Printable Tales of History and Science for Older Learners

New resource for older learners who like history and science as well as the intrigue of mysteries.

Today's resource was written and contributed by Michelle Scott from Thinking Love, No Twaddle.  Granted this is not your everyday contribution for young learners, but older learners may just get inspired to learn more about Chinese History, life cycles, human anatomy, entomology, or criminal sciences.

This resource is provided in two parts.  Part one covers a historical murder during the time of China's Qing Dynasty and how justice was served due to information found in forensic entomology based on the work of Song Ci.

Part two includes more information on entomology, the study of insects, and how they can be helpful to forensic science.  She introduces such scientists as Franncesco Redi, Bergeret d’Arbois, and Hermann Reinhard.  You will also find fold able notebooking pages for Chinese forensic medicine.  Michelle has even included the answers to questions posed through out the worksheet packet.  These are very well done. 

Thanks for sharing, Michelle!! 


Click Here to download Part 1 of Chinese Forensic Medicine
Click Here to download Part 2 of Chinese Forensic Medicine


Blessings,

That Resource Team

When Your Perfect Homeschool Plan Isn’t Going So Perfectly

Most of us start the school year with great plans and high hopes but it often doesn’t take very long to realize that we just don’t live in a perfect homeschooling world.

Are any of the following true for you?

• Your children don’t like the curriculum.
• You don’t like the curriculum.
• Your meticulous scheduling isn’t working out very well.
• There are too many interruptions during the day.
• You’re already feeling isolated and cooped up.
• The house is getting messier by the moment.
• You are irritable and overreacting to minor issues.

If you see yourself in any (or all!) of the above scenarios, don’t despair. Read on for some ideas to help you move beyond these road blocks.

1. Be flexible. If something isn’t working, be willing to try something different. If there are tears or tensions on either side, put aside whatever you are working on and take a breather.  Try playing a game, reading aloud from a funny book or going to the park. Remember why you are homeschooling!  This is a whole-life experience and if you stop for one day it is not going to ruin any child’s life.
2. Limit scheduled activities. When the schedule starts feeling overwhelmingly full, you have the power to control it. Homeschool moms have a tendency to schedule way too many activities both inside and outside the home. Look over your schedule carefully and decide what is really necessary.  Say no to the ‘good things’ so you can say yes to the ‘great things.’
3. Get support. Get Dad involved (but you’re going to have to TELL him that you need his support and help; he’s not likely to just pick up on it).  Join and attend your local Homeschool Support Group. No group in your area? Join an on-line support group or a telephone support group.  YahooGroups.com has many homeschool related email groups. Hire a Life Coach who specializes in helping homeschool moms.
4. Change your teaching style or curriculum. If the curriculum isn’t working, give yourself permission to stop using it. Mary Pride suggests asking yourself: “Am I overdoing it? Am I making simple subjects too fancy? What can I eliminate?  Do I need to be doing this at all?  Is my child not ready for this subject?  Should I give it a rest?  Are there other worthwhile things we would like to study or do and come back to this later?”
5. Engage everyone in the household chores. Don’t do everything yourself!  Take time every day to train the children to pick up their rooms, do simple chores and keep the house in a general state of order.  It is well worth the time and energy it takes to get this part of your homeschool life organized.

When motherhood, homeschooling or life in general is overwhelming, stop and simplify.  So often when we see problems in our life, our tendency is to try and do a major overhaul.  Take some good advice from Charlotte Mason: implement only one new habit or idea at a time. With focus, diligence and consistency you will soon see improvement in this one area and you will not feel overwhelmed by trying to change too many things at once.  When the new habit is solid in your life, go ahead and move on to another one….but JUST ONE. Success in changing habits depends on setting one small goal at a time and achieving it.

---

Charmaine Wistad has successfully homeschooled her own two children from pre-school through high school.  Now she is turning her attention toward helping other homeschool moms. Through personal coaching, Charmaine helps homeschooling moms thrive… not just survive! Visit her website to try a complimentary no-obligation telephone coaching session.

Source: http://www.homeschool-articles.com/when-your-perfect-homeschool-plan-isn%e2%80%99t-going-so-perfectly/

New Resources for Parables From Nature

A science nature read for moral training, fun, and learning

Oh, to learn about God's Glory in action though nature and reading at the same time!  It can be done quite neatly and easily. 

Today we offer the Big Book for Narration of Parables From Nature by Margaret Scott Gatty. This 4 part (series) book is on almost every Charlotte Mason reading list there is as it was directly suggested by Charlotte Mason.  Although Charlotte herself has this book listed as a read aloud for very young children such as grade 1, we have found it much better used as a jump-off to independent science study for grades 4-8.  This book is not the easiest to get through, but the stories are very well written and are filled with science as well as the Christian faith.

We offer the Big Book for Narration for each of the series in this book.  The Big Book offers our standard spot to narrate and draw a picture but additionally it offers two other pages which as the learner to pick out the spiritual theme/lesson from the book as well as a few concepts that present themselves from science.  This public domain text can be found online at most all of the usual online e-text sources.

As an added feature, we are also offering a parent check-off sheet to help plan your reading schedule, keep track of narrations completed, science themes, and any expanded learning done - this could include rabbit trails or slight learning diversions. :)  To help keep mums keep organized, there is also a space for noting the corresponding pages in the wonderful book Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock, another core book that should be in every Charlotte Mason household for reference as well as lesson use.

We hope you find these resources helpful and useful.

Click Here to download Series I of Parables From Nature by Margaret S. Gatty
Click Here to download Series II of Parables From Nature by Margaret S. Gatty
Click Here to download Series III of Parables From Nature by Margaret S. Gatty
Click Here to download Series IV of Parables From Nature by Margaret S. Gatty

Click Here to download our Check-off Record Sheet for Parables From Nature by Margaret S. Gatty

Blessings,

That Resource Team

Set #2 - History of Early Man - Children of Adam

Learning more about Early Man

Here is the next set of pages in the History of Early Man resources that Michelle over at Thinking Love, No Twaddle. has been sharing with us.

This set, Children of Adam, continues on from the first set. This family discussion type lesson set includes historical reading, go along online links for further exploration of topics, art and picture study, as well as introduces readers to our Holy Father of the past, Pius XII and his work, Humani Generis. So much here and lots to learn. This is a multi-age lesson but older readers will find much to think about and ponder here.

(More sample pages)

Thanks so much for sharing, Michelle!

Click Here to download this history resource, Children of Adam



Blessings,

That Resource Team

The Adventures of Grandfather Frog by Thornton W. Burgess

Read and remember the Adventures of Grandfather Frog

Having grown up in Hawaii, I missed the simple things of God's glory that many others took for granted - ponds and meadows, woodland creatures, and seasons.  It's true I learned a great deal about the ocean environment, volcanoes, and tropical plants and animals, but I'll never forget the first time I saw a Garter Snake in our backyard, the leaves turning bright red on the Maple trees, or the afternoon a baby raccoon fell out of a 30ft pine tree nearly landing our oldest daughter's head by about 10 inches.  No these are not things I grew up with.  Having lived in two distinct environments has made me appreciate God Glory so much more.

This brings us to Thornton W. Burgess books.  They teach so much about nature in such a lovely way.  He incorporates rich truths about our world and gives great examples of virtuous and those still seeking virtuous behaviour through animal characters.  In today's resources we meet Grandfather Frog.  He is patient but very stubborn.  Oh the adventures he has in a simple little country side pond.

We offer two resources for this public domain work today.  The first is a readable version and the other is a Charlotte Mason style narration tool.

The PIY Version of The Adventures of Grandfather Frog by Thornton W. Burgess
These books are nice because the print has been enlarged for little hands, they look and feel like real books when bound neatly, the original pictures are still included and they are simple and fairly cheap to make.  To do this, simply print the file out as is in landscape mode, fold the pages in half keeping them in page order, select a cover, and bind on the left.  Feel free to search our other posts for a step by step on how to create this resource or visit here to see our entire collection of PIY books.

The Adventures of Grandfather Frog Big Book for Narration

This resource is the narration go-along for this story.  It gives a space to draw a picture as well as narrate a bit about the story chapter by chapter.  Since we like to make each Big Book special in some way, this book offers the opportunity for your child to create a character appendix of animals who make a solid appearance in this book.  This is fun - they draw out the character, tell a bit about them with the prompted page.  This is sure to be a hit. 

To use this resource, simply print this out as is in landscape mode, fold the pages in half keeping them in chapter order, fill out, and bind on the left with rings, brads, binder, folder, trimmed duo-tang, or comb spine.

We look forward to putting this book and other resources to go with it on its own book study page shortly.  Johnny Crow has just been added there.

We hope you enjoy these resources as they help to illustrate and teach about God's Glory in the natural world.


Click Here to download the PIY version of The Adventures of Grandfather Frog 
Click Here to download the Big Book for Narration for The Adventures of Grandfather Frog by Thornton W. Burgess.


Blessings,

Kalei - That Resource Team

What is a Soul? F3 Piece

What makes you special?  Your soul of course! :)

Today we offer a little F3 piece for boys and girls to help them learn about the beauty of their soul and what it provides for us now and forever.  It illustrates how we are all indeed created in God's image.  I have used this in my CCD class and with my own children and it has been very effective.  It doesn't require too much writing but does involve cutting and pasting.

Some very simple truths about our soul are presented in this piece based on the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 355,371-373).

• You can’t see your soul, but it is what gives you life!
• Your soul lives forever and never dies.
• Your soul gives you Free Will.

I aim to create pieces and resources that also show where in the CCC or Bible I have found the lesson info.  The CCC reference is also on the F3 piece itself.  This piece is very appealing for those who like lapbooking but find it too hard, time consuming, or just like to dabble in it from time to time.

To use this resource, simply print out, cut apart according to accompanying directions, assemble and fill in.  This can be glued into a religion notebook, current project, lapbook, or folder.  This piece also asks the children to think of things they can do because they have a soul.  Possible answers could include:  love, dance, sing, speak, feel emotions, or even make choices.  There is piece for boys as well as for girls.

Click Here to download our What is a soul? F3 Catechism piece. 

We will be sharing more CCC resources shortly so stop by often as we try to highlight or offer something new each day.  If you know of other Catholic families or catechists who could benefit from our resources please help us reach them by sharing our blog and website with them.  We have a selection of buttons for our website or an exclusive button for our blog.  Loving God by serving others is what this ministry is all about.

Blessings,

Kalei - That Resource Team

New History and Saints Notebooking Sheets Sets

Can you tell what we are studying in our little homeschool?

So we have added new notebooking sheets this week for the following historical figures and things:

Julius Caesar
The Roman Legion
William Shakespeare
St. Bridget of Sweden

Notebooking sheets are perfect for CM style narration or even short reports.  Each of our sets is available in 4 line spacing options and gives you a selection of whether to print it out with a picture, blank with a little space to glue a picture in or with a space for drawing.  These have worked very well for us.  Our daughter fills them out and then puts each in a clear protective sheet and puts it in historical order in a large three ringed binder.  It is very encouraging for her to see all the writing that she has done

Writing Tip:  The Power of a Coloured Pen

Children can get easily discouraged in their daily work at times.  This is especially true when they are making the transition to real writing or encountering new writing styles or academic subjects.  I try to make it a policy to correct in different coloured pens.  Rather than always using red, I constantly switch the colours daily.  This small little step helps ease tender little hearts or young perfectionists when pointing out of errors in their work.  Think of Gaudete Sunday - the third Sunday of Advent - when the pink candle is lit to offer hope and excitement towards the nativity of our Lord.  Even the church knows the power of changing things up, eh? :)  Just a little tip to share.  If you have a favourite tip to share, feel free to leave a comment about it below.  We always love to hear from our online friends.


Click Here to visit our Notebooking pages to see our entire notebooking resources collection including our newest additions in History.

Blessings,

Kalei and Hubby - That Resource Team

Little Liturgical Year of Saints featuring St. Bridget of Sweden

Let's celebrate the feast day of St. Bridget of Sweden.

There are thousands of saints to learn about.  We enjoy saint study very much in our home and are always pleased to come across a new saint that we are not all that familiar with.  I did not know St. Bridget of Sweden until Michelle over at Thinking Love, No Twaddle shared this lovely resource set with us.  My trivia loving daughter already knew quite a bit about this saint already, but my other daughter and I didn't know her very much at all.  I just love that as homeschoolers we can feel comfortable learning right along side our children.

Michelle has done it again.  She has created a neat little 4 page lesson that is engaging and fact-filled.  The set includes 2 biography pages, a card style fact recall sheet and a discussion sheet which talks about the difference between private and public revelations.  (If you haven't had the time to stop by her blog, take a moment to stop in and see a glimpse into her world.  Always something good and thought provoking to read there.) 

To use this resource, simply print it out, read and do. 

Click Here to download the St. Bridget resource set.


Blessings,

Kalei - That Resource Team

New Big Book for Beautiful Stories From Shakespeare by Edith Nesbit

Narration ease for Shakespeare for Children

Today we are happy to share our My Big Book for Shakespeare for Children by E. Nesbit.  We had attempted in the past to do Shakespeare according to some scheduled curricula and it just didn't work.  We are finding that many of the books suggested on reading lists to be read out loud in CM fashion are just so much more fun and fulfilling for my daughter to read now instead of in early primary grades.  Now that we comfortably do written narration with ease, everything just seems to be falling into place for her.   

To use our resource, simply print it out, fill in, fold in half and bind on the left.We have included a space for copywork either from the prose version or the real version. (See below.)  We like adding a little something special to each My Big Book we do.

Beautiful Stories From Shakespeare by E. Nesbit is a public domain work and can be found very easily online.  This work is unique in that it presents some of the most well known works from Shakespeare written in prose form with children in mind.  They are quite enjoyable and make understanding the original works much easier.  It has even inspired us to read the original works afterwards.  The illustrations are old fashioned, delightful and feature children.

The book features a preface, a brief biography of Shakespeare, the works in prose, and direct quotations from the original works of Shakespeare which could be used for copywork.  We do not have a PIY version of this book as it would be too big although we use the printed version from Yesterday's Classics, which we love.  We own quite a few works from them.

Click Here to download My Big Book on Beautiful Stories From Shakespeare by Edith Nesbit.

*Make sure to stop in early next week as we will be sharing The Adventures of Grandfather Frog by Thornton W. Burgess both in a PIY version as well as a new go-along Big Book.  If you have never read this author, you are in for a great treat!!  He is perfect for children of all ages and essential in your Charlotte Mason library for Nature Study.  He will soon become part of your heart and home.

Blessings,

That Resource Team

Printable Calendars Have Been Updated for the 2010-2011 Learning Year

New calendars to start you on your planning adventure

It's that time of year for most homeschoolers and catechists - time to start thinking about, planning, and purchasing for next year.  As promised in our last newsletter a few weeks ago, we have finally updated our pre-dated calendars for the next learning year.  We school year-round here according to the Liturgical Calendar, but find that even we have seasons of organization and preparation.

We have updated the dates and some of the styles of the calendars and we hope you find them useful.  My oldest daughter kept on me to get the calendars done so that she could use them..lol.  There's that necessity thing I spoke of before.

We have kept the plain b/w styles and changed the graphics on the weather and coloured calendars.  There are 2 new changes that I especially wanted to point out:

1.  A year at a glance 2010 and 2011 sheet reference calendar ( pictured at left).  I found that I kept looking for one of these kinds of calendars when trying to plan activities, schedules, or  mini-unit studies as well as at CCD meetings.  I put our little logo on them because I couldn't think of anything else at the moment, so that's what we ended up with.  I also like that it reminds me about what my task is daily whether at home or in the CCD classroom - to put the fun in learning.

2.  The Angel Calendars have been revised a bit.  They are updated with current dates to 8/2011 and are available in portrait or landscape but they also include a quote from a saint celebrating their feast day that month.  The quotes have been generally geared toward youth but are still good for us too.  The quote boxes are coloured according to the liturgical calendar.  Although some months have more than one season, the majority season has been selected.

Consider combining this angel calendar with a reminder event back page for a really nice little piece.  There is even a cover to go with it.  This is always useful for learners.  They can be stapled, hole punched and put into binders, or bound with a spine.  I have the cover and reminder page pictured below.

We hope you find these useful.  I also have new planning and organizing pages to share shortly too. 

Click Here to visit our Calendar page now.

Blessings,

Kalei - That Resource Team

F3 Piece on the 3 States of Water and...the Holy Trinity??

F3 piece helps teach about 3 states of Water and ...the Holy Trinity?

Yesterday we had a neat little set of 4 cards on the states of matter shared by Michelle.  (Thanks, again.) I wanted to share my F3 piece that was supposed to be a go-along for it.  Upon closer examination, I saw that it was for the 3 states of water.  I know it's not exactly the same, but still quite neat.  I made it awhile ago for my youngest daughter but never got around to cleaning it up and putting on the directions and such.

Now for the Trinity.  The 3 states of water is one of the easiest and clearest ways to teach about the Trinity that I have come across.  I have seen lots of other examples like members of a family, parts of a plant and so forth, but by far this is the easiest and most tangible way to illustrate this most important facet of our faith.  I have successfully used this year after year in my CCD class. 

*I like to incorporate science experiments into the classroom as much as possible.  Since God is the Truth and science seeks to bring about the Truth, I am never afraid to use science as a teaching tool.

A simple illustration of this lesson starts with:

• a water bottle of water,
• a small Ziploc bag filled with ice cubes,
• a small saucepan with a lid,
• a clear glass bowl,
• a hot pad - put your hot pot on so the children can view the changes 
• a stove 

I might begin by asking what is in the bottle.  The kids usually say water or H2O, sometimes.  I take a sip from the bottle to show that it is just water and then I pour the contents into the pot and put it on a burner on high to boil. While the water comes to a boil, I usually talk about the concept of one God in three distinct natures - the three points of the Trinity.  I mention that Trinity is connected to the number 3 from the Latin word trinitas.  I give examples tricycle, triangle, trident etc.  Then I say God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

The next step is that I ask them how can we see or experience water?  They say - ice, snow, liquid.  Almost always someone will forget to say steam.  We talk about how they all have things in common (chemical make-up of H2O) but also how they are different.  At this point, I encourage the children to watch how the water in the pot is changing.  At it's peak boiling point, I take the lid off showing the steam and then I place the bowl over the boiling water to have it condense and fall back out as water again.  Lastly I put the ice cubes in the pot and boil it up before their eyes and follow with more steam catching.  They see how the three states are really connected.

The Trinity is connected as well I tell them.  The steam is like God the Father, we can't see Him but we can feel His presence and see the results of His creation.  God the Son is like ice because we can hold it touch it, see it, it is tangible just like when our Lord was flesh and walked on the earth or is present in the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist.  The Holy Spirit is the water of Baptism.  See...3 states of water and the Holy Trinity.  Simple, eh?  It takes about 15 mins to complete and it really helps solidify it in their minds and hearts.  You could even finish out using the F3 piece for science or Trinity review.

To use this resource, simply print out, cut apart, fill-in, and glue.  The instructions are included on the sheet.  This is a one page activity.  You can used the finished product as a stand alone piece, glue it into a science notebook, or add it into an existing project or unit study.

I hope you enjoyed our little lesson. :)  My plan is to convert each week's CCD class lesson into a printable form and share it with you all online complete with printables, F3 Lessons, notes, and experiments.  It will take some doing but I think it will be worth it.  I even thought about doing videos to go with the experiments but we'll see..lol..lol.  Only so many hours in a day, eh?

Click Here to download this F3 piece on the 3 states of water.


Blessings,

Kalei - That Resource Team

Learning Cards to Help Reinforce the States of Matter

Pictures + Text + Play = Smiles and Learning

Learning cards can come in all styles and sizes.  The best are those that really draw the user into the content or that prompt the child to reach for it over and over again.  Picture learning cards do just that.  Today we offer a set of  picture learning cards from Michelle over at Thinking Love, No Twaddle about the 4 states of matter - solid, liquid, gas, and plasma. 

These are your basic print it out, cut apart and glue back to back type cards.  Very simple to make and use.  Science themed cards are always great because they aren't all that popular on the market as say math or phonics flashcards and can be difficult to buy.  So here's a freebie set on the states of matter.

This shared resource prompts us to upload the F3 activity for states of matter.  We told you that we are necessity oriented.:)  Stop by tomorrow to get the States of Matter F3 pieces.

Click Here to download the States of Matter picture learning cards

Blessings,

That Resource Team

We are just a simple family trying to live in God's Glory

Proof that we really are just a simple family.

It is often supposed by many who visit our website or blog that we are somehow an organization, a non-profit, a company in disguise, or a large group of people behind one monitor.  We are simply a homeschooling family at the foot of the cross. 

For those who know us in "real life", they know that we suffer with physical ailments, practically live in service to our church, work from home, have little family support, and have children who require quite a bit of maintenance.  Our web sharing team is simply me and my husband.  That's all there is too it. :) We are just a simple homeschooling family sharing what we make for our kids, with your kids.  This whole project came to be almost six years ago when I prayed, "Speak Lord, your servant is listening."  St. Anthony quickly spoke to my heart with the task of creating our own resources and sharing it with others.  St. Conrad came on board with us as our intercessor for successful projects and we started a website.  We do what we do to answer our Lord's call to service. 

So today we thought it might be fun to share with you a bit of God's Glory from our own backyard garden.  See, we really are just a simple family.

Can you believe that this little pear tree . . .

is giving us over 24 pears this year!!

Our Hydrangeas, Snowballs as my late dad used to call them, are in full bloom.  We have quite a few different varieties.  We aren't great gardeners but we love what we have.  We just let God show His glory in its natural state.

We hope that you have a blessed week.  Don't forget to look for evidence of God's Glory in your own home and surroundings. 

Blessings,

That Resource Team

Learn about early Humanoids and other Apes

A shared resource to help introduce and teach about early Humanoids and other apes.

Today we offer a 10 page read-along resource packet created by Michelle over at Thinking Love No Twaddle that covers early humanoid or human like development and other ape like ancestors.  Many parents are uncomfortable dealing with this subject.  Some have not decided whether they want to teach using a young earth, creationist, or old earth timeline.  Michelle offers one option and covers it quite well.  You will even learn about Blessed Nicholas Steno.  Don't know who he was?  We didn't either...lol..That's the beauty of homeschooling, you can learn right along with your children.

This read aloud offers text, pictures, a few fill-ins, maps, and a comfortable tone as you read.  This introduction to this topic is just one in a series that will eventually be shared by Michelle.  We are so thankful that she is willing to share her talents with us all.

Click Here to download this history lesson.


Blessings,


That Resource Team

British Bird Cards

Learn to recognize our British feathered friends

Help children learn to recognize common birds found in British backyards with these Montessori style picture cards.  These sweet set of 15 cards were created and shared by Michelle over at Thinking Love, No Twaddle.  It is always neat to see what lands in other people's backyards around the world.  Thanks, Michelle!

To use this resource, simply print out the cards and cut them apart.  Printing out on card stock or heavier bond paper always adds durability.  Laminate for longevity or to be able to take out cards on nature hikes, etc.

Happy bird watching. :)

Click Here to download the British Bird Card set


Blessings,

That Resource Team

New Big Book for Mother Goose in Prose by L. Frank Baum

Mother Goose isn't just for wee ones.

As part of our new Big Book collection we offer Mother Goose in Prose by L. Frank Baum.  We are actually using this as a resource for slightly older children as part of our CM (Charlotte Mason) style learning year.  As we have a child who hates poetry, prose and the like, we thought that this would be a great way to study simple poetry and prose, practice copywork and art, and discuss virtues and morals all at the same time.  Educational multi-tasking, eh?  (We love when learning works out that way!)

To use this resource simply print out, fill out, fold in half and bind on the left using a method of choice - folder, comb bind spine, rings, duo tang, or ringed binder.  The pages require a picture be drawn, the story retold and the original rhyme copied into it's own space for each story.  Do them all or just one.  The needs of each family are different.

A Note From Mama:  If you have never read this title before, you are in for a real treat.  Baum attempts to explain what the Mother Goose rhymes could actually mean in a realistic sense.  I fondly remember my mother reading these prose stories to me growing up, but I couldn't remember any of the plots or settings.  So noticing that I had not one but TWO hard cover copies of this book at home, I began to reread it.  I started with Little Boy Blue and was hooked.  That such a young child could be so virtuous and sacrificing was a real joy to read.  As I proceeded, each story had something that could be used as a tool to exemplify behaviour one way or another.  In Hey Diddle Diddle the Cat and the Fiddle, a little boy learns that heeding the advice of one's parent is a far better choice than succumbing to his own will.    And you'll never guess just how the cow manages to jump over the moon.  Very ingenious on the author's part.

We hope you enjoy this work.  We considered doing a PIY version to share but it would be too large a work and fairly pointless for us since we already had two copies.  It is very easy to find online.

We will be sharing many of our Big Books as we organize our forthcoming learning year.  We hope that many of the works we have selected will also be of use for your family too.

Click Here to download the Big Book of Mother Goose in Prose


Blessings,

That Resource Team

Sacramentals Themed Oversized Wall Calendar

New Over sized Wall Calendar for Year Round Use Focusing on Sacramentals

We are so excited to be able to offer this new wall calendar.  This is a great way to teach children and those new to the faith about sacramentals and the things that really make our Catholic Faith rich and unique.  We created this for our upcoming CCD classroom as we teach Sacramental prep for First Holy Communion and First Reconciliation.  We will also have one of these in our home as well.

This calendar is interactive as it asks the questions "What or What am I?" for each day of the month.  Monthly headers are provided for the entire year so that this calendar can be used during any liturgical season or month of the year.  This really is a great teaching tool.  Answers for each picture are provided on the last page.  Simply cut out the pieces and affix to your poster board or bulletin board.  See our webpage on our over sized monthly calendars to create your posterboard template.  These are great conversation starters too! :)

We have used much of our own photos for this set and almost every photo is from our parish here in Nanaimo, B.C. We especially want to thank our fellow catechist friend, Lillian, for letting us use her great shots - especially the one for Day 1 and stained glass ones.

As we begin our CCD year planning, we look forward to sharing more faith filled resources with you and your families or classrooms. Many newer resources will not make their way to the full website for a bit so make sure to visit us often so that you don't miss anything.

We hope you find this resource fun and useful.

Click Here to download our new Catholic Monthly Wall Calendar.

Blessings,


That Resource Team

New - My Big Book Resources for Story Library of the Saints

New narration style resources for Story Library of the Saints.

So it has finally happened.  The My Book Mini-books just got a brother - My Big Book.  These resource pages are perfect for those using a Charlotte Mason style education or who have children who enjoy writing and retelling stories but really want to tell a bit more going chapter by chapter through a work.  Oh yes, and these pages have a spot for drawing too.  These were requested by one of our children and the idea turned out so well that we have decided to use it for much of our current learning. 

To use these sheets, simply print out, fold in half with the print facing out, fill out, and bind on the left side.  You can use a comb binder, rings, brads, or in our case, we decided to use a mini 3-ring binder.  It is so cute and works so well.  These are assembled very much like the PIY books we offer.  Each page lists the individual saint, provides a space for a birth and death date, a space to draw their picture, symbol or scene from the story as well as includes lines for narration.

Sample page for St. Andrew

The first work we share in in this new resource style is Volumes I-III of the Story Library of the Saints by Joan Windham.  We love these stories.  This work, which covers the life of 129 different saints, is out of print but her works are available from used sellers or some of the stories have been rebundled and used in such books as Sixty Saints for Girls as well as Sixty Saints for Boys by this author.

If you can't find the books, you may want to consider just using these sheets with other saint stories you may already have at home.  Unfortunately, these stories are not yet in the public domain.

Click Here to download Story Library of the Saints from A-E
Click Here to download Story Library of the Saints from F-L
Click Here to download Story Library of the Saints from M-P
Click Here to download Story Library of the Saints from R-Z


Other works on the way include:

Our Island Story by Henrietta Marshall
Dr. Dolittle's Garden by Hugh Lofting
Mother Goose in Prose by L. Frank Baum
Parables from Nature by Margaret S. Gatty
Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare by E. Nesbit

We hope your older learners find these resources helpful.


Blessings,

That Resource Team

Holy Grail Notebooking Sheet Sets

Today we continue on with our exploration of the Holy Grail.

In keeping with the Precious Blood focus for the month of July, we have created a few sets of notebooking sheets for this topic for those homeschoolers who utilize narration, dictation, or follow a Classical Learning style or Charlotte Mason approach.  Sets include sheets for new writers, young writers and older writers.  Some sets include spaces for drawing or gluing in images and other sets have an image provided.   

To use these multiple page sets, simply print out and fill in.  Use these sheets in conjunction with the Precious Blood worksheet set shared by Michelle last week.  You will find it on the side bar under Precious Blood.  Feel free to use our search tool as often as you need to.  It will help you locate posts and resources quickly.  You can also find links to resources and our website on the side too.  Keep in mind that our blog lists lots of our newer resources that we share almost on a daily basis.  Our website contains even more resources - many of which are not listed anywhere on our blog.  There is always something to explore.  Our goal is to always have neat, fresh resources for our children along with our old faithful, stand-by ones.  Our resources are then shared with you.

Click Here to download our Holy Grail Notebooking Set - with pictures
Click Here to download our Holy Grail Notebooking Set - without pictures
Click Here to download our Holy Grail Notebooking Set - with pictures and spaces to draw

Have a blessed day!!


That Resource Team