Mood:  a-ok

I have written before about John Allen's history curriculum this year. Previously we have used a great curriculum that used "living books" - great historically accurate novels - as it's base and a well written guide that filled in any gaps, provided activities and asked great historical questions. Well, this year, I just didn't want go through trying to find all of the books that JA would be required to read, and there are always a lot. Also, his old curriculum was so intense that it usually took us about a year and a half to complete one year of curriculum. Well, that's ok in the younger grades, but when you are in 8th grade, and you have to cover World History in one year, that type of curriculum just doesn't work.

So, I decided to try to put together my own curriculum this year. I have researched what books others suggest (we're still using good historical novels) and I have pulled a lot of free unit studies off of the internet, and have bought a few resources as well. It worked out fairly well, but I still wasn't satisfied. Until, one day I found out that I would be reviewing Bright Ideas Press once again this year as part of the TOS Homeschool Crew. Last year we reviewed a great history/geography resource book that I used extensively with Joshua. This year we were given a few choices to choose from. After much prayer and deliberation, I finally decided to choose three of their historical novel study guides and I'm glad I did.

Bright Ideas Press has a great history program called Illuminations where they, just as our former curriculum does, use "living books" as their base. These guides are studies that are part of their Illuminations curriculum. Once I decided upon that choice, another deliberation arose - which three should I order. There were so many choices, but I ended up choosing:

1. The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare Family Study Guide by Laura Reisinger

2. Ancient Greece and the Olympics by Mary Osborne and Natalie Pope Boyce Family Study Guide by Maggie Hogan

3. The Jeweled Astrolabe by Jennifer Johnson Garrity Family Study Guide by Maggie Hogan

Now, let me tell you, two of these study guides are three week long studies and the other is a one week guide and we have just about six weeks to review something. I needed to order the books so that put me a week behind right there. So, there was no way that we were going to get them all done in the alloted time. So, since John Allen picked up The Bronze Bow to read right away, that's the unit study I decided to go with first. Having said that, though, I have looked over each one and can tell you that these are very well done studies.

Each study begins with a brief overview of the book to be read. I like that because it gives the student an idea of where they are going without giving away any surprises. After the introduction, the study is divided into days and you are told what to read and do each day. Nothing is left to chance. No wondering when or if you are to do something. You are given the pages to read, vocabulary words to discuss, and then activities to accomplish. These activities usually include geography/map skill exercises and discussion questions and often include a language arts activity or hands on project. I really liked the hands on projects because that is what Joshua really excels in, so I can file these studies away and use them with him in a few years.

If you have children of various ages studying the same thing, no problem. They also have activities for older students that are more advanced than the younger students. Therefore, you can work with a vast age range of students on the same novel at the same time.

I am really pleased with these studies and am so glad that I chose them. Once again we have been blessed. God knew exactly what we needed and when we needed it. These downloadable "Literature - Family Study Guides" are $14 each and are well worth it. The three that I received to review averaged 30 pages each and everything but the book is included. Answer keys, maps, questions, handouts, etc. were all well done and ready to print out. There are dozens of titles to choose from that include all reading levels. To find out more about these study guides and the rest of the great materials that Bright Ideas Press has to offer you can click here or on any one of the hi-lighted links above. Many of the other products were reviewed by other TOS Homeschool Crew members and you can find out what they had to say by clicking here. Happy Homeschooling!

As a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew I was sent, free of charge, three Literature - Family Study Guides by Bright Ideas Press to download, try out and give an honest review on my blog.

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