Your handwriting is a bit messy and your teacher suggests that you need a bit more practise – or is that ‘practice’? She would force you to copy out the phone book, however she dislikes afflicting pain on anyone – or is that ‘inflicting’? You assure her in amicable – or should that be ‘amiable’? - terms that you will try harder to write neatly. She sighs and declares that she hopes the extra effort will have a good effect – or is that ‘affect’? There are many similar-sounding words in the English language that are frequently mistaken for one another and used (or spelled) incorrectly. Here are worksheets which allow you to practise using 83 of these commonly-muddled terms properly. Samples, exercises and an answer key are included. Use this book to refresh or improve your knowledge of the English language. Knowing how and when to use potentially confusing words will help you to speak and write well!

This owl- and mouse-themed book will help students to obtain a thorough (and advanced) understanding of how to use past participles. In 56 pages of definitions and explanations, examples, exercises and assignments, you will learn about past participles and practise using them in your own writing. An answer key for each of the 16 assignments (and four extra review assignments) is included. Exercises and assignments are to be completed in a separate notebook. This version of the book is in colour - a few cheery images here and there might just help the information to stick! If you prefer, a black and white version of the same text is also available. In this book you will: • Learn to identify and use past participles as parts of main verbs, as adverbs or nouns, as adjectives or complements, and within phrases • Complete 12 exercises and 16 assignments • Hone your skills with 4 extra review assignments at the end of the book • Enjoy pleasant (and whimsical) references to owls, mice and Canadian winters . . . Note: Past participles as verbals can be explained and labeled in different ways. If you are preparing for a test, please make sure that you learn the correct technical terms and types of analysis for that specific test!

For early level French students, here is a solid introduction to thirteen much-used French verbs. Part One teaches the student to use Aller, Lire, Dire, Faire, Suivre and Écrire. Part Two teaches Savoir, Connaître, Voir, Finir, Terminer, Courir and Dormir. Noisette the cat narrates a simple text and workbook which is divided into short sections. Each section has a corresponding ‘Practise Sheet’ to reinforce and review the material (23 in total). Upon completion of this book, the student will have a thorough knowledge of the verbs mentioned above (in the present tense), as well as other general information about French verbs. A full answer key and vocabulary list are also included. General topics include: Brief review of the material in ‘Introduction to French Verbs’ (use of common technical terms such as first person plural, infinitive, root etc.) How to identify, conjugate and use verbs that belong to the second and third groups Regular and irregular verbs, and their endings French verbs that have similar meanings (Finir/Terminer and Savoir/Connaître) Simple sentences Brief introduction to present participles This book is the logical next step after completing ‘Introduction to French Verbs with Noisette the Cat’. Bonus! Now included are notebooking pages featuring cat silhouettes - useful for vocabulary lists, written assignments, etc.

This story and workbook will introduce you to 160 French words and phrases, and to ten basic concepts of French grammar and language. Read about Noisette, a little cat who lives in Paris with the ‘grand-mère’, an elderly woman who loves to paint. Every lesson contains a short story, with French words embedded and translated in the text. After the reading, memorize the new words, learn a bit of grammar and do a short grammar exercise. Also included are ‘fill in the blanks’ pages for practise or testing, a complete list of vocabulary, and extra review ideas. Note: as this is not an audio product, the teacher/parent must have a prior basic knowledge of how to pronounce French words. Bonus! Now included are notebooking pages featuring cat silhouettes - useful for vocabulary lists, written assignments, etc.

For beginner or early level French students, here is a solid introduction to the two most-used French verbs (‘to be’ and ‘to have’) as well as to the ‘first group’ of French verbs. Noisette the cat narrates a simple text and workbook in which the student learns about French verbs in short sections. Each section has a corresponding ‘Practise Sheet’ to reinforce and review the material (23 in total). Upon completion of this book, the student will have a thorough knowledge of ‘être’ ‘avoir’ and the er-verbs in the present tense. General topics include: How to conjugate a verb Matching verbs and subjects Using masculine and feminine pronouns and nouns and matching them to the verb Using the correct form of ‘you’ Simple sentences Why er-verbs belong to the ‘first group’ Common technical terms such as first person plural, infinitive, root etc. How to conjugate any verb from the first group This book is the logical next step after completing ‘Beginner’s French with Noisette the Cat’. Bonus! Now included are notebooking pages featuring cat silhouettes - useful for vocabulary lists, written assignments, etc.

This book contains the complete story ‘Le Hasard Fait des Miracles’ by Maurice Leblanc. The text is divided into 16 small sections, each followed by five reading comprehension questions and a blank list for vocabulary, to be filled in by the student (instructions included). The lists are multicoloured for variety. This is one of many tales by Leblanc featuring the same protagonist, a gentleman-thief by the name of Arsène Lupin, here disguised as ‘Jim Barnett’. He is remarkable for his ability to glean a fortune from wealthy (and usually greedy and unpleasant) people through the clever manipulation of events which are already in motion when he arrives on the scene. His success depends on his intelligence and his prowess as a thief and master of disguise, which allow him to avoid violence or guilt of crime in his adventures. Adding to the fun, he consistently outwits whatever official inspector (here, inspector ‘Béchoux’) he is supposedly helping. The story is narrated in the passé simple, making it an excellent tool for practising this French verb tense. All advanced French students will benefit from reading Leblanc’s well-written prose!

Here is a fully black and white version of the book, with a more mature format for older students. This owl- and mouse-themed book will help students to obtain a thorough (and advanced) understanding of how to use past participles. In 56 pages of definitions and explanations, examples, exercises and assignments, you will learn about past participles and practise using them in your own writing. An answer key for each of the 16 assignments (and four extra review assignments) is included. Exercises and assignments are to be completed in a separate notebook. In this book you will: • Learn to identify and use past participles as parts of main verbs, as adverbs or nouns, as adjectives or complements, and within phrases • Complete 12 exercises and 16 assignments • Hone your skills with 4 extra review assignments at the end of the book • Enjoy pleasant (and whimsical) references to owls, mice and Canadian winters . . . Note: Past participles as verbals can be explained and labeled in different ways. If you are preparing for a test, please make sure that you learn the correct technical terms and types of analysis for that specific test!

This book is not too long, and is written in a pleasant, easily-understood style. The pre-Jacques Cartier era in Canada is described clearly in general terms, and a reader who has thoughtfully read the text from cover to cover and completed the assignments will have a good picture of the setting which served as the backdrop to events following 1524. This book was first published in 1915, and accurately represents the scholarship and attitudes of the time. It contains informative and interesting information, and also some outdated generalizations, which makes it an excellent choice for learning about historical facts, and about how history is ‘told’. Contents Six chapters, each followed by: • 15 basic reading comprehension questions (to reinforce the facts) • Suggested research topic (to inspire critical thinking and curiosity) Food for Thought, a collection of excerpts from the main text, each accompanied by a short explanation of relevant themes and ideas about how history is told, etc. Following the explanation there are questions that require the student to think critically about what they just read and about history in general. A blank map of Canada, which can be used to make a visual representation of what was learned in the book

This book contains the complete story ‘Gants Blancs . . . Guêtres Blanches . . .’ by Maurice Leblanc. The story is divided into 15 small sections, each of which is followed by five reading comprehension questions and a blank list for vocabulary (instructions included). The lists are multicoloured for variety. It is one of many featuring the same protagonist, a gentleman-thief by the name of Arsène Lupin, here disguised as ‘Jim Barnett’. He is remarkable for his ability to glean a fortune from wealthy (and usually greedy and unpleasant) people through the clever manipulation of events which are already in motion when he arrives on the scene. His success depends on his intelligence and his prowess as a thief and master of disguise, which allow him to avoid violence or guilt of crime in his adventures. Adding to the fun, he consistently outwits whatever official inspector (here, inspector ‘Béchoux’) he is supposedly helping. The story is narrated in the passé simple, making it an excellent tool for practising this French verb tense. All advanced French students will benefit from reading Leblanc’s well-written prose!

About This Book ‘By Canadian Streams’ was first published in 1909. Each short chapter describes notable historic events that took place on one of Canada’s most well-known rivers. The author’s affection for waterways shines through his writing. As a result, reading this book makes for a gentle and interesting introduction to many famous names and places in Canada. In addition to Burpee’s own writing, most chapters begin with a short poetic excerpt by a renowned Canadian poet. Although this is a history book, the overall effect is to peak the curiosity and enthusiasm of the reader, and introduce them to some of Canada’s remarkable landscapes and historic moments. Contents This book was originally written in 8 chapters, with an introduction. For study purposes, it has been divided into 11 short sections, each no more than 5 pages long. After every section there are 10 reading comprehension questions about the text, which the student may answer as they read or after reading the previous section. These questions are meant to help the student to remember and understand important facts. There are also at least two questions under the heading ‘Examining the Details’. These ask that the student find a specific small segment of the text which has been put in italics (page numbers are also given) and answer pointed questions about that small piece of writing. These questions focus on writing style, word choice, intent and tone. Their purpose is to encourage the student to think critically about how history is written. After the main text and assignments, there is a blank map of Canada, which should be used by the student to make a visual representation of what they have learned from reading and thinking about ‘By Canadian Streams’. There are also two ‘study sheets’ that can be used to do simple research about a handful of Canadian poets (those whose work is sampled here) and the origins of the names of a few of Canada’s waterways.

Here are pages to help you study and test your knowledge of 38 French verbs. For each verb, there are six pages. The first page (for the présent and passé composé) is to be filled out with the help of a reference guide, such as ‘Bescherelle: La Conjugaison’ (Hatier). You will use this sheet to study the verb in those two tenses, so copy them out carefully! At the bottom of the page, you must write three simple sentences to show that you know what this verb means and how to use the two tenses. The second and third sheets are for testing purposes. Quiz 1 is identical to the very first page, only it is labelled as a quiz and requires that the student fill out the entire verb in order, from memory. The student must also indicate what the verb means in English, in the infinitive. Quiz 2 is more of a challenge. The verbs are in reverse order (the passé composé comes first) and the persons are in random order (instead of the predictable ‘je, tu, il/elle, etc’ it is written ‘vous, je, ils/elles, etc.’). Again the student must write three sentences to show that they can actually use the verb and have not simply memorised it without knowing what it’s for. The following three sheets follow the same pattern for the same verb, but review and test the imparfait and futur simple. The quizzes are labelled Quiz 3 and Quiz 4.

This book contains the complete story ‘La Lettre d’Amour du Roi George’ by Maurice Leblanc. The text is divided into 13 small sections, each followed by five reading comprehension questions and a blank list for vocabulary, to be filled in by the student (instructions included). The lists are multicoloured for variety. This is one of many tales by Leblanc featuring the same protagonist, a gentleman-thief by the name of Arsène Lupin, here disguised as ‘Jim Barnett’. He is remarkable for his ability to glean a fortune from wealthy (and usually greedy and unpleasant) people through the clever manipulation of events which are already in motion when he arrives on the scene. His success depends on his intelligence and his prowess as a thief and master of disguise, which allow him to avoid violence or guilt of crime in his adventures. Adding to the fun, he consistently outwits whatever official inspector (here, inspector ‘Béchoux’) he is supposedly helping. The story is narrated in the passé simple, making it an excellent tool for practising this French verb tense. All advanced French students will benefit from reading Leblanc’s well-written prose!

Do you have a student who loves bugs, and is ready to read more advanced English? This story will stretch a 9 to 10 year old’s English reading abilities while entertaining them with thoughtful insect stories by the famous creator of ‘Doctor Dolittle’. In thirteen chapters, read about a water beetle who travelled across the ocean on a duck’s foot, a wasp who decided the victory of a battle, and other curious anecdotes. Thomas Stubbins, the Doctor’s young assistant, describes how he and Doctor go about ‘listening’ to insects and learning from their very different lives. Young readers will expand their reading abilities while being introduced to such concepts as ‘intuitive’ knowledge. Hugh Lofting writes with both humour and thoughtfulness as he examines life from a bug’s point-of-view! Following each chapter are three reading comprehension questions to be answered in a separate notebook, in complete sentences. There is also a list of five words from the chapter: the student should copy them into the blank space provided, and learn to spell them. Finish up by colouring a simple insect drawing! (There is one drawing at the end of every chapter.)

Art thou ready to read Shakespeare? But of course! Here you will finde assignments, definitions, explanations, and other sundry ‘stuff’ which will make reading ‘Macbeth’ a zephyr – that is, a breeze! This approach focuses on seeing the big picture, with only the most interesting of extra information included for thine own interest. Read the words of the beloved Bard aloud! Write some of your own! Explore the themes of ‘time’ and ‘opposites’. . . learn about tragedy, witches in Shakespeare’s time, and a bit of Scottish history. . . examine the text one more time, looking for details ‘divine and rare’ . . . memorize a few lines . . . and hark! It is done! Included here are the following: the complete play ‘Macbeth’; seven separate sections each containing assignments and information; a detailed summary of Acts and Scenes, a Brief Biography of Shakespeare and his wife; and more! This book also includes a bonus section about Shakespeare’s witches. This text is well-suited to homeschoolers who do not anticipate putting on the play. It is especially aimed at students who are not that familiar with Shakespeare’s plays, and who will benefit from a light-hearted but meaningful approach to reading them. The sections and assignments are: Hark! Methinks I’ll Read the Play (Read the play aloud and learn about the origins of ‘Macbeth’, and about superstitions surrounding the play and the witches) Hark! What Do I Understand? (Copy out a few speeches. Make a few lists. Translate short sections into modern-day English. Learn more about the many layers of meaning within ‘Macbeth’) Hark! Methinks I Hear A Voice! (Memorize and perform a speech. Learn more about the relationship between thoughts, words and action in ‘Macbeth’; the difference between a castle and a palace.) Hark Methinks I’ll Look Again (Underline selected features within the play. Learn more about tragedy, ‘horror’, and what they may have eaten at the banquet.) Hark! Methinks I’ll Write Mine Own (Choose between a 5 paragraph essay about ‘opposites’ or a report on the topic of ‘time’ within the play. Detailed guidelines are given. Write a short speech from the point of view of a main character of your choice. Learn more about how actors ‘interpret’ a role, and examine one small speech in detail.) Hark! Methinks I’ll Draw Awhile! (Contemplate the possible outward appeareance of characters within the play. Learn more about Scottish clothing for men and women in the 11th century – no kilts yet!) Stay, Good Friend - There’s More! (A Brief Biography of Shakespeare and his Wife; A Detailed Summary of Acts and Scenes, a List of Characters indicating their relationships to one another; Bonus: More About the Witches) Note: Parents should be cautioned that the play contains elements of ‘horror’ that may not be suitable for students younger than 12.

Summarise and Describe! The student will read a piece of descriptive and thoughtful writing by Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862), called ‘A Winter Walk’. Several topics for essays are suggested. The student will read and reread the text, taking notes as needed for the chosen subject. Then, they will compose a simple essay (detailed guidelines included). This assignment will take at least one week to complete. Text: A Winter Walk The author writes in the first person, describing a long winter walk through a wooded area with few human inhabitants. He describes what he sees and feels while walking, and also his innermost thoughts and musings about the nature of life, wilderness, and humans’ place within the world. This text is descriptive and pensive. TIP! This may be a good choice for a student who has an interest in philosophy or who enjoys the peaceful side of nature.

Defend your opinion! Read a description of a visit to Athens in the late 19th century (included). Follow detailed guidelines to take notes, organise those notes, and write a five paragraph essay which describes why visiting Athens would be interesting - or boring! Defend your opinion by focussing on one of several suggested themes. (Examples: because Athens’ architecture is linked with Greek mythology, or because Athens is located in a beautiful place, or because famous ancient Greeks lived in Athens, or because most of the monuments are in ruins, etc.) This assignment will take at least one week to complete. Text: A Glance At The Site And Antiquities of Athens The author writes a first-hand account of visiting various ancient sites within Athens, with the intent of recommending the place as a fascinating destination for North American tourists. The author describes the importance of the sites historically, as well as their links to Greek mythology, and refers to the size and atmosphere of the places as well. The text dates from 1873 and is a charming example of the type of laid-back, informed travel that was in vogue in that era. TIP! This may be a good choice for a student with an interest in Greek mythology or the ‘Percy Jackson’ series.

‘Hearne’s Incredible Overland Journey’ is the second chapter of Stephen Leacock’s ‘Adventurers of the Far North’, which contains accounts of the historic voyages to the northern regions of what is now Canada. This chapter describes the three amazing overland journeys made by Samuel Hearne on behalf of the Hudson’s Bay Company, in search of a copper mine and a Northwest Passage. Though neither was found, Hearne’s adventures, as recounted in his own journal in detail (and quoted in Leacock’s book), became an iconic account of northern survival. It also offers descriptions of encounters with First Nations that provide unique food for thought, as they reveal the widely varied behaviours of these people toward one another and toward Europeans. The tone of the writing is neither formal nor chatty, but invites the reader to take an interest in a topic for which the author evidently had a genuine passion. Contents This book contains chapter two from ‘Adventurers of the Far North’. For study purposes, it has been divided into 12 short sections, each 1-3 pages long. After every section there are: 10 reading comprehension questions about the text, to be answered after reading that section. These are meant to help the student to remember and understand important facts. at least 2 questions under the heading ‘Thinking About the Details’. These ask that the student find a specific small segment of the text which has been underlined (page numbers are given) and answer pointed questions about that small piece of writing. These questions focus on writing style, word choice, intent and tone. Sometimes the student may be asked to verify facts. The purpose is to encourage the student to think critically about history and historical writing. After the main text and assignments there is a blank map of Canada, which can be used by the student to make a visual representation of what they have learned from reading and thinking about ‘Hearne’s Incredible Overland Journey’.

Summarize! The student will read a text about iron bridge building. Their essay will be a summary of one aspect of iron bridge building described in the text. The student will read the text, choose a topic (one of eight that are suggested), reread the text and take notes, and prepare a five-paragraph essay on their chosen topic. Detailed instructions are included. Text: Iron Bridges And Their Construction Edward Rowland describes the process of building iron bridges at the end of the 19th century. First he writes about bridge construction in general, referring to important accomplishments in that field from earlier times. He then describes in detail how iron is prepared when it will be used for bridge-building. He ends with a brief description of how an iron bridge is assembled. TIP! This may be a good choice for a student with an interest in 19th century literature or the Steampunk movement.