Basic Set includes Student Book, Teacher's Manual and an audio tape or CD Teacher's Manual, 138 pages, softcover

This text is intended to introduce grade-schoolers to the Latin language. It is useful in preparing for future Latin studies in high school (particularly helpful for studying Henle Latin), but also teaches children some basics of grammar and vocabulary that sharpen thinking skills and assist in understanding the English Language more thoroughly.

This first volume teaches verbs from the First and Second Conjugation as well as two irregular verbs (sum and possum) and nouns of the First and Second Declensions. Students memorize present and imperfect endings of the First and Second Declension Nouns. They also study adjectives of the First and Second Declension and some personal pronouns. Exercises include finding appropriate endings for nouns and adjectives (which have to match in number, gender and case). A number of simple Latin sayings and prayers are studied as well.

The Teacher's Manual is very easy to use, providing all of the supplemental material for each lesson on the same page as the student material. The complete student book is reproduced in a smaller size on each page (with correct answers in a nice blue typeface) surrounded by lesson instructions, oral recitation lists, information about the Latin Saying for each lesson, Grammar instructions, Word Study and an extensive derivative list. It also includes reproducible blank maps for the students to identify locations, "History Key and Notes", and a complete set of reproducible Quizzes and Tests with Answer Keys.

The text is intended to work with Famous Men of Rome (and includes optional history questions along the way), although we've substituted The Story of the Romans by H.A. Guerber without any difficulty. The back of the text includes two very nice full-page maps, a list of history questions, the Pater Noster (Our Father) and Table Blessing, 15 basic conversational Latin phrases and the music and words for Adeste Fideles (O Come All Ye Faithful), Dona Nobis Pacem and Christus Vincit.

The third edition offers substantial improvements from the first and second editions. Changes include the Latin word identified for each derivative in the student lessons and the teacher's manual being integrated with reproductions of the student text (much easier to use than the old version!).

We've been using the Latina Christiana series in our local Latin homeschool co-op for a number of years. My teenage students, most of whom did not start out with Latina Christiana, have lamented that they didn't have a chance to memorize the forms and vocabulary given in these books before they started Henle. My 6th grade daughter has almost finished Latina Christiana II (supplemented with Basic Language Principles with Latin Background by Ruth Wilson - which is excellent!). She and her four fellow classmates have become very enthusiastic about their Latin studies and are well-prepared to start Henle as a class next year. My 3rd grade son studied the vocabulary from Prima Latina last year and has completed the first half of Latina Christiana I with his class this year. This has been such a wonderful experience for this school-resistant boy. He's really developing an interest in languages and learning that are spreading to other areas of study. The grammar, vocabulary and spelling that he's picking up in Latin have been invaluable - and I think more meaningful than a typical grammar book would have been for him.

To be quite honest, all of my students complain about the audio CD. Maybe it's just their midwestern up bringing, but the accent and audio quality is a real distraction to them. Personally, I think it's a fairly minor point, especially since, as author Cheryl Lowe points out, the purpose here isn't to develop great Latin speakers, but to develop thinking skills and related cultural benefits.

I love conversion stories, they are the best kind of romance. When I find a good one online (and aren't they all good?) I devour the whole thing. Even if it's pages and pages long. Leap of Faith is a great conversion story. There aren't many novels that explore the faith of young people. Especially not faith in its nascent stages as doubt gives way to yearning. And then yearning leads to the moment when the leap is made:

Why couldn't I believe that Jesus was the Son of God? All of a sudden I wanted to, more than anything. I wanted to be baptized and forgiven and blessed. I wanted to hold the Eucharist and realize that it really was the body of Christ. I wanted all that. I was wide awake again. I looked at my script. No answers there. I thrashed around for a while, trying to make my pillow more comfortable, and then I took another deep breath and followed Mrs. Brashares's advice. I talked to Jesus. In the middle of the night, I emptied everything out of my mind except this one thing, this wanting to believe. I held onto that. And then I talked to someone I didn't believe existed, someone I didn't believe could answer. "Jesus, I said, "I'd really like to believe." Nothing happened. No lightning, no clap of thunder. I didn't get knocked out of my bed the way Paul got knocked off his horse on the way to Damascus. I waited. I quieted my mind, shooed away all the thoughts of Paul and Mrs. Brashares and horses and Damascus and Ruthie and my parents. I started to feel sleepy again. Then I heard, quiet but clear like a tiny bell, an answer. Okay.*

When in the first week of sixth grade Abigail gets herself kicked out of public school, her non-religious parents enroll her in Catholic school while warning the parish priest that they'd better not try to convert her. Angry that her parents don't listen to her, Abigail retaliates. First, by enrolling in drama instead of an academic elective and then by deciding to become Catholic. In drama class Abigail befriends Chris and finds freedom in putting on the characters she plays. And, although her Wednesday night "Catholic classes" begin as an act of rebellion, as Easter approaches Abigail begins to have qualms about accepting baptism when she doesn't believe in God. Those qualms lead her to ask questions and those questions lead to her leap of faith. There is no cheap grace in the novel. Abigail struggles with anger and forgiveness and mixed motives and until the very end she still has doubts. But she learns that struggling with doubts is a part of faith. The Catholics Abigail encounters are honest with her, willing to say 'I don't know,' and always gentle in allowing her true freedom of choice without coercion. They give her room to doubt but also encourage her gently to learn, to explore, to grow, all while making sure she knows that they won't think less of her if she decides not to go through with her baptism. I loved that Abigail's parents are not cardboard villains. Instead, they are overachieving professionals who in their drive for success have lost their ability to focus on their daughter. In the course of the novel they begin to try to refocus, even if they do so ineptly and with mixed results. In fact, all of the characters, even the bit players, feel human. None of them are reduced to stereotypes, with the possible exception of the bully who was responsible for Abigail's expulsion. But even there the situation is revealed to be more complicated than simply that of an evil bully and innocent victim. I also found it refreshing that Abigail's friendship with Chris is allowed to develop and deepen but never becomes anything more than friendship. Not all relationships between girls and boys need to be romantic and in fact I'd argue that in sixth grade none of them should be. I always cry at baptisms, especially at the Easter vigil and so it was no surprise that the end of the book found tears streaming down my face. Bradley captures the glory and awe of the vigil mass and the baptism perfectly through the eyes of the new convert who doesn't understand everything she sees and hears but who nevertheless gets what it's all about. Finally, I simply can't not share one of my favorite scenes-- favorite because of the way the heroine so nicely deflates one of my pet peeves: parents who pretend they don't want to impose belief on their children, all the while with the intention of keeping their children away from all faith:

"Am I baptized?" "No." My mother, who'd come into the room halfway through our conversation, answered. "You're not." "Why not?" My father heaved a dramatic sigh. My mother said, "Why would we, honey? It's not important to us. Plus, we decided it's wrong to impose any kind of religious beliefs on you. We wanted you to be able to grow up and choose for yourself." As soon as she said that, her mouth dropped open just a little bit. A-ha. The opening I needed. "Good," I said, "because now I'm grown up enough and this is my choice." It was the end of the argument, and we all knew it. Logic was the only god my father ever worshiped. And if I had any doubts about my plan to become Catholic-- any little worries over the fact that I didn't believe in God-- well, they pretty much faded away. Because the plan worked: Right then, I had my father's full attention. For the first time in years, he may have actually listened to me.*

* This review is based on a galley proof, an advance, uncorrected text, not the final, published version.

Program consists of an audio tape, a reader and an activity book (approximately 30 pages each) This home produced conversational Latin program is designed for young children. Your pre-Latin students from Kindergarten up may enjoy getting a taste of the language, especially if their older siblings are studying Latin. The program consists of two softcover books (the binding leaves something to be desired) and an audio tape.

The reader contains the full text of the audio tape so that the child may read along with the tape (and probably absorb the lesson more fully in this manner). Grandma Maria (who is helping out Grandpa Carmelus in the American version) takes us back to Ancient Rome with the help of "Sprig", the magic kangaroo. Each lesson introduces some basic Latin words and gives some practice using them in a sentence or other conversational context (such as counting). Children will learn how to say Hello and Goodbye, count various items from one to ten in Latin, and some simple sentences involving places, animals and everyday activities.

The activity book includes some fun Latin practice involving matching words, unscrambling and finding missing letters. Both books include lots of clip-art type illustrations which can be colored in by your young student.

Catholic content is found throughout the program - particularly in the Saint stories and the use of Catholic names (such as Jacinta - my 6 year old of that name was particularly delighted!)

For more information including how to order this program, click here. Note: The price for the program, noted on the website, is $16 plus $9 shipping - Australian Dollars. According to the Universal Currency Converter, this is equivalent to $10.18 plus $5.73 shipping - American Dollars. So the total cost, including shipping from Australia is $15.90

$25 per student

Truly a unique offering, the Learning Styles assessment from Mercy Academy provides a wonderful opportunity for a homeschooling parent to learn how to better teach their child(ren). Understanding the best way in which a child learns, as well as learning how to strengthen their weaker areas, will make each day's lessons more productive and less frustrating. You will not necessarily need to purchase new curriculum in each subject area; instead, you will learn how to use any materials more effectively.

The Learning Styles Test is available year-round. Each of the test questions is short and easy to answer, requiring only a click of the mouse. You may need to read the questions to the very youngest students. Although the test is several online pages long, it can be completed in about thirty minutes. If you are interrupted, you can resume the testing at a later time. Results are immediately available.

These results are the gold nuggets! The student responses to seeminly-simple questions provide a rich, personalized analysis that requires careful attention. In fact, the author recommends that you read it several times and at several different levels. This in-depth document includes an overview of the student's learning style, instructions for understanding and using the test results effectively, and a multi-page, detailed description of this type of learner based on an analysis of five different identifying categories. Following this are "Key Points to Remember", which summarize the description. Next, very specific teaching techniques and teaching materials advice, resulting from extensive research and testing, are included. These recommendations include curricular materials by name with purchasing information, advice as to where and how the student should be studying, as well as specific things to avoid.

I tested several of my children, and I was astounded at the variations amongst them. I had naively assumed that there would be more overlap between them, but the resulting descriptions fit each child very closely. Even after homeschooling for many, many years, I found that I had a great deal to learn! This testing process saved me months of effort and many, many dollars in curricular purchases that would not be best suited for the particular child who was tested. I also appreciated the recommendations for which children especially need to have regular outside-the-home opportunities as well as those for whom distractions are a problem. My older children read and studied their own assessments, finding the descriptions very accurate. I believe that these will be very useful to them as they consider potential careers and college choices. This was a very worthwhile experience for our entire family.