Newsletter #369: Trips & Memorial Day - Archived Online.

For 32 years The Teaching Home has provided families information,
inspiration, and encouragement from a distinctively Christian perspective.

Co-Editors: Veteran Home-School Sisters, Sue Welch and Cindy Short

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 Past Issues Archived Online 
 

Newsletter #368
Nurturing Our Children  Includes: Cherishing our children; Showing we care through closeness; Bringing up our children for the Lord.

Newsletter #367
A Strong Finish for Your School Year  Just a few minutes, or a couple of hours, of planning (specific suggestions included) can help your family make a strong and joyful finish!

Newsletter #364
Achievement Tests: Help Your Child Get His Best Score! Includes: 3 Ways To Prepare Your Child for a Test and 7 Test-Taking Skills To Teach Your Child, plus much more.

Newsletter #363
10 Ways To Get the Most from Homeschool Events with Links to 2013 State Conventions

Newsletter #362
Character Development with Links to Freebies (Unit Studies, e-Books, and Activities)




Celebrating Memorial Day
May 27

Memorial Day is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service.

In a Memorial Day sermon in 1905 (see Wall Builders), John Sayers said:

So we come on this Memorial Day to record our indebtedness to the patriotic soldiers, pay our homage for their bravery, express our sympathy with their sufferings, and our admiration for their achievements, pledging ourselves to stand loyally by the institutions for which they nobly died.

Visit Department of Veterans Affairs website to learn about Memorial Day.


Ways To Observe Memorial Day

1. Pray. Memorial Day is also a day of prayer for permanent peace.

I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men,

For kings and all who are in authority,

So that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life In all godliness and dignity.

This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
     (1 Timothy 2:1-3)

2. Fly the US flag at half staff until noon.

3. Visit Ceremonies, Cemeteries, and Memorials.
See a list of Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemeteries and state veterans cemeteries.

4. Offer aid to the widows, widowers, and orphans of the fallen dead in your community.


Freebies & Resources

 •  Living Books Curriculum's Memorial Day Holiday Helper.  Free 20-page ebook with information, picture study, copywork, poems, and stories.

 •  Annie's Memorial Day page

 •  Memorial Day Activities

 •  Graphing Our History of Sacrifice. Uses an online graphing tool to graph America's history of war dead to help students understand the significance of Memorial Day.

 •  Memorial Day Worksheets. Links to many learning activities.




Travel Freebies & Info

 •  Travel Unit Study Guide. This simple, generic guide can be adapted to any trip – expand it, condense it, or use just a few portions of it. Includes language arts, math, geography, history, art, science, music, life skills, physical education, and Christian education.

 •  Enjoying Nature: Newsletter #254 has tips on enjoying and learning from nature, including "Seeing God in Nature" (Bible, spiritual life, worship) and "Study Nature" (science, Internet research, reading).

 •  Field Trips. This extensive guide is a good check list for a support group field trip – or your family day trip. Includes site selection, logistics planning, preparing students before the trip, conducting the trip, activities during and after the trip, and evaluating the trip.

 •  Field Trips of the U.S. & Canada provided by Homeschool Buyers Co-op. Click on the map to find museums, zoos, aquariums, planetariums, historic houses, nature centers, cultural centers, and other educational facilities in your state or province. Some listings have reviews from homeschoolers who have visited the site.

 •  Answers in Genesis. Creation Vacation Tools, 10 Creation Vacations, and listings of Biblical history, natural history, astronomy, biology, geology sites of interest by region of the country.

 •  12 Ways to keep your family safe on road trips.

 •  Travel Games for the road.




Creation Science Museums
and Information Centers

KY/OH:  Creation Museum (Answers in Genesis), Petersburg, Ken. (seven miles from the Cincinnati Airport)

CA:  Creation and Earth History Museum, Santee

AR:  Museum of Earth History, Eureka Springs

FL:  A Key Encounter, Key West

FL:  Creation Adventures Museum, Arcadia

GA:  The Gallery of Creation: A Museum of Natural History, Social Circle

OH:  Akron Fossils & Science Center, Akron

TN:  Wyatt Archaeological Museum, Cornersville

WA:  7 Wonders Museum of Mount St. Helens, Silverlake

Canada  Big Valley Creation Science Museum, Big Valley, Alberta

England  Genesis Expo, Portsmouth


Bible Museums

See a list of Bible Libraries, Museums and Special Collections.

TX:  Dunham Bible Museum (plus online tour), Houston




Save $20 on Your HSLDA Membership




Home School Legal Defense Association offers homeschooling families a low-cost method of obtaining quality legal defense that gives them the freedom to homeschool without having to face legal threats alone.

Use this link and discount group number 299142 for $20 off your membership fee.  (Be sure to enter the discount group number 299142 in the "Discount Group Code" area, not the "Coupon Code" area.)




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Sunnyside Up




The Ultimate Test

While visiting a friend's home for dinner one evening, Garret was asked by the hostess, "Do you eat broccoli?"

His thoughtful answer? "At home, no, but here, yes!"

Submitted by Luise F., Washington.

Send your humorous anecdote to [email protected].




Peace with God

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)




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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




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 In This Issue 

Family Day Trips

   1.  Destinations
   2.  Guests
   3.  Preparation
   4.  On the Road
   5.  At Your Destination
   6.  After the Trip
   Creation Science Resources  for Your Summer Trips

 Sidebar 

   •  Celebrating Memorial Day (with Freebies and Resources)
   •  Travel Freebies & Info
   •  Creation Science Museums and Information Centers

 Recommended Resources 

   •  Deeper Roots: Bible Curriculum
   •  Easy Grammar: with Daily Grams
   •  Sing 'n Learn: Audio Products
   •  Living Books Curriculum: Free Webinar

Greetings,

Family day trips are a great alternative to an expensive vacation or one that is too long away from home or work.

A staycation allows you to stay home, sleep in your own bed – or camp in your backyard – while exploring and enjoying activities within driving distance during the day. Be a tourist in your own town, country, or state. See ideas at bjupress.

Day trips can do much to build family relationships and memories.

And of course, as home educators we can always find an interesting and enriching educational angle for each trip.

Plan and schedule your day trips now, or this winter you may wonder why you didn't get to enjoy God's diverse and wonderful creation the beach, park, mountains, etc., this summer!

May the Lord richly bless your family for His glory.


Cordially,
The Pat Welch Family, Publishers
Pat, Sue, Heather, Holly, and Brian

The Teaching Home is a homeschool, family-run business operated in our home since 1980.


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1.  Destinations

Distance and Time

Day trips usually should be a distance that would enable you to spend at least twice as much time at your destination as round-trip traveling time (e.g., the maximum might be 2 hours each way in the car and 8 hours at your destination and/or stops along the way).

You might draw a circle using a 100-mile radius from your home and explore that area.

Here are a few ideas that are especially suited for family day trips during the summer.  Some are free, some will take gas money, and some may require an admission fee.

 •  Natural, scenic attractions such as the beach, mountains, rivers,water falls, lakes, hiking trails, and parks.

 •  Museums, planetariums, aquariums, and zoos.

 •  Historic sites, districts, buildings, and museums, as well as antique shops.

 •  Events such as ethnic festivals, state and county fairs.


Where To Go

Find suggestions and information for day trips from the following sources.

 •  Call your chamber of commerce or visitors' center for a list, information, and brochures on local and state attractions.

 •  Find a nearby conservation area; garden; arboretum; county, state, or national forest or park; or the beach.
Audubon Centers and Sanctuaries
National Forests
National Park Service (Free days: August 25, September 28, November 9-11)

Also check out the Junior Ranger Program for more than 200 national parks with information, learning activities, and free e-books, some with curriculum.

 •  For State Parks in your state, search "state park" in Google.

 •  Visit these websites:
Fodor's Free Online Travel Guides
Online Highways Travel Guide
Virtual Tourist Travel Guides
National Register of Historic Places

 •   Ask other families what day trips they have enjoyed and getting information from them.

 •  Study your state's history this summer and visit noted places.  State History from a Christian Perspective



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2.  Guests

Sometimes a family needs to spend time alone together, away from the bustle of a busy life. At other times, taking someone with you can be a ministry to them and make your trip more meaningful.

 •  Is there an older person in your family or church that cannot get out much and would appreciate a short drive in the country?

 •  Would another family like to ride with or caravan with you on a trip?


3.  Preparation

 •  Read ahead about your destination.  Check your library, online, or other sources. Even a few paragraphs can pique interest and motivate learning.

 •  Get complete information on your destination, including seasonal hours, admission, and directions.

 •  Do an hour-by-hour timeline of your trip, figuring driving time, rest stops, etc.

Be sure you allow enough time, instead of cramming too much into too little time, which is counterproductive to an enjoyable experience.  If you allow extra time for travel, you will be able to stop and explore interesting things along the way.

 •  Pack everything you will need the night before, get a good night's sleep, a healthy breakfast, and an early start.

 •  Add interest and education: take your binoculars, magnifying glass, camera and field guides.

Golden Guides are illustrated and economical, pocket-sized field guides written for primary and secondary students: Birds, Wildflowers, Trees, Rocks, Gems and Minerals, Insects, Reptiles and Amphibians, Mammals, Pond Life, and even Weeds.

 •  Also take along some tracts, like the fun ones from Living Waters, to hand out to those you meet in your travels.


4.  On the Road

 •  You can begin your trip with a short devotional time in the car as you start down the road. Start with prayer for your family to have a safe trip, be a witness and testimony (take along some tracts), have a good family time together, learn more about nature or history, and praise the Lord for His wonderful creation.

 •  Have someone read some Scripture or listen to the Bible on tape.

 •  Listen to and/or sing hymns or choruses.

 •  Allow some time for family visiting.

 •  As you travel, you may want to listen to music or a book on tape, such as those from Sing 'n Learn or your local library



Vacation, Day Trip, or Weekly Errands –
Don't Leave Home without Us!

Make Your Travel Time Enjoyable & Educational!
Click on links for descriptions, audio samples, and to order.
 
Sing ’n Learn
700+ Audio Products Covering Every Subject Area!
www.singnlearn.com / 1-800-460-1973


5.  At Your Destination

 •  Experience as much of the site as possible.

 •  Pick up any handouts or educational materials available.  Sometimes it is worthwhile to buy a book on the subject if someone is especially interested. This could encourage reading or other educational goals.

Wherever you go, be sure you know and observe posted rules, common courtesy, and safety.  Stay on the paths, no loud running around other people, no picking plants or removing wildlife, avoid poisonous plants, snakes, ticks, etc.

 •  Be sure you know what you may or may not remove from a nature area.

 •  See safety pointers at U.S. Forest Service.


6.  After the Trip

Follow-up activities are a valuable educational part of any trip.

 •  You can do a report of your trip by using one of the 100+ ideas for book reports or unit studies from our Newsletter #26.  These include activities in art, penmanship, written and oral reports, speech, drama, writing, and poetry.

 •  Follow up any interest with more reading or research at the library or online.

 •  Keep an account of your trips to add to your children's school records.

 •  Make a scrap book with photos and information.

 •  Plan a return trip next year if your family enjoyed it this year. Often children will enjoy repeated trips more because they are comfortable with the surroundings, feel at home, and know what to expect. Some summer events may become family traditions.



Feeling Stretched in All Directions?
Reboot Your Homeschool!

God did not intend for us to feel so stretched.  He has a better plan for you and me that includes peace of mind, clarity of purpose, and Joy!

Let's find it together.

Join me, Sheila Carroll, to hear more about how you can Renew, Restore and Reinvent your homeschool so that you fulfill the promise you hold in your heart
for your children – and yourself.


FREE Webinar: Wednesday, May 22, 2013
7:00 pm EDT / 6:00 pm CDT / 5:00 pm MDT / 4:00 pm PDT
 Register for this FREE Webinar at  livingbookscurriculum.com 

Living Books Curriculum
A Charlotte Mason education for the 21st century!
 A Complete, Ready-to-Go K-8 Curriculum 


Creation Science Resources
for Your Summer Trips

If your family visits a national park, geological feature, or zoo, you will encounter evolutionary explanations.

Be prepared with a creation-science view of God's awesome works which show that real science confirms the biblical account of creation and a global Flood.

Even if you are not visiting these places this year, your family will enjoy studying about God's creation – and perhaps plan a future trip!


Wonders of Geology Brochures
from Answers in Genesis

The Wonders of Geology brochures explain some of the most popular (and misconstrued) vacation attractions in North America, the United Kingdom, and Australia.

These two-page brochures are beautifully illustrated and clearly written.  They will show you the secular version of how these features formed and what the Bible teaches about these monuments to God's creative majesty.

Download PDF files for individual brochures for only 49 cents each.  They include:

     •  Niagara Falls
     •  Grand Canyon, Arizona
     •  Petrified Forests, Yellowstone
     •  Mount St. Helens, Washington
     •  Dinosaur Nat. Museum, Utah
     •  Devils Tower, Wyoming
     •  Caves: Kentucky, New Mexico
     •  White Cliffs of Dover, England
     •  Giant's Causeway, N. Ireland
     •  Uluru (Ayers Rock), Australia

Creation Science Road Guides

"Explore God's Creation as a Family Vacation" online article by Dave and Mary Jo Nutting with information on:

     • Yellowstone
     • Grand Tetons
     • Dinosaur National Monument
     • Grand Canyon
     • Mount St. Helens
     • Mammoth Cave
     • Carlsbad Caverns
     • Niagara Falls

Road Guide Books from Creation Research Society
     • John Day Area of Central Oregon
     • Yellowstone National Park and Adjacent Areas

Guides for Museums, Aquariums, and Zoos
from Answers in Genesis

Don't go to the aquarium, museum, or zoo without these Bible-based teaching aids!  Makes your visit more than just fun – makes it factual and fascinating too.

 •  Zoo Guide. Featuring more than 100 animals, includes beautiful pictures and explores the amazing facts and design features that point to our awesome Creator.  Spiral-bound. 220 pages. Info/Order.

 •  Museum Guide. Along with the true history behind more than 100 common museum exhibits, this Museum Guide includes beautiful pictures and teaches you how to understand natural history from a biblical perspective.  Spiral-bound. 232 pages. Info/Order.

 •  Aquarium Guide. >From the odd-shaped hammerhead shark and the powerful killer whale, to the colorful angelfish and the deadly lionfish, the Aquarium Guide covers more than 100 of God's sea creatures and gives information about their features, their design, and much more.  Spiral-bound. 220 pages. Info/Order.


Christian Worldview Zoo Guide

Zoos are tremendously educational and entertaining, and travel helps children learn about history, geography, culture, and nature.

America's Best Zoos: A Travel Guide for Fans & Families is co-authored by a Christian home-school dad.

It contains full reviews of the 60 best zoos in the USA, plus information about zoos, animals, and traveling.  Order online here.


American History

A Spiritual Heritage Tour of the United States Capitol: Book, CD, DVD, mp3 from Wallbuilders.