http://www.quickstudy.com/

Political Science: A Guide to World Politics

BarCharts is a company located in Boca Raton, Florida that develops study outlines. Currently they offer over 250 titles to choose from, one of which focuses on Political Science.

The 8.5" x 11" 4-page laminated political science guide includes:

• theories of world politics
• three levels of analysis
• modern international system
• international law
• international political economy
• united nations
• arms control
• actors in world politics
• philosophy of the social sciences

While not a substitute for a full political science curriculum, it is a handy reference for any student.

-- Product Review by: Dr. Heather Allen, TOS Senior Analyst, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine

American History 2 QuickStudy®, Getting out of Debt QuickStudy®, and Commonly Misspelled and Confused Words

BarCharts, Inc. has packed their American History 2 QuickStudy® (Academic) with loads of well known (and even some obscure) historical facts dating from 1859 to present (2003). There are facts from the Reconstruction period to everyday life in the late 1800s to World War I, II, and the Vietnam Era. There are sections on presidential terms of office from the Reagan Years to the current Bush Years and those in between. You can easily find out that Mark Twain wrote Huckleberry Finn in 1884 or that the first Xerox image was created in 1938, or even that Congress approved raising the national debt to $6.4 trillion in 2002! All of this on a three-page foldout that's even laminated and three hole punched to keep in a binder! This resource is invaluable to all students of American history.

BarCharts, Inc. Getting out of Debt QuickStudy® (Home) is a laminated two page foldout filled front and back with sections on Building and Rebuilding Credit, Debt Management, and Your Credit Reports. This QuickStudy® contains all the information you need to know to establish credit, rebuild lost credit, how to get and read your credit report, or get rid of debt once and for all. Whether you are a homeschooling family trying to operate on one-income, or a student of consumer mathematics or economics, this QuickStudy® Guide has what you need.

Commonly Misspelled and Confused Words by BarCharts, Inc. is a laminated QuickStudy® Academic guide for "words that give everyone trouble; in school, at home or at the office." The gem of this study is the Frequently Misused/Confused Words section, which explains differences in such words as connote/denote, or complement/compliment. For instance, paradox/paradigm is explained like this: “"Paradox: two things that seem mutually exclusive, combined (jumbo shrimp); paradigm: a pattern or example." My 12-year-old son grabbed this handy reference and literally ran with it making this mother heart smile. He keeps it in his writing binder for QuickStudy® of confusing words or to find the correct spelling of troublesome ones. Great for junior high and up.

-- Product Review by: Deborah Wuehler, Devotional Editor, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine

Diabetes Bits and Bites, Pasta A-B-C's, and Holiday Entertaining QuickStudy® Guides

QuickStudy® Guides by BarCharts, Inc. (www.quickstudy.com) is one of those great products that makes you think, "Why didn't I think of that?" These handy laminated reference guides cover 250 titles including everything from anatomy to physics to calculus to law to psychology to entertaining. The company started by creating study guides for law students and has now branched out into many academic, business, and family topics.

I admit that I'm a visual learner - the more pictures and graphs the better - so I found these handy charts very interesting. Each guide has two, four or six laminated 8.5" x 11" pages, with vivid graphics and a very nice visual presentation. The information flows easily from section to section, making it easy to find what you want to know quickly. Helpful hints are scattered throughout to provide a bit more information here and there. Clear charts help condense large amounts of information into understandable blocks.

I reviewed three cooking and entertaining guides (Diabetes Bits and Bites, Pasta A-B-C's, and Holiday Entertaining), a Quicken 2003 guide, and a legal guide (Secured Transactions). The three cooking and entertainment guides each contain several tantalizing recipes (such as Popcorn Dressing, Fiesta Quesadillas, and Asian Pasta Salad), helpful charts (such as Measurement Equivalents, "Quickie" Appetizers, and Pasta Combos), and some excellent tips (such as Stress-Free Turkey Carving, Pasta Reheating Tips, and a Diabetes Food Pyramid). Several recipes contain alcohol that could be left out or substituted for, if you prefer. My son and I tried some of the recipes with good results. Who knew stuffing with popcorn as an ingredient could be so tasty? The Diabetes Bits and Bites guide includes nutritional information for all of the recipes and information about eating a healthy and satisfying diabetic diet. The Holiday Entertaining guide has a great chart showing how much of each type of food, such as appetizers, veggies, different main courses, and beverages, to prepare for 10, 25, or 50 guests. All three of these guides were comprehensive, informative, and fun.

The Quicken 2003 guide covers all of the basics of this great financial program, plus some extra helpful hints. I've used Quicken for years and still learned a few secrets that make the program easier and more powerful to use. I think the content would be just right for someone who is new to the program or who wants reminders about how to do some of the more frequently used functions. It would probably not be very helpful for experienced Quicken users, other than a few helpful hints.

The Secured Transactions guide gives an "in-depth look at regulating the balance between the goals of a debtor and a creditor." This guide made my head hurt a bit - but I'm not an attorney. It seems to be very thorough, but is not written in everyday language. The law guides might be excellent for law students or attorneys to have a handy guide to major legal issues, or for those who have some background in a particular area of law. They might be too technical for someone who just wants a bit of information and doesn't know the legal "lingo."

So, how could these guides help homeschooling families? Let me count the ways. First, the guides provide a comprehensive overview of the major issues on 250 different topics, such as advanced math or science classes. Maybe you are teaching your high school student chemistry or calculus and want to have some of the formulas and concepts handy, or you need some quick reminders about child development. Second, there are many guides for popular computer programs, health and entertaining, herbs and spices, chess, etc., that might be interesting or assist in your homeschooling. Third, perhaps you or your kids are taking a college class and need detailed anatomy guides, legal analysis, abnormal psychology tips, etc. If you are an expert on a topic, the guides probably won't help much. Likewise, if you know nothing about a topic, the guides may not provide enough information. However, these handy guides are great overviews for visual learners; excellent for presenting some of the major information in a thorough, interesting way, for a reasonable cost of $2.95 to $5.95 each.

-- Product Review by: Dr. Anne Margaret Wright, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine

Canadian History BarChart and Pasta A-B-C's BarChart

"Simple idea, excellently done! Try them, they are very inexpensive, and you will not be disappointed! " -- The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine

When The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine's lead product reviewer Debra sent me a few of these BarCharts to review, I didn't think much of them at first. They seemed far too simplistic at first glance - I mean, how could anyone get pertinent information onto only three or four laminated pieces of paper? Well, these BarCharts are SUPERB! I was asked to review the Canadian History BarChart, and I must say, I will be keeping this around for all of my children's history lessons for many years to come! BarCharts are, in fact, study guides. The Canadian History BarChart contained every important fact from Canadian history that I could think of, and some that I didn't even know! They will be an excellent supplement to our learning, and it is so very handy to have all the dates and important points right at your fingertips! The BarCharts are laminated, fold out charts that fit perfectly into a binder. The laminating was an excellent idea, as they prove much more durable, and will easily last through all four of my children's education! Simple idea, excellently done! I was very impressed! Check them out at www.barcharts.com. You will find over 250 charts on every subject you can imagine.

I was also asked to review the Pasta A-B-C's BarChart, and I was a bit stumped at first as to why this would be included in a homeschool package. That lasted until I started reading the chart, and got my very eager, but very messy children to help with a recipe or two. These make excellent home economics helps for teaching children how to cook and prepare foods. The laminating again, is a good idea, as they wipe up with ease if you happen to spill something on them, as we did! I enjoyed reading through this straightforward, but very impressive chart, and I'm sure we will continue using them for other subjects. I could see where the English grammar charts could really help my sons study for tests and write papers. Try them, they are very inexpensive, and you will not be disappointed!

-- Product Review by: Holly Cameron, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine

QuickStudy® Guides

QuickStudy® Guides, published by BarCharts, Inc., are "what is all the rave" in the homeschool community. Here is what happened. Twelve years ago, a man named John Ford, who was an entrepreneur in real estate, had an idea. His wife Bobbie was studying to take the Florida state bar to become an attorney, and she had written some really good notes to remember during her constitutional law class. John thought to himself that these notes, which gave the basics that must be committed to memory, could be very useful for other students. To make a long story short, soon the University of Arizona ordered several "charts," as he called them. Now, BarCharts Inc. is bringing in close to $10 million dollars per year, with their educational charts for students, which cover just about any subject you can think of. The Old Schoolhouse® requested that the company send in ten charts for review, and they promptly sent 11, along with an additional package of 11 for a reader! We were beyond impressed. It is amazing how they can fit so much information (vital facts to help past the ending test) into one large, laminated page. Their charts are colorful and very nicely done. Walk into any major bookstore chain, and you are most likely to see them in a tidy display (Check Borders Books and Staples Office Supply). Medical terminology charts, Shakespeare charts, marketing charts, business letters charts, law school charts, every imaginable computer program charts, cooking charts, foreign language charts, herb charts, how to play chess charts, anatomy charts, how to write term papers and essays charts, U.S. Constitution charts, astronomy charts, physics charts, biology charts, English charts - I could go on and on. The charts are a perfect size and come three-hole punched, so you can pop them right in your binder. Our advice to homeschoolers - get them! They are perfect for studying for tests and can be greatly used as supplementation to current classes. And they're cheap! Most are under $4 or $5, which is incredible, considering all the information packed into each one! If you take, say, an English class, you would buy the grammar and punctuation chart. I know when my son goes and takes the California state high school test, so we can enroll him in college, he will study several of these key ones (math and English in particular) the week before, as "insurance." They make the ever-popular Cliffnotes almost a thing of the past. BarCharts, Inc., was one of only ten winners to receive our Award of Excellence in Education, for 2001. The Old Schoolhouse® considers these charts the number ONE product to use for study aids on the market. Wonderful for homeschoolers. Keep your eye on their ever-updated line. Go to their website to find out more, and submit your ideas to them for future charts you would like to see. Super friendly company!

-- Product Review by: Publishers, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine

When ordering from BarCharts, use the following code to receive a 10% discount for TOS friends only: #2004539CCC

Black History QuickStudy Guide

The Black History QuickStudy Guide by BarCharts is a noble effort. The incorporation of the timeline helps students to see how Black History events relate and fit into history at large. Black history is normally taught as an unrelated and unconnected subject; the guide makes it easy to visualize the whole picture as opposed to bits and pieces.

When I was first asked to review this product, I was very enthusiastic about it. Well, after receiving the guide and reviewing it, I became quite discouraged. One would think that a company like BarCharts would have researched and verified all their information. Special care should have been taken when presenting another's history as fact. In actuality, it is in error. Example: 1926 Carl G. Woodson starts Negro History Week. This is not true; it was Carter G. Woodson (major error about the father of Black History). Example: In 1963 George Wallace, governor of Georgia - stop here - George Wallace was NEVER the governor of Georgia. He was the governor of Alabama. Who can forget the man that stood in the doorway of the University of Alabama to keep two black students from entering?

At this point, I was ready to put the guide down, but I continued my review; however, I did so from a biased standpoint because of those two major errors. Now I was beginning to question all points they had listed as fact.

So I researched a few myself for accuracy and - another error. In 1976 Rubin (Hurricane) Carter and John Artis were not freed after serving nine years for murder. They were actually retried and returned to prison. It was not until November 7, 1985 that a federal judge would free Carter, stating that the convictions were based on racial prejudices and not facts.

Why is all this so important? Simple; for those who are not familiar with black history and take these false facts as truth, a great disservice will be done.

The overall usefulness of the guide is good. It aims to illustrate and highlight the achievement of a people; however, the easily researchable errors, in my opinion, show a disregard of the importance of the subject matter. It greatly discredits the creditability of their work; now, former, and future.

-- Product Review by: Audrey Turner, Georgia State Coordinator, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine

Bar Charts Quick Study
By: Bar Charts, Inc.
www.quickstudy.com

6000 Park of Commerce Blvd. Suite B
Boca Raton, Florida 33487
800-226-7799

Bar Charts Quick Study guides are practical reference guides. The titles I reviewed are Children's Nutrition, Dog Care, and Cat Care.

Dog Care and Cat Care Quick Study guides are a pocket size, laminated collection of information for pet owners. Pet owners who want a handy reference guide about nutrition, health care, vaccinations, training, traveling, and more will find these guides full of useful information. I am very surprised I have never seen them at our local pet store and I am going to suggest that they stock them in their book section.

Children's Nutrition is an 8 ½ by 11 laminated tri-fold. It contains nutritional information for children birth through adolescence. The first page contains dietary guidelines for Americans and infant feeding information. Inside you will find nutritional information on babies, preschoolers, school age children, adolescence, picky eaters, obesity, and a guide to eating out. I found the information to be current and accurate. If you every wonder if you child is eating right or you want a guide to healthy eating, Bar Charts Children's Nutrition is an inexpensive and helpful resource. This guide would be very useful for teaching your child proper nutrition and students will find it to be easy to read. My only concern is that while they state, "Breast is Best!", formula feeding gets more written space. I have suggested to the publisher that for future revision breastfeeding problem solving should be included with the infant feeding section.

Visit Bar Charts at www.quickstudy.com for an up-to-date list of their current publications. They get a high five from my family!

-- Product Review by: Tina Rice, Staff Writer, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine

Quick Study Guides
By: Bar Charts
www.quickstudy.com

6000 Park of Commerce Blvd. Suite D
Boca Raton, Florida 33487
Phone: 800-226-7799

These handy little study guides are GREAT! When I received these, I was immediately impressed by the layout, design, and durability! The guides are laminated and tri-folded so they are compact and easy for little hands to handle and easy to wipe-off when those hands have just had a sticky snack. The guides that I am reviewing are Dog Care, Cat Care, and Nutrition.

The Dog Care guide contains information about the care and training of your dog. It gives you information on exercise and fitness, nutrition (if your dog is obese), vaccination schedule, common ailments, flea control, traveling with your pet, and how to care for your dog (ear care, brushing and bathing your dog). The guide has anatomy pictures (basic body parts and internal organs). The pictures are in full color, very detailed and clearly labeled--my children loved this feature! We learned that we were overfeeding our dog and that she's obese...we also learned how to help her loose a few pounds. I found the "Training" section of the guide very informative too! This section takes you through basic training categories such as: obedience training, house training, and desensitization training. Each step has several pointers and tips to help you thorough each stage.

The Cat Care guide takes you through nutrition, physical exams, parasite control, controlling obesity, dental care, and caring for older cats. It has tips on housing your cat indoors and how to train your cat (YES, cats can be trained). The training tips are very helpful and they worked when we used some of the tips on our sometimes-pesky kitty! Again, this guide has anatomy of cats with detailed drawings of the skeletal set up and internal organs.

Both the Dog Care and Cat Care guides are a MUST have for every pet owner!

The Nutrition guide helped to clarify some points in our health studies! This guide covers basic metabolic rate, nutrition, fats, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals and also includes a nutrition table. This guide explains what Basal Metabolic Rate actually is and how to calculate yours by using your age, height and weight. It also helps you to understand about the role of fats, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals in your diet and how they affect your body. The chart of nutrients sorts out the type, gives you natural sources, how to take the nutrient, how to tell if you've had too much and how to tell if you have too little. With so many diets on the market today, this guide is essential for understanding real nutrition! It will help you to understand how to eat, what to eat and when to eat it!

Be sure to go to the company website to find the entire list of Quick Study Guides. They produce academic guides, medical guides, computer guides, as well as home and business guides. On their website, you can download a sample guide too!



-- Product Review by: Anissa DeGrasse, Senior Homeschool Nation Coordinator, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine