What About Bach's Music?

I have been away for much too long.   Life changes have distracted me. But this past week I was honored to spend time with a friend who is homeschooling her five children. Together we read a wonderful book about Bach's music history entitled Bach's Goldberg Variations by Anna Harwell Celenza and published by Charlesbridge. It is a delightful story about how this piece of music could have gotten its name. The basic facts are accurate and written in a way to captivate young readers while keeping the attention of older children. I also enjoyed the illustrations by JoAnne E Kitchel.  Celenza has also written several other books on other composers. I must read more of her books. If you are not sure where to start teaching your children about classical music composers, then I suggest you start here. An added bonus is the CD included with the book. I did not have the opportunity to listen to the music, but would have liked to. Hearing an interesting story is a great way to build interest to listening to a composer's music. I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading more of Celenza's books. 

Reviewing The Warrior's Heart

Have you read any good biographies lately? I found a good one that my son enjoyed reading. It is an ARC of Eric Greiten's new book, The Warrior's Heart, which comes out October 9th. He took his best seller, The Heart and the Fist, and adapted it for the YA reader. Instead of reviewing it myself, I thought I would ask my son a few questions to get his input. This is not a direct quote of my son, but just the gist of what he said. So here goes.
Me: What did you think of the book?
Son: It was good. It was real, believable.
Me: What did you think of the "You" chapters where the author presents scenarios for the reader to reflect on his own responses to that scenario?
Son: It was confusing at first, but made sense as I read more.I found it interesting how it was done. (The illustration about the police station in Beijing had a real impact on my son.)
Me: Did the author communicate clearly?
Son: Yes. I think it was supposed to be confusing at first, but you get it later on. It makes you think.
Me: What do you think his message was?
Son: I think his purpose was to tell people what it was like to be a SEAL. I also think he was trying to encourage others to go beyond what you think you can do.
Me: What do you think of SEALS based on his descriptions?
Son: I learned that SEALS are well trained and well disciplined. It is one of the hardest branches. I respect them.
Me: Is there anything else you want to say?
Son: I didn't know about Tianammen Square in China. It was scary and crazy.
Me: If you were to rate the book, from 1 to 5 stars, 1 being really bad and 5 being the best book you ever read, what would you say?
Son: probably 3 and a half. because 4 would be really good and 5 would be amazing.

Believe me, a 3 and a half in my son's book is high praise, as he is not an avid reader.  If you have a reluctant reader, then I highly recommend this to get them interested in reading.

Reading The Warrior's Heart has encouraged me to read Greiten's The Heart and the Fist.  So if you like YA or biographies, then this is a great choice. Go pick up a copy at your local brick and mortar store. You will be glad you did.

To Read or Not to Read

Reading to my granddaughter

Here it is, September already! Hard to believe. It is also the last leg of my journey as a home school mom. My last is scheduled to finish in December, so I have been busy setting school schedules and trying to figure out those last 3 books I want my son to read for school. One of the books I have him reading is an ARC by Eric Greitens. I hope to do a review in October, as that is when it is released. Anyway, all that to say this. I have not  chosen something specific to review this time. Instead, I would like to relate how reading impacted my years as a home school mom.

I always was an avid reader, so when I had children, I wanted to instill in them a love of reading. I read aloud to my children  and as soon as they were able to read, had them read to me. Dr. Seuss was a must. Throughout our schooling journey, reading good books was vital. My oldest, Rebecca T., did literature studies with her two younger brothers. They read Holes by Louis Sachar,The Outsiders by S.E.Hinton, and Hatchet by Gary Paulson. These books were chosen to keep the boys interested in reading.

I tried to find books that would match the interests of each of my children. One year I did a unit study on horses, using Album of Horses, for my second daughter. She studied horse anatomy and read lots of books about horses, including the series by Marguerite Henry, starting with Misty of Chincoteague. I have told you about the science books I used with my sons in a previous post.(The New Way Things Work and The Way We Work by Macaulay)  My third daughter, NaomiRuth, consumed books, especially ones about ancient cultures. A favorite was D'Auliere's Book of Greek Myths.

This is just a sampling of the many, many books we used in our schooling. As you encourage young people to read, find books they are interested in. I wish I had learned sooner that my one son hated fiction, so seemed to hate reading. Once I discovered this, I began giving him biographies and real stories. His desire to read grew and I was thrilled. In case you haven't guessed, it is my last son for whom I am trying to choose those three books mentioned at the beginning. Any suggestions?

Well, have a great rest of September. Remember to read and encourage children to read by getting them books related to their interests. I know I will be reading good books to my granddaughter to encourage another generation of readers. And don't forget to support your local brick and mortar bookstores. Til next month.

Blood and Guts - How Our Body Works

I am on a David Macaulay kick. I enjoy his humor as he presents essential information on how our bodies work. His book, The Way We Work, is co-authored by Richard Walker. I used this book with my son this past year as his anatomy class for high school. The material is simple enough for upper elementary, yet able to be used(with some supplementation) for high school students.

According to GeekDad, "Macaulay spent 6 years laboring on this book, four of them just learning anatomy through means that included attending operations and dissecting corpses."(quoted from Home Biology) This is a writer who is serious about his research! And it shows in his presentation of the material. The text is engaging and draws you in while teaching you anatomy in an interesting fashion.

The Way We Work contains 7 chapters on the different systems of the body. He begins with the cell as that is the building block of our bodies. He continues on through the respiratory and circulatory, the alimentary, the nervous, the immune, the excretory, and the reproductive systems. Each chapter begins with an introduction intended to lead you on a journey through each bodily system. The illustrations are accurate, yet not too graphic(as in the reproductive section). All are tastefully done. The information is given in short doses - two page spreads - so it is easier for use with younger students. 

Did you know that the way our bodies exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide is energy efficient?  It is economical because no energy is used. This two page spread from the book explains the process.(image copied from Home Biology) Chapter 2 is all about the respiratory system where Macaulay uses illustrations like roller coasters, swimming pools and dancing skeletons to keep your interest. 

So whether you home school or have a child or grandchild who is interested in how our body works, go straight to your local brick and mortar book store to get a hold of this book. Or maybe you always wondered how a cell is like a tent, or how the spinal cord relays messages to and from our brain, then get a copy for yourself. You will enjoy it and maybe learn something new.

See you next month. 

How Does a Toilet Tank Work?

Have you ever wanted to know how things work? Like a zipper, or a dentist's drill? Or maybe a submarine. I found that David Macaulay's book, The New Way Things Work, was a useful tool in learning about all kinds of machines and how they work.  I found this book helpful, especially with my boys, as it made the study of Science interesting and unique. 

Macaulay uses a wooly mammoth to tell the story of machines and how they are used in everyday life as he illustrates the various scientific principles with a humorous twist. He speaks of using levers to weigh a mammoth, and a wheel and axle to groom it. In part 5 , he explains "The Digital Domain" in a manner that makes it easy to understand, although mammoth gets upset. But then, you will have to read the book to find out why.

I like how the author uses an informal tone, inviting the reader in to explore and investigate how things work. The illustrations give a clear picture which enhances the information and explanations. The information is divided into short segments to keep a young reader's attention, yet is informative enough to satisfy an older student. If you or your children have a desire to know about the inner workings of machines, then this is the book for you. Pick one up at your local bookstore.

From the flyleaf, "The New Way Things Work has been conceived for readers of all ages....David Macaulay's beguiling treatment of the subject offers access to knowledge in the most captivating manner, and at the same moment makes the discovery seem like fun."

The Sounds of Music

Do you hear what I hear? Music is a vital part of our lives. But teaching it to my children was a challenge. It always seemed like an optional subject. So I had to search for books that would help dispel that nonessential deception. Music was an important part of a classical education, so it should be important for today. It is interesting how music got relegated to the area of entertainment in the United States. But that is another topic altogether.

One of the books I found useful was A Young Person's Guide to Music by Neil Ardley with Music by Poul Ruders. It has a CD to accompany the text.There are two sections: the first is about the different types of instruments; the second gives a brief history of the musical periods. There is also a "How to use this book" page. I liked being able to teach about a particular instrument, show the clear pictures, and then play the CD to hear what that instrument sounded like. This book has a wealth of information, including a reference section that has "A-Z of Composers", "Musical Forms", and a glossary of musical terms.

Instruments are intriguing to study, and this book is a sure way to understand them. The illustrations show how instruments work, as well as how they relate to one another. How many notes can a woodwind player produce? 10? 20? 40? Would you believe it is 40?! On page 32 you can find out how. And what about brass instruments? How does tightening the lips affect the notes played? You will have to read the section about brass instruments to find out.

So no matter what stage of life you are in, this book makes fascinating reading if you have any interest at all in music. We are never too old to learn. That is one of the advantages of teaching my children; I learned right along with them. So pick up this book at your local bookstore and enjoy reading about and listening to music

Experiencing Shakespeare

One of the best reasons for home schooling my children was getting to read lots of books! Another was learning along with them. Since our culture is replete with Shakespearean quotes, references, and vocabulary, the study of William Shakespeare was essential. So when we started Shakespeare, I was eager to find books that were interesting as well as informational. I found numerous resources that enriched our study and wanted to share 4 of them with you. These four books are aimed at upper elementary aged kids, but can be used with older kids, supplementing with other resources. I know I learned from these books, as age doesn't seem to matter if the book is well written. These books enriched our study and taught us much about the life and times of William Shakespeare

The first is William Shakespeare's Macbeth as retold by Bruce Coville with pictures by Gary Kelley. This is a prose adaptation for younger readers to whet their appetites for the Bard. I love the illustrations; they draw you in to the tale. It is a bitter tale, but one that reveals what happens to a person filled with greed and a desire for power at all costs. A good lesson to learn.

The next book, The Bard of Avon by Diane Stanley and Peter Vennema, tells the story of Shakespeare himself. It is a simple biography that reveals his life and the era in which he wrote. In it you can learn about his childhood, about why the "University Wits" were jealous of Shakespeare and about why his historical plays were so popular.Also, did you know that the Bard wrote his plays based on the actors?  Find out about Shakespeare and the Globe Theater. This short book contains a lot of interesting information.

If you want to know more about the Globe Theater, then get a hold of William Shakespeare and the Globe, written and illustrated by Aliki. This book, unlike The Bard of Avon, is more a "story of Shakespeare's world in Elizabethan England."(back cover) and of the rebuilding of the Globe- a dream of Sam Wanamaker that came true in 1997. My favorite part of the book is the list of Words and Expressions. These are words and phrases invented by Shakespeare, some of which are: "in my mind's eye", "not budge and inch" and "alligator". Read the book to find out more.

The last book, Shakespeare for Kids, by Colleen Aagesen and Marcie Blumberg, has 21 activities that tie into the study of Shakespeare's life. Each chapter tells of his life and then gives an activity related to it. Using this book's instructions, we made a hornbook, created a slashed-shirt costume( which the boys wore to the Renaissance Fair), and made goblets(play props). There is also a list of resources in the back that are helpful.

These four books gave my children and I hours of enjoyment as we explored the life of Shakespeare. I hope you share these with your kids, grandkids or just enjoy them yourself. Thanks for "listening".

D'Auliere's

"In olden times when men still worshipped ugly idols, thee lived in the land of Greece a folk of shepherds and herdsmen who cherished lighe and beauty. They . . . created . . . their own beautiful, radiant gods . . . . Mortals worshipped the gods and the gods honored Mother Earth."

from the Introduction

D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths is a fascinating read concerning the mythology of Greek gods. When my children and I studied Greece,we enjoyed reading this book together. The authors deliver the facts and details about Greek gods in an easy to understand format. The stories are written in such a way that all ages can enjoy them and learn from them.

We were introduced to the Titans, to Zeus and his family, to the minor gods, nymphs, satyrs and centaurs. They also write of some of the Greek kings, one of which is Sisyphus of Corinth. You can read how he fooled the gods and cheated death twice. You have heard the term "bored to death. Did you know it came from Greek mythology? You can read this story about Hermes and Argos is this book.

I think this is a must-have book for every home school family and for anyone interested in mythology. Pick up a copy at a local bookstore or check it out of the library. Have fun!

Detectives in Togas

My children and I enjoyed many books in our years of home schooling. This week I am going to tell you about one of the books we read in our study of Rome. Reading books about the different historical periods was(and still is) a wonderful way to learn about history.

This tale of school age boys in Rome and their adventures to solve a mystery made learning about Rome intriguing. As they interacted with their teacher, we learned about Roman education. As they ran around the city, we discovered the make-up  and architecture of Rome. As the boys sought answers to their mysteries, we learned about Roman society. All of this information was woven throughout an interesting adventure as the boys of Xanthos' school sought to rescue their friend and schoolmate. Detectives in Togas is a Middle Grade story of 6 boys and their adventures. Why did they find their teacher bound and gagged? Why were Rufus' clothes under his bed soaking wet, and where did he disappear to? Who broke into their teacher's home? Who implicated Rufus in desecrating a Roman temple? Who desecrated the temple by writing "Caius is a dumbbell" on the temple wall? These are the mysteries that Rufus' five friends must solve in order to rescue him. 

Overall this is well done and I highly recommend it. But there is one thing I have to point out. It is that parents or caregivers talk to their children about name calling. This is never addressed or corrected in the book, nor is it necessary in the context of the story. It is a matter that is for parents or caregivers to discuss. I simply wanted to make you aware.

That's it for this week. I will be back with another review next month. Meanwhile, enjoy good books as a family. Reading together becomes a cherished memory.