Susan Kalis

Mental Math: First Grade

Book cover: 'Mental Math: First Grade'
Author(s): 
Kathy French

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?

Mental Math: Fourth Grade

Book cover: 'Mental Math: Fourth Grade'
Author(s): 
Kathy French

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?

Mental Math: Third Grade

Book cover: 'Mental Math: Third Grade'
Author(s): 
Kathy French
Kathy J. French
Michele Hollister (Editor)

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 = ?

Mental Math: Fifth Grade

Book cover: 'Mental Math: Fifth Grade'
Author(s): 
Kathy French

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.

History Links: Unit Six – Ancient Greece

Author(s): 
Jennifer Alles
Barbara Little
Kim Staggenborg
Unit Studies, or integrated curriculum, present a wonderful opportunity to study one topic in depth while taking side-trips to study related topics. The History Links units have been prepared to help Catholic families study a broad range of subjects, over all grade levels, organized by historical time period, from a Catholic point of view. That doesn't sound too easy to do, but the authors have made it so.

Saints of the Church

Book cover: 'Saints of the Church'
Author(s): 
Michael G. Allen
This book is a companion to the Vision series of saint's biographies (also published by Ignatius Press). It is a wonderful help to extending the biographies into a full-blown unit study, if you wish, or just to help enrich the reading. For each of the 17 books covered in Saints of the Church , the author includes:

Little Britches

Book cover: 'Little Britches: Father and I Were Ranchers'
Author(s): 
Ralph Moody

Little Britches is the first book in an eight-book series by Ralph Moody and came so highly recommended that I was concerned about being disappointed. We shouldn't have waited; it is brilliant! This book is particularly well-suited to being read aloud and will be enjoyed by every age grouping. It would be a wonderful book to have Daddy read to the family.

The titles in the series are:

A Litany of Saints

Book cover: 'A Litany of Saints'
Author(s): 
Ann Ball
When I see Ann Ball's name on a book, I expect a treat. This book is no exception. A Litany of Saints begins with an introduction to the Communion of Saints and Catholic practices regarding their veneration. This section is clear and easy-to-read, including the changes instituted as a result of the Second Vatican Council. The footnotes provide many sources for additional reading. Next comes a history of litanies in general and the text of the formal "Litany of the Saints".

Novel Inquiries, Volume 2: Ancient Civilizations, Grades 7-9

Author(s): 
Margot Davidson
A Set of Guides for Four Novels Integrating Composition and Higher Level Thinking

Volume 2 carries on the tradition of excellence described in the review of Volume 1, with many additional features for the middle grade student. The 43-page Teacher's Guide is separate from the 136-page Student Book at this level. This volume includes literature guides for Mara, Daughter of the Nile by Eloise Jarvis McGraw, Warrior Scarlet by Rosemary Sutcliffe, The Tale of Troy by Roger Lancelyn Green, and Caesar's Gallic Wars by Olivia Coolidge.

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