I was so excited to review this game because the graphics were so cute and I was intrigued by the volcano. Animal Classification Escape the Volcano Flash Card Game from Warm Hearts Publishing did not disappoint. 

The game board, game pieces, and flash cards are bright and cheery. It is very easy to understand and follow the directions to put together the game board and the playing pieces. That's important to me because I am not the best at following directions and putting things together. 

Once the flashcards are printed and the game is set up, it's time to play. 

Each player tried to get to the last box for the playing piece reaches "The Lava has Reached You." Yikes! What a cool idea. You answer the flash card question and if you get it right, you can move your playing piece on top of the card. Anyway, I won't go into all the details. Just want to say this: It's creative, fun, and educational!

There are three levels of play: easy, difficult, and challenging. That means you can keep playing the game for years. 

The flashcards can also be used for other activities. 

I also received the extra set of Invertebrate Animal Classification Cards that included insects and echinoderms. 

Our company has four books in the Build Your Bundle Sale. 

In the Brother/Sister Bundle we have two books. 

God's Girls 105: Homemaking is a one-credit high school elective/life skills class teaching young women to be godly, skilled homemakers. With Bible studies and lots of fun (baking, canning, making make-up, flower arranging, candy making, cooking, sewing, and more!), this class is a blast! Learn more about it here.

Real Men 103: Leadership is a one-credit high school elective/life skills class training young men to be godly leaders. With Bible study, living books, and practical opportunities to grow in leading real people in real situations, this class is effective and fun! Learn more about it here. 

Check out the Brother/Sister Bundle here.

​In the Fine Arts Bundle we have one book, our Families Learning Together: American History Art Appreciation curriculum. Make your way through American History by enjoying and examining popular paintings from Colonial  Times to the 20th Century. You can learn more about Families Learning Together American History Art Appreciation here. Check out the Fine Arts Bundle here. 

We also have a book in the Mystery Bundle. It's one of my favorites! Unfortunately, I cannot tell you what one it is. That would spoil the surprise. After all, it is a mystery. However, you can guess which one it is--this blog post gives you 16 possibilities: What Book Does Powerline Productions Have in the Mystery Bundle? Check out the Mystery Bundle here.

I am so excited for the upcoming 5th annual Build Your Bundle Sale that starts next week on 5/7/18.

You can save up to 95% on 20 individual bundles for your home and school.

Sweeten the deal by signing up for a coupon code that you can use when the sale starts!#byb2018

Visit the Build Your Bundle Sale Site here. 

There will be 20 Bundles, 3 Build-Your-Own Bundles, as well as Membership Sites and Online Courses. 

Each Bundle has a variety of excellent curriculum from publishers like Mystery of History, Biblioplan, Media Angels, Bright Ideas Press, Knowledge Quest, How Great Thou Art, Write Bonnie Rose, The Crafty Classroom, Our Crazy Adventures in Autismland, Train Up a Child, Brookdale House, Raising Arrows, and Thinking Kids Press. 

Powerline Productions is excited to be involved in this years sale again--our fifth year in a row!

If you head over to the site today, you can enter to win all 20 Bundles--that's over $5,000 worth of curriculum. Just for entering, you will receive a FREE Homeschool Portfolio Pack. I'll be heading over there myself. After all, who doesn't  need free curriculum? ​

Happy Homeschooling! 

​Meredith Curtis

"I know! Let's write a murder mystery for fiction writing next year!" I was so excited that I clasped my hands together in delight. 

"I love it!" Jenny Rose replied.

"We'll read Agatha Christies and Dorothy Sayers..." I began.

"Wait, Mom. Do you know how to write a murder mystery?" Jenny Rose looked a little worried. All of children take one year in high school to write a novel. 

That is how our journey began. It seemed like a fun idea. And, hey! We're homeschoolers--we can do anything!

Little did I realize how challenging and educational (in more ways than writing) this new adventure would be. 

Flip 3 Pancakes with 1 Spatula by Cheryl Bastian is book filled with hands-on learning ideas for teaching math without a textbook. It's a handbook to teach to the heart of your child, who most likely LOVES your kitchen and is constantly asking if he can "help." Cooking is fun. Math can be learned by cooking with mom in the kitchen. Ergo, learning math can be fun. That sounds logical to me!

You will love this book! Set up like a cookbook, it is divided into the following categories: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snacks & Desserts, and Holidays & Celebrations. Each page contains a complete math lesson set up unit study style with a yummy recipe. You start out by reading one or two picture books. After gathering the needed materials listed on the page, the math lesson takes place while you are cooking. There are also Add Ons. The Ad Ons include additional math lessons, social studies activities, more books to read, science projects, writing or language assignments, and art projects. All are easy and fun!

We started doing Grace Home Schoolers Friday Enrichment Classes when my oldest daughter was in middle school--back in 1997. We have enjoyed the addition to our education at home. My teens have made friends and gotten to dissect, act, sing, paint, debate, and learn psychology from a Christian perspective. 

This year, we have a great line up of classes for the 2013/2014 school year. I thought I would share them with you in case you are looking for enrichment classes. 

Interested? Contact Grace Homeschoolers through their website: http://gracehomeschoolers.com/

​When Sarah's Wish by Jim Baumgardner arrived to be reviewed, I decided to read the book and found myself immediately involved in Sarah's life and dreams.

Emotionally involved, I wanted her to find a family, to help her friends escape to freedom through the Underground Railroad, and to protect her from the evil slave catchers that made her life miserable.

I felt scared with Sarah sometimes and, other times, found myself laughing aloud at her antics.

When I finished the book, I wanted to read more about Sarah, to stay involved in her life. I felt like I had made a new friend. ​

"Is this an exercise video? Is this a math video?" I wondered aloud when Exploramania Gymathtics arrived in the mail to be reviewed.

The answer to my question is YES! It is an exercise video and it is a math video.

What a fun, colorful, exciting video to watch! Our hostess, exercise leader, and math teacher is energetic and upbeat. She reminds me of my spinning teacher at the Y. Her name is Carrie and she is the creator of Exploramania. The exercise video is a high-energy aerobic workout with a twist. The twist is that you are always doing math while you move and sweat.

"Isn't exercise fun?" perky Carrie asks throughout the 30 minute workout.

"Yes, Carrie," I have to agree. "This is fun!"

The Renaissance was a rebirth of Classical Greek and Roman art, literature, and culture that took place mostly in Southern Europe. 

The Reformation was a spiritual rebirth that took place in hearts as they rediscovered the Truth found in Scripture: Salvation through Faith alone. The Reformation took place mostly in Northern Europe. 

As these earth-shaking movements were happening across Europe, men were bravely sailing to the New World.

​What an exciting time to study! How thrilling to see God moving through time and history to glorify Jesus and spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth!
​

"Look at this baby book!" I grabbed Laura's arm and pulled her over to the table with the baby book on display.

Laura, who was gazing at science curriculum, reluctantly allowed herself to be dragged away. We were at the FPEA Homeschool Convention in May, 2008 at the vendors' hall.

"Look! It's a baby book for Jesus! Is that not the cutest thing in the whole world?" I cooed, picking it up and flipping through the pages. "Look, it says "Before Jesus was born, he was creating the world!" and this page says, "Here are the gifts baby received..." And, here is a page about His parents, God and Mary."

By now, Laura was interested. We scanned through the book several times, and, of course, I had to buy the unit study.

Celebrate the Savior by Charlene Notgrass is a Bible Study with history and crafts. There are craft projects and creative writing assignments. The children make two booklets: a Baby Book for Jesus and a Christmas Traditions around the World booklet. With fifteen lessons on the birth and life of Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah, this book is a great way to teach your children about Christmas!


Celebrate the Savior is a unit study that begins with a closer look at the birth of Christ Jesus our Savior revealed in Scripture and progresses into a look at the history of Christmas celebrating and traditions. Bible, history, geography, writing, music, and art are covered in this unit.

When I first heard the term apologetics, I immediately thought of apologizing. It sounded like Christians were saying, "I'm sorry for what I believe." But the term apologetics refers to intellectually defending the faith. As believers in Jesus, we are commanded to give a reason for the hope that we have, to answer the intellectual questions of our day. The Bible does have an answer for the questions the world is asking.

"But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of your slander," (I Peter 3:15-16NIV).

Teens Defend Their Faith

People will ask you and your Christian teenager questions such as "Why do you believe the Bible?" or "Why do you think Christianity is the only right way to believe?" Is your teen ready to answer those questions? Maybe you are thinking, "Golly, I'm not ready to answer those questions." That's okay. You and your teen can learn together.

Where do we start in teaching our teens to defend their faith? Set apart Christ as Lord. Set Him aside as the Supreme Master of your life and home. Whatever He says goes! His Word is Truth. His commands are obeyed. He is the One we live to please, not the world, our friends, or our college professors.

Training

Next, we receive preparation or training so that we can be prepared to give an answer to those who ask. This preparation can be in the form of a class with you or your spouse. There are many wonderful books available on the subject of apologetics such as More than a Carpenter by Josh McDowell or Know Why You Believe by Paul E. Little. My husband taught an apologetics Sunday School class that we have adapted for our teens. It covers the following topics.

• Reality and Uniqueness of the Bible
• Creation and the Evolution Scam
• The Flood
• Archeology
• Prophecies of Cities' Destruction
• Prophecies of the Coming Messiah
• The Trilema: Is Jesus, Liar, Lunatic, or Lord?
• Jesus' Resurrection

Originally published by E. P. Dutton Co., Inc in 1941, Stephen Foster and His Little Dog Tray by Opal Wheeler and illustrated by Mary Greenwalt is a biography of Stephen Foster with music scores of his most famous works included in the book. The story is lively and engaging, beginning with his birth into a large, slave-owning family in Pennsylvania.

From the very beginning, Stephen loved music! When he was two years old, he "borrowed" his sister's guitar and plucked a melody out on the instrument. Soon, he was plucking piano keys with lovely results to his family's delight and enjoyment. Stephen's music was profoundly influenced by Negro Spirituals sung by the black slaves of America. His songs often adopt the style or melody of a specific spiritual. Because of this, I had always assumed that he was a "Southern Boy," but it turns out he spent most of his life in Pennsylvania!

This biography is easy enough to be read and enjoyed by young children, but interesting and full of enough information that older children would enjoy it too. My first thought:  a great family read aloud book! Best of all, the Bible is mentioned, as well as the family's devotion to God!

The study guide, Stephen Foster and His Little Dog Tray Study Guide by Judy Wilcox, impressed me! This slim book and companion guide was jam-packed with great info and divided into four sections. Each section covered a section of the book with maps, timelines, tidbits of interest, reading comprehension questions, and a focus on character qualities evident in Stephen Foster's life.

The year we studied American History this year, five families united to  coop every Tuesday in my living room, kitchen, backyard, and nearby park. We  listened to numerous books read aloud, shot arrows from bows, worked on timelines, recited famous speeches, and created many hands-on projects. The fascinating thing to me about American History is the deep devotion to God that once lived in the hearts of men and women in this nation. Even those who rejected the Gospel admitted that God had His hand in the formation of this great nation.

Today, my heart aches for a nation that has turned away from the Lord and looks to the government to solve its problems, seemingly unaware that we are experiencing judgment as a result of our rejection of the God of the Bible and His moral laws. I am saddened to see how far we have strayed, yet hope cannot keep from rising inside me. God can still bring revival, changing the hearts of men and women once again, so that they seek His face.

This hope is tempered by the realization that it not only takes loving God, but knowing and obeying HIs Word to make a nation great. We must seek His Wisdom, found in Scripture on how to govern a nation, enact moral laws, and transform our evil culture. God speaks about history, law, politics, leadership, culture, and justice in His Word.

"Bring back the good ole days," I find myself thinking sometimes as I pick up new-fangled, fancy curriculum that seems to have more bells and whistles than meat.

But, honestly I had very little idea of where to find that curricula.

In fact, I had little idea what these textbooks were actually like.

​That's all changed now because I got to review the Eclectic Education Series.

The Eclectic Education Series (EES) is a set of textbooks that were used in the latter part of the nineteenth century (1800's). Over 10,000 independent school boards across the nation chose to use these textbooks. Some of these textbooks will sound familiar to you, even after they have been out of use for 100 years: Ray's Arithmetic and McGuffey's Readers. All of these textbooks emphasize traditional values, patriotism, and the Bible. ​
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