Progeny Press ~ Frog and Toad Together {Review}

Over the years I have heard many wonderful things about study guides for books but have never actually used one. When I heard about Progeny Press a Christian Publishing company that produces study guides for literature from a Christian perspective via the crew I just had to give it a try. Their company mission is "To teach our children to think clearly, to understand literature, and to rely on the scripture for truth and values, and enjoy themselves while they do it!"

I am a huge fan of Arnold Lobel's books and so was thrilled to be given a copy of the downloadable Frog and Toad Together - E-Guide to use with Sir N.

What we received

• Frog and Toad Together - E-Guide
• Author: Leslie Clark
• For the Book:  Frog and Toad Together by Arnold Lobel
• Pages: 36
• Format: PDF  

The guide consists of

• Table of Contents
• Note to the Instructor - a short note about how the guides are to be used.
• Synopsis -  A short synopsis of the book the guide is based on.
• About the Author - a synopsis of the life and work of Arnold Lobel
• Before you read  activities - these questions helped set our attitude before we started reading the book and helped us discover our own perspective about the issues surrounding friendship.
• Chapter 1 to 5 This covers the five chapters in the book Frog and Toad Together.
• Venn Diagram and Word Search
• Suggestions for Further Reading
• Answer Key
• List of available study guides from Progeny Press.

How we used it
I downloaded the guide which arrived in a PDF format (523 KB).  It had a total of 36 pages with a full colour cover.  This PDF is a secured** copy. I printed our copy at home on our printer.

Starting off our study we used the before you read questions to think about friendship. We looked at friendship from two perspectives.  One of ourselves and the other from what we enjoy in our friends. We then took Sir N's bible and had a look at what friendship means from a biblical view from Proverbs. The before you read activity encouraged us to make new friends.

We borrowed Frog and Toad Together (a Newberry Honor book) and Sir N and I took turns reading the stories together. This is a beautiful book illustrating the depth and breadth of friendship in a collection of five adventures that Frog and Toad go on together. Each chapter provides a valuable life lesson for the reader regarding friendship and commitment. After Sir N read the chapter to me I would re-read the chapter to him so he could sit back and enjoy the beautiful illustrations and the sometimes very humorous situations that Frog and Toad find themselves in.

Chapter 2 Sample question page

We then moved to the table and looked through that chapter's study guide questions.  I wanted Sir N to have the opportunity to think and share with me his thoughts so I was the scribe and reader of the guide to him. From the guide I learned to turn to God's word and dig deeper and draw parallel's to what we were reading and learning. Together we learned to think more clearly about the story we were reading together. This had a benefit as Sir N got to look in his own bible to discover more about what God said on the subject. Each scripture reference was followed with thought provoking questions to help the student dig a little deeper and apply the knowledge of what they had just learned both from the Word of God and the book they had just read.

Sample of digging deeper in scripture questions.

Each chapter was then finished off with a fun hands on activity.  Sir N really enjoyed baking biscuits after reading about the Frog and Toads biscuits. There were recommended memory verses and fun projects for each chapter as well.

**Please note if you are taking a secured PDF to print at Office Works the self service machines can not print these correctly.  The staff are very friendly and will help you to print it from the counter.

Cost of Study Guide

• Frog and Toad Together - E-Guide AU $12.96
• Frog and Toad Together Printed Fromat or CD AU $12.96 

All of the guides are available in three different formats: E guide, CD or printed book.

Recommended Age Range

• K through 2nd grade 

Categories available

• Lower Elementary 
• Upper Elementary 
• Middle School
• High School 

Connect with Progeny Press

• Pinterest
• Facebook
• Twitter
• YouTube 
• Blog - Ask Rebecca

What we thought
Sir N and I both enjoyed our very first literature study guide together.  I enjoyed the digging deeper questions and watching him grasp the impact upon himself of reading a story had on him. He also enjoyed the hands on projects and some of the further reading and listening suggestions at the end of the book.

This guide was easy to use and there was very little preparation work for me the teacher.  I liked how the layout was easy to follow and simple to use.  

If you are looking for a study guide to use with your children that digs deeper and goes beyond asking mundane questions like who is the main character and what did they do ? A guide that relies on scripture as the plum line. Progeny Press study guides are your answer.

I look forward to using more guides in the future with Sir N.

Blessings
Chareen

How We Make Stuff {Tuesday's Treasures}

It's been a busy week and this blog is looking a little neglected.  One positive is I found this amazing book at our local library.  It's called How We Make Stuff - The Story Behind our Everyday Things.

• Format:  Hardback
• Number of Pages:18 pages
• ISBN 10: 1848777213
• ISBN 13: 9781848777217
• Author Christiane Dorian,
• IllustratorBeverley Yong

This book is the winner of The English Association 2013 Prize for Non Fiction 7-11 years and it's easy to see why. It is amazing I am so impressed with it.  It is twaddle free and choc full of information. It's a pop up book with tabs to pull and learn and lots of lift up flaps and booklets. Each double page spread answers a question about the way we use the earths natural resources to make things.

It answers the following questions

1. Who invented Factories ?
2. Where do Burgers come from ?
3. Does Chocolate grow on trees ?
4. Where do clothes come from ?
5. How do we turn trees into paper ?
6. What are rubber ducks made of ?
7. What is the link between gorillas and mobile phones ?
8. What does disposable mean ?
9. What can we learn from other creatures ?

Definitely add this one to your bookshelves your children will spend hours and hours looking through it and learning all sorts of wonderful things.

Blessings
Chareen

*********************************************************************** 

Welcome to Tuesdays Treasures. I started these posts as a way of sharing great books in honour of my friend in New Zealand who would arrive with the treasures she had unearthed at her weekly trip to the library!

There are so many wonderful books and Resources out there out there hiding on shelves and somewhere on the internet.

I invite you to blog about

• a book on your shelf, one you're reading or one you found at the library,
•  a great homeschool item you have found and
•  any new resources you are enjoying. 

Grab the button for your post and add a link to your post below. I would love to read about your treasures. 

<center> <a title="Every bed of Roses" href="http://everybedofroses.blogspot.com.au/search/label/Tuesday%20Treasure" target="_blank"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj34ZwphRT56uBFiecv5EEBxyalzCTnsjQzOt4kU5-Q9aQJyVUyaYqZZUixp3AyRGc3ATJx5bnVQouhIRfO6gMRqnnhKOUODA1dqJ2ay1Pp-25FrZIxRDlO771WXy5drTH5o1go2sHRUNAp/s1600/tuesdays+treasures.png" width="125" height="125" alt="Every bed of Roses" /></a></center>

Folk Tales - The Little Red Hen {Poppins Book Nook}

This months theme for the Poppins Book Nook is Folk Tales.  My first thought was what is a folk tale ? It took a little bit of searching but I finally discovered the answer.  I really liked the definition over at wiseGEEK: "A folktale is a type of traditional story that tries to explain something, or which is meant to help people behave well in the world. Such stories usually are fiction-based with magical or supernatural elements, and they often are woven around talking animals, royalty, peasants or mythical creatures. Initially passed down through oral tradition, they were a major means of educating and entertaining prior to the development of printed materials and modern technologies, and they remain instrumental in preserving aspects of the culture in which they develop."

I also discovered a wonderful folk tale resource called World of Tales which shares a multitude of tales but my favorite page is all the Folktales arranged by country.

• Over at Enchanted Learning there is a FREE printable and a little more information about Folktales.
• Bank Street Library definition of Fairy Tales, Folktales and Folklore.
• Blessed Beyond a Doubt shares a list of 70 Folktales and Fables from Around the World arranged by Continent
• The Enchanted Homeschooling Mom has an Amazon Store listing Folktales

 With this in mind I went looking for some books and settled on The Little Red Hen.

From the Library
We took out a variety of versions to read and enjoy.

• The Little Red Hen Ladybird tales.
• The Little Red Hen First Reading book by Usborne. This book included a CD.
• The Little Red Hen by Penny Dolan and Beccy Blake
• The Little Red Hen and the Grains of Wheat (Chinese) by L.R.Hen (This is a dual language book.  Interesting to see a different language in print)
• The Little Red Hen by Mary Finch, Kate Slater and Debra Messing. This book included a CD and a recipe to bake your own bread.
• Cool Quick Breads Easy Recipes for Kids to Bake by Pam Price

 On the www

• The Little Red is a a very old folk tale likely of Russian origin.
• Printables on Sparkle Box
• Speakaboo Comprehension questions.
• ESL Printables has a page of Worksheets.
• Pinterest
• FREE Little Red Hen Pack from 3 Dinosaurs.
• Little Red Hen Split-Pin Characters on Early Learning HQ You can choose to print these in colour or black and white so your students can colour them.
• Story Plan Student Worksheet over at Joy with Teaching blog.

On YouTube we found

• Stella as the Little Red Hen - Barnie.
• The Little Red Hen from Speakaboos - 
• The Wise Little Hen This is the very first cartoon with Donald Duck.
• The Little Red Hen - an adaptation of a Russian folk tale
• The Little Red Hen - Comicolor
• The Little Red Hen
• Cute Benedict Cumberbatch- little red hen Happy Birthday

History of Bread

• Part 1 The process of baking Wonder Bread.
• Part 2 This episode shows from farm and gives a detailed break down of wheat. Milling wheat etc.
• Part 3 Baking Traditions and unique breads. Famous San Fransico sour dough is from 1846!
• Part 4 Corn the specialty bread. Wafer bread making.
• Part 5 Flat and unleavened bread. Pita bread. Kosher breads. Jewish Breads.
• Part 6 Bread in space, tortilla breads. Bagel. 

Bread on YouTube

• The History of Bread - The Chemistry of Baking Soda and Yeast.
• How is Bread Made - The Science 
• The Story of Bread from Heaven
• Jamie's Homecooking Skills - Garlic and Rosemary focaccia
• BBQ flat Bread Jamie Oliver
• HOW TO: Bake Easy Bread At Home hosted by a Preschooler 
• (Recipe) How To - Bake bread by hand  

Your Poppins Book Nook Co-hosts

Enchanted Homeschooling Mom ~ 3 Dinosaurs ~ To the Moon and Back ~ Planet Smarty Pants ~ Farm Fresh Adventures ~ Growing in God's Grace ~ Chestnut Grove Academy ~ Learning and Growing the Piwi Way ~ The Usual Mayhem~ Preschool Powol Packets ~ Monsters Ed Homeschool Academy ~ Adventures in Mommydom ~ Teach Beside Me ~ Life with Moore Babies ~ Kathy's Cluttered Mind ~ Are We There Yet? ~ Our Crafts N Things ~ Hopkins Homeschool ~ ABC Creative Learning ~ Joy Focused Learning ~ P is for Preschooler ~ Laugh and Learn ~ A Mommy's Adventures ~ Inspiring 2 New Hampshire Children ~ World for Learning ~ Ever After in the Woods ~ Golden Grasses ~ Our Simple Kinda Life ~ A glimpse of our life ~ Journey to Excellence ~ Happy Little Homemaker ~ Little Homeschool Blessings ~ Simplicity Breeds Happiness ~ Raventhreads ~ Water on the Floor ~ Learning Fundamentals ~ Tots and Me ~ As We Walk Along The Road ~ Stir the Wonder ~ For This Season ~ Where Imagination Grows ~ Lextin Academy ~ The Canadian Homeschooler ~ School Time Snippets ~ Peakle Pie ~ Mom's Heart ~ A Moment in our World ~ Finchnwren ~ At Home Where Life Happens ~ Suncoast Momma ~ The Library Adventure ~ Embracing Destiny ~ Day by Day in our World ~ Our Homeschool Studio ~ A "Peace" of Mind ~ Thou Shall Not Whine ~ SAHM I am ~ eLeMeNo-P Kids ~ Simple Living Mama

Poppins Book Nook Clip Art by Melon Headz

Connect with the Poppins Book Nook at

1. Enchanted Homeschooling
2. Facebook
3. Pinterest

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