The Bible Explorer’s Guide

The Bible Explorer’s Guide
Published at ZonderKids

About the book

The Bible Explorer’s Guide lets children come up close and personal with everyday life during Bible times through photos, maps, and illustrations illuminating, people, places, objects, and buildings of the Bible. What did Noah’s Ark really look like? Who was David and whom did he fight? How did 1st century citizens of Jerusalem live? Each two-page spread is filled with images that bring history alive and drawings that help bring life to people and places that we can only read about. With fascinating, brief text and full-color captivating images, this is a reference that kids will come back to again and again. A great addition to any home or school library.

My Thoughts

It is always nice to find a book that will help your kids to visualize the Bible from cover to cover.  The Bible Explorer’s Guide is exactly that book… With over 1000 facts and photos within the pages of this book, your kids can visit and explore the history written in the Bible from the comfort of your home.  At the end of the book you will also find a timeline as well as a glossary of who’s who in the Old Testament and the New Testament.

The pages are packed with information on various time during the historical events mentioned in the Bible.   It is refreshing to see images of the area today mixed with maps, painting, drawing as well as models of what places looked like during the biblical times.

The book is definitively a great resource to own in your personal library where you can use it for research, reading or to supplement your Bible curriculum.   Churches could also use it for Sunday school or Awana program.      Personally, it makes me want to go on one of those trips where you go visit biblical places with a group.  Maybe one day I will be able to do so… in the meantime, I will enjoy explore history through the pages of this book.

The Bible Explorer’s Guide is available for purchase at your favorite bookstore, even on amazon.ca and amazon.com.

 

Disclaimer: Thanks to Thomas Nelson for sending me the above mentioned product for review purposes . I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Oh, Yikes! History’s Grossest, Wackiest Moments

Oh, Yikes! History Grossest, Wackiest Moments
By Joy Masoff
Published at Workman

About the book

Gross is back and viler than ever! From the author of Oh, Yuck! the perennial bestseller about science with over 610,000 copies in print, comes OH, YIKES!, an illustrated encyclopedia of history’s messiest, dumbest, grossest, wackiest, and weirdest moments.

If kids think pus and gas are fun, wait until they hear the lowdown on the real Dracula, samurai, gladiators, guillotines and vomitoriums, pirates, Vikings, witch trials, and the world’s poxiest plagues. Impeccably researched, deliciously wry, and subversively educational (check out the toilet-paper timeline), OH, YIKES! covers people, events, institutions, and really bad ideas, alphabetically from April Fool’s Day to zany Zoos. Here are the Aztecs, sacrificing 250,000 people a year for the gods—and for food. Fearsome Attila the Hun, scourge of the steppes whose spinning eyes terrified his friends and whose mastery of horses terrorized his enemies (how does someone so evil die? Nosebleed!). Saur, the 11th-century dog-king of Norway (and not too bad as kings go). Henry VIII and his marital problems, the story of the Abominable Snowman and the Loch Ness Monster, why sailors in the old days preferred eating in the dark (hint: you can’t see what’s crawling in your food), and the answer to the question, “How did knights in armor go to the bathroom?”

Topped off with hundreds of illustrations and photographs along with hands-on activities that bring the past to life, OH, YIKES! puts the juice in history in a way that makes it irresistible.

My Thoughts

We have reviewed OH, Ick! in the past and I was highly interested when I realized that this new title was all about history.

This book is different than other history book because it will highlight the worst inventions and events that has happened through the ages.  So as the title suggest it, it will be gross at times but so informative as well.

The various chapters or themes covered in the book are: Attila and the Huns, Aztec Antics, Beastly Babyhood, Burial Customs, Cave Dudes, Circus Clowning, Crafty Cats, Crazy Calendars, Creepy Columbus, Cruel Constructions, Cussin’ Cowboys, Dastardly Dentistry, Dog-Gone Dogs, Dreadful Dracula, Dumb Duels, Electric Shocks, Everyday Executions, Farfetched Fashions, Freaky Flyers, Ghastly Games, Gladiators, Guillotines, Heinous Hair, Horrible Henry the 8th, Humongous Hoaxes, Idiotic Inventions, Junky Jobs, Killer Kings, Knight Time, Lewis and Clark, Miserable Medicines, Moldy Money, Musty Mummies, Nutty Napoleon, Oozy Olympics, Outrageous Outlaws, Pirates, Plagues and Poxes, Prickly Presidents, Prisons and Punishments, Quirky Queens, Rip-Roarin’ Railroads, Salt Assault, Samurai and Shoguns, School Dazed, Sinking Ships, Smelly Shoes, Strange Sports, Stupid Superstitions, Tickin’ Time, Toilet Paper, Ugh! Underwear, Vicious Vikings, Wacky Warfare, Whales Tales, Wicked Witches, X-Files, Zany Zoos.

Since we studied Columbus a bit this year, I decided to select the section about him and his time period to tell you a bit about the kind of information you will find in the book.  The section about Columbus will present information about how the food was stored back in these days compared to our beloved refrigerator nowadays.   You will also read a bit about Christopher Columbus’ past when he was young and discover how he decided to become a navigator and explorer.  In all there are five pages covering the history of Columbus (or Cristobal Colon as we learned this year) and how he tried to find a way to obtain spices…

I find this book fun to read because it will present an aspect that is not often shown in other history books – the gross parts of living in different era of time.  It is a fun book to have in your personal library for all the disgusting information in it.  But it is not for the soft stomach person….   The information at times could be revolting but when you think about it…. it happened in history and people lived like that in the past.

Oh, Yikes! is available for purchase at your favorite bookstore, even on amazon.ca and amazon.com.

 

Disclaimer: Thanks to Thomas Allen for sending me the above mentioned books for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Everything You Need to Ace…

Back in August last year, I had the opportunity to review three titles in the series Everything You Need to Ace.   I had received the English Language Arts, the World History and the Science titles.

My husband was so impressed with these books that he asked if there were other titles in the series.  “Yes – Math and American History.” , I answered.  “Try to get them as well.”

It is pretty rare that my husband will take the time to check out some books I receive to review so for him to suggest that I get the other two titles is pretty meaningful.

The BIG FAT NOTEBOOK™ series is built on a simple and irresistible conceit—borrowing the notes from the smartest kid in class.  Inside each of the title you will find every subject’s key concepts summarize in small chunks of information so that you can digest that your own rhythm.   And to make things a bit easier on everyone the critical ideas are highlighted in neon colors, the definitions are explained, doodles illustrates the tricky concepts and mnemonics helps to memorize.  Finally you will also find some quizzes at the end of each chapters to help you cement the information in your brain.

Math

Everything You Need to Ace Math . . . covers everything to get a student over any math hump: fractions, decimals, and how to multiply and divide them; ratios, proportions, and percentages; geometry; statistics and probability; expressions and equations; and the coordinate plane and functions.

The math book has been a great reference for us – especially in the pre-algebra lessons when my son forgets how to do a calculation like the Pythagorean theorem.

American History

Everything You Need to Ace American History . . . covers Native Americans to the war in Iraq. There are units on Colonial America; the Revolutionary War and the founding of a new nation; Jefferson and the expansion west; the Civil War and Reconstruction; and all of the notable events of the 20th century—World Wars, the Depression, the Civil Rights movement, and much more.

I was hesitating about this specific title because we are Canadians.  But come to think of it, this book is a perfect summary to discover what happened during the history of America.   And since they are our closest neighbors why not learn a bit about them.  

My Thoughts

This series of book is amazing.  Each title is a great addition to your personal library whether you homeschool or not.   Right at the tips of your fingers you can get information about English Language Arts, Math, World History, American History, as well as Science.  

I would like to suggest some other titles to Workman for future publications: Geography and Canadian History.   I am sure that these two subjects would be popular as well.

I give my two thumbs-up for the titles in the Everything You Need to Ace series.  They are great resources to have at hand when you desire to verify some concepts, learn new facts or simply read for the fun.

Everything you Need to Ace books are available on amazon.ca and amazon.com.

   
  
  
  
  

 

Disclaimer: Thanks to Thomas Allen for sending me the above mentioned books for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

100 Women Who Made History

100 Women Who Made History – Remarkable Women Who Shaped Our World
Published at DK Canada

About the book

There are many ladies in history who have left their mark. 100 Women Who Made History takes kids on a tour of the past and uncovers the stories of the women and girls who have shaped the modern world.

From super scientists like Marie Curie and Rosalind Franklin to clued-up creatives like Emily Dickinson and J.K. Rowling to leading ladies like Joan of Arc and Eleanor Roosevelt, profiles explore the lives of each woman in detail, and photography and quirky "bobble-head" illustrations present history in a new and fun way. Kids can put each woman's story into context with "what came before…" and "what came after…" panels showing the things that influenced and were influenced by each woman. Special features highlight contemporaneous women and women in similar fields to paint a more complete picture for young readers.

A wonderful inspiration for young girls and a great learning tool for all children, 100 Women Who Made History proves that this isn't just a man's world.

My Thoughts

I was delighted to realized that DK had published a book about 100 women who made history.   A couple of years ago, I have the privilege to review their book 100 People Who Made History and I was looking forward to discover this new title.   I was not disappointed.   The book contains great women who made a mark in history whether with creativity, science, leadership, entrepreneurship and more.   

Each woman will be presented in a one or two pages presentation and will highlights her accomplishments in life.  Some of the women in this book are well know like Joan of Arc, Sacagawea, or Rosa Parks.  However, there are names which are less familiar like Peggy Guggenheim, Althea Gibson, or Emmeline Pankhurst.    Still whether well known or not, these women have shaped history and could be interesting in discovering.

When we received this book to review, it didn’t take long for my nine years old daughter to pick it up in order to read it.   As she read some of the women’s name in the book, she stumble onto Josephine Baker.   Turns out that we had just watched the episode in which she appeared in the television show Timeless.  The show is about time travel and cross the path of famous people through history.   Nevertheless, Jasmine was happy to see that Josephine was part of the book.   But what I particularly find interesting is that she had an interest in reading the journal of Anne Frank after reading the information on the young Jewish girl.   Mind you, I recognize that the journal present some historical information that could be disturbing for a young girl like my Jasmine.  Fortunately I also had a junior version of the journal.   I also told her that it was a difficult subject to read about and that I would understand if she puts it aside for a time.   She has started it and after a week she has put it aside.   I will encourage her to continue reading it as I think it is important for her to realize that life is not always easy.

This book is packed with interesting women at different time in history.   It is a great book to peruse when you desire to learn more about historical events or historical people.

100 Women Who Made History is available for purchase at your favorite bookstore, even on amazon.ca and amazon.com.

 

Disclaimer: Thanks to DK Canada for allowing me to promote these books. I was not monetarily compensated for this post . Please note that the post was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Free admission at Parks Canada for 2017

As some of my readers might know – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadais celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2017.  We know that many activities throughout Canada will be happening for sure.   Ottawa will probably have an amazing Canada Day celebrating on July 1st, 2017.  And the celebrations in town will start on Parliement Hill on December 31st at 7pm until midnight with musical performances on pyromusical show and fireworks at midnight.  

To celebrate this milestone for our country Parks Canada is inviting Canadians and visitors from everywhere to come and celebrate while visiting our national treasures from coast to coast.  How?  Well Parks Canada is offering its Discovery Pass for free admission for 2017!  Click on the badge below to access the page to order your free Parks Canada Discovery Pass for 2017.

What does this pass includes?  Well it allows you to get free admission to all national parks, national historic sites, and national marine conservation areas operated by Parks Canada.  It also allow you to use lockage for free at Parks Canada’s historic canals and waterways.  Check the full list of Parks Canada places on their website.

However, regular fees will be charged for other experiences and services like camping, backcountry, any other accomodations, Canadian Rockies Hot Springs, mooring, reservation fees, guided tours and hikes, programs not usually included with admission, firewood, backcountry overnight use.  Note that this is not an exhaustive list.  You will have to verify with the location you will be visiting for more details.

To learn more what is going on in 2017 throughout Canada to celebrate the 150th anniversary, check out the Canada 150 website for details.

We haven’t decided what we will do in 2017 – but we know that we want to celebrate Canada Day in Ottawa.   Canada’s 150th anniversary is definitively something we do not want to miss!

And to make celebrations even more interesting – did you know that 2017 is also the 375th anniversary of Montreal?   If you visit Ottawa in 2017, Montreal is only two and a half hours away in the province of Quebec.

The Mystery of History Volume III–Renaissance, Reformation and Growth of Nations

I am delighted to present you a fabulous history curriculum which I know will not only introduce you to historical events but will also give you some information about the growth of the Christian faith through the years.

The Mystery of History curriculum is for all ages – younger students (K-3rd), middle students (4th-8th), and Older students (9th – 12th).  Depending of the age of your child you will find fun hands-on crafts, games as well as research projects for them. 

This is the third volume of a series of four.   The first book covered from the Creation to the Resurrection.  The second book concentrated to the history of the Early Church and the Middles Ages.  This book covers the Renaissance, Reformation and the Growth of Nations.   Finally the fourth book specifically presents the Wars of Independence to the Modern Times.

The purpose of this blog post is to present what you can expect to discover while using the Mystery of History Volume III curriculum.   At the end of January, I will write another blog post to present how we have used the curriculum during the months of August 2016 to January 2017.   What is particularly interesting for us is that our homeschool coop will also cover the Renaissance period this year as one of our units.   So receiving these items in time for us to discover and learn about Renaissance is definitively a blessing. 

This specific volume will cover the people and the events from 1455 to 1707.  Not only will you learn about the Inquisition, Christopher Columbus, Michelangelo, Martin Luther, and many more but you will also see how Renaissance and the Reformation influenced Europe, which empires became wealthy in West Africa, learn about the Mogul dynasty in India among other things. 

As you can already realize this historical curriculum covers so much that you can’t help to anticipate what will be in the pages you read as you use it.  

Volume III of The Mystery of History has been divided into two books – a student reader which contains 84 lessons with colorful pictures, and the Companion Guide which includes the pretests, hands-on and research activities for younger, middle, and older students, memory card ideas, biweekly quizzes and exercises, timeline helps, maps, and supplemental books list.

The reader is also available as an audio book (which we also received and you could use with the text in hand or simply take notes or color while you listen to it).   The author herself is reading the text and background music adds life, drama and more meaning to the lessons. 

Volume II also offers a Super Supplemental Collection (in CD or PDGF format) which offers you challenge cards, coloring pages,  notebooking pages, and a complete folderbook set. From what I have looked at right now, I particularly like the notebooking pages that contains questions that the student have to answer.   I will be using this particular set of notebooking pages in the months to come.

Other items we also received that will be included in the review  are:

Rand McNally’s Historical Atlas of the World will provide information on all time periods and help the students to complete the mapping exercises in the series.   It contains over 75 colorful, thematic maps which also include literacy, languages, religions and more.

Rand McNally’s The Atlas of World Geography provides 65 physical and political maps of our present world which includes all nations and continents.   You will be able to quickly see information about population, land use, climate, all presented with charts, graphs, and tables. 

The Mystery of History Tote Bag could become an essential item in your homeschool journey.  This canvas bag display The Mystery of History logo and possess strong handles, a pen/glasses holder and a vinyl inner lining which gives it strength, durability, and protection for what you can carry in it.   My first impression of this bag is highly positive.  The bag is sturdy and is beautifully made.   I personally plan to use it to bring my journaling bible things at the RV (on a regular basis until mid-October) as well as carry much needed books at coop in the fall.  

Please note that even if it is recommended that you have gone through volumes I and II before tackling this one, it is not necessary at all to do so.  You can see example of activities with this book at the Mystery of History website.

Needless to say that I am looking forward to explore what all these products have in store in the months to come as we embark on a journey of discovery with Mystery of History Volume 3 – Renaissance, Reformation, and Growth of Nations. 

If you are interested in getting Mystery of History Volume III – Renaissance, Reformation, and Growth of Nations, you can get these at your favorite homeschool suppliers. Prices are as follow:  The Reader 59.95$, The Companion Guide  Paperback 39.95$  CD 29.95$  PDF 29.95$, the MP3  CDs 52.95$   Downloads 12$ for each quarter (there are four quarters) with or without music, the Super Supplemental Collection CD 64.95$ PDF 59.95$, the Rand McNally’s Historical Atlas of the World 14.95$, the Rand McNally’s The Atlas of Word Geography 16.99$, and the Mystery of History Tote Bag 10.00$.  Note that all prices are all in US dollars.

As I mentioned above, I will be using this curriculum for our history this year and plan to write a more detailed post on how Mystery of History Volume III was used in our homeschool. This blog post will be written sometime at the end of January 2017.

Disclaimer: Thanks to the author of Mystery of History for sending me the above mentioned products for review purposes . I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Science in the Beginning

Science in the Beginning
Written by Dr. Jay Wile
Published at Berean Builders

Many homeschool mom sometimes panic when it comes time to teach science. I think that these moments of panic often comes because we sometimes don't know where to start and how to make it interesting. Fear not anymore because now there is a new elementary science curriculum that has been written by none other than Dr. Jay Wile (best known for his science courses for high school). The series currently offers four titles at this point in time but a fifth one will be published in the future.

The series is essentially a hands-on, multilevel elementary science series that introduce scientific concepts using history as its guide. The first book of the series is Science in the Beginning.  And today I am presenting you this beautiful book that I have received.  When the author started to write this elementary level science series he decided to stat at the beginning of history which is given in the Bible's creation account.   It made sense to start with the days of creation. The book will introduce concepts like the nature of light, energy conservation, properties of air and water, introduce botany, explore the solar system, discover basic zoology as well as aspects of the human anatomy and physiology.  And let me tell you that this book is very different from another popular days of creation science series that many homeschoolers use.   Why you might ask?  Well, each lesson offers a hands-on activity that will help to cement the concept learned and concludes with three different levels of review depending of the age of the students – youngest students (grades 1-2), older students (grades 3-4), and oldest students (grades 5-6).

In all the book contains 90 lessons that you will be able to read and do with your children. Essentially there are fifteen lessons for each of the creation days mentioned in the book of Genesis. The first twelve lessons are considered "normal" lessons and the last three lessons are considered "challenge" lessons. So you have the choice of doing all the lessons or just simply doing the normal ones.   There are two ways to schedule the lessons – you can choose to do a lesson every other day or you can opt to do two lessons each week.    Each lesson has a hands-on activity – usually an experiment – in order to help cement the information covered during the reading of the lesson.   The lessons are short (about three pages maximum of learning the concepts), contains photos and/or illustrations in order to illustrate the subject of the lesson, and will be completed with review questions that are divided based on the three levels of students you could have.  Everything in the book is clearly identified for the person doing the reading.   Most experiments will be done at the beginning of the lesson so I would suggest that you quickly check the lesson before starting in order to collect the items needed for the experiment.    Then sit comfortable, gather your children around you and learn together about the science behind the days of creation.

The book also has a Helps & Hints booklet which is a great help for the mom doing the teaching.   This booklet contains the lesson reviews answers for each lesson included in the book.   You will see clearly which answers apply for the youngest students, the older students and the oldest students.   Inside this booklet there are also tests provided as well as the answers for these tests.  However, Dr. Wile do mention that he do not think that the tests are important for the elementary years.   He has included these for parents who desire to test their kids.   Personally, I think it was nice of him to include the tests and answers because I strongly believe that the oldest children could practice taking tests before getting in upper grades like middle school and high school.  Also, a free notebook is available for your students to fill in at the Berean Builders website. 

Needless to say I am very impressed with the Science in the Beginning.   Not only does it introduce you to science based on the days of creation with fun experiments to explore but your children will have the opportunity to slowly learn how to review material learned and possibly practice doing tests if you choose to do so.   The fact that each lessons are short and offers experiments which are useful to understand the concept learned.   My kids and I were able to better visualize and understand the concept we have learned during lessons we have done.  The fact that this particular science book is designed for all elementary levels maybe be interesting for families with multiple children.  Bottom line, this book is complete to cover science lessons for a complete year for children grades 1-6.  It is a fabulous book that homeschool families should seriously consider when it comes to teaching science to your kids because it contains numerous experiments which allow them to better understand the scientific concept taught each time.

To conclude let me tell you a bit more about things that are linked to this specific book.   Nature’s Workshop offers a  kit of supplies to help you do the experiments.  However, you do not have to purchase this kit necessarily.  It is easy to collect the items to do the experiment at home or at a store near you.  I suspect that this kit was made available to make it easier on moms who might be overwhelmed with teaching science or dislike shopping. A lapbook is also available for families who prefer to take this route through A Journey of Learning. Finally, the author also has made available a series of downloads for the book including three very useful documents which align his science series with some of the history curriculum available:  Mystery of History, Story of the World, and Tapestry of Grace.

Science in the Beginning is available at your favourite homeschool store, even on amazon.com.

Disclaimer: Thanks to Berean Builders for sending me the above mentioned curriculum for review purposes . I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Valley of the Kings: Afterlife

Valley of the Kings: Afterlife
By Alderac Entertainment Group (AEG)

About the game

When you die, you can take it with you!

Take on the role of Egyptian nobles at the time of the pharaohs, preparing for their death and burial in the Valley of the Kings.  Using an innovative deck-building mechanic with a crumbling pyramid, players fill their tombs with jewelry, chambers, weapons, tomb art and other treasures.  The player who collects the most valuable artifacts in their tomb wins the game.

Our Thoughts

My husband and I played Valley of the Kings: Afterlife recently and we had a great time learning this game.  Essentially the game is a deck-building game but with a different twist as it uses a pyramid design to allow you to purchase your cards.   Let me explain.

After learning how to play the game, we decided to used our lazy Susan in order to be able to switch the play between the two of us.   We find that when it comes to deck-building games it is good to be able to have the flexibility to flip the game play between the persons playing in order to make a better decision.     So we set up our stock (which contained the level II and level III cards), the boneyard (aka the destroy pile), and the pyramid before starting our play.

Each player gets starter cards which are composed of level I cards.  You will receive in your hand 4 Shabtis, 3 Urns, 2 Boxes of Food, and 1 Offering Table.   You also get a Tomb card as well as a reference card if you need it.   In front of you, you would set up your area in whichever way you desire. 

The goal of the game is to get the more points.   Each turn you play you can do one of three things: 1) buy a card from the base of the pyramid, 2) execute the action listed on a card, 3) entomb a card (once per turn).  How can you buy?  Well each card has a cost which you can find at the top right corner.  For example the Sphinx has a cost of 7.   Each card also have value which allows you to purchase other cards.   The Sphinx has a value of 3 which is indicated in the gold area on the left of the image.   Each card also has an action which allow you to do something else.  Again in the case of the Sphinx the action allowed is to put the next card you take or buy this turn into your hand.  For this specific action it means you will be able to use the new card right away.  Also as you play and purchase cards, the pyramid will crumble allowing the cards located at the top to come down in place on the pyramid.  Once you have crumble the pyramid you can incorporate more cards at the top.  However, the pyramid will always have  only six cards.

There are three types of cards: starter cards (the ones you received initially in your hand), the unique artifacts (like the Sphinx, Ibex statue and so on), and the sets (mummification, jewelry, chambers, weapons, and tomb art).

As you play, you need to entombed cards in your Tomb.   At the end of the game the entombed cards will be used to score the victory points.     For starter cards and unique artifacts the victory points are calculated based on the VP listed on the card.  Simply add these up.   However, there is a different twist in calculating the points for the sets.   In this case, when you have entombed sets you have to determine how many different cards in each set you have (do not count duplicates) and then square the results.  Here’s what my tomb looked like when we finished the game.   So for my Chambers set (orange cards)I had five cards in this set which gave me 25 (5x5) victory points.   The rules also include a scoring example for people who might have difficulty in calculating the points. Also a quick note on our setting… My husband discovered that it would be more visual for him to see the cards stacked in categories so that is what we have decided to do but the idea is to stack your entombed cards under your Tomb. 

We really enjoyed playing Valley of the Kings: Afterlife and look forward to play many more games with it.   It is different than the other deck-building games in many ways as you entomb cards and purchase cards from a pyramid.   There is strategy in this game as you have to build set within your tomb in order to score more points.  Consequently, you have to be aware at what your opponent is doing and think before crumbling the pyramid so that you do not give an advantage to your opponent.     The instructions are easy to follow and very clear from what we have seen.  There was one time we wondered about the action associated with a card and we checked for more insights in the instructions book which provided more information about that card.   However, most cards are very easy to understand.  What I particularly like as well is the tidbits of historical information found at the bottom of each cards where you will be able to read about how the Egyptians used different things in their everyday life or preparation for the afterlife.  This game is perfect to wrap-up some studies about Ancient Egypt.  Thought it is mentioned 14 and up for this game, I am pretty confident that my 8, 10 and 12 years old would understood the rules and pick up the game rapidly.   They already play other types of deck-building games that are above their ages.

The best part is that even if Valley of the Kings: Afterlife is a stand-alone game, it can be mixed with the original Valley of the Kings to play a different game each time and also play up to 6 players.    We enjoyed Valley of the Kings: Afterlife so much that we will probably invest in getting the original Valley of the Kings so that we can play with our four kids as well. 

The box contains 96 artifact cards, 4 tomb cards, 4 reference cards and a rule book.  The game is planned for 24 players but it also include a solitaire rules if you desire to play alone.  Expect a playtime of about 45 minutes.

Good news for people who enjoy the Valley of the Kings games – a new version titled Valley of the Kings: Last Rites will be available soon.  In this new version you must hire artisans, builders, and priests to prepare  your tomb for the afterlife.  Again you will be able to mix this one with the two previous titles in the series. 

Both Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Kings: Afterlife are available at your favourite game store – even on amazon.ca and amazon.com.

    

  

Disclaimer: Thanks to AEG for sending the above mentioned game for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this post . Please note that the post was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Prayers that Changed History

Prayers that Changed History
Written by Tricia Goyer
Published at Zondervan

About the book

Twenty-five stories of historical figures who prayed to God and as a result, history was changed.

One prayer can change everything.

Martin Luther. Sojourner Truth. Helen Keller. St. Patrick. We read their stories, and of other people like them, in history books, and hear about the amazing things they did to change the world. But one part of the story is often left out: Each one of them wouldn’t have accomplished what they did without prayer.

In this book from bestselling author Tricia Goyer, the stories of twenty-five notable people are presented along with the major prayer that changed their lives and changed history. Following each historical example is a biblical story that ties to that person’s life and actions, as well as ways you can use the power of prayer in your life as well. Because God isn’t done changing the world yet, and he would love to use you to make history.

My Thoughts

As soon as I saw this book promoted on facebook, I thought it would be great as a homeschool resource.   I wasn’t mistaken.  The book is packed with interesting stories about prayer but it doesn’t stop there.   Following the historical example of prayers you will also find a section of the chapter that will find a biblical story that ties to the person’s life and actions, learn how that person changed history, and finally how you can apply the lesson learned in your own life.

There are over 25 stories of notable people presented through the pages of this book; Polycarp, Constantine, St. Patrick of Ireland, Oswald King of Northhumbria, Christopher Columbus, Martin Luther, Governor William Bradford, John Eliot, Susanna Wesley, John Newton, Robert Raikes, Mary Jones, Sojourner Truth, Catherine Booth, David Livingstone, Florence Nightingale, George Müller, Billy Sunday, Helen Keller, Amy Carmichael, John Hyde, Mother Teresa, The British People of WWII, Corrie ten Boom, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer.  Each of these people is chronologically presented in the book.  

As much as this book is originally intended for kids, I think it is a great read for parents as well.  It could be used as part of your homeschool as a read-aloud or as part of family devotion in reading and discussing a specific person.  The book can complete a study on prayer or be used as part of your history lessons.   We recently studied the explorers as part of our homeschool coop and right inside this book I could use Christopher Columbus and David Livingstone for read-aloud with my kids.  One of my boys did a presentation on Christopher Columbus and we made sure to read the chapter on his prayer before the presentation.  No matter how you plan to use the book, it is definitively a fabulous addition to your personal library whether you read it aloud or you assign the book as a personal reading for a child.  It is a great resource to teach about prayer.

Prayers that Changed History is available for purchase at your favorite bookstore, even on amazon.ca and amazon.com.

  

The book is also available for Kindle or Kindle app.

 

Disclaimer: Thanks to Thomas Nelson for sending me the above mentioned product for review purposes . I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

The Canadian Canoe Museum

We recently decided to take advantage of the free admission on Thursday nights at the Canadian Canoe Museum in Peterborough, Ontario.   We are parked near by with our RV and were wondering what we could do that evening  after we drove for a week-end of camping.

This unique museum can be taking at you own pace and offers an out-of-the-ordinary view of Canada’s history as seen from a canoe. 

This upcoming year as part of our homeschool we will be studying explorers and I thought that visiting this museum would be a great addition to our upcoming learning experience in September.

At the entrance of the museum we could take a some pictures with a setting especially made for the museum.    (Note: I played with a photo app to make it a bit more antique.)

The museum had an interesting search and find sheet for the kids to do while visiting.   My kids had a kick in trying to find everything on the list in order to get a free pin that they could pick and choose at the end.    Some items were easy to find while others not so much – like the red wings on a canoe…  My sweet daughter went to the main desk to ask where it was and we were just next to it.   Here’s a hint if you go visit: they are not bird wings drawn on a canoe…

The kids had a blast at the puppet theater where they were able to play with Canada’s wildlife creatures.  We also sat in a wigwam and enjoyed a fire at the same time.   My daughter dressed up as a voyageur using a Hudson Bay Company capotes.  And we learned quite of bit of the history of canoe, how a canoe is birth and so much more.

In a special section, the kids discovered how the canoes at the museum were taken care of as well as talked with an artisan who was making something special for the museum.

At the end the kids were able to use a training machine to learn to do competitive kayaking.

There is also a section in the museum where the kids can do miniature canoes.  We didn’t do the crafts on site but I grabbed a few of them to make at home.  However, they were fully equipped with scissors and glue for the kids to make them at the museum.  If you can’t visit this museum – no worries because the three hands-on crafts are available to download on their website as well.   Click here to download the Nuu-Chah-Nulth Dugout Canoe, the Sanikiluarmiut Kayak and the Ojibway Bark Canoe.  I strongly suggest that you print it on cardboard so that the craft is more sturdy.

In all, we had a great time walking through the museum and learning more about how canoes are part of our heritage and history.  The Canadian Canoe Museum is worth discovering whether you are homeschooler or not.

The Canadian Canoe Museum is located at 910 Monaghan Road, Peterborough, Ontario.   The museum is open daily except for December 25 and 25, January 1 and 2.  Note that the museum closes at 2:00 pm on December 24th.    Hours of operation are Monday to Wednesday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm,  Thursday from 10:00am to 8:00pm, Friday and Saturday from 10:00 am to 5:00pm and Sunday from noon to 5:00pm.    Admissions are 10.50$ for adults, 8.25$ for seniors (65+), 8.25$ for students ages 5-17, kids under 5 are free.   If you have a family (up to 2 adults and 4 children ages 5-17) the price will be 25.00$ 

Bonhoeffer Student Edition

Bonhoeffer Student Edition – Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy
Written by Eric Metaxas
Published by Thomas Nelson

About the book

In his New York Times bestseller Bonhoeffer, author Eric Metaxas presents the fullest account of Bonhoeffer's heart-wrenching 1939 decision to leave the safe haven of America for Hitler's Germany.

Now abridged and adapted in student-friendly language, Bonhoeffer, Student Edition tells the story of one of Christianity's most courageous heroes. The student edition will share Bonhoeffer's inspirational testimony with children in a compelling and relatable way. Young readers will enjoy learning about the fascinating life of the man who had the courage to follow his convictions into Nazi Germany and stand up for others because of his radical faith.

Who is Eric Metaxas?

Eric Metaxas is the author of the New York Times bestseller Amazing Grace, Everything You Always Wanted to Know About God (But Were Afraid to Ask), Everything Else You Always Wanted to Know About God, and thirty children’s books. He is founder and host of Socrates in the City in New York City, where he lives with his wife and daughter. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, the Atlantic, Washington Post, Books & Culture, Christianity Today, Marks Hill Review, and Fist Things. He has written for VeggieTales and Rabbit Ears Productions, earning three Grammy nominations for Best Children’s Recording.

My Thoughts

Love the simplicity of the book compared to the adult version.   It is perfect to introduce your teenager to the life of Bonhoeffer and what he did during the second world war.    As I read this book I discovered the truth behind the atrocities of that war and the events surrounding the rise of Hitler as the leader of Germany. The more I read the more I realized that the people of Germany were duped and manipulated to the desire of one single man.   For example, the military were called to take an oath when Hitler became president of the country and the regular oath was changed at the last minute without their knowledge.  

Throughout the book, the student who is reading it will find boxes with information that will help to understand some words, the situation, the second World War and more.  You will also have the opportunity to visualize a timeline at the beginning of each chapter.  This timeline will help the reader to visualize when the event covered in a chapter happened.   Finally, a map of Europe during WWII at the beginning of the book the Bonhoeffer family tree , a list of key words and people located at the end of the book as well as questions to help your student to ponder of what he/she has read complete the book. 

There is much to discover about Bonhoeffer in this book and it could be a great springboard for the adult version of the book as well.   This book will join the list of things to read from my oldest son for his grade 9 level and I am planning to ask him to jolt down his answers to the questions as well as write a paper on Bonhoeffer when he is done the reading.   This book covers not only history but also missionary study for your homeschool.   The reading is easy for kids and I think that even my grade 5 and grade 6 kids would benefit from reading it.

Bonhoeffer Student Edition is available for purchase at your favorite bookstore, even amazon.ca and amazon.com.

 

Disclaimer: Thanks to Thomas Nelson for sending me the above mentioned product for review purposes . I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.