|
Some time has passed since my last post in this review of My Father's World's curriculum titled Creation to the Greeks. As promised I will review the books used with this study for this post. In previous posts I have commented on the Teacher's Manual for CTG, so I won't cover that book in this post. Are you ready? Let's get started...
1. Dinosaurs of Eden by Ken Ham
Where did dinosaurs come from? Are dinosaurs mentioned in the Bible? What happened to all the dinosuars? If you have ever been left speechless when asked these questions by your kids don't despair...there is help! Ken Ham answers all these questions and more in this wonderfully written "story" book. Beginning at the beginning (Creation) he takes you on a quick trip through history explaining along the way about the dinosaurs, how they came to be extinct, what happened to them during and after the flood of Genesis, and how they migrated along with humans during the dispersion of man throughout the world. He even refutes the evolutionist's theory about dinosaurs from a historical, Biblical and scientific perspective, but on a level that a child can understand.
2. Archimedes and the Door of Science by Jeanne Bendick
A wonderfully engaging book about the life of one of the greatest thinkers of the ancient world, Archimedes and the Door of Science will keep your children glued to the story and begging for one more chapter. Along the way they will learn about the life of Archimedes, the time period in which he lived, and the discoveries he made that affected the way we live. Some portions of the text may be a little difficult for elementary students to understand, but what a great introduction to Greek culture and the world of Science this book will be.
3. The Children's Homer by Padraic Colum
This book introduces readers to the Homer's stories The Iliad and The Odyssey. The stories and the characters are engaging, but the text is a little difficult for younger children to understand. I believe that MFW has changed publishers on this particular book this year, so I cannot speak to the content or language of the "new" book. I think your children will enjoy this story, as it is read aloud to them one chapter per day over the course of several weeks.
4. Pyramids by Peter Mellett
This book is as much a history book as it is a science book. Covering pyramids of the world and the civilizations that built them your children will learn of their construction, uses, decor, and a little of the cultures of the civilizations that built them. This book is packed full of experiments, full color illustrations and photography that will help them learn the scientific principles behind these monumental achievements of ancient architecture.
5. Streams of Civilization Vol. I by Mary Stanton and Albert Hyma (Christian Liberty Press)
Used throughout the CTG study, this upper level history text will aid you as the teacher in presenting a more thorough and cohesive history of the civilizations you will study. The ages and abilities of your students will determine how you use this book, but for the most part it should be read by the teacher who would then determine whether to read the text to the student or summarize/explain the meaning of the text instead.
6. Ancient Egypt by Andrew Haslam and Alexandra Parsons
This is a hands-on craft book that provides some very basic history on various aspects of Ancient Egypt. The activities are well laid out and well illustrated to make it easier to understand. There are also several full color illustrations and photographs of artifacts from Ancient Egypt. Your children can make Egyptian clothing and jewelry, games, art, boats and more. The CTG curriculum does not schedule every activity in this book, but you may find many that you wish to do on your own. Some of these activities will require materials that the average household would not have on hand, so read ahead and be prepared.
7. Ancient World by Fiona Chandler
A wonderfully illustrated historical overview of ancient civilizations of the world from the first farmers to the Romans, this book is packed with information. The illustrations are enhanced with text to explain various parts of the drawings, and there are photos of artifacts from many of the civilizations. Your children will learn about their religions, wars, games, dress, art, education and more. This is an excellent book that can be used for future studies, as all of the cultures in this book are not covered in CTG.
8. The Aesop for Children with pictures by Milo Winter (Scholastic)
This book contains 126 classic fables including "The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing", "The Ants and the Grasshopper", and "Belling the Cat". They will be used as read-a-louds or for the student to read. We used them for narrations some school days, and you could use them to encourage your student to write their own fable.
9. Genesis for Kids by Doug Lambier and Robert Stevenson
Based on the week of Creation, this science book is packed with experiments to help your students understand the world around
them. A variety of topics are covered such as light, air, weather, water, plants, the universe, birds, fish, animals, insects, the human body, and more. Many of the supplies needed for these experiments will be common household items, but read ahead just in case you need to make a quick trip to the store.
10. Celebrate the Feasts by Martha Zimmerman
This book provides detailed instruction for carrying out the feasts of the Old Testament. The author explains the significance of the feast, provides a materials list, recipes, and full details on how to celebrate the feast. This book is not for the student to read, but for the teacher so they may prepare for the feast with the children and explain as they go along.
11. The Victor Journey through the Bible by V. Gilbert Beers
Excellent Bible study resource! This book contains background information, historical details, photographs, maps, illustrations, and
Bible references to Old and New Testament stories and characters.
12. English from the Roots Up by Joegil Lundquist
Learning Greek roots didn't seem like the most interesting thing to do when I first saw this curriculum. I wondered why a child in elementary school would need to know such information, but now I understand. Learning the Greek roots has helped them to better understand our own English language. From this book the student will learn the greek root and its meaning, and English language words (with definitions) that are derivatives of said Greek root. Included on each page are teaching notes and extra words with definitions and sentences to more clearly understand the words usage. Greek roots are studied in CTG and Latin roots will be studied in RTR. Their system of study using index cards and a card file for recording and storing the student's work can be used, or the same information can be placed in the students notebooks (which is what we did).
 Well, I think that covers everything. I truly believe all of these books to be excellent choices by My Father's World, and I want to say a big thank you to them for their hard work and dedication to producing a top quality and God honoring curriculum.
I can't wait to get started with Rome to the Reformation! Our school year begins the first week of August, so I don't have much longer to wait. Now I just need to finish organizing and cleaning the school room . When I'm finished I'm going to post a description of what I did to the school room this summer and post some "after" pictures so check back later for an update on that monumental task!
Blessings to everyone, and thanks so much for all your kind words, encouragement, and interest in my review!
|
Posted by