History Links vs Catholic Faith Comes to the Americas

As if the decisions were not hard enough to find just the right curriculum – here is a history curriculum that comes highly recommended by both Cathy Duffy and Maureen Wittman who are both home school curriculum reviewers if you are not aware of that.

History Links I thought, was really intended for older middle school grades however, after recently checking through their website again I have discovered that you can begin this curriculum as early as preschool. It is set up so it covers information by different age levels. So a 2nd grader may not get as in depth as an 8th grader would. Sounds quite interesting, and very hands on.

Each History link book can be found at Sacred Heart Books for less than you can buy directly from the publishers website. Sacred Heart books sells these unit studies for 12.95 per unit.

Catholic Faith Comes to the Americas by Seton Press

All in all after careful review of several history books that blend Catholic history with American history I have noted that several of the home study programs have opted for Catholic Faith Comes to the Americas by Seton Press for those entering 3rd grade. They even note that some of their second grade history material is overlapped in this 3rd grade book. The books is a good price at $15.00 and gives an introduction to American history with short biographies on missionaries, such as Elizabeth Seton, and discoverers such as Christopher Columbus. It covers converting Mexico, South America, Catholics in the war of independence, friends of the Indians – Rose Duchesne, sisters in the Civil War, and many more. You can view the content page of this book and order it by going to Seton Press

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Catholic History

Great Moments in Catholic History.

Text can be found on Catholic Canada website written by Father Jacques Monet, S.J., the President of Regis College, Toronto, is one of Canada’s leading historians.

Titles content include:

Preface: The Creative Hand of God
1 The Council of Jerusalem
2 The Great Fall of Jerusalem
3 The Martyrdom of St. Ignatius
4 The Battle of the Milvian Bridge
5 The Baptism of Clovis
6 The Travels of St. Columban
7 The Way of Santiago of Compostela
8 The Abbey of Cluny
9 The Beginning of Gothic
10 The Opening of the Sorbonne
11 St. Catherine of Siena and the Pope
12 Michelangelo Paints the Sistine Ceiling
13 The Martyrdom of Edmund Campion
14 Matteo Ricci’s Chinese Adventure
15 Mozart’s Music for the Church
16 The Return of Pope Pius VII
17 Japan’s Hidden Christians
18 Leo XIII Issues Rerum Novarum
19 Paul VI at the United Nations

The website link is Catholicanada.com

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Latin, Greek, Root Words

PharmaOmega Learn is designed for school-aged children who need omega-3 to help them focus and do their best in school.

Trying to decide on a homeschool curriculum for learning Latin can be difficult. Maybe you just want your child to learn what the root words mean.

I have discovered English from the Roots Up It’s a very easy conscept for children to pick up. It’s set up by using a 3X5 card system. Red borders around the cards mean Latin based word, green borders around the card be Greek based word. On the back of the card you write words that are associated with your root word. It seems easy and fun for even the most finicky child.

Memorare website also offers free interactive educational flashcards and lists associated with English from the Roots Up.

English from the roots up interactive activities

Don’t give up looking for great deals; search for used books on catholic swap group too. I was able to find my book for $5.00.

Also try Sacred Heart books for English from the Roots up.

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Find Catholic Curriculum with Free shipping

Looking at Catholic Curriculum for next year. I would like to recommend a company called Sacred Heart Books and Gifts.[singlepic id=17 w=320 h=240 mode=web20 float=right]

I found this company last year when I was looking for Saxon Math 2. I really like them, maybe it was because I have a devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus that drew me to the Sacred Heart Books website or maybe it was where they are located, having come from the Midwest. I recently discovered that they are now carrying materials for Catholic Charlotte Mason users. They also have curriculum supplies available for Mother of Divine Grace and many others. There website is dedicated to families and especially one single income families; they keep their prices low! You can find discount prices on Catholic Curriculum from their website all year long. They offer FREE SHIPPING on orders over $25.00 and less than $5.00 on all orders under $25.00. That is a pretty awesome deal for those concerned with purchasing books yet still having funds enough to cover the sometime high cost of shipping.

Before going to Amazon to buy your books check Sacred Heart Books and Gifts out. Their prices are very reasonable. You know the books are new and the best part is FREE SHIPPING with orders over $25.00. You are also helping a fellow Catholic Servant who is to helping Catholic home schoolers.

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Catholic Charlotte Mason Style

I have discovered some new websites that I want to pass along

It a Catholic Charlotte Mason approach. For those of you who have heard about Charlotte Mason style but don’t know that much about it – It’s a more hands on outdoor approach to learning. Reading living books, exploring your surrounding, that sorta of thing.

There are a ton of websites that can do a much better job than I explaining it. But for those who wished they could have a Catholic based version of the Charlotte Mason style look no further than the following link.

http://www.materamabilis.org/

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Newcomer to Catholic homeschooling?

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New Homeschooler Beware:

Home school organizations may try to sell families new to homeschooling only a portion of their curriculum materials. You should always ask if book you are purchasing etc., is all that you need to teach your child that subject. Find out if there are teacher’s resource material to go with it.

Most likely if those new to the whole home school thing are not sure what to buy and from whom. Beware of companies who sell their exclusive core books at a Catholic Home School educators conferences. Unaware, you may find yourself without a much needed teacher manuals or lesson planning materials that go along with these books. Whereupon after the fact, you realize that unless your signed up with their program, the necessary teachers curriculum cannot be obtained.

Over spending on Curricula:

It is believed that this is part of the cause of over buying books, or signing on with home studyl organizations that don’t meet the needs of your child the first year out. The good news is if your not ready to dive into a particular Catholic homeschool program, there are many non-exclusive teaching materials that can eventually be located and purchased through other sources.

If you have done just that, purchased books with no manuals or resources, begin a search for the publisher and name of the book. Engaging in an online search will likely produce the publishers website, as well as places like Amazon.com, half.com, and other key sites where good used teacher’s manuals can be found at discounted prices. Plus, locating the publisher site often times include teachers resources and online activities that go along with the lesson.

Another cause of buying unnecessary books and resources in the first year of home school is, experimenting with curricula to find one that works for your children while learning style and understanding their style. This isn’t a total loss if you don’t mark in the books your first quarter – you can always resell the materials and make most if not all of your money back on it. Or donate it to another homeschooler.

The KEY to making it through the first year without spending a mint is: Listen to seasoned homeschooling families when they say, hold back on spending too much in the first year until you understand the learning styles of your child. Watch for learning signs; expecting children to learn one way, yet teaching another only leaves one frustrated. There are plenty of resources and samples materials online and in bookstores that can at least get you started in on the journey through homeschooling – until you understand what is necessary, wanted and desired. Why not begin with what’s on your own bookshelves? Don’t forget the Internet as well. Their is a vast resource of free materials.

See my reference guide, a list that compares 2nd grade Catholic homeschool programs. Well not really their programs, but the curriculums they use. It shows which schools are using the same books and which schools have their own material.

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2nd Grade Catholic Homeschool Curriculum

Comparing 2nd grade curriculum programs.

Chances are you may already know what type of religion program you want your child to have but when it comes to filling in all the other core programs for 2nd grade thats when things can get a little overwhelming. My objective in this blog is to show who is offering what, as far as study materials for each subject to aid in comparing the curriculums across the board. You will see who offers their own exclusive curriculum materials and, which schools offers subject material that can be purchased in the open market including teachers manuals, without signing up with any particular home study program.

* Lesson plans available with entering exclusive program. However, must be purchased, prices vary.

Language / English (all are different for this subject)

Kolbe: Ingnatius Speaks and writes – exclusive*

CHC (Catholic Heritage Curriculum): Language of God for Little Ones – exclusive*

Seton Home Study: English 2 for Young Catholics – exclusive

St. Thomas Aquinas: Voyages English 2, Capitalization and Puncuation – Open Market

Our Lady of the Rosary: Adventures in English 2 – exclusive

Our Lady of Victory: God Gave me the Gift of Language 2 – exclusive*

Phonics

Kolbe: MCP (Modern Curriculum Press) Phonics B – open market

Seton Home Study: MCP Phonics B – open market

Our Lady of the Rosary: MCP Phonics C -open market

CHC (Catholic Heritage Curriculum): Phonics Readers: Little Stories for Little Folks – exclusive*

St. Thomas Aquinas: Excellence in Spelling: Phonetic Zoo – open market

Our Lady of Victory: Phonics is Fun - open market

Reading / Literature

Seton Home Study: These are our neighbors, This is our Parish - open market

Our Lady of the Rosary: These are our neighbors, This is our Parish -open market

CHC (Catholic Heritage Curriculum): Devotional Reader’s for Little Folks - exclusive*

Kolbe: National Catholic Reader - open market

St. Thomas Aquinas: National Catholic Reader also, Little Angel Readers and workbooks - open market

Our Lady of Victory: National Catholic Reader also, Little Angel Readers D and workbooks - open market

Writing

Kolbe: Unviersal handwriting M and MC – open market*

CHC (Catholic Heritage Curriculum): Catholic Heritage Handwriting level 2 – exclusive*

Seton Home Study: Handwriting for Young Catholics 2 - exclusive

St. Thomas Aquinas: Writing without Tears 2 – Open Market

Our Lady of the Rosary: Handwriting II – exclusive

Our Lady of Victory: Catholic Writing Skills 2 - open market

Spelling

CHC (Catholic Heritage Curriculum): My Catholic Speller - exclusive*

St. Thomas Aquinas: My Catholic Speller - CHC*

Kolbe: Spelling Word List

Seton Home Study: Spelling for Young Catholics 2 – exclusive

Our Lady of the Rosary: Exclusive Catholic material based on 2nd grade text – exclusive

Our Lady of Victory: Traditional Catholic speller and workbook 2 - open market

Religion

Kolbe: Faith and LIfe Series, Jesus Our Life - open market

CHC (Catholic Heritage Curriculum): Faith and LIfe Series, Jesus Our Life - open market

Seton Home Study: Religion 2 for Young Catholics, First Comm. Catechism, The Rosary, Our Lady of Lourdes

Our Lady of the Rosary: Our Holy Faith Series, Jesus Comes - open market

St. Thomas Aquinas: Baltimore Catechism - open market

Our Lady of Victory: St. Joseph’s Baltimore Catechism - open market

Math

Kolbe: MCP (Modern Curriculum Press) Math B, Saxon Math 2, – open market

Seton Home Study: Math 2 for Young Adults – exclusive, MCP Math B, Saxon Math 2 - open market

CHC MCP Math B, S -open market

Our Lady of Victory: Spectrum Math, Working with Numbers – level B, Saxon Math 2 - open market

Our Lady of the Rosary: MCP Math B, Mathematics for little ones with time & money supplements - exclusive*

St. Thomas Aquinas: Math U See Beta – open market

Science / Geography

Kolbe: Science and Living in God’s World, Hartcourt Science 2 - open market

Our Lady of Victory: Science and Living in God’s World - open market

CHC (Catholic Heritage Curriculum): Science for Little Folks, 123 Science overview - open market

Seton Home Study: Science 2 for Young Catholics, – exclusive

Our Lady of the Rosary: Science is Learning - open market

St. Thomas Aquinas: Original Backyard Scientist – open market

History / Social Studies

Kolbe: Bible History – open market

St. Thomas Aquinas: Bible History - open market

Seton Home Study: Our Father’s World; Great Saint’s in World History; Maps, charts, graphs – open market

Our Lady of the Rosary: Map skills books A /B, America My Country - open market

CHC (Catholic Heritage Curriculum): Map Skills

Our Lady of Victory: Maps, Charts, Graphs, B & C - open market