On Monday night Beth had the opportunity of presenting a workshop on mini-books and lapbooks, types of graphic organizers, to our homeschooling support group.  We were pleased to have such a good turnout and spent a delightful evening with old and new friends.  It was especially enjoyable to see some ‘textbook’ moms learn that hands on projects such as mini-books and lapbooks were not only fun, but also educational!

What is a Graphic Organizer?

For the benefit of those of you who were not present, a graphic organizer is any tool that allows your student to organize his thoughts and record what he’s learned in a visual way.  Examples of common graphic organizers include:

• Charts and Graphs
• Venn Diagrams
• Scrapbooks, Lapbooks and Mini-books
• Library Pockets and Envelopes

We made two different types of mini-books at our workshop – an accordion book and a layered-look book, and we showed  examples of mini-books and lapbooks that had been made by our children as well as some we had made in teaching a Reluctant Writers class a few years ago.

For example, here is a very simple mini-book that can be made by an elementary aged student:

Directions:

1.  Using one single piece of 8 1/2 x 11 inch colored paper, hold the base piece of paper vertically, then fold it in half lengthwise.

2. Out of contrasting paper colors, construct a simple flower clearly showing the petals, leaves, stem and roots, as shown in the picture on the far left.

3. After gluing the flower to the top half of the folded paper, cut through the flower and the top half of the paper, to the fold.  Make three cuts so that the flower, leaves, stem and roots each have their own section.

4. On the inside of the flaps, label each section, as shown.

5.  Write a short description of each flower ‘part’ opposite each label.

What is a Lapbook?

A lapbook is a innovative, visual, creative, kinesthetic, way to organize information.  Examples abound of lapbooks online (and see our resource list at the bottom of this post), but on the right is an example of one my son made a while back about space.  The base is simply made from two file folders glued together.

Directions for making the lapbook:

1.  Take two file folders, laying vertically open on the table in front of you.

2.  One at a time, take the outside edges of each file folder and fold them in towards the center fold.  Crease well, then let them open.

3. Glue together the sides of each folder that are next to each other.  Voila!  That is all there is to it – you can make lapbooks bigger by gluing on more folders or attaching additional flaps inside.

At the left is a photo of the inside of the lapbook.  There is space for vocabulary, illustrations, charts, book reports, clip art and anything else your study included.  The multicolored mini-book is a favorite of ours, the layered-look book.  It allows students to do a fair amount of writing, depending upon the number of pages it contains, but is much less intimidating than that dreaded big, blank sheet of paper because it is divided into many different sections.

Lapbooks are not only fun to make but:

• they are kinesthetic and visual, maximizing other learning modes
• they beg to be shown to others, giving students an automatic and painless review of the material contained in their lapbook, every time they show it to someone else
• they can be used for studying almost any subject and easily may integrate several subjects, maximizing learning
• they are great at enticing reluctant writers because they are divided into many smaller sections
• they can also be used as an assessment tool, especially when assigned with an accompanying rubric outlining what is to be included in the lapbook
• they can be used for all ages, kindergarten through high school

As with all graphic organizers, anytime your elementary student is organizing information, he is building a foundation for learning more advanced writing skills as well as for learning how to take notes.

At every grade level and in every type of curriculum we have,  Epi Kardia curricula uses mini-books, lapbooks and graphic organizers!

Online Resources for Mini- and Lapbooks

Here is a resource list for mini- and lapbook resources including instructions, ideas and even free lapbooks:

• This site has every type of mini book imaginable as well as  free templates!

• This site has guided reading materials and  MANY mini book ideas and resources for elementary ages.

• This is one of our favorite original sites with great instruction and ideas. Check out the blog for this site as well.

• This has an array of lapbook information for all ages. In fact, at The Homeschol Lounge (highly recommended!) you can join a group of homeschooling moms who share lapbook ideas and resources.

And for those of you who want to incorporate notebooking and scrapbooking into your homeschooling (or you like to scrapbook yourself):

• These are resources and other links for educational scrapbooking.

• This is a free software download (full version) to begin digital scrapbooking immediately.

If you read our last post, Six Steps to Start Second Semester, mini- and lapbooks might be just the thing to add some pizazz to your homeschooling this semester.  Even if you use a traditional curriculum, please give your students a chance to do some thing hands on, colorful and creative!  Enjoy!

In His Service,

P.S. If you have a reluctant writer or two at your house, in addition to trying mini-books, you might find our reluctant writer series helpful.  See Reluctant Writers – Part 1 The Early Years, Reluctant Writers – Part 2 The Middle Years and Reluctant Writers – Part 3 High School and Beyond.

I love lists and I like that feeling of accomplishment when I complete my list. However, at the end of the day, the quality of what I accomplished always weighs more on me than how much I completed. This definitely applies to our home schooling as well.  As I have established goals for my children over the years, my focus has generally fallen on the following general categories:

• Character training – without Christian character, the academics are meaningless
• A love for learning – instilling a desire for increased knowledge and skills even outside of “school”
• A habit of thinking – emphasizing extended and organized thought, whether in or out of the box, no matter what is being studied.

Examining these categories, I easily connect how Epi Kardia curriculum reinforces character training and helps instill a love for learning. With our emphasis on strong historical characters in the books that we select and the variety of activities, relating to all of the different learning styles, those goals are achievable. What about a habit of thinking? Does our curriculum promote that as well? I hope so!

I randomly chose an Epi Kardia historical unit and grade level from our Daily Lesson Plans, Immigration in 3^rd grade, and examined the projects associated with that unit. I hope what I discovered can assist you in creating great “thinking” projects for your children!

1. A thinking project doesn’t have to be complicated – after reading the book Liberty Rising: The Story of the Statue of Liberty by Pegi Shea students are asked to design a statue that they believe represents the United States of America. This type of activity promotes thinking on at least a couple of levels. First of all, a student has to develop some picture of the U.S. in his head. What does it mean to live in the United States? What types of symbols can he develop that represent this country? This requires moving from a known symbol, the Statue of Liberty, to a new idea. The next stage of thinking occurs when the student determines how to design their symbol. Even with a simple sketch, thinking through the design and implementing it is a higher level cognitive skill.

2. A thinking project can be messy and fun – following the reading of On the Banks of Plum Creek (Little House) by Laura Ingalls Wilder, students create a model dugout. With this project, creating the dugout itself doesn’t require a tremendous amount of thinking. However, mixing up a batch of mud to form the model is definitely messy and fun. The student can add sod, a window and a door to make the project more detailed. The thinking comes into play after the model is designed and you discuss what it must have been like for Laura and her family to live in such an abode. By talking through their experiences and comparing them to how he lives, your child practices his processing and evaluating skills.

3. A thinking project can train children to organize their thoughts – at Epi Kardia, we are great fans of graphic organizers and charts. We greatly appreciate such tools because they allow children to organize their thoughts in a more concrete way.  If we don’t control our thoughts and organize them in some logical way, they only become burdens, often misleading and confusing us. They float around in our head without definition or logic. It’s like cramming a bunch of documents in a file cabinet without sorting them into files. What’s the point? When you need them, they’re just a jumbled mess.  Children who utilize organizational tools starting from an early age develop the habit of organizing the information they’re processing. For example, after reading Along the Santa Fe Trail: Marion Russell’s Own Story by Marion Russell, students are asked to create a list of items they would take if they were heading on a trail out West with a wagon caravan. Now, you could have the student just make a list without any rhyme or reason, or you could suggest that the student organize his list in logical categories. So, first the student needs to determine which categories might be essential such as food and cooking supplies, animals and livestock, clothing, medicines, etc. The student also has to take into account the limited amount of space in the wagon. Assignment limitations often promote thinking skills that are very practical in real life since we all have limits placed on us when we’re trying to problem solve. This type of organizational thinking translates to many other areas of academics and to general life skills as well.

4. A thinking activity can promote further questioning and thoughts leading to more thinking! With all of our Daily Lesson Plans, we include comprehension questions for history and science. Our goal with these questions are twofold: firstly, lead the student to focusing on the most important aspects of the book and secondly, require him to think about what he has read. Too often children are asked to read material, but are never required to work through the process of thinking about it and evaluating what they’ve read. For example, questions from the 3^rd grade Immigration curriculum following the reading of Just So Stories, Illustrated Edition (Yesterday’s Classics) by Rudyard Kipling include:

• Do you think curiosity is a good thing?
• Is there a time when it could be negative?

Note how we start out with a seemingly simple question. The first answer could be a simple “yes” or “no.” If we stopped there, very little thinking or evaluation would take place. However, the second question requires more advanced thinking because it’s an open ended question. This style of question requires thought rather than just regurgitation of facts or a “yes” or “no.”

Another example may be derived from On the Banks of Plum Creek (Little House). The questions related to chapters 23-24 are as follows:

• How was the country party different than the town party?
• How did Laura’s church compare to your church?
• Why did Pa not get new boots?

The first and second questions require that your child compare and contrast. Comparing and contrasting require higher level thinking skills. Also, note that the third question begins with “why” which usually indicates that deeper thinking is involved to give a complete answer.

There are many other opportunities to train our children to think from puzzles to analogies to problem solving sets. With such a variety of options, we can work on these skills without having to focus on one type of activity or project.

Things We Do That Prevent Our Children From Becoming Thinkers

While none of us want to consider that we might have habits preventing our children from becoming strong thinkers, we very well may. By looking at our own habits, and reforming some of them, we can promote stronger thinking skills in ourselves and our children.

1. We don’t give our children time to think. When I was an education intern, I had a teacher who truly loved to teach. I was so blessed by the time I spent with her. She had a habit of counting to 30 slowly after she asked a question, whether it was addressed to the entire class or just one student. She explained that adults often do not give children enough time to think through answers and children develop the habit of hesitating, knowing that the adult will eventually give them the answer. Also, in a classroom setting or even with two or three children, the extra time allows for more students to think through a response. If one of your children is really quick and another requires more time to process, that second child often doesn’t get to think through the process and provide an answer. He may very well rely on the quicker child.

TEACHING TIP: If you have a student who really struggles and needs more time, give him the project directions, questions, etc in advance and let him mentally process what you’re requiring before you become involved.

REFORMING YOUR HABITS: Provide more time for your child to think through problems and projects by being patient.

2.  We don’t  follow through on projects and activities. It’s easy to assign a hands-on project or an activity, especially with older children, and walk away. When the project is done, you give a grade or make a comment and move on. With this habit, you’re missing on the most important part of the process…what was discovered or learned. If you don’t discuss the thinking behind the activity or inquire about the thought involved, then you are basically grading your child on his ability to follow directions.

TEACHING TIP: Before assigning a project or activity, develop a few questions or discussion topics to go along with the assignment. Also, understanding what you expect as outcomes, setting educational objectives, will be an enormous help. This does not have to be complicated or detailed. You can note one or two essential objectives or you could set up a rubric (for more information about rubrics, see the Epi Kardia Parents Manual) in a matter of minutes. Rubrics also reveal your expectations for your children, helping them better understand the significance of a project or activity.

REFORMING YOUR HABITS: Don’t assign a project or activity without thinking through what you want your child to think about in the process.

3.  We have too low or too high of expectations. Sometimes we underestimate our children and don’t challenge them enough. At other times, we have enormous expectations that greatly exceed their abilities. If you notice that school bores your child or he is continually flying through his reading, writing and other assignments, it may be that he is just not being challenged. This same child may also be a behavior problem or he may drive you crazy because he has too much time on his hands. He isn’t learning to think because his work is too easy. Other times, we seriously frustrate our children because we expect them to be like us or other people’s children, when we really just need to give them work on their level. Work that is on the correct level for a child requires some measure of challenge without pushing him into frustration.

TEACHING TIP: Pay attention to how your child responds to projects and assignments. Note if there’s a specific type of activity that causes him more difficulty than others. Avoid taking the easy road by making assignments too simple, but pay attention if you find that he is getting seriously frustrated.

REFORMING YOUR HABITS: Take time to regularly communicate with your child about his work. Most children will tell you if something feels impossible to them or if they think it’s just plain boring. There are so many different ways to instill skills, adapting to your child’s level of learning is certainly possible.

4. We get stuck in ruts. Sometimes we teach our children the way we liked to be taught. For example, comprehension questions really appeal to certain types of people because they simply have to answer them and move on. Some moms love doing hands on projects and they become so involved in the process that they forget the purpose. Using a variety of activities and projects allows your child to think in different ways and situations. If you’re always doing the same type of activity and evaluation, your child will struggle when life throws him a different type of problem to solve.

TEACHING TIP: Definitely use your personal gifts when teaching your children, but don’t just rely on those gifts. If you never step out of your comfort zone, how can you expect your child to do so?

REFORMING YOUR HABITS: If you have an area that you know is a weakness, such as hands-on projects or maybe you don’t love reading, let your children see you working on them. Discuss how you struggle with these types of assignments, but point out that you’re not ending your education with adulthood. This type of situation is ideal for teaching your child about lifelong learning!

Hopefully, this blog has given you plenty to think about! I would love to hear how you train your children to think. Maybe you’ve overcome a habit in teaching and we could all benefit from that encouragement!

May God give you a spirit of joy, a compassionate heart and a mind that dwells on His glory!

In Him,

Picture Study for Older Students

Although not addressed directly in Charlotte Mason’s original Homeschooling Series, Picture Study is valuable for older students as well our younger ones.  Through consistent observation and enjoyment of a variety of artists’ work in the younger years, older students are ready to take on a little more detailed and guided study of art work.  Even if you have not been regular in your picture study, it is never too late to begin!

We organize our research of artists and their work chronologically according to which unit in history we are studying. Charlotte Mason suggests studying six or so works of one artist during a term, and although we usually recommend following that tried and true pattern with younger children, with older ones we sometimes study more than one artist at a time.  Charlotte’s primary goal was for students to experience art for themselves, not become experts on the artist or a particular piece of art. For older students, however, especially for students who are particularly interested in art, a more structured approach might be helpful.

If  picture study is a new addition to your academic education, take a look at last week’s post to help you begin.  If you have older children, say middle or high school students, a little guidance might be what you need to get started. (The following  is taken from our Middle School Lesson Plans.)

How to Critique and Write About Art

This method is simplified from Edmund Burke Feldman’s method of evaluating art, commonly known to the art world as Feldman’s Method of Critiquing Art. You may use this as a guide in having your students study and write about art.  Always remember you may tailor this to the level and interest of your students; you may want to choose just a few questions for your student to write about if it is the first time he has studied and/or written about artwork, or you may just use these questions as discussion prompts. If you decide to use this guide, it may help for you to talk through it a few times before you actually have your student create a written interpretation.  If you choose to have him write, have him respond in paragraph form in complete sentences.

We will work through this critique together using this painting by Diego Velázquez:

1.  List

State the name of the artist, the title of the piece, and, if you know it, its current location.

This is Diego Velázquez’ Equestrian Portrait of King Philip IV, currently located in the Museo del Prado, Madrid.

2.  Describe

Describe the work to someone as if the person you were talking to could not see it.  Stick to the facts, listing everything you see in the picture.

Answers will differ here—if your student is new to this, please be positive about his or her answers.  If needed, it is okay to ask questions to help him, such as, what do you notice about the background?  What is in the foreground of the painting?  What else do you notice in the painting other than the horse and rider?

Example:

In the center of this picture is a man on horseback.  They appear to be on a hill or on the side of a mountain, as you can see small trees in the background and one behind the man and horse. The man is dressed ornately and he is looking straight ahead; from the title of the painting he must be King Philip.  The horse looks strong and he is standing on his hind legs. There is not a lot of light in the picture; it looks as if it is very early morning or late afternoon – or perhaps it is an overcast day. On the left hand corner of the painting it looks as if there is a open piece of paper that had been folded in half.

3.  Note First Impression

What is your very first reaction to the piece?  (Note:  There are no right or wrong answers here!)

The king looks strong, serious and determined.

4.  Analyze the piece

Here you want to look at what the artist has done to achieve certain effects.  You could refer to your first impressions and try to figure out how the artwork caused you to have that reaction.  Possible questions:

• How are the elements of art (color, shape, line, texture, space) and the principles of design (balance, contrast, emphasis, movement/rhythm) used in this artwork?
  • Questions you might ask in discussion here to help your student include process this:
  • What colors did the artist use in this painting?
  • Did the artist use color to lead you to look at some particular object in the painting?
  • What do you notice about how the artist uses light in the picture?
  • Do you see any kind of movement in the picture?
  • What strong contrasts to you see in light and color in this picture?
• What do you notice about the artist’s choice of materials?
• What grabs your attention when you first look at the piece?

Example:

In this portrait of King Philip IV of Spain, King Philip on his horse is obviously the most important part of the painting because he is painted so largely and in the middle. The horse is moving; he is standing on his hind legs.  He looks spirited and powerful,  but the King on his back looks even more powerful than the horse.  The artist uses light to balance the king’s glistening armor with the horse’s glistening coat. King Philip looks very serious.

5. Interpret the piece

All art is about something. It may be about light, color, the subject matter, or even a political statement of some kind.  Some art is easy to figure out and some is more symbolic.

• What is the theme or subject of the work?
• What is the work about; what do you think it means?
• Why do you think the artist created this work?
• What do you think the artist’s worldview is? (this question may or may not be relevant to all of the artwork you evaluate…)

Example:

The King is painted high on a hill.  Everything else is literally beneath him. He is confidently looking straight ahead, in control of his powerful and spirited horse, ready for whatever is ahead of him.  His expression looks pensive and serious, rather than frivolous, for example—the kind of look you would want to see in your leader. (In fact, it was customary at this time to paint royals on horseback, which was a symbol of authority.) Perhaps the purpose of this painting was to help King Philip’s subjects to have confidence in him as a strong leader.

(By the way, the paper painted on the lower left would have been the place where Velázquez presumably had signed the painting.)

Helpful Resources

For some help in learning more about art, I recommend the Art for Children Series, by Ernest Raboff.  Although it is out of print, used copies are readily available from Amazon.com.  Each book offers full color, large scale copies of each author’s work, as well as interesting and pertinent facts about the life of the artist and background and study of each featured work.  I learned tons from these books.  (As every homeschool mom knows, the best way to learn about anything is to read a kid’s book about it, right?)

Albrecht Durer (The Art for Children Series)
Henri Matisse (The Art for Children)
Frederic Remington (The Art for Children Series)
Michelangelo Buonarroti (Art for Children)
Paul Gauguin (Art for Children Series)
Rembrandt (Art for Children)
Leonardo Da Vinci (Art for Children)

Have fun!

Hello Everyone!

Are you ready for the new school year?   Or are you still very much still in the midst of your summer?

Well, I have to admit I still have one foot in summer mode although school and learning are never far from my mind.  One of the main reasons my head is still in the summer is our oldest is still on a mission trip to Peru and won’t be returning until next week, God willing.  We would covet your prayers for her, as she is in the Amazon jungle.  Her small team of college students and a few Journeyman missionaries are participating in a “storying” conference, telling the Yagua people the Bible, for the first time, as a series of stories.  How exciting is that?

A Yagua with his blowgun near Iquitos

OK, I have been a homeschool mom too long not to make a geography lesson out of this.    No, really, I mean it.

Map work:

• Chart the trip – DD flew from Atlanta, Georgia, to Miami, Florida, then to Lima, Peru.  From Lima she flew on to Iquitos.  Iquitos is a fascinating place as it is the largest city in the world with only water (not road) access.
• From Iquitos, they traveled west by boat down the Amazon approximately 43 miles, then trekked south through the jungle about three miles to the village of Catala Urco.
• Although Catala Urco is too small to see on a map, its GPS coordinates are -3.536683 – 72.758633.  If you would like to see where she is, download Google Earth .  (Based on satellite imagery, this program allows you to examine anywhere in the world!)  Type the GPS coordinates into the search box and label a ‘push pin’ Catala Urco.
• “Explore” the city of Iquitos in the Google Earth program by double- clicking on the small blue boxes.  This will enable you to view photos taken by visitors there.

Science Exploration:

• How big is the Amazon jungle?  What type of climate does it have and what kind of forest is it?
• What types of animal life does it contain?  Near the bottom on the right side of this  webpage, to hear the sound of a poison dart frog, howler monkeys, a scarlet macaw and the roar of a jaguar, click on each image.
• What types of products are made from plants found in the Amazon jungle?

Language Arts:

• Read my DD’s prayer blog.  (Mom, read first-there are some references to non-believers in her “Lives at Stake” post you might want to censor.  Just cut and paste the blog into a document and edit as necessary.)
• Questions to answer from the blog:
  • What are a few interesting characteristics about the Yagua people?
  • What are some of the preparations that had to be made before travel to a place like the Amazon?
  • What did you learn about the city of Iquitos?  How do people get from place to place without a car there?
• If you were going down the Amazon on a trip and you only could carry two backpacks, what would you need to bring with you?
• Journal the preparations for an upcoming trip as well as the trip itself.  Take pictures, as well.

I am going to stop there!  I could have kept you busy for hours. LOL

Thanks again for your prayers on behalf of my daughter, the team and the Yagua!

Warmly,

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

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!

I am not sure where it came from (or where it went, to be honest), but we used to have a small, shoebox-sized square box that had at one time probably held some type of food gift.  It had cardboard handles at the top and large red and green paisleys running around the outside. But this was no ordinary box—this was the Question Box.

After morning devotions, our routine was to head to the schoolroom and start the academic day with the kids taking their turns pulling a question pertaining to our unit study from the box.  Customarily, I would make up numbered history and science fill-in-the blank and short answer questions on the computer and print them out, making them different colors, of course.  (I also made myself a key on a separate sheet of paper.) I cut them apart and into the box they went.  I seem to remember coding them as well so we knew which were the ‘younger student’ questions and which were the ‘older.’  We would have a new boxful at the beginning of every unit, and for some reason, a big box full of new questions was always something they looked forward to.

Typically, at the start of a new unit they wouldn’t know many of the answers. (If they did not know the answer, the question went back into the box.) But they had fun guessing and, at the same time, became more interested in what they would be learning. As we progressed through the unit, they were jazzed about how they were getting more and more of the questions right, and how I had to throw in some harder questions just to keep things interesting.  By the end of the unit they usually had all of the questions, even the hard ones, answered correctly. We also had contests and sometimes received prizes (like a piece of gum or an M&M) for answering, for example, three questions in a row correctly.

This simple idea could be adapted in a variety of ways:

· The kids could create and decorate the box

· Older students could make up questions for the younger ones

· Kids could pull a ‘seat work’ assignment out of the box, such as a verse to copy or memorize, a sentence with errors to edit, a short word problem to figure out, etc.

· An older elementary, middle or high school student could pull out a person, place or event to research, write about, and present to the group (or to you)

· Even household chores for that day could be chosen from the box.

As I have been slowly cleaning my way through the school room this summer, I came across some of our Middle Ages questions that would be appropriate for late Primary (K-2^nd), Intermediate (3^rd – 5^th) or early Preparatory (6^th-8^th) students. The last five or so would be suitable for Preparatory and/or Secondary (9^th-12^th) students. The answers are in parentheses after the questions:

1.  What is the name of the part of a castle that is a tower, often round, with many stories?  There, nobles slept, ate and planned.  Soldiers lived on lower stories with the dungeon below.  (keep)

2.   Between 1100 and 1300 AD, large groups of knights, nobles and even some peasants (and children!) traveled from Europe to the Middle East to try and take possession of the Holy Lands from the Turks.  These trips were called the ___________.  (Crusades)

3.  What are two popular games played today that originated during the Middle Ages? (chess and checkers)

4.  During the Middle Ages, craft _________ were set up to make sure their members were properly trained as apprentices and produced high quality goods. (guilds)

5.  From what disease in the 1300’s did about a third of all the people in Europe die? (Black Death or Bubonic Plague)

6. What was the name of a legendary king who ruled a Kingdom where people were peaceful and content? He came to represent the ideals of justice, peace and honor.  (King Arthur)

7.  Large, rural estates were called _________.  (manors)

8.  A craftsman who made tools, weapons and cooking utensils from iron was called a _______. (blacksmith)

9.  Books were copied by hand, one by one, usually by ___________.  (monks)

10.  In manor houses, people used ___________ to cover walls, to keep out drafts, and/or to divide rooms.  (carpets and tapestries)

11. What were musicians called who traveled around the country, played, sang and told stories at special feasts and other events? (minstrels)

12.  ________ traveled great distances to buy and sell goods. (Traders or merchants)

13.  A special design each knight carried on a shield or his clothing that helped knights tell each other apart in battle was called a  _____ __ ____. (coat of arms)

14.  What were pictures called that were painted directly onto wet plaster?  (frescoes)

15.  What was a mechanical device called that hurled heavy objects into the air, at or over castle walls during an attack?  (a catapult)

16.  The ________ ________ was a survey completed in 1086 of nearly all the lands in England and was conducted by officials of King William the First (also known as William the Conqueror).  (Domesday Book)

17.  Dried plant seeds, roots and/or leaves that were used to flavor foods or make not-so-fresh meat taste better (and were quiet expensive) were called ________.  (spices)

18.  The _________ was one of the most highly skilled craftsman of the middle ages, combining the jobs of architect, builder, engineer, and sculptor today, working on all stages of a building project.  (mason)

19.  Many ________ and _________ were used as medieval remedies for sickness and disease.  (plants and herbs)

20. What was depicted by the famous Bayeux Tapestry? (The Bayeux Tapestry depicts the famous Battle of Hastings in 1066, when the Norman invader William, Duke of Normandy, challenged Saxon King Harold. William’s forces won the battle; henceforth, he was called William the Conqueror.)

21.  Briefly describe the feudal system. (Vassals gave loyalty and service to lords in exchange for land and military protection)

22. Describe the concept of chivalry. (Chivalry is a group of character qualities thought to be exhibited by the perfect knight, including loyalty, honesty, courage, and courteousness—especially towards women.)

23. Describe the Magna Carta and its significance, as well as the circumstances under which it was signed. (The “Great Charter” was the first document in English history that forced a monarch to be subject to the law and provided for the creation of a strong parliament. King John, a wicked and greedy king who had levied incredibly high taxes, was forced to sign it by his rebellious barons in 1215 in Runnymede, England. Once it was signed, the barons again swore fealty to King John, not realizing the king had no intention of keeping the agreement.)

24. Name at least one key character from the Middle Ages and describe why he or she was historically significant. (This has many possible answers! Among them: Alfred the Great: a noble and wise ruler who bought about an educational revival in England; King John: [see above]; Joan of Arc: a young French girl who rallied the French against the English and who victoriously led the French army in battle. She was eventually captured and burned at the stake as a witch; Charlemagne: French ruler, Charles the Great, who controlled most of west and central Europe and presided over what was called the Carolingian Renaissance; Genghis and Kublai Khan: Grandfather and Grandson, these Mongolian leaders ruled over much of Asia and almost to Europe. Although Buddhist, they were tolerant of most religions other than Islam. Kublai did much to encourage literature and the arts.)

25. Who were the Moors? (A nomadic people from Northern Africa, the Moors descended from Arabs and Berbers who had moved into the Holy Lands and spent many years fighting the English during the Crusades. They are known for their goal to spread Islam across the world and for their magnificent, unusual architecture.)

Please feel free to use these questions in your school, and have fun making up some of your own!  (And if anyone wants to send in their questions, we will post them.  Many hands make light work, you know.)

Enjoy your week!

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Hi Everyone!

We are thrilled to bring you the first blog post of Epi Kardia Home Education!

We are planning on using this forum to bless and encourage you as you homeschool your children.  We are “in the trenches” with you, but as we have been homeschooling a while now and have both graduated children who are currently attending college successfully, we know we are further down the path than many of you.  We hope to be an encouragement to you as well as offer practical help to aid you in your endeavor to educate your children, both spiritually and academically.

We also would like this to be interactive.  Please feel free to comment on our posts, ask questions, share your joys, your challenges, and what is going on at your house.

Click here to read about your free thank you gifts for joining our mailing list!

Additionally, we write unit study curricula using “real” books that integrate the subjects of history, science, language arts (grammar, spelling, composition, literature, poetry) and fine arts, so we also plan to provide helpful teaching tips, an occasional free form or lesson, new book reviews, and more. We hope you will check back often. If you would like to have new posts ‘delivered to your door’, please join our mailing list.  Read about your free thank you gifts for signing up by checking out this page on the Epi Kardia web site.

A friend recently sent a post said to have been contributed to by English teachers across the country, who sent actual analogies and metaphors used by their students in high school essays. Enjoy by reading them yourself, or, add a little humor to a writing lesson by following these steps:

Part I  Teach or review these definitions:

Simile–a figure of speech comparing two things using the words “like” or “as”.  Example:  My love is like a red, red rose. This is the first line of a poem by Robert Burns, found here:

http://www.poetsgraves.co.uk/Classic%20Poems/Burns/a_red,_red_rose.htm

Metaphor–a figure of speech comparing two unlike things.  Example:  The name of the Lord is a strong tower. Proverbs 18:10 What does the author want to tell you about the name of the Lord by comparing it to a strong tower?

Analogy–a comparison between two things that are alike in some way.  Example:  Your body can be compared with a car and food to fuel.  What other analogies can you think of (a heart is like a pump, etc.)?

Part II After discussing the definitions, read the following list with your student, and discuss whether each sentence uses a simile, metaphor or analogy.  State which two things are compared in each sentence. (Note:  some of the answers are debatable!) Have fun!

1. Her face was a perfect oval, like a circle that had its two sides gently compressed by a Thigh Master.

2. His thoughts tumbled in his head, making and breaking alliances like underpants in a dryer without Cling Free.

3. He spoke with the wisdom that can only come from experience, like a guy who went blind because he looked at a solar eclipse without one of th ose boxes with a pinhole in it and now goes around the country speaking at high schools about the dangers of looking at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it.

4. She grew on him like she was a colony of E. Coli, and he was room-temperature Canadian beef.

5. She had a deep, throaty, genuine laugh, like that sound a dog makes just before it throws up.

6. Her vocabulary was as bad as, like, whatever.

7. He was as tall as a six-foot, three-inch tree.

8. The little boat gently drifted across the pond exactly the way a bowling ball wouldn’t.

9. McBride fell 12 stories, hitting the pavement like a Hefty bag filled with vegetable soup.

10. From the attic came an unearthly howl. The whole scene had an eerie, surreal quality, like when you’re on vacation in another city and Jeopardy comes on at 7:00 p.m. instead of 7:30.

11. Her hair glistened in the rain like a nose hair after a sneeze.

12. Long separated by cruel fate, the star-crossed lovers raced across the grassy field toward each other like two freight trains, one having left Cleveland at 6:36 p.m. traveling at 55 mph, the other from Topeka at 4:19 p.m. at a speed of 35 mph.

13. They lived in a typical suburban neighborhood with picket fences that resembled Nancy Kerrigan’s teeth.

14. John and Mary had never met. They were like two hummingbirds who had also never met.

15. He fell for her like his heart was a mob informant, and she was the East River.

16. Even in his last years, Granddad had a mind like a steel trap, only one that had been left out so long, it had rusted shut.

17. Shots rang out, as shots are wont to do.

18. The plan was simple, like my brother-in-law Phil. But unlike Phil, this plan just might work.

19. The young fighter had a hungry look, the kind you get from not eating for a while.

20. He was as lame as a duck. Not the metaphorical lame duck, either, but a real duck that was actually lame, maybe from stepping on a land mine or something.

21. The ballerina rose gracefully en Pointe and extended one slender leg behind her, like a dog at a fire hydrant.

22. It was an American tradition, like fathers chasing kids around with power tools.

23. He was deeply in love. When she spoke, he thought he heard bells, as if she were a garbage truck backing up.

Part III  Extend the lesson by having your student rewrite a specified number of the sentences, or his own sentences, using better comparisons. Make sure to have him include all three types of comparisons in his sentences.

Ideas for other lessons: research Robert Burns, the poet mentioned in Part I.  Write a short report on his life and poetry. Find other examples of his poetry, and identify similes, metaphors and analogies.

We hope you enjoyed your writing lesson! Let us know how it turned out! Have a blessed day, and come back and visit us soon!

Beth and Dana