One of the amazing things about the Amazing Bible Timeline is the size of the thing! We unrolled our timeline  and spread it out on the couch because it was too big to fit on the table.

The Amazing Bible Timeline is a unique way to mesh world history and the Bible. I like being able to compare the different lineages in the Old Testament and seeing which lives overlapped. I am not a fan of linear timelines because I want to see the whole picture. (Shh, don’t tell anyone or I might get my Homeschool Mommy license taken away. ;-))

As much as we enjoyed looking at the timeline, there are some things that really bothered me about this review. The company that produces this timeline has another website for the LDS Book of Mormon Timeline and some of these Mormon references show up on the Amazing Bible Timeline. Now let me be clear here: I have no problem with them selling a Mormon version of their timeline. My problem is that there was no mention of any of this when we were sent the chart. Some of my fellow crew members discovered all of this after finding Mormon references in the timeline. I feel like this was all a bit deceptive, even if unintentional, and that I can’t fully trust all of the info on the timeline.

The Nitty Gritty:

$29.97 and it comes with two bonuses: Interactive Maps of the Holy Lands and Digital Amazing Bible Timeline

Things I like:

• I love being able to see how the people in the Old Testament overlapped each other. I’ve never had a clear picture of that before.
• I like the circular timeline.
• This is a high quality product – very thick and made to last.

Value:

This is a tough one. I will not be using this for a history resource, but I love it as an old Testament visual. You’ll have to make your own decision on this one.

See what my TOS Crew Mates have to say about the Amazing Bible Timeline!

Note: I am doing a two-part review on this system. Shortly after receiving it to review, the company that employs my husband hit financial rocky water. I temporarily do not have the funds to set up the system the way Sue Patrick prefers, and I don’t want to give my opinion of how it works for us until I try it her way. I will review the e-book now & will update with our results!

Workboxes were all the rage this summer on the homeschool forums. I was immediately drawn to the idea for my two younger students. It would allow them to get some of their school work done without constantly asking Mommy what to do next. It seemed like a simple idea, and there were blogs aplenty with set-up info, so was there any reason to read the book? Well, after receiving a free copy to review, my answer would be YES!

Sue Patrick developed the Workbox System after her son was diagnosed with Autism. She has spent years fine-tuning her system and teaching  it to other families. (It works for all children, not just one with learning struggles.) The idea is simple: a shoe rack and twelve clear boxes are used to order a child’s daily work. The child works through the boxes in order and can see at a glance how much work is left.

Information abounds about how to set up workboxes, but Sue Patrick’s book contains so much more than that. She walks you through, step-by-step, the why & how of workboxes (with pics). I am a visual learner and this is a big deal to me. My favorite part of the book is when she shows how to customize different items for your children. She shows you how to set up learning centers using posters, and how to take a common worksheet and make it more interesting (again, with pics!). We are a non-textbook family and this was a big help to me.

I do feel the need to pass along the fact that Sue Patrick and I do not see eye to eye about a few things. (Not that we need to see things the same for me to benefit from her book, but she has very strong opinions about them.)

• She seems to be a “school at home” person – very structured and classroom-y. We do half of our work on the couch all together.
• She thinks you should focus on school, & only school, during school hours. I have 5 kids and things like switching out the laundry between subjects are a necessity around here.
• She thinks there is too much talking going on in homeschools. Not really gonna comment on this one, except to say we’ll have to agree to disagree 🙂
• She does not like people to “tweak” her system. I will be using the box system for my two younger ones, but a folder system for the older kids. Five students x 12 boxes = no room! I don’t think is it reasonable to expect big families to find that kind of money or space.

Having said all that, I’m not going to throw the baby out with the bath water just because we disagree on a few things. I just didn’t want you to be surprised. You can view sample pages HERE.

The Nitty Gritty:

The e-book is $19.95. It includes a link to some basic forms to download. You can view her catalog HERE for more products that go along with the Workbox system.

Things I Like:

• The book has several ideas for creating learning centers and customized worksheets.
• This system gives my kids more control over their day and frees me up a little to help the ones who need one-on-one instruction.
• This is probably my favorite thing – it is easy to add in all those little fun educational projects that we never really get around to. I’m not a naturally organized person and this is a good fit for me.

Value: I think this is a reasonable price for the manual, the helpful photos, and the downloads. Like I stated before, I really benefit from the visuals.

See what my TOS Crew Mates have to say about Sue Patrick’s Workbox system!

Nature Friend magazine was met with Oohs and Aahs as soon as it was pulled out of the mailbox. We received a free copy of the August and September issues. The photography is stunning! Everything about this magazine is beautiful, from the God-focused articles to the lovely thick paper on which they are printed.

There is no advertising in Nature Friend, so it is just page after page of fascinating animals, insects and natural habitats. We were excited to find an informative article on Cicadas since that was a popular topic in our home at the time. One of my favorite features is called Wondernose. It is fun to read the clues out loud as everyone tries to guess the mystery creature. The monthly drawing lessons are perfect for nature journals. You can view sample magazines HERE.

Our magazine included an 8-page Study Guide companion. It is conveniently bound into the middle of the magazine. The study guide reinforces the articles with puzzles, a writing assignment, and even a nature photography lesson. The study guide costs $2 a month. You can view sample study guides HERE.

The Nitty Gritty:

• $36 for a 1 year subscription
• $68 for a two year subscription
• $24 additional for 1 year of study guides

Order by November 30th and get $3 off with the code BLOG93

Things I Like:

• The focus on God’s amazing creation.
• It is enjoyed by the whole family. I might even like it more than the kids!
  
• The pages are thick & high quality. These are meant to be kept and enjoyed for years to come.
  
• Because there are no ads to chop up the articles, it is very easy to browse just  an article or two at a time.

Value: The cost is a little high on this one for me right now, but I definitely think you get what you pay for in this case. I will be subscribing as soon as the funds are available. I won’t be getting the study guide, but I can see how it would be worth the money if you want to use Nature Friend as a curriculum.

Go see what my TOS Crew Mates have to say about Nature Friend magazine!