Countdown to Thanksgiving from Amy Puetz and Golden Prairie Press (Review)

We received this for review purposes!

Product Links: Countdown to Thanksgiving E-book

Vendor Information Link: Golden Prairie Press

Age Appeal: Geared towards 6-14 year-olds

Format: PDF download (there is also a physical copy available for $17.00

Price: As of November 12, 2014- $17.00

Do you have any Thanksgiving traditions?  Is Thanksgiving all about turkey or is it about giving thanks to God and learning how important Thanksgiving is to the history of the United States?

This countdown from Amy Puetz begins 14 days (November 13, 2014) before Thanksgiving and includes the day of Thanksgiving.  Each day includes a story and activity, some days include several activities and sometime poetry.  Many of these stories were written in the 1800’s and early 1900’s.  Some of the activities are songs, crafts, and games.

Here is a sample.     

Our Experience: 

We do not have any Thanksgiving traditions, because we never know where we will be for Thanksgiving, so I was excited to have the chance to review this book.  I know now we will have a tradition, reading and getting the most out of this e-book each year.

We have read and looked at a lot of these stories so far, but we are really going to start in earnest on the 14th day before Thanksgiving.  These stories, games, crafts, songs, and more, are perfect to help us develop a family tradition and come closer to God.  We will be able to learn the true meaning of Thanksgiving.

Mama’s Thoughts:

• Amy Puetz puts so much effort into her products and Countdown to Thanksgiving is wonderful.  I have really enjoyed reading the stories with B and C.  I am impressed that she was able to find such high quality stories from long ago.  I really liked “Captain Christy’s Thanksgiving,” by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey, and “The Mother of Thanksgiving,” by Amy Puetz.  I have never heard of Sarah Josepha Hale, the mother of Thanksgiving.  She worked for the Godey’s Lady’s Book Magazine as the editor and was instrumental in keeping Thanksgiving alive as a holiday in our country. 
• I know I have gotten away from the original meaning of Thanksgiving.  In the past few years I have been busy with other things around Thanksgiving, so our family has not taken the time to thank the Lord for what he has given us.  That is not good for B and C, because it make it harder for them to be thankful for things, when we do not make an effort to do that.  I am planning on using some of the activities and songs in this book on a weekly if not daily basis, so our family can be continuously thankful and in God.

B’s Thoughts (boy, age 10, officially in fourth grade):   

I liked Countdown to Thanksgiving.  I liked the soap making story.  I liked the “Thanksgiving game” in the story called “The Thanksgiving Goose,” by Fannie Wilder Brown.  I’m glad we can make our own Thanksgiving Proclamation. 

I would recommend this book to people of all ages. 

C’s Thoughts (girl, age 8, officially in third grade):

I liked Countdown to Thanksgiving.  It is really good, because you can learn all about Thanksgiving history.  It is good for people of all ages.

Mama highly recommends!

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Disclaimer:

I received a free copy of this product from Amy Puetz and Golden Prairie Press in exchange for my honest review.  I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way.  All opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations.

 

Digital Heroes & Heroines of the Past: American History from Golden Prairie Press (Review for the Schoolhouse Review Crew)

We received this for review purposes!

Product Links: Digital Heroes & Heroines of the Past: American History Curriculum

Vendor Information Link: Golden Prairie Press

Age Appeal: Best for grades first through sixth (can be used with older ages)

Format: Digital downloads (Adobe files and MP3s), large Zip Files

Price: As of May 12, 2014 the price is $98.99

Do you have children in multiple grades and need a history program that works for everyone?

Golden Prairie Press and Amy Puetz have developed a digital copy of Heroes and Heroines of the Past: American History.  This thirty week program begins with the Vikings and ends with our most current presidents.  The download includes PDFs of the text and needed extras along with MP3s of songs and speeches. 

This program has the text divided into different age groups, 1st and 2nd, then 3rd through 6th.  At the end of the daily lessons there are questions, a geography section, “Writing Topics,” memory verses, “Examining Historical Art,” and the special activities.  The special activities are games, cooking, singing, listening to historical documents and speeches, crafts, and experiments.

 

Our Experience: 

If B and C could decide which area of history they would able to study, it would be American history.  Heroes and Heroines of the Past: American History, became an instant favorite in our homeschooling day.

This American history program has two separate books and is divided into different sections like “The Revolution” and “The Period of National Development.”  Since we were reviewing the digital version I printed one section a week for B and C.

Each lesson has a part for 1st and 2nd (C) and for 3rd through 6th (B).  Initially I had each of them read their own section.  I discovered even though there was enough information for C in her section to answer the questions she would not be able to answer the questions.  After the first couple of lessons I had them read their parts, then I would read the 3rd through 6th part aloud so C could learn and remember more information.  After they verbally answered the questions we moved onto geography, “Writing Topics,” “Examining Historical Art,” and the weekly memory verse.  Some days had extra activities like cooking, games, crafts, and listening to documents and speeches.

Each of our daily lessons varied on the amount of time it took us to complete them.  It varied due to the extra projects.  B and C had the most fun with the extra activities like cooking and games.  The writing topics were difficult and time consuming for the children.  B could not keep technology out of his history.  C had a hard time opening her mind to the creative process.  After I had her think of things for who, what, when, where, why, and how before she began writing, it became much easier for her.

I really enjoyed this history program, so I plan on continuing it into the next year.

 

Mama’s Thoughts:

• This is such a fun homeschooling history program.  It is something I would have enjoyed when I was in school.  I only remember reading the text, answering questions, and taking tests for my elementary American history.  B and C were able to listen to songs, play games, and perform skits.
• I am glad there were answers to the questions at then end of each volume.  I would like to see this program have tests, so that I can see how well B and C are learning and remembering the material.
• It was exciting for me to learn about the history I already knew and learn about new people and events.  I did not know anything about John Winthrop, Sarah Edwards, and George Whitefield.  I learned more about the Puritans than I had ever known from a religious point-of-view.
• I am very thankful that Amy Puetz spent the time writing and developing this elementary American history program.  It will serve homeschooling families for many years to come with its in depth text and fun activities.

B’s Thoughts (boy, age 10, officially in fourth grade):   

I liked Heroes and Heroines of the Past: American History.  I had fun making Succotash with Mama.  It was delicious.  I also liked listening to history.  My favorite was “The Mayflower Compact.”  I enjoyed playing the games.  My favorite game was “Pitching Pennies.”  Blind Man’s Bluff was also fun.

I liked the “Writing Topics,” but I could not come up with any reasonable ideas.  My favorite person to learn about was George Whitefield, because he was a preacher and one of the people who began the first Great Awakening. 

I think this Providential history program would be good for people of all ages.

C’s Thoughts (girl, age 8, officially in second grade):

It was fun to read the lessons, especially the stories.  They were really good.  I did not really like the writing topics.  I could not think of one thing to write.  We listened to “All the Pretty Little Horses.”  B and Mama cooked Succotash.

This program is good for people my age and older.

Dad’s Thoughts:

Amy Puetz's Heroes and Heroines of the Past American History book raises the study of history to new and exciting levels. She includes many pictures, drawings, and maps to help illustrate the lesson's topic of discussion. Amy has also included activities at the end of each lesson such as Examining Historical Art, Games of the Past, Crafts, Cook up Some History, Experiments and more to help students experience how  the people of that time lived. The recipes and games look quite interesting. I wish I would have had something like this for my history classes as it would have been so much better than just reading a text book and taking a test.

If you're looking for something to really engage your kids in the study of history beyond just reading assignments, give Amy Puetz's Heroes and Heroines of the Past American History a try. You just might find yourself doing the activities time and time again long after the lesson has passed.

Mama highly recommends!

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