was delicious and refreshing.
Feasting and Fellowship:
Here is a picture with a sampling of the food on one plate together. There are four entrees (chicken and quinoa, stuffed mushroom, chili, and roast), and snacks (raw vegetables, and two hummus dips), and the watermelon smoothie.
Mom's enjoyed a meal of all the foods brought today. I think every mom was pleased with the food.
They also took home additional meals from each of the recipes to put in their fridge or freezer and have ready to begin their diet. All of the moms encouraged their children to try out the foods. This way of eating isn't just for mom. You can feed the whole family with these delicious recipes. The kids loved the food! I heard so many kids say their favorite thing they ate was the Turkey Chili. The kids also helped make the lemonade, and it seemed to instantly disappear as they came back for more and more.
I have told all the moms who participated at the workshop that I would be glad to be a continuing support person and offered to host a "28 Days" support group to encourage each one on the journey. If they want to write about the experience, I told them I would be glad to publish their stories right here on Weiser Academy and share their journey with the world. This offer is extended to my readers too, if you use this book and would like to share your journey using the diet, I would be glad to post your journey here for others to read.
Many moms feel guilty spending money on themselves when they have families that need the grocery money. It is expensive taking care of a family, and there usually is no money left over each month for moms to take care of themselves. The recipes they know and have budgeted for are foods their kids will eat. It is expensive to add on additional meals, especially if the kids or dad might not like them. If we could put a budget together for these healthy meals, I think that would help moms be able to locate the resources in their monthly grocery budgets. They would know what it would cost to feed one person, two persons, four persons, eight persons etc. on this diet. Part of the reason mom's metabolisms are slowing down is because of "cheap" food choices to feed their families. They are forced into a lifestyle of eating high carbs, high sugar, poor nutrient quality foods because their monthly food budget is limited, their knowledge of other options is limited, and they are already having a hard time making ends meet for their families. They don't know, or think they can't afford, a better way.
I would love to help moms get a whole months worth of delicious entrees in the freezer to help them rev up their metabolism using The Fast Metabolism Diet principals. If we had another workshop with 28 moms and each prepared a lunch entree and a supper entree, we could get 28 lunches, and 28 suppers in the freezer for each mom. Then all they would need then to add in is their fresh ingredients, snacks, and easy breakfast meals to complete their 28 days on the program. I would love to help moms figure out a budget to complete the 28 days on the program too and put their plan into action.
I would love to host this same workshop again, and again! What a great way to love on moms and help them be the best for their families and help them reach their personal health goals. It was absolutely fun! I absolutely believe providing this kind of workshop or "kick off" helps moms make this transition successful. These are nutrition skills and organization skills that can lead to a healthy life change. I know for a fact they have had and will continue to have a positive impact on me and my family.
Leadership Garden Legacy Review
Are you looking for a curriculum product to help your kids develop leadership skills? I have noticed in the bible how God used farming to develop leadership skills in David the sheppard, before he became David the King. And Joseph was a farmer, then a slave, then helped run a prison, before he became the Prime Minister of Egypt second in command only to the Pharaoh. Actually, there are many examples in scriptures where God used the skills learned from farming (planting, tending, nurturing, weeding, watering, shepparding, protecting, etc) to mature young leaders.
We were recently asked to review several products in a leadership curriculum from Leadership Garden Legacy. The author, Debra Slover has developed an entire tool kit of curriculum products for younger kids, teens, and adults. Though it is not a biblical curriculum, it uses the analogy of gardening and the process of growing as a representation of growing and developing leadership skills.
TOOLS For Kids
U.N.I.Q.U.E. Kids: Growing My Leadership Garden
125 pages, and retails for $8.95
For ages 5-12
UNIQUE Kids Activity Guide Downloadable PDF
118 pages, retails for $8.95
For ages 5-12
TOOLS For Adults and Teens
U.N.I.Q.U.E. Growing The Leader Within
160 pages, and retails for $18.95
For adults and teens.
The Leadership Garden Guidebook
78 pages and retails for $18.95
For adults and teens.
There are several more products available in the series for both kids and adults, and also Bundle Discounts are available on the web site.
Leadership Garden Legacy is offering our readers a Spring Special discount of 20% off. Enter the discount code: TOS-SS20D during checkout. This is a limited time offer and the code will expire on May 31, 2013.
Our Experience
We are currently using the Unique Kids curriculum and accompanying Activity Guide pdf. If you complete a chapter a week you can finish the curriculum in about eight weeks with your children. Some of the activites my children are doing through the curriclum are keeping a leadership journal, planting and tending to the needs of a flower garden, reading the illustrated book, and completing several activity sheets as they process various leadership skills. It is basically a Unit Study on Leadership and covers several academic subject areas. Hands on subject areas covered with this curriculum include social studies, literature, math, reading, art, and writing. I found the curriclum helpful, but there are a few places where I changed the wording to fit better with my beliefs as a Chrisitan and what I want my children to learn. Here is a quote to the parents at the beginning of the book that sums up what my kids are learning: "Love is at the heart of Leadership Gardens. . . " I really think that you can not be a good leader unless you are able to love those you are leading. The six leadership skills my kids are learning:
1. Be nonjudgmental
2. Do not enable
3. Use empathy
4. Prune gossip
5. Eliminate blame
6. Eradicate victimization
U.N.I.Q.U.E.
U.N.I.Q.U.E. stands for the Understanding, Nurturing, Inventive, Quality, Unstoppable, Expression of leadership. Debra uses a fable story about a sheep, a consistent gardening theme, exercises in growth and hands on activities. She helps nurture and develop the needed skills in your student by creating balance, and blending four key leader behaviors and six leader-friendly gardening practices to build skills in the users of the curriculum and expand their confidence and competence. Read more about the Empowerment Tools woven throughout the curriculum.
Debra is a skilled leader herself, and has earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Health Education from Oregon State University in 1975. She has spent more than 32 years working with youth and adults in developing leadership skills, both at the state and national level, implemented over 20 youth-led statewide conferences, two national conferences, and over 39 youth/adult leadership camps. Her experience also includes 20 years as Director of Oregon Student Safety On the Move.
Be sure to check out what others on the Schoolhouse Crew had to say about Leadership Garden Legacy Products.
We were recently asked to review several products in a leadership curriculum from Leadership Garden Legacy. The author, Debra Slover has developed an entire tool kit of curriculum products for younger kids, teens, and adults. Though it is not a biblical curriculum, it uses the analogy of gardening and the process of growing as a representation of growing and developing leadership skills.
TOOLS For Kids
U.N.I.Q.U.E. Kids: Growing My Leadership Garden
125 pages, and retails for $8.95
For ages 5-12
UNIQUE Kids Activity Guide Downloadable PDF
118 pages, retails for $8.95
For ages 5-12
TOOLS For Adults and Teens
U.N.I.Q.U.E. Growing The Leader Within
160 pages, and retails for $18.95
For adults and teens.
The Leadership Garden Guidebook
78 pages and retails for $18.95
For adults and teens.
There are several more products available in the series for both kids and adults, and also Bundle Discounts are available on the web site.
Leadership Garden Legacy is offering our readers a Spring Special discount of 20% off. Enter the discount code: TOS-SS20D during checkout. This is a limited time offer and the code will expire on May 31, 2013.
Our Experience
We are currently using the Unique Kids curriculum and accompanying Activity Guide pdf. If you complete a chapter a week you can finish the curriculum in about eight weeks with your children. Some of the activites my children are doing through the curriclum are keeping a leadership journal, planting and tending to the needs of a flower garden, reading the illustrated book, and completing several activity sheets as they process various leadership skills. It is basically a Unit Study on Leadership and covers several academic subject areas. Hands on subject areas covered with this curriculum include social studies, literature, math, reading, art, and writing. I found the curriclum helpful, but there are a few places where I changed the wording to fit better with my beliefs as a Chrisitan and what I want my children to learn. Here is a quote to the parents at the beginning of the book that sums up what my kids are learning: "Love is at the heart of Leadership Gardens. . . " I really think that you can not be a good leader unless you are able to love those you are leading. The six leadership skills my kids are learning:
1. Be nonjudgmental
2. Do not enable
3. Use empathy
4. Prune gossip
5. Eliminate blame
6. Eradicate victimization
U.N.I.Q.U.E.
U.N.I.Q.U.E. stands for the Understanding, Nurturing, Inventive, Quality, Unstoppable, Expression of leadership. Debra uses a fable story about a sheep, a consistent gardening theme, exercises in growth and hands on activities. She helps nurture and develop the needed skills in your student by creating balance, and blending four key leader behaviors and six leader-friendly gardening practices to build skills in the users of the curriculum and expand their confidence and competence. Read more about the Empowerment Tools woven throughout the curriculum.
Debra is a skilled leader herself, and has earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Health Education from Oregon State University in 1975. She has spent more than 32 years working with youth and adults in developing leadership skills, both at the state and national level, implemented over 20 youth-led statewide conferences, two national conferences, and over 39 youth/adult leadership camps. Her experience also includes 20 years as Director of Oregon Student Safety On the Move.
Be sure to check out what others on the Schoolhouse Crew had to say about Leadership Garden Legacy Products.
Supercharged Science Review
Psst. . .Want to know a secret about homeschooling? You don't have to know everything, or teach everything. There are lots of resources available to help you and your kids homeschool. I know an amazing science teacher who can come right into your home, on your schedule, and teach your kids science. She is witty, funny, and your kids will have fun learning. Her name is Aurora Lipper from Supercharged Science and her e-Science Online Learning Program fits right into our homeschool science needs.
Aurora has plenty of teaching and professional science experience. She has worked as a NASA rocket scientist, a pilot, a university professor, and a teacher. During her years teaching, she realized that her students did not have a good science foundation, and did not seem to care about science. She decided to change that by inspirting young people in the field of science so she created Supercharged Science. Her programs are a great way to show kids that science is FUN while providing a solid foundation in science skills and learning.
The Supercharged e-Science program is a complete online curriculum and is purchased through a monthly subscription. The online subscription is divided into two sections K-8th grades ($37 a month), and 9th-12th grades ($57 a month).
A few of the features of the e-Science program includes:
Use it anywhere, anytime, 24 hours a day at your convenience
Self-guided lessons that kids can do independantly
Detailed video instruction
Easy "How To" videos of experiments
Parent & Teacher guides
Meets or exceeds most state K-8th Common Core Standards
Printable lessons, worksheets, exercises, and quizzes
Unlimited online support
Entertaining too
I love the motto of Supercharged Science: "Teach Science The Easy Way". That sounds like good advice. The e-Science program has over 1,000 activities, experiments and projects to choose from and you can pick and choose what you want to cover with your student. Your student can work independanty through the program too, depending on the needs of your homeschool.
My son in 6th grade watched the online videos, read through the lessons, and chose a few experiements to work on. He wants to build and do everything in the program which will take us well beyond the next few years. He started with experiments in mechanics and motion. I will share more pictures as soon as I can locate them. I had a glitch with the file I placed them in. But will post them here as soon I get that straightend out. He is thrilled to have this program as his science curriculum and is looking forward to building rockets, electrical circuts, chemistry, robotics, physics, and more of over 1,000 projects to learn. I told my husband we need to build our son his own science lab / workshop. He loves science!
Though I had my 12 year old review the website and program with me, all of my children will be starting the curriculum later this month. We have been given a 1 year subscription to the K-8 e-Science online program and it is wonderful. The kids will be able to watch the online videos, implement the experiments, and fill out the printabel worksheets to put into their science binders. The knowledge and hands on science skills they will gain through this process is priceless, and our family is excited to participate in this program.
I would recommend this program to other homeschools, and classrooms, and after school programs that offer educational activities for youth. Supercharged Science also offers CD's and kits for sale. Be sure to stop in and see all they have to offer and how they might be able to meet the needs of your homeschool curriculum.
Be sure to check out what others on the Schoolhouse Crew had to say about e-Science from Supercharged Science.
The Martyr's Victory Review
I have another great company to tell you about. Salem Ridge Press is owned by a homeschool family. I love supporting the wide variety of businesses owned by homeschoolers. There are many homeschool families in my local area who have family run business. I feel a sense of satisfaction when I take my kids to their stores, or farm stands, or buy from their list of products on line, or hire a dad or mom who homeschool for a project, and I love teaching my kids the value of supporting other homeschool families too.
Salem Ridge Press was created by a homeschool graduate named Daniel Mills in 2005. His family, including his mom, dad, and wife all assist him in the business. He specializes in publishing historical fiction including: church history, American history, and world history. The stories he publishes were originally written in the 1800s or early 1900s. All of the books published by Salem Ridge Press are intended to build up the character and promote strong moral values. Read more about their standards for publishing.
The Martyr's Victory
We were given the opportunity to review The Martyr's Victory by Emma Leslie. The book is 266 pages and is designed for children ages 12 and older. It retails for $14.95 for the soft cover, and $24.95 for the hard cover. Read the free sample of the first 11 pages from Chapter 1 and see how this book might fit your homeschool.
I don't want to give away the story, but I will share the synopsis from the publisher. From the web site:
"Story Synopsis Knowing full well they may die in the attempt, a small band of monks sets out to convert the savage Danes who have laid waste to the surrounding countryside year after year. The monks’ faith is sorely tested as they face opposition from the angry Priest of Odin as well as doubts, sickness and starvation, but their leader, Osric, is unwavering in his attempts to share the “White Christ” with those who reject Him. Then the monks discover a young Christian woman who has escaped being sacrificed to the Danish gods—can she help reach those who had enslaved her and tried to kill her?" source
Our Experience
My son is 12 years old and chose this book from several titles we were offered to review. This one really sparked his curiosity. The time in history this takes place is Danish England in 840-883 A.D. and notable people and events are: King Edmund, King Guthrum, Monks, and Viking Invasions. With kings and vikings, you can see why a 12 year old boy would be intrigued.
He read it at the table, on the couch, in the rocking chair, and in the van when traveling. He was very excited about the story and the characters. He truly enjoyed reading this book, and I felt good knowing it was building his character at the same time.
I wanted to expand on my son's learning and his creative side, so purchased several small figurines vikings, ships, and peasants, to act out parts of the book. I did not have a monk, so I had to improvise. Though the book is meant for older children, I plan to have my son act out a few parts of the story for his siblings using the mini figurines. He usually doesn't like writing book reviews, and this way I can see what he is learning without requiring him to write it all out. The book does discuss bloodshed, violence, and the martyring of St. Edmund and that is a subject I am pondering how much to share with the younger children.
The book is written in English, but it is an older form of English from the 1800s. Because the language is old fashioned, some kids may or may not like reading it and may find it challenging. Some of the words were unfamiliar to both my son and myself. There are a few definitions at the bottom of some of the pages to assist with this. But we found many more words that were not familiar and needed expanding on. So I had him look up a few words that we came to in the reading that he did not know. In my day, looking up a word meant using a dictionary. But my son prefers to "speak the word" into my cell phone, and the online dictionary pops up with the meaning of the word. Ironic in a way for me to to read a book written in 1886, and look up the words on a cell phone. It is amazing how much has changed in the language and culture since this story was written, and what technology can do to bridge the gap.
It would be wonderful to include this book, and many of the historical fiction stories available through Salem Ridge Press, in a historical church study, or world history study, or a unit study in your homeschool. There are many applications and you could focus on many different aspects. But according to my son, The Martyr's Victory is also an interesting, adventurous, at times sad, and inspiring story to read. "This is a great book Mom!"
Be sure to stop in and see what others on the Schoolhouse Crew had to say about products from Salem Ridge Press.
Salem Ridge Press was created by a homeschool graduate named Daniel Mills in 2005. His family, including his mom, dad, and wife all assist him in the business. He specializes in publishing historical fiction including: church history, American history, and world history. The stories he publishes were originally written in the 1800s or early 1900s. All of the books published by Salem Ridge Press are intended to build up the character and promote strong moral values. Read more about their standards for publishing.
The Martyr's Victory
We were given the opportunity to review The Martyr's Victory by Emma Leslie. The book is 266 pages and is designed for children ages 12 and older. It retails for $14.95 for the soft cover, and $24.95 for the hard cover. Read the free sample of the first 11 pages from Chapter 1 and see how this book might fit your homeschool.
I don't want to give away the story, but I will share the synopsis from the publisher. From the web site:
"Story Synopsis Knowing full well they may die in the attempt, a small band of monks sets out to convert the savage Danes who have laid waste to the surrounding countryside year after year. The monks’ faith is sorely tested as they face opposition from the angry Priest of Odin as well as doubts, sickness and starvation, but their leader, Osric, is unwavering in his attempts to share the “White Christ” with those who reject Him. Then the monks discover a young Christian woman who has escaped being sacrificed to the Danish gods—can she help reach those who had enslaved her and tried to kill her?" source
Our Experience
My son is 12 years old and chose this book from several titles we were offered to review. This one really sparked his curiosity. The time in history this takes place is Danish England in 840-883 A.D. and notable people and events are: King Edmund, King Guthrum, Monks, and Viking Invasions. With kings and vikings, you can see why a 12 year old boy would be intrigued.
He read it at the table, on the couch, in the rocking chair, and in the van when traveling. He was very excited about the story and the characters. He truly enjoyed reading this book, and I felt good knowing it was building his character at the same time.
I wanted to expand on my son's learning and his creative side, so purchased several small figurines vikings, ships, and peasants, to act out parts of the book. I did not have a monk, so I had to improvise. Though the book is meant for older children, I plan to have my son act out a few parts of the story for his siblings using the mini figurines. He usually doesn't like writing book reviews, and this way I can see what he is learning without requiring him to write it all out. The book does discuss bloodshed, violence, and the martyring of St. Edmund and that is a subject I am pondering how much to share with the younger children.
The book is written in English, but it is an older form of English from the 1800s. Because the language is old fashioned, some kids may or may not like reading it and may find it challenging. Some of the words were unfamiliar to both my son and myself. There are a few definitions at the bottom of some of the pages to assist with this. But we found many more words that were not familiar and needed expanding on. So I had him look up a few words that we came to in the reading that he did not know. In my day, looking up a word meant using a dictionary. But my son prefers to "speak the word" into my cell phone, and the online dictionary pops up with the meaning of the word. Ironic in a way for me to to read a book written in 1886, and look up the words on a cell phone. It is amazing how much has changed in the language and culture since this story was written, and what technology can do to bridge the gap.
It would be wonderful to include this book, and many of the historical fiction stories available through Salem Ridge Press, in a historical church study, or world history study, or a unit study in your homeschool. There are many applications and you could focus on many different aspects. But according to my son, The Martyr's Victory is also an interesting, adventurous, at times sad, and inspiring story to read. "This is a great book Mom!"
Be sure to stop in and see what others on the Schoolhouse Crew had to say about products from Salem Ridge Press.
Computer Science For Kids Review
Homeschoolers may wonder where and how they can acquire computer skills beyond the simple ability of word processing and playing games, and help their students be more ready for the challenges they will face in a computerized world. Have no fear, Computer Science For Kids has homeschool curriculum ready to assist you.
My 12 year old is currently in Chapter 5 of Computer Bible Games For Microsoft Small Basic by Computer Science For Kids. He loves it and we can't wait to tell you more about it.
Digital E-Book Item #104-DL
Single User License
Retail Price $59.95
Sale Price! $34.95
(sale price good through July 4th, 2013)
Computer Bible Games For Microsoft Small Basic is a comprehensive introduction to learning Small Basic computer programming. This program requires a computer with Windows Vista or higher to opperate. It is for Grades 6-12, and adults wanting to learn will find it useful too. It comes in several formats, including a download version, a paperback version, and also a multi-user school version, so be sure to check the web site for pricing details on each version.
This description of the program is from the Computer Science For Kids web site:
"Computer Bible Games for Microsoft Small Basics designed to help beginner Christian middle-school students understand Small Basic programming concepts while developing "fun and simple" learning games and Computer Bible Games. Microsoft Small BASIC is a simple BASIC programming environment designed specifically for kids to help prepare them for more complex programming languages like Visual Basic, Visual C# and Java. Small Basic also includes a "graduate code" button which automatically converts the student's source code into Microsoft Visual Basic".
There are 13 chapters in Computer Bible Games for Small Basic. It is designed to be completed in 13 weeks by working 3 to 6 hours each week. You can go faster or slower depending on the needs of your homeschool student's computer skill level. Parents can learn this program right along with their kids.
Please see theTable Of Contents for a complete list of chapters and lessons and skills learned in each chapter. The chapter headings include:
Introducing Small Basic
Small Basic Program Basics
Your First Small Basic Program
Small Basic Program Design, Input Methods
Debugging, Decisions, Random Numbers
Small Basic Looping, Subroutines
More Small Basic Looping, Arrays
Small Basic Graphics, Mouse Methods
Timers, Animation, Keyboard Methods
Noah’s Ark
Daniel and the Lions
Elijah and the Ravens
More Computer Bible Games & Learning Games
This course is an easy step by step program. Through this course, my son is learning about :
Program design
Text window applications
Graphics window applications and more.
After learning the Small Basic program in chapters 1-9, my son will learn to program computer bible games in chapters 10-13:
Noah's Ark
Daniel and the Lions
Elijah and the Ravens
The Good Shepherd
The Prodigal Son
The Lost Coin
Bible Scramble
A few more details about this program from the Computer Science For Kids web site: The "learning programs" include a unit conversion program, savings calculator, a sub-sandwich builder, a card wars game, a number guessing game, a state capitals game, a times table program, a stop watch, a simple drawing program, fun logic games and a fun video game. Finished programs can even be published on-line to share programs with others.
Why would I want my homeschooler to have computer skills and know how to write computer programs?
Have you noticed that every area of life: commerce, service, food production, health care, and education seems to have a computer or a computerized device? Every area of industry requires someone in the office or in the field to be able to use a computer. Even simple things like eating in a restaraunt, buying groceries, publishing a book, editing a photo, using a dishwasher, or planning a garden at home involves a computer along the way somewhere. It would be difficult in these modern times to run a business without using a computer. Computer skills could make the difference in running a company profitably. If you own your own business, you either need computer skills or need to hire someone with computer skills. It also seems that all of us would be more valuable to employers if we had computer skills. So that is why I want all of my children to learn computer skills now and be able to use them as a tool to reach their potential in their careers in the future. This course is helping my kids head in the right direction.
I am very excited for my family to have access to great programs through Computer Science For Kids. You can try before you buy and see the Sample Chapter Preview.
Be sure to also stop in and read what others on the Schoolhouse Crew have to say about these products.
My 12 year old is currently in Chapter 5 of Computer Bible Games For Microsoft Small Basic by Computer Science For Kids. He loves it and we can't wait to tell you more about it.
Digital E-Book Item #104-DL
Single User License
Retail Price $59.95
Sale Price! $34.95
(sale price good through July 4th, 2013)
Computer Bible Games For Microsoft Small Basic is a comprehensive introduction to learning Small Basic computer programming. This program requires a computer with Windows Vista or higher to opperate. It is for Grades 6-12, and adults wanting to learn will find it useful too. It comes in several formats, including a download version, a paperback version, and also a multi-user school version, so be sure to check the web site for pricing details on each version.
This description of the program is from the Computer Science For Kids web site:
"Computer Bible Games for Microsoft Small Basics designed to help beginner Christian middle-school students understand Small Basic programming concepts while developing "fun and simple" learning games and Computer Bible Games. Microsoft Small BASIC is a simple BASIC programming environment designed specifically for kids to help prepare them for more complex programming languages like Visual Basic, Visual C# and Java. Small Basic also includes a "graduate code" button which automatically converts the student's source code into Microsoft Visual Basic".
There are 13 chapters in Computer Bible Games for Small Basic. It is designed to be completed in 13 weeks by working 3 to 6 hours each week. You can go faster or slower depending on the needs of your homeschool student's computer skill level. Parents can learn this program right along with their kids.
Please see theTable Of Contents for a complete list of chapters and lessons and skills learned in each chapter. The chapter headings include:
Introducing Small Basic
Small Basic Program Basics
Your First Small Basic Program
Small Basic Program Design, Input Methods
Debugging, Decisions, Random Numbers
Small Basic Looping, Subroutines
More Small Basic Looping, Arrays
Small Basic Graphics, Mouse Methods
Timers, Animation, Keyboard Methods
Noah’s Ark
Daniel and the Lions
Elijah and the Ravens
More Computer Bible Games & Learning Games
This course is an easy step by step program. Through this course, my son is learning about :
Program design
Text window applications
Graphics window applications and more.
After learning the Small Basic program in chapters 1-9, my son will learn to program computer bible games in chapters 10-13:
Noah's Ark
Daniel and the Lions
Elijah and the Ravens
The Good Shepherd
The Prodigal Son
The Lost Coin
Bible Scramble
A few more details about this program from the Computer Science For Kids web site: The "learning programs" include a unit conversion program, savings calculator, a sub-sandwich builder, a card wars game, a number guessing game, a state capitals game, a times table program, a stop watch, a simple drawing program, fun logic games and a fun video game. Finished programs can even be published on-line to share programs with others.
Why would I want my homeschooler to have computer skills and know how to write computer programs?
Have you noticed that every area of life: commerce, service, food production, health care, and education seems to have a computer or a computerized device? Every area of industry requires someone in the office or in the field to be able to use a computer. Even simple things like eating in a restaraunt, buying groceries, publishing a book, editing a photo, using a dishwasher, or planning a garden at home involves a computer along the way somewhere. It would be difficult in these modern times to run a business without using a computer. Computer skills could make the difference in running a company profitably. If you own your own business, you either need computer skills or need to hire someone with computer skills. It also seems that all of us would be more valuable to employers if we had computer skills. So that is why I want all of my children to learn computer skills now and be able to use them as a tool to reach their potential in their careers in the future. This course is helping my kids head in the right direction.
I am very excited for my family to have access to great programs through Computer Science For Kids. You can try before you buy and see the Sample Chapter Preview.
Be sure to also stop in and read what others on the Schoolhouse Crew have to say about these products.
