Phil Vischer presents What's in the Bible? -- A Review

     Phil Vischer of VeggieTales fame has created a new series that is loads of fun with a heavy dose of theology -- all for kids.  What's in the Bible? uses live animation and puppets to combine good, solid Bible teaching and storytelling in a quirky, silly, fun way that appeals to adults and kids alike.  These DVDs are designed to survey the entire Bible from beginning to end. Volumes 1-7, In the Beginning (Genesis) through Exile and Return (Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther), have been released so far.
     The cast of characters include:  Chuckwagon, the singing cowboy, The Sunday School Lady who is NOT as old as the OLD testament, Michael, the kid in the car watching the DVD (‎"I’ve got a question! Why are they called 'testa-mints?' Do they give you fresh breath? Because I licked one and it didn’t work." -Michael, age 8), Brother Louie, Buck Denver, 2 old ladies who remind you of the old guys on the Muppet Show, and many more.  Every character, from my understanding, is performed by Phil Vischer himself.
     Two of my favorite special segments include:  the Pirates Guide to Church History -- you know about Jesus and Billy Graham; well, the pirate fills in the stories in the middle, and the Popsicle Stick Theater -- where God is a cloud because a heart makes God look like a Valentine and fire is too scary.
    According to the very first segment on Volume 1, the Bible tells the story of God and what He's done for us, making the Bible the world's most important book.  From that point on, Phil takes two things very seriously:  teaching children Bible truths and having loads of laughs.
     Just so you can have a taste of what these videos are like, Volume 1:  In the Beginning, answers the following questions:  


*Why do Orthodox and Catholic Bibles have more books than the Protestant Bible?
*What does inspired mean?
*How can we trust the books of the Bible if we don't know who wrote them?  (Because God inspired the process AND the writing)
*How old is the Earth?  Who is right?  ("We don't know, and sometimes that's ok.  The Book of Genesis wasn't written to tell us the HOW of creation but the WHO of creation. 'In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.'" -- Phil Vischer)
*What is sin?
*Why didn't God just change the rules so Adam and Eve could be with Him again?


     These are just a few of the questions that get answered in 25 minutes, but the real kicker is that you will hear the answers to these tough questions while giggling and cracking up at the puppet's antics.  I can't think of a better way to learn what's in the Bible, can you?


     To learn more, visit whatsinthebible.com.

Praise Your Children Consistently and Often: A Reminder

     When my children were young, it was so easy to lavish them with praise:
     "'Mama!'  That's right!  He's a genius!  He said 'Mama'!"
     "Oh my goodness!  What a big boy you are!  You went pee-pee in the potty!"
     "Wow!  What a great reader you are!"
     "Yes!  Three grapes plus one grape is four grapes!  You are so smart!"
     "Look at you!  You're riding your bike all by yourself!"
     "What a good sharer you are!"
     Somewhere along the line, it gets harder.  I'm not sure why, and maybe it's just me, but it gets harder.  For one, by ages 9 and 12, they are most certainly putting their pee-pee in the potty.  Furthermore, as a homeschooling mom, I'm trying hard to help my children succeed by pointing out their mistakes -- on math, grammar, spelling, writing, etc.  As a Christian mom, I want my kids to become more Christ-like by pointing out all the ways they are not acting like Christ.  Do I spend an equal amount of time pointing out when they ARE showing the fruits of the Spirit?
     The middle-school years are full of insecurity, and I need to remember to praise my boys MORE as they get older, not less.  Kids need their moms and dads to praise them sincerely for effort, hard-work, integrity, Christ-likeness, and the things they do right.  
     So, take a minute and look for a reason to praise your children today!  Make it a habit. As your children get older, don't forget it.  They need it more, not less.
     That's my prayer for today and for the future -- that I will become better at praising my boys -- consistently and often.

Drive thru History with Dave Stotts: History - Fast and Fun!

     The Drive Thru History series with Dave Stotts, produced by ColdWater Media, is, as the cover suggests, history - fast and fun!  Each DVD has three epidsodes that last about 30 minutes each, with the exception of the Foundations of Character series.  These quirky, often silly, videos take you on location to several important historical sites and introduce you to many historical figures, famous and not-as-famous.  Christian history is not left out and neither is the humor.  Drive Thru History is definitely educational and equally entertaining.
     This series, however, is not a history curriculum on its own.  It should be used as a supplement to the history curriculum of your choice or just for fun!  My boys and I laughed and giggled at the fake teeth, the car rolling down the hill, and the Pilgrim fashion show.  
     I recommend this series for ages 8 and up simply because some of the younger children may not get the humor.  My sons are nine and twelve, and they love these dvds.   Furthermore, if you like your children's education to be serious, don't bother buying this series!


     For more information, see www.drivethruhistory.com.  


Drive Thru History  (Ancient History)
Greece and the Word
East Meets West  (Asia Minor)
Turkish Delight
Rome If You Want To



Drive Thru History:  American History
Columbus, The Pilgrims, and Early Boston
Soldiers, Jamestown, and Heroes of Virginia
New York, New Jersey, and Washington's Warriors
Patriots, Penn, and the Freedom Trail








Drive Thru History America:  Foundations of Character  (90 minutes)

Drive Thru History:  Holy Land Series  (Brand New)

















Drive Thru History is from Focus on the Family and Tyndale Entertainment.

Seven Lies about Homeschoolers -- A Funny Video

     This is funny because it is true.  I get asked some of the strangest questions, and some people think we are just plain weird.  Aren't we all, though?
     For the record, we do not homeschool in our pajamas, we do not finish at lunchtime, and I absolutely REFUSE to allow my children to wear pants that are too short!  I'm just sayin'.  
     However, I would love to live further from the Wal-mart and a log cabin might be cool!

Apologia Elementary/Middle School Science -- Strong Science for Ages 6-12

     Both of my boys love science.  When young, we would check out lots of books from our local library on a wide range of science topics.  However, we found that many science textbooks for the elementary and early middle school ages are weak and boring.  Fortunately, Apologia, well-known in the high school science market, now offers a science curriculum for elementary and middles schoolers that boasts strong science with a viewpoint that points to the Creator.  
     Jeannie K. Fulbright has authored six excellent books which delve into zoology, botany, astronomy, and human anatomy.  Each book contains 13 or 14 chapters and can be used for ages 6-12, with modifications, of course.  Notebooking journals are available for purchase, or you can print out pages from each course's free website.  The textbooks are full of beautiful and interesting illustrations, activities, hands-on assignments, experiments, projects, and more.  I highly recommend them because they are strong scientifically and yet Christian in viewpoint.
     Below is a list of the Apologia books and how we have or will use them.

Exploring Creation with Astronomy -- When my oldest studied astronomy in 2nd or 3rd grade, I read this to him, and he created a lapbook.  We used The Usborne First Encyclopedia of Space and The World of Space by Dinah Zike and Susan Simpson in conjunction with this book.

Flying creatures of the Fifth Day:  Exploring Creation with Zoology 1    After completing the Zoology 3 book in our co-op, my son read this book and the Zoology 2 book on his own at home in his 7th grade year.  He finished both books in about two and a half months.  We did not do the activities, and I did not test him.  He read for pure love of science.

Swimming Creatures of the Fifth Day:  Exploring Creation with Zoology 2  See above.

Land Animals of the Sixth Day:  Exploring Creation with Zoology 3   This book was the core textbook for the zoology class my son took at our co-op his 6th grade year.  They covered the book in a school year, covering 1 chapter every two weeks.  In my opinion, for a 6th grader, this book can be covered easily in one semester.

Exploring Creation with Botany  This semester, I started this book with both boys (3rd and 7th grades), and I purchased the notebooking journals that accompany the textbook.  I read a section aloud to the boys, and we work on the activities together.  Due to a busy spring, we are working slowly.  However, we built the suggested light hut and have lots of little plants growing inside waiting to be transplanted outside.  If I can ever remember to buy the appropriate flower, we will do the flower dissection!

Exploring Creation with Human Anatomy and Physiology  
I hope to do this book next with both boys, right after finishing botany.  I purchased the Anatomy Notebooking Journal and the Junior Anatomy Notebooking Journal.  Had I known that the Junior version had coloring pages added in, I would not have purchased it.  If you child enjoys coloring (my third grader does not), then your child may like it.  






****NOTE:  For the month of March 2012, Apologia Elementary Science is 30% off at CBD.  This is a GREAT deal.  

A Day at Mullin Academy

     Recently, many people have asked me about our daily schedule.  Since today was fairly typical with no appointments or other interruptions, I decided to write everything down.  For those of you who are curious, here's a sample day at Mullin Academy.
     My goal is to start school by 9:00 a.m.  Today, we ran a bit behind.  My oldest went to Collide at our church, a youth event, where he stayed up late Friday and Saturday nights, and he was still recuperating, and my youngest and I have been battling colds.  We were all dragging this morning.  Before school begins, the boys get dressed, make beds, eat breakfast, and brush teeth.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

9:30-12:15  School
Third grade son -- 30 minutes of independent reading, Math page 22D, sit ups, push ups, stretches (preparing for Presidential Physical Fitness challenge at our co-op), skill book (long 'a' review), shoe tying practice, spelling test 23, piano practice
Seventh grade son -- Piano practice, independent reading, read ScienceSaurus 15 minutes, grammar, creative writing homework for our co-op (writing a poem about how a pencil feels to be sharpened from the pencil's point of view -- I teach his creative writing class), reviewed 25 Latin vocabulary words
Me -- During youngest son's independent reading, I started a load of laundry, ate breakfast, tidied the kitchen, checked e-mail, and got ready for the day.  After that, I helped my youngest with the rest of his work, and  I made lunch while he practiced piano.


12:15 - 12:40  Lunch -- homemade beanie weanies, hotdogs, apples, cheese bits (My oldest ate 2 hot dogs, a bowl of beanie weanies, half an apple, and cheese bits!  Yikes!  He's only 12!)


12:40-1:00 Clean-Up Time
Youngest-- made bed (he was supposed to earlier), cleaned up Legos and Hexbugs in the living room, folded washcloths
Oldest -- unpacked Collide suitcase, got out laundry from dryer, put load from washer to dryer, sorted socks and put them away
Me -- Put a load of laundry away, folded undershirts, cleaned up table from lunch


1:00 - 2:00  Reading Time -- Everyone Together
I read to both boys in the living room.
1.  History:  A History of US:  Making Thirteen Colonies 1600-1740 by Joy Hakim, Chapter One
2.  Read Aloud:  Imprisoned in the Golden City:  Adoniram and Ann Judson by Dave and Neta Jackson  (about American missionaries to Burma in the 1800s)
3.  Science:  Exploring Creation with Botany by Jeannie K. Fulbright p. 43-44  Carnivorous Plants:  The Venus Flytrap Family and The Bladderwort Family
4.  For their spies class at our co-op, I read:   Traitor:  The Case of Benedict Arnold by Jean Fritz  p. 70-80  (We are reading the entire book aloud.  Both boys take a SPIES class at our co-op, and they are assigned two chapters a week.)


2:00  Snack and Coffee/Hot Chocolate -- because I REALLY needed coffee, and my boys are always hungry.
After snack, more school.
Youngest --  studied AWANA verses, read to mommy Third-Grade Detectives #3:  The Mystery of the Hairy Tomatoes by George E. Stanley Chapter Two (I continue to have him read aloud to me so I can check for errors or concerns.  Also, this aids fluency.), Phonics Pathways by Dolores G. Hiskes p. 184, Sheppard Software (online):  Geography -- countries of Asia and Rivers of the US (while I watched math video with oldest because I need to watch it now that he's doing pre-algebra), Basketball -- shot 45 baskets  
Oldest --  Corrected math test from yesterday, watched pre-algebra math DVD Lesson 14, did math page 14A, 10 minutes reading The Real Benedict Arnold by Jim Murphy, studied and recited Psalm 46:1-3, spelling page, Basketball -- shot 60 baskets


Third grade son finished at 3:50.
Seventh grade son finished at 4:20.


Whew!  There you have it -- that's our school day!  Questions?  Comments?  Surprised that we don't finish at lunchtime?  Feel free to tell me about YOUR homeschooling day!  

The Story of the Treasure Seekers by E. Nesbit -- A Great Read Aloud!

     "This is the story of the different ways we looked for treasure, and I think when you have read it you will see that we were not lazy about the looking."   From the first sentence of the first page, The Story of the Treasure Seekers:  Being the adventures of the Bastable children in search of a fortune, by E. Nesbit gets right to the point, and the adventures that follow are as irresistible as the Bastable children themselves.
     Originally published as short stories in magazines and put into book form in 1899, The Story of the Treasure Seekers is the delightful tale of the six Bastable children, Dora, Oswald, Dicky, Alice, Noel, and Horace Octavius (H.O.)  After their mother dies ("and if you think we don't care because I don't tell you much about her you only show that you do not understand people at all") and their father also falls ill, "his business-partner went to Spain -- and there was never much money afterwards."  As creditors start calling and the children must leave school because father can no longer afford it, they decide they must do something to restore their fallen fortunes.  Each child comes up with a plan, and, well, their plans are hysterical.  Oswald suggests stopping "people on Blackheath -- with crepe masks and horse-pistols -- and say 'Your money or your life!  Resistance is useless, we are armed to the teeth.'"  Other ideas include rescuing an old gentleman in deadly peril, using a divining-rod to search for gold, becoming bandits, finding a princess and marrying her, becoming detectives, and digging for treasure.  Fortunately for us but not so much for their father, they actually carry out their plans and much hilarity ensues.
     Written over 100 years ago, this book has never lost its appeal to readers young and old alike.  My boys were ages 11 and 8 when I read it, and we all laughed from beginning to end.  I recommend it as a read aloud because it's great fun for the entire family and because there are some vocabulary words that are difficult.  It was written in the 1890s, afterall.
     I leave you with a poem, written by Noel.  If you have a child who is sad, here in Houston, when the dead June bugs litter the sidewalks, then you'll love this poem.
     

Lines on a Dead Black Beetle that was poisoned

Beetle how I weep to see
   Thee lying on thy poor back!
It is so very sad indeed.
   You were so shiny and black.
I wish you were alive again
But Eliza says wishing it is nonsense and a shame.


     "It was a very good beetle poison, and there were hundreds of them lying dead -- but Noel only wrote a piece of poetry for one of them ...and the worst of it was he didn't know which one he'd written it to -- so Alice couldn't bury the beetle and put the lines on its grave, though she wanted to very much."     (Chapter 4)


Thanks so much, Holly S., for recommending this book!  We LOVED it!