Book & Product Reviews | Mindful Ramblings

Zeezok Publishing: Z-Guide to the Movies

Posted by jlsgrant in Book & Product Reviews on April 1, 2011

Z-Guide to the Movies:

What a wonderful way to incorporate a good movie into your curriculum! There are currently over 25 movies to choose from, all of which would provide a great supplement to your history or language arts program. Each guide includes a Topic Overview for the time period or subject of the movie and a brief synopsis. From there, you can grab some popcorn and dive right into the show! 🙂 There are question to answer as you make your way through the movie, and once you’re done with the movie, you can proceed thru any or all of the several activities provided.

Let’s use our Z-Guide as an example:

We chose the movie, The Scarlet Pimpernel, since it was the closest time period to what we have been studying in history. Because the movie was about 2 1/2 hours long, we decided to break it up over the course of a few days and complete the questions as we watched. After the movie, there were enough activities to keep us busy for a week to ten days. (Depending on your schedule, it could be done in less time than that if you wish.) Here’s a list of the Activities for this movie:

Study Guide for “The Reign of Terror,” you can use the internet or library to find the information
Complete a timeline of the major events during the French Revolution
Research the cultural impact of the French Revelution
Fun French Vocabulary
Crossword Puzzle with key scenes from the movie
Rescue plan for the Scarlet Pimpernel
Essay Writing Topic: Civil Disobedience/Worldview
Filmakers Art: Review of Theme, Music, Film Technique, Use of Irony & Foreshadowing
Questions for family discussion

There is also a list of additional resources for further study and answer keys are provided.

Here’s an excerpt from the website regarding this movie: “Zeezok Publishing’s z-guide to The Scarlet Pimpernel is a great way to incorporate media into your study of the French Revolution. Ride with Sir Percy Blakeney as he and the members of the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel rescue French aristocrats from the guillotine during the Reign of Terror. Will Paul Chauvelin, chief agent of the Committee of Public Safety, discover the Scarlet Pimpernel’s identity and thwart the League’s plan to rescue the young heir to the French throne? Get ready for an action-packed adventure filled with spies, counter-spies, intrigue, romance, and nail-biting suspense during the climactic events of the French Revolution.”

We had a great time with this and it was perfect timing since we recently finished studying the American Revolution. I am looking forward to incorporating a few titles next year! The guide was very well thought out and a creative way to add a little theatrics to your school day!

Loved It! 🙂

Price: $12.99

Purchase your Z-Guide to the Movies at:

Type: Movie guides available on CD

movies are also available for purchase at $19.99

Other Products:

check website for other movie guides available

American Government, Character Building, Great Musicians, Literature, Presidential Penmanship

Don’t forget to check out the Zeezok Blog:

Disclaimer: Members of the TOS Homeschool Crew were given copies of a Z-Guide to the Movies of their choice in exchange for their honest review. No other compensation of any kind has been received.

Movie curriculum, Z-Guides to the Movies, Zeezok Publishing

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Artistic Pursuits – Junior High, Book One

Posted by jlsgrant in Book & Product Reviews on March 23, 2011

We were so excited to be chosen for this review! Since ~~all of us~~ most of us love to draw and sketch, this was a welcome addition to our schedule! Before I charge ahead with our opinion, let’s hear how Artistic Pursuits describes this product:

“The Artistic Pursuits program presents both the expressive and the technical aspects of art in an age-appropriate manner. Children are curious and expressive from the start. We work with those interests to teach them to observe more closely. Skills develop as each child observes nature and enjoys the process of creating. Using ARTistic Pursuits, a child carries art tools to locations which both inspire and are chosen by the child. Creating truly personal work gives a child a sense of accomplishment that cannot be attained by copying from a book or watching an adult do it for him. They learn because direct observation is the best teacher when accompanied by an understanding of the foundational elements of art and compositional ideas.”

The 16 units in Junior High, Book One follow this pattern:

Lesson 1: Build a “Visual Vocabulary” – The first part of each unit entails simple exercises to put the principal into practice…understanding the principal, by jumping right in and doing! 🙂 This book’s concepts include: space, line, texture, shape, form, value, line in 3D, visual path, center of interest, balance & symmetry/asymmetry, rhythm, space with & with out depth, perspective, and proportion.

Lesson 2: Art Appeciation & Art History – This is an opportunity to see how the concept/pricipal has been applied by great artists and an opportunity to try it out for yourself

Lesson 3: Techniques – learning how to use materials and tools to apply the new concept

Lesson 4: Application – puts it all into practice

Ok…so here’s another one that we just LOVE! 🙂

My reluctant artist….Well, he’s still a reluctant artist, but I’m not ready to give up on him yet! I really believe that as we continue through this book, he will continue to grow in confidence! I know that as he puts these concepts into practice and learns new techniques, he too will be happy with his finished results. In the lesson we completed yesterday, he started out frustrated with his beginning sketch. But once he added some pattern, texture and shading it really made a difference. (I think his seagull is quite nice…I’m gonna be in so much trouble!) You just can’t give up too early, right?

My daughter, who is a avid artist, born with a pencil in her hand, loves any opportunity to draw. She is really enjoying “learning new techniques” to incorporate into her drawings.

I am enjoying doing the lessons right along with the kids! To be fair, I’m giving you a rare glimpse of one of my sketches….For this lesson, we had to illustrate a story about six blind guys trying to identify an elephant…

We are all looking forward to the lessons ahead and plan to use more ARTistic Pursuits curriculum in the years to come.

Purchase at:

Price: $42.95 (16 Lessons)

Other Products: Pre-School through Senior High Curriculum & Supply Packs

Also Available: Monthly Newsletter – “In the Art Room”, with great tips and ideas for artistic expression

Disclaimer: Members of the TOS Homeschool Crew were given copies of this book in exchange for their honest reviews. No other compensation of any kind has been received.