Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Ancient Greece Mini-Lapbook FREEBIE

Did you download Knowledge Box Central's FREEBIE on Kindle last week, the Ancient Egypt Mini-Lapbook?  Well, continue the ancient history collection this week with the Ancient Greece Mini-Lapbook FREEBIE on Kindle!



Create a smaller version of our lapbook with this product. Study the great works of the Ancient Grecian Philosophers:  Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Discover the beginning of the Olympic games, the architectural design of the mighty Parthenon, the customs, philosophy, and lifestyle of the people of Ancient Greece, and more. Create booklets to place inside the lapbook folders, and improve retention of the information being studied. Includes a Study Guide and additional resources. The Ancient Greece Lapbook is designed for students that are K-8th grade. All templates and instructions included. 

Use the coupon on the last page to download a free PDF version of the lapbook in order to print pages.

See this week's newsletter here:


Happy Lapbooking!  :-)

Friday, June 19, 2015

Flyby Review - PIRATES CODE: THE ADVENTURES OF MICKEY MATSON

Looking for a fun summer-weekend-movie-for-the-family?  We thoroughly enjoyed reviewing PIRATES CODE: THE ADVENTURES OF MICKEY MATSON!  My kids, ages 9-16, boys and girls, were all excited about reviewing this movie.  I mean, you've got modern-day pirates, a kid in a top-secret spy agency, and lots of cool gadgets like jet-propelled sneakers.  How could it not be awesome?

In this follow up to Mickey Matson and the Copperhead Treasure, Mickey Matson is at it again; this time pitted against the evil Admiral Ironsides and his gang of pirates who are intent on destroying civilization.  Their new invention, the Tesla Coil, is a weapon of mass destruction that will send an electromagnetic pulse throughout the world, destroying every electronic device in existence.  With the help of a secret organization, Mickey and his best friend Sully embark on a mission to stop the pirates from taking over a submarine and stealing the last part needed to complete their devastating weapon.  If Admiral Ironsides succeeds in his plan, civilization will be sent back to the Stone Age.  It's a race against time, and the fate of the world hangs in the balance.  
 I will admit that when we started the movie, we felt a little lost and wished we'd seen the first Mickey Matson movie.  In fact, we decided to go get that one, too, and I can highly recommend them both.  So I would recommend that if you are interested in these movies, watch the first one, Mickey Matson and the Copperhead Treasure, and then watch Pirates Code:  The Adventures of Mickey Matson.  That, however, is just a recommendation.  It is not necessary to see the first one to understand the second one.

We enjoyed the goofy, inept villains; the interactions between Mickey, his best friend Sully, and their co-spies; and the ever-intense inventor grandfather played by Christopher Lloyd of Back to the Future fame.  There are even a few references only those of us who grew up in the 80s would fully appreciate (Great Scott!!)  Overall, the movie is similar to the Disney pre-teen/young teen movies in its humor and its plot-line.  If your kids like Agent Cody Banks and Spy Kids, they will love this movie.  I always wonder where the parents are in these movies and why they are allowing their children to be in such dangerous circumstances, but you take Cody Banks and throw him on a pirate ship, and my kids have the ideal movie!!  I like the clean humor, the family values, and the fact that the movie appealed to both boys and girls of various ages.  I also like the dynamic of the kid hero and his grandfather working together.  There is a cameraderie and respect fostered there that I think is beneficial to kids today.

After the last several movies we've reviewed, my kids are actually starting to look for movies from PureFlix entertainment because they've enjoyed them so much.  These are good, family-values movies that are not full of hokey humor and sub-standard acting.  Well, no more than any other movie geared toward preteens and teens!

SOCIAL • C O R N E R  

Twitter:  @MickeyMatson


Official Website:  http://mickeymatson.com



What?  Did you just say you sure wished you could WIN a FREE copy of the Pirate's Code DVD?  Well, of course you can!  Leave a comment here or on my Facebook page telling me your favorite teen adventure movie, and you'll be entered in the drawing to be held next Friday, June 26.  :-)

"Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.
 Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”



Thursday, June 18, 2015

Product Review: Pippi Longstocking Literature Guide and Mini-Lapbook

Today we have a review from Guest Reviewer  Nichole Wise!

                Astrid Lindgren’s Pippi Longstocking is a classic that both boys and girls in upper elementary will enjoy.  If you are looking for a guide to take that book off the pages, consider the unit study written by Rebecca Morley which is published by Knowledge Box Central.  
                Morley’s unit study will appeal first to the “lapbooker”  because she provides templates for lapbook elements that can be completed alongside the writing.  Families who have not dived into this element of homeschooling will still find plenty of suggested extension activities and worksheets in addition to the lapbook features.   An e-book format simplifies the preparation for moms who want to print more than one copy of the worksheets if more than one child is completing this book study.
                I will admit that the image on the first page does not coincide with the image that is often tied with the original book or movies, but the template will still allow students to color her traditional red hair!  Older students may choose to draw their own picture of Pippi since this unit study allows for extension activities that include art and drawing.  With regards to the chapter worksheets, I personally think this unit study might be better suited for grades 3-6 since it requires some mastery of writing.  However,  some moms may choose to use the comprehension questions as oral work, thereby making this unit study usable for younger students who are still learning to write.
                The included worksheets and vocabulary work will provide moms with some academic type assignments for their students, but the extension activities will surely be a favorite for all.  This will also appeal to the mom who struggles to come up with hands-on creative projects, but doesn’t want the projects to be overwhelming to prepare for or too pricey.

                 I always liked Pippi Longstocking, not just because I have red hair, but because it was great fun to imagine this crazy fun-loving character and her adventures.  With Morely’s unit book, students will not only read this book, but they will create a fun lap book of memories.
Click image to go to Knowledge Box Central store:

Happy Lapbooking!  :-)

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Flyby Review: Old Fashioned


I don't believe that dating trains us to be good husbands or wives, you know?  Life partners.  It trains us to be good dates.  That's it.  Trains us to be skilled in the superficial.
 - Clay in Old Fashioned

Has chivalry been lost?  Can it be reclaimed?  What is a modern "courtship"?

I have two teenagers, a boy and a girl, plus two preteens on their way up.  DATE is a four-letter word in our house that sends my husband running for his shotgun!  In an age where anyone in the movies is a prude if they have reached the age of 18 with their virginity intact, how do I protect my children's purity - and more importantly, train them to protect their own purity - and prepare them for a successful lifelong marriage, should they choose to get married?  On the other end of the spectrum, there are parents encouraging their children not to kiss until their wedding.  Is that realistic?

Old Fashioned is a movie about a young guy who runs an antique store in a small midwestern town and endeavors to turn his back on his former reckless lifestyle and "do things the old fashioned way."  He sets boundaries and fights to keep them against the opposition of practically everyone he knows.  Of course, it's a movie, so an incredibly beautiful girl has to move into the apartment upstairs to test his limits, right?  How will Clay and Amber navigate these waters?  Is it possible to have a good, old-fashioned courtship in a modern world?

I greatly enjoyed this movie.  It's a little slow-moving, but it strikes me as being more realistic than a lot of movies that are billed as "Christian romance."  The character development and the plot drew me in.  The idea that there are still people who want an "old-fashioned" romance is alluring.  It was refreshing to me that the guy was the one attempting to protect himself and the girl in the relationship, rather than the old tired plot of the guy pushing and pushing and the girl saying no, no, no.  I also liked the emphasis on the stories of people in the movie.  I liked the fact that both protagonists in the movie had to "give a little," without compromising convictions.  And I liked the fact that while the movie encourages strong convictions, it still comes across as being written for entertainment, not just to "teach a lesson."  In short, it was a good movie!

I am looking forward to reviewing the novel and the devotional that accompany the movie:



Rene Gutteridge wrote the novelization of the screenplay by Rik Swartzwelder, who also stars as Clay in the movie.

Like all good modern studies, there is also a 40-day devotional:  The Old-Fashioned Way:  Reclaiming the Lost Art of Romance.


Taken together, the movie, the novel, and the devotional journal are an excellent way to introduce your teens to the concept of courtship.  Explore the old-fashioned way to build a relationship that will last!
A romantic-drama, OLD FASHIONED centers on Clay Walsh, a former frat boy who gives up his reckless carousing and now runs an antique shop in a small Midwestern college town. There, he has become notorious for his lofty and outdated theories on love and romance as well as for his devout belief in God. When Amber Hewson, a free-spirited young woman with a restless soul, drifts into the area and rents the apartment above his shop, she finds herself surprisingly drawn to his strong faith and noble ideas, which are new and intriguing to her. And Clay, though he tries to fight and deny it, simply cannot resist being attracted to her spontaneous and passionate embrace of life. Ultimately, Clay must step out from behind his relational theories and Amber must overcome her own fears and deep wounds as the two of them, together, attempt the impossible: an "old-fashioned" and God-honoring courtship in contemporary America. 
The Novel: Turning his back on his reckless lifestyle, former frat boy Clay Walsh has settled down to turn an antique shop in a small Midwestern college town....and to purse lofty and outdated theories on love and romance.  But when Amber Hewson, a free-spirited woman with a gypsy soul, rents the apartment above his shop, Clay can't help being attracted to her spontaneous and passionate embrace of life.  Amber also finds herself surprisingly drawn to Clay, but his ideas about relationships are unusual to say the least, and they bring to light her own deep wounds and fears about love.  They say opposites attract, but can Clay and Amber move beyond their differences and their pasts to attempt an "old fashioned" courtship?
The Devotional:  Contrary to popular opinion, being "old fashioned" doesn't mean you're dull or unromantic.  In fact, a true old fashioned relationship can be more exciting and romantic than anything you've ever experienced!  So what does it mean to do things the old fashioned way?  Sure, it means opening doors, holding out chairs, and taking things slow.  But a true old fashioned romance goes much, much deeper than that.  Inspired by the motion picture Old Fashioned, this book will show you how to reclaim the lost art of romance by introducing you to romantic love as God intended it.  Regardless of your past mistakes, where you've been, what you've done, or where you are now, you can find and create a love that will last a lifetime!  As you work your way through this forty-day journey of inspiring readings and questions for reflection, you'll discover all the unique and amazing benefits of doing things the old fashioned way.  And before you know it, you'll be well on your way to creating a love story for the ages.    
Stay tuned for my reviews of the novel and the devotional at the end of the month.  At the end, there will be a drawing for one person to win the prize pack of all 3!

S O C I A L • C O R N E R



Twitter: @OldFashionedVow




Monday, June 15, 2015

Kindle FREEBIE: Ancient Egypt Mini-Lapbook

This week's Knowledge Box Central Kindle Freebie is one of their popular World History Products! Download and share the link! Sign up for the Knowledge@Kindle Newsletter so you never miss a FREEBIE: http://forms.aweber.com/form/22/1265944422.htm







Happy Lapbooking!  :-)

Monday, June 8, 2015

Kindle FREEBIE: The Ten Commandments Mini-Lapbook!!



Download and share this Kindle Freebie from Knowledge Box Central!

Available FREE from June 8-12.

See the rest of the newsletter (SIX 99-CENT ITEMS!) here:


Sign up for the Knowledge@Kindle Newsletter:


Happy Lapbooking!  :-)