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Daily Walkin' Farm
Glenn Bower Memorial Christian Academy
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Did You Know?
Students
schooled at home are increasingly being courted by colleges and
universities, and the number of homeschooled students enrolling in
higher-education institutions is continuing to rise. About 65 of the
45,000 enrollment applications sent to Penn State University in 2005
were received from homeschoolers. School officials tell the Digital
Collegian, a Penn college paper, that the number is double the 2004
tally of homeschoolers applying to Penn.
Penn
State officials are finding that homeschooled students often choose
colleges and universities based on location. "Many homeschool students
find it easy to find a campus that's close to home where they feel they
best fit," Anne Rohrbach, assistant director of the Division of
Admission Services and Evaluation at Penn State, told the newspaper.
Source: Digital Collegian, April 23, 2005
Homeschooled students typically score up to 30 points higher on the Scholastic Aptitude Test than the average.
Source: Brian D. Ray, Ph.D., The Worldwide Guide to Homeschooling, 2003.
"The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of
the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are
right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure,
enlightening the eyes." Psalm 19: 7-8
Behold, the days are coming, says
the Lord God, when I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of
bread, nor a thirst for water, but [a famine] for hearing the words of
the Lord.
AMOS 8:11 AMP.
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~*~ We keep a pretty flexible schedule, but we do keep one.
Our God is an orderly God, and so we try to
be. ~*~
2006/07
Wake up, Devotions: (we are reading through the N.T. this school year) I made a nifty form to help the children (an myself) keep track: Bkup NT Bible reading log.doc
Inside chores: (housekeeping) including caring for pets
Barn Chores: We have
many of these! They include watering, feeding, and checking on all
goats, cats, dogs, poultry, and horses. We collect eggs, and milk. We
do it all over again late afternoon or evening. If I'm not making
cheese or soap or something, then I'm trimming feet, worming, or
training somebody.
Get ready for the day (personal grooming- yes, this does have
to be scheduled in when you are raising boys!)
Breakfast
& clean-up
~ Tori mastered that, and now the boys often get their breakfast or one
of us makes Oatmeal, soaked overnight and then heated in the morning.
This is usually the time I have finished my Bible reading and prayer,
done the barn chores, and am starting my workout.
~Our School Day Starts~
Here is a form I made for lesson plans: Bkup general day timer.doc
- Bible:
We are reding through this year, and listening to Jon Courson's sermons
on the web. We will also continue to encourage personal morning
devotions, as well as a personal study. Tori has Beauty and the Pig
from Door Posts this year, and Taylor has an ongoing Proverbs study
with his Dad that also includes Ben too now.
The
evenings Daddy is home, he reads a chapter of the Bible and leads
discussion and prayer, and the nights he's not home, I ask Taylor
to read.
- Science
and Nature Study ~
We are using Apologia again for Tori and Taylor, and they are sharing
the highschool level Biology book. I also have alot of videos from
Answers in Genesis and Kent Hovind.
- We will read the Christian Liberty
Press Nature Readers to Ben as well as do nature study ala Charlotte Mason, and read through BJU 2nd grade science.
(We have years worth of BJU science textbooks, as
well as videos and books with creationist viewpoints. For Nature study
there are many good books to get you started and I suggest you look for
Cindy Rushton's "Nature Study The Easy Way" for a good start. http://www.cindyrushton.com/)
- Language Arts: Tori
and Taylor have the BJU books for most of this group of studies. We
will encourage LOTS of writing this year. Ben will be learning
with Charlotte Mason methods, as these have proven themselves to
work best for us. They also do a Progency Press Literature guide or two every year.
- I
combine the C.M. with the BJU workbooks for weaker areas. This has
worked well, as the yearly SAT's show the older kids at post highschool
levels in most subjects.
- Math: ~ BJU Homesat has worked wonders for us with this- my weakest subject, so...if it ain't broke - don't fix it!
- History/Geography:
You just can't beat TruthQuest History guides. We are using them again.
For younger children, say 3rd to 5th grade, I really prefer
Lessons From History. They are alot of fun. Easy to us, too. They have
timeline figures in the back, and you use it unit study style if you
like that. That's what we did all the way until last year. The kids
miss it to tell the truth, but TruthQuest just gets in deep!
Here is a sample of the timelines I make for our History notebooks: 1400-1600 timeline.doc
We incorporate the use of notebooks for most things. If someone
really likes theirs, I have them bound and laminated when they
are finished.
Go here to check out the latest homeschool headlines
http://www.homeschoolbuzz.com
I'm going to put links to SOME (I have MANY!) of my favorite, helpful sites for homeschoolers.
The Webster's 1828 Dictionary is a MUST for Bible study as well as general studies.
http://www.cbtministries.org/resources/webster1828.htm
Lessons From History- these are done by a homeschool mom, and they are
our FAVORITE! A set of guides that helps you study history
chronologically with FUN unit studies, using good literature-no dry
text books. A C.M. style fits nicely with the help of these
guides. http://www.lessonsfromhistory.com/
This is one of my favorites and probably the most useful to me for
Notebooking. We keep notebooks on EVERYTHING here. It's an orderly way
to study, keep records, and eliminate tests. After all, you know what
they HAVE learned, because it's all recorded nicely. You can even turn
them into books. Take them to be copied and bound at an office supply
store. The kids will be delighted with their books! They make great
gifts for relatives and they are great conversation starters for guests
who come to your home if they are used as "coffee table" books. http://www.notebooking.org/index.html
Want to make a timeline? They are VERY helpful tools in just about every study! http://donnayoung.org/history/timeline-cw.htm
No Greater Joy Ministries is Michael and Debi Pearl. Their ministry has
totally changed our family. I highly recommend ALL of their materials
for homeschooling, child training, family relationships, and Bible
teaching. http://nogreaterjoy.org/
Barb Shelton's site, her books, and tapes, have all been very liberating and helpful. http://www.homeschooloasis.com/
Family Ministries. Reb Bradley and his wife are a great team. They have
some very insightful and needful articles here. Check out their books
and tapes, too. I love this! http://www.familyministries.com/whatis.html
Want to study history chronologically and with a Christian worldview?
Then this is a great tool: (We use these in our home and have learned
TONS) http://www.truthquesthistory.com/
Homeschool laws by state. Always good to know. http://www.hslda.org/laws/default.asp?State=WA
Cindy Rushton is a great encourager, as well as resource for Charlotte Mason homeschooling and Notebooking. http://www.cindyrushton.com/
Check out the Old Schoolhouse Magazine on-line. Our family is scheduled
to be in the Show and Tell section of the spring 2005 issue. FUN! http://theoldschoolhouse.com/
http://pages.prodigy.net/dgringger/Aplus-homeschooling.html
Amy Ringger has a great site. Look for the free bi-monthly newsletters,
contests, great ideas for Nature Study and Poetry, and more...
http://www.teachinghome.com
For a great newsletter and a magazine for homeschoolers and home makers: http://www.teachmagazine.com/
For and example of how one family uses Charlotte Mason methods in their home: http://homemade.truepath.com/cmed.htm
The Elijah Company is a fantastic resource not to be missed! http://www.elijahco.com
Those interested in C.M. methods or who use them already need to bookmark this site! http://amblesideonline.homestead.com/
Check out Grace and Truth Books. You
won't want to get off! They find amazing old books and there's always
something I want there! http://www.graceandtruthbooks.com/booklist.asp
This is a GOLDMINE! Read FREE books online! http://www.pagebypagebooks.com/title.html
Want or Need some advice, encouraging conversations? Check out: http://www.mom2momdiscussion.com/
~*~ You will find more great links on my Three H's page ~*~
The Weller Family Vision:
*We desire our children to know, love, and serve Jesus Christ joyfully.
*We desire our children to have an education that will equip them to serve the Lord in any capacity He may call them.
*We desire our children accurately understand the Christian faith, be
able to live it with integrity, and be willing to share it.
We rely on the Lord to quicken them and keep their hearts. We train
them faithfully and give them sound doctrine through the reading of the
word. The KJV Bible is our textbook for many subjects. It is
literature, history, science, and poetry, in addition to LIFE!
Lot's of great books! In the winter we sit by the fire, cats curled up
and purring in our laps. We like to enjoy "tea time" with hot drinks
(usually cocoa made with goat milk!) and yummy snacks. The older
children and I take turns reading. We discuss and tell back (narration)
or use what we have read for a writing assignment. Our animals
require us to research, too. We read about veterinary medicine,
nutrition, herbal remedies, not to mention researching all of the
potentially poisonous plants and trees in our area the goats and horses
might come across. We research gardening, soil, food preservation, the
care of our newborn animals, the current markets for them, on and on.
Life is an education, and we are learning something new every day. T.V.
is rarely on here, and even if it is we are learning to cook when we
watch Food Network. Other than that it's football or Fox News for Doug.
There's nothing else on worthwhile as far as we are concerned. Like I
said, it's rarely on at all anyway. There are too many books to read
when we are done with everything else!
P.E. is chores, horseback riding, chasing goats, and just walking down
the LONG driveway to the mailbox. Oh, and let's don't forget dancing in
the barn. It makes the animals happy and the goats give more milk! HA
HA!
(Not really- it's just FUN!)
IN MY BOOK BASKET THIS SEASON:
I am reading The Power of Motherhood, The Family Meal Table, and Guarding the Gates of Our Homes,by Nancy Campbell.
I'm
also reading Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby, and waiting on a book
I ordered on the civil war in Liberia, called, Where Elephants Fight.
Here is our "school" out of doors:
Chores around the Farm...
Tori making friends with some geese at a park in Boise, Idaho. We were
there for the annual Firefighter's Training that Doug attends. Sweet
guy, he takes us along!
Ben milking Clair (yes, in his boxers. One of the benefits of
Homeschooling I guess. Hey, it was summer! Hot. You know, and they were
flannel! Okay- I really have NO good excuse for this.
Horses on every side! Not to mention the clean country air. Allergies and
asthma no longer dictate our life! No mored meds!
Taylor, absolutely immersed in our Middle Ages study, has taken to
carrying swords, wearing tunics and capes, and riding around on Sonnet,
our Arabian mare, during his free time. Ask him anything about the
armour, horses, or lives of Knights. Ask him about Castles and famous
battles. Is he learning with this relaxed, real-life approach? You
betcha!
Tori is usually found on horseback in her spare time as well. Although
she generally enjoys playing "Pony Express" instead of Knights and
Squires, like her brothers. She delivers notes, etc. on horseback. She
is also learning to knit, crotchet, embroider, play the keyboard, and sew with her own
machine. She is also learning latin. She will make a fine mother and wife! She bakes good cookies,
too!
The Oregon Trail Interretive Center in Baker City, Oregon is an example
of one of our many "fieldtrips". This was a freebie for homeschoolers,
we just had to show our Letter Of Intent or a letterhead. This is
one of the reasons I named our homeschool. It's legit! We are a school,
small, but real! This way we get to enjoy some of the benefits of other
students and educators.
The
people were wax. The stones, wagons, even the animal dung, was
real. The animals were real; they were stuffed. The equipment, saddles,
clothes, were all real. There were real diaries of people, and it made
me sure we all should keep records of our lives...no matter how boring
we may seem.
It was amazing to walk down this "trail" with so many
real animals and "real looking" people. It gave a person a sense of
having experienced it to a small degree. It sure was the kind of
experience you don't forget and one that will definately cause the
children to be more involved in their study of this time period than if
they had just read a textbook.
Here's what the Webster's 1828 says about Education and teaching!
EDUCA'TION, n. [L. educatio.] The bringing up, as of a child,
instruction; formation of manners. Education comprehends all that
series of instruction and discipline which is intended to enlighten the
understanding, correct the temper, and form the manners and habits of
youth, and fit them for usefulness in their future stations. To give
children a good education in manners, arts and science, is important;
to give them a religious education is indispensable; and an immense
responsibility rests on parents and guardians who neglect these duties.
TRAIN, v.t. [L. traho, to draw?]
1. To draw along.
2. 2. Top draw; to entice; to allure.
3. 3. To draw by artifice or stratagem.
4. 4. To draw from act to act by persuasion or promise.
5. 5. To exercise; to discipline; to teach and form by practice; as, to
train the militia to the manual exercise; to train soldiers to the use
of arms and to tactics. Abram armed his trained servants. Gen.14.
6. 6. To break, tame and accustom to draw; as oxen.
7. In gardening, to lead or direct and form to a wall or espalier; to
form to a proper shape by growth, lopping or pruning; as, to train
young trees.
8. In mining, to trace a lode or any mineral appearance to its head.
To train or train up, to educate; to teach; to form by instruction or practice; to bring up.
Train up a child in the way he should go,and when he is old he will not depart from it. Prov.22.
The first christians were, by great hardships, trained
up for glory.
TEACH, v.t. pret. and pp. taught. [L. doceo; dico, dicto, and both
these and the Gr. to show, may be of one family; all implying sending,
passing, communicating, or rather leading, drawing.
1. To instruct; to inform; to communicate to another the knowledge of that of which he was before ignorant.
He will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths. Is.2.
Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. Luke 11.
2. To deliver any doctrine, art, principles or words for instruction.
One sect of ancient philosophers taught the doctrines of stoicism,
another those of epicureanism.
In vain they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Matt.15.
3. To tell; to give intelligence.
4. To instruct, or to practice the business of an instructor; to use or
follow the employment of a preceptor; as, a man teaches school for a
livelihood.
5. To show; to exhibit so as to impress on the mind.
If some men teach wicked things, it must be that others may practice them.
6. To accustom; to make familiar.
They have taught their tongue to speak lies. Jer.9.
7. To inform or admonish; to give previous notice to.
For he taught his disciples, and said--Mark 9.
8. To suggest to the mind.
For the Holy Spirit shall teach you in that same hour what ye ought to say. Luke 12.
9. To signify or give notice.
He teacheth with his fingers. Prov.6.
10. To counsel
The Science Divisions We Use:
LIFE SCIENCE
Ecology ( ecosystems and food chains)
Botany
Anatomy
Zoology
PHYSICAL SCIENCE
Magnetism
Electricity
Chemistry
Physics
EARTH SCIENCE
Astronomy
Geology
Weather
Oceanography
Linology – Study of Lakes
*We read biographies of scientists and inventors, go outdoors for
Nature Study, sketching, and journaling, and watch a few select videos.
Kent Hovind has great seminars on video. Answers in Genesis is also a
good resource. There are many! Including the Bible. We find out more
all the time in God's word that is proven to be true. All of it
IS true.
~~~~~~~~
For History we like Lessons From History and TruthQuest
History Guides. They keep us on track with our chronological studies,
done with mostly good literature. No textbooks! Too boring. We keep
timelines in our History Notebooks, as well as illustrations and
narrations.
~~~~~~~~
For Language Arts we do alot of Copywork, Dictations,oral, illustrated, and written narrations, Simply Grammar,
Learning Grammar Through Writing, and by writing- stories, books,
letters, etc. and using the spellcheck and grammar check on the
computer.
