Walking Therein

Homeschooler’s Book of Lists Review

Posted By Jacque on December 17, 2007

The Homeschooler's Book of Lists: More Than 250 Lists, Charts, and Facts to Make Planning Easier and Faster with CDROM Cover The Homeschooler’s Book Of Lists Stats:

Author: Sonya A. Haskins

Publisher: BethanyHouse Publishers

ISBN: 10: 0-7642-0443-2 — ALT: 978-0-7642-0443-2
Cover: Softcover
Pages: 556
Accompanying CD: Yes; in back cover
Category: Homeschooling

When Sonya contacted me to see if I might review her Homeschooler’s Book Of Lists, I was thrilled. This resource is so diverse in its applications, I came up with some questions and answers a homeschool mom might have before purchasing it for herself.

First let’s find out a bit about Sonya Haskins.

SONYA HASKINS

Sonya has written extensively on the subject of homeschooling and her work has appeared in magazines such as Homeschooling Today, Educational Dealer, Pastor’s Family, Guideposts for Teens, and Physician’s Practice Digest. Sonya is a founding member and the Web site administrator of a local support group for homeschoolers. She enjoys organizing moms’ nights out, counseling new homeschoolers, volunteering at various events including book sales, and coordinating other homeschool-related activities. Sonya has a heart for encouraging homeschoolers. She also teaches Spanish, Latin, and an Introduction to Languages class to home-educated students, and she loves discussing etymology (see List #148)!

The author of six books, all local bestsellers, Sonya is a popular guest speaker and advocate of home education. She lives in Jonesborough, Tennessee, with her family. You can visit www.sonyahaskins.com for Sonya’s more detailed biographical sketch and pictures of the author, her family, and their active life as homeschoolers.

Visit her blog, A Homemaker’s Cottage.

Now for a proper review of and introduction to A Homeschooler’s Book Of Lists by Sonya Haskins.

Q1. What is it? How can I use it?

My Answer: When we started homeschooling officially, fourteen years ago, we used a package-type textbook approach. Today, not only can we not afford that, but we use wonderful books like this one to mold the curriculum to our children’s learning styles. The cover of The Homeschooler’s Book Of Lists boasts that there are “More that 250 lists, charts and facts to make planning easier and faster!” It lists the topics covered in the book, which are: History & Government, Mathematics, Religion, Science, Geography, Great People, Quotations & Speeches, The Arts, And Much More… It also states it is “much more than a reference book,” that it “is filled with facts and essential information that will supplement any elementary-level curriculum” and is “particularly helpful for teaching multiple grade levels or subjects.”

It has “more than 250 lists about Great People, important dates, mathematical formulas, word origins, and more– plus special checklists and ideas too, and lesson planning.” The lists are “organized by academic area and can be used according to your child’s specific needs, learning style, personality, and interests.”

Q2. What does it cost? (How much is the cover price?)

My Answer: The cover price is $19.99.

Q3. Is it really worth the money?

My Answer: As with many homeschooling families, twenty dollars is something you want to spend wisely on curriculum. When we spend money, whether on clothes or books, we try to purchase items that will give us the most use for the rest of our children. There are some resources that just are not a good fit to every homeschool family’s library because it doesn’t fit their faith, or it doesn’t fit their methods or the ages of their children. The Homeschooler’s Book Of Lists is diverse enough that it is a great fit for each of these categories regardless of ages or homeschool method. It will be a very good supplement to the homeschool mom’s resource shelf.

The lists Sonya has used cover so much. And, though the cover says that it is for elementary-ages, I feel it is a great resource for every age. We are huge history buffs. That means history of everything. Some Lists that interested me were:

List #11 – U.S. Presidential Election Results – was interesting to me because it lists the Election Year, the Elected President, his Opponent, the Electoral Votes, the Popular Votes, and the V.P. It also includes of notes of interest. It stats with President George Washington and runs through each election up to George W. Bush.

List #12 is Assassinations/Attempts of World Leaders. It was interesting to read details.

List #20 – Creating a Bill – Steps to making a law.

List #103 – Animals Once Considered Extinct.

List #154 – Famous People During Each Historical Era. What people in history were alive at the same time? What accomplishments happened in the same era? This is an interestign list.

Q4. What ages is it geared for?

My Answer: I feel, from a mom’s viewpoint, I could use the information in The Homeschooler’s Book Of Lists for any age child. It says it is geared toward elementary-level curriculum, but when do we stop using any of this information? Yes, parts of speech or basic Bible verses may be geared for younger children, but I myself picked up the book and looked through the lists because of the interesting content. Some of these lists may seem basic or elementary, but this is a great resource for older children as a reference book.

Q5. Will it work with the homeschool method I am using?

My Answer: We are basically an eclectic homeschool family. That means we use a little of several methods. We use textbooks/workbooks for math and science. We use reading books and unit studies for writing English, grammar, etc. Phonics – we use words and handwritten letters and everyday things in our home. For Bible, we use the Bible and the Heart of Wisdom Approach.

I don’t know every homeschool method. I do know that this will fit most methods, and I would be interested to know what method it doesn’t work with. The only homeschoolers who will be disappointed with all of these lists are those who want to avoid Christianity in their homeschools. Besides that, Sonya has listed different Popular Homeschool Methods, a description of each method and how to use The Book of Lists with each of them, including the Charlotte Mason Method, Classical Education, DVD/Video School, Eclectic Method, Internet/Computer Courses, Montessori Method, School-at-Home (Textbook Method), Unit Studies, Unschooling, and Waldorf Education. If your method of homeschooling is not shown, Sonya recommend Paul and Gena Suarez’s book Homeschooling Methods, published by Broadman & Holman Publishers in 2006 for additional information about the methods of teaching your children home.

Q6. Have you used The Homeschooler’s Book of Lists yourself?

My Answer:
In the short time I have had the lists, I have looked it over and spent time going through it as much as I could. I have also read several lists to our children. My children have picked it up and sat down and read over it. I have not yet included it in our curriculum as a whole, but it was made evident the use we will get out of it as we read about Miles Standish on Thanksgiving Day, we started to talk about other Americans in history. When Eric brought up Ulysses S. Grant as someone he had read about, I said we would find a list of Presidents to memorize and Amanda said, “We have one: The Homeschooler’s Book Of Lists.” I can just pop the CD in and print it out. How convenient.

Q7: What is on the CD that comes with it?

My answer: Simple; every page from the book. The contents page is linked to each chapter, so you just click and you’re there. The CD is in Abode format and very easy to use. I like the versatility of having a hard copy and the CD to use. I also like the way the pages are set up to just print off each list. There is no copying and pasting; just print and use.

Q8: How well did it work for you?

As far as the accompanying CD, it is amazingly easy to copy these lists. You just pop it in and print the page you need. The topics are fantastic. I am looking forward to using it a lot in my planning, but I know our children will be picking it up just for fun, too. Jocelyn wrote up a very nice, long List of The Lists, if you want to know more.

Q9: How would I use it? – Why do I need it?

My Answer: Well, in addition to all of the different lists on so many different school subjects, she also included these lists to help the homeschool mom:

• Comprehensive Curricula 452
• For Younger Children 453
• Phonics and Reading Curricula 455
• Language Arts Curricula 457
• Math Curricula 458
• History Curricula 459
• Science Curriculum 459
• Recommended Authors 460
• Recommended Reading for Toddlers and Preschoolers 461
• Recommended Reading for Early Elementary Students 462
• Recommended Reading for Older Elementary Students 465
• Recommended Reading for Middle School Students 467
• Recommended Reading for High School Students 470
• Unit Study Topics 474
• Creating a Portfolio 475
• Good Study Habits for Homeschoolers 476
• Standardized Tests 477
• What to Do When You Are Having a Bad Day 479
• Support for Home Educators 480

Sonya has basically written a book that will save homeschool moms so much time of research and typing and organizing. Not only can you take the book with you wherever you go and have all this information available at your fingertips, but the CD allows you to go to any page and print off the list as a page. You won’t have to cut some of the page off. Each page is the beginning of or the continuation of the list. You won’t have to scour the internet or library books; just pull out your homeschooler’s Book of Lists and start your planning!

If that wasn’t enough, Sonya also has other home-specific character training lists for you.

•
• Supply Checklist for Public, Private, and Homeschool Classrooms 483
size="2"> Book Buying Bargains 485
• Having a Successful Field Trip 486
• # 247 Free/Inexpensive Field Trip Options 488 – This is a great list. It is six pages of great ideas for interesting field trips.
• Suggested Items for Bartering 494
• Chore Ideas for Toddlers 495
• Chore Ideas for Ages 3-5 495
• Chore Ideas for Ages 6-9 496
• Chore Ideas for Ages 10-12 496
• Chore Ideas for Ages 13-15 497
• Chore Ideas for Ages 16 and Up 497
• Tasks to Do in Five Minutes or Less 498
• Baby-Sitter’s Checklist 499
• Boy Scout Merit Badges 500
• Five in a Row Books 501
• Cornerstones of Freedom Books 504
• Landmark Books 506
• Childhood of Famous Americans Books 512
• Caldecott Medal Winners and Honor Books 518
• Newbery Medal Winners and Honor Books 535

Q10: What, if anything, would you change about the book?

My Answer: I think this book is very complete in all of the main information lists Sonya has compiled. It is fantastic. The sections I would desire to see expounded on are the ones that are homeschool-specific, such as List#242.
I think there are a lot of websites that we can use as resources, such as The Old Schoolhouse. There are many websites that are a wonderful direction to send any homeschooler in. The nations blogs on Homeschoolblogger are also a great support site, as well as the Front Porch.
The Carnival of Homeschooling is a weekly resource that changes and is not all-inclusive to any particular method or faith or even age of homeschooling. The blog world is a great support group, even for those who read and don’t blog. I love to read magazines, and there are many available that are homeschool-specific, and some that include other more specific areas in the ways of boys or girls or faith.

I would add more information to the Curriculum and Homeschool Methodologies Lists:
• Various School Settings 445
• Popular Homeschool Methods 447
• Curriculum Overview 451

There are a few more homeschool methods I think that could be added to the list, as well as more curriculum choices by subject. I don’t think any of these things that I would add detract in any way from the value of the book, because the subject lists stand alone for the value and usefulness of this book. As a matter of fact, I was surprised to see the Curriculum and Homeschool Methods sections in the back of the book.
I also think this book is great for any age of school children, but I would be interested in seeing more high school resources.

I suppose the real final question is: Where do I get this book? That answer, from Sonya’s website: * Christian Book Distributors has the book at a great discount right now, plus you can look at their other wonderful titles. Visit Christian Book Distributors at www.christianbook.com and type “sonya haskins” in the search box and it will pull the book up right away. This is a great place to order the book!

So, bottom line: Buy this book!! It will save you time and money, and you will learn so much in the process. If anything, it is a book that your children will have to pick up just to see what they themselves know about each list!

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