Progeny Press - Anne of Green Gables Study Guide - TOS Review

The Anne of Green Gables Study Guide from Progeny Press in a 69 page document that can easily be used and retails for $18.99.  I was given the the "E-guide" for the purpose of this review, that can be downloaded immediately and used in your PDF reader.  After you open it in your PDF reader it becomes "interactive" by the student being able to input their answers right into the document.  There are blue text boxes included in the document where students can record their answers.

All of the literature guides offered by Progeny Press are available in three versions:  a physical book, a PDF e-book on CD, and a PDF "E-guide" for immediate download.

Although this specific study guide is recommended for middle school students (grades 5-8)  I think high school students would benefit from this as well.  The study guide is very comprehensive including a novel synopsis, information about the author, and pre-reading activities.   There are six sections, 4-9 chapters in each, that touch on  vocabulary, questions, thinking about the story, digging deeper, and optional activities.   Finally the study guide also includes supplemental resources and an answer key.

 Below is a brief summary of each of the Chapter Sections.  Each chapter section includes the following components.

Vocabulary:  Shows the word in context of the story and asks students to write what they think the definition is.  There is then an area for the student to record the dictionary definition.  They can compare their answers to the dictionary answer to see if they are correct in their assumption.  In some instances there is also an area available for the student to write a sentence for each of the vocabulary words, matching words to definitions, and matching vocabulary words to antonyms.

Questions:  Here the student will find questions about the development of each of the characters as well as questions about the story's plot.  Since Progeny Press is a Christian publisher, the student will also find questions relating to the Bible, prayer, and the character's spirituality.

Thinking About the Story:  Here the student will find literary topics to explore and give examples of from the text.  Some literary termonology included are; allusion, optimism, adjectives, simile, synonym, foreshadowing, and personification.

Digging Deeper:  Included here the student will encounter questions comparing and contrasting different elements of the story, scriptural references, and asking for the student's opinion about the character's actions in the story.

Optional Activities:  These activities include writing additional paragraphs, discussions, and participating in activities similar to the ones found in the story (ie, picnics, visiting an exhibition, writing a eulogy, drama, poetry recital, nature journal, etc.).

Supplemental Resources:  Includes website links to the Anne of Green Gables society, museum, audio books, other books of interest, and videos.

Answer Key:  The answer key includes answers to everything in the study guide and is 8 pages long.

Progeny Press also offers many other Literature study guides.  Here are some others you may find of interest...

You can also connect with Progeny Press through these links:

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Confession:  I personally was not introduced to Anne until I was in college. I know, how did that happen - right??  With the whole series at my finger tips....I did all nighters to finish the series.  I loved them:)  When was the first time you encountered Anne of Green Gables?  Did you read the books or watch the movies first?  Do you think a study guide like this would be helpful to your students?  Please share in the comments below.

Supercharged Science Review and Freebie for you!

For the past month we have been using the e-Science Premium Membership from Supercharged Science in anticipation for this review.   You can find Supercharged science at their website:  http://www.sciencelearningspace.com/.  This e-science curriculum has a wide range of subjects to pick from.  Topics include; mechanics, motion, matter, energy, sound, astrophysics, chemistry, light, electricity, magnetism, alternative energy, thermodynamics, electronics, life science, earth science, biology, and more.  It is organized by topics or you can also view the topics by grade level.  One of my favorite things about this curriculum is that it is very kid  friendly.

We have been using this for our homeschool science.   I have allowed the kids to just go to the website and pick whatever subject they are interested in.  Each unit starts with a simple introduction and video.





As a homeschool science curriculum it can be used as is or planned out by you the teacher.  The website includes lesson plans so you can be as organized or as flexible as you would like.  This last month, I chose to go with a student delight-directed approach.  That means that they got to pick whatever their little hearts desired for science from the  e-science website:)

The first science experiment I chose as an introduction to the website was the  "soap in the microwave" experiment.  It was fun to see the kids get excited about the changes in the soap after they put it in the microwave.  All the kids participated with "ooos and awes" as the soap changed before their eyes.  We learned that the soap contains air and water vapor.  When the soap was heated up in the microwave it expanded and looked like cotton.  After we were done with our science experiment I printed out the student worksheet and exercises.  This gave the kids some more ideas to try to see if their results would vary.  It also allowed me to assess how much each child retained and understood about the experiment.

   Our science experiment above is exactly what the makers of supercharged science boast of regarding their science curriculum.  It captures the kids attention first with the science experiments as it is modeled on video and then the kids get to try it out for themselves.  Once the kids try out the science experiments, they then start asking the "why" questions while engaging in the scientific method.  They are also challenged to try different variations to see if the results change.  It really does engage the students.  What is really awesome though, is that it also provides the answers!  No need to go searching for the answers on the Internet - it is all there for you in the textbook PDF download.

The next set of experiments the kids wanted to explore was in the light unit.   This particular unit has 25 different lessons/experiments for the kids to try.  We didn't have time to do them all but the few that we did do were very engaging.   One favorite was learning about light waves and how to make their own telescopes and microscopes.  We didn't have two magnifying glasses readily available so we used a pair of reading glasses and a magnifying glass.  We learned about the con-vexed shape of the glass by feeling the glass itself. If you line up the thickest part of the glass (the center) it becomes a microscope.  If you look at something in the distance it then acts as a telescope but the image will be upside down.

Another favorite was examining money.  It was an "I spy" money activity.  We didn't know there were so many hidden things in American money.  The kids really got a kick out of seeing President Lincoln inside the Lincoln memorial on a penny.

Although this program is multi-sensory, most of the learners in our family are visual.  Therefore our favorite part of this curriculum has been watching the videos.  Aurora, the teacher in the videos, is very energetic and excited about the topics she teaches making each video not only entertaining but interesting.  For example in the light unit Aurora talks about the different wavelengths of light and as she does the camera changes the images of her in the video to red light, green light, x-ray, etc.  The kids loved it and were very engaged in learning and watching the videos about the different wavelengths of light.

 Product Summary

Cost for membership:  K-12 level plan is $57 per month and  K-8 level plan is $37 per month.

Hands-on e-Science Curriculum:  This curriculum is designed to excite kids to learn science by engaging them in interesting content before getting into the textbook answers.

1000's of videos:   The videos are kid-friendly, short, and precise.  They guide the students through step-by-step hands-on activities, projects, and experiments.   All videos are taught by a real science teacher.

Over 350 lessons:  The  experiment lessons are easy enough for kids to do on their own.  Teachers have access to lesson plans, objectives, and assessment tools.

Incorporates all 4 learning styles:  Kinesthetic, visual, auditory, and digital.

Unlimited support:  Comments and questions are directly below each lesson.  Responses are given on a daily basis.

e-Science exceeds most state K-8 science standards:  Complete e-Science curriculum covering K-8 science standards and then some.   

Science Worksheets & Experiments:  Printable textbook, quizzes, and exercises that go along with each lesson.

Review Summary

Pros:   Child friendly, teacher friendly, many teaching options and subjects available.

Cons: Some supplies are not readily available but with some planning they can probably be easily ordered on-line.  This curriculum does not present any religious views but calls itself  "creation neutral".

Supercharged science has a complete mini-program they would like to give my readers for free!  It’s a small sample of science activities and projects taken from their e-science program. This will give you a chance to try out some activities for free to see how they work for your kids.  I hope you enjoy it! 

There is also a special that is being offered if you are interested.  You can sign up for a whole month of full access to e-science for just $1.

     

You can find Supercharged Science at the following sites: 

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What have you used for your Science Curriculum?  Please comment below. I look forward to hearing from you:)

Science4Us.com (Schoolhouse Review)

Our two youngest kids really enjoyed using  Science4Us.com this last month.  As I was preparing to write this review I was thinking about what a blessing it has been for us to have this program.  You see my kids have really been sucked into the computer game craze that is all around us.   Everyone plays computer games and they seem to be constantly asking to play.   I don't really approve of many games for various reasons.  I was really wanting to fill that desire to play computer games with something "good for them" or educational.  With Science4Us.com Online Subscription I found just what I needed.  Something fun but educational.  They were asking to "play" science:)

This program is intended for grades K-2, but children in grades 3-5 can use it as a review of earlier science material.  Although it can be used as a review,  my older kids felt that they were too mature for it.  My two younger children, ages 5 and 7, were able to use it completely with their own log in and user ids.   Below is what their initial page looks like after they log in:

Science4Us.com is an complete online interactive science program.  All the lessons are animated, with their own simulations, songs, and games.  I was really impressed with the extensive lesson plans and  professional development videos that are available for the teacher.  Science4US.com covers main topics like Science Inquiry, Earth/Space Science, Life Science, and Physical Science and others.

Below is a sample of what the teacher page looks like after log in:


The curriculum is broken down into books, units, modules, and activities.  It allows the teacher to set the pace and assignments for each student.  This is a sample page from the Book: Physics, Unit: Matter, Module:  States of Matter, with the activity "Contain It".

As you can see the graphics are very fun and engaging.  My 5 year old was walking around talking about solids, liquids, and gases after this module.  I love how the kids are having fun "playing" science while really learning some important facts.  Here is another screen shot of the Activity: Take a note, from the same Module "States of Matter".


As I was typing this, I gave my daughter a quick quiz (She completed this particular module 3 weeks ago).  She aced it with flying colors and was able to explain the 3 states of matter. This kindergarten science curriculum passed the test.  It is teaching my kids for me.  I Love it:)

Product Summary

Cost for membership:  $7.95 per child per month

Teacher/Parent Dashboard:  A private area for lesson planning and professional development.  There is also an area where you can keep track of your student's progress and make assignments.

Student Digital Notebook:  This is a notebook that your students can add to as they progress through each lesson. Students can add their own notes, charts, and diagrams to their personal notebook.

Over 350 lessons: Covering Inquiry (science tools), Earth/Space Science, Life Science, and Physical Science.

Uses 5E Inquiry-Based Instruction Module:  Uses Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate throughout each module.

Literacy and Math Integration: Each module integrates these core subjects through poetry, songs, figurative language, charts, and graphs.

Common Core Aligned:  Complete Science curriculum with integrated language arts and math skills.

Science Worksheets & Experiments:  Printable activities and online experiments that go along with each module.

Review Summary

Pros:   Child friendly, Teacher friendly, many teaching options and subjects available.

Cons:  Kindergarten, first, and second grade earth science is approached from a millions of years world view instead of from a Biblical world view of thousands of years.

You can find Science4Us at the following sites: 

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I hope you found this review helpful...What are you using for your Science Curriculum?  Please share in the comments below. I would love to hear from you:)

Thanks for traveling with us,

KinderBach Piano Curriculum Review (FREE Coloring Books!)

The  KinderBach Online Piano Lesson Membership with Teacher Corner was a really fun product to review.

It is a complete online Piano program geared for children ages 3-7.  These early music lessons can work for homeschool  piano students  or in music classes in a school setting. It includes short interactive videos, accompanying worksheets, and teacher instructions.  The only things you really need are a computer, some sort of keyboard (we have a $40 piano keyboard that worked just fine:), and a printer.  I was able to download everything I needed on-line, which was wonderful for us.

My 5 year old mainly used it and had loads of fun.  We printed out the whole book and put it in a binder so it was ready to use.  They also have an easy link with each lesson so you can print as you go.   We would watch the lesson, participate in the activity (tapping, pressing the keys, and/or answering questions), and then enjoy the accompanying worksheet.  Most of the time we would watch 3 to 4  lessons at a time because we enjoyed it so much.

There are 6 levels of music curriculum to choose from.

Since we didn't have any prior music knowledge we started at Level 1.  It took a few lessons for me to get the hang of it and to really see what the program was all about.  I have to say I was impressed.  While the older kids would walk in and think it was silly, my younger ones loved it.  The characters are a boy named Frisco, Dodi the Donkey, Carla the Caterpillar, Edward the Eagle, Felicity the Frog, Gracie the Gorilla, Alan the Alligator, and Bob the Bear. Through the characters  a story is told and the children are taught corresponding music concepts.  (e.g.  Dodi lives on the D key, etc.)

Cost for membership:  $130/yr (Special Offer – currently only $95.88/year)

Where to find it: Kinderbach.com

What you get

Early Music Lessons:   Beginner piano video lessons that can be streamed to PC, MAC, tablets, ipads, and smartphones.  (Available for purchase in DVD format and Levels 1 to 3 are available in an iPad/iPhone app. along with 6 ipad games.)

Interactive Worksheets with almost every lesson:  You receive interactive worksheets that can be printed out to be put in a notebook or printed individually.

Teacher Corner:   Downloadable materials that include tools for instructors, whole group lessons, and additional resources.

Meets Kindergarten Common Core Standards:  Common Core standards are met for Kindergartners in the areas of  reading, writing, speaking and listening, language, and math.  You can get more specifics and each common core standard that it meets on their website.

Piano Pal Storybooks:  These are full color storybooks that go along with the lessons.

Songbooks:  4 different songbooks (hymns, Christmas,  Patriotic, and Everyday) are included with their MP3 accompaniments.

And So Much More:  There is so much more I have yet to learn and explore on their website.  I really look forward to learning more with my little guys.

Review Summary

Pros:   A very thorough piano curriculum that is effective in getting the students interested and engaged.

Cons:  Some of the songs and surfer guy accents are a little outdated.  Older kids catch on right away and make comments but the little guys don't have a clue.

Here is a fun, little video that gives you a sneak peak of the product:

There is a free two week trial that you can sign up for.  Just click on any of the pictures to hop on over.

And now for the FREE...

Just click on the this link -Free Coloring Books and copy/paste the codes in at check out.  Enjoy:)

"A House for Dodi" book - use the Coupon Code: DODIHOUSE

"Train Stations" book -- use the Coupon Code: TRAINS

You can connect and say thank you to KinderBach for these cute coloring books at these sites:

Facebook

Facebook for Teachers

Twitter: @KinderBach

Pinterest

YouTube

Have you found anything in this resource that might interest you?  Why would you or would you not choose this product in your classroom?  Please share any thoughts you might have in the comments section below.  You can read more reviews from the crew here.

Thank you for traveling with TheTravelingclassroom ... I hope you found this review helpful:)

Word For 2014 - Faith - Looking at the Ancient Hebrew Root

   For the past few weeks, I have been learning a lot about faith. I am learning what it means intellectually and practically. The book of Romans is an amazing book in the Bible that really expounds on it. As a visual learner, studying the pictograph Hebrew letters helped me to understood faith at an even deeper level. Below is how I studied the word with some simple steps you can follow with any word in the Bible:

1.  Look up the word:   Use a Hebrew Strong's Concordance.  ( I like to use e-sword on my computer and it is a free download that you can find here, if you don't already have it.) H529  אמוּן  'êmûn  ay-moon'  From H539;
 established, that is, (figuratively) trusty; also (abstractly) trustworthiness: - faith (-ful), truth.
 

2. Look for the root word (the original 3 or 4 letter word in Hebrew): 

 Sometimes it is as easy as going back a few numbers and the concordance should point you in the right direction. In our case it says "from H539" above.

H539  אמן  'âman  aw-man'

A primitive root; properly to build up or support; to foster as a parent or nurse; figuratively to render (or be) firm or faithful, to trust or believe, to be permanent or quiet; morally to be true or certain; once (in Isa_30:21; by interchange for H541) to go to the right hand: - hence assurance, believe, bring up, establish, + fail, be faithful (of long continuance, steadfast, sure, surely, trusty, verified), nurse, (-ing father), (put), trust, turn to the right.

3.  Look at each root letter's pictograph meanings:
  I used my Ancient Aleph Bet Paleo Hebrew Alphabet Chart I made for the kids.  You can find an adult version here that I really like too. Faith = Aman (Hebrew transliteration)  Letters: אמן (Hebrew reads from right to left) 
1. letter- א -aleph: picture of an ox used for plowing and it's strength in ancient world. 

2. letter- מ  -mem: picture of water used for sustaining life and cleansing

 3. letter- ן - nun: picture of a seed






4.  Look at other references that use the same word:
 Look up H539.  If you are using e-sword make sure you are using KJV+.   Read them in the context of the scripture to help understand them better.  I found 102 references for the word and in most cases they were translated as "believe".    Below is the summary of the ancient Hebrew meaning of the word faith that I found:

Here are some questions that I have asked myself while studying the word faith along with the answers I have came up with:

What does it mean to have faith? 

Having faith is trusting In God for who HE is.

Who or What do you have faith in? 

Sometimes I am looking to the wrong things and I need to 

continually remind myself to look to YHVH and his son Yeshua for everything.

 Do you have faith in God?

Yes 

Do you have faith in HIS son Yeshua for your salvation?

Yes

Do I have faith in money to solve all my problems? 

No, because it will not. It may even create more "problems":) 

Do I have faith in a better house to make me happier?

No, because I am learning to be content in every circumstance:)

Did you know faith can make you righteous? 

 wow...now that is amazing...it's not the things I do, but faith - cool

What is your response to these questions?  What does faith mean to you?

My prayer for you and I is that we will continue to be challenged in our faith and that little seed of faith that we plant and water will grow to bear fruit.

If you would like to learn more about Hebrew or see how we incorporate it at Thetravelingclassroom please visit our Hebrew page. 

 I would love to give away a Ancient Aleph Bet Paleo Hebrew alphabet chart and my Ancient Hebrew Civilizations, Root Words, Acrostic Poems Unit to one of my blog followers. Please leave an e-mail with your comment below if you would like me to send you one:)

Thanks for stopping by TheTravelingclassroom!




I have linked up with the Schoolhouse Review Crew's Word for 2014. If you would like to read some more posts please click on the picture below.