Amazing Animals by Design Book Review

Why is a giraffe's neck so tall?  Why do zebras have stripes?  Did all of these things happen by accident?  When John and Sarah visit the zoo, they ask these questions and many more.  Their parents and the zookeepers keep using the word 'design', but what does that mean?  With its relevant message and exciting presentation, this is the perfect book to help introduce children to intelligent design. 

The author, Debra Haagen, is a military wife, home-schooling mom, and fellow TOS Crew member!  Debra wanted storybooks that would begin to explain to younger children that there is scientific reason behind the theories of Creation and Intelligent Design, in addition to the historical documentation in the Bible.  When she could not find any, she decided to start writing them.

Amazing Animals by Design is her first book in a possible series.  She wrote the book for children ages Pre-K to about 3rd grade.

Funny Bunny's Review:  I like Amazing Animals by Design because it has interesting facts, like 'An elephant has a trunk because if it didn't it would starve to death.  It isn't tall enough to bend over,  so it's trunk is a long mouth to reach'.  It also makes me think more about all the different animals.  Like I never thought about if the caracal didn't jump so high, it couldn't catch it's food because it can't balance to climb trees.  Amazing Animals by Design really changed the way I look at animals. I like it! 

My Thoughts:   This is a delightful book for early elementary aged children, that teaches things could not have happened by accident.  "Every living thing has a special design that makes it able to do the things it needs to do...Do you know who designed all these animals?  God did!"  Children learn that every living thing was created, by God, for a specific purpose. 

Find Out More:  You can find out more online at Tate Enterprises.  The 24-page paperback book is only $8.99.  It is also available for purchase as an e-book download, which is what I received, for just $7.99.  You can find more information about Debra and her book on her new website or blog.

My Crewmates are also reviewing Amazing Animals by Design, so you can check out what they think HERE.

Disclosure:  This product was given to Our Homeschool Reviews for free for review purposes, and I do not have to return the product to the vendor.  I have received no compensation from it and all opinions and experiences within this review are my own. 

Thrifty Thursday

Happy Thrifty Thursday!  Below are the deals for today.  If you find something I've missed, please leave a comment below!  I would love to hear from you!

Homeschool Freebie of the Day
The Perfect Storm - Six Cobblestone Magazines

Freely Educate
Social Studies Lessons
Art History Lessons for Elementary and Middle School Ages

CurrClick Freebie
Math Worksheets Bundle

Deep Space Sparkle Art
Ceramic Flower Dishes

Hodgepodge
Path to the Beach: Pastel Tutorial

Laundry Detergent Sample
Get a free sample of Purex Triple Action.

Free Homeschool Magazine
The first 4,000 to fill out the form will receive a free complimentary copy of Practical Homeschooling's upcoming 102nd issue.

Free Homeschool Lessons at Kahn Academy
Kahn Academy has over 2,000 educational videos on subject from math to history.  ALL FREE!  And if you use Singapore Math, you will be excited to learn that they are starting with Grade 3a, Unit 1 and will (eventually) do all of the lectures in the Singapore Math curriculum!!  Just scroll down to "S". 

FREE Sample Roundup
For anything I missed, you can get your FREE sample roundup from Deal Seeking Mom!

A Perfect Pet for Peyton Review & Giveaway

This wonderfully imaginative children’s hardcover book by bestselling authors Gary Chapman and Rick Osborne, featuring four-color illustrations (with hidden details!) by Wilson Williams, Jr., will help children learn the importance of love. 

Based on Gary’s highly successful The 5 Love Languages, A Perfect Pet for Peyton tells an entertaining and playful story of five children who each, with the help of Mr. Chapman and the unique pets at his special emporium, discover their own personal love language.  Children and parents alike will experience firsthand the power of the love languages as they cuddle up and spend precious time together reading this book over and over again.

Funny Bunny's Review: In A Perfect Pet for Peyton, it's twins Penny and Peyton's birthdays.  They're so excited to go!  Once they get there, they meet their friends, go to a dinosaur and petting zoo area and even meet a monkey that gives them jellybeans!  Finally, it's time to match perfect pets.  Kevin, Jayla, Sofia and Penny have their pet pals.  But it stops there! Will Peyton ever get the perfect pet pal?

I like A Perfect Pet for Peyton because it tells a deep story that teaches the 5 Love Languages, something I didn't know before. (Gifts, Words of Affirmation, Physical Touch, Quality Time, and Acts of Service.)  My favorite part is when Peyton finally finds his perfect pet pal!  I really like this book. 

My Thoughts:  This is a cute story of twins, Peyton and Penny, who celebrate their birthday with friends at the Perfect Pet Pal Emporium.  After touring the Emporium, Mr. Chapman matches each child up with a special pet pal, based on their love language.  He takes us back through the story, identifying particular events that occurred with each child.  For instance, Jayla's love language is 'Words of Affirmation' because she continuously complimented the twins and used kind words to encourage everyone at the party. 

After the story there is a Five Love Languages Quiz for Kids that parents can discuss with their children. 

Find Out More:  You can find out more about A Perfect Pet for Peyton online at The 5 Love Languages.  The book is available online at a number of retailers and a free interactive App with in-book experience is coming soon to the App Store.

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GIVEAWAY!!

So, here's how to enter to win a copy of A Perfect Pet for Peyton!  For each comment, you will get one (1) entry.

1. Leave a comment telling me why you would like to win

2. Follow my blog using Google Friend Connect

3. Subscribe to my blog by email through Feedburner

4. Like Our Homeschool Reviews on Facebook

5. Like Gary Chapman on Facebook

6. Follow me on Twitter @OurHSReviews

7. Follow Gary Chapman on Twitter

8. Post about this giveaway on your blog or Facebook

9. Tweet about this giveaway up to once a day:  I entered to #win A Pet for Peyton #drgarychapman @OurHSReviews http://ourhomeschoolreviews.blogspot.com/2012/03/perfect-pet-for-peyton-review-giveaway.html  #Giveaway ends 4/4

**Remember to please leave a separate comment for each entry**

Contest ends on Wednesday, April 4, 2012 at 11:59 EST.  The winner will be chosen by Random.org.  This contest is open to U.S. residents who are 18 or older.  If I am unable to reach the winner by email within 48 hours, an alternate winner will be selected.  Your entry is only valid if you include a way for me to contact you (either an email address in your comment or on your profile).  The winner's name will be obtained and publicly announced.  The number of eligible entries determines the odds of winning.  No purchase is necessary to win and this contest is void where prohibited by law. 

Disclosure:  This product was given to Our Homeschool Reviews for free for review purposes, and I do not have to return the products to the vendor.  I have received no compensation from it and all opinions and experiences within this review are my own.

Wordless Wednesday: Cleaning?

A blast from the past!  This was back in 2004 when Funny Bunny had just turned 1.  We were at a hotel at Disney and she was having fun with the tissues.  :)

Simon and the Easter Miracle Review

The gospels tell of Simon of Cyrene--"a man coming in from the country"--who was ordered to carry Jesus' cross.  Over the centuries, his story has been woven into a Polish folktale.  In the tradition of The Three Trees this folk tale gives a fresh perspective on the Easter story. 

When Simon the farmer brings his wares to market, little does he expect how he will be involved in the events of that very special day, nor how his items--bread, eggs, and wine--will become important symbols of Jesus' passion and resurrection, remembered throughout the ages.

Funny Bunny's Review:  Simon and the Easter Miracle is a good book for people who want to learn more about Easter. The characters are Simon, the guards, and the "criminal".  When Simon is commanded by a guard to carry the criminal's cross, Simon is hesitant but has to agree.  When the man states he did nothing wrong, Simon hurries away from the crucifixion site.  The next morning, something happens to make Simon realize a miracle has happened. 

My Thoughts:  This is a wonderful story with beautiful illustrations.  Simon was just an ordinary man who was led to help in an extraordinary event.  A reminder that extraordinary things can happen to us all.

On a side note, I do wish it told more about the message being spread and who the "criminal" was.  Children who are unfamiliar with the story will need more explanation.

Find Out More:  You can find out more about Simon and the Easter Miracle online at Kregel Publications.  This book is for ages 5 to 7 (although Funny Bunny is almost 9 and enjoyed it).  It is hardcover and sells for $14.99.  Here you can read an excerpt.

Disclosure:  This product was given to Our Homeschool Reviews for free for review purposes, and I do not have to return the products to the vendor.  I have received no compensation from it and all opinions and experiences within this review are my own. 

Busy, Busy, Busy...

Yesterday totally got away from me and I wasn't able to make my usual Monday morning post.  So what is going on this week to make it ever so crazy?

*  Yesterday we drove to our local county fair and entered some of Funny Bunny's art projects into the Youth Art Show.  We also stayed for a few hours to help take in projects.

*  Today we are supposed to be meeting at the park to donate spoons to a friend for children in Haiti.  It is a beautiful day and we have the best of intentions on going, but not sure we will make it...we'll see.

*  Funny Bunny has been working on memorizing her lines for a church play she will be in next month.

*  She is also trying to memorize lines for a Wax Museum she will be taking part in this Thursday evening.  She will be Mary Chilton, a child who was on the Mayflower.  Her and daddy have also been working on a Mayflower display since the weekend. 

*  Something unexpected happened last night, so Funny Bunny and I are both now working on a project that we started back in December and left unfinished.  I'm hoping it will be ready to share with everyone this week.

*  We both have several review to complete....

*  Oh yeah, and then there is school.  ;) 

So I am feeling a bit overwhelmed with our to-do list right now and there is no slowing down in April, May, and June.  I can't wait for July.  ;)

Weekly Wrap-Up: Third Grade #18

It is 3am and I'm up because Funny Bunny woke up with a bit of a tummy ache.  Now that she is asleep and I am awake, what better time to finally write about our week.

This week we finished Unit 25 ~ Life Out in the Wild West in our Heart of Dakota book, Bigger Hearts for His Glory.

We are reading A Pioneer Sampler together for Science and Funny Bunny is reading If You Traveled West in a Covered Wagon.  She is enjoying learning more about the pioneers in this period, but we both agree that we would not have wanted to live then, even though it is fun to sometimes pretend.

In her Jr Homemaker's class she has gone from cookie decorating...

to cupcake decorating...

to cake decorating...

This week we will be busy volunteering at the county fair taking in children's art projects and Funny Bunny will also be participating in a Living Wax Museum that a friend is hosting.  It looks like close to 50 children will be in it this year.  She will be Mary Chilton, a young girl who was on the Mayflower.

I was hoping to get some plants and vegetables from the store to plant today since the weather has been so nice, but we'll have to see how Funny Bunny is feeling first.

So how was your week?  Thanks for joining Our Homeschool Reviews and for more Weekly Wrap-Up, this week I am linked up with Kris over at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers.

Thrifty Thursday

Happy Thrifty Thursday!  Below are the deals for today.  If you find something I've missed, please leave a comment below!  I would love to hear from you!

Homeschool Freebie of the Day
Kids Sewing Lessons and Projects
Storytime with KayRay

Freely Educate
Free Online Reading Program 
MightyBookJr Free with Coupon Code

CurrClick Freebie
My Bird Guide

Deep Space Sparkle Art
Ceramic Fish Art Project

US Constitution
Request a free copy of the US Constitution.

Disguise Kit for Kids
Get you free disguise kit for kids printout.  Very cute!

NEST Learning
Get a free animated Harriet Tubman DVD just for signing up.

Laundry Detergent Sample
Get a free sample of Purex Triple Action.

Free Homeschool Magazine
The first 4,000 to fill out the form will receive a free complimentary copy of Practical Homeschooling's upcoming 102nd issue.

Free Homeschool Lessons at Kahn Academy
Kahn Academy has over 2,000 educational videos on subject from math to history.  ALL FREE!  And if you use Singapore Math, you will be excited to learn that they are starting with Grade 3a, Unit 1 and will (eventually) do all of the lectures in the Singapore Math curriculum!!  Just scroll down to "S". 

My Memories Suite Deal
Use code STMMMS99585 to get $10 off the purchase of the software AND a $10 coupon for the My Memories Store (a $20 value)!  Also get a FREE Digital Kit!!

FREE Sample Roundup
For anything I missed, you can get your FREE sample roundup from Deal Seeking Mom!

Wordless Wednesday: Snacktime

{He caught us peeking}

Young Entrepreneurs

We had a garage sale over the weekend so Funny Bunny and her friend set up a lemonade stand.  They sold lemonade, cookies, lollipops, and beaded jewelry.  They had been making the jewelry since last summer, so there was quite a bit and they were very excited. 

We did not interfere at all.  The girls greeted each customer, answered questions, and gave change all own their own.  Several people saw their bright smiles and stopped just for them.  :)

They decided to donate half of their proceeds to the Safe Animal Shelter.  They were able to donate $20 and still had a little to keep for themselves. 

I'm so proud of them both.  It was a great learning experience.

Action Alert Review

Children using the Internet seem to be getting younger and younger these days.  And with kids online more often, the more likely they are to stumble upon, or even purposely visit, inappropriate websites.  Sexual predation, scams, cyber bullying, identity theft, and harassment are only some of the dangers lurking on social networking sites.  Even seemingly innocent online games can lead children to share too much information about themselves.

So what are parents to do short of hovering over their children while they surf the net?  Action Alert includes everything you need to create a safe environment on the family computer.  Action alert creates a kid-safe PC with website blocking and filtering, controls computer use with comprehensive time controls, and send alerts if something suspicious occurs.

Action Alert is the only Internet Safety solution endorsed by the Child Safety Network, is the winner of Disney's iParenting Award, and was featured on NBC's Today Show.

They offer two versions to choose from.  You can install their free version, which has everything you need to set up a kid-safe computer in seconds, or you can purchase their Maximum Protection version, which offers multiple user protection, is fully customizable, and includes full social network monitoring.

Installation was easy and once installed, an Action Alert Safe Search Home Page would appear for searches.

When using the Maximum Protection version, the parent can set time limits, receive notifications of unsafe searches, and block websites.

One neat feature of Action Alert is that the parent can view both a video log of the sites the child has been visiting and a text log of what the child has been typing.

My Thoughts:  I have mixed feeling about this product.  After I installed it, I tested it out and searched some questionable words through the Safe Search Home Page.  I initially thought that I would get no results, but that was not the case.  So I emailed the company and asked why this had happened.  It seems I had Action Alert on it's least strict settings.  For Funny Bunny, who really only needs to go to a few sites, I would need to click the button you see above to only allow access to certain websites I approve.  The only problem with that is, we don't have our computer set up with multiple users.  We all use the computer under the same user name.  So if I restrict it for her, it would restrict it for us too.  I guess we could set it up for multiple users, but we aren't doing that at this time.

For older children, restricting them to only a few sites will probably not work, since they need to research topics for school.  They would need to be taught the rules and know there are consequences to breaking them.  They need to know that the parent will receive notifications of unsafe searches and they can view both a video log of the sites the child has been visiting and a text log of what the child has been typing.

So I personally think this product would be better suited for a family with either older children or children who are on the computer without supervision.  At this time we only let Funny Bunny on a few websites and I am normally in the same room as her, so I can see what she is doing.

Find Out More:  You can find out more online at Action Alert or visit them on Facebook.  They offer a free version or their Maximum Protection version for $29.99, but if you select the free version, you are offered the Maximum Protection version for just $19.99.  They also offer a 30-day money back guarantee. 

My Crewmates are also reviewing Action Alert, so you can check out what they think HERE.

Disclosure:  This product was given to Our Homeschool Reviews for free for review purposes, and I do not have to return the product to the vendor.  I have received no compensation from it and all opinions and experiences within this review are my own. 

Thrifty Thursday

Happy Thrifty Thursday!  Below are the deals for today.  If you find something I've missed, please leave a comment below!  I would love to hear from you!

Homeschool Freebie of the Day
Economics From A Christian Perspective
Starfall Reading Games

Freely Educate
Free Online Learning Games for Math, Geography, and Spelling

CurrClick Freebie
Self-Examination: Featuring 35 Important Virtues

Deep Space Sparkle Art
I Can Draw Sheep
Princess and the Pea Art Lesson

US Constitution
Request a free copy of the US Constitution.

Disguise Kit for Kids
Get you free disguise kit for kids printout.  Very cute!

NEST Learning
Get a free animated Harriet Tubman DVD just for signing up.

Laundry Detergent Sample
Get a free sample of Purex Triple Action.

Free Homeschool Magazine
The first 4,000 to fill out the form will receive a free complimentary copy of Practical Homeschooling's upcoming 102nd issue.

Free Homeschool Lessons at Kahn Academy
Kahn Academy has over 2,000 educational videos on subject from math to history.  ALL FREE!  And if you use Singapore Math, you will be excited to learn that they are starting with Grade 3a, Unit 1 and will (eventually) do all of the lectures in the Singapore Math curriculum!!  Just scroll down to "S". 

My Memories Suite Deal
Use code STMMMS99585 to get $10 off the purchase of the software AND a $10 coupon for the My Memories Store (a $20 value)!  Also get a FREE Digital Kit!!

FREE Sample Roundup
For anything I missed, you can get your FREE sample roundup from Deal Seeking Mom!

Wordless Wednesday: Lego Town

Creek Edge Press Review

Classical . Charlotte Mason . Montessori...these are terms many homeschool families are familiar with.  I tend to think our homeschooling approach has always been slightly Classical (memorization) with a bit of Charlotte Mason (Narration and Living Books) thrown in.  I've never really practiced the Montessori approach though, at least not on purpose.  ;)

That's where Creek Edge Press comes in.  They introduce the Task Card Approach, which pulls together the best of Classical, Charlotte Mason, and Montessori education. 

So what are Task Cards?  I had never heard of these before and so I was intrigued.  The Task Card Sets are non-consumable and designed for use by multiple grades.  Each card is topic based and facilitates discovery based, research oriented, independent learning.

We received the Life Science Task Cards, which includes 37 cards.  This course is designed for grades K-8 and includes topics on habitat, the animal kingdom, the human body, and the plant kingdom.  Below is the first card in the set.

To use the Task Cards, it was recommended that I set up a learning environment, where the cards are displayed along with the materials necessary for completing the tasks.  The child can work at their own pace and mark tasks as they are completed.  Emergent readers will need more assistance, but independent readers can use the cards on their own, with little or no help.  Completing one card a week is sufficient.

We have never tried this approach before.  I have always been more involved in Funny Bunny's work.  With the Task Cards I am setting aside about 30 min a day for her to work at her own pace, with no direction or instruction from me (unless she asks for it).  I told her I was not going to tell her what to do and to just follow the tasks on the cards.

So what was the result?  She has been happy to work on her cards and actually works on the tasks without me asking!  Below she is listing the features of living and non-living things.

She was also asked to make a booklet that shows living and non-living things.

For more samples of cards and pictures of learning environments, you can visit their gallery.

The cards come with an instruction booklet with helpful tips and ideas on approaching the tasks and preparing the learning environment.  It also includes a nice book list to go along with the Task Card topics.

My Thoughts: I wasn't sure what to think of these cards at first but if Funny Bunny continues to use them like she has, we will continue with them.  Since they are non-consumable she can use them now and then again in a few years.  They are also great for families who have many children at different ages.  They can all be working on the same card, but at their own level.  And for the price, you can't beat it, especially if you are using one set with multiple children.

Thoughts of an 8-Year Old:  I like the Life Science Task Cards because they are interactive, fun, and kids can do them on their own.  The books I am using for research are The Kingfisher Animal Encyclopedia, The Animal Kingdom, and Crinkleroot's Guide to Knowing Animal Habits.  They are all library books I checked out.  Right now I am making a booklet called Living and Non-living Things.  I'm only three pages in, but that's OK.  The best part is I don't have to work on this during "school" -- it's sit-down, anytime Science!

Find Out More: You can find out more by going online to Creek Edge Press.  Cards are available in the areas of Science, History/Geography/Culture, Art, Music, and Grammar.  The Life and Science Task Card Set I received is just $18.

Their website is full of resources, including Book Lists and Supporting Links, FAQs, and Articles about the Task Card Approach.

My Crewmates are also reviewing K5 Learning, so you can check out what they think HERE.

Disclosure:  This product was given to Our Homeschool Reviews for free for review purposes, and I do not have to return the product to the vendor.  I have received no compensation from it and all opinions and experiences within this review are my own. 

Favorite Science Resources

What is my favorite Science Resource?  

For the past two years we have been using Heart of Dakota, which schedules science lessons throughout the year.  The science readings are designed to correspond loosely with the history study, so everything flows nicely.

Instead of a science textbook however, Heart of Dakota schedules living books to either be independently read or read aloud by me.

We have really enjoyed reading through these books.  One of our favorite series of books is the One Small Square series.  Each book is on a different topic: Woods, Seashore, Backyard, Arctic Tundra, etc. 

We are currently reading A Pioneer Sampler, which is about the daily life of a pioneer family in 1840.  Topics include things like planting (we are growing a potato plant), corn (we made Johnny cakes), making butter, and weaving.  It has been fun reading about how life was like and then trying to create something ourselves.

Aside from the living books, we do have Apologia Astronomy, which Funny Bunny has worked in a little.  Heart of Dakota schedules it in a few years so I was saving it for then.  I really like how it is laid out and think we will both enjoy it.

We are also currently reviewing two different science resources, which you will learn about soon.  One is called Creek Edge Press and I'll be posting my review tomorrow.  The other is Christian Kids Explore Biology, which I'll be posting about in April.

Do you have favorite science resources?  If so, I'd love to hear about them!