The goal of Adventist Home Educators is to provide support, information especially for Seventh-day Adventist homeschool families. Have you taken advantage of the resources available? Click on the links below to find out more.
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Motivation Monday
“Education comprehends far more than many suppose. Mind and body must both receive attention; and unless our youth are versed in the science of how to care for the body as well as the mind, they will not be successful students. It is essential that students exercise their physical powers in such a way that their physical strength shall not be disproportionate to their mental development, and therefore a judicious system of physical culture should be combined with school discipline, that there may be a harmonious development of all the powers of mind and body.”
Christian Education, 128
Nature Study-themed Gift Ideas
Binoculars – It is not necessary to spend hundreds of dollars for a binoculars. A good quality pair can be had in the $20-$40 range. With a little practice, children will enjoy using binoculars to observe nature.
Magnifying Glass– There is nothing more fun than a sturdy magnifying glass! Even very young children will enjoy examining collected items using a magnifying glass.
Field Guides – Field guides will help make your nature study experiences much more informative and satisfying. If at all possible, try to purchase local field guides, specific to your area, for birds, insects and wildlife.
Butterfly Net – A good quality butterfly net is fun for catching insects. Be sure to find one with a sturdy handle and frame: the net will get vigorous use in younger hands.
Collection Jars – These can be fun to make. A sturdy plastic container, like a peanut butter jar makes a good collection jar. A bit of netting and a canning jar ring will provide air for any live creatures you may find.
Sketch Pad and Writing/Drawing Pencils– A sketch pad with a sturdy backing or attached to a clipboard will make creating nature sketches and notes much easier.
Watercolor materials– Most children love to experiment with watercolors. A pad of watercolor paper, a few nice brushes and some paints or watercolor pencils will provide lots of fun creating nature paintings.
December Brings…
Chill December brings the sleet,
Blazing fire, and Christmas treat.*
Here we are at the start of December! 2010 is nearly over! Here are some fun links for the month of December and to take you into the new year.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a fun website focusing on the importance of eating fruits and vegetables. Here’s a fun challenge: use the CDC’s Fruit and Vegetable of the Month calendar to introduce a new fruit or vegetable to your family’s diet.
Looking for Physical Education ideas to add to your homeschool? Here’s the homeschooler page for the President’s Challenge fitness program.
Take a winter zoo trip. We tend to go to the zoo in warmer months, but winter can be a great time to visit your local zoo. Many zoos feature special winter programs that show how the animals handle winter weather.
This is snowflake making season in the US. How about some ideas for integrating math or language arts with an afternoon of paper cutting fun? Here’s an article with a few ideas to get you started. It’s also fun to make virtual snowflakes— no paper scraps to clean up!!
* The Garden Year, by Sara Coleridge
Motivation Monday
“The position of a woman in her family is more sacred than that of the king upon his throne. Her great work is to make her life an example such as she would wish her children to copy. And by precept as well as example, she is to store their minds with useful knowledge, and lead them to self-sacrificing labor for the good of others.”
Christian Education, 178
Give Thanks Unto The Lord
Prayer Thoughts
Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. James 5:16
A persons character is displayed in the home, where those closest see the every day in and out actions flowing out from the heart and mind. Observation can reveal whether prayer is an integral part of a persons life. One praying family member in a home can bring sunshine and promote a pleasant atmosphere. The confession of a wrong deed is not easy, unless prayer is a fundamental part of the individual. True repentance and confession comes from a heart that are accustomed to prayer.
Parents have a responsibility to model a connection with Jesus in their personal prayer time. Children should see them in prayer, hear them in prayer, and be invited to enter into prayer during family prayer time.
“Prayer is the opening of the heart to God as to a friend. Not that it is necessary in order to make known to God what we are, but in order to enable us to receive Him. Prayer does not bring God down to us, but brings us up to Him.
When Jesus was upon the earth, He taught His disciples how to pray. He directed them to present their daily needs before God, and to cast all their care upon Him. And the assurance He gave them that their petitions should be heard, is assurance also to us.
Why should the sons and daughters of God be reluctant to pray, when prayer is the key in the hand of faith to unlock heaven’s storehouse, where are treasured the boundless resources of Omnipotence?” SC ch. 11
What A Friend We Have in Jesus
What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear;
What a privilege to carry,
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh what peace we often forfeit,
Oh what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer.
Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged;
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
Can we find a friend so faithful?
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
Are we weak and heavy laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior still our refuge,
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
Do thy friends despise forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.
by Joseph Scriven 1855
The Adventist Home Educator 