Review: Marshall Publishing (George Washington Carver DVD)

Quick...what do monster trucks and George Washington Carver have in common?

Give up?

They are both topics covered on DVDs by Marshall Publishing!

You (or your kids) may already be familiar with some of Marshall Publishing's AS SEEN ON TV product lines covering topics such as jets, trains, fire trucks, and yes, monster trucks.   What you may not realize, however, is that Marshall Publishing also has a number of award-winning historical and educational DVDs.  Of these, I received George Washington Carver: His Life and His Work for review.

Recommended for grades 8-12, this 30-minute DVD covers George Washington Carver's life from his beginnings in slavery through his final years at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama.  The story of Carver, with his perseverance and insatiable appetite for knowledge, is sure to be inspirational to all who view this DVD.

George Washington Carver: His Life and His Work begins with quotes of Carver while various still pictures and short clips are shown.  This style continues through-out the DVD, with the narrator taking the viewer through the various periods and accomplishments of Carver's extraordinary life. 

My 7th grade son and 9th grade daughter both watched the DVD. My son briefly studied George Washington Carver about 6 months ago, and thought the DVD was a great review with some new information, too. My daughter, who is currently studying U.S. history, said it was informative and interesting, but the found the accompanying visual presentation just ok. While definitely not boring, it isn't a presentation with a lot of flash.  Even if this isn't your student's style, the narration is quite good and enough to maintain interest alone. I personally found the photography, clips, and musical score to be a nice compliment to, while not detracting from, the narration. A study guide with discussion questions is also available at the website under the product description. This documentary style and approach, however, probably won't appeal to younger kids.  While the DVD is recommended for grades 8-12, I'd say that kids as young as 4th or 5th grade would probably enjoy learning about George Washington Carver in this format.

George Washington Carver: His Life and His Work is the type of educational resource that I would hope to see on the shelves of my local library. It would be a nice addition to a homeschool co-op library or a personal library as well. Be sure to visit the Marshall Publishing website for more educational titles.

George Washington Carver: His Life and His Work is regularly priced at $24.94, but is currently available for a web sale price for $19.95.  If you use coupon code TOSC1, you will also receive an additional 15% off this title. And while you are at it, add a DVD to learn about monster trucks to your shopping cart, too!

 Read more reviews of this product by visiting the official TOS Crew blog!

Disclaimer: This review was provided as a result of my participation in The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Crew. I was provided the product free of charge in exchange for my honest review. I have received no other compensation. I strive to give a balanced overview of each product, detailing my opinion of both pros and cons and how the product worked for my family. What works for one family may not work for another. I encourage you to read reviews of other Crew members and research sufficiently to determine if any product will be a benefit to your homeschool.