A child's education wouldn't be complete without the study of literature. It's amazing to consider that something as simple as a story could have the ability to transport us to other lands and cultures from the past, present, and future. There are plenty of choices when it comes to choosing a good literature curriculum. Personally, a company that adheres to solid Biblical principles always stands out to me when I find myself searching for curriculum. This latest review by Progeny Press is a great option. They provided us with a digital copy of the Shadow Spinner Study Guide for grades 5-8.
Progeny Press offers a collection of study guides taught from a Biblical worldview. A quote on their site sums up their purpose:
"To teach our children to think clearly, to understand literature, and to rely on the Scripture for truth and values, and enjoy themselves while they do it!"
Even so, I appreciate that while they come from a Christian perspective, they do not shy away from books that may include somewhat controversial behavior. While you won't find bad language or crude behavior in their studies, they won't avoid a story necessarily, but will take the opportunity to point out how Biblical principles can and should be applied to a situation. They would suggest, and I think common sense would dictate, that parents and teachers read over the books in order to familiarize themselves with the theme and language of any given book.
There are study guides for elementary, middle, and high school students. The books that accompany these studies are not included. A family that purchases a guide has permission to make copies for their own use only. I am of the old school variety, and I prefer a physical copy for our schoolwork, but for those who prefer the convenience, the pdf we received allows work to be filled in via computer. Each e-guide will take approximately 8-10 weeks to complete.
The guide begins with an overview of the book, and the main plot/theme. This will include background information relevant to the story that the reader may not be familiar with due to cultural or historical differences. The guide we received, Shadow Spinner, is a take off of Arabian Nights, and does have some crude parts to it. As such, there is a note to parents in the Background Information pages that caution parents to this fact so they can decide if they wish their student to read those parts.
Pre-reading activities are offered, and include looking at a map to locate the countries featured in the book, researching religious, social, and political customs of the time, and looking up current events of the Middle East. The lessons are divvied up into a few chapters at time, and include vocabulary words to define, comprehension questions, a word search, and Bible readings. This study may be used as a stand alone literature study, or as a supplement to other school work.
I mentioned that this study, Shadow Spinner, is designed for the middle grades. My daughters are both in high school, but I had a feeling that my 15 year old would still have an interest in this book, and I was correct. She loves a thrilling story with suspense, and this delivers. We opted to print the lessons out versus filling them in on the computer, as my girls also like an actual copy.
I appreciate the Biblical principles that are woven in the lessons. The questions and Bible readings help my daughters to learn to view the events of this story through the eyes of Scripture, and that will help them do the same as they grow and learn to navigate their way through life. I also like that the difficult themes are not avoided simply because they don't always conform to a Christian view. Our kids need to learn how to deal with real life issues, and this doesn't pretend they don't exist in a Christian world. I am thankful that they do provide a warning to parents though, so if I haven't checked a story all the way, I can prepare myself.
As we make our way to the end of this study, I can say that I like Progeny Press very much, and recommend that any homeschool family see what they have available, and give one or more of their studies a try.
The guide begins with an overview of the book, and the main plot/theme. This will include background information relevant to the story that the reader may not be familiar with due to cultural or historical differences. The guide we received, Shadow Spinner, is a take off of Arabian Nights, and does have some crude parts to it. As such, there is a note to parents in the Background Information pages that caution parents to this fact so they can decide if they wish their student to read those parts.
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| Activities include using Scripture to compare and contrast. |
Pre-reading activities are offered, and include looking at a map to locate the countries featured in the book, researching religious, social, and political customs of the time, and looking up current events of the Middle East. The lessons are divvied up into a few chapters at time, and include vocabulary words to define, comprehension questions, a word search, and Bible readings. This study may be used as a stand alone literature study, or as a supplement to other school work.
 |
| Vocabulary to define and match. |
I mentioned that this study, Shadow Spinner, is designed for the middle grades. My daughters are both in high school, but I had a feeling that my 15 year old would still have an interest in this book, and I was correct. She loves a thrilling story with suspense, and this delivers. We opted to print the lessons out versus filling them in on the computer, as my girls also like an actual copy.
 |
| Comprehension questions. |
I appreciate the Biblical principles that are woven in the lessons. The questions and Bible readings help my daughters to learn to view the events of this story through the eyes of Scripture, and that will help them do the same as they grow and learn to navigate their way through life. I also like that the difficult themes are not avoided simply because they don't always conform to a Christian view. Our kids need to learn how to deal with real life issues, and this doesn't pretend they don't exist in a Christian world. I am thankful that they do provide a warning to parents though, so if I haven't checked a story all the way, I can prepare myself.
As we make our way to the end of this study, I can say that I like Progeny Press very much, and recommend that any homeschool family see what they have available, and give one or more of their studies a try.
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