Literature Study Guide for The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare

The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare
Literature Study Guide

The Bronze Bow is set in Israel at the time of Christ. The main character, Daniel, is a runaway apprentice who lives in the mountains with a band of zealots determined to drive out the Roman oppressors.

The Book

1. In what year was The Bronze Bow published?
2. What award did it win the following year?
3. Name two other books written by Elizabeth George Speare.

Chapter 1

1. Notice the very descriptive language in this chapter. Copy a sentence that gives a vivid description of a person, place or thing.
2. Why is Daniel living in the mountains, and why did he make himself known to Joel and Malthace?
3. Compare Daniel’s appearance and habits with those of Joel and Malthace. Write in complete sentences!
4. If you know that “bar” means “son of” and that “Daniel bar Jamin” means “Daniel son of Jamin,” then what was the name of Joel’s father?
5. Look at the following recipe for honey cakes, which they ate for lunch. What do the abbreviations “c.” and “t.” stand for? How is “t.” different from “T.” and why is this important? What word does the symbol “°” stand for? What does the “x” in “13 x 9” stand for?

Honey Cakes

Ingredients: 1/3 c. shortening (or vegetable oil or butter), ½ t. baking soda, 1 c. honey, ½ t. salt, 2 eggs, ½ t. cinnamon, 2 ½ c. flour, ¼ t. nutmeg, 1 ½ t. baking powder, 1 c. sour milk or buttermilk (or regular milk)

Instructions: Use a mixer to cream shortening, honey and eggs. Mix dry ingredients together. Add dry ingredients alternately with sour milk to creamed mixture. Grease a 13 x 9 inch pan and pour batter into it. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.


Chapter 2

1. What main thing is happening in this chapter, and what is Daniel’s role in it?
2. What prompted Daniel to lead the slave, and why did he later regret this?
3. Why does Rosh insist that Daniel remove Samson’s chains the first night? How did Samson respond when the job was done?
4. Find and copy two similes (comparisons using “like” or “as”) from this chapter, and give the page numbers.

Chapter 3

1. Who arrived from the village and what did Daniel show him?
2. What news does this person bring to Daniel?
3. An idiom is a sentence or phrase in which the meaning differs from the meaning s of the individual words. Example: Rosh and Simon “don’t see eye to eye.” What does this mean?
4. What is a mezuzah?
5. Copy the blessing that Daniel recites at dinner (page 39).
6. Where did Daniel sleep at his grandmother’s house?

Chapter 4

1. Why did Simon want Daniel to see Jesus? Describe Jesus’ face and voice.
2. Daniel listened as “the great words of the Shema rolled through the synagogue.” Read aloud from Deuteronomy 6:4-9. Make a list of the commands that are found in these verses. Which ones apply to you?
3. Jesus quoted a passage beginning with these words: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me…” and then said that he had fulfilled the prophecy. Find this prophecy in the Old Testament and write down the reference (chapter and verses).
4. How did Daniel respond to what Jesus said? Why is he disappointed with Jesus later?
5. What happened on the way home from the synagogue?

Chapter 5

1. Why is Daniel disillusioned (confused and disappointed)?
2. Why does Daniel travel to Capernaum?
3. How do Joel and Malthace react to his visit?
4. What is Hezron’s opinion of the zealots?
5. What happened at the end of this chapter?

Chapter 6

1. How does Daniel’s lack of self-control cause him trouble at the beginning of this chapter?
2. Why is Malthace so reluctant to help Daniel when he first comes to the house for help?
3. What do Joel and Malthace do for Daniel?
4. A good writer does not use the word “said” too much when he or she includes dialogue in the story. On the first page of this chapter, we find that the Roman soldier “ordered” and “barked” – words that give us an idea of his tone of voice and his personality. Find ten other words that are used to substitute for the word “said” in this chapter and write them in a list.

Chapter 7

1. Why do you suppose that Joel has an easier time communicating his thoughts to others than Daniel does?
2. Daniel and Malthace each have their own opinions of Rosh. Contrast them. (That means, tell the difference.)
3. What does Daniel say he is living for, and why?
4. What is wrong with Daniel’s sister Leah?
5. How does Joel change in this chapter?

Chapter 8

1. What happens when Daniel, wounded and exhausted, reaches the mountain?
   On the second page of this chapter, the author writes, “For Daniel, nothing could ever be the same.” Why?
2. “Cunning as a panther” and “like a brilliant scarlet lily, glowing and proud” are two descriptions of people in this chapter. What do we call this kind of phrase?
3. “Some had been carried here and lay on the ground on crude litters.” In this sentence, “litter” does not mean “trash.” What does it mean?
4. Why does Jesus say it isn’t necessary for the people to wash their hands at the meal?
5. What theme does Jesus preach about?
6. Simon says, “No, I have not asked Jesus to join us. All I hope and long for now is that he will ask me to join him.” How does this show a change in his attitude?

Chapter 9

1. Rosh calls the rich man a “skinflint.” What synonym for this word is used on the next page?
2. What is Daniel’s opinion about robbing the rich man before he does it? How does this change when he looks back at the man afterward?
3. How does Rosh react to Daniel’s actions and attitudes?
4. Write 4 adverbs from the last paragraph of this chapter.

Chapter 10

1. List 5 proper nouns from the first paragraph of this chapter. Then list 5 common nouns.
2. What happens at the beginning of this chapter and how does Daniel respond?
3. What Bible story does Daniel tell to his grandmother? Why did he choose this one?
4. Which Psalm does he quote? How does Leah respond to it?
5. What sense is featured most often in the last paragraph of this chapter? Circle your answer:
   
   sight touch hearing smell taste
   
   List two of the words that show this sense: ___________ ___________
   

Chapter 11

1. What does Simon offer to Daniel, and what does Daniel think about it?
2. How does Daniel transport Leah across town? Why does he have to do it this way?
3. "He could see her curiosity was piqued.” “Pique” is pronounced the same way as “peek” and “peak” so we say these words are homonyms. Write the correct words for each definition:
   1) to raise or excite
   2) to look or glance quickly or furtively
   3) the pointed top of a mountain
   4. What kinds of work does Leah do in their new home? List at least three things.

Chapter 12

1. What is Daniel’s attitude about defending Nathan?
2. List the four “hot” words in these sentences: “A feverish light burned in his dark eyes. He reminded Daniel of a panther, lean and dark and fiery, and his own fire leaped up to meet this boy’s.”
3. What is the main theme of this chapter?

"Daniel gets in a fight”
“Daniel works at the blacksmith shop”
“Daniel gathers recruits”
“The Roman soldier returns”

4. What symbol do the boys decide on to represent themselves and why?

Chapter 13

1. What does Joel say about Jesus’ manner of communicating?
2. What did Thacia accomplish when Daniel was gone with Joel?
3. What did Daniel realize about his sister Leah, and what did he do about it?

Chapter 14

1. Why has Daniel decided not to marry? Do you think this a good reason? Why or why not?
2. Why is Daniel so upset when Leah talks about the Roman soldier?
3. What does Daniel realize up on the mountain?
4. What does the last sentence in this chapter mean?

Chapter 15

1. What was the effect of Jesus on Daniel in this chapter?
2. Daniel likes to go hear Jesus preach, but he prefers to go in the morning rather than in the evening. Describe some of the differences that he notices between the two different times of day.
3. On page 163, we read: “At night Jesus too looked weary. His brilliant flashing eyes were dark with pity. Yet he never turned away, never refused to speak to them. While he talked, they all forgot for a while. You could see their faces, turned upward to the light that streamed from the open door. And you could see that his words touched their minds and hearts like some healing ointment, and that the scars on their spirits that came from being beaten and kicked and turned away all day long, lost their smart and for a short time did not matter. Often a man’s body was healed and he leaped up, full of new strength, and then a new hope coursed through them all.” Write at least two sentences about what this paragraph means.
4. What are some of the gifts which Thacia brought to Leah?

Chapter 16

1. What has Thacia learned from Jesus?
2. Daniel and Thacia are forced to carry heavy packs for the Roman soldiers. Find and copy the verse from the Bible where Jesus talked about this law.
3. What are at least three reasons why Daniel appreciates Thacia so much?

Chapter 17

1. Why were some of the villagers upset with Rosh, while others of them still respected him?
2. “This was the third man since morning who had brought the news that had slithered out from the city like a swarm of snakes to very village round about.” Why does the author use this metaphor/simile word picture of slithering, swarming snakes to describe the way the news traveled?
3. Find at least two other similes or metaphors in this chapter.
4. By the end of this chapter, why is Daniel so concerned about what is going on?

Chapter 18

1. What happens at the beginning of this chapter?
2. How do Leah and Thacia seem to switch roles on the second page of this chapter?
3. When Daniel goes up the mountain, what does he expect Rosh to do? What is Rosh’s response?
4. What are some physical descriptions of Rosh in this chapter? What emotional picture does this paint in your mind?
5. What do these sentences tell you about a change that is occurring in Daniel’s ability to think and use self-control?

• The red mist of anger cleared suddenly from Daniel’s mind.
• He saw a man he had never really looked at before.
• Daniel looked steadily into the narrowed black eyes.
• At the prospect his hands clenched with savage pleasure. But his mind was in control now.
• “If we use our heads, we can make twenty count for a hundred.”
• “On the road.” Daniel’s mind was working clearly now. “We can’t break into the garrison.”
• He felt no pride or glory that he was their leader, as he had once dreamed. Only a cold heaviness.

Chapter 19

1. What is the setting at the beginning of this chapter?
2. “A fissure in the rock extended in an oblique line down the face of the rock…” Look up the words fissure and oblique and write the meanings in your own words.
3. Daniel is somewhat uncertain about whether his group of boys will be able to free Joel from the Romans. What gives him hope that they can?
4. When the battle looks hopeless, what surprising thing happens?

Chapter 20

1. What is the emotional atmosphere at the beginning of this chapter?
2. What is Joktan’s life like now, as compared to before?
3. What does Daniel counsel Joel to do?
4. What does Joel tell Daniel about Thace?

Chapter 21

1. 1. Why did Daniel go to see Jesus?
2. What lesson did Jesus want Daniel to learn? (Please be as complete in your answer as you can. Take the time to really think about it!)
3. What question would you take to Jesus if you could spend a few hours alone with him? What do you think he would tell you?

Chapter 22

1. What are the three settings in this chapter?
2. What is Daniel so tormented when he talks to Thacia?
3. What did Leah say that upset Daniel even further?

Chapter 23

1. What effect have Daniel’s words had on Leah?
2. The people believe that Jesus is their Messiah. What is their expectation of what he will do in that role? What is the reality?
3. Why does Simon follow Jesus?
4. What is Daniel feeling at the end of this chapter?

Chapter 24

1. The Day of Atonement in the previous chapter was in the fall. Now it is spring. Have someone read the first paragraph of this chapter to you as you copy it down. Check your spelling and punctuation against the book.
2. With Leah so sick, what does Daniel decide to do?
3. The key sentence in this chapter is written in italics. Copy it.
4. Describe each of Daniel’s three interactions with Marcus throughout the chapter.

Book Summary

In your own words, summarize the main messages in this book. Write at least a five sentence paragraph, including an introductory sentence, three supporting detail sentences, and a summary sentence.

How to Feed a Brain Every Day

Dear friends,

I love the Holy Experience blog by Canadian Ann Voskamp. Today her post is full of links for web sites that post daily educational goodies like spelling quizzes, geography facts, poems, writing prompts, bird pictures, classical musical, today in history, Biblical art and so much more.
She notes that this was her kids' "go-to" list when she was busy with another child.

How to Feed a Brain Every Day (Daily Links for Hungry Minds)
http://www.aholyexperience.com/2009/08/how-to-feed-brain-everyday-daily-links.html

While we're at it, you may as well feast on a foundational home schooling piece she posted last year, Seven Daily Rungs. I need to reread it myself!
http://www.aholyexperience.com/2008/01/seven-daily-rungs.html

Blessings,
Virginia Knowles

Do It Well, But Keep It Humble

Dear friends,

If you're linking in from Lisa Stump's Wildflower Academy blog and looking for the article "Do It Well, But Keep It Humble" you can find it on my main blog here: http://virginiaknowles.blogspot.com/2009/08/do-it-well-but-keep-it-humble.html

Blessings,
Virginia

What We Are Using for 7th-8th Grade Curriculum

Our family belongs to the Providence Home Educators co-op, which has been a huge blessing to us for the past three years. One of the benefits is that I only need to plan lessons for 78th-8th grade English, and not all of the other subjects and grades. That's a trade-off, of course, because that means I have a less control over what curriculum my children will be using all year long. Fortunately, we've been pretty much pleased with what the other teachers have picked for their classes. This is what our 7th and 8th graders are doing this year. Please note that for history and English, these two grade levels are in the same classes. They are in separate math classes, and can choose science classes based on what is being offered that year.

Please note that the web links I have provided here are mostly for Christian Book Distributors. You can see the book cover, table of contents, and sample chapters at this web site. However, you may also wish to check http://www.rainbowresource.com/ which often has lower prices.

Science: Apologia General Science and Apologia Physical Science by Dr. Jay Wile, who is a gift to the home school movement. I love Apologia! This is what I have always chosen for elementary school (Flying Creatures, Underwater Animals, Astronomy, Botany) , middle school and high school science (Biology, Chemistry and The Human Body), co-op or not. They are specifically written for home school use, but there is nothing amateurish about them. Click here to see the entire Apologia line-up at CBD, including lab kits, CD-ROM's, etc.

Math: McDougal Littell 2007. Course 1 is for 6th grade, Course 2 for 7th, and Pre-Algebra for 8th. We also order the solutions manuals. You can find very helpful on-line, interactive student activities at http://www.classzone.com/. I have mixed feelings about McDougal Littell. Generally, I like it, but it can be frustrating at times for certain students. It is very colorful and covers the material well. Just don't assign every problem of a lesson or it will take forever!

History: A Beka text books provide structure, ready-made assignments, built-in assessment, and complete material. I like this, even though it can get a little dry all by itself. Adding hands-on projects can really spice it up. You can also read corresponding historical fiction and biographies to round out your program. We alternate back and forth between World History and American History. This year it is World. Sometimes we do the Geography program in conjunction with the History.

English: Mwah, ha, ha! This is MY domain! English is a little less cut-and-dried than the other subjects because we need to cover grammar, literature, writing, and other skills. I am also prefer a more "Charlotte Mason approach" -- learning English with whole, living literature. I want to talk about big ideas and themes, and how we can apply them to our lives! But I also want to make this manageable to my students and their parents.

I am breaking up English into its various components here:

Grammar: I've tried various grammar curriculum (Cozy Grammar, Easy Grammar, and BJU), without much satisfaction. I think I've hit on something good this year. All-in-One English by Garlic Press is basically a review of foundational grammar. This is necessary because some of the students aren't really proficient in this yet. The lessons are uncomplicated. The answer key is in the back. It's not a huge hunking book, which cuts down on the intimidation factor, but it is substantial enough to cover the necessary stuff. I assign an average of two pages per day.

Literature: I choose literature that roughly corresponds to whatever they are learning in the history class, so this year it is world literature, starting with the ancient times and moving toward the modern. We're starting off the year with several weeks of "Bible as Literature" including the Life of Joseph in Genesis, Psalms, Proverbs, and either Esther or Daniel. Then we will read the novel The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare, which is set in the time of Christ. I wrote my own study guide for this which includes comprehension and life application questions. I'll try to post it here soon. After that, we will do a unit on The Song of Roland using a few lessons from Medieval Legends (Imitation in Writing series) by Matt Whitling. The two weeks before Christmas, we will do a unit on the life of Christ which includes art, music, poetry, literature, and creative writing. You can find last year's unit here: Advent Assignments. In the spring semester, we will do the Scott O'Dells' novel The Hawk That Dares Not Hunt by Day, an adventure about Bible smuggling during the Reformation era. I have also written the study guide for this. Each student will also read a biography from the Heroes of the Faith series. I have a huge collection of these that I am going to loan out. We will also do an Easter unit with a similar format to our Christmas one.

Writing: Our writing assignments often correspond with the literature we are reading. We are going to do at least one major creative story writing project based on Proverbs, a medieval legend, a Christmas poem, a news article, a personal narrative, a biographical sketch, and some devotional writing. I will emphasize using descriptive language, organizing ideas, and revising/editing.

Other: In the fall semester, we are doing what I call "Learning English with Greek and Latin" (LEGAL for short). It is spelling and vocabulary with English words derived from Greek and Latin roots. I am developing this loosely based on the English from the Roots Up by Joegil Lundquist. In the spring, we will do the Young Peacemakers curriculum on Christian conflict prevention and resolution. This is a vital communications skill!

That's all, folks!

Blessings,
Virginia Knowles

The Entire Object of True Education

The Entire Object of True Education
by John Ruskin

The entire object of true education is to make people
not merely to do the right things, but to enjoy them;
not merely industrious, but to love industry;
not merely learned, but to love knowledge;
not merely pure, but to love purity;
not merely just, but to hunger and thirst after justice.

John Ruskin, 1819-1900
English writer, art critic, professor, reformer

Learn to Discern by Virginia Knowles

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Learn to Discern:
To Know and Do What is Right and True
by Virginia Knowles
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This article is part of a chapter from The Real Life Home School Mom: It’s a Life in ReVision.

Learn to Discern: To Know and Do What is Right and True

One reason we home school our children is to teach them discernment: to know and do what is right and true! We want to pass along our faith and family values, and not leave them vulnerable to everything else out there. We realize that discernment is not just about making isolated moral choices (like what movies are appropriate to see) or following rules to avoid negatives. It is also living by positive principles set down in Scripture and being able to listen to the Lord for specific life direction in fulfilling the destinies to which he has called us. We each have to discern not only right from wrong, but the “priority best” for us from among many “good” opportunities. Here are several ways we can teach our children discernment.

Teach your children to evaluate what they learn and what they choose by Scripture. For a Christian, the Bible is the ultimate authority in life – not what culture or experts say. We should all learn to “set our minds on things above, not on earthly things” and remember that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” My daughter Mary (age 20) commented after going to a New Attitude conference on discernment, that “gray areas” where the Bible is not specific are not excuses for sloppy thinking. If we search it out, we can find Biblical solutions for each decision that we face. James 1:5-8 assures (and warns) us, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” (ESV) It’s not enough to simply learn the truth – we need to apply it and to continually renew ourselves in it, claiming it as ours in Christ. “…Test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.” 1 Thessalonians 5:21 (ESV)

Teach your children the Bible! Even if you don’t get into complex discussions with your little ones, you can always introduce such basic concepts as “you reap what you sow” (what might happen if you do this…) and “do unto others as you would have them do to you” (how would you feel if…). Make sure they are especially grounded in the nature of God and the nature of man. God is powerful, pure, holy, just, good, and kind, while man is naturally deceitful, selfish, unfaithful, and proud. Knowing this helps us to trust and obey God’s way of doing things, and also to be wary of everything else in the world that has been corrupted by man’s sinful nature.

Encourage your children in their own personal walks with the Lord. Help them to establish a consistent and meaningful devotional time of Bible study, prayer, and worship. As they mature, look for a deeper understanding of the concepts. Learn to draw out their hearts, and see how their knowledge is affecting their lives, their attitudes, and their choices. Encourage them to cultivate an attitude of humility and teachability so they can seek wisdom.

Teach your children to closely guard their own emotions. As I have watched the home school movement for the past twenty years, I have been grieved to observe the faith and virtue of countless young people shipwrecked by three very powerful emotions: bitterness toward parents (which results in outward rebellion or passive rejection of their values), pride (they know it all and don’t need any counsel or accountability) and unwise romantic attachments (which can sway someone into thinking or doing things that ought not to be thought or done). Feelings are sort of like the moon – they have a tidal pull (on our attitudes and choices) and they sometimes eclipse the sun (block our vision of truth), but they should also reflect the sun (show God’s glory in our lives). You may find appropriate times with your children to share your own experiences of dealing with your emotions so they can remember they are not alone, and perhaps find some strategies for handling their own feelings. You can also work at communicating regularly and lovingly with your children so you can be aware of the challenges they are facing. They should know that you are a safe person to talk to, that you won’t be overly shocked when they share something with you, and that you will work through issues with them in a healthy manner that preserves their own God-given dignity.

Allow for different maturity levels among your children. Learning discernment is a gradual transfer of responsibility from the parent to child as their ability to reason develops. A newborn has no discernment at all, but by the time our offspring have reached “adult” age, we expect them to be making prudent choices most of the time. However, there is no abrupt cut-off at age 18; young adults still need parental input and guidance, although our goal is to launch them into independence. We all need accountability, even as older adults. I actually welcome my children making observations about my choices, as long as they are halfway respectful about it. They might say, “Mom, why are you watching that TV show? It’s not very edifying!” or “Mom, don’t you think what you just said was gossip?” Fair enough! Our lives are open books, aren’t they? And speaking of that, you may wish to share examples of how God has guided you through your decisions in life, such as in relationships, finances, schedule, educational options, career, ministries, health care, etc.

Give your children a vision for the future. What kind of men and women do they want to be? Do they realize that the choices and habits they are making now affect their future in vital ways? I liken this to packing a toolbox. If a plumber or electrician or carpenter goes off to a job and doesn’t have the appropriate tools (drills, wrenches, nails, etc.) then he is ill-equipped for his job. If our children go off into life without the tools of diligence, wisdom, purity, respect, and other virtues, they will be ill-equipped to deal with what life throws at them. So their job is to pack their life toolbox now and prepare for success. They need these character qualities now, anyway, not just as adults!

When you do see your children making wise choices, be sure to tell them! This can help guard them from wanting to give up, and they will be motivated to repeat the good things that you have appreciated in them.

Remember that you are a gatekeeper. You decide what comes in and out of your home, and where your children go. You need to provide wise leadership to your children in choosing friendships, books, music, movies, hobbies, group classes, and other things that may influence their attitudes and choices. Please remember that not everything that is labeled Christian is reliable or consistent with your family’s standards and values. There is a lot of religious crud out there! An author who has written one good solid book might be totally off base in another. The same thing goes for magazines, musicians, public speakers, etc. Be aware and beware! Here are a few tools to help you safeguard your children:

Be the parent! You have the right to say “no” to whatever you think might harm your children, while at the same time allowing them increasing flexibility to make their own choices under your guidance. Let your children face the consequences of their choices, especially as they get older. Experience can teach what lectures often can’t.

Teach your children to think clearly and thoroughly. Train them to pay close attention to what they are studying, rather than doing the mere minimum to get through an assignment. (The Charlotte Mason methods of oral and written narration can help them with this.) Help them to search out the deeper themes in literature, rather than just recalling details. Keep track of current events and trends (culture, politics, etc.), and evaluate them in light of the truth of Scripture. Teach logical thinking skills, such as spotting fallacies in reasoning. Help them write out a pro-con list and/or brainstorming pages when they are making decisions.

Show your children that they can’t always judge a situation or a person by first appearances or impressions. Discernment requires getting the whole picture, not depending on stereotypes or snap judgments. We don’t have to be afraid of truth or of stretching our perspective, and we can still learn something valuable even from those who might hold a different view of things than we do.

Remind your children that being discerning sometimes requires making difficult, inconvenient or unpopular choices. Encourage them that the eventual rewards (not always immediate) are worth it. They may have to stand alone when all of their peers (even home schooled ones) are doing something different. They may have to set aside their own desires to defer to the needs of others. They may have to delay instant gratification so they can obtain a more lasting or valuable future benefit.

Justice and Mercy by Virginia Knowles

Justice & Mercy

by Virginia Knowles

from The Real Life Home School Mom

“He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8

One of the greatest privileges of educating my own children is the opportunity to teach them about the themes of justice and mercy. Whether we are studying classic literature, history, geography, current events, careers, science & technology, health, home economics, and even math applications, these concepts can be woven through our curriculum. Take a few moments and think of how you can do this. Human nature being what it is, the drama of conflict and suffering unfolds down through the ages and across the world. I want my children to be able to respond not just with their heads, but with their hearts. I want them to evaluate ideas and actions in light of the truth of Scripture. Here are ideas for incorporating the concepts of justice and mercy into all of the subjects of your education program.

Scripture: Study what the Bible says about the subjects of justice and mercy. For starters, take a look at the entire chapter of Isaiah 58. Think about it, especially in terms of how you can apply it in your own lives!

Family Life: Model justice and mercy in your family relationships through fairness and mutual respect, but also patience with others who aren’t holding up their end of the bargain. Teach your children to endure perceived offenses without undue fussing. Children love to cry, “It’s not fair!” Usually this means they haven’t gotten their own way. Life isn’t always fair, but a lot of the time we just need to go with the flow, allowing someone else to go first or get the bigger share. Yes, there is a time to stand up for yourself and for others, especially in matters of moral conscience or flagrant injustice, but much of the time we just need to yield rights and show preference to others.

Community Service: Foreign mission projects are exciting, but they aren’t the only ways for our children to serve God and others. There is so much to be done in our own communities! Part of this is just being aware of needs as they come up, such as babysitting for an evening without charge for a struggling family, or volunteering to serve at a church event, or mowing a neighbor’s lawn, or planting flowers during a community improvement day. But we can also take the initiative for regular, planned community service. One of our friends takes her girls to visit a nursing home every Monday night. Teens might tutor and mentor disadvantaged elementary age students each week through an inner city ministry. Our church organizes periodic service projects for the youth, such as packing food at a homeless ministry. Habitat for Humanity (www.habitat.org) also offers work projects building homes for the disadvantaged.

Perspectives: Learn to think from other people’s perspective and give them the benefit of the doubt. When we observe other people who are different from us or who disagree with us, it is easy to get judgmental, critical, and legalistic. This is a poor example to our children. We need to “walk a mile in the other man’s moccasins”, and to “take the plank out of our own eyes before we dig around for the speck in someone else’s eye.” As home school families, we probably look pretty strange to other people, and we want them to think well of us even if we don’t agree. Let’s extend the same courtesy. We may be strange, but let’s be gracious, too.

History and Literature: Read well-written books, especially biographies and historical fiction. Talk about how people in these stories made just or unjust decisions, how these affected other people, how they responded to one another, what they could have done differently, etc. If we are reading about slavery or some other time of great injustice, I want my children to think of how they would have responded. When she was 10 and we were studying the Holocaust, my daughter Rachel asked if I would have sheltered Jews during World War II. I would have done something in the anti-Nazi Resistance movement if I had lived then. But that begs the question: What am I doing about injustice now? How am I living out justice and mercy in the 21st century?

Government: This is another school subject that lends itself to a study of justice and mercy. For a civics class you can study your country’s executive, legislative and judicial systems to discover how laws are made and enforced. What does the constitution say? What checks and balances are in place to prevent corruption? How are freedom of speech and freedom of religion protected? How are criminals punished? How are minorities and women treated? Next, do a comparative study of various political systems around the world, including republican, democratic, monarchy (with our without a representative government like parliament), communist, socialist, military dictatorship, etc. Find out what life is like in Iran or Cuba. Reading about wars also provides many scenarios for discussion. There are at least two viewpoints for every conflict. No one is entirely right or wrong. Each side has reasons for acting as they did. Innocent civilians suffer for poor decisions made by their governments, and are not “the enemy” themselves. For example, Patricia Beatty’s book, Be Ever Hopeful Hannalee, is told from the perspective of a young Southern sister and brother cruelly uprooted from their home and family during the Civil War. You can discuss concepts such as “just cause” for revolt against an unjust government, reasonable force, aggression vs. self-defense, pacifism, etc. We should apply this to various conflicts, past and present. This is excellent material for logic and thinking skills.

Current Events: When you read the newspaper or watch a news program, talk about the concept of justice. Was the court decision fair? Why is this person claiming discrimination? What programs should the federal or state government fund? How does the welfare system work, and is it effective? What policies should the government set about issues such as euthanasia or stem cell research?

Writing: For language arts, you can study vocabulary (integrity, justice, righteousness, compassion) and assign creative writing projects relating to justice and mercy. “What would you do if you found an iPod on the floor of the science museum at a field trip?” “If you had $500 to give to five different charitable organizations, which would you choose and why?” Whom do you know who embodies the concepts of justice and mercy? Write them an encouraging letter! Many folks are discouraged in the midst of their service, and your kind words of affirmation could give them just the moral boost they need to continue. Think about it!

Careers: Discuss workplace ethics from your own family’s experiences as well as news stories. Talk about how one person’s actions affect others. If an employee embezzles money or is not a good steward of company resources, it ultimately makes prices go up for the customers. If an employer discriminates in hiring or firing, or allows harassment, this reduces employee morale as well as hurting the offended party. Our actions affect others!

Civil Protest: Talk about boycotting and picketing as a means of non-violent social protest. How have these been used throughout history? What has been the result in various circumstances? Are there any products or companies that you boycott? Why? Would you ever picket? If you have a TV, watch the news for labor union disputes, environmental activism, and other forms of protest.

Education: Talk about the ethics of education. What does it mean to cheat on a test or plagiarize writing? (One of my children seemed to make a huge leap in her ability to do addition using our homemade flash cards, until I realized that the paper was thin enough for her to see the answers on the back!) I need to teach my older children how to properly attribute a quote to another source, and how much word for word excerpting is appropriate in various kinds of writing. Home school moms obviously have to help their children with schoolwork, but do give some thought to how much is appropriate for each age level and situation. At some point, children do need to think for themselves. If they need to take a chapter test, go ahead and prepare them ahead of time for it, but then just let them do it! They need an honest appraisal of their performance. We shouldn’t always shield them from that! As long as we are on this topic, are you adequately complying with state requirements for home education?

Fairy Tales: Fairy tales often present a simplified view of justice. The lines between good and evil are clearly drawn since little people can’t always understand the nuances of more complicated characters and plots. In the older versions, the villain (the big bad wolf, the wicked witch, etc.) usually meets his or her doom in the form of death. The newer non-violent versions have the bad guy chased away “never to be seen again” or reformed due to the innocent example of the child hero. Most times there still is that sense of closure, the “happily ever after” that young children need to assure them that all is well and the world is safe. At some point in time, children need to mature to the point where they can appreciate a more realistic story that may not have a tidy ending. The Book of Virtues and The Moral Compass, both edited by William Bennett, are essential anthologies of stories and poems for all ages.

Games and sports: A little healthy competition provides great opportunities to practice fair play, good sportsmanship, following the rules, taking turns, and being kind to someone who is less experienced or physically able. If your child is struggling with team cooperation, ask him, “What would you see to a player acting like this if you were the coach?” You can also find out what kinds of games and sports are played around the world, especially in Third World countries where they don’t have fancy toys. Can you send a box of soccer balls to an orphanage overseas?

Justice and mercy are so close to God’s heart. If we want to reflect his image, they must be close to ours as well. British ministry leader Mike Pilavachi encourages Christians to not turn away from news about injustice or oppression or poverty, but to act. “Because the truth is, if we don’t look properly, we’ll never cultivate a true heart of compassion. If we want our hearts to be changed, then we need to get involved. Often I think we’re afraid to see things fully because we know that once we have, we can never plead ignorance to God; we’ll have blown that excuse out of the water.” He quotes Martin Luther King, Jr. as saying, “We will have to repent in this generation for not merely the cruel words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people.” So I plead with you, my fellow home school parents, as you rightly shelter your children in some ways, don’t isolate yourself or them from the needs of the world that God has called us to serve in his name. If we don’t, who will?