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Wednesdays Around the World~ The City of Rome

Written by Joy
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Wednesdays Around the World~ The City of Rome

Welcome to another week of Wednesdays Around the World!  This week for Wednesdays Around the World,  I am sharing with you our lesson on The City of Rome.  This is the 43rd lesson in the Mystery of History: Volume 1.

The kids and I learned that Italy got its name from Italiis, a tribe, that lived in southern part of the country.   One of the strongest tribes that lived in Italy was called the Latins.  They lived on the west coast of Italy because of it natural ports, for ships to come and go, which made it easy for trade.  The land was also fertile and made it perfect for farming.  With the land being great for farming and being by the ocean and by the Tiber River, this made the area perfect for settling in and it was where the Latins founded the City of Rome.

We also learned that the Latin everyone learns today is the same language from the Latins in Italy.  Many of the modern languages today came from Latin.  English, the language we speak is one of them!

Our activity for the day was looking for Latin words on a penny, nickel, dime and quarter.  While we do not speak the language,  some people do use phrases written in Latin.  The United States Government put “E Pluribus Unum” on the coins.   What does “E Pluribus Unum” mean?  It means, “Out of many, one”.  This refers to the fact that one nation, the Untied States  is formed and made up of many states.  You can find “E Pluribus Unum” on the back of the coins.  We used our magnifying glass to look for the phrase.

penny, nickel, dime and quarter

They also asked us to find another phrase that is on the penny, nickel, dime and quarters.  My son didn’t have to think to hard ont his.  He knew right off they were referring to “In God We Trust”.  You can find those words on the front of the coins.  “In God We Trust” was first put on the coins in 1864 and put on paper currency in 1957.  “In God We Trust” was adopted at the official motto of the United States in 1956, replacing “E Pluribus Unum“.  You can find “In God We Trust” on the front side of the coins

penny, nickel, quarter and dime

We were only able to get one lesson finished this last week.  I have been having some health issues, so it has been slow getting started back to school.

What have you been learning in history or geography?  Please link up and share with us!

****disclaimer~ This link-up is not officially affiliated with Bright Ideas Press but is my own project. I am a customer and fan.  This post also contains affiliate links.


2013, homeschooling, Wednesdays Around The World

Wednesday’s Around the World~ A History and Geography Link-Up

Written by Joy
4 Comments
Wednesday’s Around the World~ A History and Geography Link-Up

We had a wonderful Christmas break and I was so excited to start school back on January 2nd.  I was excited that we would begin our history and geography so that I could do the Wednesdays Around the World.   We did begin school on January 2, except by evening time, my husband and youngest son had gotten sick.  Eventually, one by one, our whole family would be sick with me being the last one to get sick.  Hit hit me like a freight train on Monday night.  I have spent most of the day, Tuesday, in bed.  Since we have been sick and unable to do our schooling, I thought I would go over why I started Wednesdays Around the World and what you need to do to link up with us.

Wednesdays Around the World: A History and Geography Link-Up, came from my love of the history curriculum that I am using.   I started using Mystery of History in the fall of 2011 and immediately fell in love it it.  History has always been a favorite subject of mine, but I loved how it was written and put together by Linda Lacour Hobar.  I then started using the Illuminations program from Bright Ideas Press, who also publishes the Mystery of History.  They also have some great Geography curriculum that they publish as well.  The more my kids and I did the lessons with the projects and activities, the more I wanted to share with everyone else what we were learning.  That got me to thinking about doing a history link-up for those who love and use any of the Bright Ideas Press curriculum that they publish.  I contacted a couple of people I know from there and told them about my idea.  They loved it!   While they love my idea and support me on this, they do not have anything to do with the link-up.  I am doing this on my own with their blessings!

I started this link-up the week of Thanksgiving and then continued it until the week before Christmas.  We took a few weeks of for the Christmas season and I am ready to get back to sharing what we are learning in Mystery of History, Volume 1.

Who can link-up to Wednesdays Around the World?  Anyone who is using the history, geography or WonderMaps curriculum that is published by Bright Ideas Press.  This includes Mystery of History (all volumes), All American History, WonderMaps, The Ultimate Geography and Timeline Guide, Hands-On Geography, Cantering the Country and Galloping the Globe.

If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail me.  I want this to be a fun learning experience for everyone!

If you have started school and have a lesson, activity or project that you want to link up, I would love to see it as I am sure others do, as well!  Grab the button (although it is not mandatory) and just follow the instructions on the link-up below!

**disclaimer~ This link-up is not officially affiliated with Bright Ideas Press but is my own project. I am a customer and fan.  This post also contains affiliate links.


2013, homeschooling, Wednesdays Around The World, , , , ,

Wednesdays Around the World ~ a giveaway!

Written by Joy
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Wednesdays Around the World ~ a giveaway!

**UPDATE** Winner of the $20 store credit is Jenn from http://justusscotts.blogspot.com/2012/08/history-lesson-comedy.html!

Welcome to another Wednesday Around The World.  This is a link-up where we talk about and share all about our history and geography.  This is for those who use the history and geography that is published by Bright Ideas Press.  I hope you will join in!

This past week, because I was not feeling well, we did not do any of our history or geography.  There are times when my Fibromyalgia and Arthritis really cause me a lot of pain.  During those times, we just read a lot and do the basics of Writing, Math and Reading.   That is also why I am late in getting this post up.  So I do apologize for that.

Have you do any special projects or learned anything interesting in history or geography this week?  I would love for you to link up!

I thought I would highlight a couple of blogs who linked up last week.  Stacey at Layered Soul and her family are using All American History Jr.  They just finished a lesson where it was suggested they watch The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band.  Stop by to see how she used the movie in their homeschool.  Ticia at Adventures in Mommydom and her kids studied about the Spanish American War.  Be sure to stop by to see all that she did with her kids in teaching them about the war.

This will also be the last link up for the year.  We will be taking the rest of the year off for the Christmas holidays.  Our first link up of the new year will be January 9th.

However, before I go, I would love to have a giveaway.  The giveaway is for a $20 store credit for Bright Ideas Press.

If you have done a post using any of the Bright Ideas Press history or geography, please link up and your name will be in the drawing for a $20 store credit!

This giveaway will end on Tuesday, December 18th, 2012.  I will draw the winner 9:00 pm (MST).

**disclaimer~ This link-up is not officially affiliated with Bright Ideas Press but is my own project. I am a customer and fan.  



2012, homeschooling, Wednesdays Around The World, , , , ,

Wednesdays Around The World: A History and Geography link-up~ Israel falling to the Assyrians and Hosea

Written by Joy
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Wednesdays Around The World: A History and Geography link-up~ Israel falling to the Assyrians and Hosea

Welcome to another week of Wednesdays Around The World.  Working through sickness in the family, we still managed to have several great lessons in our Mystery of History studies.

In lesson 45, we read about Israel and how they fell to Assyria.  By using prophets as His messengers, God had warned them to not sin.

2 Kings 17:13

13 Yet the Lord warned Israel and Judah by every prophet and every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways and keep my commandments and my statutes, in accordance with all the Law that I commanded your fathers, and that I sent to you by my servants the prophets.”

He told the people of the Northern Kingdom that if they continued to sin, they would fall to their neighboring nation.

Hosea 10:6

6 The thing itself shall be carried to Assyria as tribute to the great king.
Ephraim shall be put to shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his idol.

We talked about what types of bad things that the people of Israel were doing.  They worshiped idols, practiced witchcraft and set up pillars and wooden images.  So many horrible things!  God was very angry with all that they did, especially since they knew they were doing wrong!  God’s response was harsh, but well deserved.  While the Assyrians thought they won, God had actually allowed the Assyrians to take the people of Israel.

2 Kings 17:23

23 until the Lord removed Israel out of his sight, as he had spoken by all his servants the prophets. So Israel was exiled from their own land to Assyria until this day.

What exactly happened?  The people of Israel were taken to the land of Assryia.  They were removed from the Promised Land and others were sent to live in the land that God had promised the Israelite people.  There were over 27,000 people that left the land God had promised them, because they disobeyed God.

This was a very good lesson, because it taught the kids that disobeying has its consequences.  If we continue to disobey we can loose what has been given to us.

Lesson 46 talked about the Hosea, the prophet that God sent to Israel to warn the people about their sins.  Not only did God use Hosea to speak to Israel, God also used Hosea’s life as an example.  He told Hosea to marry a harlot.  By doing this, Hosea’s life showed what God was feeling through pain and true love.  You see, God loves us so much and it pains Him so much to see his people disobey.

The activity that we did for lesson 45 was to show the children that the 27,000 were a lot of people.  The kids were to find 100 of an object.  Then we were to talk about how there were 272+ more groups of the 100 objects to equal the amount of people that had to leave the Promised Land.  The kids actually found 100 pennies, but also found a few dimes and nickels.  We were able to get a little math in while adding up to 27,000+.

The activity for lesson 46, we were to bake a cake.  Well half-bake it.  How disappointing is a half baked cake?  very disappointing because you can’t eat it!  The Israelite people disappointed God tremendously.

Hosea 7:8

8 Ephraim mixes himself with the peoples;  Ephraim is a cake not turned.

counting pennies.

 

I also wanted to highlight a couple of those who linked up last week.  The first one is Judy from Contented at Home and How They Use Mystery of History.  I love how they switch things up just a bit to make it work for them.  The next one is Stacey from Layered Soul.  They built a fort using food items!

What have you covered in history?  Any exciting lessons or activities? I can’t wait to see what you all have learned about!

 

**disclaimer~ This link-up is not officially affiliated with Bright Ideas Press but is my own project. I am a customer and fan.


2012, homeschooling, Wednesdays Around The World, , , , , , ,

Wednesdays Around The World: A History and Geography link-up~ MOH lesson on Isaiah and Micah

Written by Joy
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Wednesdays Around The World: A History and Geography link-up~ MOH lesson on Isaiah and Micah

I am so excited about ” Wednesdays Around the World: A History and Geography Link-Up”.  I am still working on the dedicated page and should have it completed by next Wednesday.  Between being sick and the having the Thanksgiving holiday, I was unable to finish it.

This link-up will be dedicated to those who use and love Bright Ideas Press history and geography curriculum.  I love their curriculum and it really works for our family.  So I wanted to share it with everyone and have those who are using their curriculum to link-up and share with others, as well.  There are a lot of great projects and activities to go along with the history and geography lessons.  I am looking forward to seeing what all others are doing.

This past week, we had a short week of lessons.  As I mentioned before, between the Thanksgiving Holiday and my daughter and I being sick, we were only able to do one lesson.  The lesson we did was a good one though.  We talked about Isaiah and Micah, prophets in the Old Testament.

Claire making her clay pot

Isaiah was an amazing man.  He was married, with two children and very well educated.  Isaiah’s writings were harsh at times, but he was also passionate.  He cared about the people and wanted to see them turn to God.

My kids and I learned a few things that we didn’t know before about the book of Isaiah.  Isaiah’s writings are very similar to the format of the Bible.  There are 66 books in the bible and 66 chapters in Isaiah.   There are 39 books in the Old Testament and 39 chapters in Isaiah that talk about the Law and Covenant.  There are 27 books in the New Testament and the 27 chapters left in Isaiah that talk mostly about the coming of Jesus Christ. I thought that was pretty neat!   By standing strong and being firm in God’s word, Isaiah eventually lost his life to a horrible death.  The evil king, Manasseh killed Isaiah by sawing him in half!

Samuel making his clay pot.

During the time Isaiah was writing, God also had another prophet doing His work, Micah.   Micah was not as eloquent and educated as Isaiah.  He was a farmer, a worker of the fields.  Micah also told of God’s displeasure in the sins of the people and like other prophets, including Isaiah, he also told of God’s love.   Most of all, Micah is also known for telling the prophecy of where Jesus would be born!  This happened 700 years BEFORE Jesus was born!  That is truly amazing!

I loved the  activity that MOH suggest for this lesson.  They gave this verse for us to read first, along with Romans 9:20-21:

Isaiah 64:8

8 But now, O Lord, you are our Father;

we are the clay, and you are our potter;

    we are all the work of your hand.

We were then to take modeling clay and pretend we were the potter making and molding a pot.   We were to talk about who was in charge or control of making the pot and did the pot have a choice in how the potter made it look.  Of course the pot didn’t have a choice.  We then talked about how God designed us the way He wants us to be.

finished clay pots

I truly loved this lesson a lot.  I think more than anything, I am just as excited as the kids are, because I am learning things I never knew.  They also like this.  We are learning together as a family!

What history and/or geography are you using?  What have you learned about in this past week or previously? I sure hope you will link up with us and share what you have learned!

**disclaimer~ This link-up is not officially affiliated with Bright Ideas Press but is my own project. I am a customer and fan.



2012, homeschooling, Wednesdays Around The World, , ,