A Net in Time

Curriculum and book reviews, faith, homeschooling and more!

Books for Upper Elementary

Fly Girls by Keith O’Brien

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Five brave women, defying the odds, take to the skies. Fly Girls by Keith O’Brien tells the story of five women in the aftermath of WW1 who took to the skies. Learn the stories of Amelia Earhart, Ruth Elder, Florence Klingensmith, Ruth Nichols and Louise Thaden. This is my review.

From the Cover

Between the world wars, no sport was more popular, or more dangerous, than airplane racing. While male pilots were lauded as heroes, the few women who dared to fly were more often ridiculed-until a cadre of women pilots banded together to break through the entrenched prejudice.

Fly Girls by Keith O’Brien weaves together the stories of five remarkable women: Florence Klingensmith, a high school dropout; Ruth Elder, a divorcee; Amelia Earhart, the most famous, but not necessarily the most skilled; Ruth Nichols, who chafed at her Wall Street family’s expectations; and Louise Thaden, who got her start selling coal in Wichita. Together, they fought for the chance to fly and race airplanes -and in 1936, one of them would triumph, beating the men in the toughest air race of them all.

My Thoughts

Oh, I enjoyed reading this book.  BUT I struggled with it.  I thought it was going to be a book about five women aviators who fought to be allowed to race with men in airplane races. It wasn’t.

Instead, it spoke of the race to cross the ocean.  Focusing, predominately on the failures, of men as well as women.  A big yahoo to Charles Lindbergh, but the first four women were all failures.

I found it interesting that the story of Amelia Earhart didn’t include her solo flights, or her disappearance…but rather included a rather unflattering story.  I was impressed that she wanted female pilots to be organized and worked toward that end.  It was rather odd though, the story they focused on. They didn’t even mention her solo flight across the ocean.  Just left me wondering why?

This 95-page book contains almost 30 pages of footnotes and source material links to help you learn even more about these remarkable women.

I think this book would be an excellent introduction to female aviators but not an ending book.  This book whetted my appetite to learn more about these five women, but wasn’t satisfying in the end.  I suspect that discerning upper elementary youth would have the same reaction.

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101 Small Ways to Change the World

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Kids today want to be involved in the world around them, they want to know that they can make a difference. Often times though, they don’t know just what they can do.   It’s hard to come up with ideas when you don’t know where to start.  Enter in 101 Small Ways to Change the World.    Just the help a child, teenager or adult needs, to stoke the fires of imagination to change the world. 

From the Cover:

It’s hard to believe that you could change the world, but it’s true! We’ll show you loads of awesome ways to help out family, friends, yourself and the planet – and show how you’re never too young to make a big difference. Includes random acts of kindness, craft projects, energy-saving ideas, and much more.

101 Small Ways to Change the World is a practical, fun and creative book to inspire you at home, school and in your local community and beyond! Remember, all big ideas start with just one person who decides to do things differently. You could be that person.

What You Get

The hardcover tome starts with the encouragement to think big, but to do the small.   For if you want to plant a forest, you need to start with one tree.  One small act combined with another small act changes the world.

This is followed by three sections:

  • 1. Caring for Others
  • 2. Caring for the Planet
  • 3. Caring for Yourself

Section one on Caring for others covers topics such as spreading kindness at school, cheering up a friend, doing your chores, helping wildlife thrive, donating things to charity, being a volunteer and starting a neighbourhood library.

The next section is Caring for the Planet which included ideas such as turning off the lights, walk instead of drive, picking up litter, recreating out of old, make a game, using less plastic, buying local, planting a tree, taking a short shower, and planting a garden. 

Caring for yourself encourages the reader to stand up for yourself, be positive, eat healthy, find a hobby, be involved with your family, challenge yourself, and to share your abilities.

My Thoughts

There is so much in this book that I like.  Practical ideas for kids, teens and adults to engage with, to make small changes in the world and their communities.  A great book for that, and the learning how to care for yourself too!  Excellent stuff.

I did struggle with the “don’t eat meat” mantra.  It wasn’t balanced with the good that animals do, only the negatives were addressed.  This section could easily have addressed “try alternative proteins like crickets etc”. 

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The Secrets of Tutankhamun

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King Tut, boy king of Ancient Egypt.  Who was he?   Where was he buried?  Why did it take so long to discover his tomb?  What secrets did it hide and what did we learn from it?   These questions and more, answered in The Secrets of Tutankhamun by Patricia Cleveland-Peck. 

From the Cover

When a series of family deaths led to the nine-year-old Tutankhamun’s unlikely ascension to the throne of Egypt, the young Pharoah inherited a land in the midst of conflict and change.   His rule was short and tumultuous, and at around age nineteen, Tut died.    Three thousand years later, Howard Carter, a British archaeologist …. made a discovery that shocked the world. …. Featuring the story of Tut’s life, the archaeological advances made through the discovery of his tomb, and guides to hieroglyphics and the mummification process. …..

What you Get

The life of Tutankhamun is brought to us in this oversized paperback tome.  A meaty book filled with his life and the life of the men searching for answers, and then discovering them!   

Divided into three parts, this 64 page book talks about how Tut lived and died, the discovery by Howard Carter and how the mysteries were solved around the discoveries made at his burial site. 

Now, what I received was the advanced readers’ copy, so most of the book I received was done in grayscale images.   There were numerous images scattered throughout the entire book that really brought the well-written text to life.

A few pages were included so we could see what the final book will look like. All seven pages of colour were filled with shades of blacks, blues, yellows and whites.  

Highly informative history spills out of the pages.  There is so much to be learned as well as life lessons.  For instance, the persistence of Howard Carter in his quest to find the tomb.  Questions to be asked at the time of discovery that weren’t answered until much later.  The excitement the discovery brought.  The uniqueness of his tomb, and all the questions it raised, along with the discovery of two infant tombs.  Just a treasure trove of information.

My Thoughts:

People have long been fascinated with Tutankhamun and this book delves deep into the mystery of who he was and how he lived.  There is much speculation of course, based on archaeological finds.  Overall though, it’s a great look into the lives of two men….one young, living with health problems and dying young.  The other older, determined to solve a mystery, persisting even when it seemed he’d never do it.

I found it a well-written book that gave a great amount of information, I learned so much.  Meaty picture books are just the best, you know?

I thoroughly enjoyed all the add-ons… learning the hieroglyphic alphabet, how they read the paintings in the tomb, the mummification process and more.  It would be a great addition to studies on Ancient Egypt. 

Links to other books on Egypt to help round out your studies.

Egyptomania. 

Cleopatra and Ancient Egypt. 

 

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Crafty Ideas from Junk

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crafty ideas from junk

Crafty Ideas from Junk is a book I pulled from my art shelves.   It’s not a large book by any means but has a number of fun crafts in it to delight your budding artist.   (or simply a child looking for some way to occupy their time) Games, robots, necklaces and plant holders are just a few of the activities waiting to be discovered.

crafty ideas from junk

Each craft/activity comes with a needed supplies list.  Some are more loose in their requirements than others, as well as instructions following. I found that some of the directions left me a bit confused as to what I was to do first or next or just how to accomplish the task at hand, but that gives the opportunity to do some problem solving, which is a great part of doing crafts isn’t it?  To have to figure some of it on your own.   Helps make the craft or game more your own.

crafty ideas from junk

One of the things I would like to do with a Co-op class sometime is to have a “make games for your siblings class”.  I look at the instructions above and think… this would be a great game to older kids to make for their siblings.   What do you think?

crafty ideas from junk

More than 25 crafts, games and activities fill the pages of this softcover tomb by Myrna Daitz.   Children will find themselves encouraged in their efforts to keep themselves busy.   I like this little book and it will rejoin the others on my shelf. Perhaps in the spring I’ll actually host a “Make a gift for your Siblings class”.  Would be fun don’t you think?

crafty ideas from junk
Crafty Ideas from Junk
Myrna Daitz
Exley Publications Ltd
48 pages, softcover,
art book, elementary, craft, art

 

Cleopatra and Ancient Egypt

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Have I ever told you how much I enjoy the “for kids” series from Chicago Review Press? They are written for kids and all contain 21 different activities for students to complete.   They are fantastically written with loads of pictures and interesting tidbits throughout.  Today I am reviewing Cleopatra and Ancient Egypt for Kids.

cleopatra and ancient egypt

From the Cover:

Cleopatra has been called intelligent and scheming, ambitious and ruthless, sensual and indulgent. This unique biography captures the excitement of her life story, including portions that have been largely neglected, such as her interest in literature and science and her role as a mother, and allows readers to draw their own conclusions. Cleopatra and Ancient Egypt for Kids also includes maps, time lines, online resources, a glossary, and 21 engaging hands-on activities to help readers better appreciate the ancient culture and era in which Cleopatra lived.

What You Get:

Over the course of 144 pages students are led through the life of Cleopatra, starting with her life as a young princess and closing with the end of the era.  Each of the 8 chapters contains up to three activities for students to engage the student in active learning from science experiments to art projects to making food.

Cleopatra worked hard to keep her family on the throne of Egypt and throughout her reign she kept Egypt stable.  As a child in the Ptolomy household, she was well-educated. They put a strong emphasis on learning, as Egyptian queens played an essential role in the governing of the land. Cleopatra kept learning all her life. In the pages of the book you learn these facts and more.The student will understand how this tough, smart lady kept a country going in the time of growing Roman domination. 

You’ll find 21 different activities to do.  Some of them are creating a writing a tablet, build a shadoof, make a garland,  create an Egyptian style necklace, mummify a hot dog and many more. Each assignment comes with a materials list and clear instructions to complete it. I loved the variety in the assignments. 

Cleopatra and Ancient Egypt

You’ll find a timeline at the start of the book from when Cleopatra VII is born, through to the death of Cleopatra and Anthony.   Span of some 40 years.

Scattered throughout the pages you’ll find maps, busts, coins, plants and buildings from the era.  All those images that bring history to life that normally you’d have to go to a museum to see and piece together, brought all together in one book. 

Cleopatra and Ancient Egypt

The close of the book lists the Egyptian Dynasties, Additional Resources with grade ranges – not just books but museums as well, and a glossary.  All in all a complete walk through of the life of Cleopatra. 

My Thoughts:

I thoroughly enjoy these books.  Every single one I review I keep for my book shelves with the full intent of going through them with my lad.. grade nine is coming yet!  🙂  Very thorough, written so that upper elementary students can understand, complete enough for high school students to work through, filled with ideas for taking rabbit trails, with great variety in hands-on activities.  They’d be perfect for doing a history course all year long (each taking about 8-9 weeks to complete).

Others that I’ve reviewed: Albert Einstein, Marine Science,  Michelangelo, and Marie Curie.

Cleopatra and Ancient Egypt: her life and world, with 21 activities
Simonetta Carr
Chicago Review Press
For Kids Series
21 activities.
144 pages, trade paperback
History, hands-on learning, upper elementary
Reviewed for Chicago Review Press

Where to buy: Amazon.

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Who Owns These Bones?

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Do you remember I reviewed a book about Roadkill?  I have a fantastic book to go along with that one!  Anyways, the book I have today with called Who Owns These Bones?  It has been a pleasure to review this book.

Who owns these bones

From the back

“Welcome to the secret world of skeletons! From the largest elephant to the smallest mouse, each animal is different, and that goes for their bones, too!

Meet a whole host of amazing skeletons and learn about what makes each one unique, from how to tell a gorilla from a human, to how to recognize a turtle just from its skull.

Lift the flaps to discover each skeleton’s animal owner, and find out amazing anatomy facts along the way! Can you work out Who Owns These Bones?”

The finer details:

40 pages fill out the space between the sturdy hardcovers, while finding simple illustrations in shades of white, black, grey and orange. 

who owns these bonesA variety of activities fill the pages with the bulk of them being lift-the-flap.  Do you see all the information that dots the pages?   This is no wee kids book of bones…this book is meant to delight and educate. Answers are always provided, sometimes on the back of a flap or on the bottom of a page.

who owns these bones

My Thoughts:

This informative book would be an excellent addition to a course about bones, fossils or perhaps with a Dinosaur book or two. 🙂 Mind, it would also be an interesting add-along if you were doing a course with Northwest Treasures.   Bones are an important part of understanding how animals are put together, this book is just filled with them.  I wasn’t keen the evolutionary stuff but once we got past that paragraph or two the book just focused on bones.  Bones, cartilage, exoskeletons, teeth, horns, fingers and toes, and all parts in-between. Bones, bones and more bones, and along with it lots of learning to be done.  This book could fit into a lot of different studies it is just that good.    I urge you to give it a gander. 🙂

who owns these bones

Who Owns These Bones?
Henri Cap, Raphael Martin, Renaud Vigourt
Laurence King
Hardcover, 40 pages, Ages 7-11
Paleontology, Science, Archaeology 
Reviewed for Raincoast Books.

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Building with Paper

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Building with Paper

Building with Paper is a neat book that gives you specific projects in working with paper.  

You can build a Paper Town, Bridges, Boats, Castles & Forts, and a Stadium. 

You get clear instructions

building with paper

With excellent drawings

building with paper

Each Section is clearly delineated with a face page.

building with paper

My thoughts:

My son went through a period where he was constantly building things with paper. I had him look through this book to see if it was good and he said “yes, I would have liked this book two years ago”.  It teaches not only the folding and building, but how to put the pieces together so they hold together well.   Papercraft boat anyone?   The one in the book looks like it would float well and possibly even hold a small figurine making for a lovely play time that you make yourself.   It would be fun to do as co-op class don’t you think?  Building a castle together?  HA!  that would simply be a hoot!