Wednesday, September 6, 2017

Notebooking Pages Huge Giveaway and Freebies Event

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED  



The following is a giveaway sponsored by a company which I use in homeschooling my children. Links included in the post maybe affiliate links which if used for purchasing the product may give me a small commission, I am not affiliated with the giveaway in any other manner.



Join us for a Homeschool Giveaway!



Over $3600 in prizes ... 25 regular winners and

1 GRAND PRIZE winner, plus FREEbies for EVERYONE!


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GIVEAWAY OPENS:
Wednesday, Sept. 6th @ 9am (Eastern)


GIVEAWAY CLOSES:
Friday, Sept. 8th @ 9pm (Eastern)


WHERE:
https://notebookingpages.com/hsg-2017fall

Everyone receives our FREEbies!

                        Everyone who enters the giveaway receives our free notebooking pages download &; special freebies from our prize sponsors.


Enter the giveaway here:

https://notebookingpages.com/hsg-2017fall





25 winners receive a Notebooking Pages LIFETIME Membership.


Enter the giveaway here:

https://notebookingpages.com/hsg-2017fall


Our Grand Prize Winner receives

ALL of the following prizes!

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  • NotebookingPages.com

  • Notebooking Pages LIFETIME Membership


  • Train Up a Child Publishing

  • One Year of Daily Lesson Plans


  • A Better Way to Homeschool

  • Homeschool Guide for Real Family: Includes Dozens of activities


  • How to Homeschool My Child

  • Approaches to Christian Homeschooling {Complete Package}


  • Proverbial Homemaker

  • My First Kitchen Binder for Kids


  • Bible Road Trip

  • Bible Road Trip Year Three Curriculum, and Lower Grammar, Upper Grammar, and Dialectic Notebooking Journals


  • iHomeschool Network

  • The Big Book of Homeschool Ideas Volume One


  • iHomeschool Network

  • The Big Book of Homeschool Ideas Volume Two


  • Barefoot Ragamuffin Curricula

  • Winner's choice of levels 1-5 of English Lessons Through Literature text -AND- workbook


  • Half-a-Hundred Acre Wood

  • Script-n-Scribe Roller Coaster Writer Digital Download


  • Harmony Fine Arts

  • Harmony Fine Arts Bundle Grades 1-4


  • Art History Kids

  • Vincent van Gogh Art Guide for Kids


  • Outdoor Hour Challenges

  • Ultimate Naturalist Library Membership


  • Heritage Grove Academy

  • Thornton Burgess Words of Wisdom Copywork Bundle


  • Homeschool Copywork

  • Lifetime Homeschool Copywork Membership


  • Homeschool Solutions with Pam Barnhill

  • Fall Morning Time Plans


  • Homeschool Solutions with Pam Barnhill

  • Harvest Term: Preschool Morning Time Plans


  • Home School Adventure Co.

  • Philosophy Adventure - Pre-Socratics Digital Edition


  • Homeschool Solutions with Pam Barnhill

  • Plan Your Year Homeschool Planner


  • Enrichment Studies

  • Renaissance Artists PLUS the coordinating Fine Art Pages


  • Adventure Homeschool

  • Interactive Unit Study Combo Pack – Owls & Alligators


  • MomsToolBelt.com

  • Mom's Household Planner LIFETIME Membership


  • Music in Our Homeschool

  • Music Appreciation of the Romantic Era for High School online course


  • Katie's Homeschool Cottage

  • You Can Make Your Own Unit Study Using Charlotte Mason Methods Audio Seminar Workshop Set


  • Writing with Sharon Watson

  • The Power in Your Hands: Writing Nonfiction in High School (text & teacher editions)


    Enter the giveaway here:

    https://notebookingpages.com/hsg-2017fall


    Thursday, August 24, 2017

    Bic Gel-ocity Quick Dry Gel Pens Review


    I recently received a free package of Bic Gel-ocity Quick Dry Gel Pens from Smiley 360 to try and then share my thoughts about the pens.




    My Thoughts

    I really like these gel pans.

    • The ink flows quickly right from the get go, I didn't need to prime it at all to get an ink flow.
    • The ink does dry quickly. Thus it doesn't smear. I tried all three colors on various types of paper, including a glossy finish, and no smearing. 
    • The pen barrel is very comfortable to hold and it isn't slick, so there is a steady grip.

    Even though I would not use the Bic Gel-ocity Quick Dry Gel Pens to do much colorring they did color quite completely. 




    As the ink dries so quickly these would be great pens for a left hander as the likely hood of their smearing their work would probably be greatly reduced. 





    After trying the pens I received to review I purchased a twin pack of blue Bic Gel-ocity Quick Dry Gel Pens to see if they performed the same way the colored pens did. I am happy to report that the blue pens share all the same qualities as the colored pens. 





    If you would like more information about Bic Gel-ocity quick dry gel pens check out the following link. http://h5.sml360.com/-/32138   



    Disclaimer: I received a free package of the Bic Gel-ocity quick dry gel pens from Smiley 360 to try. All opinions expressed here are solely my own and I have not been compensated in any other manner.

    Tuesday, May 30, 2017

    Songs of Joy in The Anthems of Zion


    Do you ever pick up a book which turns out to be so good that you don't want to put it down? Do you say to yourself  "Just one more chapter" and it turns into 2 or 3 or more?

    If you answered Yes to either of the questions then I know of a new series of books for you.

    Check out the Anthems of Zion series by Katie Schuermann. Titles in this trilogy are House of Living Stones, The Choir Immortal, and the soon to be released The Harvest Raise.




    All three books are set in the fictional southern Illinois town of Bradbury.  Not only is the series a chronicle of small town life, the church in town, Zion Lutheran, is just as central a setting for all three books.

     In House of Living Stones  you will meet the main characters; Pastor Fletcher, Dr Emily Duke; a college music professor, Mrs Scheinberg; the church secretary, and many other loving souls who make Bradbury a wonderful place to live. Not only will you share in the joys (and not so joyous parts) of small town life, but also the life and happenings of Zion Lutheran Church.

    The Choir Immortal  begins with a highly anticipated wedding at Zion. But will it happen or will several events turn into catastrophe and prevent this joyful event from taking place? As the story moves on the reader continues to experience life in Bradbury through the many people they came to meet in House of Living Stones. Just as in real life the people in Bradbury experience trauma and heartache and joy and happiness. Through it all they are comforted by their friends, but most importantly through the Word of God.




    The Harvest Raise concludes this Bradbury trilogy. It may not begin the way the reader anticipates based on the conclusion of The Choir Immortal, but it is good none the less. Just as real life goes on, life moves along in Bradbury as well. Real life is full of changes, challenges, and new experiences and these are all experienced by the people in Bradbury as well. They grow and pull together through trials and joys, just as we do. Good comes out of difficulties in both real life and Bradbury. Through it all the members of Zion Lutheran Church are guided and loved by their faithful pastor, Pastor Fetcher. He never ceases to give anyone who comes to him the Word of God to comfort, guide, and instruct them.







    My Thoughts 

    I really enjoyed reading all three of these books and found myself nodding 'Yes' or agreeing with many of the situations. There were two parts of  The Harvest Raise with which I could especially identify. Bethesda is a Lutheran organization dedicated to serving people with developmental disabilities. Bethesda has facilities in many communities around the United States. Some of these facilities are smaller and provide homes for just a few people. The people who live in these homes are fairly integrated into many aspects of their community. In The Harvest Raise two of the residents of the Bethesda Homes attend church at Zion. One of the young men there develops a relationship with them and help them become a special part of Zion. I liked seeing the integration of the clients served by Bethesda into the life of the congregation. When I worked in the Chaplaincy department for several regional Bethesda facilities it was a high priority for us to see the people we served attend and be welcomed by their local churches.

    In addition, in my vocation as a Pastor's wife I could really relate to many of the challenges faced by the occupants of the parsonage. I pray I can relate to those I encounter with as much grace and compassion as exhibited in these books.

    I whole heartedly recommend The Anthems of Zion trilogy to anyone looking for a thoughtful and enjoyable read. I think these books will especially be enjoyed by fellow Lutherans as well as being great for those wanting to know a little more about the practices of a Lutheran Church. While Lutheran doctrine and teachings are a part of the story line these wonderful books are not a complete exposition of Lutheran beliefs.

    To learn more about all three great books and for some fun things visit the Anthems of Zion homepage.

    The Anthems of Zion books are the perfect books for summer reading. However, if you like them as much as I did you will certainly finish them long before summer is over.

    The Harvest Raise (Available for preorder) as well as House of Living Stones and The Choir Immortal are available from CPH.



    Disclaimer: I personally own House of Living Stones and The Choir Immortal. I received an advance digital copy of The Harvest Raise for the purposes of promoting it. I have not been compensated in any other manner and all opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

    Tuesday, March 14, 2017

    In The Hands Of A Child World Governments Notepack





    Whether we like government or not it is a necessary organization in our communities, country, and larger world. Governments provide structure and benefits to the people residing in their land. Some of the governments allow people more freedom, while others tightly control many aspects of people lives. While we are blessed to live under a government which gives citizens a voice and freedom to make many choices, many people in the world do not enjoy these same rights, responsibilities, and freedoms. It is vital for students (and adults) to learn the basic tenets and principles of other types of governments to function in the world and most importantly safeguard the rights and freedoms we have in out type of government. The World Governments notepack from In The Hands of A Child introduces students to many types of governments around the world.

    The World Governments  Notepack  contains:

    •  a brief overview of the notepack and suggestions on how to use it
    • a table showing a suggested breakdown of topics for each of the 5 suggested  days
    • a bibliography and related websites
    • instructions for each of the activities and note pages
    • study guide
    • notebook page templates.

    The World Governments project pack has a recommended grade level of 8-12.

    Topics covered include:
    • Role of Government
    • Powers of Government
    • Limited and Unlimited Government
    • Types of Government
    • Forms of Democracy
    • Governments Based on Politics
    • Comparing Democracies and Dictatorships
    • Famous Dictators
    • Types of Monarchies
    • Types of Republics
    • Governments Based on Economics
    • International Organizations
    Each of these topics is discussed in the research guide and then students fill out a notebook page with information which they learned about that topic. The notebook pages have headings, and the student fills them out according to the directions on the activities and instructions page.





    Sample pages for the student to create their own country and government or International organization.








    World map where students identify countries with each type of government.




    The World Governments Project Pack is also available in a lapbook format with mini books in which to record information learned. The study guide and topics are identical to the one in the notepack format.


    My Thoughts


    I have used many Lapbook Project Packs from In The Hands Of A Child with my two children over our homeschooling years. However, as they have gotten older they have been more reluctant to use lapbooks to study and explore different topics. However, I think the idea of a short study guide to learn about a topic is great. So the notebook pages project pack is a great geared to older students. They still explore a topic using the same study guide, but have a different way to record their learning. I own one or two notebooking project packs, but had not tried one until I had the opportunity to try this World Governments set.

    As my daughter is high school age and more becoming independent in her studies I gave her this pdf unit and had her work on it independently. (I printed the notebook pages/ organizers for her, since her printer access is more limited). I directed her to work through what she could on her own and let me know what she needed help on. She had some questions about the content in the study guide and we discussed some real world examples of what was written, but she essentially completed the project pack on her own. While it is bittersweet to let get of the teaching and working together, I was happy to see how well she did with this project pack on her own.

    Vocabulary notepage organizer
    My daughter liked the notepages format better than lapbook.  She thought is was not as labor intensive and more age appropriate for middle and high school than cut and glue lapbooks. I like the notepages, but the graphics aren't as fun or eye-catching as the lapbook templates.These notepages are a good way to help students organize their thoughts after writing and practice taking notes from a text. This skill will be invaluable to them in continuing education.


    I really like the notepages vocabulary sheet. This organizer gives the student plenty of room to write the definition of words. There may also be room to use the word in a sentence or otherwise expand the definition.



    This World Governments notepack would be a great way to start a World Government course by giving an overview of many topics to be covered in the course. It made a good segue from American Government to World Government. With the basic information learned here it will be easy to put together a World Governments semester course utilizing non textbooks and other resources. Otherwise I am not sure how to put it in to something where I could give high school credit for the work. (I am not trying to imply or suggest that everything done has to be done for credit, it is very nice to be able to do so).

    Another way to utilize this project pack could be during a summer or other school break for a student to explore the topic and decide if they had enough interest in it to explore it further in a full fledged course.

    Even though the lowest level listed is 8th grade it could probably also be used for 6th or 7th grade as well, especially if the student has an interest in these topics. As it is a brief introduction a younger student could probably get something out of it with out becoming tired of it as something that stretched out over a longer period of time.

    One suggestion my daughter had was to have a note after the the sections in the text where a note page or organizer is to be filled out.

    The biggest challenge with the notebook format of the project pack is coming up with a good way to save the completed notebook pages.  With a lapbook it is easy; all the mini books are fastened into a file folder or something similar. These notebook pages aren't quite as easy. I have thought about binding them, but I don't have a comb binder and I don't know if binding about 20 pages is efficient either.

    After seeing and using this notebooking project pack I think this is a great alternative to lapbooks for older students. It provides a concise study which can be completed in a reasonable length of time which can be used to achieve many goals.


    Has your child completed a notebooking unit? How did you sane the pages?



    Disclaimer: ( I received a free digital copy of this Project pack for the purpose of this review. I have not been compensated in any other way. All thoughts are my own. I was not required to right a positive review. Photos, with the exception of the logo, are also my own.)

    Tuesday, March 7, 2017

    In the Hands of A Child Ecosystems Project Pack




    The Ecosystems Project Pack from In The Hands of A Child is a great way to teach upper elementary,  junior high and high school students about how nature and the natural world works together. The suggested grade levels are 5-10.

    Topics taught in Ecosystems include:

    • Ecosystem cycles
    • Energy cucle
    • Carbon Cycle
    • Nitrogen Cycle
    • Oxygen Cycle
    • Nitrogen Cycle
    • Water Cycle
    • Disturbance Cycle
    • The Energy cycle
    • The effects of disturbances of these cycles
    • Food chains and webs
    • Trophic Levels
    • Omnivores
    • Ecosystem Management
    • Biomes
    • Related Vocabulary
    There are mini books for each of these topics which students write in after reading the corresponding section to show what they learned and know.
    Wheel minibook

    Clipboard minibook










    There is also a bonus hands-on activity of creating a creating an ecosystem included in the project pack.  (There isn't a mini book for this activity).

    The project pack includes:
    • Text Study guide
    • Vocabulary and Definition list
    • Templates for all the minibooks
    • Directions for how each minibook works and information to writein each
    • Planning Guide with suggestions of what text to read, vocabulary words, and minibooks to complete each day
    • List of related books and websites
    • Directions for how to use the Project Pack as well as putting together the lapbook
    • Full Color pictures of a completed lapbook

    This Ecosytem Project Pack is laid out to be completed in 8 days, but that number could easily be changed by adjusting how many sections were studied each day.



    My Thoughts


    We found this to be a great way to learn about ecosytems. It is very complete and detailed, but doesn't get bogged down or boring. The text is concise and interesting. I really appreciate how the topic and vocabulary words are divided up; the amount of material to read and write about in the minibooks for each day is just right. Each days assigned reading and number of mini books to fill in is about equal so that is a great help is scheduling the amount of time it should take each day. The bonus activity of creating your own ecosystem is a fantastic way to make many of the concepts taught concrete. This was something my son was not able to complete at this time as all the components were not available at this time. I also appreciate having the list of related books and websites handy if my child wants to learn more after reading the study guide.

    One of the features I thought was really cleaver was a side bar featuring a summary of the story "The Little Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly".  In the story the lady swallows many different creatures which parents and older children will recognize are part of a food chain or ecosytem. This example is then used to show how the parts of an an aquatic ecosytem work together to complete a circle. What a great way to use something students are already familiar with to illustrate a new concept!

    I like having the pictures of completed minibooks included in the project pack as it is helpful in the event that I don't understand from the written directions how a minibook is supposed to go together.


    Completed Lapbook



    Completed Lapbook
    This was at a great level for my middle school aged son, I would probably add additional reading or research for the high school level.







    Disclaimer: ( I received a free digital copy of this Project pack for the purpose of this review. I have not been compensated in any other way. All thoughts are my own. I was not required to right a positive review. Photos are also my own.)

    Wednesday, February 22, 2017

    The Big Book of Homeschooling Ideas Volume 2



    The ladies of the iHomeschool Network are back with their second volume of The Big Book of Homeschooling Ideas. Written by homeschooling moms for homeschooling moms this new volume is packed with many ideas, tips, and suggestions to enlighten and encourage moms who are thinking about homeschooling or just have questions or concerns about homeschooling. This volume would be especially useful for homeschooling parents who are preparing to enter the middle school and high school years of their homeschooling journey.


    Chapters in the book are:
    • General homeschooling advice
    • Teens and Beyond
    • Ideas for Language Arts and Reading
    • Suggestions to bring STEM learning into your home
    • Unique Needs 
    • Unique Homeschooling situations
    • Character education


    Specific areas of advice include:

    • Planning high school courses and activities
    • Determining high school credit
    • Ideas for creating a transcript
    • Looking at opportunities to earn college credit in high school
    • Having fun while learning
    • How to's for STEM learning opportunities
    • How curriculum can be adapted to fit your child
    • Advice for dealing with family who are against homeschooling
    • Volunteering ideas
    • and so much more


    The Big Book of Homeschooling Ideas volume 2 is packed with 57 chapters of ideas and advice from other homeschooling parents who have been there, done that. It is a mentor at your fingertips.

    The Big Book of Homeschooling Ideas is available from iHomeschool Network for only $3.99 and Amazon in both Kindle ($3.99) and Print ($16,99) formats.


    My Thoughts

    The whole volume is great, but I think the best part of it is all the advice and ideas for middle school and high school. The internet has a lot of advice and great ideas for homeschooling elementary age children, but it is harder to find advice and ideas for homeschooling high school. The Big Book of Homeschooling Ideas vol. 2 has so much for the high school level all in one place.


    The book tends to be written from a secular position, but most of the curriculum suggestions given are not secular in nature. They are written from and promote a religious background. This is not noted in the text except for the case of one product. There are many more curriculum options than those written about in several articles, but I feel this is important for someone who is investigating homeschooling to know, especially if they want more secular curriculum.