Same Kind of Different As Me (For Kids) by Ron Hall & Denver Moore

This remarkable story shows what can happen when we choose to help. Kids will discover that we can all make a difference—no matter how big or small we are and no matter how big or small the task.

Based on the New York Times bestseller Same Kind of Different As Me, which sold more than a million copies worldwide and inspired the major motion picture, this book tells the true story of Denver Moore and Ron Hall, who also created the delightful illustrations in this book.

Share the power of friendship and faith with your children. 

Same Kind of Different as Me (forKids) by Ron Hall & Denver Moore  is the story of Denver Moore's life.  The story has beautiful, simple pictures of Denver Moore's life and his story of growing up as a share cropper in the South during the great depression.  The book depicts the story of how Denver became a homeless man using child friendly language.  The story  also tells how he met Debbie and Ron Hall, and how his life changed when he felt loved by God.

Denver Moore wanted to have a picture book of his life to share with children.  He wanted the story to be simple and easy to understand.  I believe this book has lived up to his expectations.  The pictures do a great job showing poverty and homelessness in a realistic way for children.  I feel the book is a great springboard to having meaningful conversation with your children.  The story challenges children to look at someone's life that is not like theirs and maybe see how that person arrived there.  It also challenges them to help others who are different from themselves.

I feel this is a great book and I would recommend  it.  I believe it will open up wonderful conversations with your children and you will be glad that you shared Denver's story with them.  

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Gameschooling by Christy Gould Guest Blogger

I am thrilled to have Christy Gould back with us today as a Guest Blogger.  Christy has five boys under eight years old.  She is a wonderful innovative home educator.  

I consider myself rather fortunate that my children play independently (without an adult, I mean) quite well. It probably helps that they never lack for playmates; with five kids under eight years old, it’s pretty easy to say, “hey, you two, go play in the basement,” and off they go. That leaves me free to do school with the oldest, or nurse the youngest, or make dinner/wipe down a toilet/switch the laundry/what-have-you. They are well-loved, but I don’t think it’s my job to be always entertaining them.

Even still, as we moved through our homeschooling days in the fall and winter, I started to feel that I could be enjoying our days together more. After all, as all the mommy blogs out there repeatedly remind me, they’re only young for a few years, and I don’t want to miss it! I don’t want them to grow up feeling ignored. I don’t want school to be all work and no fun. I don’t want life to be all work and no fun.

So when another blogger I follow posted some things about “gameschooling,” I was intrigued. For one thing, my four-year-old wants to do math like his big brothers, and I’m not ready to jump into a formal curriculum with another kid. Gameschooling. My oldest two love to play games, but the younger kids can’t often join in. Gameschooling. I want to have fun with my children without being bored to tears by building another train track or Duplo creation (just keepin’ it real, folks). Gameschooling.

I beefed up my Amazon wish list, sent it to the grandparents, set my New Year’s resolution (have more fun with the kids!), and waited for the Christmas presents to roll in. (Yes, I hijacked my kids’ Christmas gifts for educational gaming purposes. They’re all happy with what they received, so no worries.)

Here’s what we got:

Math

Sums in Space. Great for K or first grade addition and subtraction practice. It’s one that my older two can help the younger with, if I need to be attending to something else. The outer-space graphics are cute. Also, it can be played competitively OR cooperatively, so we have the option of avoiding sore losers!

Rat-a-Tat Cat. This was a little harder than I expected, but there are accommodations to make it easier for younger kids. I enjoy this one myself, as an adult! Good for comparing numbers; the object is to have the lowest score at the end.

Candy Land. I’m sure you all know this one already, but somehow we managed to get through three toddlers without owning it! My older two have been especially good about playing nicely with the three-year-old.

Four-Way Countdown. I have not played this one myself, but it seems to use a variety of mathematical operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division). It’s a popular one among the elementary school kids at our church.

Balance Beans. This is a one-player game that involves using cute little beans to balance a see-saw according to challenge cards, which come in four levels. My visual-spatial kid is especially good at it.

Geography

Scrambled States of America. This game goes along with this fun book. My second-grader says it’s “a little hard” for him, but he says that about a lot of things.

Flag Frenzy. This is the one game we got that we haven’t opened yet. I fondly remember combing the almanac to identify flags when playing Carmen Sandiego back in the 90s, so I’m hoping this has the same country-recognition factor to it.

Strategy

No-Stress Chess. My oldest has been asking to learn how to play, and this was a great introduction (especially since I’m no good at it myself). It has several levels to ease you into playing “real” chess. He can beat me pretty easily already. J

Kingdom Builder. This was my husband’s pick for the family. It’s sort of a cross between Settlers of Catan, Ticket to Ride, and Carcassone. He and my oldest love it. I could take it or leave it.

Robot Turtles. This is hands-down the winner of everything we got. The instructions strongly recommend an adult’s involvement; it’s not actually necessary, but it does make for a fun afternoon: the kids get to boss me around! The game is designed to teach computer programming through a board game. I committed to playing with them one afternoon a week, and we’ve worked up to the second level. They use cards to tell their turtle where to move, and then I move the turtle according to their cards.

I’m way too Type A to chuck curriculum in favor of games, and they will always be supplemental in our house. Even still, I’m happy to be fostering a love of games early on, practicing skills “in secret” 9or not-so-secret, as in Sums in Space), and encouraging my boys to play together. Someday, when I’m (reluctantly) willing to let them stay up later than 7:30pm, it’ll be fun to play together as a family, doing something we’ve all learned to love!

Christy Gould is the wife of a pastor and a homeschooling stay-at-home mom to five boys under eight. When she’s not refereeing little-boy disputes, you can find her in the kitchen, whipping up real-food meals and toiletries in equal measure. She chronicles her adventures in homeschooling and life at www.workbepraise.blogspot.com.

Announcing Winners!! for Free Assessment Give-Away for 2017!

I want to thank everyone who entered the contest!  So many fabulous blog post ideas!  I appreciate you taking the time to enter.  I will have a spring contest in March and be giving away exciting prizes!  Thank you for following Ohio Homeschool Assessment.  Look for posts based on your ideas over the next few months!
Becky



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An Uncommon Courtship by Kristi Ann Hunter

I have been waiting since July for An Uncommon Courtship to release, and it was well worth the wait!  An Uncommon Courtship is the love story of Lord Trent Hawthorne and Lady Adelaide Bell who married first and then courted.  Trent was a supporting character in Ms. Hunter's other books, and I was glad to witness his happy ending.  

 The cover of this book is stunning and goes beautifully with the other books in the series.   As a huge Regency fan I enjoyed reading the book and learning more about London society during 1814.  I loved the dialogue and the way the characters are able to sip tea and put someone in their place at the same time.  I must admit, I was taking notes!  Ms. Hunter is a wonderful author who paints beautiful pictures with her words and I never tire of hearing about the dresses, the furniture, and the social occasions she describes.

I recommend that you read the first books in the series before you read An Uncommon Courtship.  Start with A Noble Masquerade, the first in book the series, and then read An Elegant Facade.  I think you will be much more invested in the characters and enjoy the story so much more.  You can get also the free novella A Lady of Esteem, a prequel worth checking out as well.  I consider An Uncommon Courtship for more mature audiences, so my personal recommendation would be to read it yourself before giving it to a teen.

I received this book from the publisher Bethany House.  I was not required to write a positive review. 

Kristi Ann Hunter graduated from Georgia Tech with a degree in computer science but always knew she wanted to write. Kristi is an RWA Golden Heart contest winner, an ACFW Genesis contest winner, and a Georgia Romance Writers Maggie Award for Excellence winner. She lives with her husband and three children in Georgia. Find her online at http://www.kristiannhunter.com/

Still Accepting Portfolios

For the 2015-2016 School year: I am still accepting portfolios.  I am happy to review your portfolios and send you the form you need for your district.   Click here.  

Thank you!  Becky ohiohomeschool@gmail.com