The Book of Trees ~ Review

We have had the opportunity to try out another great product from Memoria PressThe Book of Trees is a great introduction to botany through the study of trees. It is written for students in the 6th-8th grades. The set we received to review included Book of Trees Reader, The Book of Trees Student Book and the corresponding Teacher Guide. The Peterson First Guide to Trees and The Tree Book for Kids and Their Grown-ups are used as additional references but were not included in the set we received. However, we actually have some tree identification books on hand so we utilized those.

The Book of Trees Set
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YWAM Christian Heroes Betty Greene ~ Review

Several years ago when I attended my first homeschool conference I was given a free book about Gladys Alyward. Can you believe that one free book developed a love for an entire series, one that keeps growing? Well it certainly did! I used that first book from the Christian Heroes: Then & Now series as a family read aloud and soon we were hooked!!

Fast forward a several years and many more books from YWAM Publishing have been added to our library. So when we were given the opportunity to review the book Christian Heroes- Betty Greene, we were very excited.

You see, I have read various books from the Christian Heroes: Then & Now aloud to the kids while the older kids have read several on their own, and every single one of those books has been exciting, touching and inspiring. Because of this, we knew that the story of Betty Greene: Wings to Serve would be good too.

YWAM Publishing

About the Book Betty Greene: Wings to Serve

As a young girl, Betty, read everything she could about Charles Lindbergh. She even got to see him fly his famous plane, Spirit of St. Louis, and listen to him talk about that first solo flight across the Atlantic ocean when she was 8 years old.

When she turned 16 she finally got to experience flying for the first time and she was HOOKED! She surely didn’t know all the flying that her life would hold at that point. She went on to fly in World War II as a WASP pilot.

She had always had a heart for missions. In fact, in an interview she said that she felt that airplanes could be used to help further the gospel. As the war was winding down, she received a letter from a group of men who, like her, felt that flight could be an important tool in spreading the gospel. These men were wanting to start a group called the Christian Airmen’s Missionary Fellowship (CAMF)

After her military discharge, Betty joined the Christian Airmen’s Missionary Fellowship. The CAMF had eight aims:

  1. To serve as a clearing house of information for airmen looking for ways to use their military training after the war.
  2. To provide missionary bases around the world where aircraft, pilots, and mechanics could be housed at the lowest possible cost.
  3. To help transport missionaries and their supplies to areas that were not accessible on commercial airlines.
  4. To help gather information on terrain and weather patterns in remote areas to make flying safer for missionaries.
  5. To supply traveling maintenance and repair units to serve all missionary aircraft around the world.
  6. To provide aircraft and pilots to help in emergency relief situations.
  7. To publish a newsletter keeping the public up-to-date on the work of CAMF.
  8. To establish CAMF groups in various countries that would help others to see and understand the importance of missionary work around the world.

Like most of the YWAM books, Betty Greene, has a downloadable unit study. These unit studies are a great resource to help your family dig deeper into the life and times of each of the Christian Heroes.

YWAM Publishing

I am so thankful that we have many of the YWAM books on our bookshelves.  I can’t think of very many book series that have that kind of draw for both boys and girls. And I certainly don’t know of any other book series which is as wholesome to read as the YWAM Christian Heroes: Then & Now  and the Heroes of History .

Connect with YWAM on these Social Media Links:

I certainly encourage you to read the reviews of other members of the Homeschool Review Crew by clicking on the banner below.

Christian & History Heroes {YWAM Publishing Reviews}

Blessings,

Jennifer

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All Around the Home and Homestead

Happy Memorial Day! I am so thankful for all those who have served, represented by my family and the many other families throughout the history of this nation. Thank you for your service!

All Around the Home and Homestead

Thank you for linking up.

Remember to stop back by throughout the week to see what others have shared.


Blessings,

Jennifer

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The Typing Coach ~ Review

Way back in the day when I was in junior high I had to take a typing class. One with actual typewriters. HA! I wasn’t so sure that a typing class was how I wanted to spend my precious elective class period but I after I finished the class I sure was glad I did. Fast forward to me being a mom of one in junior high and one in high school. Now it is my turn to make them take typing. However instead of using a typewriter, they get to use The Typing Coach Online Typing Course from The Typing Coach on our computer.

The Typing Coach
As far as the were concerned, the torture started immediately because the first lesson was all about good posture. You know, that thing mom is always fussing at them about. Thank you, Mr. Kimball for telling them how important good posture is! It really is nice to have them hear it from someone other than me. 😉 In fact, until they have their posture verified they can’t move onto the next lesson. To help the student keep track of their progress there is a downloadable Progress Chart where you can record the date completed for each activity.  Continue reading

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Thin Stix Review and Giveaway

Does the thought of having your kids paint make you cringe? There is always so much clean up with traditional paints; but that’s not the case with the fast drying tempera paint sticks from The Pencil Grip, Inc. We have had the chance to review their Thin Stix 6pk of Classic Colors. Like the Kwik Stix we reviewed before, the new Thin Stix are a mess free solution to painting. If you want to read that review you can do so here.

Thin Stix by KwikStix
Thin Stix feature tempera paint in a stick form that dries in 90 seconds. Because there is no mess with the Thin Stix, there is no reason to have to drag out painting shirts or smocks. I don’t even hide them away to use on another day. They truly are that mess free!

The 6 Classic colors are blue, red, brown, black, yellow and red. The Thin Stix are about the same length as a ink pen but bigger around, more like a marker. The size and shape makes them easy to work with. They are designed to just “uncap, twist, and paint!”

The Thin Stix also come in other packages including the 6 pack of neon colors, 6 pack of metalix, the 12 color pack and the creativity pack (24 colors)

How Have We Used the Thin Stix?

The kids have made numerous posters, cards and other artwork with their new Thin Stix. They can make pictures with much clearer details than they could when using the original Kwik Stix. However, the Kwik Stix are great for other projects such as filling in bubble letters or painting larger areas. I am glad that they have been able use both the Kwik Stix and the Thin Stix, they are both great products.

Thin Stix Artwork

I don’t even cringe when the four year old wants to use them. I am happy to watch the kids’ creativity blossom with the Thin Stix. At first, I wasn’t sure how long the Thin Stix would work but they are still going strong even after many, many art activities.

The Pencil Grip Pinterest page is packed full of great craft ideas using both the Kwik Stix and the Thin Stix.

We have really enjoyed both the Kwik Stix that we reviewed before and now the new Thin Stix. The colors are so pretty and the stix are so easy to use! Both the Thin and Kwik Stix would make excellent gifts. I think I may have to get some of the other Thin Stix colors for them to work with since they have so much fun with the classic colors.

The Pencil Grip, Inc. Story

The Pencil Grip was first made in 1992 by Dr. Lois Provda, a prominent educational therapist. The pencil grip helps students hold their pencils properly. Since that time the company has added many different products. Their wide variety of products include Kwik Stix and Thin Stix, therapeutic products, school & office supplies, and fidget toys.

Connect with The Pencil Grip on these Social Media Links:

Check out the reviews and projects from other members of the Homeschool Review Crew by clicking on the banner below.

No Mess Art with Thin Stix Classic Colors {The Pencil Grip, Inc. Reviews}
Would you like to try out your own set of Thin Stix 6pk of Classic Colors? I am excited to be able to offer one reader the chance to win a set of Thin Stix 6pk of Classic Colors. The Pencil Grip, Inc. has graciously given me the chance to giveaway one package of Thin Stix.  This giveaway limited to US residents only.

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Blessings,

Jennifer

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