This nutritional information is provided by MaxMuscle Manassas.
6/16/16
Review: Progeny Press E-Guides
My first time in New York City, I was almost hit by a taxicab (on the sidewalk), I learned that going 1 block too far can make a BIG difference, and I saw The Scarlet Pimpernel on Broadway. When I was offered one of Progeny Press' e-guides I knew instantly that I wanted to share the Scarlet Pimpernel E-Guide with my children (and yes, some of that was so I could tell them the story of my first time in NYC).
Progeny Press E-Guides are written to supplement and enhance your reading of great literature. The guides can either be printed so that your child/student can write the answers in it, or it can be saved to the computer for them to type and save their work. Here at Casa di Kotlus, children avoid handwriting like the plague, so they very much appreciate a typing option anytime it can be offered. The price of the E-Guide (Scarlet Pimpernel was $21.99) does not include the actual book, but we were easily able to get a copy from the library, although Progeny Press also has books for sale, if you'd rather own than "rent".
The basic plot is this: The Scarlet Pimpernel is a particular type of English flower that is used as a symbol for an Englishman who saves French people from a horrible death at the hands of the guillotine during the reign of terror. While most people throughout Europe just watch in horror as thousands are condemned to death without a trial, Sir Percy Blakeney, who is married to a Frenchwoman, and his friends decide to intervene. Obviously this infuriates the French government, and a complicated series of deceptions and investigations takes place to see if Chauvelin (the man tasked with finding the Pimpernel) or the Pimpernel and his men with triumph.
The Scarlet Pimpernel is a fantastic book (or movie, or play) and there is lots of action and intrigue. I read it with my 12 year old, although the book and e-guide are suggested for grades 9-12 and he liked it.
As for the E-Guide, you should know that Progeny Press offers a Christian perspective on the books they feature, so if that's not for you, heads up. However, Progeny's E-Guide is very well done and includes lots of additional information to enhance your reading of the book. This includes an author biography, historical background on the time period, and pre-reading activities.
Once you have enjoyed all of the background information provided with the E-Guide, you move into student sections, each covering 4-5 chapters of the book. These student sections include things like vocabulary, reading comprehension questions, character analysis, and "digging deeper" analysis questions. The E-Guide also includes ideas for essays and projects, should you want to add those to your reading of the book.
Because we're on our summer schedule, Riley (my 12 year old) didn't do the activities every day, rather, he'd finish reading whatever chapters were part of the section he was working on, and then he'd go back and answer the questions. We just downloaded the guide to his computer and allowed him to type the answers- his preference. I really feel like the E-Guide helped him to better appreciate the book and to truly grasp the significance of the events that took place in this historical fiction.
Whether you're looking for elementary, middle, or high school reading supplementation, we highly recommend the E-Guides from Progeny Press.
Facebook: facebook.com/progenypress
Twitter: twitter.com/progenypress @progenypress
The basic plot is this: The Scarlet Pimpernel is a particular type of English flower that is used as a symbol for an Englishman who saves French people from a horrible death at the hands of the guillotine during the reign of terror. While most people throughout Europe just watch in horror as thousands are condemned to death without a trial, Sir Percy Blakeney, who is married to a Frenchwoman, and his friends decide to intervene. Obviously this infuriates the French government, and a complicated series of deceptions and investigations takes place to see if Chauvelin (the man tasked with finding the Pimpernel) or the Pimpernel and his men with triumph.
The Scarlet Pimpernel is a fantastic book (or movie, or play) and there is lots of action and intrigue. I read it with my 12 year old, although the book and e-guide are suggested for grades 9-12 and he liked it.
Once you have enjoyed all of the background information provided with the E-Guide, you move into student sections, each covering 4-5 chapters of the book. These student sections include things like vocabulary, reading comprehension questions, character analysis, and "digging deeper" analysis questions. The E-Guide also includes ideas for essays and projects, should you want to add those to your reading of the book.
Because we're on our summer schedule, Riley (my 12 year old) didn't do the activities every day, rather, he'd finish reading whatever chapters were part of the section he was working on, and then he'd go back and answer the questions. We just downloaded the guide to his computer and allowed him to type the answers- his preference. I really feel like the E-Guide helped him to better appreciate the book and to truly grasp the significance of the events that took place in this historical fiction.
Whether you're looking for elementary, middle, or high school reading supplementation, we highly recommend the E-Guides from Progeny Press.
Facebook: facebook.com/progenypress
Twitter: twitter.com/progenypress @progenypress
6/15/16
Giveaway: Waterworks Dale City
It's that time of year again!! Our friends at Waterworks want to celebrate the end of the school year with you by giving your family a 4 pack of tickets to enjoy the park! With slides, obstacle courses, a tot area, and more, Waterworks is a great place to kick off your summer vacation!!
Bonus- they do parties and swim lessons, too!
Enter using the rafflecopter below!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclaimer: Waterworks is the sponsor and provider of this prize. PwcMoms is not liable for your experience or safety should you choose to visit the park. As with all of our giveaways, this one follows our complete giveaway rules, which you agree to by entering to win. http://www.pwcmoms.com/?tab=Giveaway%2520Rules
Bonus- they do parties and swim lessons, too!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclaimer: Waterworks is the sponsor and provider of this prize. PwcMoms is not liable for your experience or safety should you choose to visit the park. As with all of our giveaways, this one follows our complete giveaway rules, which you agree to by entering to win. http://www.pwcmoms.com/?tab=Giveaway%2520Rules
6/13/16
Intentional Summer Days
Because we start our school year in August, we are finished with our school year at the end of May or beginning of June depending on when our testing schedule works out. What's fun about that is we're done in early June! What's not fun about that is we're done in early June. It really doesn't take more than a few days for the kids to start with "I'm bored" and me to yell back "If you're bored then you're boring" and then I start singing Green Day, and it all just goes downhill from there.
Especially with a middle schooler. He doesn't appreciate me singing Green Day.
So, how do we avoid this problem? We plan our summer days with intention. That means that we start with a list that has to be accomplished before anyone is allowed to ask me to take them somewhere, call a friend, or turn on an electronic device. There are a couple of online lists you can print out, but I like to write mine on a white board so I can change it if there are fewer or more things we need to accomplish. For example, if the basement Lego situation gets real and we need to clean that up.
Our list might look a little shorter than yours, but that's because we already have "start the day" sheets that include things like musical instrument practice, laundry, and bedroom cleaning.
If you don't have schoolwork to do, things like summer reading, scout achievements, online math practice, music practice, cooking, or really anything at all can go on your list.
In addition to having our list so that we intend to get something done each day, we also plan to have weeks where there are things to do. For us, that means a combination of camps we pay for and VBS, which is free. That gets a little bit harder with Middle Schoolers, because there's not a ton out there for them in the summer as far as freebies like VBS- but there are a few options, and Middle Schoolers are always great voluntolds volunteers. Our biggest expense is sleep-away scout camp for our rising 7th grader, so if he has less to do, it evens out.
By alternating weeks of activities out of the house with weeks of at-home relaxing and having friends over, I'm able to keep our summer fun budget in check, and I'm able to keep the kids from telling me they're bored. I'd love to hear your tricks and tips, too!!
You can find more summer fun ideas on PwcMoms by clicking here.
Castaways Presents: Oliver Twist
Oliver Twist
adapted from Charles Dickens’ novel
See the show!
Murderers.
Pickpockets. Beggars. Schemers. Loners. We are still fascinated with
the criminal element nearly 180 years after this story was published.
This faithful adaptation of Charles Dickens' second novel is an exciting
melodrama about the adventures of an orphan born into a life of poverty
and misfortune but redeemed by an act of unselfish courage from an
unexpected source. Filled with an atmosphere of mystery, its major
characters are from the delectably dark underworld: Fagin, Bill Sikes,
Nancy, and the Artful Dodger.
Performance DatesJune 17 @ 7:30pm
June 18 @ 2:00pm
June 24 @ 7:30pm
June 25 @ 2:00pm
June 18 @ 2:00pm
June 24 @ 7:30pm
June 25 @ 2:00pm
Tickets
General Admission available at the door before each show: $12.00 each; Children 12 and under: $8; Ages 3 and under are free.
Advance prices and online sales are available here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/
Location:
The Dr. A. J. Ferlazzo Auditorium, 15941 Donald Curtis Drive in Woodbridge, Virginia.
More information about Castaways Youth Theatre can be found at: www.homeschooltheatretroupe.
Partial funding has been provided to Castaways Repertory Theatre by Prince William County.
6/10/16
Review: The Glass Castle
Who do you think would like this book?
I think that people who enjoy scifi and mystery books would really like this book, too.
What's the general story about?
In The Glass Castle, orphans are taken to a castle, but it turns out that in the land they are in, orphans are outlaws. The orphans become slaves to the king, and the book is about the mystery behind how that law against orphans was made and how the children can save themselves from their situation. It's called The Glass Castle because once one wrong thing happens, the whole situation can shatter.
Who's the main character and how do things turn out for him/her?
The hero is Avery, and when she is 13 her father dies (possibly) and she and her brother are separated and Avery ends up in the castle and she's trying to find her brother and make sure that everything ends up right. I don't really know if she finds her brother or how her story will really ends from just this book, it's a series and they don't have it at my library yet, so my mom needs to order me the next one before I know what happens, which is a little frustrating because it ends on a cliffhanger, so waiting to find out is really hard.
What did you like about this book?
I liked the mystery and the way that they incorporated it where there's not just a bunch of people being slaves for a king but instead there's a whole society that's happening behind the scenes. The king doesn't even realize that the orphans are slaves, he just thinks that the orphans are being rescued, but there is a lot happening that he doesn't know about. That's what makes these books interesting- on the surface it seems like everything is happy and fine and clean, but in reality, the more you learn the more twisted reality is.
What didn't you like about this book?
If you buy these books for your kids, you should buy them the whole series at once so that they don't have to live in suspense for weeks like me. It is a horrible thing to do to your children to not buy them the entire series if book 1 ends in a cliffhanger. We don't like it.
Was anything in the book scary or offensive? What age kids do you think could read it?
There's nothing I particularly found offensive or scary in these books. I would say this is a good book for any age, if their parents read it to them, or for kids who are comfortable reading alone. There's not any real violence in the first book, just a little arguing or fighting, but there's no battle or death or anything, except people dying of old age or you finding out why someone was an orphan. So maybe if you had a parent that died this book might be a little hard for you to read without being upset, but I don't really know. Some of the names of the kingdom might be a little hard for younger readers.
Final thoughts?
In conclusion, this was a intriguing mystery with twists and turns around every corner. It would be a great book to read on a nice day on the beach. It took me about half a day to read, but I am a really fast reader. Buy your kids the whole set for summer so they don't have to wait for the next adventure.
Want to read what other reviewers thought? Click below for more reviews :)
Disney Pixar's Finding Dory
We were so fortunate to be able to check out Finding Dory together yesterday! If you loved Ellen's iconic character in "Finding Nemo" then you'll love her in this fun sequel, too.
The story centers around Dory realizing that she's left behind her family and wants to find them. Marlin and Nemo are back and help her trace her roots back to a marine life center "across the ocean". How do we cross the ocean? On Crush and the other sea turtles, of course!
Grab shell, dude! The story is very cute as DorEdy tries to overcome her short-term memory issues and reunites with her childhood friends. Early on in the story, she runs into a rather cranky octopus with a very identifiable voice (I know him as Jay from Modern Family, you might call him Ed O'Neill) and later in the show I realized another Modern Family character is in the movie, too! It's Ty Burell!
Finding Dory is a cute family movie, I don't feel like there was anything too scary or objectionable, and as we expect from Pixar, the animation is beyond belief. Watching their animated kelp, I really appreciate how much work must go into these movies!! Be sure you stay for a little during the credits for some fun extras :)
Finding Dory is a cute family movie, I don't feel like there was anything too scary or objectionable, and as we expect from Pixar, the animation is beyond belief. Watching their animated kelp, I really appreciate how much work must go into these movies!! Be sure you stay for a little during the credits for some fun extras :)
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