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Meet the Masters

Homeschool Edition Curriculum and CD-ROM, Level 2
Subject(s): 
Resource Type: 
Review: 

Years ago, a friend who teaches university-level art classes, told me that the best way for me to teach my children art was to combine how-to instruction with art appreciation. She suggested learning about the life of a particular artist by reading biographies and then learn how to imitate his or her technique. This made perfect sense to me, but I did not feel knowledgeable enough in the subject matter to put together my own curriculum and I did not know of any such art program that could be used in the home.

Enter Meet the Masters. This program integrates how-to instruction with art appreciation.

To review Meet the Masters, I invited two other families to join me and my children in using the program, forming a co-op of sorts. My desire was to get a feel of the program myself, as well as see how other families responded to the instruction. I am happy to report that our little art co-op was very successful.

In the first lesson the children learned about the life of Vincent Van Gogh, through the CD-ROM that comes with the program and the Internet. All of the children gathered around me and the computer, as I read from the script that comes with the program. It is good that Meet the Masters provides scripted instruction, as my personal knowledge of famous artists is admittedly limited. I learned about the life of Van Gogh alongside my children.

After reviewing Van Gogh's biography, we moved to the dining room table where we learned about his art technique and the children could mimic it. The program provides careful instructions on how to help the children with the lesson. It also provides a supply list and set-up instructions, so I was well prepared before our friends arrived.

I enhanced the program a little by searching out more of Van Gogh's artwork on the Internet and even saved one of his paintings to use as "wallpaper" on the children's computer (just left-click on the picture). That way every time the children booted up the computer, they were treated to a beautiful piece of art. I also picked up a children's biography at the library.

We met with our friends every other week until the program was finished. During that time we learned about Mary Cassatt, Piet Mondrian, Pablo Picasso, Claude Monet, and Winslow Homer. My children and the children of my friends (ages seven to twelve) all enjoyed the program and were even heard speaking about things such as texture, complementary colors, contrast, and the such throughout the weeks. On more than one occasion, my children recognized, and were excited to see, prints of the artists that we studied while visiting friends' homes or the doctor's office.

Though I do like this program very much, I am disappointed at the high price tag. It is expensive and parents must weigh the benefits with the cost carefully. However, the publisher does offer a generous discount if customers order more than one grade level at one time. A computer with a CD-ROM and Internet access is necessary to use Meet the Masters.

Note: This review is a bit out-dated. You can look at their current offerings here: http://meetthemasters.com/

Reviewed by: 
First reviewed: 
1998-99

Men of Iron

Book cover: Men of Iron
Author(s): 
Howard Pyle
Number of pages: 
328 pages
Copyright: 
1919
Publisher: 
Lepanto Press / Our Lady of Victory School
Binding: 
Sewn Hardcover
Subject(s): 
Grade / Age level: 
Review: 

This is a stirring tale in the tradition of the Knights of the Round Table and Ivanhoe. It takes place in the early 15th century. Myles Falworth is a young boy brought up in a poor but noble household, late in the reign of Henry IV of England. His father, a supporter of Richard II, has been unfairly accused of treason and outlawed. As a youth, Myles is sent as squire to the household of an old family friend, where his unpolished manners, fierce strength of will and impulsive actions win him both loyal friends and fervent enemies.

Over the course of time he finds that he is being prepared to clear his father's name. The first part of the book tells about his training in the chivalric arts of war; the second part tells of his young adulthood. In the final encounter with his family's bitter enemy, the stakes are high; not only his father's good name and the family fortune, but also his future happiness with his chosen bride, and his very life.

Men of Iron is written and illustrated by Howard Pyle, who lived around the turn of the century and was also the author of many other classics such as Otto of the Silver Hand, The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood, several Arthurian romances, and Garden behind the Moon. The language is old-fashioned and complex by today's standards, and some passages of historical detail might slow this book down as a read-aloud, but the story is involving and inspiring. I think it could be read aloud to a child as young as nine, and a 12 to 16 year old would enjoy reading it alone.

Reviewed by: 
First reviewed: 
3-20-02

Mental Math: Fifth Grade

Book cover: 'Mental Math: Fifth Grade'
Author(s): 
Kathy French
Number of pages: 
141 pages
Copyright: 
1998
ISBN: 
9781893632042
Publisher: 
Math Concepts, Inc.
Binding: 
Comb-bound
Subject(s): 
Review: 

Problems at this level include a review of 4th grade math and practice in the topics usually introduced at the 5th grade level. In the 10 questions for each day, concepts of numbers, computation, application, mixed practice, decimals, fractions and percents are covered. Sample questions chosen at random include the following: What number when multiplied by six and divided by three becomes 12? Write seven and four tenths as a mixed number with a decimal. How much time has elapsed from 4:31 a.m. to 7:01 a.m.? 72 people were on the train. 1/8 of them got off at the first stop. How many people were left on the train? What is the volume of a box that is 2 cm by 2 cm by 2 cm?

Reviewed by: 
First reviewed: 
1998-99

Mental Math: First Grade

Book cover: 'Mental Math: First Grade'
Author(s): 
Kathy French
Number of pages: 
75 pages
Copyright: 
1998
ISBN: 
9781893632004
Publisher: 
Math Concepts, Inc.
Binding: 
Comb-bound
Subject(s): 
Review: 

Problems at this level center around practice in the topics usually introduced at the 1st grade level. In the 5 questions for each day, concepts of numbers, computation, application, and mixed problems are covered. Sample questions chosen at random include the following: Write the number 203. What comes next: 50, 100, 150, ___ ? What month comes after March? A square has ___ sides. Jenny is six months old. Nicki is ten months old. Which one is almost one year old?

Reviewed by: 
First reviewed: 
1998-99

Mental Math: Fourth Grade

Book cover: 'Mental Math: Fourth Grade'
Author(s): 
Kathy French
Number of pages: 
141 pages
Copyright: 
1998
ISBN: 
9781893632035
Publisher: 
Math Concepts, Inc.
Binding: 
Comb-bound
Subject(s): 
Review: 

Problems at this level include a review of 3rd grade math and practice in the topics usually introduced at the 4th grade level. In the 10 questions for each day, concepts of numbers, computation, application, and mixed practice are covered. Sample questions chosen at random include the following: Increase the tens place by one in the number 23,460. What is the area of a square that is 4 feet on a side? What number when multiplied by two becomes 22? AZ, AY, AX, ____. What comes next? If I put five red marbles and one green marble in a bag, what are my chances of picking a red marble? Write it as a ratio.

Reviewed by: 
First reviewed: 
1998-99

Mental Math: Second Grade

Book cover: Mental Math: Second Grade
Author(s): 
Kathy French
Number of pages: 
75 pages
Copyright: 
1998
ISBN: 
9781893632011
Publisher: 
Math Concepts, Inc.
Binding: 
Comb-bound
Subject(s): 
Review: 

This Math supplement provides 10 questions (which should take approximately 7 to 10 minutes) each day which are read aloud by the parent/teacher and computed mentally by the student who writes only the answer on paper. The questions should be helpful in introducing students to the language and vocabulary used on standardized tests, gaining confidence and practice in mental computation and allows the parent/teacher to quickly (and regularly) evaluate the student's progress (this might be especially useful for students who do much of their Math work independently). We also found that these problems make a good opportunity for working on following directions.

This second grade book begins with 15 review lessons of five problems each. The students then begin sets of the normal 10 problems which cover material such as writing numbers in standard or expanded form, determining the next number in a pattern, values of greater than or less than, and determining whether a number is even or odd. Later problems in this volume involve simple computation (addition and subtraction), money and time problems, days of the week, months of the year, simple fractions and place value. The answer is included in parentheses after each problem. Also included in the book are an extensive glossary and ideas for implementing a incentive/reward system (probably more appropriate for the classroom than a homeschool situation).

We've used this book for several months and I've found it to be a helpful supplement for my second grade daughter. Because of it's simplicity, it would also make a good choice for those who homeschool "part-time" (i.e.supplement their child's education at home).

Sample problems (selected from throughout the book) include: Write the number 214 in expanded form. What comes next 33, 36, 39, _ ? What digit is in the ones place in the number 34? Write the number that has five hundreds, six tens and three ones. Decrease the tens place by one in the number 58. Is the number eight even or odd? Is the number 47 about 50 or about 40? Which is more: 301 or 311? Draw a circle. Shade one half of it. Which is less: two tens or three tens? Which is more: three dimes or one quarter?

Reviewed by: 
First reviewed: 
11-28-2000

Mental Math: Third Grade

Book cover: 'Mental Math: Third Grade'
Author(s): 
Kathy French
Kathy J. French
Michele Hollister (Editor)
Number of pages: 
135 pages
Copyright: 
1998
ISBN: 
9781893632028
Publisher: 
Math Concepts, Inc.
Binding: 
Comb-bound
Subject(s): 
Review: 

Problems at this level include a review of 2nd grade math and practice in the topics usually introduced at the 3rd grade level. In the 10 questions for each day, concepts of numbers, computation, application, and mixed practice are covered. Sample questions chosen at random include the following: Draw six circles and shade one-third of the set. Estimate the answer: 490 + 180 is about how much? It is one hour earlier in Chicago than here. Look at the clock and write down the time that it is in Chicago now. What comes next: A1, B2, C3, ___ ? 13,900 - 1,000 = ?

Reviewed by: 
First reviewed: 
1998-99

Michael’s Golden Rules

Book cover: Michael's Golden Rules
Author(s): 
Deloris Jordan
Roslyn M. Jordan
Illustrator(s): 
Kadir Nelson
Number of pages: 
30 pages
Copyright: 
2007
ISBN: 
9780689870163
Publisher: 
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Binding: 
Sewn Hardcover
Grade / Age level: 
Review: 
Reviewed by: 
First reviewed: 
6-17-2007

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