Hinckley's Be's

Gordon B. Hinckley's Way to Be! is a classic, and it fits perfectly as the next phase of morning devotionals that coordinate with our BIO year:  "9 Ways to Be Happy and Make Something of Your Life."

I decided to use Hinkley's "9 Be's" inside a mini unit on bees inside our ecology studies. I created a notebook page for each chapter or "be." Feel free to use them with your own devotionals.

Aiming at Love - New Meaning for an Old Symbol

Everyone is familiar with the Valentine image of Cupid or a heart with an arrow shot through it. I've never thought too much of it before, but as I've planned out our Love at Home devotionals and activities, I came across  Dieter F. Uchtdorf's "Aiming at the Center" article and it has given real purpose and meaning to this symbol for me (and I hope now, my family). 

While I read the entire article to my children (and please do read the entire thing) the point I emphasized was that Christ taught us to "love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." (Mattew 22:37-40) This means that every other commandment, every other thing we are supposed to do or not do, come back to being categorized under these two commandments. (I  had the kids name off commandments off the top of their heads and we tested each one to see if these two great commandments were at the "heart" of every other we could think of. They are!) Then I asked the kids who their closest "neighbors" were. Each other, of course! 

Elder Uchtdorf had begun his article with the example of archery, and how you shoot at a target that already exists, not that you shoot the arrow at a blank wall and then draw the target around it. Using this powerful archery example and the scripture, I wanted to turn the Valentine symbol into something with more meaning, to remind us of what we're aiming for:  LOVE. Loving God and loving each other.

Here is the end product:

We followed this up with...

This would make a great Family Home Evening lesson and treat!

And if you're wondering what I'm doing with things like this little project...

Tree of Life

As part of our Year of Life, we are spending time studying the Tree of Life and Lehi's Dream more in depth.

We started out talking about how a Tree of Life is a part of nearly every culture/religion. We looked at some ancient depictions...

Mesopotamian Tree of Life

Egyptian Tree of Life

Babylonian Tree of Life

Mayan Tree of Life

Celtic Tree of Life

"The Tree of Life in Ancient Cultures" was one of the sources of information I shared with the kids as we looked over the images.

We looked for references to the Tree of Life outside of Lehi's Dream; it is of course mentioned in Genesis and Revelation as well as throughout the Book of Mormon and Pearl of Great Price.

We began reading John Bytheway's Lifestyles of the Great & Spacious. (Really good read!)

After studying the description of the Tree of Life, we did an art project with pastels on black construction paper.

We watched videos like this, and did The Wonderful Fruit activity together with a discussion.

I've really been enjoying our studies of the Tree of Life so far. I think we sometimes get less familiar with things we think we know or are already familiar with over time because we don't realize there is always something new to learn or a new way to apply a lesson and we stop spending time and thought on it. I'm looking forward to continuing this path.

BIO-- The Year of Life

Anyone who has taken my Unit Studies class knows that I like to carefully and prayerfully choose a theme for each school year and tie our units into that theme. This year's theme is BIO.

The theme of BIO lends itself to so much! I am really excited. We will be studying Biology, picking up/continuing with the subcategory of Ecology inside that, adding some Botany, and incorporating Health and Nutrition (which will include cooking for my youngest) and Anatomy. While I will do this on a higher level for my high school-aged kids, it will be Life Science for my youngest; this allows us to be learning about the same things and doing many things together while tailoring certain assignments and experiences to individuals at each level.

We'll also be doing a lot with biographies. I have started a Biography Club including some other homeschooled youth for one thing. We'll be incorporating Family History for another.

Creative Writing is another focus this year, and believe it or not, I've tied that into our year of life as well. (More on that in another post.)

Last but certainly not least, we are learning more about the Giver of Life and the way to pattern our lives after his by participating in the Godly Characteristics Series, and we are spending a lot of time learning about the Tree of Life and the path in this life that leads to Eternal Life.

Here are a few things from our first week. (Some other things will get separate, more detailed posts.)

We of course began with the root bio. Each of the kids had to find 25 words that contained the root and write down the definitions. Using words from their lists and, adding some others, I created some Bio Vocabulary Cards. Then individually they matched words to definitions, I went over additional root words and prefixes/suffixes for being word detectives, and then over the course of a few days they continued to match and rematch until they could get 100% correct.  After that we played Memory with the cards.  Here are the cards I created. (Hopefully the link above will take you to a downloadable set you can use. If it doesn't work <sigh> I'll keep trying to get it figured out.)

We did another whole-brained project, each child choosing what they wanted to draw to represent BIO:

We began a biographical writing series of my own creation. The first two assignments are below. (The first one includes a photo of me; I personalized these for each of us.) These writing assignments are meant to be introspective, journalistic and biographical, and the topic word is chosen based on things we are learning about in our other studies.

For Mothers

I'm continuing to clean out old files and attempting to reduce the paper piles in my house. Today I came across a very old group email exchange between homeschooling mothers that I had printed off. One mom had asked, "Do you all have a favorite scripture that you have posted somewhere around the house that is especially for you as a mom, and a homeschool mom at that? I read a book recently that challenged the reader to really search for a scripture that she could commit to memory that would encourage her in her endeavor as a wife and mother...."

This same mother shared the scripture that she had found for herself:

"Wherefore be not weary in well doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great. Behold, the Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind; the willing and obedient shall eat the good of the land of Zion in these last days." (Doctrine & Covenants 64:33-34)

Another mother replied that she had posted the following in her house:

"And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up." (Deuteronomy 6:7)

"Material possessions, and so-called professional advantages are nothing compared to a righteous posterity. In the eternal perspective, children--not possessions, not position, not prestige--are our greatest jewels." - Ezra Taft Benson

 "Mothers, you are your children's best teacher. The Church cannot teach like you can. The school cannot. The day-care center cannot. But you can, and the Lord will sustain you. Your children will remember your teachings forever, and when they are old, they will not depart from them. They will call you blessed--their truly angel mother. Mothers, this kind of heavenly, motherly teaching takes time--lots of time. It cannot be done effectively part-time. It must be done all the time in order to save and exalt your children. This is your divine calling." -Ezra Taft Benson, To the Mothers in Zion pamphlet

Having quotes of scripture and counsel to help stay focused and moving forward is a great boost on rough and tough days, whether you collect them somewhere or post them on a bathroom mirror.

One of my personal favorite quotes, that I truly believe in and try to live by, was quoted by Elder Anderson in Conference. It is from an excellent article written by Rachel Jankovic, titled "Motherhood is a Calling."

 "Motherhood is not a hobby, it is a calling. ... It is not something to do if you can squeeze the time in. It is what God gave you time for."

As I've mentioned before, and as was suggested by my friend above, memorized scripture is a key source of comfort, motivation, and guidance. When things get fuzzy or frazzled, being able to mentally recall words of God that speak to your soul is invaluable.

There are two scriptures that mean a lot to me as a mother, and especially as a homeschooling mother. While I do consider myself to be an intelligent and capable woman, I recognize that I do not know everything. My love for my children has me ever searching for what I can and should do that is right for them and by them. For all the worldly wisdom out there from the countless "experts," my main source of guidance is my children's Father in Heaven.

"And I do this for a wise purpose; for thus it whispereth me, according to the workings of the Spirit of the Lord which is in me. And now, I do not know all things; but the Lord knoweth all things which are to come; wherefore he worketh in me to do according to his will." (Words of Mormon 1:7)

This second scripture is a powerful example to me of what is possible when the Lord is your mentor. If He can guide Nephi to build a ship--and a better one than anything anyone knew how to build at that time--then surely He can guide me to being the mother my children need, and He can do so better than the so-called parenting experts doing things after the manner of men.

"...And the Lord did show me from time to time after what manner I should work the timbers of the ship.

"Now I, Nephi, did not work the timbers after the manner which was learned by men, neither did I build the ship after the manner of men; but I did build it after the manner which the Lord had shown unto me; wherefore it was not after the manner of men.

"And I, Nephi, did go into the mount oft, and I did pray oft unto the Lord; wherefore the Lord showed unto me great things." (1 Nephi 18:1-3) 

 

I'd love to hear the scriptures, counsel, and inspiration that helps you stay a hard-working, fully invested, ever-loving mother. Post it in the comments below.

Things to Get Excited About!

I've run into a few things while traveling this summer that I liked so much I just had to get them for the upcoming school year.

Coloring books are of course everywhere these days. The market is inundated with them and much of the time if you've seen one you've seen them all. But, at a truck stop in the middle of Idaho of all places, I came across this Inspirational Coloring Book for Girls that I really, really like. Each page has a scriptures verse and nice coloring page. It's perfect for my daughter. She is excited about it. I've challenged her to look up every scripture and mark them as well as memorize them. I haven't decided if this will be a daily thing or a weekly thing.

The Book of Coloring Art is something I picked up for myself. (Also at the truck stop!) Inspirational quotes and scripture with really lovely pictures to color, this book flows with serenity and wisdom. I will probably copy some of the pages to give to my kids at different times when I feel they connect with our learning or when a particular principal needs some focus.

A wait for the championship game and an unexpected rainstorm during a baseball tournament drove me inside to a bookstore where I found this Complete the Story journal on a bargain shelf. I love, love, love the tantalizing possibilities of all the unique story starters in this book! We'll be using this for creative writing this next school year and I can't wait to see the stories it leads to. I'm even excited to join my kids and write stories myself with this!

The Fulness of the Earth - God's Wisdom for Ecology and Environmental Science

16 Verily I say, that inasmuch as ye do this, the fulness of the earth is yours, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and that which climbeth upon the trees and walketh upon the earth;

 17 Yea, and the herb, and the good things which come of the earth, whether for food or for raiment, or for houses, or for barns, or for orchards, or for gardens, or for vineyards;

 18 Yea, all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart;

 19 Yea, for food and for raiment, for taste and for smell, to strengthen the body and to enliven the soul.

 20 And it pleaseth God that he hath given all these things unto man; for unto this end were they made to be used, with judgment, not to excess, neither by extortion.

I love these verses of scripture! The entirety of Earth and all living things on it have always testified to me that there is a God; to read that those creations that please my eye and gladden my heart, that taste and smell so wonderful, and that strengthen and enliven me were in fact created specifically to do so confirms even more the existence and love of an Eternal Father. I further appreciate that though these things were given for these uses, freely and rightfully, we are also told--in scripture--to use judgment and not to use them with excess. These verses of scripture are the perfect way to begin ecological and/or environmental studies. 

Everywhere there are extremes in schools of thought. There are those who would have us conserve and preserve to the point of rejecting the purpose and thus the gifts of the earth freely given by the Creator, and those who would have us use and consume with no thought for the morrow. Clearly, the wise will find the middle ground. Thus it is imperative to learn the science of ecology and our environment while keeping the purposes of God's creations in mind and recognizing we have a stewardship.

Our first ecology project was to create a picture book with these verses of scripture found in Doctrine & Covenants 59:16-20. I gave each child a blank, bound book and had them find pictures to print, cut out, and tape into their books to personally illustrate the scripture. 

Happy homeschooling!

Easter Journaling

We're suspending our normal journaling notebooks this week and using the Free Easter Study Journal created by Heidi Hillman over at A Lively Hope. We just began today, so we did two pages to make up for yesterday. You could do the entire thing this evening for Family Home Evening, or incorporate it into your schedule some other way. 

After reading the scriptures listed on the pages I'm pulling out corresponding pictures from the Gospel Art Kit and we talk about it some more. Then I hang them up and embellish with the extra eggs on the last page of the study journal.

If you are looking for other neat ideas for the days preceding Easter, I've always found great inspiration at Cranial Hiccups (formerly known as Chocolate on My Cranium--be sure to look through ALL the Easter pages) and We Talk of Christ, We Rejoice in Christ.

Happy, Joyous Easter!

"The Miracle"

I have been greatly blessed the past few months to be the new Primary chorister at church. The previous chorister introduced a song that, in my opinion, is one of the most wonderful ever written so, I picked up where she left off to finish teaching it to the children. The song is Shawna Belt Edwards's "The Miracle."

I really cannot fully express how much this song has blessed me personally, as well as every child and adult in Primary. The children love this song so much and sing it with such faith that the Spirit tangibly permeates the room. We are all super excited to share it with the rest of the congregation this Easter season. 

I hope you'll listen and let the Spirit testify to you that truly nothing is impossible to Jesus Christ.

You can download sheet music or recordings here.

Happy Easter!

Scripture Cookies!

"Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do."  (2 Nephi 32:3)

Need an activity that gets your family FEASTING on the scriptures? Scripture Cookies!

3/4 cup Psalms 55:21 

("smoother than___")

1/3 cup 2 Nephi 26:25

 ("buy ______ and honey")

1-1/2 cups Jeremiah 6:20

 ("the ____ from a far country")

2 of Isaiah 10:14

("as one gathereth ____")

1 teaspoon Exodus 30:23

("and of sweet _____")

1 teaspoon Matthew 5:13

("ye are the ____")

1/2 teaspoon Matthew 13:33

("the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto ___")

3 cups D&C 89:17

("____ for the horses")

1 cup 1 Samuel 30:12

("clusters of _____")

Prodigal Son in the Key of F

A great tool for demonstrating alliteration to students is the retelling of the story of the prodigal son--"in the key of F."  You can't get more alliterative than this! I sure wish I knew who wrote this. It is brilliant and they deserve credit!

The Prodigal Son in the Key of F

Feeling footloose and frisky, a featherbrained fellow forced his father to fork over his farthings.  Fast he flew to foreign fields and frittered his family's fortune, feasting fabulously with floozies and faithless friends. Flooded with flattery he financed a full-fledged fling of "funny foam" and fast food.

Fleeced by his fellows in folly, facing famine, and feeling faintly fuzzy, he found himself a feed-flinger in a filthy foreign farmyard.  Feeling frail and fairly famished, he fain would have filled his frame with foraged food from the fodder fragments.

"Fooey," he figured, "my father's flunkies fare far fancier," the frazzled fugitive fumed feverishly, facing the facts.  Finally, frustrated from failure and filled with foreboding (but following his feelings) he fled from the filthy foreign farmyard.

Faraway, the father focused on the fretful familiar form in the field and flew to him and fondly flung his forearms around the fatigued fugitive. Falling at his father's feet, the fugitive floundered forlornly, "Father, I have flunked and fruitlessly forfeited family favor."

Finally, the faithful Father, forbidding and forestalling further flinching, frantically flagged the flunkies to fetch forth the finest fatling and fix a feast.

Faithfully, the father's first-born was in a fertile field fixing fences while father and fugitive were feeling festive.  The foreman felt fantastic as he flashed the fortunate news of a familiar family face that had forsaken fatal foolishness.  Forty-four feet from the farmhouse the first-born found a farmhand fixing a fatling.

Frowning and finding fault, he found father and fumed, "Floozies and foam from frittered family funds and you fix a feast following the fugitive's folderol?"  The first-born's fury flashed, but fussing was futile. The frugal first-born felt it was fitting to feel "favored" for his faithfulness and fidelity to family, father, and farm.  In foolhardy fashion, he faulted the father for failing to furnish a fatling and feast for his friends.  His folly was not in feeling fit for feast and fatling for friends; rather his flaw was in his feeling about the fairness of the festival for the found fugitive.

His fundamental fallacy was a fixation on favoritism, not forgiveness.  Any focus on feeling "favored" will fester and friction will force the faded facade to fall.  Frankly, the father felt the frigid first-born's frugality of forgiveness was formidable and frightful.  But the father's former faithful fortitude and fearless forbearance to forgive both fugitive and first-born flourishes.

The farsighted father figured, "Such fidelity is fine, but what forbids fervent festivity for the fugitive that is found?  Unfurl the flags and finery, let fun and frolic freely flow. Former failure is forgotten, folly is forsaken. Forgiveness forms the foundation for future fortune."

Four facets of the father's fathomless fondness for faltering fugitives are:
      1) Forgiveness
      2) Forever faithful friendship
      3) Fadeless love, and
      4) A facility for forgetting flaws