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mamaslearning
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| Posted: Oct 25 2012 at 7:58am | IP Logged
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I need help starting my resource book shelf. I often turn to the internet to look up information, but I'm finding that it is such a distraction in our day. I need to start acquiring some books that will help us keep focused.
I can't find it again, but Jennifer (Mackfam) had listed a history timeline book as a parental resource at one time.
What about an atlas - any particular one that is better than other? I need to be able to open up to a country or continent to show places (I cannot have maps all over the walls right now since we are selling our house).
What about encyclopedias? Are they worth the investment anymore?
A good math resource book? Maybe a listing of terms or explanation of branches of mathematics?
Field guides - do you have one big one for your area or separate ones for birds, trees, etc.
What are any other must-have resources on your resource shelf? I tried searching, so I hope I didn't miss a post that addresses this subject. 
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Lara
DD 11, DS 8, DS 6, DS 4
St. Francis de Sales Homeschool
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Mackfam
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| Posted: Oct 25 2012 at 8:30am | IP Logged
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This is a really excellent question, Lara! Here are my top resource guides that I use over and over and over again - year in and year out:
History: The Timetables of History by Bernard Grun
Atlas: National Geographic Collegiate Atlas of the World
Field guide: North American Wildlife
Art: Signs and Symbols in Christian Art by George Ferguson
Music: The Gift of Music: Great Composers and Their Influence by Jane Stuart Smith and Betty Carlson
Language Arts: The ABC's and All Their Tricks
Natural History: Amateur Naturalist, Nature Study and Related Literature by Anna McGovern, Handbook of Nature Study by Comstock
Science: Science Scope by Kathryn Stout
Seasonal Ideas for Celebrations and Crafts: Victorian Family Celebrations (1990 edition) by Sarah Ban Breathnach
A large, extensive dictionary that stays out and open in its own place in our learning room - never put away. I DO NOT like children's dictionaries.
Those are the resource treasures I always keep at hand and reach for again and again.
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19 , ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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pumpkinmom
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| Posted: Oct 25 2012 at 8:56am | IP Logged
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I learned this week that I really need that math resource. Who would have known that a third grade math book would confuse me!
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Cassie
Homeschooling my little patch of Ds-14 and Ds-10
Tending the Pumpkin Patch
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SallyT
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Usborne has an Illustrated Encyclopedia of Mathematics that we've used for years. It's very broad, but a good thing to have at my fingertips.
We also have a gigantic Random House Unabridged Dictionary which stays open all the time -- it's actually in our living room, front and center (so we make little field trips to look things up).
Timetables of History is a MUST.
We also have -- I think it's a Hamlyn (just checked, and yes, it is Hamlyn) -- historical atlas which is very useful.
For the liturgical year, two little comb-bound volumes published by Women for Faith and Family: Advent & Christmas and Lent & Easter.
I do think it's nice to have encyclopedias on the shelf. Our two sets are old -- a 1973 World Book set that I grew up with, and a 1949 set of the Encyclopedia Britannica -- but are heavily used by adults and children alike.
Sally
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Abandon Hopefully
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JennGM
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SallyT wrote:
| For the liturgical year, two little comb-bound volumes published by Women for Faith and Family: Advent & Christmas and Lent & Easter. |
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I love these! They are in the process of revising. I can't wait until they are done.
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to  & ds1  '03 & ds2  '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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AmandaV
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| Posted: Oct 25 2012 at 11:17am | IP Logged
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How do these compare to Catholic Culture's Liturgical year section, and the books they've published? I know you are an author of some, correct?
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Amanda
wife since 6/03, Mom to son 7/04, daughter 2/06, twin sons 6/08 and son 7/11, son 1/2014
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JennGM
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| Posted: Oct 25 2012 at 11:27am | IP Logged
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AmandaV wrote:
How do these compare to Catholic Culture's Liturgical year section, and the books they've published? I know you are an author of some, correct? |
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I presume the revised versions will be expanded. But the ones I have captured the prayers, customs and music along with the liturgy. Simple, effective. Not too much, and tending towards the traditional. Advent/ Christmas is much smaller, Lent is more expanded, with more emphasis on Holy Week and Easter.
I'd compare Catholic Culture's (CC) work similar to WFF. The sources are similar, but WFF captures it more succinctly and summarizes more than CC does.
CC's books are a compilation of what is already on their website for the daily liturgical year. I haven't seen the final versions, though. I know I wrote much of what is on CC, but it's more for web viewing, not a book.
I personally like WFF best. I know that sounds funny, but I don't work for CC anymore, and the vision I had for the Liturgical year section was only slightly met -- WFF has more of what I had hoped CC would be (WFF's Lit Yr. website came after CC).
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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SallyT
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I especially love the WFF liturgy for a Holy-Thursday Seder dinner. We've been doing that for the last six or seven years, and it's become a beloved family tradition.
I also agree that these are concise but effective, which is what I like about them. We also have CHC's A Year With God, and I like it as well, though I used it a lot more when my younger kids were too little to sit through a Good Friday service, for example. I find that the WFF suggestions work as well with older children as with littles, and that the books seem to "grow up" better with our family. In fact, I need to get out the Advent one again . . . that time will be here before we know it!
Sally
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4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: Parent Resources
