Last spring, a friend came over for lunch with her kids. They were several years older than mine and had been watching the end of Ken Burn's series about the Westward Movement at home and needed to return it after their visit. So, they watched the ending on our television. The movie did bring the Westward Expansion of the west to life, but it was appropriate for upper elementary/middle/high schoolers. My children are younger. They do love history, though, so I am always looking for age appropriate resources.
What supplemental resources are out there if you're a public schooling parent with a younger child who loves history and loves to read? And what supplemental resources are out there for homeschooling parents who's child is interested in a topic you're not learning about that year? And then... how do you find the time to enjoy and learn from those "resources"?
I know many parents might say, "just stop what you're doing, take a break, and go investigate!" That is definitely one way to pursue learning about what your child loves. Another way would be to stay the course of your regular curriculum and bring in supplemental listening and reading materials to enjoy during their free time. Both ways are good and beneficial approaches to learning. It really depends on you as the teacher and your philosophy about how you want to educate your child and your personality--and the personality of your child.
I happen to be one of those parents that stays the course and pursues other interests in our free time. On Sunday, we went to a local arts and crafts fair. Then, we came home and my girls watched an art lesson video. That was our fun, free time. I look for fun resources that will help my children do something constructive with their time.
Over the past few weeks, I've posted three reviews of three separate recordings from Greathall Productions done by Jim Weiss. Two were fun story recordings; one was a recounting of Italy's artists that shaped history; and the final one I'm going to review today is on the Westward Expansion.
The newest recording by Jim Weiss is Gone West: Bold Adventures of American Explorers and Pioneers. In this recording, Weiss recounts the stories of the Louisiana Purchase and Lewis and Clark's travels west. He talks of Sacagawea and her part in the success of their trip.
It has been twenty years since I've studies American History and so much information seems to have disappeared from my memory in those intervening years. As my children learn, I learn with them. It sometimes feels as if there is so much that I never really learned to begin with! I was particularly struck by Sacagawea's story and her part as Jim Weiss recounts the tale of her part in the expedition. I appreciated how seamless the storytelling seems for this cd. Weiss begins with Thomas Jefferson and what he wanted to purchase--and what he ultimately did purchase for the United States. The story transitions to Lewis and Clark's travels. History is a story. It draws us in and we learn from it when we realize what a story it is!
On these recordings Weiss has a way of telling a story and the relevant details in a way that make them easy to understand, process, and remember. I look forward to listening to Greathall Productions' recordings for the next few years as my children each grow and learn.
If studying the Westward Expansion is anywhere on the horizon of your studies, I'd recommend this cd. It's a great way to pass the time while you and your kids are in the car!
Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this cd for review from Greathall Productions.
The second cd my children have asked to listen to repeatedly the past few weeks is Famously Funny: A collection of Beloved Stories and Poems, recorded by Jim Weiss. This CD includes these stories: The Emperor's New Clothes, The Princess and the Pea, Jabberwocky, Father William, Anansi the Mighty, The Yak and more. Just as with Weiss' tall tales recording, he introduces each story with interesting background interesting. For example, I had no idea that Lewis Carroll was actually the pseudonym used by a pastor for his writing!
One thing that particularly struck me about this cd is that the stories that were selected appeal to both boys and girls. Yes, there is one princess story, but all of the stories generally appeal to both boys and girls.
Jim Weiss' recordings are entertaining for both adults and children. They are not annoying for adults to listen to as some can be!
This collection is an all around enjoyable cd to listen to. The age range is 5 years +. I would say that is very accurate, though probably 5-10 year olds would enjoy these stories the most.
I'm coming to the opinion that you pretty much can't go wrong with any Jim Weiss storytelling collection.
Please note that I received a complimentary copy for review from Greathall Productions.
Last spring, I went to the library searching for some audiobooks to play for my children in the car while we're driving in the car. I found a few recordings that we loved... The Railway Children, The Mercy Watson Series, and the early books of The Magic Treehouse Series. But, as I continued to look, I struggled to find stories that were age appropriate, interesting, and entertaining for all three of my children. I tried a few different series, but my children didn't enjoy them. They were scared of Adventures in Odyssey (I have very sensitive children) and they weren't able to follow the recording we listened to of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
When I was looking for something for us to listen to, a friend offered to lend me the Story of the World on CD, recorded by Jim Weiss. I never got around to borrowing it, but the idea stuck in my head. A month ago, I discovered that Jim Weiss has recorded so much more than the Story of the World series. He has actually recorded a large and varied selection of stories--just what I was looking for.
My children and I have been listening to four of these recordings for several weeks now. At first, they weren't sure what they thought. But, after we'd listened to the Tall Tales CD all the way through, I began hearing requests from each of them to listen during their afternoon rest time. Over the next week, I'm going to be posting reviews of the recordings we've been listening to.
Today I'm going to begin with the American Tall Tales CD. Tall Tales are part of our country's heritage and they're truly enjoyable stories for children. Jim Weiss recorded four stories on this CD: Paul Bunyan, Johnny Appleseed, Pecos Bill, and The Fastest Draw in the West.
Before he begins telling the stories, he explains what a tall tale is and how they began. As a mom, I loved the stories because they were entertaining. As a homeschooling mom, I loved that Mr. Weiss gives an introduction that upper elementary children will understand. The introduction will help them fit these stories into the framework that they're minds are developing about the history of our country.
These stories are not radio theater. They are audio books. But, they are also more than "just" audiobooks. Weiss does a wonderful job of speaking with varied inflection and tones. It's easy to tell when he's speaking for different characters. My children are 3, 5, and 7 years old. I don't know that my 3 year old fully understands the stories, but he does enjoy them. My 5 and 7 year olds do understand the stories.
On Weiss' website, Greathall Productions, there is a listing of all of the storytelling recordings that is divided by age. I love this feature on the website. The Tall Tales CD is listed for children 5 and older. I agree with that rating. But, younger children will still enjoy listening along.
Honestly, I was surprised and disappointed that I couldn't find a lot of audio books at our local library that I felt were appropriate and educational for my family. But, I have been so encouraged to find Jim Weiss' recordings. There are so many stories I want my children to hear and often we don't have enough time during our school day to read them aloud or enjoy them. Listening in the car is one way my children get the chance to still enjoy these stories!
Greathall's recordings are available on their website, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and also on CBD.
Please note that I received a complimentary copy of American Tall Tales from Greathall Productions for review.
