We are working on putting various parts of our curricula into a format usable by home schooling parents and other teachers.

Payment can be made through Paypal, VISA, Mastercard, Discover, or American Express.  If you have any difficulty ordering or have questions about the items, please call us at 707-545-0861 (our home phone number) or e-mail us at jkhughes@stmichaelschool.us.

On rare occasions, orders for Sanctity Through the Centuries have been placed in the spam folder,  Please check your spam folder if your order has not arrived in a day or two.

A Note About Shipping Costs: Our intention is to keep shipping charges as close to actual costs as possible.  We have had to slightly increase our rates because of the recent increase in postal shipping rates.  Our rate schedule is as follows. We recently had to increase our rates as a result of the USPS increase their rates.

    1.00 - 24.99                    $ 8.95
  25.00 - 59.99                     15.50
  60.00 - 99.99                     21.90
100.00 - 199.99                   23.00
Over 200.00                        25.00


The shopping cart can only approximate the actual cost, since distance, materials purchased and the weight of the materials affect postage. This is especially true of the math manipulatives which weigh 2 lbs. and 4 lbs. Fortunately we can fit one of each of the manipulatives into the Post Office’s Flat Rate Boxes.

The items in our bookstore fall into three categories -1) books, 3) math manipulatives, and 3) educational card games.  These pictures give an overview of what we have available.  Details are given further down the page.

The Days of Creation art book provides a way for children (ages 9 and up) to learn about the days of creation through painting representations of each of the days and making their own book about God's glorious work. The book includes twelve (12) lovely watercolor paintings, depicting God's work during the six days of creation, as well as detailed instructions for reproducing each painting. Even novice painters have produced some very acceptable paintings using this book.

Our students have also used crayons and chalk to produce the same images.  The medium your children use is less important than the activity of producing an piece of art to the best of their ability.  Whatever the medium, your children will treasure the book they produce for many years.

In addition to the painting instructions, the book provides religious instruction by including, for each day, commentaries from the early Church Fathers, thus revealing the traditional Orthodox teaching concerning the Genesis text.

This book has been recognized as a valuable resource by homescooling parents of various faiths. Here is one link -  https://www.biblebaton.com/7-days-of-creation-activities/. Scroll down a little for the book.

The book is spiral bound, 8 1/2" x 11", 50 pages.  For pictures of some of the paintings, click here.

Please Note: We are no longer able to stock The Days of Creation Art Book since other sources can sell it much less expensively.  We suggest that you purchase the book through Answers in Genesis, the publishers of the book.

The paints we recommend are from a German company called Stockmar.  The paints are available at walmart.com.

This curriculum was developed many years ago with the inspiration of a fourth grade class. What started as a class on the four kinds of sentences, blossomed into an engaging approach to the parts of speech and basic diagraming. Former students have told us that they still think in terms of The Sentence Family.

For some testimonials and sample pages, click here.  More testimonials can be found if you search for "The Sentence Family" through Goggle.  Here are the latest reviews from Teachers pay Teachers:

 

***** 5 out of 5 , Extremely satisfied

This is an excellent resource! All teachers should have a copy!
Michael C.
August 20, 2019

***** 5 out of 5, Extremely satisfied

Love, love, love this book! My 3rd grader really connected with the way it presented the parts of speech, and she was always excited to read the next installment.

Heidi M.
November 29, 2020

Many home-school bloggers are talking very favorably about the book.  Only one book is needed for the whole family.

We now have an Sentence Family Answer Key available on this website.  Simply click here to download the PDF file.  It is a large file, so might take a short while to load.

We have also made a PDF file which contains all the practice sentences in The Sentence Family book. Having this file allows the parent/teacher to easily make copies of the sentences for the students. Simply click here to download the file.

Spiral bound, 81/2 x 11 format, 45 pages of text plus 13 full-color illustrations. $19.50, plus shipping, or for a PDF download, $12.95 total cost.  See below.

The Sentence Family is now available in two forms, directly from the St. Michael's website.  You may purchase either the printed book or purchase a link to a PDF file. Once you have the PDF file, you may print the book at home, or have it printed at an office supple store.

The download version is $14.00, (plus any sales tax) including the "shipping charge" which the shopping cart will add.  The link will be send to the email address which is given during the purchase process.  Once we are notified of the purchase, we will send an email with the link.  The link will be active for four days after we send the email, or when we see that you have downloaded the book, which ever comes first.

Remember, the answer key to the curriculum is available for free on this website.

We are offering A Closer Look at the Evidence free of charge because the question of origins is crucial to maintain correct Orthodox thinking; we want anyone who is interested to have it. The idea of evolution is not just a biological question, but one that influences our view of the Holy Scriptures as well as our ability to maintain an Orthodox world-view. The book was written as a response to many Orthodox Christian parents who were unsure of how to present the idea of evolution in their science classes.

We have all grown up in a culture that is saturated with an evolutionary perspective.  We are constantly told that the theory of evolution is actually a proven scientific fact and that to question the idea of evolution is to question science.  Some Orthodox authors have written that there are no contradictions between an evolutionary perspective and the teachings of the Church.  Other Orthodox authors have stated the opposite, saying that an evolutionary perspective is absolutely contrary to the teachings of the Church. Which view is true?

Although the theory of evolution has many theological implications, it is still a scientific theory which offers various observations as evidence. Any analysis of the theory must therefore be based on considering the strength of the evidence presented. Although this book presents some Scriptural and Patristic challenges to evolutionary theory, its main objective is to show, in a simple but accurate way, that the evidence presented in support of the idea have serious scientific failings.  It demonstrates that what is presented in most textbooks and other media, as "proof" of the theory, has no real substance when examined more closely.

Those who believe in the traditional understanding of the Genesis account of creation are often ridiculed as "uneducated" or as being "anti-science." Yet, if one takes a closer look at what is presented as evidence for the theory, it becomes clear that those who insist that evolution has been proved by science are basing their "proof" and belief not on science, but on an anti-God ideology.  They are desperate to find an answer to Creation which does not involve Jesus Christ.  Such a belief is hardly "science-friendly.

Those Christians who believe that God used an evolutionary process in creation will be surprised 1) at the gradual decline of faith in the life of Charles Darwin,  2) that there are two definitions of "evolution" - one true and the other false, and  3) that much of what we were taught in our biology classes concerning evolution is simply untrue. 

The author was educated in an evolutionary perspective, majored in biology, and initially believed in this perspective.  He has taught biology and other sciences for over thirty years and has studied evolutionary theory for at least that long. He has obviously changed his mind on this subject.  A Closer Look is not a long book, but it is accurate and informative.  It was written for those who want to be informed, but do not have the time or the inclination to read the much longer books that are available.

Since many home-schooling families are struggling to find answers concerning the creartion/evolution debate, we are now offering the PDF version at no charge.  Simply click for a PDF file of the book.  Then, if you wish, you may print the book at home, or have it printed at an office supply store. The book is 8.5 x 11 and 55 pages long.

For those who like to listen to audio books, A Closer Look at the Evidence is now available as an audiobook on Youtube.  Open this link in a new windowHere is the link. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6X29VoLO8I&t=6916s

To see the Tables of Contents and read the Introduction, simply click here.

Sanctity through the Centuries is a chronological listing of saints of the Eastern Orthodox Church. The saints are listed, divided into centuries, in order of the year of their death. The saints' feast dates, general geographical information and sources for their lives are also included.

The listing is based on the calendar published by St. Herman of Alaska Press, with much additional material from other Orthodox sources. All "western" saints listed are those before the Great Schism in 1054 A.D.

The inspiration and goal for these books is to provide a way for Orthodox teachers to integrate the lives of the saints with the study of church and secular history.

The books are priced very low because we know that a "shipping charge" will automatically be added by the shopping cart. You may, of course, purchase each volume separately, but given the way the shopping cart works, it is best to purchase the three volumes at the same time for $18.45. In this way you are paying only one "shipping charge".

These books are not printed, but will be sent in PDF format to the e-mail address provided during purchase. Once you have the files, you may print the books whenever you wish.

Sanctity through the Centuries, Volume I, Creation through 499AD
This volume lists over 1200 Orthodox saints, 8 1/2 x 11 format
80 pages
If purchased alone, the total for this volume is $12.20, including the shipping charge automatically generated by the Paypal shopping cart.

Sanctity through the Centuries, Volume II, 500AD to 1499AD
This volume lists over 1700 Orthodox saints, 8 1/2 x 11 format
97 pages
If purchased alone, the total for this volume is $12.45, including the shipping charge automatically generated by the Paypal shopping cart.

Sanctity through the Centuries, Vol. III, 1500A.D. to Present
This volume lists over 900 Orthodox Saints, 81/2 x 11 format,
57 pages.
If purchased alone, this total for this volume is $11.70, including the shipping charge automatically generated by the Paypal shopping cart.

The common multiplication tables make beautiful patterns on this specially designed string board. Making the board is a very enjoyable and easy math/woodworking project.

We are offering a kit which includes 1) an 7.25 inch square piece of pine, 2) a piece of 100 grit sandpaper, 3) a circle used to mark the ten - 36 degree sections, 4) a dozen finish nails, 5) a 6 ft. piece of colored yarn, and 6) complete instructions for assembly.

This kit provides a simple craft to integrate with a child's arithmetic lessons and shows one of the hidden beauties of God's creation.  You can read what one home-schooling Mom had to say here.

The instructions may be seen in the Curriculum Ideas section under The Patterns of the Times Tables.

We have the students make a simple book which shows each times table and the accompanying pattern.  A sample of the pages for the four times table is here, and a free download of forms for the book is here.

The String Board kits are available in four different colors of yarn. $5.95

String Board with red yarn

String Board with blue yarn

String Board with green yarn

String Board with orange yarn

From the very beginning of formally teaching arithmetic, we make the lessons very concrete and multi-sensory. This set of wooden manipulatives are called “The Number Family” manipulatives, because, among other uses, we use them to introduce “number families” to the children.

Each of the numbers from 1 through 10 is represented by specially dyed hardwood blocks of appropriate lengths. The set includes a total of 120 pieces.  These manipulatives are different than Cuisenarie rods in thast they are scored to show the number they represent.

These manipulatives have many uses and full instructions are included with the purchase. To give you a sense of how the manipulatives can be used we have provided the instructions on this website. Click here to download a PDF version of the instructions.

We make the "Number Family" manipulatives, as well as the "Up the Hill" manipulatives ourselves, but are currently sold out. We hope to have more available in the near future.

Number Family Manipulatives $40.00.

These are the “Up the Hill” manipulatives, a name taken from the students’ favorite math game. They provide a concrete way to teach 1) carrying and borrowing (re-grouping), 2) the times tables, as well as 3) two-place multiplication.

The times tables are foundational in mathematics, not just in grammar school, but also in high school and beyond. It is crucial that children know them very well.  These manipulatives are used as the basis of math games which give children a firm foundation.

Each set includes 1 Thousand-Block, 10 Hundred-Flats, 35 Ten-Bars, and 50 Units.

Full instructions are included with a puchase, but in order to give you a sense of how the manipulatives are used, we have provided the instructions on the website.  Click here to download a PDF version of the instructions.

We are currrently sold out of this item, but hope to have more available in the near future.

Up the Hill Manipulatives $50.00. 

     The next section of our store offers some math games which we have found to be very useful in developing a fluid or flexible understanding of the times tables.

     Once the children have learned the basic times tables in a very concrete way, i. e. with manipulatives, they still need practice in order to be fluid in this understanding.  This means that they need to know multiplication forward (3 x 5 = 15), backward ( 45 = 5 x 9 ) and inside out  ( the common factor of 42 and 48 is 6, or the common factors of 36 and 24 are 3, 4, 6, and 12).  They will need to be fluid in these ways in order to easily work with fractions and to successfully work with various operations in algebra.

     Teaching children this type of detail might seem a difficult task, but it is greatly simplified with the use of particular games.  You may know that the Latin word, Ludus, means both "game" and "school".  This may seem to be an odd combination of meanings since, for a child, the word game usually means "fun", but the word school - well, sometimes not so much fun.  Yet, we have seen great wisdom in this Latin word because children can learn a lot through games.

     With this in mind, we have developed a number of card games which reinforce math skills. We have taught children math for thirty years and have found these games to be very helpful as well as enjoyable.  We have developed and used these games with great success at St. Michael's.

Once children know the times tables in a "forward" direction, they need to know them in a "backward" direction.  In other words, once they know that 3 x 5 = 15, they need to know that 15 = 3 x 5.  Knowing one direction does not mean that they automatically know the opposite direction.  As they continue studying mathematics, they will need to know the times tables in three directions -  forward, backward, and inside out.  We have developed games for each of these directions.

Using the Number Family and the Up the Hill manipulatives gives children plenty of experience in the forward direction of the times tables. The Product to Factor Game (PTF) (if you have a better name, please suggest it) helps the students develop fluidity in the backward direction.  The game is essentially an empty grid which the students fill in with the appropriate factors.

All parts of the game are printed 8.5 x 11, glossy cardstock.  When the four pieces making up the grid are taped together the result is larger square, approximately 16.5 inches by 16.5 inches.  The game includes instructions, the empty grid, a sample of the completed grid, and pages of numbers which, after being cut out,  the students place in the proper places.  The picture on the left shows the completed grid.

The game can be played at various levels.  Instructions for the game can be seen here.

Product to Factor Game (PTF)  $5.00

The Latin word, Ludus, means both game and school.  This may seem to be an interesting combination since, for a child, the word game usually means "fun", but the word school - well, sometimes not so much fun.  Yet, we have seen great wisdom in this Latin word because children can learn a lot through games.  With this in mind, we have developed a number of card games which reinforce math skills.

Factor Match is a card game which gives students an enjoyable way to practice recognizing common factors in numbers.  It also gives practice in recognizing the various ways a number can be reached on the times tables.  These two skills are very important when working with fractions and in various operations in algebra.  Click here for the complete description and rules.

There are a total of 99 cards in this game.  They are the standard card size and are printed, in color, nine cards on a page, on glossy cardstock.  You will simply need to cut out the cards and start playing.

Factor Match Game   $6.50

Homophones are words that have the same sound but different meanings and different spellings. The name comes from two Greek words, homo, which means “the same” and phone, which means “sound.”  The purpose of this game is to provide an enjoyable way to teach students the correct usage and spelling of 192 (96 pairs) homophones.

The game Homophones can be played in a way similar to the children’s card game “Go Fish”, or it can be played as a concentration game.  The rules for play can be seen here.

We have prepared four sets of homophone cards, each having 48 cards, or 24 pair of homphones.  Each set is printed in full color, on high quality glossy cardstock. The words in each set can be seen here.

Each set of Homophones is $4.00.  Buying all four sets at once for $15.00.  Buying all at once also saves postage expense.

Homophone Game, Set 1, with instructions

Homophone Game, Set 2, with instructions

Homophone Game, Set 3, with instructions

Homophone Game, Set 4, with instructions

Homophone Game, all four sets, with instructions