No name

Excellence in Literature: British Literature

Reading and Writing through the Classics

Author(s):

Janice Campbell

Number of pages:

142 pages

2008

ISBN:

0977468585

Publisher:

Institute for Excellence in Writing

Binding:

Spiralbound

Subject(s):

Literature

Grade / Age level:

High School

Review:

As I stated in my review of the American Lit 11th grade volume, I am very impressed with this new publication by the Institute for Excellence in Writing. This one focuses on British Literature and it is recommended for 12th grade. I am afraid my review of this volume must be rather a repeat of the 11h grade American Lit volume as so much is the same: the number of units, the format, and of course the author, Janice Campbell. So again I say this is a user-friendly, comprehensive and resourceful British Literature Course. Visit to their website for info and sample pages. The text consists of nine units, all centered around one main work of British Literature. Each unit is separated into four weekly writing assignments: an author's profile paper, a historical approach paper and two weeks of guided work on a paper about the work of literature itself. Among others, texts students will work on include Beowulf, King Lear, Paradise Lost, Great Expectations and Wuthering Heights. There is plenty of extra work offered for an Honors track student. A section entitled Literary Context offers an introduction to the work of literature and some thoughs on it. Under Context Resources one will find a myriad of interesting online resources which will bring the material to life: text sites, literary context and related authors' materials, and sites with information on the author. Online resources offered include audio, video, music and historical context websites all related to each unit's work of literature. The forms and formats appendices are extremely useful: models are very well demonstrated and student sample work is shown. Also in the appendices one will find rubrics and evaluation forms. There is a glossary as well.

Reviewed by:

Ana Braga-Henebry

First reviewed:

2-19-2010

Exiles of the Cebenna

Author(s):

John Mason Neale

Number of pages:

132 pages

Publisher:

Paidea Classics

Binding:

Softcover

Subject(s):

Setting:

Grade / Age level:

Review:

I came across this little gem of a story from the 19th century while visiting the Paidea Classics website. This is a website with resources for Eastern Orthodox home schooling families. If you are studying the time period of the early Church you will find a lot of primary sources and resources there.

Exiles of the Cebenna was originally written in the 19th century and pretends to be the long lost journal of a priest from the 3rd century. The language is delightful and the story very moving. It takes place at the time of the persecution by Decius, a particularly brutal time of martyrdom. The people of Arles, France have been told that they must appear at the arena to give sacrifice to the Roman gods. If they refuse, they will be tortured and killed. A small group of Christians under the leadership of the priest telling the story plan an escape through a secret tunnel. The Bishop however, must stay behind.

On the day of his appointed appearance, the Bishop quails under the torture and makes the sacrifice. He is utterly devastated that he could not bear witness to his faith and has failed his people. Hearing of this, his daughter who was one of the escapees, tries to return to see her father and comfort him. Since the tortures, the people and officials are subdued by the horrific spectacle, and the Christians feel that it is now safe to travel in the open. They are recognized however and taken to the prison. The daughter is told that she must sacrifice. She refuses, and in the most moving scene in the book begins her torture. Her life is spared at the last moment, but she does eventually die from her wounds. Her death indeed helps her father to proclaim his faith, and, according to the epilogue, he is also eventually martyred.

Although, a student may have trouble getting into the language of the story at first, it does become more readable and draws the reader in. The ending is worth every word of the rest of the book. It gives a truly inspiring image of the trials and glory of the martyrs.

Recommended for 7th grade and up.

Reviewed by:

Margot Davidson

First reviewed:

1998-99

Exploring the Sky

Projects for Beginning Astronomy

Author(s):

Richard Moeschl

Roger Gleason

Number of pages:

187 pages

1992

ISBN:

9781556521607

Publisher:

Chicago Review Press

Subject(s):

Astronomy

Grade / Age level:

Grades 6-8

Resource Type:

Book(s)

Review:

As your student begins to look skyward and ask questions, take them in one hand and this book in the other! With this book, an assortment of ordinary household things, binoculars or a telescope, and lots of time you can teach a fascinating, hands-on course in beginning astronomy for an entire year. Exploring the Sky is not a textbook. It isn't a storybook. It IS a living book guide to exploring the heavens with an interesting mix of history, biography, folklore, legend, science facts and science fiction, and even some mathematics and art. Obviously written by someone who loves the subject, Exploring the Sky makes the subject come alive.

Introducing a broad range of subjects, this book is organized into seven lengthy chapters with four topical sections each, and a total of seventy-two projects. This is hands-on, time-consuming, attention-grabbing, messy science, not read-about-it science! These sections begin with background information on the topic and at least one project, although most sections include several projects. For example, Chapter 5 is titled "Sky-Gathering Tools". Section 3 is titled "Cameras" and includes presentations on photography with a project on photographing stars and planets, the photoelectric effect, and computers with a project on showing how images are transmitted. This is followed by "Observations", critical thinking questions designed to elicit connections from the student. Often, there are suggestions for additional books to read and browse on the topic as well. Many of the suggested books have copyright dates between 1960 and 1980 and would be best located at the library. It is possible to simply dive in, choose a chapter or a section of a chapter, and begin exploring. The toughest decision is where to begin! How difficult it is to choose among constructing a sundial, demonstrating how the colors of the sky are make, experimenting with prisms, making a model of a black hole, or creating craters on Mercury.

As with all secular books on astronomy, there are references to millions of years of time, but there is no particular emphasis on evolution. Creation legends are retold from cultures as diverse as those of Babylonia, the Norsemen, Mexico, the Maori, and Greece but there is no mention of Christian teaching. Catholic children at this age level shouldn't have trouble making essential distinctions and will probably find value in contrasting this section with the book of Genesis and other sources of Catholic teaching.

This book is noted on the cover as being for "talented beginners", but it is for beginning astronomers who are middle-school-aged students and above, not beginning students in the elementary grades. Basic skill with multiplication and division, as well as the ability to use reference tables that are provided in the book, is necessary to understand some of the projects. Although there are numerous diagrams and sketches, the only thing missing is color photographs. I'm guessing that printing in black and white contributes to keeping such a valuable book so inexpensive. Thus, the only supplements that I suggest are Internet photographs (such as those on the NASA site) or books in Seymour Simon's space series.

Reviewed by:

Susan Kalis

First reviewed:

9-12-05

Eyewitness: Astronomy

Author(s):

Kristen Lippincott

Number of pages:

64 pages

2013

ISBN:

9781465408969

Publisher:

Dorling Kindersley

Binding:

Sewn Hardcover

Subject(s):

Astronomy

Grade / Age level:

Grades 6-8

Review:

Although most books in the DK Eyewitness series are at least slightly problematic in the text, our family enjoys a number of them entirely for the sake of the pictures. Eyewitness: Astronomy is one of the ones I wouldn't bother with even for the pictures. Although there are many beautiful photos, the book overall is both disappointing and even problematic in places. In looking for a book about astronomy for my children, I wanted something that covered the facts about stars, planets, galaxies, etc., with beautiful photos and interesting text about what science knows (or believes) so far - particularly from the starting point of what children are able to see from their own observation or from straightforward photos and illustrations.

Although there is a certain amount of basic science covered here, I thought there was an exorbitant emphasis on astrology and how it developed into astronomy and a lot of history of science details (some of which is disputable.) I thought the DK Space Encyclopedia (reviewed here) was much nicer (and certainly more thorough) in what it covered and even showed a much fairer hand in dealing with Church-related issues such as Galileo.

Reviewed by:

Alicia Van Hecke

First reviewed:

Jan 31, 2001

Fabiola, or the Church of the Catacombs

Author(s):

His Eminence Cardinal Wiseman

Number of pages:

616 pages

1997

Publisher:

Lepanto Press

Binding:

Sewn Hardcover

Sample Pages

Subject(s):

Setting:

Grade / Age level:

Review:

Late in the third century, under the rule of the barbarian Diocletian, began the last and one of the most severe persecutions of Christians in early church history. During this time Sts. Sebastian, Agnes, and Tarcisius, among many others, won the martyr's crown. This book gives an account of their witness.

Fabiola is a Roman lady, a "noble pagan" of intelligence, virtue and spirit, who like many Romans of the time has heard nothing but false, vile reports of Christian beliefs and practices. At the same time she can't help contrasting the behavior of her young cousin, Agnes, her friend Sebastian, and her slave Syra with the corrupt brutality so rampant in pagan society. Without knowing that they are Christians, she senses that they are in light while she is still in darkness.

While Fabiola and her journey towards conversion is the focal point of the book, there are as many turns and side passages in the plot as there are in the catacombs. There is a subplot concerning an immature Christian who falls into apostasy and betrays his friends - but repents and is restored to grace. Another subplot concerns a martyr's son who longs to follow in his father's footsteps. A chapter is devoted to explaining the purpose of the catacombs and how the inscriptions came to be written within them. There is a lot to be learned from this book about an important time in Christian history. The descriptions of the martyrs' deaths are realistic, and because of this, and the length and ornate style of the book, it might be best read by teenagers and adults.

Perspective:

Catholic

Additional notes:

Originally published in the late 19th century, reprinted by Lepanto Press

Reviewed by:

Willa Ryan

First reviewed:

1998-99

Fahrenheit 451

Author(s):

Ray Bradbury

Number of pages:

179 pages

1953

Publisher:

Ballantine Books

Binding:

Softcover

Subject(s):

Grade / Age level:

Review:

Fahrenheit 451 is on the reading list of almost every high school in America, and with good reason. It is thought provoking and hip. There are reasons to love this book and reasons to worry about it. It is Bradbury's reaction against censorship and the blossoming of television. Some of the things he writes about have come true in our time, which makes his story all the more intriguing. First the story: it is in the future, but not too far off, with global war looming. The protagonist, Guy Montag, is a fireman. Books have been banned and anytime a cache of them is found, the firemen are dispatched to burn them. As the story develops the reader finds out why books are illegal. Evidently in the past, some special interest groups wanted certain things out of books so they wouldn't offend people. As more and more of these things were censored out of books, they became insipid. Television became an alternative to books and the focal point of the lives of most people. The ideas in real books are seen as dangerous, as possibly making people think or feel, so they must be destroyed. Guy is seemingly content until he meets a young girl whose family reads books and actually speaks to each other. This attracts him and the reader finds out he has a stash of books in his house that he has taken from various burns. He is also very moved by a woman who dies in a fire intended to burn her books. He starts to desire books more and more and finally, after he scandalously reads poetry to his wife and her friends, he is doomed and his house is burned. He tries to escape the law and gets helps from an old professor. He finally makes it out of the city and finds a whole community of "books," people who have memorized books, including the Bible, so that when the great war comes and people need books and their beauty again, they will be available. Just as he meets these book people, the bombs begin to drop. In the edition that I read, Bradbury writes a 25-years-later "coda" about the public's reaction to his story. For example, he has had feminists tell him that he should have more strong female roles in his stories. They do not see that they are doing just what he describes as causing the demise of books in this story. He finds it ironic that special interest group publishers without his permission have censored his book. What they were trying to cleanse was his language. There is some swearing in the book, but it does not detract from the genius of the story. Guy Montag longs more and more for what people had in books, for the beauty of words and ideas, and ultimately, for the chance to be human again. This story would be good for a high school junior or senior who is ready for serious discussion on the themes of censorship and the movement of society toward technology. With more and more youth turning to visual technology, and especially interactive visual technology as Bradbury describes, this story is a great testament to keeping literature and the ideas of the ages present in our home schools.

Reviewed by:

Margot Davidson

First reviewed:

5-6-04

Faith and Life Religion Series

2016

Publisher:

Ignatius Press

Sample Pages

Subject(s):

Catechetical Programs

Grade / Age level:

Elementary

Resource Type:

eBook

Text

Review:

This is a very popular religion series for Catholic homeschoolers. There are probably many reasons for this: they're reasonably priced, they're filled with beautiful selections of fine religious art, and they're unquestionably orthodox. The series incorporates questions from The Baltimore Catechism for memorization. Some homeschoolers don't like the brief content (the text contains approximately one lesson per week - although there is also a work book, teacher's manual and extensive resource guide available for each grade). Others are glad to have a solid text for the backbone of their religion curriculum that leaves room for lots of supplementing with Saints Stories, Bible study, memorization, service projects, devotions, celebrations of holy days, etc.

Please Note: The Seventh Grade book contains an examination of conscience in the back that touches upon sins that are unfortunately common among the type of youngsters that this series was aimed at (largely public school students who attend CCD) but might be better avoided with innocent homeschooled children. I don't believe that the series needs to avoided for this reason, but the segment, and in particular the word "masturbation" should probably be avoided at this age level.

Update: This series has been updated in the 2000s, with expanded activity books. It was updated again in 2016 and is now available as an online program with eBooks as well.

This series is available from most of the Catholic homeschool suppliers including many on our list of Favorite Suppliers.

Perspective:

Catholic

Additional notes:

Original series 1980s; Second Edition 2000s; Third Edition 2016.

Reviewed by:

Alicia Van Hecke

First reviewed:

1998-99

Faith Charts: Catholicism at a Glance

Author(s):

Reverend Raymond Cleaveland

Number of pages:

6 pages

2006

Publisher:

Our Sunday Visitor

Binding:

Other

Subject(s):

Grade / Age level:

Resource Type:

Review:

This is a really nifty overview of the faith organized into 16 segments over 6 pages: The Transmission of Divine Revelation The Blessed Trinity God the Father God the Son, Jesus Christ God the Holy Spirit Creation and the Fall, Redemption The Holy Catholic Church The Four Marks of the Church The Blessed Virgin and the Saints The Seven Sacraments Grace, Justification and Virtue Catholic Moral Teaching Sin The Commandments The Last Things Each segment gives a brief, but surprisingly complete, overview of Catholic teaching with references to the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Bible as well as details on when and where major dogmas of the Church were defined. This seems like a great overview for parents and teachers wishing to get a better handle on Church teaching or for high school students in the midst of Catechism and Apologetics studies. Handy for general reference as well. Here's a small sample, a segment from The Commandments section which explains the 5th Commandment:

5. You shall not kill (CCC 2318-30) - Commands us to respect the lives of others and our own, honoring our bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit. - Prohibits murder, abortion, suicide, euthanasia, sterilization, mutilations and non-therapeutic amputations, kidnapping, gluttony, drug use, drunkenness, seeking revenge, anger, hatred, and illegitimate war.

Nicely illustrated with images of stained glass windows.

Perspective:

Catholic

Reviewed by:

Alicia Van Hecke

First reviewed:

9-20-2007

Faith Charts: The Bible at a Glance

Author(s):

Scott Hahn

Number of pages:

6 pages

2008

Publisher:

Our Sunday Visitor

Binding:

Other

Subject(s):

Grade / Age level:

Review:

When you study the Bible, do you find yourself confused by how what you're reading fits in with other parts of the Bible? Wouldn't it be nice to have an easy visual resource that helps you connect the pieces together and start to get a better sense of the whole? This may be just what you're looking for. This colorful six-page laminated fold-out chart (written by Scott Hahn!) is a handy reference guide to have by your side when studying the Bible. It has brief, but helpful overviews on the following topics: What is the Bible? The Shape of the Bible? Who Wrote the Bible? What Belongs in the Bible? The Bible and the Church Interpreting the Bible Your Reading Program The Books of the Bible Where to Find... The last two sections constitute the bulk of this resource and, I believe, will be very helpful to many students of the Bible. The "Books of the Bible" segment provides brief overviews of each book of the Old and New Testaments (including information on the Deuterocanonical books - those that have been left out of Protestant Bibles) and provides a helpful understanding of the major sections in both the Old and New Testament. The "Where to Find..." section provides an easy to follow chart of major events from the Bible and what passage they can be found in. This section is divided into the following segments: Old Testament: Stories of the World's Beginning Stories of the Patriarchs Stories of Moses and the Exodus Stories of the Conquest and the Judges Stories of the United Kingdom Stories of the Divided Kingdoms Stories of the Exile and After Prophecies of Christ New Testament: Jesus' Life - the Mysteries of the Rosary Other Events in Jesus' Life Jesus' Parables The Birth of the Church The Sacraments The Bible in the Mass Some Famous Sayings I think it's particularly nice for busy homeschool moms to be able glance through this reference and find exactly what they're looking for. It also looks to be excellent for independent high school (and upper grade school) studies. You don't have to look very many years back to find a time in which Catholics had to purchase Protestant materials in order to find such helpful, colorful Bible resources. This is happily no longer the case! Here, not only do you find relevant Biblical information, but also explanations of things like basic Catholic teaching on the relationship of Scripture and Tradition and where our Bible came from. This chart also goes nicely with Scott Hahn's little Pocket Guide to the Bible (79 pgs, approximately 4x6 in.) which includes a great deal of the content found on this resource, but with more extensive explanations and less in the way of charts and overviews.

Perspective:

Catholic

Reviewed by:

Alicia Van Hecke

First reviewed:

10-19-2008

Faith Quest: Deepening Your Knowledge and Faith in the Person of Jesus Christ

Author(s):

Michelle Willis, M.Ed.

2001

Publisher:

Ocean East

Subject(s):

Grade / Age level:

Resource Type:

Review:

FaithQuest: Deepening Your Knowledge and Faith in the Person of Jesus Christ is a religious education resource for students in grades 7 to 12. It is a multimedia package which includes a Facilitator Resource Guide and two CD-ROMs.

The course is divided into three modules. The first one aims to increase knowledge about the life and character of Jesus Christ, the second one focuses on the Lord's Prayer and getting to know God as Father, the third one focuses on Jesus's teachings in the Sermon on the Mount and how to live as Christians in the world. Each module has three or four lessons, for a total of 10 lessons. There is also a supplementary CD-ROM on the Ten Commandments.

The structure of the course is much like Faith Quest: The Basics. The curriculum is based on the CD-ROM which comes along with the Facilitator's Guide. You open the program and pick the lesson you are working on from the main menu. You can begin from the middle of a lesson if you left off without finishing. The first section of each lesson is on Vocabulary; the second section requires that you read the Youth Update, and the third section is a comprehension check to reinforce and review the information given in the Youth Update. For the first and third steps, there is a writing element as you write down the vocabulary or q&a on the reproducible sheets provided in the Guide.

When you have completed these steps, you can take the lesson Quiz. The quiz has true or false questions, a vocabulary bank, and multiple choice style questions. When a Module is completed, there is a paper crossword puzzle to review vocabulary, then a practice test on the computer, and then a Unit Test on paper.

The Facilitator's Guide contains instructions for how to install and use the software, a glossary of all the vocabulary words used in the curriculum, reproducible worksheets and quizzes, an answer key and "Youth Update" articles for each section of the course. The content of the course is based on these Youth Updates, which are nicely done several-color reprints of articles from St Anthony Messenger Press and have an Imprimatur. If you are using the program with more than one student, you need to get additional copies of these articles, and the address for ordering is in the Guide.

Both the paper material and the computer material are very nicely laid out, attractive without being flashy or distracting. The Youth Updates tie contemporary youth concerns and topics in with truths of our faith. The structure of the computer and paper parts of the course is designed to let the student work at his own pace and to provide plenty of review and practice. Since every lesson and module have an identical structure, once the student understands the method there are no surprises. He is free to work on mastering the actual content.

There is a supplementary Ten Commandments CD-ROM which covers the commandments and the vocabulary associated with them.

A complete religious education program needs to include some time for students to interact with real people, in discussion and involvement in the community and the church. This program in itself doesn't provide that. What it does provide is something that is often lacking in religious education nowadays: mastery of essential doctrine. This resource would work well as one component of a religious education class that had the technology: computer stations with WIN95 or higher and headphones. It takes most of the guesswork and dullness out of ensuring that every student knows basic terminology and concepts. Each student can work at his own pace, and each student must master the vocabulary and concepts before proceeding.

Perspective:

Catholic

Reviewed by:

Willa Ryan

First reviewed:

9-2-04

Love 2 Learn.net

No name

Excellence in Literature: British Literature

Exiles of the Cebenna

Exploring the Sky

Eyewitness: Astronomy

Fabiola, or the Church of the Catacombs

Fahrenheit 451

Faith and Life Religion Series

Faith Charts: Catholicism at a Glance

Faith Charts: The Bible at a Glance

Faith Quest: Deepening Your Knowledge and Faith in the Person of Jesus Christ

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