Shelter in Place - 1 Week Later

It's been one week since our governor put into effect, the Shelter in Place order. In other words, stay at home, except for essential travel. We can get groceries, get to the pharmacy, pick up takeout, take a walk, but no parks, malls, theaters...We've been handling it alright, I suppose. Being homeschoolers, we're at home much of the day anyway, and so our days are busy with schoolwork. Still, when you know that you can't go out, it makes you want to go...you know?

This week is our spring break. I'm hoping the weather is nice enough to spend some time outside, take a walk, clean up the yard a bit. The girls also expressed a desire to do some baking, so we'll do that too. What will you be doing this week?

Home School in the Woods - A Crew Review

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.








Home School in the Woods is an amazing company that will take the blahs out of your school work. We have enjoyed several of their digital activity kits over the years, and I was happy to have another occasion to add some pop! to our history and social studies material this semester. They provided us with a family license to their Timeline Collection: A Collection of Historical Timeline Figures for grades K-12, to use and review. 
I'll begin with the company itself.  Home School in the Woods is made up of the Pak family, who began homeschooling back in 1996. Fun fact, they actually do live in the woods! Each member of the family contributes their talents that make these history studies the amazing collections that they are. Whether it's writing, illustrating, designing the activities, creating the web design, researching, marketing, or trekking out to conventions, the family does it all. 
Amy Pak, who is the mother and teacher of this industrious group, got the ball rolling for HSITW when homeschooling her kids. As many parents are, she was not enthusiastic about teaching history, as it had not been a great subject in her own education. But, a homeschooling mom's gotta do what she has to do. She decided to use timelines as a basis for teaching, thinking that those would pull historical events together visually. Rather than sticking with the textbooks that she had disliked reading in her classes, Amy created her own curriculum by  utilizing a variety of living books,  incorporating drama, and writing activities. As it happens, that experience caused her to get pretty excited about history, and...a company was born. Isn't that an inspiring story? I love it! Homeschoolers all around the world now benefit from one mom's positive approach to a challenging subject. I would encourage you to visit their website, and read the "About" section, it will encourage your faith! Working on the timeline:

Now then, on to the product that we received. The Timeline Collection: A Collection of Historical Timeline Figures is simply immense. If you need it, they have it. There are over 1260 figures, as well as 80 bonus figures. This resource has the figures for you in 2 different formats. The first includes text descriptions, and one with simply the name of the figure, and the corresponding date.
Included in Part 1: PDF's of all of the sets, with different sizes, and with or without text descriptions. These are:

-Creation to Christ

- Resurrection to Revolution

- Napoleon to Now

- America's History

- 80 more bonus figures

Included in Part 2:

The same figures that are in Part 1, but in a high quality format, allowing you to create:

- Timelines

- Coloring pages

- Games

- Whatever else you can come up with to meet your project's needs

The figures are categorized in over 30 ways, so you should be able to locate what you need very quickly.

Finishing up the timeline:

There are also Timeline helps that offer tips and ideas for projects. There are some great ideas! Whether you have a tiny bit of space in your homeschool, or as much as you could ask for, there are ideas for notebooking and creating timelines that suit your needs.

Coloring pages to fit most any historical theme.

Our children are teens now, and having homeschooled from the very start, we've tried out quite a few history curriculums and resources. Over the past few years, we keep circling back around to Home School in the Woods. My youngest in particular, loves the hands on aspect of the studies. She loves having freedom to create, and given the choice, will choose to put together a notebook, timeline, or other display, over reading an often stuffy, monotonous text.

More coloring pages.

We've been focusing quite a bit on WWII this year, and so for this review, have used the helps provided for figures that relate to that era. We've pulled from many resources, books, articles, movies, etc., The materials we've found in this download are fantastic. This is a great option for students who are visual, and learn better by "doing". My 16 year old does not like most traditional history curriculum because she finds most of them beyond dull. When we combine the projects that are offered in these studies, with other living books and such, she actually moves up to not asking me, "Do I HAVE to do history today?" Lol. It's a win. 

There are so many options to choose from that will amp up your learning, and I hope you'll consider giving them a go.
For further fun, check out a variety of great posts at Amy's Blog .

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Home School in the Woods has a great activity pack just in time for elections. Consider taking a look at their U.S Elections Lap-Pak.
Read about it here: https://store.homeschoolinthewoods.com/blogs/words-from-the-woods/studying-u-s-elections-hands-on-with-an-incredible-lapbook
Buy it here: https://store.homeschoolinthewoods.com/collections/hands-on-history-lap-paks/products/lap-pak-u-s-elections



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Math Galaxy - A Crew Review

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the Homeschool Review Crew in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way.









Math never has been, and likely never will be, my strongest subject. My days as a student were beyond frustrating. As a public school kid, I didn't have a choice in which curriculum to use, so I struggled through classes for a few years. As a parent, and a homeschooling parent at that, I determined that I would do my best to present Math with a positive attitude. Even so, it's taken some experimenting with various resources to find materials that work for us. I'm so grateful that there are some great helps out there for us. Over the past few weeks, we've had the opportunity to try out the Pre-Algebra Fundamentals app, as well as a few e-books from Math Galaxy to use and review. Math Galaxy offers Math practice for grades K-12. This is an iOS app, and will work on your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch. As of the date of this review, it may be purchased for $4.99. I had no problems getting the app downloaded, and we were quickly up and running. I decided that we would be using this as extra practice in addition to our regular Math program, as my daughters have moved beyond pre-algebra. This is not a full curriculum, but a supplement.

When you click on the app, it takes you to the home screen, which allows you to choose which concept to focus on. You have the option of choosing to have the work broken down step by step as you answer, or to simply provide a final answer. As you work through the problems, you earn robots that you will be able to use to play a game called Labrynth. In addition tot the practice sections, there are videos that will review the concepts presented on the app. They are in the 10 minute range.

What we like: There are plenty of colorful graphics, and they provide detailed instructions and information in the practice. If you're on the go, the fact that this is an app makes it convenient to work on anywhere, whether it's the car, waiting room, or a sibling's extracurricular activity. Where we struggled: We used this on my iPhone, and I have an older model, not one of the larger styles. That meant that it was really difficult to read all of the instructions, see the work from the problems, and even click the correct icons as we worked. This app is better suited to an iPad, where all of the text will be able to be read without killing your eyes. On a larger screen, we definitely would have appreciated the detail that this app provides.

We've also had the chance to try out one of their e-book bundles that focused on pre-algebra concepts. These are a great option for brushing up on decimals, proportions, and percents. There are 754 pages with fun riddles to solve. Worksheets and solutions are included. The pages are bright and colorful, and the riddles will have your younger students giggling. These are good for grades ranging form 3rd to 6th, depending on their ability. You can use these to reinforce your regular curriculum, or pick and choose to provide extra practice for weaker areas. However you decide to use these, they can be a helpful addition to your studies (no pun intended). Click on the links for more information.

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YWAM Publishing- Corrie Ten Boom - A Crew Review

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way.

In a typical review, this first paragraph would have me trying to grab your attention with a clever joke, interesting story, or some cool fact about history, math, or whatever the subject matter was, related to the post. In this case, I'm going to basically sum up my thoughts right off the bat. YWAM Publishing is an outstanding company! They provided our family with a copy of Corrie Ten Boom: Keeper of the Angels' Den  from their Christian Heroes: Then & Now series, to read and review.
YWAM stands for Youth With A Mission. YWAM Publishing is a part of their global missions ministries. The Christian Heroes: Then & Now series are written by husband and wife team, Janet & Geoff Benge. Originally from New Zealand, they have twenty years of writing experience, and I must say, they do it well. 

My daughters and I have read a few titles from this series, and I say with no exaggeration, that we've loved every one. Each book is written as a story told from the main characters' point of view, which is different from a typical biography. This writing style makes you feel like you're reading a novel. This particular book, Corrie Ten Boom: Keeper of the Angels' Den, though, is our favorite so far. Are you familiar with this amazing Christian woman?
Corrie Ten Boom (1892-1983) was a Dutch woman who grew up in a tight knit Christian family in their home that was known as the Beje (bay-yay). You can see from her early life that she was a determined, caring person, as she began a number of girls club, including the Triangle Club, that would eventually number in the hundreds. Her goal was to share the love of God with teenaged girls. Her father, Casper, was a loving, kind man, and well thought of in his community. His daily habits of Bible reading, praying, and sharing the love of God with their neighbors had a profound impact on Corrie that would spur her on in the difficult days of WWII.

This book will take you through the early days of Ten Boom and her family, just prior to the German invasion of Holland. Readers will be captivated as they read about this family's determination to not only stay true to their faith in the midst of the terror from the Nazis, but their boldness and bravery in sharing God's love with their enemies. 

One such amazing act of courage was their creation of a secret room within their home to conceal Jewish families that needed to escape the Germans. Dubbed the Angels' Den, this beautifully concealed room built right inside Corrie Ten Boom's bedroom remained undetected for the duration of the war. While the room itself was never discovered, the Ten Booms were found out, and ultimately sent to concentration camps. Even faced with the unspeakable horrors at Ravensbruck, Corrie never lost her faith, or her boldness for God. That isn't to say that she didn't struggle to forgive her enemies. In one of the most awesome accounts told by Corrie, she tells of coming face to face with an SS Guard from Ravensbruck. He had turned to Christ, and reached out to shake her hand, and she spoke of the hate for him that filled her heart as she pictured the faces of her sister and father, both of whom had died in the camps. But, she prayed that God would "help me to live my message". As she shook his hand, she was filled with forgiveness. What can you say to that, but wow!

My daughters love this series. My oldest would love it if we did all of our history through these books, as they are so compelling to read. There are 15 chapters in this book. Enthusiastic readers can complete this in a few hours. This, as well as the rest of the books, are wonderful introductions to the historical figures for elementary up through at least 8th grade, although high schoolers and up will love too, we sure do! They provide just enough of the basic information without being too graphic. 

Families could easily stretch out any of the stories in the series by implementing the study guides that are available separately for each title. They include a variety of activities that could be used to create a unit study, including chapter questions, Bible verses, geography, display ideas, and word searches. We did not use the guide this time around, in order to make sure that both of my daughters and I could all read the book. My oldest did ask me more than once if we could use these as a base for history. Reading events in a story format makes it so much more interesting for her, and I notice that she retains the information better as well, so maybe I will at least use these as a starting point. Even as a read alone book, I would recommend these to any and every family for their inspiration and encouragement.   

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Sheltering in Place

Ok, these are weird times. Who could have guessed that the year 2020 would start off with such trepidation? I'm not a fan of winter, and every year, my mental goal is to reach March 1st, because at that point, spring is within sight. This year, oh man. Can we skip the next two months, and just get over this awful plague?!

This past week has been surreal. It started with the closings of various stores and businesses. Social distancing is the new buzz word. Stores are stripped bare of toilet paper, paper towels, cleaning supplies, bread, and pretty much anything else people can hoard. Friday afternoon saw our governor mandate a "Shelter in Place" order, allowing residents essential travel only.

As homeschoolers, our lives aren't too radically changed. School is still on for us, although the  extracurriculars are cancelled for now. There won't be any trips to the library, or most anywhere, save a solo trip by me to the grocery store if necessary. We can take walks around the neighborhood, so that will have to do.

On one hand, the slower pace is nice, but once in awhile, as I scan the endless coverage of covid-19, my anxiety kicks in. Every cough or sneeze has you wondering if you're coming down with something. Lord willing, we'll be through this quickly. How are you coping?

Byron's Games - A Crew Review

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

Does your family like board games? We do! They're great, aren't they? What would Family Game Night be without the games? Rainy days are another time when a good board game helps pass the time. Games are also a great way to teach and reinforce various concepts. Geography is a great example. Maybe your kids find learning about continents and countries of the world boring. Or maybe you're just looking for ways to enhance and stretch a lesson. Speaking for my kids, this used to be a subject that they didn't find very appealing. If you have children with similar opinions about Geography, this review is for you. We were given the game Continent Race by the company Byron's Games to check out, and I'm happy to share our thoughts with you.

The story behind this game's creation is pretty neat. Byron was 6 years old when he had a lengthy stay at Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago. During that time, with the help of Mrs. Ellen Donovan of the Family Life Center, he kept track of the amount of medals that various countries won during the 2016 Olympics. After they were over, Byron accepted a challenge to create a game that featured flags from the world. He determined to make this a game that children in hospitals might use while they recovered in the hospital. Thus, a game, "Created by a Kid for a Kid" was born. What an inspiring story!

The game board.

Front side of the Continent cards.

Back side of the Continent cards.

Continent Race includes:

1 World Map

5 Continent Lists with Maps

205 Country Cards

3 Antarctica Wild Cards

The playing cards- there are a lot!

Ages: 7+

Players: 2 or more

Average time of game: 30 minutes

Object of the Game: Be the first player to collect the most countries from each continent.

How to Play:

Each player gets 7 cards, and puts them face down at first. On your turn, take a card from the "draw" pile, and put one of your cards face up on the "general" pile. Players always maintain 7 cards at one time. So when you take a card, you decide if you want to keep it, because it matches one of your continents, or you can just put it on the pile. If you complete your continent set, you place your group of cards face up and recite the names of the countries in that group. Then, you'll take the amount of cards you need from the draw pile to get back to 7. Every player follows in the same way. The winner is the first one to collect your amount of cards for each continent group, and then recites the countries, and finds them on the map. 

*The instructions also provide instructions for a more basic level, as well as an advanced level.

That look when you have the card your sister wants.

Game in progress.

All of the components of this game are sturdy and well made. The game board and larger continent list cards are a glossy cardboard, and could be wiped off if something spilled on them. They are bright and colorful, visually very pretty.

We like this game, and had a lot of laughs as we played! I didn't expect my 16 year old to have as much fun with it as she did, but she really got into it, and the competition was heavy between both of my daughters!  This has a long list of places where it can be played and enjoyed, whether in or out of the classroom. Homeschools, public schools, youth groups, family game nights, parties, churches...name your spot :) You're in for a fun time, and you may learn a few more Geography facts while you're at it.

Click on the links for more information.

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Conjurske Publications - Venturing With God in Congo by Darrell Champlin - A Crew Review

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

This month, we, that is, my daughter and I, have been reading and reviewing a memoir from Conjurske Publications called Venturing With God in Congo by Darrell Champlin. I wasn't far into the book, and certainly nowhere near finishing, when the proverbial lightbulb went on in my head, and I kept saying to myself, we Christians, we in most of the western world even, have no idea how comfortable and easy our lives are! Then, a song popped into my head, from the 1990's I believe, by Christian artist Scott Wesley Brown, called "Please Don't Send Me to Africa". It was a whimsical parody, sung from the perspective of a guy that is pleading with the Lord not to "make" him move to the jungle and minister. Here are a few of the lines:

"Please don't send me to Africa, I don't think I've got what it takes
I'm just a man, I'm not a Tarzan,
Don't like lions, gorillas, or snakes
I'll serve you here in suburbia
In my comfortable middle class life"

It's a funny song, but accurate for the majority of Christians. We live a pampered life, plain and simple. I'm confident that none of you reading this right now had to secure your young children in a bed that was basically a box with a latched netted cover, to protect them from snakes, scorpions, or spiders last night. You probably also didn't need to grab a rifle and head out into the jungle to hunt a monkey(?!) to eat (!) for dinner. Are you of a mind to have your faith challenged, and encouraged? Grab a cup of something and pull up a chair, and let me share this book with you.

This is an account of Darrell and Louise Champlin, who spent the better part of their lives bringing the gospel to the darkest places, first in Africa, later in South America. Before you even open to the first page, the cover will catch your eye. It is a sturdy, attractive hardback book, 290 pages long. There are fifty chapters, as well as an introduction, timeline, map of Congo, and pronunciation tips.

Included in the book is the family tree of the Champlins.

Help for correctly pronouncing sounds in Lingala, the language they spoke in Congo.

The chapters are individual stories of the Champlin's experiences in the mission field. The book begins with the backgrounds of Darrell and Louise. Both grew up in God fearing, Christian homes. Darrell grew up in a modest home in Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.A, while Louise grew up in the Belgian Congo of Africa with her missionary parents. They met and married in the early 1950's. Even with such different experiences in the way they grew up, they both loved God, and had an "undivided determination to follow him to the ends of the earth, wherever that might be." They sailed for the Belgian Congo in 1954, where they served for ten years, until the revolution forced them to evacuate. After a brief return to the U.S.A., they were called to South America to continue their missionary work, now with their children and their families. Darrell Champlin passed away in 2015, but Louise continues to serve.

What an incredible legacy.

The stories are incredible, and often harrowing. There are tales of angry hippos attacking their boats as they crossed the river. They dealt with termites that they could feel through a reed mat that covered the dirt floor in their mud and stick hut. Darrell had brushes with angry elephants, buffalo, and boars. And snakes. Oh my, the snakes. I have to be honest, more than one chapter had me a little repulsed at the hygiene, cuisine, and living conditions. To say that it was a difficult life is putting it mildly. Their faith was constantly tested, and God provided in amazing ways.

I was happy to see that a few photos were included in the book.

Here in the comforts of my modern neighborhood, I might be concerned for an unsaved acquaintance, and consider their lifestyle immoral because of their language, where they hang out, who they associate with, etc. Generally, their life doesn't affect the quality of mine, and it's easy for me to move on with my own cares. Then I compare that with the Champlins', where they were confronted by witchdoctors who were engulfed in satanic practices, and on occasion, threatened the lives of the Christians with spears. I'm humbled. The Champlins sought God in everything, and watched as He worked in supernatural ways, which included radically saving those witchdoctors.

Did you know that missionaries were responsible for most of the progress in these third world countries?

I'm finished with the book, yet the stories are etched in my mind. This book is a wonderful read for teens and adults. We've enjoyed it as an individual read, but you might also use this as a family read aloud for devotions. It would also be a great resource to use in Sunday schools and Bible studies. No matter where you read this, it will be a book that hopefully not only stays with you, but spurs your faith in such a way that you determine to serve the Lord yourself, wherever He leads you.






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