TOS Review: Progeny Press Study Guides

I was asked to review the Anne of Green Gables Study Guide and Answer Key ($16.99 e-book, for Grades 5-8, Middle Schoolers) and Uncle Jed's Barbershop Study Guide ($10.99 e-book, intended for Grades K-3, Lower Elementary level) from Progeny Press.

These are PDF guides that correspond with the book of the same title. I provided the book (from the library) to use with the study guides.

I really loved how the study guides incorporated biblical scripture and also took time to have the children study the historical time period where their story took place. I also liked the suggested pre- and post-reading activities that help to bring the stories to life.

The study guides include information about the author of each study guide, Peer Review Panel, Note to Instructor, a synopsis of the story, a brief history about the author (in the case of Uncle Jed's Barbershop, information about the illustrator and a little bit of background about the story). Also included are pre-reading activities.

Uncle Jed's Barbershop includes worksheets that focus on vocabulary, information about the story, digging deeper into the story, mystery words fun, activities to do after you read the story, book suggestions for continued reading, and an answer key.

Anne of Green Gables breaks down the book into chapter segments for the study guide to focus on 5 to 9 chapters at a time, essay projects, and supplemental resources as well as an answer key.

HOW WE USED IT:

I began by reserving the books that correspond with the study guides from my local library so we would have them on hand to read.

I printed pages for my younger daughter to use for the Uncle Jed's Barbershop Study Guide, but the Anne of Green Gables Study Guide was completely interactive on screen.

My younger daughter (7 years old and Grade 2) finished reading her book in less than an afternoon, but we spent more time on the actual study guide portion. I actually learned some things about the Great Depression, like average salaries and cost of living facts that were included in the study guide to be used to create a pre-reading discussion. The actual questions were thought-provoking to help the child understand the story, but what I really liked was the parts that integrated scripture into the story discussion.

My older daughter (12 years old and Grade 6) thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Anne of Green Gables. Even though this is part of classic literature, the entire story was new to me. I know, I know.  We are THAT family who has children unaware of what other homeschool families know like the back of their hands in the form of literature. Well, now I can say we know. She really loves reading, and she really loves workbooks. So, the combination of the book and the study guide were right up her alley. The pre-reading activities were well thought out and incorporated geography and history trivia facts about topics related to the story, such as suggesting that the student research facts about orphanages during the 1800s. The study guide suggests that the older students read the book in its entirety before beginning the study guide questions. We tried to do that, but my daughter decided to instead read a few chapters and then answer the corresponding questions for that group of chapters before proceeding.

I really loved how the study guides incorporated biblical scripture and also took time to have the children study the historical time period where their story took place. I also liked the suggested pre-reading activities that help to bring the stories to life.