A Net in Time

Curriculum and book reviews, faith, homeschooling and more!

Geography

Tabs Open in My Browser

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So, you know how it’s so easy to have all kinds of tabs open in your browser?  Well, I’ve got a few to share with you today.


Mirasee.   I’ve been reading from this blog off and on, trying to learn new things.   it’s good to look beyond your comfort zone with your life and blog sometimes.  This one pushes me to think a bit more. 

A google search on the isthmus of panama.   I know you may be thinking what???   My lad and i were reading a book and the lad didn’t know what this was.   In case you didn’t know: 

Robotics Workshop.  I was looking at this kit for the lad for Christmas but he wants something else very specific.    He also did a robotics class through HOPE so this isn’t quite what he needs right now.

Create and Sell Digital Products.  Walks a person through the different formats. 

Learning about the tailorbird and how they build a nest.  We were fascinated!

50 books your child should read before 12 years old.  Not sure I agree these are all must reads, but  many of them are good reads. 🙂

Learning what a Pilum is. One of our history books mentioned this weapon, which caused us to look through our weapons books after doing a bit of on-line research.

One day I was wondering how to make my own non-toxic cleaner.  I honestly can’t remember why because I use a damp cloth and rag and consider it good if I don’t see dust.   AND I do have a high tolerance for dust unless my mother is coming for a visit. 🙂  Anyways, if you are curious, I found something here that looked simple enough to be doable.

You know how we have the bermuda triangle?   Did you also know there is a DRAGON Triangle?   I know…shocking!  (at least I was shocked).  We learned about it in the wonderful series “The Unwanteds”.   We still need to finish that series yet… Image from here.

Troutwife’s Pizza quiche which I would like to try sometime. 

Story Spiel by my friend Lori.  I need to figure this method out a bit and see if I can implement it with the lad.  

A girl in my homeschool group CONSTANTLY listens to music, it’s part of her special needs to block out extraneous noise.   She highly recommended I listen to Kim Collingsworth, and she was write…GOOD music.  Here’s a piece you might like. 

My hubby actually sent me on this quest.  How to build a stone oven. I think it would be rather neat to put one together, though it would take some learning on how to do.   But imagine…fresh baked bread you made outside?  Be rather neat I think.

Free Civic Air Patrol Curriculum.  Looked intriguing at the time, haven’t really looked into it a whole lot yet. 

We’ve had two miscarriages in this family, so occasionally I read articles like this one.  Some of thoughtful and others well…better left unsaid.  This one I thought was well written.   10 ways to honor your baby after miscarriage or infant loss. 

Anyways, this list is getting a touch long, so I’ll write more in another post!  🙂

This post may contain affiliate links – using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool – thank you! ©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time . We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites

Review: The Big Earth Book

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You know what?  I love Lonely Planet Kids books.  I find them to be well made and very interesting.  The Big Earth Book is no different. You are invited to discover how earth, air, fire and water shaped the world that we live … take a tour to discover the past, the present and the future of our world. 

 

The Big Earth Book starts off by introducing us to the fab four. Earth, Air, Fire and Water.   The entire book is divided into those four sections.
Here are some of the topics for each.

Earth:
Structure of the Earth, Geothermal, Digging for Treasure, The World Today

Air: 
Layers of air, Into Space, El Nino, Playing with the wind.

Fire:
Before Fire, Wildfire, Oil Rush, Beacons of Light.

Water: 
Origins of Water, Water and Farming, Canals, The Future of Water.

Colourful illustrations draw the eye in, helping you to want to learn the facts that Mark Brake wants to impart to us. Most of the pages are full of illustrations by Brendan Kearney. Occasionally full colour photos are added.  Aren’t they well done?   You can just see how the ocean currents and the air movements work together can’t you?

This isn’t just a book about four elements, we get history, geography, science and so much more.  The bright colours, the easy reading text, the well placed photos, all add up to a book chock full of good information for your upper elementary to middle school students.

The text is written at an easy to understand level without talking down to the student.  The purpose is to educate with good vocabulary to help the student think, but with enough good material so as to be informed.

I just love how the whole package fits together.   I learned so much leafing through the pages.  For instance, did you know that “trade winds” got their name because at the time “trade” meant “path” in the English language and these winds follow a path as they move about, sailors used them to trace a path across the Atlantic ocean…Neat eh?!

My Thoughts:
Lonely Planets Kids is not a christian organization, and as such follows the old earth frame of reference, this does not need to detract from the great information contained within it’s pages.  It’s bright, colourful pages provide numerous talking points, and help show what the text is referring to.  It’s well worth a look at whether you are secular or Christian.   I think it would be a great resource to add to any library or to leave sitting around for a curious minded child to pick up and leaf through.

The Big Earth Book
Mark Brake
Dr. Mike Goldsmith (consultant)
Lonely Planet Kids
256 pages
Ages 8-12
Hardcover, earth, geography, history, science, resource

Reviewed for: Raincoast Books. 

 Where can I find it?
Amazon.ca: The Big Earth Book.
Amazon.com: The Big Earth Book.

This post may contain affiliate links – using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool – thank you!

©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time . We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites

Canada Book: Canada the Culture

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 Canada the Culture, the book I looked at is one of the original books in this series.    In this book we are invited to see Canadian culture in it’s many different facets.

Learning about Canadian culture is part of learning about Canada, you know?  Ergo let me tell you about this helpful book.  It’s not a large one, but is packed full of information.  Explaining how Canada is a multi-cultural nations and retains that culture in various festivals and holidays held across Canada.

I loved the great balance between picture and text, because a picture can show us things that text cannot.  The pictures are bright and full of information.  The text written at a level easy to understand, at a perfect level for grades 3-6.

I appreciated how this 32 book covered all the cultural aspects of Canada, making it a very useful addition into your studies into Canada.  Learning about the myths and the legends from Canada’s beginning, learning about the holidays and the people that make up my beloved land.  It’s a book well worth looking at as part of your cultural studies of Canada.

Canada the Culture
Bobby Kalman
Original book…listing a link to the updated version below
hardcover
Facts, about Canadian culture.
Grades 3-6

Where to find the revised version?

Amazon.ca.                   Amazon.com.

This post may contain affiliate links – using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool – thank you!

©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time . We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites

Carole P. Roman’s cultural, history books for children, a review

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It has been my joy to read Carole P. Roman‘s books over these past few weeks.   Books from the “If you were me and lived” series that spoke to me predominately of days gone by, but one with a look into a possible future.   History was portrayed from The Mayan Empire, Viking Europe and the Ancient Mali Empire, the future glimpsed in a potential life on Mars.   Here are links to all four books that I reviewed via Amazon.com: If you were me and lived on … Mars, If you were me and lived in … The Ancient Mali Empire, If you were me and lived in … Viking Europe, and If you were me and lived in … The Mayan Empire.

http://www.anetintime.ca/2017/09/carole-p-romans-cultural-history-books.html

Let me tell you about these books that I received.

If you were me and lived on … Mars is the smallest and easiest of the books I received.  It was, in my and my son’s opinion, a light-hearted read about imagining life on Mars.  From the what you might eat (no spinach yay!) to what the seasons might be like.   This would be wonderful to read alongside a study on Mars, opening up your students imagination to what life on Mars might be like.  It gives some good facts as well as allowing for the dream.

Full colour, whimsical illustrations illumine every page.

These next three books follow a similar format.  A story that walks you through religious beliefs, schooling, work, society, household makeup and more along with famous names in history, and closing with a glossary.

If you were me and lived in … the Ancient Mali Empire is one of the meatier history books.  This book is laden with facts.   For instance, did you know in Ancient Mali religious beliefs, only the men were allowed to attend funeral services?  Mateya Arkova provides simple water colour illustrations to show the people and their activities. Haggling was the way to do business in the marketplace.   We learned about how they were big in the gold and salt trade.

I have to admit that If you were me and lived in … Viking Europe was not new to us.   I had forgotten that we had downloaded it onto my kindle.  Having the physical book in hand makes it (our our opinion) a nicer read, but the kindle worked well too!  🙂  Did you know in Viking Europe that fish would make up a great portion of your diet?  Dagmal is how you would say the first meal of the day.   Watercolours by Mateya Arkova illumine the pages of this book as well.   The pictures help tell the story so well.

If you were me and lived in … The Mayan Empire. The illustrations here were provided by Paula Tabor and give a different feel to the book. The clean crisp lines went well with the orderliness of the Mayan way of life. Women wore multi-layered clothing of colourful clothes.  Adult men wearing a turban and a loin cloth, adding a cape in cooler weather.   Did you know they produced a highly accurate calendar? They never discovered the advantages of the wheel.   There is as section about how they contributed to the knowledge in the world.

My thoughts.

My son’s thoughts.

As always they come out in questions: “Mom, you know what I would not want to have on Mars?  FISH.   I would just rather not have fish.  It would cost too much to ship it up there anyways right?”
“Mom, I didn’t know that.”
“I’m glad I’m not a girl..it’s sad they wouldn’t let her go. Why would her religion tell her she couldn’t go to her gramma’s funeral?  That’s not nice”.
“Why wouldn’t that boy want to be a potter even though it’s what his dad does?”

Reviews for Carole P. Roman in the past.
If you were me and lived in...American West, Ancient Greece, Middle Ages, Elizabethan England
Review: If you were me and lived. Mexico, France, South Korea and Norway.

Vendor: Carole P. Roman
Products: I received books on Mars, The Ancient Mali Empire, Viking Europe and The Mayan Empire. 
Author: Carole P. Roman
80 pages each for The Ancient Mali Empire, Viking Europe and The Mayan Empire.  
44 pages in Mars.
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Series: If you were me and ….
Type: Children’s, softcover, history, culture and education.

Where can you find these treasures?

Amazon.ca Links:
If you were me and lived on … Mars. 
If you were me and lived in … The Ancient Mali Empire.
If you were me and lived in … Viking Europe. 
If you were me and lived in … The Mayan Empire. 

Amazon.com Links:
If you were me and lived on … Mars.
If you were me and lived in … The Ancient Mali Empire.
If you were me and lived in … Viking Europe.
If you were me and lived in … The Mayan Empire.

100 of us from the Homeschool Review Crew were part of this review, reading a great variety in books.  Please click through here to read them. 🙂

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©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time . We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites

Field Trip: Gettysburg National Military Park Museum

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 know I know!  It’s been a while since we did our trip to Pennsylvania…but I finally  have found the time to talk about our trip to the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum.

 I have to admit, it is hard to sum up our visit.  We weren’t there as long as we would have liked to have been.  My feet were quite sore since we’d had a busy few days with not enough rest time, so I sat down a lot which was off-putting to the lad who wanted to read absolutely everything so he thought I was rushing him.  He had a hard time getting past that thought.   Then his feet got sore for standing and reading everything so.. it worked out best to cut our visit a bit shorter.

Anyways, other than that we had a fantastic time!   Seriously.  It was so interesting.  I loved the balance between the thoughts from the north and the south.   And WOW!!   The sheer amount of information was simply amazing!

After we finished in the museum we wondered the grounds for a bit, it was rather hot out so we stuck to the shade, the lad found some spiders that he watched for a while which totally made his day.

On the way back to the campsite we stopped by some of the field exhibits.

 and here’s another horse statue.  🙂

 

This post may contain affiliate links – using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool – thank you!

©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time . We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites

Canada Book: Jasper Explores the Pacific Coast.

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If you are ever studying Canada you need to pick up the Jasper books, seriously.   They give a good look at Canada while following the tale of a cute stuffy and his friends.   

Jasper is a polar bear stuffy who likes to explore the land that he lives in.  The book we are looking at today is called Jasper Explores the Pacific Coast. 

You get easy to read text, with plenty of pictures.

He covers all the big things of the area that he is going through.   The mountains, the rivers and lakes, the tourist places like Buchart Gardens.   

He even gives a map of where he is!  

I love the paw prints that lead from page to page, the fun story that will appeal to younger readers and the clear sharp images.   There are many full page images, and finding Jasper and the things that caught his attention delighted my lad when he was younger.   

So if you are studying Canada.. pick up the Jasper books, they’ll add a great overview and are a fun read as well.  🙂

Jasper explores the Pacific Coast
Dough and Shannon Chapman
Series: Jasper’s Great Canadian Adventure
32 pages
Hardcover
Geography picture book

Where can you find it?
Amazon.ca: Jasper Explores the Pacific Coast.
Amazon.com: Jasper Explores the Pacific Coast.

This post may contain affiliate links – using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool – thank you!

©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time . We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites

Review: The Round the World Quiz Book

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 Do you like quizzes?   I DO.
When my lad was little I’d read various fact and quizzler books to him, just to see if I could stump him.  It was remarkable how often I could not stump.  Mind, it’s a bit easier now to stump him…I just have to ask harder questions!  (but then he can ask me harder questions too and well.. that just well… let’s not go there shall we?

Today I have help!   The Round the World Quiz book is just the ticket for me and for you!

 Why for you?


Well, you need something to amuse yourself and your family when you are travelling around summer don’t you?

And….you’ll hold the power as you’ll be holding the book right?  🙂  

Seriously though, it’s a rather neat book with questions divided into three different sections.   Newbie (easiest) Rookie and Genius (hardest).   The questions are clearly labeled.

I find that newbies often get puzzles, mazes, searches, match up etc to do.

Rookies and Geniuses tend to get questions that vary in difficulty.

It’s a rather neat book, asking questions from all around the globe, divided into 8 sections.

  • amazing locations
  • Epic earth
  • Animal magic
  • into the deep
  • when disaster strikes
  • extreme places
  • strange but true
  • rapid-fire questions

 I like the sheer variety of questions from the straight true/false questions, to match ups, or multiple choice questions. You’ll learn so much and be amazed too!   It’s a great world we live in. 

Do you know which country has the longest coastline?
Or What is Experanto?
what about which ones of these jobs was never a real job: whipping boy, tea caddy, nightsoil man, or Knocknobbler. 
Are avalanches powerful enough to destroy a whole village?

No answer?   That’s okay, all the answers are in the back of the book!

My Thoughts:
This is a neat book to have kicking around, seriously, I love trivia books, they are so much fun.  All these little tidbits of information…. just waiting to be discovered.  It’s a great thing to have tidbits floating around. They lead to further discoveries.. and THAT is great thing to do, especially with an inquisitive lad running around the house.   Just think what having lots of trivia floating around your house could do for the learning going on eh?  🙂


Round the world quiz book: The best travel trivia on the planet
Publisher: Lonely Planet Kids
Pages: 160
Ages: 8-12

Reviewed for: Raincoast Books

Where to find it?
Amazon.ca: Lonely Planet The Round the World Quiz Book 1st Ed.

Amazon.com: The Round the World Quiz Book (Lonely Planet Kids)

This post may contain affiliate links – using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool – thank you!

©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time . We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites