Geography is one of our favorite subjects! We love to explore the world and learn all about other places in the world and how people live there. Over the years, we have enjoyed many different resources and created our own! We love living books and literature set in beautiful places. We love to go on adventures through the pages of a book. We enjoy songs that help us memorize geography facts and games that help us remember country names and capitals. We have enjoyed living textbooks and created our own curriculum with unit study fun. We have enjoyed cooking and baking from around the world. Unit studies have been a blast, too! Finally, we love to read and research so we can learn more about other places. Here are some of our very favorite geography resources. We hope you will enjoy them, too. Disclosure: This blog post contains affiliate links from my participation in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. . I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my link. Reel Kids Adventures from YWAMOur family loves this literature series from YWAM: The Reel Kids Adventures. These Christian kids travel the world to make videos and on their way solves mysteries. You can purchase The Amazon Stranger, The Missing Video, The Himalayan Rescue, and Mystery at Smokey Mountain on Amazon. Look for more titles here. You can also buy the whole set of 10 books from YWAM here. Classic Literature Set in Foreign Countries
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Luis lives in Columbia with his wife Diana. He loves to read and buys lots and lots of books. He has so many books, he has to get rid of some which gives him a great idea. He will create a mobile library, transported from town to town on the back of a donkey. Luis and his traveling library go from village to village, reading books to children and letting them take books home to read. Books, biblio in Spanish, and donkey, burro in Spanish led to the book's title, Biblioburro by Jeanette Winter. Beyond the charming story, this picture book is filled with charming illustrations that children love! The pictures are bright and cheery! The story of one man's outreach to his fellow Colombians is delightful. Your little lambs will want to hear it again and again. Children are often told that the small unit of life is the cell when we are studying plants, animals, and people (life science). But, in physical science, we are told that the smallest unit of matter is the atom. They are both true. Living Things are made up of matter that is made up of atoms and molecules, too. You see a cell has many components like ribosomes, mitochondria, and lysosomes. These components are made up of large molecules and the molecules are made up of atoms. Proteins, sugars, and fats are all molecules. The oxygen that your cells so desperately need is a molecule. Inside the cell, chemical reactions are happening all the time! Inside the cell, you will find atoms as part of molecules. Their electrons in an atom are busy beavers participating in all kinds of movement during the chemical reactions that keep a person alive. In the cellular level, the processes that provide oxygen (respiration), energy (glucose), and building things like antibodies are pure chemistry! I remember so many times staring a test in college, thinking, "I know this! Why can't I remember?" Years later, I was homeschooling my own children and they had their own struggles with remembering information. Whether you are a college student or teaching a preschooler, learning should be a joyful experience. Wait! You're not experiencing joy in your learning journey? It's hard to remember things. Or your not enjoying your homeschool adventure because it's hard to teach your children so they remember things. This is for all of those who struggle to remember what they learn and for all the teachers who teach them. Here are some tips to help you learn to remember. They work for all ages, even homeschool moms. "Look to your left," the professor barked. We all look to our left. "Now look to your right!" We all looked to our right. "Half of you will fail this class." My first day of Human Anatomy and Physiology my sophomore year of college was off to a dismal start. I was paralyzed for a month with fear of failure. If you want to remember or help your students remember, start by setting yourself or your students up for success. Set Up for SuccessSet yourself or your student up for success by expressing confidence in your ability to learn whatever is before you! Nothing is impossible with God! We can do all things through Christ who gives us strength! Surround yourself with positive people who cheer you on and be a cheerleader to your students. Set yourself up for success by getting plenty of sleep, eating healthy foods, and exercising regularly. Good health makes learning easier. Setting yourself up for success also involves the environment. Choose a place to study with plenty of light and fairly quiet. Make sure you find a comfortable place to read and study. I like to read while I sit on a comfy couch or recliner. If I read in bed, I fall asleep. Light energizes me so if the weather is dark and cloudy, I turn on plenty of lights. What is your optimal environment? Your students'? When I am stressed out or frustrated, I have a hard time studying. If I'm trying to teach and feel stressed, my students are on edge, too. They cannot learn because they are too busy wondering what's wrong with me and what I am going to say. Sometimes when the children were little, I would become frustrated when they couldn't "get" something. I would have to take a break and get my joy back. One day I was trying every way possible to teach Julianna first, second, third. I was so angry that she couldn't understand all the creative ways I was trying to show her the concept. So we took a break. I said a quick prayer and immediately got an idea. We went into her bedroom where I lined all the stuffed animals up and pointed to each of the first three in line. "First, second, third," I said. She got it! Now, I thought all my other illustrations were more creative, but that's what clicked for her! Keep trying different methods until it clicks. When things get tense, take a break for five or ten minutes to calm down. Understanding Helps You RememberWhen you combine an adventure, a mystery, and loads of British history, you get a novel that's impossible to put down. Britfield & The Lost Crown is the first in a brand new series from the world of Britfield. Tom and Sarah are trapped in a horrible orphanage that seems to jump right off the pages of a Victorian novel written by Charles Dickens. The owners are evil and dastardly. Right away, our hearts were bonded with the orphans and we held our breath through the adventure and several near-captures as Tom and Sarah escape. Sarah grew up wealthy, but Tom only remembers poverty. Together, they are determined to escape and rescue their former orphanage-inhabitants. So, off they go, on one breathtaking adventure after another from Yorkshire to Oxford to Windsor to London to Canterbury. Oh, did I mention the escape begins in a hot-air balloon. Alright, here is the truth. I personally don't like so much adventure. I love classics that move more slowly. But, everyone else? Well, everyone else loved all the adventure! It was like watching an action movie! One thing I love was seeing all the place through Tom and Sarah's eyes. So much history! So much to discover. It made me want to travel to England and explore the whole country. Though not overtly Christian, the book was wholesome and there was nothing that was inappropriate or upsetting. Britfield & The Lost Crown will make a perfect read aloud for any homeschooling family that loves a good adventure story. Homeschooling moms will love the geography, history, architecture, and positive character exemplified in the book. I have four lovely daughters. They are all grown now and love the Lord with all their hearts. That's not because I was a perfect mother because I made tons of mistakes. God was very gracious to cover my inadequacy with His grace. However, I do want to share some of the things I purposed in my heart to do in raising my God's Girls. I think it will minister to you if you find yourself raising daughters. Did you ever stop to think about why God created women? Well, I do. I notice that men and women are different. Not just physically, but emotionally, intellectually, and socially. Women reflect God's image in a unique way. In some ways, all people reflect the image of God, but in a unique way, women were created to reflect God as Creator and Sustainer of Life. Just think about it. Our bodies are created to nourish a separate life right inside our bodies! When we give birth, we are able to sustain little babies with breast-milk right from our bodies! It's amazing! I mean, can a man have life grow right inside him or feed a baby from his body? What a privilege it is to be women! However, I believe that the physical just represents who we are in the other areas. Emotionally and practically, we bring forth life wherever we go. We nurture our own children and everyone else around us! We add beauty and fragrance to the lives of those who know us! The essence of femininity is to bring forth life and nurture the life of everyone around us. The Gift of a DaughterA daughter is a heritage, a reward. What a blessing to have a baby girl! I was so upset when China only allowed her citizens to have one child. If they got pregnant again, they had to kill the unborn baby. Another thing that broke my heart was that most Chinese couples only wanted sons. Do they not understand biology? I wondered. Years later I read The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck. That book helped me to understand Chinese culture. You see, if a family got a girl, she grew up and left her household to go be part of her husband's and his father's household. So, the Chinese parents felt like they were just raising a daughter for a few years for another family. I am so grateful it's not like that in our culture. Daughters are so good at valuing family ties into their old age. There is an old saying I learned as a girl: 'A son is a son til he takes a wife, but a daughter is a daughter for the rest of her life.' Now, I'm not saying all sons abandon the family, but I am surrounded by daughters who are so kind and loyal to their parents and siblings. They inspire me! All that to say this: When you give birth to or adopt a daughter, you are beginning a lifetime relationship. There is a lifetime of love ahead for you! Family Movie Nights are a weekly event in our home. We enjoy popping some popcorn and watching a good movie that everyone enjoys. Okay, there is a catch to this Hallmark moment movie night. We have trouble finding movies that we all enjoy and more importantly, we have a hard time finding a movie that is wholesome. So, I will share some of the movies we've found that the whole family enjoys. These movies are hits in our house. I think you will enjoy them too. Some of the movies are Christian (Risen, Facing the Giants, Polycarp). They inspire us and motivate us to draw closer to Jesus. Other movies make us laugh (Mom's Night Out, Cars, Princess Bride). Some our Hollywood versions of Christians stories (Chariots of Fire, Sound of Music) Movies can impact us in a positive or negative way. Everyone loves a good story. A good movie with a delightful story and sparkling acting is a blessing for the whole family. Movies often lead to discussions afterward or even weeks/months later. Disclosure: This blog post contains affiliate links from my participation in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. . I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my link. Chariots of FireThis is the story of Eric Liddell, a gold medal winner in the 1924 Olympics. His devotion to the Lord is exempliary and inspiring! The movie also follows another runner who must overcome anti-Semetic prejudice in his quest for winning. This awarding winning movie (Academy Award for Best Picture) was released in 1981. The Ultimate Gift?fter 4 daughters, I had every book a girl could dream of. But, what about my son? I had to find books he would love. In my quest to introduce Jimmy to great books full of adventure, along with wholesomeness and Christian inspiration, I found R.M. Ballantyne. A Christian author on a quest to enchant and inspire children with amazing adventures, Robert Michael Ballantyne books are thrilling. My son loved them and I think yours will, too. Robert Michael Ballantyne was born in Edinburgh into a family of famous printers and publishers. At 16, he traveled to Canada to serve for six years with the Hudson's Bay Company, returning to to Scotland in 1847. During his time in Canada, he traded with the local Native Americans for furs, which required him to travel by canoe and sleigh to the areas occupied by the modern-day provinces of Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec. He published his first book in 1848, Hudson's Bay: or Life in the Wilds of North America. He wrote a series of adventure stories for children with a strong Christian message. Homeschooling Moms, they also contain tons of history, geography, and science information. In 1866, Robert married Jane Grant. God blessed them with 3 sons and 3 daughters. This father of six has left a legacy of adventure books for boys, though girls will enjoy them, too! isclosure: This blog post contains affiliate links from my participation in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. . I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my link. The Coral IslandR.M. Ballantyne spins an exciting tale of shipwreck and survival in The Coral Island. They encounter cannibals and pirates. Filled with biblical truths and Christian principles, this book still has it after nearly a century and a half. You will love this adventure! The Gorilla HuntersHome School in the Woods is one of my favorite go-to places for history fun! I was so excited to review Project Passport World History Studies: Middle Ages, a digital product that comes with hours and hours of learning fun! Since I had done another Project Passport (you can read my review of Project Passport World History Studies: Renaissance and Reformation here), I knew what to expect. We made our scrapbook, started the luggage folder, and put our Scrapbook of sights together to fill later. That's how I will start all the Passport Projects we do in the future too. It just helps me to feel organized and ready to work. I always like to start with reading a few good books aloud. Otto of the Silver Hand by Howard Pyle and A Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver by by EL Konigsburg would be perfect to read aloud while we worked on the project. Since this is a digital product, we printed what we needed and read lots of information right on the laptop. While we listened to the audios, we did all our coloring projects. After we listened to the audio, we worked on creative writing projects, played games, and put projects together. This routine worked really well for us. Let me give you an example. Stop #4 is Called Everyday Life--The Family We learn about Feudalism in the Text Stop #4 We listen to the Audio Tour: "Interview Among the Classes While we listened to the audios we colored for our project After listening, we wrote up 2 newspaper articles: "Arranged Marriage Announcements" and "A New Castle is Erected" We also put the Medieval Structure of Classes together The whole thing took us about an hour. What I love best about this Passport Project:
Stop #19 is my favorite stop with the Code of Chivalry, Steps from being a Page to a Knight project, and making a Coat of Arms. Hey, I'm just a romantic at heart. Knights, castles, fair maidens, dragon slayers... Zoos, Aquariums, Botanical Gardens, and Natural Museums allow children to see God's Creation up close, to learn more about all of His amazing creation. Children love to see things up close, especially animals! Our family has always enjoyed zoos and aquariums the most! There's something about see seals and monkeys play that always delights me! And I'm a grown-up! The sad thing is that so many of those zoos, aquariums, gardens, and museums teach evolution and don't believe that God sent a worldwide flood in the time of Noah. It should not surprise us that people who don't know the Lord don't want to glorify the Creator of all things. "Scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. 4 They will say, 'Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.' 5 For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, 6 and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. 7 But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly" (II Peter 3:2-7 ESV). Just because the world is misguided, doesn't stop us from teaching truth to our little ones. I love to show my children the truths about our Creator in the Bible. When I see a gorgeous sunset or an adorable animal, I remind whoever is around that we serve an amazing Creator! I want my children to look around in wonder at the world and all it contains; then, pause and praise God! So, how can we visit these fun places and teach our children the truth? The most important thing I can do to get my school year off to a good start is to dedicate the coming school year to the Lord. Seek His Kingdom First Jesus promised that if I seek first His Kingdom, then everything I truly need will be added to me. No good thing will the Lord withhold from me! We like to gather as a family and pray for the year ahead. That includes everyone. Dad, Mom, teens, and littles all pray. This is not a Hallmark moment; it is a battle in the heavenly realms. Prayer Philippians 4 reminds us that instead of worrying, we can present all our requests to God. He will not only answer, but guard our minds and hearts with His peace. You see, Ephesians 6 reveals to us that prayer is a weapon of warfare for the Christian. God answers prayer! Dedicate the coming school year to the Lord, but don’t stop there. Include Jesus in every school day. Bring every problem to Him throughout the year, from difficulty memorizing multiplication tables to constant bickering between siblings. Surrender to Succeed Worldview is the set of ideas, values, and presuppositions through which you view the world. What? Well, it’s like putting on a pair of sunglasses that color everything you see. What kind of sunglasses do you wear? Everyone in the world wears a pair of sunglasses through which they view life, people, and ideas. Many people collect little pieces of their worldview over time through parents, school, movies, and friends. Biblical Worldview A Christian worldview is based on the Bible. The Bible reveals God’s heart and thoughts—the way He views the world. A wise person will try to line up his worldview with what the Bible has to say. Sometimes Christians don’t realize that their worldview is based more on secular ideas and morality instead of the Bible. The Bible speaks to all of life. The Bible speaks to every subject. Theology/ Who is God? What do you believe about God? Let me share with you what the Bible has to say. God Is. He exists. He has always existed. God is One and exists in Three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God created everything that exists, seen and unseen, out of nothing. He spoke and it came to be. He is personally involved in His creation. His creation is accountable to Him. God is Holy. God is Love. Life is more than what we can see in the natural world. There is a supernatural realm that is unseen. Angels and demons wage war in that supernatural realm. Christians are seated with Christ in this heavenly realm. We please God with faith. We access grace through faith. Faith is a gift from God. Ethics/Morality "Let's see subs, tunnels..." I began. "You mean trenches," Jimmy interrupted. "Yes, trenchs. Let's do subs and a trench sundae for lunch," I decided. That would be fun! We were studying World War I, as part of our HIS Story of the 20th Century world history course. I didn't think the kids would enjoying eating rations, so we decided to be symbolic. We would eat subs because submarines, or subs, played a big part in World War I. Remember the sinking of the Lusitania? The kids loved the subs, but the real hit was the Trench Sundae! Would you like to make your own Trench Sundae? Here's how we did it! What fun to study the USA with Crafty Classroom. We were so excited to download our USA Activity Bundle Pack. The check-out and process of downloading was so easy. The USA Activity Bundle Pack includes 3 e-books: USA State by State Activity Notebook, USA State Bird Art Cards, and USA 50 State Mazes. As soon as we downloaded our USA Activity Bundle Pack, we immediately got to work printing the first pages we wanted to use. We started with our home state and the states closest to us: Florida, Alabama, and Georgia. We downloaded their pages from the USA State by State Activity Notebook. We also printed the mazes from each of those states from USA 50 State Mazes. Finally, we printed mockingbird page from the USA State Bird Art Cards e-book. This is how we put it all together in a geography lesson. We started with a large USA map and found all three states. We found the capitals: Tallahassee, Montgomery, and Alabama. We found rivers and lakes, cities we'd heard of and cities we hadn't. We spent a lot time exploring the large map. Next, we read a book on Florida from the library and filled our our Florida notebook page and completed the map. We decided to make our mockingbird (Florida state bird) art card next, coloring in our bird with colored pencils. We decided to make a list of all the places we had visited in Florida and another list of all the places we wanted to visit in Florida. Then we made a citrus fruit salad with Florida grapefruit, oranges, and tangelos. We followed the same format for Georgia (peach cobbler) and Alabama (banana pudding). I love historical fiction, so I was so excited to read The Heart Changer by Jarm Del Boccio, a middle-grade (ages 7 -12) story set in Bible times, on my Kindle. Knowing she is a fellow teacher at SchoolhouseTeachers.com made me even more excited! I read the book first on my Kindle. I read my Kindle each evening before I fall asleep and found this book easy to use on my tablet. I was so nervous when Miriam was kidnapped and so sad about her being separated from her family. You see, right away I was swept up emotionally in the story set in the Middle East. I loved Miriam who trusted the Lord, yet struggled with doubts sometimes. It was exciting to learn about the workings of an Assyrian household. The household was headed by Naaman, a commander in the Assyrian Army. On a raid through Israel, Miriam is captured and taken home to be a servant girl to the Commander's wife. She leaves behind her loving family in Israel to become part of a wealthy Assyrian household. When the Commander comes down with leprosy, Miriam tells him about the prophet Elisha who is able to heal people with the power of God. Well, you know the story from II Kings, but Jarm brings it alive in a fresh way to her readers. The story moved quickly. I loved reading it. Beyond adventure, there was spiritual application. Miriam grew closer to her Creator King, the God of Israel. The book was encouraging and inspiring. We also read it together and found it just as exciting. Everyone liked it! As a homeschooling mom, I see historical fiction as a treasure that brings other times and places alive for my children. I love finding excellent works that will add to my children's understanding of ancient times, especially biblical history. This book is a perfect addition to our home school library! |
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