Newsletter #358:
Rejuvenate Your Homeschool

Newsletter #359:
Learning How To Stay Well During Cold and Flu Season

Newsletter #360:
How To Make Contests a Learning Experience (with Updated List of Annual National Contests)

Two contests to add to our list:
National History Bee, historybee.com
Bible Bee, biblebee.org
(Thanks to reader Debora Haire.)

"Intelligence, patriotism, Christianity, and a firm reliance on Him, who has never yet forsaken this favored land, are still competant to adjust ... all our present difficulty."

– Abraham Lincoln

You do well to wish to learn our arts and ways of life, and above all, the religion of Jesus Christ. These will make you a greater and happier people than you are.

–George Washington,
from his speech to the Delaware Indian Chiefs on May 12, 1779

Read more quotes from our Founding Fathers on Jesus, Christianity and the Bible at Wallbuilders.com.

Listen to David Barton's interview with Moody Radio on the faith of our Presidents at Wallbuilders.com.

Presidents Day Freebies

 •  40 Unit Studies, each on an individual U.S. president

 •  Presidents Day Holiday Helper from Living Books Curriculum.  Includes stories, great art, and inspiring quotes for copywork. 80 pages.

 •  Presidents Lapbook and Notebook Resources

 •  Free printables including timeline figures.

 •  Enchanted Learning.com.  Activities, printable booklets, worksheets and crafts Presidents Day

 •  See White House and Washington, D.C. information and activities at EnchantedLearning.com.

Also see The Teaching Home's Pinterest Pages for more resources, plus art and craft projects.

 •  Free E-book, Life of George Washington, by E. Cedil: written for children.  Published in 1859.  286 pages online or pdf (can be enlarged online for easier reading) with illustrations.

 •  Enchanted Learning.com. Activities, printable booklets, worksheets and crafts.

 •  Abraham Lincoln, the Boy Who Loved Books.  Online literature based unit study.

 •  Abraham Lincoln: A Presidential Unit.

 •  Enchanted Learning.com.  Activities, printable booklets, worksheets and crafts.

 •  Free E-book, The Boys' Life of Abraham Lincoln by Helen Nicolay.  Twelve chapters, large type, easy to read online.

Excerpt:  "What but a lifetime's schooling in disappointment, what but the pioneer's self-reliance and freedom from prejudice, what but the clear mind, quick to see natural right and unswerving in its purpose to follow it; what but the steady self-control, the unwarped sympathy, the unbounded charity of this man with spirit so humble and soul so great, could have carried him through the labors he wrought to the victory he attained?

"With truth it could be written, 'His heart was as great as the world, but there was no room in it to hold the memory of a wrong.'

"So, 'with malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gave him to see the right' he lived and died.

Famous People Mini-Units
George Washington Carver
Frederick Douglass
Rosa Louis Parks
Sojourner Truth
Harriet Tubman
Booker T. Washington

History.com offers a large website to explore with videos, speeches, photos, plus information on people, events, and related topics.

Scholastic Website is another large website to explore with maps, teacher's guides, lesson plans, worksheets, videos, slideshows, activities, primary sources, printables, and more.

PBS Website offers a variety of resources for younger children, including recipes. They also offer a Resource Bank (in four parts) with many documents and information on Africans in America along with teacher's guides and narratives – a large and comprehensive collection of material.

Mike Farris, founder and chairman of Home School Legal Defense Association and chancellor of Patrick Henry College, filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court this week, defending the right of American citizens to engage in the democratic process for religious reasons. Read more.

State attorneys are trying to get the Nebraska Supreme Court to uphold a disturbing legal premise – that all students are enrolled in public school by default. Read more.

Read more, plus more top stories here.

Do you like Special Offers, saving money, and learning about new and useful resources for your homeschool?

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Our 5-year-old, Alisha, is so excited about learning to read and spell. She was playing with magnetic letters on the refrigerator and enthusiastically called, "Mommy, come see what I did."

Alisha was standing there looking rather proud of the fact that she had spelled out all the names of our family and their ages, including our Aunt Lisa.

I said, "Honey, that is wonderful, but I need to show you that forty-three is '43' not '4T3.'"

Alisha looked quite concerned and asked, "Can't you hear the T?"

Submitted by D. Jacobsson, Michigan.

Send your humorous anecdote to [email protected].

1.  God loves you.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

2.  Man is separated from God by sin.

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Rom. 3:23)  For the wages of sin is death. (Rom. 6:23)

3.  The death of Jesus Christ in our place is God's only provision for man's sin.

He (Jesus Christ) was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. (Romans 4:25)

4.  We must personally receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name. (John 1:12)

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast. (Eph. 2:8, 9)

Immerse your family in God's truth through systematic reading and study of God's Word.

Listen to the Bible Online.  Choose from six English versions (plus Spanish and other languages) at BibleGateway.com/Audio.

Listen to beautiful traditional, sacred, and inspirational conservative Christian music (commercial free!) when you tune in to these online stations:

 •  Abiding Radio.  Choose from four stations: vocal, instrumental, kids, and seasonal (Christmas). Information for listening on many different devices.

 •  Old Christian Radio

Please help us make this newsletter better by letting us know what we are doing correctly, where we need to improve, and topics you would like addressed.

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Special days during this month provide interest and motivation for studying topics such as U.S. Presidents, black history, and the character quality of love (for Valentine's Day in our next issue).

These topics also offer a variety in your midwinter studies.

May the Lord richly bless your family for His glory.

Presidents Day is observed on the third Monday of February, although that day is designated by Federal law as Washington's Birthday.  (See more information at factmonster.com.)

Presidents Day honors both George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, as well as all past Presidents of the United States of America.

Below are suggestions and resources for learning more about any or all of U.S. President, followed by specific learning activities on Washington and Lincoln.

See free online unit studies, e-books, and resources listed in Presidents Day Freebies in sidebar at left.

 •  Read about the Duties and Qualifications of the President as they are stated in The Constitution of the United States, Article II.  This online copy provides links to Amendments 20, 22, and 25 that change portions of Article II.

 •  The U.S. Government Printing Office offers a student-friendly, yet detailed, summary of U.S. presidential duties, including: Executive Branch, The President, Legislative Powers of the President, Requirements and Terms to become President, The President's Budget, The President's Cabinet, Order of Succession, and The Presidents of the United States (chart).  Ben's Guide:
Grades 3-5
Grades 6-8
Grades 9-12.

 •  Read "Does character matter in political leaders?"

"When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice;
But when a wicked man rules, the people groan."
(Proverbs 29:2)

"Therefore, I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,

"For kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.

 •  Learn about each President.  See a painting or photo of all 44 Presidents and read a biographical sketch of each.

 •  See more information for each of the Presidents, including election results, cabinet members, notable events, and points of interest.  You will find links to biographies, homes, monuments, documents, audio and video files, and other sites.

 •  Read speeches and view documents of all the Presidents, including their Inaugural Addresses and State of the Union messages.

 •  Listen to the voices of 21 American Presidents.

 •  Study evaluations of past Presidents.  This survey of presidential leadership evaluates each President on persuasion, crisis leadership, economic management, moral authority, international relations, administrative skills, relations with Congress, vision, etc.

Thought-provoking questions (for parents and older children) regarding the above:  Do you agree with the survey?  Why or why not?  How would each be evaluated as to Christian principles?

 •  See "Faith in the White House," a film that focuses on faith of U.S. Presidents.

 •  See a list of historic sites and monuments for various Presidents and click for more detailed information on each.

 •  Learn about Mount Rushmore with sculptures of Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln, or plan a visit.  (See fee-free days at more than 100 national parks.)

 •  Draw or paint your own portrait gallery of our past presidents or some of the ones that you admire most.

See more activities listed in Presidents Day Freebies in sidebar at left.

Make a presidential timeline (1789 to the present).

 •  Alternate red, white, and blue strips of paper; each the length of a President's term (1/2 inch per year = 9.25 feet total; 1/4 inch per year = 4.66 feet).

 •  Label your timeline with dates and Presidents' names.

 •  Add a small image of each President (printed off the Internet (see images for President Matchbooks) or drawn from their portraits).

 •  Add major events in U.S. history.

 •  Listen to "Hail to the Chief," the tune traditionally played by the United States Marine Band to announce the ceremonial entrance of the U.S. Commander-in-Chief – the President of the United States.

 •  Read the story of "Hail to the Chief."

 •  Take a virtual tour, or interactive tour, of the White House or listen to "The President's Own" US Marine Band conducted by John Philip Sousa as you take a virtual tour of White House at MarineBand.usmc.

 •  Learn how you can visit the White House in person.

 •  Order A Spiritual Heritage Tour of the United States Capitol by WallBuilders' founder David Barton. Book; DVD; 2 CD Set; MP3 Part 1 and Part 2.

See more activities listed in Presidents Day Freebies in sidebar at left.

Information and learning activities for Washington are included in the section above on Presidents Day.  This section contains resources specific to Washington.

See free e-book and learning activities listed in Presidents Day Freebies (under George Washington) in sidebar at left.

 •  See the overwhelming evidence that George Washington was a Christian at christiananswers.net.

 •  "The Faith of Washington" Message by Dr. D. James Kennedy

 •  HSLDA's Home School Heartbeat: George Washington.  Read online transcripts about Washington's leadership, faith, and education.  "Taught at home by his mother, the young George combined academic studies with practical application and character training."

 •  Learn more about Washington and his home, Mount Vernon.

Information and learning activities for Lincoln are included in the section above on Presidents Day.  This section contains resources specific to Lincoln.

See free unit studies, e-book, and learning activities listed in Presidents Day Freebies (under Abraham Lincoln) in sidebar at left.

 •  HSLDA's Home School Heartbeat: Lincoln.  Read online transcripts.  Honest Abe had less than one year of formal schooling.  Mike Smith draws some homeschool lessons from Lincoln's life.

 •  Read about Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, including a timeline of Lincoln's presidency and photo gallery of original documents.

 •  Read all about Lincoln's assassination – the people, motives, and following events.

Lincoln's Gettysburg Address is perhaps the greatest (and shortest) speech in U.S. history.

 •  Learn this famous address by doing the following:
Read and memorize it
Listen to it
See a copy in Lincoln's handwriting
Read the story of the address (can be read by three people)

 •  Study this address with information and learning activities:
Fill in blanks exercise
Vocabulary
Finding parallel forms
Rephrasing exercise
Stylistic analysis

"O Captain, My Captain" was written by Walt Whitman about the assassination of President Lincoln.

 •  Recite or read the poem (see online at www.galegroup.com) with appropriate expression.

 •  Study the meaning of the poem and see an explanation of the poem at www.galegroup.com.

 •  "Was Lincoln A Christian?" sermon by Dr. James Kennedy.

Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin were born on February 12, 1809, but their lives had completely different effects.

Whereas Darwin's theory has been used by atheists to explain away belief in God, the last act of Congress signed by Abraham Lincoln before he was shot was to place the phrase "In God We Trust" on all national coin.

 •  Read the entire entry for February 12 at AmericanMinute.com and sign up for their daily e-mail of notable events in American history remembered on the date they occurred.

 •  Read articles on the Answers in Genesis website about Darwin and how his ideas continue to impact today's society.

 •  Did Darwin recant evolutionism when he died? Read the (unfortunate) answer on ChristianAnswers.net.

Historian Carter Woodson, the son of former slaves, chose the month of February as Black History Month (originally "Negro History Week") because of the proximity of the birthdays of emancipator Abraham Lincoln (Feb. 12) and abolitionist Frederick Douglass (Feb. 14).

A Christian perspective of this topic, as well as what God and science say about the "races" is provided below.

Jesus prayed, "I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me . . . that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity."  (John 17:20-23)

Free Indeed: Heroes of Black Christian History contains an overview of black church history, including 13 biographical sketches of leading black Christians.  From Bob Jones University Press.

A historian has commented, "One of the greatest miracles and movements in all Christian history is the acceptance of the Gospel by so many African-Americans.

"The slaves not only appropriated the faith that was culturally identified with the oppressor, but gave it enriched meaning and depth, not least through their music and worship."

Also see spirituals at Cyber Hymnal.

"The history of black American church leaders resonates with faith and heroism.

"In addition to the challenges that normally confront heralds of the gospel, African American Christians also faced slavery and racial discrimination.

"Their deep love for Christ and their fellow believers and their passion for lost souls made them dauntless soldiers for the Lord, proclaiming the way of salvation and the equality of all men and women in God's sight."

(From description of Free Indeed, published by Bob Jones University Press.)

Read online article, "Through Many Trials and Snares," inspiring stories taken from Free Indeed (above).

Read Articles online by David Barton, founder and president of WallBuilders, including:

Setting the Record Straight: American History in Black & White by David Barton.  A unique view of the religious and moral heritage of African Americans that has been expertly intertwined with untold, yet significant, stories from our rich African American political history.  Book; 2 CD Set; DVD; MP3 Part 1 and Part 2.

(Information quoted and taken from The Revised & Expanded Answers Book by Don Batten, Ken Ham, Jonathan Sarfati, and Carl Wieland, chapter 18 online.)

According to God's Word, all humans on earth today are descended from Noah and his wife, his three sons and their wives, and before that from Adam and Eve.

All the factors for skin color were present in Adam and Eve.  The amount of the skin pigment melanin determines skin color, just as the amount of fat around the eye determines eye shape.

Modern genetics show how, following a break-up of a population (such as the Tower of Babel), variations in skin color, for example, can develop in only a few generations.

The biological differences between the "races" today are not very great.  In fact, the DNA of any two people in the world would typically differ by just 0.2 percent!  Of this, only 6 percent can be linked to racial categories; the rest is "within race" variation.

There is really only one race—the human race.  The Bible teaches us that God has "made of one blood all nations of men" (Acts 17:26).  Scripture distinguishes people by tribal or national groupings, not by skin color or physical appearance.

Read dozens of articles on Answers in Genesis website, plus listen to several recorded seminar sessions by Ken Ham.  Topics include:
 • How have evolutionary ideas contributed to racism and violence?
 • Where did the human races come from?
 • What is the Bible's view on interracial marriage and racism?

Online article with understandable scientific discussion of genes and chromosomes.