We used Volume 1 of the Mystery of History last year. It's been amazing to see where events in ancient history lined up with Biblical history. We haven't kept up with our timeline as we should have, but it will definitely be a priority this coming year as we go through the 2nd volume.
The book is split up into 36 weeks. Each week has a *What Do You Know* pre-test, 3 events/biographies with activities, a list of events/people to add to the timeline, maps to complete, and a post-test. There are also quarterly and semester tests as well.
The events/biographies are about a page in length. They're fairly easy to read and understand. I'll be reading them aloud to the younger boys this year...but the older boys have read them on their own. The activities are awesome. For the older children the activities involve mostly research, but the younger ones have a lot of hands-on things to do. The middle activities are a good mix of both.
I really enjoyed how Linda Hobar intertwined ancient and modern maps. Some of the places we read about aren't on modern maps, but we were able to use ancient maps to find them and then superimpose them on the modern maps.
I highly recommend the Mystery of History. Currently there are 3 volumes out, but the goal is 5 volumes.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Foundations Bible Curriculum
I was planning on writing my own curriculum this year based on Gregory Dickow's Fast From Wrong Thinking. I think I may still do that, but I have found a Bible curriculum that has a child read through the whole Bible over the course of 3 years.
Anne Elliott has written a curriculum called Foundations. Volume 1 is called Preparation for Christ and covers the Old Testament, Volume 2 is called Christ Our Messiah and covers the life of Christ and the book of Acts, and Volume 3 is called Christ Our Hope and covers the epistles of the Old Testament.
It piqued my interest because we have not attended a church that has a formal Sunday School program that covers the stories of the Bible in years. Our youngest 3 boys attend Children's Church, but that mostly covers *life lessons* and practical applications of Biblical principles. That's not a bad thing, but personally I like knowing at least a little something about all of the stories in the Bible...and I would like to pass that on to my children.
Anne was asking for people to critique the curriculum, and since it fills a need I have and the 2nd volume will fit in with the Mystery of History volume we'll be doing in the fall, I volunteered. She sent me the ebook, and I have just glanced through it quickly...but so far I am impressed.
Each week there is a memory verse, for which she has included a *formula* of sorts to help the child memorize. She also has other suggestions in the Appendix. Then there's a passage to read aloud. She has also referenced these passages to Calvary Chapel's coloring and activity pages, which I LOVE! There are other activities to choose from for each day, based on the child's abilities. Finally, there is an extra reading assignment for older children.
I'm excited to get started with this curriculum, although I really want to hold off until I get my next Mystery of History volume.
Oh....and Anne's website has some awesome resources listed on it for different subjects. I have lots to look over for next year...but it looks like I may have found a FREE Grammar curriculum and Writing curriculum...and a Science curriculum for the younger boys. There's so much to look through, I'm sure I'll find more! Her website is http://www.annesschoolplace.com/index.htm. It's well worth looking through!
Anne Elliott has written a curriculum called Foundations. Volume 1 is called Preparation for Christ and covers the Old Testament, Volume 2 is called Christ Our Messiah and covers the life of Christ and the book of Acts, and Volume 3 is called Christ Our Hope and covers the epistles of the Old Testament.
It piqued my interest because we have not attended a church that has a formal Sunday School program that covers the stories of the Bible in years. Our youngest 3 boys attend Children's Church, but that mostly covers *life lessons* and practical applications of Biblical principles. That's not a bad thing, but personally I like knowing at least a little something about all of the stories in the Bible...and I would like to pass that on to my children.
Anne was asking for people to critique the curriculum, and since it fills a need I have and the 2nd volume will fit in with the Mystery of History volume we'll be doing in the fall, I volunteered. She sent me the ebook, and I have just glanced through it quickly...but so far I am impressed.
Each week there is a memory verse, for which she has included a *formula* of sorts to help the child memorize. She also has other suggestions in the Appendix. Then there's a passage to read aloud. She has also referenced these passages to Calvary Chapel's coloring and activity pages, which I LOVE! There are other activities to choose from for each day, based on the child's abilities. Finally, there is an extra reading assignment for older children.
I'm excited to get started with this curriculum, although I really want to hold off until I get my next Mystery of History volume.
Oh....and Anne's website has some awesome resources listed on it for different subjects. I have lots to look over for next year...but it looks like I may have found a FREE Grammar curriculum and Writing curriculum...and a Science curriculum for the younger boys. There's so much to look through, I'm sure I'll find more! Her website is http://www.annesschoolplace.com/index.htm. It's well worth looking through!
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