#7-17: A Cornucopia of Good Stuff for Autumn
Posted by: homenews <homenews@...>
THE HOPE CHEST HOME SCHOOL NEWS
with Virginia Knowles
#7-17 on October 13, 2004
A Cornucopia of Good Stuff for Autumn
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The Hope Chest is a free email newsletter with encouragement and practical teaching tips. The writer is Virginia Knowles, wife of Thad, mother of nine children, and author of Common Sense Excellence: Faith-Filled Home Education for Preschool to 5th Grade, and The Real Life Home School Mom.
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Table of Contents:
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A Few Notes from Virginia by Virginia Knowles
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What's Up in October? by Virginia Knowles
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Pizza Crust Recipe from Debbie Klinect
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Articulating Our Convictions About Home Schooling by Cheryl Bastian
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Fall Decorations that will Last -- Beautiful Simplicity & Savings by Lois Breneman
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Family Togetherness Doesn't Have To Be Expensive by Rhonda Barfield
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Destruction by Teresa Bondora
A Few Notes from Virginia
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A New Hurricane: The National Weather Service has issued a warning for yet another catastrophic hurricane following on the heels of Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne. The path of this hurricane zigs and zags, and is therefore highly unpredictable. Experts predict that this one will cause the most damage to the United States that we have experienced in four years. They are naming this one Hurricane Kerry. Be advised, the only way for citizens to protect themselves is by hiding behind a Bush.Yes, consider this an official Hope Chest endorsement of George Bush! If you would like to get out an "Walk the Vote" on October 16-17, click here: http://www.GeorgeWBush.com/Walk
- two packages of yeast
- 3c hot water
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/2c oil
- 1/2c maple syrup
- 1Tbsp salt
- 8+c whole wheat flour
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In a large bowl, dissolve the packages of yeast in the hot water.
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Then add the salt, egg, oil and syrup and stir well.
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Stir in the flour a couple of cups at a time, mixing well. I use a wooden spoon.
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Keep adding the flour and mixing until you get a dough that is elastic.
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Knead for a good 20 minutes.
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Cover with a damp towel and let rise for 3-4 hours.
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Grease cookie sheets and put a little bit of oil on your hands.
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Spread out dough on the cookie sheets.
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Put on your toppings.
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Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.
After speaking to all of you about being able to articulate our convictions and our goals for homeschooling, I had yet another opportunity to do just that, hammering home the need to be prepared to give an answer to those who may question you. I wanted to share my experience with you to encourage you to continue to "practice" or at least to ponder such responses, as your answer may be the only introduction a person gets to the whole "homeschooling thing."
At my pre-op appointment with a 50 something nurse who was a mother of 5 boys (most of all grown), we chatted in between routine medical questions. My answers prompted her to ask her own personal questions. Smoker? No. Occupation? Mom. Live births? Five. You have 5 children? I had five boys! How many are still at home? All of them. Oh, where do they go to school? They are home schooled. You homeschool!! And you keep house -- you are a saint! How old are your children? Oh, you homeschool a high schooler!!! Now you border on super mom!!! No, I said. It is only by the grace of God that I can do what I do.
I went on to explain why we homeschool, the benefits of sibling relationships, family togetherness, etc. I then told her, since she was concerned about my highschooler's socialization and academics, that Josh was enrolled in a one day program where he was in a Chemistry class with other high schoolers, taught by a teacher from the Master's Academy, with a teacher/student ratio of 1 to 6. She commented that this was far better than a 1 to 20 ratio in public school. I further explained that my other kids worked together at home and did field trips, band and music theater with other students. This conversation lasted 15 minutes while she was taking my temperature and drawing blood -- a welcomed distraction. After she was through with the medically pertinent part of the visit, she said, "Where are you children now?'" I told her that the three youngest were with my Mom in the waiting area. She said, "Can I see your children?" I agreed and we continued talking down the hall. Once in the waiting area, she talked with my gregarious girls who were busy coloring in their hospital coloring book. Worked summoned her and she replied, " I now understand homeschooling and I commend you on such a job well-done." She turned to my mom and said, "Your hard work has paid off in your grandchildren. You are a fortunate grandmother to have a daughter who would make such sacrifices for her children."
I don't tell you this so you think I am super mom, because my imperfection is why Jesus came to this earth. I tell you this because I believe that in just 20 minutes that skeptical nurse understood the benefits of homeschooling, and she saw that it works. She had no idea the scope of what is available in our area for homeschooling families and she surely didn't think homeschooling could have worked as an educational alternative. God used my words that day to give her a refreshed idea of this fast-growing movement we call homeschooling. Be ready. God may be using you to enlighten someone in your path. They won't know if we don't tell them.
Still with you on the journey,
Cheryl
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By Rhonda Barfield
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Of course, this story isn't true. In the end, if any of us has regrets, they'll probably center around the lack of time we devoted to the truly important aspects of life family togetherness, for example.
But what, exactly, can families do together? Is there such a thing as meaningful interaction that is both time-intensive and low-cost? Yes, and here are a few ideas to try implementing in your own home.
Work together: One father told me he spends time with his children by following a simple rule: wherever he goes, he takes them along, whether running to the hardware store for a tool or filling up the car with gas. Parents also can combine working together and teaching time: <<These commandments that I give to you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.>> (Deuteronomy 6:6-7 NIV)
Enjoy a family meal: A study at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Center discovered that children whose parents ate dinner with them at least five times per week were more likely to do well in school. These same children were also the least likely to be on drugs, to be depressed, or to be introuble with the law. For those of you who are cooking-challenged, there's good news: these results were the same wherever the family ate dinner, whether at a fast food restaurant or in a relaxed home setting.
Share a favorite activity: Think of something you love to do but haven't done for some time. Sewing? Woodworking? Stamp collecting? Crafts? Listening to a good book on tape? Introduce your passions to your family and watch what <<clicks.>>
My daughter Lisa (15) and I walk together several days a week. Mary (12) and I continue a favorite tradition from younger years, watching <<Mister Rogers' Neighborhood>> each morning. Eric (18), Christian (16), and I rub each other's
backs on a regular basis. In each case, I share special moments with my children as we enjoy activities together.
Begin a family fun night: I once read about a family of eight whose children took turns planning the activities and menus for their weekly family nights. Perhaps this is a possibility for you, too. You might enjoy board games, charades, singing or playing instruments together, going through old photo albums, working on a 1,000 piece puzzle, putting on a magic-tricks show, having a water balloon fight, playing flashlight tag, catching lightning bugs, flying a kite, or stargazing. The possibilities are
nearly endless.
In our materialistic society, we're used to family togetherness (such as amusement parks and mall-shopping) that can cost a fortune and even tend to isolate us, rather than encouraging closeness. It doesn't have to be that way. With a little planning, quality family time is not only possible, but also low-cost and fulfilling.
This article is reprinted with permission of Money Matters, a newsletter published by Crown Financial Ministries, 601 Broad Street, S.E., Gainesville, GA 30501.
Rhonda Barfield is the author of Real-Life Homeschooling: The Stories of 21 Families Who Teach Their Children at Home, Feed Your Family for $12 a Day, and 15-Minute Cooking. For more information and/or to write or order from Rhonda, visit http://www.lilacpublishing.com.
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Destruction
by Teresa Bondora
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Destruction
Ive been without power for a week since we were hit by Hurricane Ivan. While we had it good compared to most, being without power wasnt fun. But as a scientist, I couldnt help but love the experience. And it got me to thinking about natures awesome power and destructive forces and why theyre so necessary and the wonderful benefits of these destructive events.
Just like humans spring clean (well, some of us anyway) Mother Nature cleans out as well. From the microscopic to the global, what seems like destruction is actually a healthy cleaning process necessary for growth and rejuvenation.
So as I drove around looking at the damage and destruction I couldnt help but see the cleaning work that had been done and the process that was unfolding. The typical hurricane teaching that is done at this time of year is usually plotting hurricanes, learning how they form off the coast of Africa, El Nino, etc. But I wanted to cover the topic of destruction and why it happens. This can be a discussion or you can make worksheets for your kids. I like to do discussions while we are in the car and I can ask questions and we can talk.
So ask your children to name some destructive forces in nature.
I think of forest fires, hurricanes, tornadoes, landslides, avalanches.
Take one of them and ask your child what damage happens.
For that damage ask them what benefits could come of that damage.
Hurricanes
After a hurricane youll see large tree limbs down, dead limbs down, whole trees down. As you probably already see, this is necessary to clear out dead limbs that can tax a trees energy, remove dead trees from the forest population and remove dying or weak trees. This opens up the forest for more sunlight for smaller new trees, gets the debris to the floor of the forest where bacteria, worms, insects and other decomposers can have more work and food and returns the nutrients to the soil.
Flooding, beach erosion, sand hundreds of feet into the beach and onto the streets is a common aftermath of a hurricane. This helps to renew the beach, move the landscape and create more homes for the sand crabs, sandpiper birds and other animals that depend on the beach for homes and food. Its not so good for human homeowners on the beach but its a fact of nature that our landscape is in constant flux and movement. Placement of beaches moves, sand dunes are destroyed and rebuilt in other locations, our crust is taken up at earthquake faults and recreated by volcanoes, mountains climb higher, rivers dry up and lakes are created by flood.
Where I live, in Mobile, AL, USA, we had a fresh water lake that sat about half a mile from the beach. The hurricane washed out a channel from the beach and merged the lake with the ocean. Now the lakes trees and fish are dying and the water will become an inlet of ocean water. New life will flourish here and the fauna will change.
Forest Fires
Many of you are aware of our countrys struggle to learn our lessons about forest fires. Before the 1990s our National Parks had a policy of watching for and preventing or putting out forest fires. This policy prevented fires and caused a large build-up of forest floor litter (leaves, pine straw, dead trees). When the great Yellowstone Fire of 1988 occurred, it confounded all attempts to control it or stop it. The result was devastating destruction. What we learned from that event resulted in a let it burn policy for our national parks and taught us even more about Mother Natures reasons for the things she does. We have learned that forest fires help clean out undergrowth and forest floor litter. Lightning is going to cause fires and if they are allowed to burn, they keep the flammable material to a minimum. When not allowed to burn, the buildup causes unrelenting fires that burn for months. We also learned about seeds that need intense heat to open and depend on fires for their populations survival. Fires also return to the earth, the necessary nutrients the soil supplies for growth. After years of growing seasons, nutrients are depleted. Fires rejuvenate the soil.
Avalanches
While an avalanche may look unnecessary and an accidental slip of too much snow meeting gravity, avalanches are also necessary. The movement of water on our planet may look slow in some areas whereas, in others water comes down as snow, freezes for the winter then moves rapidly down from the mountains as water in the spring. This cycle is well-known to those who live in mountain areas. When snow seasons begin early, as they are in Utah now, in September, more snow is allowed to accumulate, freeze and be stored up as ice until the spring thaw. This thaw will then cause widespread flooding. Avalanches are natures way of removing large amounts of water (as snow) from the higher points and taking them to lower points where they will thaw sooner and reduce the amount of flooding in the spring. It reduces pack ice and thins the snow. Animals who must live in the snow find it much easier to subsist in thinner snow.
I find this fascinating and its one of the reasons I know that science isnt hard. It makes sense. The natural world isnt much different from us. What works for us, works for nature too. And what works on the microscopic level works on a human level and works on a global level too. From the microscopic to the universal, radiation slowly kills an atom, our immune system kills our own cells when they become weak, hurricanes kill trees, land is destroyed in earthquakes, stars implode and its all for the greater good.
Ive got some links for information posted on my site for those who are interested.
Teresa Bondora is an ex-science teacher turned homeschool mom of two. She hosts an on-line workshop on teaching science, is writing a book on the same and has developed educational products to help introduce chemistry to children. You can find her on-line at http://www.steelcreek.com.
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