A Survival Book for Boys

One of the challenges of homeschooling or having kids for that matter is finding great books for them to read. So I thought I would start sharing some of my favorite books with you. Here is the first one. A book for boys (and girls who love the outdoors).

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

Grade level & category: 

Grades 5-8+; American Literature; Setting: Contemporary Canadian wilderness; Newbery Honor, ALA Best of the Best Books for Young Adults, ALA Notable Book, Booklist Editor’s Choice, Notable Children’s Trade Book In the Field of Social Studies, winner of 11 State Awards, 3 Apples Book Award Master List (NY),

Themes: 

nature, science, survival, courage, inner strength

Author biography: 

Gary Paulsen developed a love for reading at a young age when he was given his own library card. He traveled with a carnival, worked summer farm jobs, and also worked as an engineer, satellite technician, truck driver, sailor, construction worker, and ranch hand. This experience, along with running the 1,180 mile Iditarod Alaskan dog sled race twice, provides rich material for his stories.
An admitted workaholic, he works 18-20 hours a day. Paulsen is a master storyteller who has written more than 175 books and some 200 articles and short stories for children and adults. Three of his novels — Hatchet, Dogsong, and The Winter Room — are Newbery Honor Books. His books frequently appear on the best books lists of the American Library Association. Paulsen and his wife, Ruth Wright Paulsen, an artist who has illustrated several of his books, divide their time between a home in New Mexico and a boat in the Pacific.

Book summary: 

Over two million copies of this spine-tingling adventure have been sold. Thirteen-year-old Brian finds himself suddenly alone in the Canadian Wilderness after a plane crash. With nothing but the hatchet his mother gave him as a gift, he must survive with all his courage and ingenuity. He struggles and must find the strength to survive. An enthralling tale of survival and the human will to live.
Gary Paulsen has written four sequels including, Brian’s Winter, The River, Brian’s Return, and Brian’s Hunt.
Other books you might love if you love this one: Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss, Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe, Lost in the Barrens by Farley Mowat, My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George, The Boys' Book Of Survival (How To Survive Anything, Anywhere) by Scholastic, Essential Survival Skills by DK, and Two Little Savages by Ernest Thompson Seton.

To talk about: 

What is really important and what do you truly value? What is superficial and what is lasting? How would you attempt to survive in a wilderness situation?  Read Psalms 23, 42, and 118. Where does our strength come from?

My favorite quote from the Book:

“He was not the same. The plane passing changed him, the disappointment cut him down and made him new. He was not the same and would never be again like he had been. That was one of the true things, the new things.”

The Busy Pace of Life

Summer is upon us with a vengeance! Raspberries have been ripening at the rate of one-to-two ice cream pails per day for two weeks now and jam making is in high gear. The bounty from the garden, the weeding, and the putting up the produce, whether it be freezing vegetables, canning jam, or making pesto, becomes all consuming during the heat of the summer.

It reminds me of homeschooling the rest of the year. Things remain undone (like the dusting and the laundry) so that the rest of that prioritized list can get done. Today, while I was out in the garden working,  I began thinking of this fall and school beginning. What do I need that I don't have and when do I fit in getting their lists ready and all their school bins ready? How all consuming will school become that first week of September?

It is time to make school lists, project lists, finish summer projects, and get more organized. I love the book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey. It is such an approachable way to learn to prioritize and work toward goals. A great first step to learning how to use my Franklin planner! I will now be living off those lists on my clipboard and in my planner for the rest of this summer so I can be ready to devote time and attention to my three highschoolers, and still find time to write new guides for Progeny Press.

How do you organize for school and life?
What are your favorite books about keeping organized and managing a home?

Remember,  rest in Him when life is too hard or too hectic.
Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you
        while you may be found;
    surely when the mighty waters rise,
        they will not reach him.
 You are my hiding place;
        you will protect me from trouble
        and surround me with songs of deliverance.
                                       –Psalm 32:6-7

Rebecca

Protect and Serve

My husband, Michael and I had so much fun down in Florida this last week. We were at the FPEA conference which is always exciting and we loved meeting and talking to so many wonderful people. Maybe it is the holiday, but I could not help noticing all the military families that were attending the conference, and we really appreciated the opportunity to talk with them and help make learning as easy as possible, no matter where they are.

Sometimes we can get carried away and lose sight of what Memorial Day is all about. A friend of mine recently quipped that it has turned into "National Grill Day", and the truth behind that statement was convicting for me. We have a tendency to use the time to relax and have fun rather than reflect and appreciate how much we really have. I would like to make this post as a thank you to all those who serve and protect us.

I am blown away by the helpful nature and the respect that those who serve show to those around them. They helped the vendors set up their booths, they asked if we would like help taking our booth down and carting everything back to our car. I can only imagine if our children could show the same respect to their peers.

In honor of Memorial Day and as a thank you to those who serve, I would like to remind you that Progeny Press is hard at work to make it as easy as possible to get the literature study materials that you need, no matter where you are based. Progeny Press also offers a military discount for all those in active service.

God Bless America.

Rebecca

Boy Scouts!

I'm back!

Recently, my two youngest sons (age 15), joined our church boy-scouts troop, led by our pastor. They have had so much fun these last few weeks!

It's been busy, but it's very much worth it. They just came home from their first Camporee (a multi scout troop camp meet). When they got back I asked them what they had learned. Laughing, they pointed at me and said (and I quote) "When setting up your tent, remove the pine cones from the ground first!"

Their troop did very well, winning 3 of the 5 trophies. Jon received best overall score and Ben scored highest in the archery contest. They have been out in the backyard setting up tents, tying knots in everything they can find, and shooting their compound bow whenever they get the chance.

At the camporee, they also learned how to shoot 12 gauge shotguns. My husband found some large holes in the yard and we think we might have skunks or groundhogs tearing up our yard. Maybe Jon and Ben can help with that now? They also learned how to correctly clean frying pans. Did you know that you are not supposed to use soap? Who knew! But for some reason they aren't excited about my offer to let them clean all the pots and pans from now on.

Any other boy scout families out there? I would love to hear some of your boy scouts or family camping trip stories!

Rebecca

Grades 1-4

Dear Madam,
I am a home school mom of two kids 8 and 9 years.I have been homeschooling my kids since 5 years.
I want to get Language Arts grade 3 and onwards curriculum.how to select reading books for each grade? How I could test their understanding of stories/novels as I am a non native speaker? I need easy study guides to use for all Lang. Arts components. I want to see the sample pages of guide (grade 1-3). Does it have comprehension,vocabulary,spelling and writing exercises with answer keys for parents?
What is the price of study guides in book format and e-mail format?
How many novels study guide should be done from grade 2,3 and 4 in each academic year?

Hope you will clear me
Waiting for your prompt reply.
Rose

Combining Elementary Grades

Dear Rebecca,


I have an 8-year-old boy that will be going into 3rd grade, and a 6-year-old girl that will be going into 1st grade. This will be their first year of homeschool. The oldest is a very good reader, the younger just starting out. Would I be able to do the same study guide with them both, or do you recommend each their own. The oldest is reading at a 4-6 grade level.


Thank you,


Erna
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Do I Need Separate Spelling?

Dear Rebecca,


I noticed from your samples that some of your guides have vocabulary work in them. Will I need a separate spelling book for my boys?


D.E.S.
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