The Life of Joseph in Genesis

Dear friends,

A few years ago, when I taught a middle school English class for a home school co-op, we did a few literature units on the Bible.   We started with the life of Joseph in the book of Genesis for two weeks, and also did a week each on Psalms and Proverbs, and a couple of weeks on the student's choice of either Daniel or Esther.   (See links below.)

• Art for the Book of Daniel
• Study Questions for the Book of Daniel
• Art for the Book of Esther
• Study Questions for the Book of Esther
• Psalms Study Guide

Here are some of the questions I used for the study of Joseph.  Since this was an English class, I incorporated some facets of language arts skills in with the inherent history and Bible.  I categorized them by Setting, Plot, Bible History, Symbolism, Word Skills, Vocabulary, Spelling, Punctuation, Grammar.  In other words, these are not the most comprehensive Bible study questions.  I also skipped some passages.

I used the New International Version for this study, so some of the words may need to be adjusted if you choose another version.

The painting shown here is "Joseph Reveals His Identity" by Peter Von Cornelius.

Reading Activities #1 for Genesis 37:1-11

1. SETTING: What do we find out about Joseph’s lifestyle in this story?
2. PLOT: Underline all of the possible sources of conflict in this paragraph.
3. VOCABULARY: What does the word sojournings mean in verse 1?
4. SPELLING: Notice that sheaf is a singular word for a bundle, which is grain in this story. What is the plural for this word? There can also be a sheaf of paper or other objects.
5. SYMBOLISM: In Joseph’s dreams, we see the use of symbolism, in which something represents another thing. What do the sun, the moon, and the stars represent in his second dream? 

Reading Activities #2 for Genesis 37:12-24

1. PUNCTUATION: In verse 17, we see a quote within a quote. Note that the words Let us go to Dothan are enclosed in single quotes instead of double quotes.
2. GRAMMAR: List all of the proper nouns in these verses.
3. PLOT: What did Reuben do and why?
4. PLOT: The story of Joseph is full of ups and downs in the direction of his life. This is his first down, and it is in the realm of family life. The ups and downs will affect wider and wider spheres of influence as the story progresses. 

Reading Activities #3 for Genesis 37:25-36 

1. VOCABULARY: What is a caravan?  What is myrrh? Where else is myrrh listed in the Bible? What is Sheol?
2. SUFFIX: The suffix -ite means that a person is associated with a place, doctrine, leader or system. For example, an Israelite is from Israel. List two other words in this passage which end with the suffix -ite.
3. PLOT: Notice that the brothers did not tell their father what happened to Joseph, either true or false, but they let him assume something that was false. In other words, they intentionally mislead their father by not telling the whole truth, even though they technically did not make any untrue statements. This is just as evil! 

Reading Activities #4 for Genesis 39:1-23

1. PUNCTUATION: The word LORD is written with all capital letters at various places in the Bible. It translates a Hebrew word for God which means Lord Almighty. The capital letters show respect.
2. PLOT: What do we find out about Potiphar’s wife and her character?
3. PLOT: This part of the story shows an UP, a DOWN, and another UP in Joseph’s life. Tell what the UP and DOWN parts were. Who caused the UP parts? Who caused the DOWN parts? Was God still in control even during the DOWN parts of the story?

Reading Activities #5 for Genesis 40:1-23

1. VOCABULARY: What does the word custody mean? What does interpretation mean?
2. PLOT: Explain how the dreams of the cupbearer and the baker are specifically related to each person’s job.
3. Like -ite, the suffixes -an and -ian can mean that a person is associated with a place. For example, a Brazilian is from Brazil. What word like this can you find in this passage?

Reading Activities #6 for Genesis 41:1-36

1. PLOT: The timing makes a huge difference in the plot! Joseph didn’t get out of prison right away after the cupbearer made a promise to speak to Pharaoh on his behalf. How much later did Joseph get called to help Pharaoh? Why do you suppose that God allowed him to stay there that long?
2. PLOT: Why did Pharaoh have two dreams that essentially showed the same thing? 
3. PLOT: What was Joseph’s plan in response to Pharaoh’s dream?
4. PUNCTUATION: Note in verse 34 that the fraction word one-fifth has a hyphen between the numbers. Write the words for ½ and ¾.
5. VOCABULARY: What does the word reserve mean in verse 36?

Reading Activities #7 for Genesis 41:37-57

1. PUNCTUATION: We use quote marks to show when someone says something. Copy down at least three quotes from this passage. Pay careful attention to how quotes are punctuated, especially when they are part of a larger sentence. Sometimes a quote is interrupted, such as in the following example: “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father's house.” 
2. PLOT: What are some of the “perks” (special benefits) that went with the position Pharaoh gave to Joseph?
3. PLOT: This passage represents another UP in Joseph’s life story. Besides his important position and his valuable work, he gained three family members. What are their names?

Reading Activities #8 for Genesis 42:1-38

1. PLOT: The plot thickens! The very brothers who sold Joseph into slavery are now at his mercy, and they don’t even realize who he is! Why does Joseph question and accuse his brothers? What does he find out about their heart attitudes?
2. WORD SKILLS: Find all of the proper names listed in this passage and write them in alphabetical order. Include the names of seven people and three places. 
3. BIBLE HISTORY: Note that there are two names for Joseph’s father. Which one did he get at birth, and which one was given to him later by God?
4. PLOT: Why doesn’t Jacob want Benjamin to go to Egypt?

Reading Activities #9 for Genesis 43:1-34 

1. PLOT: What is Joseph’s attitude toward his brothers in this passage? 
2. PLOT: What was so amazing about the seating arrangement in verse 33?
3. VOCABULARY: What does the word abomination mean in verse 32?

Reading Activities #10 for Genesis 44:1-34 

1. PUNCTUATION: In the second paragraph, there is a quote-within-a-quote. A pair of single quote marks (‘ and ’) are used to enclose it. Note that the ending single quote mark is right next to the ending double quote mark, so it looks like this: ’” Write your own quote-within-a-quote with proper punctuation.
2. PLOT: What do we find out about Judah’s character in this passage? 

Reading Activities #11 for Genesis 45:1-28

1. PLOT: What does Joseph say is the reason that all of this stuff has happened to him?
2. PLOT: Who is ultimately responsible for everything that happens to us? What kind of attitude should we have toward our troubles in life because of this?
3. PLOT: How does Jacob respond to the news that Joseph is alive?

Reading Activities #12 for Genesis 46:1-34

1. PLOT: Copy the promise that God makes to Jacob.
2. PUNCTUATION: In verse 26, you will notice that the word sixty-six has a hyphen in it. This is how most two digit numbers are written as words. What words for two digit numbers do not have hyphens in them? (Hint: There are 17 of them.)

Reading Activities #13 for Genesis 47:1-31

1. VOCABULARY: What does the word languish mean in verse 13?
2. PLOT: What happens to the people who have run out of food?

Reading Activities #14 for Genesis 49:28-26

1. PLOT: Why did both Jacob and Joseph want to be buried in Canaan?
2. PLOT: The key verses in this entire story are found in Genesis 50:19-20, as well as Genesis 45:5-8 on page 13 of this study guide. Write a paragraph telling what you have learned about how God’s providence guides each event of our life, whether it is pleasant or unpleasant.
3. PLOT: Why was Joseph able to forgive his brothers for their horrible sin against him?

Twiddling Your Curriculum Choices: Small Changes Can Make a Big Impact

Dear friends,

Have you ever started out using one curriculum and then realized it wasn't working for you or your child?  What do you do next?  This has happened to me many times in the past two decades of home schooling.   Sometimes, I see what I can do to adjust the curriculum so we can keep using it, picking and choosing from it what is helpful and what is not.  Other times I switch to another resource to use at least for a while.  Much of home schooling is a matter of trial and error since each child can be so different from the others, and some curriculum just doesn't click!  Also, there are times when we buy something that we haven't used before and we don't know yet how it will perform in the daily scheme of things.

For about four years, our family was enrolled in a structured home school co-op where each teacher selected the curriculum that would be used by his or her students.  This was, of course, necessary to keep things in order so everyone could be "on the same page" and make it easier for the teacher to plan assignments.  However, I have always loved picking curriculum, so this was one trade-off I had to make.

However, this past spring, having decided we would go back to what my husband calls "true home schooling", I relished the opportunity to go resource hunting again.   There is a wonderful used bookstore near us that carries a lot of curriculum, and I noticed some middle school Earth Science books from a Christian publisher on clearance for $6 a piece.  I bought two identical ones, because the child who would be using them likes to read to me, and it's easier for me, as a visual learner, to follow along if I have my own copy right in front of me.  Well, we used this text for about 12 weeks, but it seemed like he was having a hard time motivating himself to read the chapters, and hunting down the specific answers to the questions always slowed the process down even more.  I asked him about this, and he said he really wanted to learn about a whole variety of science topics, especially physical science, chemistry, technology, etc.

I didn't want to buy anything new for him right then, so I started looking on my shelves for what we already had.  I hit the jackpot with a science encyclopedia (published by Dempsey Parr) which was written for his age level.  Each page spread covers a different topic, with plenty of visually appealing diagrams, charts, and photos.  There are also experiments in the back of the book.  I showed it to him and he was absolutely delighted.  Each day he reads four pages and then writes a paragraph about what he has read.  He prefers this kind of open-ended written narration rather than comprehension questions anyway, so this is perfect.  I love reading what he has learned each day.  Science has become a joy for him instead of drudgery!

One small change, one big impact!  I'm not saying we should be wishy-washy or give in to every sign of discontent in our children, but we do need to give it careful thought and see what we can do.

Don't be afraid to adjust curriculum as needed.  It is not a sign that you "failed" in picking something out the first time, but of sensitivity to your child in being willing to change!  It gives your child the message that you care. 

Oh, what happened to the two Earth Science books I had bought?  I brought them in to sell back to the used bookstore, and oddly enough, the on-line resale price had shot up to $60 each.  The store pays about 50% of expected sales price if you choose to take store credit, so I came out with $30 in credit for each $6 I had spent!  Sweet deal!

Blessings,
Virginia Knowles
http://www.continuewellhomeschool.blogspot.com/

Islam Vocabulary and Concepts

Dear friends,

In my middle school English class at our (former) home school co-op last spring, I gave my students an assignment to read a missionary biography and write a report about it.  In conjunction with this, I taught a series on major religions and world views, explaining the vocabulary and concepts behind Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, atheism/secularism, communism/socialism, tribal religions and Judaism. You can find the Judaism list here: Judaism Vocabulary and Concepts.  

This is the vocabulary word list for Islam.  In addition to the following vocabulary words, I printed out current news reports related to Islam, plus an article about Samuel Zwemer, who was a missionary to Muslims.  We discussed all of this in class, as well as comparing Islam with the Christian Bible.  For more information on Islam from a Christian perspective, visit www.answering-islam.org/.

Islam Vocabulary Words

• Allah: name for God; they often say "Insha Allah" which means "if Allah is willing"
• Arabic: the language that the Qur'an is written in
• burqa: full coverage clothing worn by many Muslim women
• caliph: ruler of an Islamic Empire -- or a representative
• Crusades: the battles that the Catholic church waged against Islam in an attempt to capture the Holy Lands during the Middle Ages.
• fatwa: religious verdict/ruling; (in 1989, the Ayatollah Khomeini of Iran issued a fatwa that sentenced author Salman Rushdie to death for publishing an anti-Islamic book but the fatwa was lifted 1998)
• Five Pillars of Islam: the main duties of Muslims: shahada, salat, zakat, sawm, and hajj
• Gabriel: the angel who supposedly spoke to the Prophet Mohammad
• hajj: A pilgrimage to Mecca, the birthplace of Mohammad, is one of the five pillars of the Islamic faith.
• imam: a leader of Muslim religious services
• Islam: the name of the religion which worships Allah -- it means "submission to the will of Allah"
• jihad:“striving” or “holy war”
• minaret: a tower of the mosque where the muezzin issues the call to prayer
• Mohammad: prophet who founded Islam, also spelled Muhammad or Mohammed
• mosque: a Muslim place of worship
• muezzin: a man who calls others to pray five times a day, usually from a minaret
• mulla: a scholar or teacher of Islamic law
• Muslim: a member of the religion of Islam, also spelled Moslem
• Qur'an: the Muslim holy book, also spelled Koran
• Ramadan: the month of prayer and fasting (Arabic name for fasting is sawm; it is one of the five pillars of Islam); Ramadan ends in the festival of Eid al-Fitr
• salat: the Moslem ritual of praying five times a day after a handwashing ritual. It is one of the five pillars of Islamic faith
• Saudi Arabia: the country where the religion of Islam started
• shahada: the declaration of Muslim faith: "There is no god but Allah; Mohammad is the messenger of Allah." This is the first of the five pillars of Islam
• shari’ah: system of law imposed in Muslim countries -- many Muslims are trying to get shari'ah law into European countries
• Shi’ites: a strict Muslim sect which rejects the first three caliphs, insisting that Mohammad’s son-in-law ’Ah was Mohammad's rightful initial successor; they believe that imams are infallible (never make mistakes); 10% of Muslims (about 170 million) are Shi'ites, and they are predominant in Iran and Iraq
• Sufi: a small Muslim sect of Iranian (Persian) philosophical mystics who have adapted and reinterpreted Islam to make it a "heart religion" rather than a system of rules; they are often persecuted by other Muslims
• Sunni: The largest Muslim sect which acknowledges the first four caliphs as Mohammad’s rightful successors; 90% of Muslims (more than a billion!) are Sunni
• surah: a chapter of the Qur'an -- there are 114 surahs
• zakat: donations or charity; money given to provide education, keep up or build mosques or help the needy -- one of the five pillars of Islam

Islam Vocabulary Questions

1. What are the Five Pillars of Islam?

_____________________ (declaration)

_____________________ (prayer)

_____________________ (charity)

_____________________ (fasting)

_____________________ (pilgrimage)


2. Which three vocabulary words are names of sects of Islam?


__________________________ (biggest one)

__________________________ (strictest one)

__________________________ (mystical one)




3. Which vocabulary words are different kinds of individual people who lead in Islam?

______________________________

______________________________

______________________________


4. How many surahs are in the Qur'an? What language is it written in? What is another spelling for Qur'an?

Great American Communicators: Sequoyah

Great American Communicators
Sequoyah: Inventor of the Cherokee Syllabary

Sequoyah, born in the 1770’s, was a Cherokee Indian. His mother was full blood Indian, and his father was probably at least half-white. His English name is Geroge Gist or Guess. Sequoyah became an excellent blacksmith and silversmith and operated a trading business. He also had a drinking problem, but he gave up alcohol when he saw how it was ruining his life.

Sequoyah wanted the Indian people to have a way to read “talking leaves” like the English speaking people did. He never spoke English, and he never understood how the English alphabet worked, although he had seen some books. Facing much opposition and taking 12 years away from his business, he invented the Cherokee syllabary. This is like an alphabet, but there is a character for each syllable, not for each individual phonetic sound. He had originally tried to do a character for each word, like in Chinese. Sequoyah used 85 characters in his syllabary.

In order to prove that his syllabary worked, he taught his daughter, Ah-yo-kah how to read. Word spread quickly of Sequoyah's invention. In 1821, the Cherokee Nation adopted Sequoyah's alphabet as their own. Within months thousands of Cherokee became literate. Thousands of Cherokee began to use Sequoyah's invention on a daily basis and the syllabary gave the nation the ability to create the first American Indian newspaper, The Cherokee Phoenix.

By 1825, the Bible and numerous religious hymns and pamphlets, educational materials and legal documents and books of every description were translated into the Cherokee language.

Read more about Sequoyah here: Sequoyah Birthplace Museum

"Sequoyah"
by David J. Brown (a Cherokee)


Thou Cadmus of thy race!
Thou giant of thy age!
In every heart a place,
In history a living page;
The juggernaut chariot time,
May crush as she doth give;
But a noble name like thine,
Shall ever with Kee-too-whah live.


Orion-like thou dost stand,
In any age and clime,
With intellect as grand,
As ever shown by time,
'Twas thy hand lit the spark
That heavenward flashed its ray
Revealing the shining mark
The straight and narrow way.


Ignorance and superstitious awe
From high pedestals toppled o'er
When as the ancient giver of law,
Smiting, thou mad'st the waters pour;
Stand thou didst on Pisgah's height,
And gazed into the future deep.
But day was ne'er unclasped from night
E'er thy spirit silently fell asleep.

Great American Communicators: Benjamin Franklin

This is another handout from my series on Great American Communicators that I taught to my students in the middle school English class in a large home school co-op.

Benjamin Franklin’s Contributions to Communications

• Benjamin Franklin was born in 1706, the 15th of the 20 Franklin children! There must have been a whole lot of communicating going on in his house when he was a kid!
• He stopped going to school when he was 10 (his parents couldn’t afford it) but he LOVED to read!
• He apprenticed as a printer -- but he hated working for his brother James and so he ran away.
• His pseudonym (false name) for writing letters to his brother’s paper was “Mrs. Silence Dogood”!
• At age 24 he started the Pennsylvania Gazette newspaper.
• He created the Poor Richard’s Almanack from 1732 to 1757. It was a yearly book with a calendar, list of events, advice, witty sayings, weather predictions, etc.
• He founded the first public library in Philadelphia.
• He established the postal system.
• He founded a college.
• He was elected to the Pennsylvania Assembly in 1751.
• He was sent to England several times to protest their treatment of the American colonies.
• He went as the ambassador to France to persuade them to support the colonies in the Revolutionary War.
• As a delegate to the Second Continental Congress, he helped write the Declaration of Independence.
• He was the only man to sign the Declaration of Independence, the Treaty of Paris AND the Constitution.
• He wrote essays against slavery.
• He tried to invent an easier alphabet, but it never caught on.
• He wrote an autobiography, The Life of Benjamin Franklin.
• I’m not even listing his scientific inventions – just the things that are about communications!

Can you unscramble these words and phrases that appear on this page? riptren, dusymepon, zegatet, clamkaan, clubip rilybar, lopast ystesm, bodarasams, easyss, tunconsittio, goubarthopyai, habalpet

Here are some of Benjamin Franklin's proverbs:  

• An empty bag cannot stand upright.
• Be always ashamed to catch thyself idle.
• The doors of wisdom are never shut.
• Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.
• God helps them that help themselves.
• Hunger never saw bad bread.
• If you'd have a servant that you like, serve your self.
• Keep thy shop and thy shop will keep thee.
• A lie stands on one leg, the truth on two.
• A man without a wife is but half a man.
• Nothing but money is sweeter than honey.
• One today is worth two tomorrows.
• Pay what you owe and you'll know what's your own.
• A quarrelsome man has no good neighbors.
• The rotten apple spoils his companion.
• Speak little, do much.
• Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.
• Up, sluggard, and waste not life; in the grave will be sleeping enough.
• Visits should be short, like a winter's day.
• Well done is better than well said.
• A good example is the best sermon.
• You may delay, but time will not.
• There are lazy minds as well as lazy bodies.
• Let thy child's first Lesson be obedience, and the second will be what thou wilt.
• Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time; for that's the stuff life is made of.
• A good conscience is a continual Christmas.
• God heals, and the doctor takes the fee.

What do these proverbs mean? Can you write some of them in your own words?

Put a star by the ones that talk about working hard and not being lazy.

P.S. Benjamin Franklin spent many years in Philadelphia, including a lot of time working in the building that is now known Independence Hall.  We visited historic Philadelphia this summer; you can see our pictures of the sites here: Historic Philadelphia.

Great American Communicators: Thomas Jefferson

In the middle school English class which I taught for a large home school co-op, I used to do a series on Great American Communicators the years we studied American literature.  I featured about a dozen men and women who had made significant contributions to American communications either by what they spoke or wrote themselves, or what they did to improve communication for others.  Some of them included John Winthrop (Puritan pastor), Jonathan Edwards (preacher in the Great Awakening), Benjamin Franklin (statesman, newspaperman, inventor, library and college founder, etc.), Noah Webster (creator of the American dictionary and spelling books), Alexander Graham Bell (inventor of the telephone and teacher of the deaf), Sequoyah (inventor of the Cherokee syllabary for written language), and Phillis Wheatley (slave poet).  Here is what I gave my students in their handouts for Thomas Jefferson.

Great American Communicators: Thomas Jefferson

President John F. Kennedy welcomed forty-nine Nobel Prize winners of the Western Hemisphere to the White House in 1962, saying, "I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent, of human knowledge, that has ever been gathered at the White House, with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone."

Thomas Jefferson was a VERY talented man. He was the primary author of the Declaration of Independence, second Governor of Virginia, second U.S. Vice President, third U.S. president, lawyer, inventor, architect, agriculturalist, archaeologist, and the founder of the University of Virginia. He also must have been quite a reader. After the Library of Congress was burned during the War of 1812, Thomas Jefferson sold Congress 6,487 books from his collection to start a new one.


However, for all of his intellectual gifts, Thomas Jefferson was not an evangelical Christian. He was probably a deist. He made up his own condensed version of the Gospels which left in the moral teachings of Jesus, but none of the miracles. So from an eternal perspective, he was not a wise man. 1 Corinthians 1:18-20 & 25 says:


"For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? . . . . For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men."


Oddly enough, Jefferson is said to have been a poor public speaker and gave only two public speeches as president. He even refused to give his State of the Union speeches in person, and instead sent them to Congress in writing. His other communication skills more than compensated for this lack. You don’t have to be good at everything to be good at something.


Thomas Jefferson died on July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. John Adams, who had been the 2nd president, died the same day.

Jefferson’s epitaph said:

HERE WAS BURIED THOMAS JEFFERSON

AUTHOR OF THE DECLARATION OF AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE

OF THE STATUTE OF VIRGINIA FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

AND FATHER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA

He didn’t even mention that he had been President of the United States!

At the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C., these words of Thomas Jefferson are inscribed: “I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.”

Jefferson is also one of the four presidents (along with George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt) carved into Mount Rushmore. His portrait appears on the nickel and the rare $2 bill.

Can you find it on these pages?

□ Find the ellipsis in the Bible passage. Why is it there? (It is a kind of punctuation.)
□ Find an example of humor in the form of a compliment.
□ Who died the same day as Thomas Jefferson?

Think About It!


Thomas Jefferson worked with other men to write the Declaration of Independence. They each contributed their ideas, but he was the one to put it all together. What kind of skills does it take to get a group to agree on what to say?

Can you imagine being the person responsible for writing a document like this that would change world history? Thomas Jefferson’s words didn’t just affect the people right around him in his own time period. They affect us every day, because we live in this country, and they affect people all around the world because so many governments are based on ours.

You may not write anything as earth shattering as the Declaration of Independence, but your words – both written and spoken – do have an effect on people around you. Do you know what a ripple effect is? That’s when you have an effect on someone else, and then they in turn have an effect on someone else, and so on. So, if you take the time to encourage someone, they might treat someone else kinder, and then that person may pass the favor on to the next person, etc. But if you are nasty to someone, they might be nasty to everyone else around them, and so on.


My challenge to you is to stay faithful to Christ in all that you do, so that you won’t just be known for being smart or talented, but you will have an impact on others for eternity.


Read It Aloud!Preamble to The Declaration of Independence


I have included part of the Declaration of Independence below. Of course, they didn’t have TV or the Internet back then, so it was sent out by courier to all the colonies. Imagine, like nine year old Andrew Jackson (who later became president) that you have been chosen to read it to the townspeople. Recite it out loud as clearly as you can and think about what it says. See if you can memorize several lines of it.

In Congress, July 4, 1776


The Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America


When, in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the Powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.


We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers form the consent of the governed. That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. --Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

(There is much more! This is just the start of it!)

P.S. Our family visited Jefferson's beautiful estate, Monticello, on our summer vacation.  You can see pictures here: Monticello.

Blessings,
Virginia Knowles
http://www.continuewellhomeschool.blogspot.com/

Creator, Creation & Creativity

Creator, Creation & Creativity
An excerpt from The Real Life Home School Mom: It's a Life in Revision

As home school moms, we long to fill our children’s hearts and minds with good things! We are not just talking about behavioral rules or academic skills, but a thirst for beauty. We are right to focus on the cross and salvation as the foundation of our faith, but we also need to reverence the Lord as our Awesome Creator. Think back to Genesis about how our Lord marvelously called our world into existence. Paradise! Beauty! Purpose in life! Oh, how sin marred this ideal, but creation still points us to our Creator. In fact, Romans 1:18-20 says: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.”

I think that part of introducing our children to spiritual things, to the realm of a Gracious God in their lives, begins with an appreciation for creation. We should give our children ample time to enjoy the splendors and the intricacies of the natural world. They should gain a sense of divine awe for the masterful design of geographical formations, plants, and animals. This can inspire us to worship the Lord! The same God who created all this created me, too! We didn’t evolve from pond slime. We were designed by an all-knowing all-powerful God who has a plan for our individual lives. There are myriad excellent resources to teach our children about creation versus evolution. The Incredible Creatures that Defy Evolution DVDs are a great example of this.  As home school families, let’s take full advantage of our right and privilege to use them.

I recently came across a book which expands on children, nature, creativity, imagination, a sense of wonder and mystery, the arts, and the heart far beyond whatever I could write here. Be sure to get a copy of Romancing Your Child’s Heart by Monte Swan. This is a masterful book on parenting, a must-read highly recommended by folks like Tedd Tripp (author of Shepherding a Child’s Heart), Dennis Rainey (Family Life Today), and Wade and Jessica Hulcy (authors of the KONOS curriculum). I was captivated from the start by Monte’s description of his own Wisconsin childhood, and parents who nurtured his love of nature and of creative tinkering, even though he struggled with traditional learning. The aimed for the heart – and they got it! Monte writes: “As we smell a wildflower in the springtime, watch a blazing sunset over the desert, or witness a thunderstorm on a sultry summer afternoon, beauty and drama capture our hearts. Is the wonder we feel the response He hoped for as He created these things? I'm confident that creation reveals another aspect of romance in God's heart. He's the first Quilter of prairies, the primer Painter of autumn colors, the archetypical Sculptor of the mountains, the master Composer of the whippoorwill's song, and the original Poet of grace and truth. And He has imprinted His creative image in human hearts. Burning curiosity, wonder at mystery, and the delight at finding a solution that makes order visible -- all these accompany creativity, giving us our fullest happiness and deepest satisfaction on earth."

Let’s go beyond nature study to more human endeavors. Our creative God, who made us in his image as creative beings, often reveals himself through the “common graces” of literature, art, music, and nature study. Charlotte Mason, the esteemed turn-of-the-century British educator who wrote much about home schooling, always urged parents to make the most of these, rather than merely dull dry paperwork. She envisioned children growing up wholesomely in the spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical realms of life. That’s what we want: true beauty, a keen aesthetic sense that so fills the soul that there is no room for the garbage our culture dishes up so liberally. The beauty I am talking about is not just “pretty stuff” for the eyes and ears. It is not devoid of pain and suffering. It is what transforms the soul toward the inner beauty of kindness and compassion – and that will mean exposure to the pathos of human existence. Our literature choices need to carefully reflect real life at the heart level. French archbishop Francis Fenelon wrote in 1687:

“Children filled with thoughts of their romantic heroes, become astonished when they look around in real life, and cannot discover a single person throughout the world bearing resemblance with their ideal hero. They would wish to live like those princes and princesses who are always charming, always adored, always above every care. What a disgust for them to descend from a hero and heroine, to the low detail and drudgery of taking care of a family. Children should be influenced by books that vividly portray life in all its trials and victories. Divine providence should echo throughout its pages. Characters who suffer wrongfully in a righteous manner, and display humble dispositions, will lay a secure foundation for the time when childhood may be stolen away; perhaps through the death of a loved one, sickness, or calamity. Children need informed instruction, and models of heroes and heroines of righteousness to fill their reserves for such a time. In literature as well as in history, God who doeth all things well, must be seen through the filter of His divine love and tender care of His children and as an avenger of all who harden their neck.”

Literature, art, music, nature study – these are so vital to “ignite the delight” in a child’s education! But they must be worthy! Philippians 4:8 tells us, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

What is the learning atmosphere in our homes? Are they places where great books are read to one another in the evening (or at any other time), where lullabies and hymns are sung, where fine art books are contentedly browsed through on the couch, or where an older sister thinks to put on classical music so a tiny brother and sister can grow up with a bit of culture? We can have it if we choose it. Even if we don’t own all the resources we would like, we can always go to the library, or take a field trip to an art museum or a free concert in the community.

Beyond enjoying the creativity of other people, our hearts are nurtured when we create beauty, too! Art is not just another school subject. In whatever form it takes, it is a way of touching the heart, of being who God created us to be. We can affirm our children in their fledgling efforts at creativity. Each child has different talents and interests, but each one can find a niche or two. Whether it is a pennywhistle performance, a colored pencil drawing, a pattern block design, a piano minuet, a zany impromptu skit, a rollicking rhyme, a fragrant flower garden, or a tasty ethnic meal – may our lives be enriched by the abundant fruits of their creativity! We don’t expect perfection because we learn and improve as we go. We don’t want to squelch the desire with undue criticism. Our family once visited an Eric Carle exhibit at our local art museum. From an information panel on the wall, we learned that he was inspired in his vibrant artistry by a kindergarten teacher whose encouragement carried him through the rest of his dull years of education. How much will our words of affirmation mean to our children, for whom we will be primary teacher for so many years? Let’s aim for the heart with the arts!

If you still think that the creative arts are optional, ponder for a moment how they can be used for God’s glory within the church. Our children have sung in choirs and on the church worship team, acted in church musicals, painted sets and sewed costumes for Christmas productions, face painted for community outreaches, mimed on mission trips, helped out with kids’ crafts during a Mom’s Brunch and much more. Our church also has several talented young dancers who bless us during holiday services, musicals, and youth outreaches. I see so much hope for the future of the church knowing these young people are using their creative energies – in whatever form -- to minister to others. Think also of how dependent our culture is on the arts to communicate messages about life. If we want to be able to draw people to the Savior, we are going to have to raise up a generation skilled in relaying the Good News through the most effective, heart-reaching means. Let’s get them hooked on honoring God with their talents while they are young! This starts with giving them high quality examples to emulate in the books they read, the music they listen to, the art they look at, the movies they watch, and the people they meet. Choose well – you are laying a foundation for life.