by Deborah Hanyon, MPH, RDN, ACE-CHC | Mar 10, 2020 | Education Materials
(Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way).
“What is living history?” Living history is “any of various activities involving the re-enactment of historical events or the recreation of living conditions of the past.” I think this is a good definition and helps to explain what your child will experience when he or she reads a book from the Carole P. Roman's assorted series, including her fun History Series – “If you were me and lived in…”
Carole P. Roman has written and published over 50 books for children. All of her books are educational, and a large percentage of them would qualify as “living history.” Living history takes you back into a time period and makes it much more memorable because it goes beyond facts and figures by including experiences.
For example, the book, “If you were me and lived in Renaissance Italy,” (see picture below), takes the reader on a guided journey to discover what it would be like to live during the Renaissance in the city of Florence, Italy.
Some of the highlights of the “If You Were Me and Lived in…Renaissance Italy” book include:
- A simple map showing the location of Florence, Italy.
- A a print of a painting created during the Renaissance period compared to a photo taken in modern Florence. And lots of other interesting pictures throughout.
- A short history lesson is provided with the picture of the main city as the backdrop.
- The book discusses the changes that took place during the switch from the Medieval Period (also known as Middle Ages). For example, during the Middle Ages, most people were poor, farmed for others; most children didn't go to school, towns were isolated, and disease was rampant. But the Renaissance changed much of that.
- Another really interesting thing I enjoyed learning about is what basic living quarters would have been like. A simple drawing of the type a building of a well to do family would look like on the inside, complete with the location of the “bathroom.” (Not even close to what we are used to today. 😉)
- Differences in fashion are illustrated for both boys and girls.
- Things we don't think about today such as the weight of clothing, the expectations of how children should behave, how kitchen accessories were used, and many other interesting things are discussed.
- And much more! (I can't tell you too much, because I don't want to spoil the fun of the book for you)!
The back of the book contains important information sections (sort of like an Appendix, though it's not called that because it's a children's book) that tells about:
- Why the Renaissance was such an important part of art.
- Brief synopses of 12 famous people who lived during this period.
- A glossary that includes a pronunciation guide. By the way, a pronunciation guide is included in the text as well, and I really appreciated that. When I am reading, I often don't know how to properly pronounce words, and when I am reading aloud, I prefer to be sure of how to say things correctly. Also, I believe having a pronunciation increases learning and comprehension for children as well.
It's amazing how much information Carole P. Roman included into this 50-page children's book.
I obviously enjoyed the book. 😉 But my son did as well.
I think “If You Were Me and Lived in…RENAISSANCE ITALY” serves as an excellent introduction to the study of ancient civilizations, or as a history review as well.
For my son, who is 14, it was a review, which I think is truly important. For example, he learned some of the facts when he was in 4th and 5th grade. However, reinforcement is good thing, because he didn't remember most of them. Plus, he learned new facts as well (and so did I)! 🙂
This is one of the things I love the most about teaching. I'm always learning something new!
“If You Were Me and Lived on…Mars”
“If You Were Me and Lived on…Mars” was my son's favorite. Mars is not an example of “What is Living History.” It is instead a science book, and this is okay because science is my son's favorite subject.
My son is 14 and on the Autism Spectrum, so I really couldn't get him to tell me much other than this was his favorite book. So, I'll tell what I liked about it. 🙂
I really liked the specific numbers and facts she included (temperatures, for example). The author went into detail the impossibility (in my opinion) of humans (or any life form) living on Mars. There would be tremendous hurdles.
For example, how long it takes to go back and forth between Earth and Mars. So everything you could possibly need would have to be brought from Earth if you decided to move to Mars. This is because there’s virtually nothing on Mars that would help with life. In fact, the conditions on Mars work against life. For example, you can't go outside without a special suit, the extreme temperatures, the fact that the air is toxic to breathe, and much more.
“If You Were Me and Lived in…Norway”
Lots of cool facts, including new words to learn, as well as nicknames of Norway, interesting landmarks, and important holidays and celebrations. As with all of Carole P. Roman books, a pronunciation guide is provided in the text as well as in the Glossary at the end of the book.
As you can see in the examples, the pictures are kid-friendly, At the same time, the facts provided aren’t everyday “something everyone would already know” types of facts. Trivia but not trivial.
“If You Were Me and Lived in…Cuba”
This book was just as fun as the rest. There was just one thing missing that I would have liked to see. I would like to see the type of government Cuba has, which is Communism. Cubans don't have freedom because they live under a dictator.
Under communism, Christians and other minority religions are restricted and persecuted because they are seen as a threat to the powers in charge. As a result, there is a lot of hardship experienced in Cuba, which I think is important for kids to understand.
In summary, I think the Carole P. Roman “If You Were Me and Lived in…” are super cute books. They are easy (and fun) to read and fact filled. I think it's a great way to teach kids. In fact, your kids might not even realize they are learning or are in “school.” 😉
Be sure to check the other reviews by the Homeschool Review Crew here.
by Deborah Hanyon, MPH, RDN, ACE-CHC | Feb 26, 2020 | Creation Education Resources
(Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way).
I have had a long-term interest in Apologetics. In fact, as many of you know, I attended the ICR Graduate School from 1997-1999. I studied Biology and Christian Apologetics during this period. This is one of the reasons I jumped at the chance to review The Unbreakable Faith Course from Pilgrim's Rock, LLC.
The other reason was that I was hoping to reinforce my son's faith as well.
The Unbreakable Faith Course from Pilgrim's Rock, LLC, is an Online Christian Apologetics Curriculum
This faith-building course also includes 2 Textbooks, “God the Reason” and “The Box,” both which are written by Craig Biehl.
Unbreakable Faith is geared toward high school students. Not only that, but it will satisfy one full elective credit toward high school graduation. Unbreakable Faith can also be enjoyed and utilized by adults as well as younger children, depending on the maturity of the specific child.
For the review, I am the main person working through this curriculum. I chose to do this because my son is not quite at the level to totally get the most out of it. Plus he needs my support as he's learning. So, I'm reading and watching the videos so that I may better teach him the lessons.
I do want to point out that I am reading “The Box” to him. Also, we have been watching the videos together. Of course, the curriculum is a year long. So, we are still working through the curriculum as I write this.
There are 6 Parts to the video series, with several videos for each part. I just completed the quiz for Part 1 (I got 100%)! The quiz for each section must be completed before the student can move on. I know I learned a lot! And I have no doubt that my 14-year-old son's faith and my faith are increasing.
In fact, one of the things I like the most about the course is the online videos.
For example, the videos provide visuals as well as Bible Verses to support the author’s point. Also, the videos do an excellent job of reinforcing what is discussed in the books. Having the reinforcement of the videos along with the books obviously will increase the amount of information that the student is able to retain overtime.
This is especially important because “God the Reason” is rather deep and involved philosophically and may be challenging to some readers. Thus, you can watch the videos to better understand the points the author, Craig Biehl, is making in the book itself.
One of my favorite videos discusses the best way to answer the multiple questions asked by unbelievers. He provides a compelling analogy and visual (see images below).
The first image shows how most Christians deal with questions–one at a time.
The second image shows the importance of having a strong foundation. Thus, if we start with the Bible, the Christian's one sure foundation. It will much easier for us to answer questions from unbelievers.
Starting with the Bible, we have our foundation. Thus, we don't need to have a PhD to answer a PhD!
Here are just a few of the statements made by Biehl which I found particularly thought-provoking:
- “The key is to CHALLENGE THE FOUNDATION OF UNBELIEVING THOUGHTS.”
- “Unbelief has nothing to do with the evidence. It has everything to do with the heart.”
- “God's existence is not dependent on what man thinks about Him.”
- God has always existed
- The reality of who God is is not affected by how human’s perceive truth.
The book, “The Box,” includes conversations between Mr. C and Mr. A.
The focus is on helping readers see the irrational beliefs that sometimes underlie their belief systems. The Box ties in with the overall theme of the course.
The goal of the author, Craig Biehl, is to help readers become more aware of “God’s Infinite Excellence.”
Biehl wants to show the reader how little a finite human being can know about the infinite God apart from God’s Revelation.
In the book, Mr. A represents the Atheist in the beginning of the book and later the Agnostic.
1. The Atheist
Mr. A. at the beginning of the book, believes there is no God and that there is no evidence whatsoever for the existence of God–but can't predict what is in Mr. C's garage or antique box.
2. The Agnostic
Mr. A at this point has changed his mind about what he believes and now calls himself an Agnostic. Mr. A. now states that he doesn't know enough to claim whether God exists or not. However, he still believes there is no evidence for the existence of God.
By the end of the book, Mr. A has made progress, but still hasn’t reached the point of believing.
Which reminds me of a very important point:
No matter how logical, rational, or awesome our arguments are. No matter how many Bible verses we can quote or how perfect of a model we are, it’s still going to take God‘s Holy Spirit to reveal to the unbeliever who He is.
Though that does not mean we shouldn’t take into consideration peoples’ uniqueness or that we shouldn’t remember the importance of loving the unbelievers in our lives. Just not at the expense of truth.
The conversations and the logic in “The Box,” are easy to follow and are successful in driving home the point the author is making. Also, the wording of the text is easy to follow. The one thing that could make the book even better would be to shorten some of the sentences.
The length of the sentences made reading out loud to my son a bit cumbersome. However, despite this one weakness, I still believe Beihl was successful at keeping my son, who is 14 and is on the Autism spectrum, interested.
I believe he was also successful at driving home his main point:
“The truly rational person is the one who believes in God.”
If you want your faith and your children's faith challenged, I highly recommend that you look into this unique and Biblically-sound Christian Apologetics curriculum.
Click the link below to check it out now.
The Unbreakable Faith Course from Pilgrim's Rock, LLC
by Deborah Hanyon, MPH, RDN, ACE-CHC | Feb 24, 2020 | Cooking Tips
10 Healthy Dinner Ideas (including some tasty desserts and drinks). Post contains affiliate links.
I know how much fun new recipes are. No matter how many cookbooks, how many awesome cooking and food websites I become aware of, I still get excited when I find a new tasty recipe to try. This is especially true when the recipe is healthy and easy too!
As a result of my love for new recipes, and the fact that I know my readers feel the same way. I've decided to round up a few tasty ones for you today.
Below you will find 10 healthy dinner ideas that are perfect for the lengthening days as we dream of warmer weather (well most of us any way)! 😉 Let me know what you think, okay?
- Mango-Honeydew Salsa
- Caribbean Tacos
- Whole Wheat Linguine with Chicken & Vegetables
- High Protein Pasta With Vegetables
- Pasta Delicioso – with Chicken or Without
- Instant Pot or Slow Cooked Meatball Subs
- Chicken Avocado & Lime Sandwiches
- Healthy Fudgsicles
- Homemade Hot Chocolate
- Green Smoothie Even Your Kids will Love
Mango-Honeydew Salsa
I don't know if you've ever tasted Mango salsa. But it is surprisingly delicious! Salsa in general, especially if it's fresh, is technically a vegetable. This salsa is a vegetable mixed with a fruit!
Mangos are rich in vitamin C and so is Honeydew. The peppers are also rich in vitamin C, and other important vitamins and minerals, including potassium. Potassium is especially important because most people are not getting enough of this crucial mineral in their diet. Fruits and vegetables are some of the best sources of this important mineral.
So, if your family likes salsa, then this is a great way to sneak in some extra fruits and vegetables into their diets. Fresh, easy and yummy!
-
2 mangos- 1/2 honeydew melon
- 4 T minced onion
- 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 jalapeno or other pepper, seeded and chopped
- Juice of 2 limes
- Salt and Honey to taste
Chop fruit into small pieces. Add all other ingredients and chill to allow flavors to blend. Great on fish, pizzas, and chicken.
Caribbean Tacos (Perfect for the Mango Salsa)
Mix marinade and toss with cooked and shredded chicken. Take soft corn tortillas and fry a bit to soften or heat if you don't want them fried. Layer the chicken, shredded green cabbage, and mango salsa on tortilla. Delicious!!
Healthy Fudgesicles
You and your kids will not be able to lay off these healthful treats, which will be delicious anytime, especially in the summer. And don't forget that chocolate has a lot of health benefits.
- 3 bananas
- 1 can coconut milk
- 1 cup of water
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 3-4 TBS. cocoa
- Pinch of salt
Directions: Mix all ingredients in your blender, then pour into Popsicle molds and freeze for 4-5 hours.
Green Smoothie Even Your Picky Eaters Will Drink!
It’s super easy and fast to make. You can also play around with the fruits you use. And you can use just spinach, mixture of spinach and kale, or just kale. We just started using broccoli, which is surprisingly good. You can also add flax seeds, wheat germ, and any other extras you'd like!
This recipe is super simple. All you need is a blender and the following ingredients:
- 1-2 bananas
- 1/2 cup frozen peaches
- 1/2 cup frozen mango
- Couple handfuls of spinach
- water – add 1/4 cup at a time until is thin enough to blend; may also use juice or milk of your choice
- 1/2 cup Nonfat Greek Yogurt (optional)
Whole Wheat Linguine (or other pasta) with Veggies
The beauty of pasta dishes is you don't have to stick to just one type. Depending on your mood or your family's preference, you can use pretty much any shape pasta you want.
I do recommend using whole grain or legume pasta though. This is because white, enriched pasta is missing a lot of the original nutrients naturally available in the whole grain.
Also, try this trick for cooking pasta to serve without sauce:
Boil the pasta/linguine in 1/4 part water and 3/4 part chicken broth. This gives the pasta (especially whole wheat) a much more interesting flavor.
You an also use gluten-free legume pasta for this recipe. Not only is legume pasta rich in protein, but it is high in fiber, magnesium, B6, and iron as well.
- 1 package* whole-wheat linguine or high-protein legume pasta
- 1/2 c part-skim ricotta
- 2 T olive oil
- Broccoli or other favorite green vegetable such as peas, zucchini, or spinach (or all of the above) 🙂
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 1 t salt or to taste
- 1/2 t freshly ground pepper or to taste (we use white pepper because our son doesn't like black pepper)
- 2 c halved cherry tomatoes
- Zest from one lemon (this is what it's called when you grate the skin off of the lemon).
White pasta is usually in a 16 ounce package. However, whole wheat and legume generally come in smaller package sizes. So pay attention to how many servings you are actually getting.
Cook the pasta until al dente or as preferred. (We cook our whole grain pasta a bit longer because our son complains that it is grainy if we don't cook it long enough).
Drain…reserving 1 cup of the pasta water. Transfer the hot pasta to a large bowl and add the ricotta, tossing to combine.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the green beans, garlic, salt & pepper and sauté for 4 minutes.
Add the reserved pasta cooking liquid and cook until tender, about 4 more minutes.
Add the pasta & ricotta to the pan with the beans & toss to combine.
Add the tomatoes and gently toss. Top with the lemon zest.
Serves 4
Pasta Delicioso
Ready for another delicious, easy, and flexible recipe your kids will love? Here it is:
This recipe has no exact measurements. You really can't mess it up, so just go with your gut. (Don't you love those kinds of recipes?)
Bring a pot of water to boil. Add chicken stock or chicken bouillon to the water. (This gives the pasta a yummy flavor)
Add your favorite pasta (I like whole wheat or legume spiral, tubes, thin spaghetti or angel hair, and bow tie pasta.
- Boil according to directions on box.
- Chop up all your favorite veggies and sauté in 2TBSP of olive oil.
- I like squash, zucchini, tomatoes, red peppers, green peppers, mushrooms, garlic. Add balsamic glaze and continue to sauté.
- Cut up chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and cook in separate skillet. Add chopped onions (these are a must because they caramelize and give good flavor to EVERYTHING) and garlic. Add balsamic glaze.
- Add the chicken mixture and pasta to the veggies and stir. Add parmesan cheese and stir. I also sprinkle parmesan cheese on top when serving.
Vegetarian Style Pasta Delicioso
Just skip the chicken and go with all the veggies!! (This is an ESPECIALLY good time to try to legume pasta because it will supplement the protein and iron that is missing when you don't eat meat).
Healthy Yummy Homemade Hot Chocolate
All it takes is replacing sugar with honey and VOILA!!
Serves 4
Ingredients:
Directions:
In saucepan over medium heat melt water, honey & cocoa. Add vanilla, salt and milk. Heat to desired temperature then remove and serve! Enjoy!
Healthy Instant Pot Ideas – Slow Cooked Meatball Subs
You can use already prepared meatballs from the store for a super easy meal. However, I recommend making a big batch of meatballs and freezing them. That's what my husband does. In fact, he uses part pork and part turkey for his recipe (add recipe) but you can try the chicken/turkey only option if you don't eat pork.
In fact, we eat the meatballs in Swedish Meatball recipe as well as spaghetti and meatballs. I eat them by themselves sometimes! (I love meatballs)! =)
The really cool thing about making meatballs is that they freeze really well, and you can heat up 1 or 2 for a single lunch or enough for the whole family for dinner.
- 1 lb. frozen meatballs (preferably homemade), chicken, turkey, 10% lean ground chuck, or combination of these ground meats, will all work
- 1 (26 oz.) jar spaghetti sauce (My favorite is Barilla) – you can also add some fresh cut up vegetables such as bell pepper, onion, garlic, and mushrooms to spruce it up
- 1 package whole wheat hot dog buns (whole wheat is really important here because when you eat white buns, all of the original vitamins and minerals are stripped away including magnesium and vitamin B6).
- 8-12 slices provolone cheese (provolone cheese is not only delicious but it's lower in fat and calories than cheddar cheese).
To cook, pour frozen meatballs and spaghetti sauce in slow cooker.
Cook on low for 4-6 hours or high 2-4 hours.
Scoop a few meatballs into a bun (of your choice) and top with cheese. As shown in picture, you can use a small bun and just 1-2 meatballs to help control portion size.
Calorie watching? Here is an option: buy slider rolls and only use 1-2 meatballs per sandwich.
Yum!
Chicken Avocado & Lime Sandwiches
- 4 chicken breasts
- 4 slices Swiss cheese
- 1 avocado
- 4 kaiser rolls
- 1-2 Roma tomatoes
Dressing:
- 2 Tbsp. mayonnaise (may use light mayo or homemade mayo)
- 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- Zest of 1 lime
- Juice of 1 lime
Drizzle olive oil on chicken breasts, and season with salt, pepper and season salt.
Grill chicken breasts.
Spread dressing on roll.
Put chicken on roll and add Swiss cheese.
Add avocado and tomato slices.
Easy peasy and yummy!
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