Government: Grades 5 and up
Government 101
Author:  Laura Petrisin
Publisher: Press On Products
For more information or to order: www.presson-products.com

Homeschool mom Laura Petrisin has done a wonderful job putting together a concise, easy-to-implement course to teach students the basics of how our government works.  Actually, after spending just 5 or 6 weeks with Government 101, you and your children will probably know more about how our government works than many adults!
 

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Language Arts: Phonics
Ultimate Phonics
Author: Brian Spencer
Publisher: Spencer Learning
For more information or to order: www.readingsupport.com

Teaching a child to read is one of the most rewarding (and frustrating!) aspects of homeschooling.  For some the fruit ripens quickly, while others need more time and patience before their hard work is rewarded.  Over the years I have looked at and used several different reading programs.  So when Ultimate Phonics arrived on my doorstep I wondered what new idea or method might be presented.  I found a course "wrapped" in a bright yellow box that is both user-friendly and effective.

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Homeschooling Only One
Author: Donna Conner
Publisher: GCM Publishing
For more information or to order: www.donnac.com

When I heard about Donna Conner's new book, Homeschooling Only One, I immediately wrote requesting a copy to review for this newsletter.  A book like this has been needed in the homeschool community for a long time, and I was anxious to read what this experienced homeschool mom of an "only" had to share.

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Geography
Visualize World Geography in 7 Minutes a Day: Let Pictography Take you from Clueless to Knowing the World
Author: Theresa A. Blain
Publisher: Tender Heart Press
For more information or to order: www.tenderheartpress.com

I have found several mnemonic tools to teach U.S. states and capitals, but had never located a tool for teaching world geography—until now.   We all have gazed at the clouds and identified objects or animals; Theresa Blain identifies common pictures in landforms of bordering nations to help us visualize geography.  Through her “pictography” and mnemonic devices you can easily learn the location of over 100 nations and their flags. 

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Logic: Grades 7 - 12
Traditional Logic Books I and II
Author: Martin Cothran
Publisher: Memoria Press
For more information or to order: www.memoriapress.com

Just to set the record straight from the very beginning, I must confess to you that prior to reviewing Traditional Logic, I had no experience at all with Latin, logic or any of the other "traditional" classical studies.  I found the Traditional Logic text challenging - in a good way - and easy to understand, for even a novice such as myself. 

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Gifted Children at Home - A Practical Guide for Homeschooling Families
Authors: Janice Baker, Kathleen Julicher and Maggie Hogan
Publisher: Bright Ideas Press
For more information or to order: www.brightideaspress.com

Have you wondered - or perhaps you already know - if you have an intellectually gifted child?  Written from a Christian perspective, Gifted Children at Home provides guidance and practical advice from three moms who have experienced the challenges and joys of raising a gifted child. 
 

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Language Arts: Phonics & Spelling
Handy English Encoder Decoder
Author: Harvey Bluedorn
Publisher: Trivium Pursuit
For more information or to order: www.homeschoolingfromtheheart.com (We are happy to offer this excellent resource in our catalog!)

If you're working with words, whether in reading or spelling, it doesn't take long to realize that the English language is full of rules - and rule breakers.  Harvey Bluedorn has taken some of the "mystery" out of our language by compiling the Handy English Encoder Decoder - All the Spelling and Phonics Rules You Could Ever Want to Know.

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Bible/Character: Infant - PreK
Baby Bible Board Books
Author: Edward and Sarah Bolme
Publisher: CREST Publications
For more information or to order: www.crestpub.com

"Because it's never too early to teach God's Word," the husband and wife team of Edward and Sarah Bolme have created a wonderful series of board books specifically for the youngest, soon-to-be book lovers in your family!  Baby Bible Board Books are sturdy, colorful, truth-filled books sure to delight babies and toddlers alike.  
 

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Common Sense Excellence: Faith-Filled Home Education for Preschool to 5th Grade
Author: Virginia Knowles
For more information or to order: http://thehopechest.net

Common Sense Excellence is an incredibly comprehensive guide to giving your children a well balanced and indeed, excellent, education.  If experience is the best teacher, then we can all benefit from the practical wisdom of a homeschool mom of 8, who has been busy educating her own children for over a decade. 

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