Greetings!

You may have noticed we have been quiet lately!  As many of you, Beth and I are up to our eyeballs finishing school, catching up on recordkeeping, working on upcoming high school classes and more.  In the meantime, enjoy this insightful post from a homeschooled teen currently living in Finland.

Blessings on your week,

Dana

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10 Thoughts on Encouraging Independent Learning

Learning to be independent is a complex task we all deal with as we get older. On top of their own experience growing up, parents have to go through the process with each child. For most parents it’s easy to let schools do the talking, but for a lot of homeschoolers the ultimate goal in educating their children is teaching them how to learn on their own. The process is gradual, usually taking most of the child’s at-home life.

Here are a few tips to encourage independence, self-education, and bonding as a family: three things needed to be a responsible and aware learner. Many of these tips can be used while deschooling as well, should you only recently have pulled your child out from the system.

Note: These tips have been compiled for homeschooling teenagers, but the word child/children has been used in most cases to ease adjusting the tips to children of all ages.

1. Discuss important topics whenever possible, whether it be news, history, important people, buildings around you, plants you see, anything! Encouraging conversation without a predefined structure will make learning come more naturally. It awakens curiosity and helps everyone share their knowledge. It can even lead to looking up information together, should you come to a point in the conversation where no one knows the answer to a question or comment. It even comes with a bonus: you get to know each others’ levels on certain topics. Best of all, natural conversation with an adult will help children of all ages understand that adults are human, too, and make mistakes just like kids do. Discussion is important for bonding, sharing morals, and teaching your child by example. Even babies should be talked to: the younger children make connections in their brains the better their learning experience will be later on in life.

2. When discussing with your child bring up their interests and goals, no matter their age. It’ll make it easier to supply them with what they need as well as open up your child to the thought of making goals and reaching them, an important life skill. Encourage them to keep track of what they want to do on their own, as well. Should they be more actively academic a good idea is listing off what they would still like to learn.

3. Make a day trip to the local library and encourage your children to take out whatever they’re interested in. If they’re reluctant you could help them: ask what their favorite things to do are, what they’re interested in, and go on from there. Librarians would most likely be at hand to help you, as well as direct you to the correct area of the library. There should be computers available for browsing the contents of the library, and there could possibly be a map of the library somewhere within the building (just ask the librarians ).

4. If your child absolutely refuses the idea of libraries try this: leave books around the house on topics you know your child is interested in. No matter how academic (or nonacademic ) the material, encouraging reading is an important step in self-directed learning. For example if they like comics you could encourage them to read about the maker of their favorite comics, how comics are made, and similar topics. Creative twists to broaden topics are always out there, feel free to brainstorm!

5. Smothering a child with too much structure isn’t going to support their independence, and will in fact make them lean more and more on you as time goes on (sound similar to a different educational system? ). Teenagers especially will need space and if they don’t get enough will react negatively and rebel to express frustration. In a library, for example, you could give them a tip about asking the librarian if they need help, and then let them handle it on their own while you observe from afar. If you don’t give your child an opportunity to test their independence they will never achieve it. It’s also important for them to break any connections between forced, boring, and learning, and make new ones based on their experience of choosing and studying on their own. They might not even directly realize they’re learning!

6. Take “negative” words and labels according to today’s schooled society, and make them positive. Nerd, geek, dork, weird, etc are good examples. Children need to understand that being knowledgeable or interested in something considered academic, intellectual, nerdy, geeky, etc isn’t a bad thing. What’s so wrong about knowing something? The only problem there is is that people that feel less knowledgeable will usually respond with hostile jealousy. Having that understanding will help remove obstacles between your child and them taking initiative in their education.

7. Starting out with unit studies is a good way to encourage curiosity and broaden the child’s understanding of how things work. When you cover a topic deeply enough you’ll help the child understand that academic subjects are mostly arbitrary - making it easier for them to pull together information and make better connections in their learning. They’re covering all the subjects in a natural manner, in a way that makes sense. Natural learning environments will indirectly teach the child how to handle new information in the future. The easier their learning is, the happier the child will be to continue to broaden their knowledge.

8. Keep kids away from mindless video games when they’re younger ( don’t buy game consoles! ), and use the time to teach them about responsibility and priorities. A positive view of self-enrichment will stay with them, making them able to be responsible with gaming as they’re older. Should they really want the gaming experience it’s possible to make a lesson out of the game: money management within the game, new vocabulary from the game manual and instructions, reading reviews and the wikipedia article before purchasing, earning play time with work/chores, etc. A new twist to the situation could be having them teach YOU about the game: encouraging conversation, bonding, and most importantly a little bit of fun. On the other side of gaming: educational games can be a great addition to learning and usually won’t need encouraging.

9. “Traditional” games such as word searches, Sudoku, board games, etc. are usually good things to have around the house. Most of the time people don’t even think of the intellectual value of such activities. You could keep a “boredom corner” in the house and direct your kids there should they ever complain about not having something to do. Art materials, brain teasers, a camera, and objects good for building Goldberg-style “machines” are all great to include. Creativity is a very important factor in learning, no matter the subject.

10. And far from least: As many of these tips suggest it’s important to encourage any sort of independence. Confidence, knowledge of oneself and one’s abilities, and the experience of self-directed activity will eventually lead to learning. We learn in all activities we do, and the more experienced we are in exploring the world around us the more valuable we see knowledge. Self-directed activities your children already do might not exactly include mowing the lawn or reading a book on calculus, but any project or activity your child does on their own is bringing them one step closer to independence: both in learning and in life.

And as a bonus! >> Be a self-directed learner yourself, and teach by example. Never got around to learning French like you always wanted to? Keeping putting off that self-instruction course on gardening for later? Now’s the time, your children are keeping a close eye on you.

Good luck, and happy learning!

——-
Anna H. (adversarian) is a gifted and talented teen homeschooler residing in Finland. She fills up her time with writing, reading, and learning. Read more on her blog.

In the busy lives of home school families, taking time to share intimate or romantic moments can be challenging. It seems like such a sweet thought to write a poem for your spouse or even your child, but the actual act of writing poetry is daunting for many people. Yet, poetry is a very personal gift that can be enjoyed repeatedly over many years and best of all, it costs almost nothing! You can follow these basic steps to make your poetry writing more successful and less frustrating!

· Read Poetry – look online or at your local library (or bookshelf!) to read through poetry that might inspire you. Don’t neglect Scripture in your research. Books such as Song of Solomon and Psalm offer beautiful, lyrical poetry. As you read, be sure to note any phrases or words that strike your fancy. Some online resources you might want to check out include:

o www.poemhunter.com/classics/

o http://classicpoetryaloud.podomatic.com/ (if you’d rather listen than read)

o http://www.poetry-online.org/christian-poetry-index.htm

· Brainstorm – Fill up a sheet of paper with thoughts and feelings about your poem’s subject. List your favorite qualities about the subject of your poem, be it your spouse or child, and recall the memories that you share. Think of how you felt when you first fell in love or first held your child. Include a list of descriptive words that remind you of these qualities and memories. Some examples might include: heartfelt, passionate, never ending, infinite and precious. Also list strong verbs related to these feelings like: enjoy, promise, remember and compel. Look through a photo album or reread old cards and letters from your spouse to help you get started.

· Create Comparisons – Robert Burns once compared his love with a red, red rose. Shakespeare contrasted his love with a summer’s day. What comparisons could you use with your love? Is your love as certain as the rising of the sun or as deep as the oceans? One solid comparison may offer the full theme of your poem or you may decide to include a couple of comparisons to express yourself completely.

· -To Rhyme or Not to Rhyme – Don’t be intimidated by writing poetry that rhymes. Beautiful poetry flows.

Think of your poetry like song lyrics with a specific rhythm. You decide whether you like free verse or rhymed verses. If you need help rhyming, Rhymer.com offers a free online rhyming dictionary.

· Be Succinct – Use your poetry to create word pictures and express your feelings. Using strong verbs and fewer words strengthens your poem’s meaning. For example, consider these two ways of expressing the same feelings:

Version A: When I think of you, I feel warm and comfortable, like when I look at all of the beautiful colors in a sunset.

Version B: You warm my heart like a brilliant sunset painted across the sky.

Once you have your poetry written, consider your presentation. Options include memorizing and reciting it or simply writing it down on decorative parchment or stationery. At the turn of the century, cross stitched poetry was all the rage, either framed as wall hangings or pillow tops. Accordion books or other types of mini books can be designed to hold poetry as well as a journal that would allow you to continue adding poetry. You can embellish your poem with ribbon, spritz it with perfume or tuck it in a colored bottle. Creating a shadow box with photos, momentos and your poem make a memorable gift. It’s even fun to mail a poem to your spouse or child. Everyone loves to get mail! Simply tucking the poem into a briefcase, notebook or wallet to be discovered at a later date offers a sweet surprise. No matter how you present your poem, the time and effort you put into the verses are sure to delight the recipient.

Poetry offers a beautiful way of sharing your feelings but requires little expense. Rather than just seeing poetry as another teaching obligation, consider it as a way to demonstrate your love for your family.

If you have a creative way of sharing your poetry, questions about poetry or suggestions for writing poems, be sure to respond to this blog!

God bless and happy writing!

Beth

In my last blog, Teaching Character Through Poetry, I generally addressed scripture and poems that you could use for discussing and implementing specific character qualities with your children. So, how exactly would you use this poetry for such a purpose? I’ve outlined below some ideas for each of the references from the last blog in hopes of assisting you in applying those previously discussed lesson possibilities. Hope you find it helpful! Please feel free to comment if you have any ideas for using these poems!

Psalm 1

¹ Blessed is the man
who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers.

² But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

³ He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.

⁴ Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.

⁵ Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

⁶ For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.

Important Character Concepts and Activities from Psalm 1

1. Sometimes we need to understand what not to do as we develop strong, Biblical character. God often tells us not to do certain things or provides non-examples for us. In this Psalm, He is specific about the company we should not keep: “who does not walk the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.”

· Character concept: Whom we associate with does have an affect on our behavior and our beliefs. We must be careful about who we choose for friends and who we allow to influence us. Additionally, note the downward spiral of sin illustrated in verse 1 by examining the verbs: “who does not WALK in the counsel of the wicked or STAND in the way of sinners or SIT in the seat of mockers. What a fitting opportunity to teach your children that sin is deceptive and progressive.

· Possible related activity: Brainstorm the qualities that we want to look for in friends such as honesty, sincerity, kindness, etc. and evaluate our current friendships to determine if we’re headed in the right direction. If you have a special friend that encourages you to have strong character, consider writing him or her a thank you note for being such a good friend.

2. Obeying God’s law is not always easy, but it does lend to a healthier character. We can only hope to obey the laws of the Lord if we spend time examining them and committing them to heart. “But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.”

· Character concept: Obedience with a right attitude. If we are sullen or disrespectful in our disobedience then we are only obeying externally rather than with our heart.

· Possible related activity: Note 2-3 areas in which you have difficulty with obedience and think about how you could improve these aspects of your character. Pray to seek God’s help, specifically asking for forgiveness and assistance with each area. This could be a written assignment for older children. For younger children, drawing or creating a mini-book might be more effective. Be sure to spend some time referring back to these assignments and praising your children as their character improves.

· Character concept: Consistency…and in this case, it’s referring to God’s Word. Healthy habits help build strong character. Having a quiet time of prayer and meditation on God’s Word daily not only builds consistency in this area, but helps children move on to other healthy habits.

· Possible related activity: Assist your child with developing a quiet time for independent prayer and Bible reading. Remember that modeling consistency is one of the best methods for instilling it in your children.

3. This Psalm tells us that the Lord not only watches over the righteous, but that the blessed man will also prosper. This is not necessarily referring to financial profit, but more importantly, spiritual prosperity.

· Character concept: Righteousness is defined as being morally upright, without sin or not being guilty. We should all long for righteousness as God holds the righteous man in such high esteem.

· Possible related activity: Research Scripture for other examples where righteousness is being discussed.

Psalm 8

¹ O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory
above the heavens.

² From the lips of children and infants
you have ordained praise
because of your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.

³ When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,

⁴ what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?

⁵ You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.

⁶ You made him ruler over the works of your hands;
you put everything under his feet:

⁷ all flocks and herds,
and the beasts of the field,

⁸ the birds of the air,
and the fish of the sea,
all that swim the paths of the seas.

⁹ O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Important Character Concepts and Activities from Psalm 8

When we consider the glory of God and all He created, we should be in awe and amazed just as David was when he wrote this poetry! God’s majesty lies before us in all of creation and He never lets us forget His greatness.

· Character concept: Humbleness…which us of could create an animal or put stars in the sky?

· Possible related activity: Take a nature walk and note every possible thing that could only be created by God. Discuss how we should be humbled that a God so awesome not only created us, but loves us above all of the rest of His creation.

· Character concept: God places man “a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.” With this glory and honor comes responsibility and stewardship. How do you think God expects us to treat His creation?

· Possible related activity: Make a chart of the many parts of God’s creation from which man benefits. In one column, generally note the creation and then in a second column, specifically list benefits. For example:

Plants medicine, herbs, food

Ocean medicine, food, beauty and leisure

If and If for Girls

These poems are packed with character qualities to which we should ascribe. You could use each as an entire character building unit. I noted character qualities for different sections of the poems that you might consider teaching.

If

by Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you; (steadfastness)
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too; (trustworthiness)
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, (patience)
Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies, (honesty)
Or, being hated, don’t give way to hating, (lovingkindness, compassion)
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise; (humbleness)

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim; (godly focus)
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same; (steadfastness)
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, (honesty)
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build ‘em up with wornout tools; (not materialistic, hard working, uncomplaining)

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss; (not materialistic)
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on”; (persistent)

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch; (humbleness)
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much; (focused on God rather than the world or men)
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run – (not wasteful, not lazy)
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And - which is more - you’ll be a Man my son!

If For Girls
by J.P. McEvoy

If you can hear the whispering about you,
And never yield to deal in whispers, too; (purity, honesty)
If you can bravely smile when loved ones doubt you,
And never doubt, in turn, what loved ones do; (confidence, encourager)
If you can keep a sweet and gentle spirit
In spite of fame or fortune, rank or place, (humbleness, sincerity)
And though you win your goal or only near it,
Can win with poise and lose with equal grace; (graciousness)

If  you can meet with Unbelief, believing,
And hallow in your heart a simple Creed, (faithful)
If you can meet Deception, undeceiving,
And learn to look to God for all you need; (faithful, dependent on God)
If you can be what girls should be to mothers:
Chums in joy and comrades in distress, (loyal, devoted)
And be unto others as you’d have the others
Be unto you - No more, and yet no less; (Christ-like)

If you can keep within your heart the power
To say that firm, unconquerable “No”; (self-assured, secure)
If you can brave a present shadowed hour,
Rather than yield to build a future woe; (anxious for nothing)
If you can love, yet not let loving master,
But keep yourself within your own self’s clasp, (purity)
And not let dreaming lead you to disaster,
Nor pity’s fascination loose your grasp; (focused on God rather than the world)

If you can lock your heart on confidences,
Nor ever needlessly in turn confide; (loyal, trustworthy)
If you can put behind you all pretenses
Of mock humility or foolish pride: (humbleness)
If you can keep the simple, homely virtue
Of walking right with God - then have no fear (devoted, steadfast)
That anything in all the world can hurt you-
And - which is more - you’ll be a Woman, dear.

Possible related activity: Create a lap book on the various qualities noted in the poem(s). You may want to find Scripture supporting each or even note people who demonstrate these qualities (living, from history or from the Bible) and serve as positive examples.

I hope you find these ideas helpful as you train up your children. At Epi Kardia, we feel that everything we do with our children comes back building godly character and striving to please our Lord and Savior. All academics, athletics, musical abilities and other great gifts from God are worthless without godly character to support them.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

Ephesians 1:3

May God bless your efforts with your children in building character that is pleasing to Him!

Beth

With all of the subjects and lessons that we want to teach our children, poetry may seem like an “extra” addition to an already busy schedule. At Epi Kardia, we have a different point of view. Poetry may be used to teach or compliment a variety of lessons. Considering that April is National Poetry Month, it seems like an ideal time to examine how homeschoolers can incorporate poetry in valuable, meaningful ways. Continue reading throughout this month as we discuss poetry for all ages and various subjects!

Character building has become a major buzzword in the homeschool community. For so many of us, our children’s character development takes priority over their academic pursuits because we realize that knowledge without morality is not only wasted, but it can also be dangerous. We live in a world where knowledge often creates evil situations even when the initial purpose was for good. The Internet is an obvious example as a tool for so many productive and healthy ideas, such as with this blog, but with a simple search, ungodly atrocities may be found. Is it any wonder that we strive to build Biblical character in our children above other things?

Using Poetry to Teach Character

Poetry offers awesome opportunities to focus on godly character and how we respond to people and events. Scripture provides an abundance of poetic beauty through the Psalms. This extraordinary book contains 150 lyric poems. Lyric poetry contains the emotional responses of the poet to someone or something. In the case of Psalms, the poets respond to God and His creation. This type of poetry allows for the opportunity to examine healthy, emotional responses. The world often demonstrates unhealthy emotions, whether it’s something like obsessive love or intense anger, while Scripture offers a more godly alternative. Some specific Psalms that may be used to directly discuss godly character include:

· Psalm 1 - describes what a godly person does not do or gives non-examples, such as “sit in the seat of scoffers” or “walk in the council of the wicked”

· Psalm 8 - emphasizes man’s accountability and responsibilities

· Psalms 6, 32, 38, 51, 143 - deal with David’s sins and his repentance; clearly demonstrate the harmfulness and seriousness of falling into sin.

Interestingly enough, while much of ancient pagan poetry has disappeared over the centuries, the beauty and truth of the Psalms continues to change hearts and teach many!

One of the greatest poems written for young men, If, is by Rudyard Kipling. Although not written from a Biblical perspective, it does contain some excellent moral lessons and great food for thought in growing from boyhood to manhood. As well, J.P. McEvoy wrote a version of this poem for girls that offers similar advice but with a more Biblical foundation.

If

by Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build ‘em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on”;

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And - which is more - you’ll be a Man my son!

If For Girls
by J.P. McEvoy

If you can hear the whispering about you,
And never yield to deal in whispers, too;
If you can bravely smile when loved ones doubt you,
And never doubt, in turn, what loved ones do;
If you can keep a sweet and gentle spirit
In spite of fame or fortune, rank or place,
And though you win your goal or only near it,
Can win with poise and lose with equal grace;

If  you can meet with Unbelief, believing,
And hallow in your heart a simple Creed,
If you can meet Deception, undeceiving,
And learn to look to God for all you need;
If you can be what girls should be to mothers:
Chums in joy and comrades in distress,
And be unto others as you’d have the others
Be unto you - No more, and yet no less;

If you can keep within your heart the power
To say that firm, unconquerable “No”;
If you can brave a present shadowed hour,
Rather than yield to build a future woe;
If you can love, yet not let loving master,
But keep yourself within your own self’s clasp,
And not let dreaming lead you to disaster,
Nor pity’s fascination loose your grasp;

If you can lock your heart on confidences,
Nor ever needlessly in turn confide;
If you can put behind you all pretenses
Of mock humility or foolish pride:
If you can keep the simple, homely virtue
Of walking right with God - then have no fear
That anything in all the world can hurt you-
And - which is more - you’ll be a Woman, dear.

Either of the above poems may be used to examine what to do and what not do when it comes to character. By their own right, each contains enough virtuous qualities to be an entire character unit!

So, the next time you have a character challenge with your child or simply want to instill more character, consider using poetry! If you have a favorite poem that you think could be used to demonstrate character, please respond to this blog and include the poem, or at least the poet’s name with the title.

God bless in both your poetic and your character-building endeavors,

Beth

Editor’s note:  We had several e-mails chuckling about our ‘flying penguins’ April Fool’s e-mail last week.  If you didn’t read all the way through and watch the second e-mail, you might have thought we were crazy!  If you didn’t get a chance to view it, the second video described the technical and design details involved in the BBC’s creation of the first video.  Fascinating!

On to today’s post.  Because Beth and I regularly receive common questions about using Epi Kardia curriculum, we thought we might occasionally answer them on the blog.

Can I use Epi Kardia with other curriculum I am already using?

Especially if you have been homeschooling a while, you probably are using a hodge podge of materials and curriculum, or even making it up as you go.  One of the most common questions we have is, “Can I incorporate Epi Kardia into what I am already using?”  And our answer is always a resounding yes.  These are how some of our customers use Epi Kardia currently:

• for their history and/or science only
• to increase student interest and engagement by incorporating our recommended books and activities into their textbook studies
• to have a ’safe’ book list to choose from that has already been read by a trusted advisor with a similar worldview
  
• as a break from traditional reading and writing assignments for their students who are hands on/auditory/kinesthetic learners
  
• to teach/practice Charlotte Mason’s tried and true techniques of oral narration, dictation, nature study, and art study
  
• to spice up their student’s language arts study and give them a break from worksheets and traditional textbooks
• for their younger children who are more hands on by nature while their older children use textbook/other studies
• for higher interest schoolwork in the summer
• just for their high school students
• to add project and/or fine arts into students’ textbook/more traditional studies

Whether you choose to use Epi Kardia for all of your history, science, language arts and fine arts or not, be sure that it is OK to use Epi Kardia along with other curriculum you have on the shelf.  After all, we want to be good stewards of our pennies, right?

Tell us, how do YOU use Epi Kardia?

Have a blessed Holy Week!

Dana

Good Morning!

Looking for a quick visual, virtual science lesson for today?

Did you ever have a chance to watch the fascinating, funny, and at times, heartbreaking film, March of the Penguins? This academy award winning documentary showed in detail the struggle for survival for Emperor penguins in the harsh Antarctic.

I was thrilled this morning to watch a BBC film hosted by British writer and film maker Terry Jones, who discovered a colony  of penguins who do not have to huddle together every harrowing winter just to survive.

Take a look at this amazing footage of this newly discovered colony of penguins.

Wasn’t that something?  Don’t miss this followup video, also by the BBC, which provides the real science lesson!

Enjoy your day!

Dana

PS  Credit to Robin Sampson for the idea!

The air is warmer and filled with powdery, yellow pollen, the white fluffy blooms of  my neighbor’s Bradford Pears are viewable outside my front window, and the forerunning greenery of daffodils are finally poking through the ground.  Spring is here!  At least, in South Carolina.  If you are from the northern climes, I assure you, it is coming.

I have always loved this time of year, seeing the earth renew itself and reminding me that I am a new creation in Christ — the old  has passed away, the new has come! (2 Cor. 5:17)   And in a few short weeks, Easter will be here!  For Christians, this is one of the most important times of the year.  This is the time we want to teach or remind our children of the death and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ.  We often attend Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter services in our churches, but we also want to take this opportunity in our homes to renew our understanding and appreciation of Christ’s sacrificial death and glorious resurrection on our behalf.

Recently I was thrilled to come across an e-book called Holy Week Family Devotions.  It was written by a dear homeschooling sister, Miiko Gibson, a very sweet cyber-friend who loves the Lord and desired to create “something that would capture the essence of the Holy Week”.  She wanted her children to be able to relive some of the last events in the earthly life of Jesus and reflect on how they were applicable to our lives today.  Miiko’s 28 page e-book devotional contains devotions for Holy Week, the seven days leading up to Easter Sunday.  Each day begins with reading scripture, singing an applicable hymn (it helps to have a hymnbook with this if you don’t know the words, but Miiko suggests you sing something else if that is simpler) and a key verse for that day.  That is followed by the short devotional portion, Looking at Jesus, written in simple language easily understood by younger children yet applicable to older ones as well.  Pertinent and engaging, the Looking into our Hearts section contains reflective discussion questions and applications and is followed by a prayer relating to the lesson.  Miiko includes additional notes for older children, as well as a hands on activity for each day’s devotion.  An additional family activity is also included to reinforce the lesson - we know those hands on activities make learning stick, especially for the younger ones.

I loved this devotional and wish it had been around when my children were younger!  Miiko is making Holy Week Family Devotions available for $6.95 and can be purchased on her website.  (Click here to visit Grace Journey Press website). She also has created a board game to go along with this devotion.While you are there, she also has additional free downloads.  I love her Ten Hints for Keeping Your Daughters Heart. Enjoy!

God’s blessings on you and your families this week,

Dana

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Make a Middle Ages Dictionary!

Part 1

Learning a subject’s vocabulary is an essential part of learning about a subject.  This project will greatly enhance your student’s understanding of the Middle Ages and can be applied to many other time periods or topics as well.  There are many terms in Adam of the Road that relate to items or activities specific to the Middle Ages. Each time your student discovers a medieval term in his reading or vocabulary word lists, have him include it in his dictionary.  You might challenge him to find as many words as possible and offer a small incentive if he reaches a certain number of words. If you are teaching more than one student of similar ages/abilities, you might even have a contest for the most words included.

This project can be as simple or elaborate as you like. If you have a student who is adamantly not artsy craftsy, you may have him simply make this dictionary as a list on regular notebook paper and keep it in his history notebook.  OR, you may choose to have him incorporate art work, computer clip art, or even make a cover for it.  (See directions below in Part 2.)

Many of the time-specific words encountered in Adam of the Road and other Middle Ages reading can be found in a regular dictionary, but some of them require a little more research.  An online encyclopedia or the following links to online medieval glossaries may be helpful. Try here.

Note that we have not checked out every word in these glossaries and we always advise you to supervise your students on the Internet!

Your student may use lined or unlined paper for this project, or, if he can type, he may key in his words and definitions into a spreadsheet program where they then could easily be sorted into alphabetical order.  If that is not an issue or if your student would rather write, decide how you want to break up the alphabet—maybe two pages for A-C, D-F, etc. Notebook dividers or tabbed cardstock can be used to separate sections.  As your student completes his daily reading for this unit, have him keep an ongoing list of medieval terms and their definitions.

In the first chapter of Adam of the Road, many words are included describing monastic life including: nones, matins, prime, (times of prayer), abbot, and abbey. Also, if you are using Epi Kardia’s Middle Ages-1 Lesson Plans, have your student include words from his vocabulary list:  surcoat, mantle (clothing items), minstrel, heraldry…  There will be words throughout the book and other reading selections that could also be included in your student’s dictionary.

If your middle-schooler enjoys hands on projects, encourage him to make a more elaborate book. He may want to intersperse his book with drawings pertaining to the middle ages, such as:

• drawings of a knight, king, queen, monk, minstrel
• illustrations depicting scenes from Adam of the Road or other reading
• diagram of a castle
• illustration of some of the words included in his dictionary

After all the words have been added to the dictionary, it is time to make the cover!

Part 2

If you are choosing the the simple approach but want to have some kind of a cover, just use a 1/2 inch 3 ringed view binder and have your student decorate the cover insert with a drawing or computer clip art. Search for more clip art by using other terms such as knight, castle, monastery and medieval.

If your student would like to create a more involved cover for his dictionary, he could start with two thick pieces of stiff cardboard measuring about 9″ x 12″ and a piece of contact paper measuring 21 inches long by about 15″ wide.  (He will also need glue, two pieces of blank 8 1/2″ x 11″ white paper, a ruler, scissors and a stapler. If a heavy-duty stapler is needed, have your local Office Depot or Staples help with that part.)

1. Fold the contact paper in half loosely (before removing the backing!) to find the middle.
2. Open the paper again and lay it out lengthwise, with the colored/patterned side down.
3. Place the cardboard side by side on the wrong side of the contact paper, in a portrait (not landscape) fashion, allowing about a pencil width between the the pieces of cardboard.
4. The cardboard should have about an inch margin of contact paper above the top and about two inches on the bottom.  Trim the four corners of the contact paper to make neater corners once they are folded.
5. Remove the cardboard and carefully remove the backing of the contact paper.
6. Lay the contact paper out as before, with the right/patterned side down, and place the two pieces of cardboard evenly, side by side on top of the sticky side of the contact paper, with a pencil-width margin between the pieces.
7. Carefully and neatly fold the top and bottom margins of the contact paper over the cardboard. Start with the middle and work your way out to the sides.Carefully and neatly fold the side margins over the cardboard.
8. Glue a blank sheet of unlined white paper over the ends of the contact paper inside each side of the bookcover. (These are called endpapers.)
9. Take the stack of dictionary papers and make sure they are in order. Line up the stack, and place it in the middle of the book, centering it top and bottom with the cardboard pieces. Make sure the left margin of the stack is in contact with the center margin of the contact paper.
10. Close the book cover and staple at least three times down the length of the fold, making sure you are stapling all of the papers inside the book.
11. Decorate the cover of the book by writing a title in permanent ink and adding stickers or gluing on beads/yarn, etc.

Read about medieval books and look at some pictures here for inspiration!

Whether you use this lesson or not, we would love to see pictures of the books you make with your students!  Send them to dana@epikardia.com and we will post them!

Blessings on your school week!

Dana

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The idea of writing about books is not new –remember those boring book reports (snore!) we had to write? However, writing a book review of a well-loved, exciting book in order to convince someone else to read it is much easier to sell and much more fun to write.  For some students, posting the review on Amazon.com afterward makes it even more enticing!  This lesson is excerpted from the Ancients unit of our Middle School-1 lesson plans but could be adapted for younger or older students:

(Note: for many students, especially younger ones, it is very helpful to talk through the answers to these questions ahead of time. Either the student and/or teacher may take notes for the student to use when actually writing the review.)

1.  The first paragraph should be an introductory paragraph, including the title of the book and the author’s name. This should be followed by a few overview sentences stating why another student would want to read the book.  (i.e., It was one of the most exciting stories…/…had one of my favorite characters/…had an inspirational ending/…was about my favorite subject or period of history, etc.)

2. The next paragraph should tell what the story is about and include the main conflict, or problem, of the story.  (An example from the book Hittite Warrior: A young Hittite, Uriah, makes a promise on his father’s death bed and has to travel alone to foreign lands in search of a man named Sisera, whom Uriah hopes will take him in.)

3.  In the following paragraph, your student should tell about his favorite parts of the book. A few incidents will be enough–caution him about writing down too many parts or going into too much detail here.

4.  The last paragraph should include the main message of the book and should restate what the book meant to him or what he learned from reading it. Your student may want to add one final statement about why someone else would want to read this book.

Additional points:

For more ideas about teaching writing, review our Reluctant Writer series.

Happy Writing!

Dana

Most of us wonder how homeschooling through high school will affect our children, especially if our children think they might like to join the rank and file in public high school instead of continuing to be schooled at home.  We often wish we could look ahead and see how it will turn out before we take that leap of faith. As a follow up to my recent post about what I loved about homeschooling, I would like to share a comment we received from a current college student who was homeschooled through high school. I hope it will prove to be as encouraging to you as it was to me! And thank you, trulyblessed, for taking the time and effort to make the comment and for allowing us to post it!

So are you encouraged?!

May God bless your week!

Dana

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