Tag: Science

Water & Weather from Master Books: Moms of Master Books Review!

Grace-Filled Writer

I’m so excited each month to review a new title from Master Books. We are so blessed to have such wonderful science and history resources available to readily! This month’s title was exciting for everyone, especially my science loving eight-year-old!

The newest title in the Investigate the Possibilities series from Master Books (An imprint of New Leaf Publishing) is Water & Weather by Tom DeRosa and Carolyn Reeves. This light-weight paperback title is jam packed with intriguing information and wonderful questions to inspire curiosity and promote investigation. I love when science is presented this way. Although this is part of a wonderful line of science curriculum, it feels less like a text book and more like a science lab as you turn each page.

Weather has been a hot topic around our house lately anyway because of our rare snow events this winter! We’ve had two good snowfalls which aloud for several days of sledding here in the South. This has prompted lots of “What makes it snow?” types of questions. My four-year-old suggested Jesus takes pieces of dirt, paints them white, and throws them down…at least she has the right idea of whom controls the weather even if her facts are a little skewed!

Each of the 20 units may be done in order or used in any particular order which is really nice. My daughter really enjoyed just reading and looking through the book for fun. I picked out a couple of experiments which had to do with clouds and rain since that was something she had been discussing with her Daddy earlier in the day. She was very excited to point out and show me the types of clouds she had observed on the way home from her homeschool science class that morning.

Each of the units has several Investigations for the students to complete to better understand the information in the text. These investigations are introduced after a brief introduction and some explanation. After the investigations is more scientific information to help explain their findings. I love how genuinely scientific this is written, but in a kids way. I remember my own science texts being rather dull and boring. This book has a much more engaging feel.

Rose loved creating clouds with shaving cream. She did an excellent job of recreating the cloud types

It didn’t take long for Rose’s little sisters to want to get in on the action! They typically don’t get excited about science until they see Big Sister having a blast with experiments and investigations! This was a great opportunity for Rose to do some teaching and show she really understood what she had learned. We pulled out our Wonders of Creation Weather Book to learn a little more. 

Our final investigation helped show the girls how clouds are formed. We put a little warm water into a clear bottle on the bottom and held an ice cube on top. It didn’t take long for “clouds” to begin building in the bottle. This showed in a very tangible way how air temperature and moisture interact together.

My favorite part about this book and all the books from Master Books is they always point my girls back to the Creator. I can give my girls anything published from this company without any hesitation. Rose always asks, “Are these books by Christians?” because I have explained to her how not all scientists believe in God or that God created the world. Her eyes always light up when I say, “Yes!” because she knows she can trust the information.

Master Books has once again hit the mark with this fabulous book which inspires hands-on learning, includes factual science, and keeps Christ as Creator the focus.

Disclaimer: I received Water & Weather as part of the Moms of Master Books Team. I was not required to give a positive review. I was not compensated in any other way. 

STEM Science Station – Magnets from Lakeshore Learning: Review

Grace-Filled Writer
(Read to the end to find a FABULOUS coupon code!
Hands on, experiential learning are key components of our homeschool. I love to integrate as much hands-on activity as I can and manipulative for learning are huge part of this. Lakeshore Learning has a wonderful array of learning games, toys, and manipulatives to engage eager young learners born with the desire to learn and grow. 
We were blessed to review the STEM Science Station – Magnets from Lakeshore Learning. What fun this has been for my sweet girls! They are so curious by nature. I truly believe we are all created with natural inquisition, but unfortunately it is often crushed at a young age due to circumstances beyond a child’s control. What a blessing I have to help keep this wonder alive and strong in my own girls! 
The girls were itching to get their hands on everything side this wonderful box! The box has a set of cards which you can set in a stand and display while they explore. Each card challenges the child to complete a task and figure out one of the many properties of magnets.
Some challenges teach how magnets can oppose one another while others show their attractions. Students also have to figure out where to positing magnets to create movement and problem solve how to complete each task. 
I like how they were encouraged to explore around the house as well to see where magnets would work. I did make sure they knew to keep them away from certain objects, like computers, but otherwise let them go ahead and explore! Grace was shocked her magnet stuck to the dish washer since she never realized it was magnetic! It didn’t surprise her to find it stuck to the refrigerator though. 
Beth figured out she had to hold her magnet above the little car in order to make it move. I was very pleased she kept trying different ways before she gave up. Sometimes she gets frustrated, but she was quite intrigued to find the answer on her own. 
Rose, ever my over achiever, decided to make up her own experiments. The kitchen was filled with, “Let’s try this guys!” as she led her sisters to further discover more about magnets. I loved how she looked for new ways to use these and did such a good job leading her sisters to discover! 
This is a great explore and play learning tool. I love being able to say, “Let’s go do some science experiments!” and see them run to the table to get started. All of the STEM Science Stations will have this effect on your children. They are made very high quality and your children will easily begin to understand observable science through using them.
I also have a coupon code for all of you! Just click here and you’ll get 20% off your next order from Lakeshore Learning! 
(Expires 3/31/14)
(This is not an affiliate link)

Disclaimer: I received STEM Science Station – Magnets from Lakeshore Learning in exchange for an honest review.  I was not required to give a positive review. I was not compensated in any other way. 

Galapagos Islands: A Different View ~ Review

Grace-Filled Writer
Have you ever read a book transport you? One which made you long to travel? Lots of fiction books give me this feeling, but rarely has a nonfiction title delighted me through pictures the way Galapagos Islands: A Different View has. Master Books, a division of New Leaf Publishing, has once again captured my imagination with a new view of reality.

This compilation by leading creationists is beyond breathtaking. Honestly, I couldn’t read the book the first time through. The photographs drew me immediately. They show the beauty of these islands which have captivated historians, explorers, scientists, and the every day individual for generations. I know in reality I’ll never travel to this exotic local. Seeing it from the perspective of those who know the Creator of the beauty they behold makes this book especially meaningful.

So after I got my fill of the stunning photography I could enjoy the text, which was equally compelling. I absolutely love how the book is grounded with Scripture. This stays very much in keeping with the founding principal of all creationists: Start with Scripture. I know I can trust every publication from Master Books to be completely in line with the Word of God, but each time I read one of their books I appreciate it even more.

The crux of this particular book is viewing the splendor of the Galapagos Islands in a different way than the world typically sees it. It is difficult to think of the Galapagos Islands without leading to evolutionary lines of thinking because they are so tied to Darwin and his theories. I very much appreciated as I read the clear way both observable scientific evidence and Scripture are not in opposition with each other. They instead very much compliment one another. The secular world wants us to deny Scripture because they claim it cannot be reconciled with their version of scientific interpretation. This merely is an issue of where an individuals presuppositions lie.

I’m grateful again for a resource I can delve into and enjoy just as much as my sweet girls! I feel incredibly blessed to have these resources at my finger tips as I teach and answer their questions. 
Disclaimer: I received Galapagos Islands: A Different View as part of the Moms of Master Books. My opinions are my own and I was not required to write a positive view of this book.

The Stargazers Guide to the Night Sky from Master Books: Review

Grace-Filled Writer
I never liked science very much in school. I did when I was younger, but by the time I reached middle school and high school not so much. I’ve been wondering why recently and think it may have to do with the effort I felt it was taking to sort out what was factual and what was being based on evolutionary theory. I couldn’t tell whether what I was taught was actually based on observation because of how things were worded in my science books. The only teacher I knew I could trust was my AP Biology teacher my senior year because she told us from day one she was a Christian and did not believe evolutionary theory. Now, I’m working to remedy my apathy for all things science mostly because of my science-loving daughter!

While there are several groups who publish materials which are Creation based my favorite thus far is Master Books, a division of New Leaf Publishing. Not only are their books educationally and scientifically sound, they take time to make sure they are beautifully published and engaging to read. I now find science interesting where I once was turned off by it. The most recent book I had the opportunity to review was the The Stargazers Guide to the Night Sky. Wow! This book is jam packed with information and beautiful pictures.

I appreciate there is information for beginners as well as those more experienced. I’m certainly a beginner, but for those who already know a bit about the heavenly bodies will learn as well. The best part is that the purpose is reflected in the title. Lots of information is given, but everything relates back to observing the night sky. We know the stars are a revelation of the wonder of our Creator and understanding which is honoring to Him.

The moon one night while we were camping this summer

No matter what you are hoping to learn about astronomy, this is an excellent starting point. The moon is an excellent place for beginners to start and is fascinating for students of all ages. My girls love looking for the moon each night and have begun to realize it isn’t always in the same location. The chapter on the moon and sun explain a lot about the moon’s position and movement.

My favorite chapter so far is about the basics of using a telescope. I purchased a telescope for our homeschool over the summer and it wasn’t as easy to use as I’d anticipated! Although it was not a complicated telescope, I had no experience using one and needed some guidance. Thankfully we were all able to enjoy a beautiful view of the moon one evening when it finally stopped raining! We were also blessed that evening with an unobstructed view of the moon.

The hardest part about using a telescope is keeping it focused for all three girls! They really enjoyed looking at the moon, but I’m definitely going to be taking more time to read this chapter of the book so I can understand how to use it even better. I know there are many more ways to use this telescope and I’ve only just begun to learn! 


The pictures in this book are breathtaking…simply stunning. Even if you aren’t able to see the night sky because of bad weather, this book can give you an up-close view. In case you’re interested in photographing the evening sky there is also a wonderful chapter on this. I doubt I’ll ever be to that point, but my girls might be one day. One of their favorite past times is photography. They each have their own digital cameras. While their current cameras are nowhere near high powered enough for night-time photography, I can certainly see them studying photography more in depth as they get older. I’m sure this book will be one of the first places they’ll start.

Master Books has become a trusted source for our family and they definitely don’t disappoint with A Stargazers Guides to the Night Sky.

Disclaimer: I received The Stargazers Guide to the Night Sky from Master Books in exchange for my honest opinion and review. I was not required 

World of Astronomy from Master Books: Review

Grace-Filled Writer

The newest book in the Exploring series from Master Books (a division of New Leaf Publishing) is available! This is my first chance to see a book from this series as a Moms of Master Books reviewer and it is excellent. It is geared towards older students than my girls who are elementary age, however I think it would be a perfect fit for upper elementary and middle school students.

The World of Astronomy is written in an easy to read style and I have enjoyed learning more about Astronomy from a biblical perspective. I’ve been slowly collecting materials and curriculum which will inform me as I have very, very curious little girls. I much prefer having an answer or at the very least knowing a reliable source of where to find the answers to their often deep questions. Just as with all other books published from Master Books I trust the content to be not only in line with Scripture, but also very scientific.

My favorite section was on the telescope. The chapter gave an excellent history of the first telescope and how it has changed over the years. It kept my attention and did not feel as if I were reading a dry text book that I remember from my days in grade-school. I’m not certain if that is somewhat due to maturity, but I do know I have enjoyed what I have read. My only disappointment was that the text only includes black and white pictures. This is not a major issue, but it wasn’t what I was expecting.

I am excited to explore more about astronomy with my girls this year. We purchased a telescope which we are still learning how to use. Now that the sun is going down sooner and the time-change is approaching we will have many more opportunities to learn about our universe and The Word of Astronomy will be a great asset on our journey!

Disclaimer: I received The World of Astronomy as part of the Moms of Master Books Team. I was not required to give a positive review. I was not compensated in any other way. 

Don’t Miss the Boat! from New Leaf Publishing: Review

Grace-Filled Writer

I’ve recently seen some interesting news about the finding of a wooden structure buried deep in the snow of Turkey which some think may be the remains of Noah’s Ark. While it is intriguing, the problem I find with situations like this is many place their hope in finding proof this is true. Our culture would prefer to trust fallible human experts rather than believe in and trust the account of Scripture because it would mean they have to say, “Yes, I believe in God.”

Don’t Miss the Boat: Facts to Keep Your Faith Afloat by Paul Taylor is an excellent read because it is unlike any other book concerning the flood I have read. Most books I have read about the flood cover one of three things:

1. This exposition of the scriptural account.
2. The history
3. The science

Paul Taylor’s book covers all of these areas and has a surprise at the end for fiction lovers! He has taken the facts added a dose of creative license and has come up with short stories written in the 1st person narrative from several different individuals involved in the biblical account. There really is something for everyone.

The already mentioned sections are neatly arranged in the table of contents. This is helpful for readers who are more interested in science and not as much in the history. Perhaps you are a fiction buff, you can skip right to those areas before reading anything else. Although I recommend reading the entire book, the reader can easily begin in any section and not feel lost.

The exposition of Scripture is the very first part of the book which is important to me. Paul Taylor doesn’t leave anyone guessing where he stands with regard to the truth of God’s Word. I like to know up front where an author stands. It doesn’t mean I’ll stop reading the book, but it gives me a perspective with which to read.

The best part about the book from my perspective is the chapter entitled The Gospel According to Noah. Taylor clearly lays out the parallels between Noah and the gospel. It is something I never really connected together before. There isn’t anything Taylor writes which cannot be found in Scripture, but his observations are a unique and fresh perspective.

For more about this book, take a look at the trailer below!
Also check out more reviews on the NLPG Blog below!
Disclaimer: I received Don’t Miss the Boat from New Leaf Publishing in exchange for an honest review.  I was not required to give a positive review. I was not compensated in any other way. 

Marvels of Creation Series: Review

Grace-Filled Writer

What do you do with kids who have insatiable curiosities? Give them more to learn from! I love how much I can trust anything I receive from Master Books, a division of New Leaf Publishing Group. Although I happily read all we receive, I don’t feel like I have to preview it before my girls get their hands on it. I know it will be solidly biblical and scientifically accurate in addition to beautifully illustrated and engagingly written! The most recent series I’ve had the chance to review is Marvels of Creation by Buddy and Kay Davis. Buddy Davis is known for his wonderful videos from the Creation Museum and Answers in Genesis. My girls love watching him teach them about dinosaurs!

I just barely had time to snap this picture before my girls whisked these lovely books away! They were jumping up and down behind me asking, “Are you done yet?!?!” I have used these books as resource material, but my girls just love reading them. They quiet time every afternoon after lunch and have been choosing a book from this series often. Each book has an appendix with a glossary of terms which is a nice addition. Other information is also included in the appendix which I’ll write about for each specific book.

Magnificent Mammals shows mammals from all over the world with beautiful photographs and information. Some of these mammals my girls have seen in our zoo and they love talking about that. I love how the appendix includes footprints and approximate sizes of these prints for a variety of animals. We’ve never come across animal tracks in our yard, but it will be fun to have as a resource if we ever do!

Sensational Sea Creatures is my personal favorite. I’ve always loved learning about the ocean and at one time though I’d like to be a marine biologist. Included in this appendix is information about the anatomy of fish. This is so interesting and not often covered in a book meant for children. I really like that my girls can see how a fish is built intentionally by our creator.

Breathtaking Birds has been the favorite of Rose who has become infatuated with owls in the last couple of months! This is her favorite part to read in this book. The appendix in this book contains information about the anatomy of birds as well as how and why they are able to fly. I especially love how many of the photographs used are of birds in flight. They are breathtaking!

Each page in every book has specifications about the animal’s height, weight and life-span specifications as well as special design features and lesser known facts. My girls are absorbing all of this information and can’t wait to tell me and my husband all they have learned!

One day I heard, “Come one everybody! It’s story time at the library!” I walked in to see my girl using the Marvels of Creation for their pretend storytime! It was so sweet and they were actually reading this information aloud for their little sister who is just learning to read.

These books are an excellent alternative for evolutionary based field-guides. You can see samples of the books on the New Leaf Publishing page when you click the links. I’m certain your entire family will enjoy these!

Disclaimer: I received the the Marvels of Creation series in exchange for an honest review.  I was not required to give a positive review. I was not compensated in any other way. 

Under the Microscope Lapbook from Hands of a Child: Review

Grace-Filled Writer
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My oldest daughter loves to learn and is completely fascinated by science. We do not have a regular science curriculum I follow at home because from September through May my girls attend a learning center which covers a wide variety of science topics. At the same time science has always fascinated me and I encourage my girls to engage in what interested them scientifically. I even have a science corner built into our homeschool room to encourage investigation. 

Additions to our schoolroom this year included instruments for investigation. Although I was extremely excited about getting a microscope and telescope into our room, but I have to be honest…it has been a while since I’ve used a microscope and I don’t know if I’ve ever used a telescope!Reviewing the Under a Microscope Curriculum (K-3rd grade) from In the Hands of a Child seemed like a great opportunity to refresh my skills. 

We don’t typically use lapbooks, but In the Hands of a Child is a company I am very familiar with. They are at the top of the list when searching for quality lapbooking materials. For those unfamiliar with how lapbooks work I like to think of it as scrapbook learning. As students read, learn, and investigate they construct a miniature scrapbook of the information usually kept in a manilla folder. Instructions are included at the beginning for how to construct this lapbook although I was a little confused about where exactly to place the information. This is probably because lapbooking is still more out of my comfort zone than most learning activities. This particular company offers lapbooks in a variety of formats including e-book ($10.00), CD ($15.00), Printed ($18.00), Print+CD combo ($16.00), and a Lapbook It Pack ($12.00 – Does not include the teaching materials). This and other titles are currently on sale right now!
One of the reasons lapbooking isn’t typically our learning format is the time it takes to construct the lapbook. It is difficult to do this with multiple ages of children, but In the Hands of a Child helps by gearing their units to a wider age-range with multiple book options and activity choices. My oldest daughter mostly worked on this, but my other girls were excited to check out the microscope as well.
Matching up the scientific vocabulary used when talking about microscopes to their kid-friendly definitions was one of the first activities we did. This was a great way to start out the study so as we went through our learning she would have a good understanding as well as a reference dictionary along the way. 
Although many lapbooks I see use lots of multicolored paper I like having the option to print on what I want to. This way my girls can decorate and color the pictures as they want. I particularly liked this how to focus the microscope step-by-step clipboard. It turned out really cute an looked “scientific” to Rose. It also gave very clear instructions for even a newbie scientist. 
In addition to information on how to use a microscope and the various types which exist, there was quite a bit of historical information as well. It was fun learning about who created the first microscope. 
Rose was so excited to be able to follow the directions and focus the microscope on her own! We have a set of 15 slides I purchased at the same time as the instrument and she has been waiting to learn how to use it on her own. Her favorite slides to look at were the pine stem and human blood. “Ewwww! Blood!” That was my almost-four-year-old Grace’s response. She still enjoyed looking at it though!
While working on this unit we had a friend who was over for the afternoon. Rose was very happy to teach her how to use the microscope and share all she had learned. 
If you enjoy lapbooking, this is a high-quality lapbook at an affordable price. They also frequently run specials and offers with steep discounts. I personally do not care for this learning medium, but I know many families who do. If you like the idea of project-based learning and hands-on instruction I encourage you to take a look at In the Hands of a Child and their many resources which cover all subject areas.

You can see some other products from this company reviewed by my Crewmates below!

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Field Trip: Museum of Life and Science Engineering Day

Grace-Filled Writer

We had a fabulous time at our local children’s museum. There was a special day all about engineering and the girls had a blast! I love providing them with opportunities I can’t really give them at home. Building, constructing, problem solving…2 hours of pure educational fun!

Gumdrop Towers!
Rose gets a Tallest Tower height
Building boats and testing their weight capacity
Creating circuits
Lego machines!!!!!! Need I say more?

Constructing a remote control car
Driving her construction! And Grace is driving someone else’s!
Beth made it through the maze!


Global Art from Gryphon House: Review

Grace-Filled Writer
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There is nothing more fun for my girls than an art project. I’ve admitted it before…art isn’t my favorite area of teaching. I like the outcome, but the effort to get everything going and be a frustrating point for me. The best art projects are ones I can use with all three girls at the same time, use your average art materials I already have on hand, and most importantly connect to their learning. I have found all three to hold true for Global Art from Gryphon House. 
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Global art is intended to use with elementary age students (k-5) but I have found the majority of these activities can be used as written or moderately adapted for younger children. Although I didn’t use this with older students Art is typically adaptable to almost any age and I think many of these projects could work well with middle school students. This book costs $16.95 which is an incredibly reasonable price for the great number of projects ideas available.

Each project includes geographical, scientific and/or cultural information which brings all sorts of conversations to the table as the girls created their masterpieces. I love how easy this book is to incorporate with whatever history or geography we are studying. I simply look in the table of contents for the country or continent we are studying and choose which project we want to do. 
One of the projects we did was from Antarctica. We’ve been having quite the heat wave here in the South, so I thought thinking about cooler areas of the world would be fun! I adapted the project so all three were able to enjoy themselves. We first talked about where Antarctica was and why no one lived there. Then I read the short paragraph on how snowflakes are formed by small ice crystals. 
Then they got to work! First they painted snowflakes and then sprinkled them with salt. The idea is the salt would change and form crystals. To say the girls love to paint is an understatement. They spent a long time working on their creations and really enjoyed adding salt as they went along. 
First they painted a small portion of the snowflake and while it was still wet added the salt. 
Grace enjoyed this part! She kept picking colors that weren’t very bright, but she didn’t seem to mind!
Beth tried several different ways of doing this particular art project. She likes to see how things will work different ways. For some parts she put the salt on first and then painted. Sometimes she followed the directions. Sometimes she added a lot of water on top of the salt. She’s my little experimenter! 
The effort all three of my girls put into this was fun to watch. They were focused and excited for the entire 30 minutes they worked. I loved listening to the conversation between them about how the salt was acting on their papers, how they liked each other’s color choices, and what it might be like to live where there is always snow. I was once again reminded of the reason art is important. Creativity inspires learning and it was a lovely bonding moment for the three of them. 
The final project! 

Gryphon house has an abundance of resources and after reviewing just this one book I have been very impressed. Not only will I be using this throughout our homeschooling, I’m also looking forward to using it during missions lessons with the children at our church. As we learn about missions around the world and focus on different countries I am looking forward to using a lot of these projects. Art which engages and encourages learning is always welcome in our home!

Don’t forget to check out the other reviews from my Crewmates!

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