Curriculum for Grammar

Easy Grammar by Wanda Phillips is one of my favorite grammar curricula. One thing I like most of all is that I really only need the teachers book because the student pages are also included in the book. I am permitted to copy the student pages. I put them in my own three ring binder usually a half year at a time.

This curriculum also includes unit reviews and tests, as well as, cumulative unit reviews and tests. She has included a few games in her book that are fun to play while learning. One such game is preposition bingo.

I love the fact that Easy Grammar begins with learning prepositions. The approach is somewhat ingenious. First your child learns the prepositions and their phrases and eliminate the prepositional phrases from a sentence. Afterwards, it becomes extremely easy to find the subject and verb, as well as, point out the other parts in sentence.

One of the biggest questions about Easy Grammar is, “Do I have to get the teachers book and the student workbook too?” The answer is no. The teacher’s books has the same material as the students book. To see what the books look like here is a quick video that shows the material. It’s not the best example but, it does show the books and how they are laid out.

[jbutton link="http://youtu.be/9a-PQyaAdcA"]Easy Grammar Curriculum[/jbutton]

Catholic Story Books for Kids

Recently I passed on a book to a friend of mine that was so rich with stories that were Catholic based for children. Not saint stories but solid in Catholic teaching. The book was called Angel Food by Father Gerald Brennan. You may have seen a review I did on this book.

If you’re still not sure if this book is what your looking for I found a website where you can read these stories online. It’s http://www.angelfoodmedia.com/

Angel City, Wonderful book by Father Gerald Brennan

I recently finished reading a story I picked up in my Church’s library. What a delightful suprise as I poured forth the pages of this story. Angel City A book for Children six to sixty by Father Gerarld Brennan.

As the story goes, Father is a great storyteller and children love to hear his stories. He is missing all the children he taught in school because it’s summertime. He goes off hunting for a place called Angel City that he had a dreamt about the previous night. I will skip the part that lets you know how he gets into Angel City. Although, I will tell you that he shares some of the best truly catholic stories with the children that make this book worth its weight in gold. All the stories he tell starts off about a particular boy or girl which then turns into a fabulous moral teaching about Jesus, Mary, Purgatory or such the like, that will keep your kids talking about the tale even after the story is over.

There are a few pictures in the 94 page book however, unlike many saint stories this book is different. I assure you children young and old including yourself will fully engage in Angel City : A Book for Children from Six to Sixty. Written in 1940, the only thing that dates this story is the fact that it’s ok for priests to like and befriend children and visa versa.

In reviewing the book I came to realize this is not the only one Father Gerarld Brennan has written. Click on his name and the link will take you to a list of books that he has written. They are fairly hard to come by so if you find one don’t let it go!

Beware of history movies and documentaries reviewed

Not all history movies are created alike. History resources are losing their credibility.

Recently, a Catholic friend of mine was watching the History Channel. The History Channel is good, it’s a great source of history or is it? Historical events at the time of Jesus were being discuss when out of the blue a factual statement was made that (everybody’s knows kind of statement) that Mary was actually raped by a Roman Soldier. It stopped my friend dead in his tracks and he changed the channel. This was a knowledgeable Catholic adult watching the show. The sad part is that, there are many adults and impressionable children of all ages watch these shows that don’t know their faith facts and can be lured in by these untrue comments and statements. Thus furthering the viewers believe that it must be true because they just watched it on a credible station. I have seen more and more of this type of thing going on with the History Channel. So Please BEWARE, if you are a parent, I advise you if you watch this and shows like this on the History Channel, watch them with your child!

I am afraid it goes farther. Recently I received a PBS documentary DVD on the Rise of the Roman Empire, the First Century. Wow, what a mistake not to preview that one! For sometime during the first part of the dvd (I didn’t watch the rest) they spent discussing illict love affairs of ancient Roman women and showed ancienet images on walls depicting every sort of intimate position know to mankind! These were not just quick glimpes of a camera shot; the images were kept on the tv screen for some time before they moved on to another image in an even more provocitive position! Doing all this while reading seducing poetry from the time.

I began to wonder how long I would have to endured exposé of smut. How could this possibly be the meat and potatoes of critical information as to the Rise of the Roman Empire! I advise you if you have children, unless you want them to prematurely be subjected to very imtimate scenes and careless discussion of promescuity you will avoid this Movie like the plague! This is not the best resource for educating your children.

Review on EPIC A Journey through Church History

Our Church is about to embark on a series of studies using Epic A Journey through Church History. It’s a dvd series more. So I went on the hunt attempting to find write up and reviews on this DVD series before committing myself to several weeks of church group meetings. Was it going to bash the church or confirm the Magisterium?

I found a nice write up from a couple that I follow Greg and Jennifer Willits giving some details about the preview they had and the authors.

Other than that I haven’t seen any reviews. If you have been a part of this DVD series with your parish please write a review about. Otherwise, I will let you know this Spring how it went.

Hero of the Hills by Mary Fayban Windeatt

The story of St. Benedict.

This is a great story to Read Aloud together as a family or hand off to a child who reads chapter books. It especially makes a good read for those with children who are reluctant in doing their school work.

The book Hero of the Hills draws you right in at the very beginning as young Benedict wants to leave school and go off and become a hermit. His 50 year old nurse/house keeper who has been put in charge of him won’t let him get away that easily. She insists that this hermit will have a house keeper and a home cooking. She begins the journey with St. Benedict trudging through the wilderness of Italy with him. This book is so easy to read yet not childish, you and your children will love finding out more of this fascinating saint. How he struggled living in a cave at 17; his many miracles that include raising a boy from the dead. How he fights with the devil that only he can see but everyone else can hear too. How he went from living in a cave as a hermit to becoming an Abbot of several monasteries and so much more all within a book that not more then about 150 pages.

Here are some locations and prices where you can find the book.

Search title: Hero of the Hills, price $8.45

St. Benedict: Hero of the Hills: Price $9.95 from Ignatius Press links directly to book.

Search for title: Hero of the Hills from Catholic Books and Gifts price:$9.95

“Story of the World” History Books Review.

This set of history books were recommended by Cathy Duffy’s 100 best picks. It was is recommended by several sources as a very hands on book. As for the best History Books for Catholic’s, well, I haven’t found anything condemning the church. However, I do believe that there are better History books for Catholic Kids out. So don’t give up your hunt before deciding on this collection of history books. I do highly recommend the Activity book that go with them. The activities are fun and seem to reach all age groups.

There are 4 volumes and they are recommended for grades 1st through 4th grade. It is very easy to use. The Activity manual is necessary to experience full success with the program. They also sell these is audio books which can be purchased individually or as the entire 4 volume collection. We didn’t do that, we enjoy reading the stories at night together as a family then talk about them.

Should you decide to buy one or more of this series it may seem a little confusing at first. Each volume has about 3 or 4 different choices. There are really just 2 essential books you need. One choice is Hardback or Paperback of the text. The other book is the Activity book which includes a complete curriculum guide within it. There is a third option and that includes purchasing the audio version of the text. It can be purchased in one or all of the volumes.

Be aware some of the cheaper Story of the World History Volumes that are selling the a really reduced rate are the original edition and not the revised editions. Does it matter? You decide; the revised edition include map updates. If you can work around that you may just save yourself $10 – $20.00 per book.

The Story of the World: History for the Classical Child: Volume 1: Ancient Times: From the Earliest Nomads to the Last Roman Emperor, Revised Edition (Paperback) and The Story of the World. Activity Book 1: Ancient Times

Find these books on Amazon.com
Story of the World Ancient Times Volume 1 The Story of the World. Activity Book 1: Ancient Times (Revised Edition) (Bk. 1)
AD Totally Tut Pyramid Game

To my knowledge Angelicum Academy also offers a Lesson plan for Volume 1 only. The cost of the Lesson plan is $10.00 you can find it through this link.