Monday 20 July 2015

Project Passport World History Study: The Middle Ages (400 AD to 1500 AD) {Review}

One of the very first homeschool vendors I was introduced to as a new home educator was Homeschool in the Woods.  I was looking for some ideas on how to do timelines and everyone was talking about the beautiful artwork that Amy Pak does.

Two years ago Nathaniel and I had a wonderful time using Homeschool in the Woods - Great Empires with the crew.  This year Amy launched a new product called: Project Passport World History.

A couple of months back we did some work on the Middle Ages and we've also done some craft things in relation to it so was very pleased and blessed to have the opportunity to work with Project Passport World History Study: The Middle Ages (400 AD to 1500 AD). 


What we received


The Download

The file size for this pack is 246 MB in a zipped file.  I extracted by right clicking on the zipped folder and selecting extract. I had created a folder and selected the folder and clicked extract.


Once it extracted there were six icons in the explorer. I double clicked on the Internet explorer icon  and the program opened in a new browser window. No Internet connection is needed to use the download.

How we used it


Project Passport: The Middle Ages

You come to a welcome page with some buttons to get started.
  • Introduction
  • Travel Tips
  • Travel Planner: Quick Stop Itinerary
  • Additional Resources
  • Acknowledgements / Bibliography / Usage
I printed these off and had a read. They are a couple of short notes on how to use Project Passport.


Project Passport is arranged in a travel itinerary format. Just below the introduction you come to the first stop of 25. Each stop is arranged in the same manner for ease of navigation.
  1. Five green buttons which are jump buttons down the page to the stops listed. At each STOP you meet interesting people, learn about the events in these peoples lives and pivotal points of history during the Middle Ages presented in fun practical ways.
  2. The title of the STOP.
  3. Guide Book Text is a link to  a pdf which you can print and read to your children about the topic of the STOP. I print these and add them to our notebook.  Travel Itinerary is a link to a pdf containing the directions for the day's activities.   It tells you what to print and has step by step fully illustrated instructions on how to complete the activities you have chosen to do on your STOP.
  4. Through out the page are photo links on the right hand side which open in a new tab.  These show you what the completed project looks like.
  5. Each printable is fully listed and opens in a new tab for ease of printing.
  6. There are a number of icons down the left hand side clearly indicating different aspects of the project.
You have the choice of either doing a Scrapbook of Sights or a Lapbook or you could have one student do each.

The Audio's and  Guide book make this a standalone product to be used to have an over view of the Middle Ages it is well presented and concise twaddle free story telling.

There are more than 50 activities through out which are divided into:

  1. Scrapbook of Sights
  2. Lap Book
  3. Snapshot Moments (timeline)
  4. Postcard
  5. Audio Tour
  6. Music
  7. Active Participation
  8. Newspaper
  9. Game
  10. Edible Project 
  11. 3-Dimensional Project
We have chosen to make a Notebook of our journey through the Middle Ages. Amy's figures are beautifully illustrated with plenty of detail. As we complete a stop we colour in a figure and add it to the Scrapbook of Sights.

A few of the STOPS we've enjoyed so far


We began our journey by making a  brief case to keep our passport safe and travel notes.


 Snapshot Moments a timeline of our journey so far.


This newspaper grows with articles as we learn more along our stops.  Nathaniel dictates to me and I write up his summary of what we've been learning in pre-set spaces.


We made a Postcard Rack which contains postcards to read along our journey from important people in history.


We learned about the classes and clothing and made beautiful puppets. 


Cost of Project Passport World History Study: The Middle Ages
  • Download (Mac & PC Compatible) $33.95
  • CD $34.95
  • For school and co-op license pricing, please contact Homeschool in the Woods
Recommended Age Range
  • Grades: 3-8

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Over All I thought ...
We are loving our journey with Project Passport World History Study: The Middle Ages (400 AD to 1500 AD). Nathaniel and I are enjoying the projects at each stop and truly feel as though we are traveling back in time. We are enjoying the snapshot of history each day and the hands on activities.  I highly recommend this product as a wonderful addition to any homeschool history product covering the Middle Ages.

Blessings
Chareen


Click to read Crew Reviews

Saturday 18 July 2015

The Countdown has begun ... {HSMJ}


 In my life this week…
  • I'm contemplating what to write about on here.  It's nearly time for the annual back to school blog hop.  What would you like to hear about ?
  • Decided it's time to burn some pretty smelling candles.  In winter everything is always closed up and I was longing for something nice to smell.
  • We finished MI-5 Season 10.  So heartbreaking a finale. 
  • We are on the final countdown stretch until Nathaniel and I embark on a trip with my Dad and Brother to see Big Red in central Australia.

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…

In our home school this week…
  • We've been doing some Middle Ages traveling this week. We are loving creating notebooking pages with our Homeschool in the Woods pack.
  • Courtney over at Women Living Well is working through Proverbs this month.  Years ago with Jane and Timothy we used to read a chapter of Proverbs a day. We would read the chapter corresponding with the date.  I decided to start doing this with Nathaniel.  It's been really refreshing. 
  • Enjoyed Smiley Gets a Gun (1958). This movie is chock full of wonderful life lessons.
  •  Oliver (the 1968 musical version.)  We watched Oliver over two sittings in preparation for our theatre trip on Saturday.
  • Paul finished reading Five go to Mystery Moore.
  • Loved reading The Minstrel in the Tower by Gloria Skurzynski.  
  • Some of our delight directed learning took us to answer questions like:
    How does WIFI work?
    How does a touch screen work?
    How Safe is Your Password?
  • Take sometime to find BritLab on YouTube they have some excellent resources. 
  • Boys Brigade recommenced this week for term three. Nathaniel was awarded his first badge!
  • Did some mapping to compare the boundaries of Europe in 451AD and 528 AD
  • Nathaniel recommenced swimming lessons at the new indoor Aquatic center Aquapulse
  • We enjoyed Return to Nim's Island on Netflix Australia.
  • We are really enjoying digging into the book: Swords by By Ben Boos ISBN 978-0-7636-3148-2
  • Finished off our week watching the stage production Oliver! by our local christian High School at the local theater. 

My favourite thing this week was…
  • Getting back to Google+.  There are so many amazing resources shared there by fellow home schoolers.
 Things I’m working on…

 On the WWW I’m reading…
 I’m cooking…
  • I am not a menu planner but have decided I need to give it a go so this week I'm gathering inspiration from Darcie's Dishes
  • Really enjoyed making some Trim Healthy Mama fudge.  

 A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

We must teach our students to be both wise and humble as they attempt to separate truth from lies and persuasion from manipulation. ~ Leigh Bortins {The Conversation}


Blessings
Chareen


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Thursday 16 July 2015

Throwback Thursday to Monet {Virtual Fridge}

This Week

It's been school holidays around here so no new art has been attempted. Today is a little bit of a throw back to two years ago when we spent a wonderful month studying Monet. It was one of my all time favourite unit studies I did with Nathaniel. We read amazing books, did fun art projects, watched inspiring docudrama's and more.  You can find links to these here: Artist Study {Claude Monet} Nathaniel did the above painting with a little assistance.  We used a great 9 minute YouTube tutorial: Paint Like Monet: A Beginner's Guide to accomplish this painting.

This Month's Theme
Welcome to the Virtual Fridge for the month of May. If you are after some inspiration our theme is RED / INDEPENDENCE DAY.

This weeks Feature

This weeks feature is a tutorial from over at One Little Project a super easy tutorial on Egg Carton Ladybugs.

Your Turn

I invite you to take some photo's of your children's artistic pursuits put them in a post and link up with me I would love to come over and see the wonderful art your children have enjoyed doing.
Virtual Fridge Link Up

Blessings
Chareen

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The Virtual Fridge a weekly art meme where we can hang our children's art on a virtual fridge. This meme was started by Jennifer over at A Glimpse of our Life who kindly invited three other bloggers to co-host this weekly meme.

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