A Net in Time

Curriculum and book reviews, faith, homeschooling and more!

Review

Canada Book: Canada Year By Year

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This book has a wee bit of everything to celebrate all that’s good in Canada through her 150 years of being.  I liked it!   A well written book that touches on all aspects of Canadian life.

About the book:  A year-by-year tour of Canada’s fascinating history highlights a single
milestone for every year from the country’s founding in 1867 up to its
150th anniversary in 2017. Divided into ten distinct eras, coverage
ranges from politics, sports, business and arts and culture, and
includes significant events both at home and in world affairs.

So what did I think you ask?   I thought this was a rather neat book, seeing the highlights, at least in the eyes of the author, over the past 150 years was very interesting.  🙂

What drew my attention?
The years are divided into 10 year sections.  Making it easy to target the era most interested in.

The coverage isn’t focused on just one area of Canadian life.

Shows Canada at home and in the the world.   A great timeline of Canadian life, the easy and the not so easy included.

Profiles of Canadians, from various walks of life. Prime Ministers, athletes, women in action, and more.

 
Good division of white space, text and images.  Book designed to appeal to all ages, at a level easily read by most children.

 

What can I say, this is an good book that reveals a lot about Canada, many facts that I previously wasn’t aware of. If you are learning about Canada, check out this book, you’ll be amazed at the accomplishments of my wonderful land.

Canada Year By Year
Elizabeth MacLeod
Illustrator: Sydney Smith
Kids Can Press
Type: Hardcover, Kids book

Where Can I Find It?
Amazon.ca: Canada year by year.
Amazon.com: Canada year by year.

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: Marine Science for Kids

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Marine Science for Kids is part of the for kids series put out by Chicago press. These books are fantastic resource for helping children explore a particular topic, in this case Marine Science.

In this book you will find career highlights, 21 different activities, clear well-developed images that show the vast variety of fauna and flora in the underwater environment.  Did you know there was such an animal as a tripod fish?   I had no clue a fish could use it’s tail for balance… did you?

Explore careers such as whale researcher, an aquarium director and others.  I really appreciated the human element they showed in these career highlights, giving the path the individuals took to get there, and what inspired them along the way. 

Walk with me as I show you how great a resource this is for your classroom whether you are in a public school or in-home school. The myriad of activities include writing assignments, hands on science experiments, art and many more.  There are 21 activities to expand your learning and cement it in well.

Seven chapters highlight our journey through Marine Science, with lots of pictures, readable text that draws you into the Marine environment.

The table of contents spells out the activities contained with the chapter making it easy to choose which one you want to work with.  Geared for a variety of ages making this book a delight to use with multiple students.

The clearly written activities spell out well the items you need to complete the activity as well as step by step walking you through what you need to do for successful completion.

I had a firm appreciation for all the images found throughout, breaking up the text nicely and adding sight to what words can’t fully convey.

My 12 year had little difficulty reading the passage that I had him test out, but I don’t know if he would be able to read the whole book and understand it all.   The text is definitely geared for middle school and up.   The well written headings, and good chapter outlines would make it easy for him to find the information he was looking for though.   The glossary and index at the close of the book would definitely be of aid as well. 

I am sure that you will be delighted with this book as much as I am.  I am looking forward to using this book with my lad, probably in grade 8 or 9 to teach him marine science. 

Marine Science for Kids: Exploring and Protecting our Watery World
Josh and Bethanie Hestermann
Series: For Kids
Publisher: Chicago Press
Pages: 132
Type: Science, Activity, softcover,
Elementary to Middle School
Reviewed for: Chicago Press

Where can I find it?
Amazon.ca: Marine Science.
Amazon.com: Marine Science for Kids: Exploring and Protecting Our Watery World, Includes Cool Careers and 21 Activities (For Kids series)

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

Art Book: It’s Great to Create

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Jon Burgerman has created a really fun art book for us to use.  Coming up with 101 creative exercises for anyone to do as they play around doing art.

art create exercises

It’s Great to Create is not a very large book but it is very packed full of ideas.   From writing upside down, to creating self-portraits using household items, and so much more.

These ideas are divided into 

  • prompts for paper
  • prompts for objects
  • Prompts for indoors and outdoors

Along with various resources you can use.   In this section Mr. Burgerman talks about the items such as pens, pencils, paints, and brushes available as well as other items.  

Can you imagine making a poem using colour?  I want to try this with some 6-8 year olds and see what they come up with!  🙂

 Some of these ideas make me want to do a fun night of 10 minute art challenges with my home school group.   Can you… create with colour, can you do a self-portrait while blind folded, can you make a smudge animal, and so on and so forth.  Wouldn’t that just be a hoot?  Think quick, don’t worry on perfection, just do it!  Remove the fear from art and just have fun.

  
What do you think?   Doesn’t it look like a fun book?   I think so.  🙂

It’s Great to Create: 101 Fun Creative Exercises for Everyone
Jon Burgerman
Chronicle Books
Size: approximately 5 x 4
Age range: all ages
Type: art book
Pages: 224

Reviewed for: Raincoast Books. 

Where can you find it?
Amazon.ca: It’s Great to Create.
Amazon.com:  It’s Great to Create.

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: Hey Freddy, it’s Canada’s Birthday!

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Hey Freddy, it’s Canada’s Birthday is a book about Canada geared for the younger set.   Let me tell you all about it.  🙂

Poor Freddy, all he wants to do is celebrate Canada’s birthday.   He has his flag, there’s going to be a parade, let’s go and celebrate!

But oh no, along the way Freddy runs into all sorts of problems, his flag, his lovely flag goes on several adventures of it’s own. It visits with crazy hairdos, crows and so much more.   Can you follow where this flag will go?

The text is simple and the story easy, readability is high!

 Can you imagine that dastardly crow??
How will Freddy ever manage to catch up to his wayward flag?   

As we follow the flag on it’s journey we are introduced to Canadian Facts, always preceded by a trumpet.

We even get to see the Royal Mounted Police in action with their musical ride.

Hey Freddy, It’s Canada’s Birthday!
Author: Susan Chalker Browne
Illustrator: Hilda Rose
Publisher: Great Water Books
Type: Hardcover
Grades: Kindergarten to grade two

 
Where Can I Find it?
Amazon.ca: Hey Freddy, it’s Canada’s Birthday!
Amazon.com: Hey Freddy, It’s Canada’s Birthday!

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.

Star Wars and Ghost Box the #PlayTestShare Giveaway

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It’s a  wonderful time of the year! Guess what!  It is time for Raincoast’s #PlayTestShare.  Today I get to show you a couple of really neat items I reviewed from Raincoast Books and YOU dear Canadian Resident, get the chance to win one!


So what did I get?

Ghost Story Box.

I have to admit, I couldn’t get a picture of my lad with this one. 🙂  He’s a bit aged out, but he thought it would be fun for little kids.  “Look mom, it doesn’t have words.  They could tell their own story!”  He even made a sample story but wouldn’t let me take a picture of him with it.  Gotta respect a lad right?

Now, if you used all 20 pieces in the box you could make a story 8 feet long.  Pretty impressive right?  We made together about four different stories, and the combinations are limited only by the imagination of your child.   

Each tile is double sided.  One tile to start off the story, three potential ending tiles.  The tiles do not show in the backgrounds an obvious connection to each other, you have to look at the wordless images and decide what you think might be the next step in the story, and decide what is happening in it.

Star Wars Super Graphic

Now my lad normally glances at the books I get brought in, and occasionally takes a fancy to one but not that often.  He saw this one, casually glanced at it and asked, “what’s this one all about mom?”  So I showed him a couple of the graphics and he disappeared on me with the book.. I heard chortling!  

I dragged him out of his room and said “Okay, you like this book.  Why?”  
“Mom, it’s funny.  Look at this page…. only one chance out of 765 and and well he does it!”   “and look at this one mom… it’s.. it’s..it’s funny!!!”   Rarely is my lad without words, but he kept pointing and chortling and saying see mom, see?  And then he’d explain it to me.  🙂

Admittedly, I’ve watched the Star wars movies with my fellows, but the details…I don’t remember them, the lad and his dad do. This book, it was made for them.  To laugh, to see facts they hadn’t thought of, to ponder the amazingness that is Star Wars.

Tim Leong uses humour and graphs, diagrams, charts and more to convey a variety of fats about the Star Wars universe.  Join my son in learning and chortling away.  🙂 

Laughter mixed with learning is a very good thing.   Check out Raincoast’s blog post.

Let me tell you a bit more about the giveaway prizes:

After Dinner Amusements: Family Time

This
is a fun little twist on classic games and activities and offers easy
amusement during family dinners, holiday gatherings and road trips! This
miniature deck of cards features
fifty thoughtful
and playful questions about the past, present, and future – a great way
for family members to connect and learn new things about one another.

Animal Friends on Parade Puzzle

From
a gorilla in a party hat to a hedgehog rat-a-tat-tatting on his drum,
these animal friends from different habitats-the jungle, farm, woodland,
and Arctic-know that togetherness
is something to celebrate. Featuring twelve double-sided uniquely
die-cut pieces by artist Junzo Terada, this fun puzzle offers (nearly)
endless combinations, providing hours of entertainment.

Say Zoop!

The
newest book from Herve Tullet magically responds with bursts of color
and moving shapes, empowering children by letting their imaginations
liberate and direct each page’s reaction.
Tullet’s books define the genre of participatory bookmaking,
encouraging readers to explore and interact with the physical book in
all its dimensions. The reward is tremendous: a journey of whimsy and
sheer fun that extends well beyond the book’s pages.

Donner Dinner Party
Who’s
safe when there are cannibals hiding among you? That’s the question at
the heart of this fast-paced game of social deduction in which cannibals
and pioneers face
off in a fight for survival. Set in the winter of 1846, players are
members of the ill-fated Donner Party wagon train, stranded atop a
mountain with no food. Rowdy, outrageous, and full of deception, this
party game packs a delightfully wicked twist!

Ghost Story Box
Based on a unique and original format,
this game contains 20 story-telling puzzle pieces printed on both sides.
Each piece can be interchanged or flipped over to allow for all kinds
of plot twists and turns, and there are even
two alternative endings! When all the puzzle pieces are used, they
stretch out to over 8-feet long to tell your own mega ghost story!

Make and Move Mega: Dinosaurs
Press out, slot together and play with
your very own T-Rex, Triceratops, Apatosaurus, Stegosaurus, and
Pteranodon. Created by talented paper artist and engineer Sato Hisao,
each of these detailed 3D models comes with easy-to-follow
assembly instructions. No scissors or glue required!

Star Wars Super Graphic
Graphic-design guru Tim Leong presents
STAR WARS trivia via playful pie charts, bar graphs, and other
data-driven infographics. From a Venn diagram of Yoda’s idiosyncrasies
to an organizational chart of the Empire to a line graph
of Grand Moff Tarkin’s management decisions, STAR WARS SUPER GRAPHIC
shines a new light on the much-adored universe. Equal parts playful and
informative, this visual love letter to the vast STAR WARS universe will
enchant fans of all ages.

Travel Matching Game
Mix and match with this classic matching
game, which includes 36 robust, jumbo-size cards featuring charming
illustrations by Greg Pizzoli that will have kids ready to pack up their
bags and explore the world! Children will adore
pairing colorful images of suitcases, taxis, stop signs, and other
classic travel imagery as they develop memory, concentration, and
identification skills.

Royal Bingo
This majestically illustrated bingo game
features portraits of 64 royal icons from around the world. Spot famous
faces like William and Kate, or meet some less familiar figures such as
the playboy prince Wenzeslaus of Liechtenstein.
Each royal is further brought to life in an accompanying booklet, which
details their personalities, foibles, gaffes and romances. Who will
reign supreme?

Giveaway Details: Open to Canadian Residents only 18+,Runs Sept 19-28, Winners will choose to receive one of the above items.   
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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: Shark Lady

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Eugenie Clark was a girl who’s very determined to work with marine life, particularly with sharks.   She was fascinated with them from the time she was very litter. Shark lady is the story of how she realized her dream.

This is a lovely picture book filled with images of how Eugenie worked through her life, with determination. She didn’t tell anyone to tell her she could not achieve her aims.  Nothing stopped her. Not negative talk or disbelief. 

Eugenia loved sharks when she was young and set her heart and mind to learning everything she could about them.  Nothing dissuaded her.  Not even being without a father. A determined young lady who became a renown marine biologist woman. We can see the beauty of sharks in the very pages of this well illustrated, almost magical book. 

I really liked that this lovely book not only tell the the story of Eugenia Clark but also gave us some real information about them.  Learning that sharks can be trained and can remember their training for a long time. That sharks do not have to keep moving all the time in order to breathe and so much more. 

Shark Lady concludes with a timeline of Eugenia Clark’s life, where I learned that the belted sandfish can change it’s gender in as little as 10 seconds!  Amazing!!

I found it an absolutely fascinating book to read it made me want to give it to every little girl and boy out there with a dream to show them but they too can choose not to let anything stop them in their quest for what they want to do.   

Have dreams, dream big, and follow them through!

Shark Lady: The true story of how Eugenia Clark became the Ocean’s more fearless scientist
Jess Keating
Illustrator: Marta Alvarez Miguens
Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
40 pages
Elementary book
Hardcover
Reviewed for Raincoast Books.  

Where can you find it?
 Amazon.ca: Shark Lady.
Amazon.com: Shark Lady.

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: Crazy About Canada

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Crazy about Canada is a neat book all about Canada.  

 
This book takes the questions Canadian children have about Canada and answers them. Pretty neat eh?

“Vivien Bowers (as a character in her own book) and her 12-year-old,
Internet-savvy sidekick, Morton, take on each question with
determination, candid curiosity, and a great sense of humor. The answers
to kids’ burning (and sometimes freezing) questions about this
country’s wildlife, geography, and cultures are presented here in an
energetic, refreshing format.”

The types of questions children ask about Canada:

 
Don’t you just love the clarity of the images, and the reader friendly text?

I just love when a book for children and youth teaches me something too.  Did you know this fact about fire?   It surprised the lad and I. 

Who would have thought you could have a fire underground!!!
I thought it was great how there was liberal use of not only photos, but also graphics. The mix of white space with text and illustrations was well balanced.  The text was informative without being over whelming, giving just enough information to answer the question without going off into rabbit trails. 
Crazy About Canada!  Amazing Things Kids Want to Know.
Author: Vivien Bowers
Illustrators: Dianne Eastman and Owlkids books
Pages: 96
Publisher: Maple Tree
Type: Hardcover, Fact
Grades: 4-6
Series: Canadian Geographic Kids
Where Can You Find it?

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.