Get THIS Adaptation of the Nutcracker for Family Listening! {A Maestro Classics Review}

 {Note:  This post contains affiliate links to our hands-down favorite provider of music appreciation CD's and MP3's: Maestro Classics, from whom we received The Nutcracker for review. Read full disclosure here.} 

A couple of years ago, I randomly borrowed Casey at Bat out of the library when scooping up CD's, last-minute, to entertain my children on a 12-hour roadtrip.  Within minutes of popping the CD into our minivan's CD player, my entire family fell in love with Maestro Classics, and, upon our return from the trip, scoured local libraries for more Maestro Classics selections.

Since then, we've enjoyed borrowing Carnival of Animals,

Jaunita and the Spanish Lobster,

Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel,

and, our favorite, The Story of Swan Lake. 

Oh, how we love the Swan Lake one and find ourselves singing, "Tchaikovsky wrote a great ballet.  It's name was Swa-a-a-an Lake..." so often since we learned the song on the CD!

So, when we were offered a chance to review Maestro Classics' The Nutcracker, we jumped at the opportunity.  Doing so would not only allow us to listen to one of Maestro Classics' latest productions, but would also let us OWN a Maestro Classics CD.  We were all so excited for it to come in!

As soon as we received our review copy of The Nutcracker, we unwrapped it and popped it into our minivan's CD player.  Much to the children's surprise, once the narration on the CD started, they did not hear the voices they'd become familiar with from other Maestro Classics CD's.  Instead, they heard another well-known to them voice: that of Jim Weiss! After commenting on their surprise, the children quickly quieted, enraptured by the story and music.  In the past, we have read picture books of the Nutcracker together, have seen friends in a local ballet production of it, and have watched parts of professional troupes dancing the Nutcracker online.  However, we have not done so often enough for the children to have memorized the story.  In fact, as we listened to the abbreviated Maestro Classics's version of The Nutcracker, I realized that my youngest did not recall much of our previous introduction to the story at all.  He was so taken anew as Clara's story unfolded that he would have literally been on the edge of his seat by the time the battle with the Mouse King came.

As it was, we got to our destination just as Jim Weiss' voice narrated a height of action that my youngest could not bear to leave the minivan in the middle of.  He begged to stay in the car to hear "just a little bit more!" And, so began our introduction to The Nutcracker, the newest CD in the Maestro Classics' collection.

We listened to more of the CD on our return trip that day and, since then, my oldest has listened to the CD again when he had trouble sleeping one night and we all listened to it while doing laundry...

...or dancing around laundry as the case may have been for my daughter as the music of the London Philharmonic Orchestra swept her into delighted spinning.
 

I have also bookmarked the free curriculum guide that Maestro Classics offers online so that, if time allows this Christmas season, our family might use it for a unit study.  (If time does not, however, there is always next year!  Most certainly, The Nutcracker, never gets old or becomes irrelevant!)

Child-Friendly, Plus!

Undoubtedly, Maestro Classics' child-friendly production of The Nutcracker will play frequently in my home and minivan during the holidays for years to come, and, perhaps, at other times of year as we study different topics or as the children request to hear the CD again.  And, we won't just listen to the music overlayed with the wonderful narration of Jim Wiess. We'll also enjoy the 24-page activity guide that comes free inside the CD case.  Among other things, this guide contains:

• a listing of each scene within The Nutcracker.  (No scenes are skipped in this hour long version, either.  Some are simply abbreviated in conductor Stephen Simon's adaptation of the classic musical score.)
• a brief History of Ballet
• notes on the harp
• background about Tchaikovsky
• a word scramble
• and a crossword puzzle

I just love when companies offer such value-added components to their products.  Between the activity guide in the CD case and the free curriculum guide online, Maestro Classics can make any parent, teacher, music educator, or child pleased! 

In Case You Are Not Familiar with the Nutcracker
 

The story of the Nutcracker has delighted children and adults alike for decades both as classical music and a ballet that has inspired books, movies, and more.  As the story unfolds, a young girl named Clara celebrates Christmas with her family, when a mysterious guest arrives bearing life-size dancing dolls.  He gifts Clara, his goddaughter, with a special nutcracker doll.  That night, the family's Christmas tree begins to grow, toy soldiers and the Mouse King have a battle, and Clara's nutcracker turns into a handsome prince that takes Clara on a magical journey...In Maestro Classics' The Nutcracker, all of these scenes come to life through a blend of narration and music.  Jim Weiss, a premiere American storyteller voices over the music to tell the tale verbally.  However, he also pauses so the top-notch classical music played by the London Philharmonic Orchestra can do some of the telling itself. And, all this happens within the child-friendly length of about an hour.  What a great way to familiarize oneself with this classic musical tale.

I would highly recommend this adaptation of The Nutcracker to others in either its CD- or MP3-version.  (A downloadable pdf of the activity guide comes with the MP3 version.)  From the very first listen, it is likely to become a well-loved favorite by families who:

• are going to see The Nutcracker Ballet and would like to better familiarize themselves with the storyline

• are already fans of Jim Weiss and would appreciate music appreciation being layered in with Jim Weiss' always-wonderful storytelling.

• love Tchaikovsky's music.

• wish to do a unit study on The Nutcracker.

• seek quality music appreciation CD's to add to their collection.

Targeted for families with children ages five and over, I believe The Nutcracker can be enjoyed just as well by any age.

One Small Caveat for Regular Maestro Classics Listeners
 

My children and I truly enjoy The Nutcracker, but were all surprised that it did not contain educational tracks describing the creation of the music, the composer's life, notes on musical composition, and more as so many other Maestro Classics do.  I understand why this CD does not (because at an hour's length with just the narrated adaptation of the story, it is a "perfect length" for listening) and am glad that such things are contained in the 24-page activity book.  Still, my children and I missed hearing such connections on the actual CD. 

My nine-year-old said this about the CD:

I like how the prince is victorious.  I like the narrator, too.  I would like it if they added something onto the end like they do in their other CD's.  For example, I'd like to know more about the famous composers, which instruments are used in the parts, and stuff like that.

My eight-year-old said:

I like the music.  It changes with mood and tells a story.  I like to dance with it.  I like the storyteller, too.  I wish there were small details told after the story about the people and music.

My  five-year-old added:

I like the war.  It's exciting.  We stopped in the middle of it when the Mouse King was there, and I wanted to listen more.  The battle music makes it sound like a real battle.  The narrator tells the story and I can imagine the battles.

Me?  I echo all my children's thoughts.  The music is beautifully played.  The story is perfectly told with just enough narration between musical interludes.  The quality is top-notch.  But, yes, I, too, miss the music education I always get by listening to post-story tracks on other Maestro Classics CD's.  Sure, I can get a similar education in the included activity guide, but there is nothing like hearing conductor Stephen Simon and his music educator/ executive producer wife, Bonnie, teach us about music as the music plays. 

I admit, I was secretly hoping to have more catchy lyrics that matched classical orchestral music play through my head for months to come as I have with the ditty from The Story of Swan Lake, but, even without such extras, I am well-pleased with The Nutcracker and am confident you will be, too.  If you'd like a taste of it, see samples of the activity book and listen to samples of the soundtrack at the Maestro Classics' website.

Learn More

Maestro Classics is currently having a sale for $50 off their 12-CD collection which includes The Nutcracker and has FREE SHIPPING!


They also have their 13-title MP3 collection on sale for nearly $30 off.  This collection includes the soundtracks for each of the titles below, plus downloadable activity books, all as an instant download:

• Peter and the Wolf
• The Nutcracker
• The Story of Swan Lake
• Carnival of the Animals
• My Name is Handel: The Story of Handel's Water Music
• Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel
• The Tortoise and the Hare
• Merry Pranks of Master Till
• The Sorcerer's Apprentice
• Casey at the Bat
• The Soldier's Tale
• Juanita the Spanish Lobster
• Juanita la Langosta Española

Check out the Facebook page for regular sales!

Read what 100 Schoolhouse Review Crew families thought about The Nutcracker and Peter and the Wolf.

Get social with Maestro Classics at:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MaestroClassics
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaestroClassics
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/maestroclassics/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/maestroclassics

3 More All Saints Day Party ideas with FREE PRINTABLE Game Challenge Sheets

Have you been checking back faithfully since Sunday when I shared 3 All Saints Day Game Challenges with a FREE PRINTABLE ,and said I have 12 more ideas to share as the week continued?  If so, please forgive me for not posting any more game challenges before now.  The day-to-day of lessons, chores, tutoring, and more has kept me from writing as much as I had hope to do so this week.  However, since I do not want to disappoint you, here are three more ideas!

(Note: Among the links below provided for your convenience are affiliate ones.  As is stated in our full disclosure, if you click on one and make a purchase, we may receive compensation.) 

Just like the game challenges I shared the other day, the ones I am sharing today were inspired by Prayers to My Favorite Saints (St. Joseph Picture Books), a beautiful, inexpensive softcover book that typically sells for $1.50 or less and contains:

• full-page color images
• original prayers about 15 saints
• simple facts and information about each of its featured saints.

 

 
With or without a copy of this book, you can easily enjoy Throw the Snakes Out like Saint Patrick,  Build with Saint Joseph, and Journey like Saint Joan of Arc by printing out my FREE PRINTABLE game sheets and gathering a few supplies.  All of the games in today's set lend themselves to quick and easy set up.
Throw the Snakes Out like Saint Patrick

The only photo I got of this game at last year's party, I know, is not of the best quality, but it does offer you a clear idea of how the game worked.  Basically, children tested their vestibular sense and throwing arm while balancing on an exercise ball "island" and throwing a stuffed snake as far as they could down an open space in the gym.  Younger children sat so as to rest their feet on the ground.  Older children, and younger ones who wanted more challenge, attempted to throw the stuffed snake a distance without putting their feet down to stabilize themselves -- a great core muscle work out!

Set up consisted simply of placing an exercise ball and stuffed snake next to a chair with the game sheet taped to it.  I also put some masking tape marks on the floor to give the children target lines to aim at.  You could use the same set up or substitute other objects for the island and snake. The game challenge sheet leaves which actual items are used as :island" and "snake" open.

Build with Saint Joseph

I set up a "kiddie corner" for our youngest friends and any child who needed a quiet moment.  One of the activities there was simply a bin of Lincoln Logs with a game challenge sheet nearby. 

To set up I quickly placed the open bin on a blanket in a corner of our All Saints Day party space.  Here, I discovered both younger and older children truly appreciated the opportunity to build and play in relative quiet.

Since challenge sheet for this activity does not state the building material used, any construction toy or supplies could be substituted for the Lincoln Logs.
Journey like Saint Joan of Arc

Prep for this game challenge took the longest, but was hardly difficult.  I simply made banners out of a paper flags taped to a carboard tubes, grabbed some of the carboard shields my children had made before, gathered our Dollar Tree plastic armor, asked to borrow Grammy's Stick Horses, and tossed some plastic knights in a bag.

Once in our party space, to set up, I placed the banners, shields, breastplates, and Stick Horses, near a chair with the game challenge sheet taped to it.  A short distance away, I placed another chair with plastic knights on it. 

The children, then, suited up for battle and raced each other by galloping around the far chair, weapon in hand.  What fun they had doing this!  It really helped some release energy while encouraging others to shake off sluggishness.Free Printable Game Challenge Sheets

As I said in 3 All Saints Day Game Challenges with FREE PRINTABLE Game Challenge Sheets, on each challenge sheet, I included a title for the game, a saint image from Wikimedia common (some of which my own children later used for picture study), a brief fact about the saint, and a short description of the challenge.  Since I have no laminator, I placed the sheets in page protectors to keep them from getting wrinkled or ripped as the children made their way through each station at the party.

Children were encouraged to pair up as they went around from station to station so that strong readers were with developing readers, which enabled all the children to play the games with little adult help.  This method worked well for us.  Perhaps it can for you, too.  Enjoy using our game challenge sheets!

If you missed the first three game challenge sheets and explanations, find them at 3 All Saints Day Game Challenges {with FREE PRINTABLE!}

I hope to share at least three of the remaining nine games that I created over the course of the next few days, so please keep checking back! 

Do you have a particular saint you'd like a game challenge for?  Let me know the name of the saint and I will see what I can come up with!

The Most Well-Planned Paper-Based Planner I've Seen in Ages! {An Ultimate Homeschool Planner Review}

 

{Note:  This post contains affiliate links to a favorite educational products provider of ours: Apologia Educational Ministries, from whom we received The Ultimate Homeschool Planner for review. Read full disclosure here.}

"Organization" and "Martianne" are simply not synonymous, no matter how much I wish they were.  Thus, I am always looking for tools to motivate me towards better order in my family's home, homeschool, and more.  So, when a favorite homeschool resource provider Apologia Educational Ministries offered the chance for me to review The Ultimate Homeschool Planner, I took it!

More than Your Average Planner
When Debra Bell designed The Ultimate Homeschool Planner, she was most certainly thorough!  Using the mission "count your blessings, encourage independence, record your progress" she not only included all the typical things you'd find in a homeschool planner, but she also included some mental food and inspiration!  

Indeed, if you had asked me before I received The Ultimate Homeschool Planner if I'd ever underline and jot down margin notes as I read text in a planner, I would have laughed at you.  Noteworthy text in a planner?  Ha!

Or, ah ha! As they case may be with the The Ultimate Homeschool Planner.  For, as I read the welcome note from Debra Bell and Zan Tyler in my copy of he 264-page planner, I already found myself bracketing things and writing little notes to myself.  

 

Then, as I read through the 12 pages of the User Guide, which are replete with helpful true-to-life examples of how to best put the pages of the planner into use, I continued to underline and make margin notes.  The same thing happened again as I went through the six pages of Teaching Tips towards the end of the planner. 

Wow!  I did not know I would be finding inspiration, encouragement and tips within the pages of the planner, but I did!

Flexible Planning Sheets

Before, after and between its succinct, but noteworthy welcome note, User's Guide and Tips, The Ultimate Homeschool Planner contains planner contains pages and pages of helpful, flexible planning sheet.  These include:

• two page-at-a-glance two-year dated calendars
• a page to write you personal information including school year, name, address, phone number, and students
• a two-page undated one-year planning grid
• two pages of student goal setting forms, with room for academic and character goals for six students (or three students, two parents, and a family-as-a-whole as the case was here)
• a four-page pre-planning guide in which to list family priorities and resources
• 12 blank monthly planning pages
• a full year's worth of weekly planner pages with spaces for you "Bible Plan", "Battle Plan", "Prayers", "Hosptiality/Outreach", "Acheivements" "Momeorable Moments", "Evidences of Grace", "Notes", "Supplies", "Appointments", and, of course, lessons activities
• two pages for grade keeping
• three pages for reading lists
• three pages for recording field trips and outside activities
• a high school planning guide page
• two year-end review pages
• a page for notes

There is also a two-page bibliography for those who seek more inspiration after reading all the fabulous inspirational quotes that are interwoven in the pages of each section of the planner.  And - handy-handy-handy - on the insides of The Ultimate Homeschool Planner's soft, spiral-bound cover are file pocket flaps so you can slip papers in.

Talk about a well-planned planner!  This one sure is.

Finding My Groove with the Planner's Inspiration

Anyone looking at the cover of my copy of The Ultimate Homeschool Planner can quickly recognize that this is not a resource that stays tucked away on a shelf untouched by me more than once or twice a day.  The nicks and scratches in the surprisingly durable soft-cover are testimony to the fact that the planner makes rounds with us to different rooms in the house as well as out-and-about.

The first trip the planner took with me was to a hotel where we went on a one-night family getaway this fall in honor of our youngest's entry into his kindergarten year.  (Upon entering his or her kindergarten year in our home, each child gets to choose something to ride or somewhere to go instead of riding the big yellow bus and going to a school building.  My youngest requested a hotel stay and, since we found a super deal on one, we went for it!)

I thought there was not more fitting place to begin using the planner to plan the year than at our kindergarten-celebration location.  So, as the kids' enjoyed some special screentime in the room and splashtime in the pool, I sat on the deck of our room overlooking a river and perused the planner.  That was when I began underlining things and writing notes prior to filling in the one-year planning grid and some other planning pages.
 

Later, as I used the planner, I found the first double-page spread for each week absolutely fabulous!  I love the quotes on the pages and the way the pages remind me to focus on faith, hospitality, memorable moments, achievements, and evidences of grace.  The constant reminder to pray, serve, give thanks, note good, etc. is much appreciated by me.
 

The next two pages of each weekly planner page took me a bit to decide how best to use.  They offer 6 x 6 grids to use any way one wishes.  Most, I assume, would use these to plan activities for up to six children, six days a week, or for six subjects for six children.  However, since I plan activities seven days a week (including choir at Mass, family walks, museum trips, etc. as "school" activities), I wanted another row of boxes if I was going to use the grids as a straight-up weekly planner.  And, since I break our time down into seven segments for planning purposes each day (wake up and early morning time, breakfast time and readings, morning experiences, lunch and readings, afternoon experiences, dinner and intentional time, and wind down/bedtime/reading/listening, I wanted another row of boxes for planning that way, too.  And subjects?  Well, we explore more than six subjects with some regularity.  So, again, the traditional grid did work perfectly for me. 

Further, since I like to plan, reflect, and list forward all in one place, I missed having a wide notes space on the weekly pages of the organizer.  That is, until I figured out an adaptation that works for me.

Under the "Week Of", I listed some of my key tasks for the different roles I aim to balance each week - being a woman of prayer, who is a loving partner, a loving parent, a partial provider of finances, and a planner and prepared of eats.  Then, over under "supplies", I listed the areas of our home that needed the most attention, as that is another role I attempt balance in - provider of homekeeping.
 

Five of the middle six columns then got used to plan my children's S.K.I.L.L. T.I.M.E. + activities.  I used the top three rows for each of my children's language arts categories:

• Spell and Write Words
• Keep Reading to Yourself
  Illustrate and Write
• Listen to Reading
• Learn and Play with Language Arts Together

Then, I used the bottom three rows to plan their Math and Other activities:

• Think, Read, and Write About Math, Investigate and Explore Math Concepts,
• Master Math Together
• Exercise Math Skills on My Own, 
• Other Activities

The sixth column of the middle grid I used for planning forward notes and tasks.  In the Notes box, I wrote some overarching "true north" goals and priority tasks.  And, in the Appointments, I wrote appointment notes not mentioned elsewhere or continued planning forward notes.

This adaptation seemed to work for me and proves how uniquely one can tailor the pages!  Of course, those with more traditional subjects, schedules, approaches, or what have you, won't necessarily need to tailor anything.  Just fill in names, days, subjects, and go.

Would I Recommend the Planner?

You bet I would recommend The Ultimate Homeschool Planner
It is such a well-planned planner which offers food-for-thought, tips, encouragement, quotes, and plenty of useful and flexible planning pages.  For those that like pen-and-paper planner, it is the best homeschool planner I have seen.  For those who need a how-to or inspiration about how to plan, it's in there.  For those who wish to take a nugget or two from the how-to's and inspiration, but proceed in their own way, there's room for that, too.  Truly, Apologia Educational Ministries offers an excellent tool for "counting blessings, encouraging independence, and recording progress" with The Ultimate Homeschool Planner!

Learn More 

Read reviews of the other Apologia Educational Ministries products I have reviewed:

Get social with Apologia Educational Ministries at:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/apologiaworld/timeline
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/apologiaworld
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/apologia/
• Google+: https://plus.google.com/105053356034237782125

Read how 100 other homeschoolers are using The Ultimate Homeschool Planner.

 

What tool helps you bring the peace of order to your life?