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Remembrance in Action: A Memorial Day Project

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American flag

Memorial Day blends sadness with gratitude as we remember those who died in the service of our country. Unlike Veterans’ Day, which honors the soldiers who served and returned, Memorial Day recognizes those who gave up their lives fighting for freedom. Keeping Veterans’ Day and Memorial Day straight is difficult for kids, but doing activities and writing about the day will help them understand its meaning.

Step 1. Adopt a Soldier

About a week before Memorial Day, choose a soldier to remember. Perhaps there is someone in your family who gave his or her life while serving in the armed forces, or perhaps you know of a family friend or a neighbor who lost a loved one in war. If possible, choose someone whose grave is in your area, so that you and your children can visit briefly as part of your Memorial Day project.

Step 2. Do Some Research

Once you have chosen a soldier to remember, it’s time to do some research about him or her. The individual’s birth date, date of death, hometown, place of service, and other details are all helpful pieces of information that you can find out online or from the soldier’s family members. Learning a little bit about the soldier will make him more real to your children and deepen the meaning of his sacrifice. While they research, kids can take notes using this graphic organizer.

Step 3. Write About It

Younger children can write a few sentences about what they have learned, in the form of a short narrative or a timeline. Visual learners may enjoy drawing some illustrations to go with the written part. Older kids can turn their research into an essay about Memorial Day or the price of freedom; or they could design a timeline with information and illustrations to celebrate the soldier’s life. Posting photos of the project on Facebook, gifting the illustrations to the soldier’s living relatives, or reading the essay aloud to a group of fellow homeschoolers are just a few ways that your children can share their projects.

Step 4. Make a Stars and Stripes Wreath

To adorn your soldier’s grave on Memorial Day, you and your kids can make a red, white, and blue wreath reminiscent of the American flag. You’ll need the following supplies:

  • Red, white, and blue bandanas from a dollar store or thrift shop
  • A wreath form from a craft store
  • Twist ties
  • White felt
  • A hot-glue gun

Wrap blue bandanas around the left side of the wreath, securing them with twist ties and leaving the ends free. Once you have done about half of the wreath, wrap the remaining portion in alternating red and white bandanas. Cut a couple dozen five-pointed stars from the white felt and hot-glue them onto the blue bandanas.

Step 5. Decorate a Soldier’s Grave

On Memorial Day, take the kids to visit their soldier’s grave. Check with the cemetery to make sure it’s okay for you to leave the wreath at the grave to honor the soldier’s memory.

What other activities have you done to teach your kids the importance of Memorial Day? Share them with me in a comment.

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Rebecca is a work-at-home freelance writer, novelist, wife, and the mom of two bright-eyed little ones. She credits her success in writing and her love of books to her own mom, who homeschooled three kids from pre-K through high school.

Cycle of Life, Circle of Love

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When you first imagined motherhood, you may have envisioned glowing, beautiful moments—rocking a soft, sleeping baby in a lovely nursery, or leading a wide-eyed toddler through a world full of wonders.

Then the tiny human arrives, and you feel waves of powerful love, more love than you knew you had. At the same time, your life gets very, very hard. You live from moment to moment—struggling to stay awake during yet another midnight feeding, or carrying a protesting toddler out of the grocery store for yet another lesson in obedience.

You want to freeze your little ones in time so that you can enjoy their sweetness forever; yet you can’t wait for them to grow up a little so that you can have a few moments to rest.

Time inevitably ticks away.

Your daughter dissolves in tears over a squabble with a friend, and you comfort her. Your son becomes frustrated over a tough subject, and you encourage him.

"Time goes by--minutes inching and rocketing past. You laugh and learn and make memories together."

More time goes by—minutes inching and rocketing past. You laugh and learn and make memories together.

Sometimes she rolls her eyes at you, and you keep loving like Christ. Maybe he mumbles a half-greeting on the way to his room, and you keep trying to communicate and connect.

They leave for college, for a job, or for an adventure. It feels horrible and wonderful at the same time—because you miss them so much, and yet you’re so proud of them.

You realize, at some point during those years, just how much your own mother did for you. Maybe she failed you in many ways, or maybe she was nearly perfect. Either way, she gave you life, and probably much more along with it.

When you become a mother yourself, you realize what your mother needs from you.

This Mother’s Day, tell her that you finally understand. Tell her that you’re grateful for everything she did for you, every minute of every year. Let her know that you love her.

Maybe you’ll buy her a card, some flowers, some candy, or a special gift. Just don’t forget to give her your gratitude, your love, and your time. That’s what you want from your kids, and she feels the same way.

If your mother has passed on, take some time to remember her on Mother’s Day. Share a memory, read her favorite Bible verse, or sing her favorite song. Maybe you are blessed with a legacy of godly grandmothers whom you can honor in memory or in person.

If you’re feeling weary in well-doing as you face the challenges of motherhood yourself, find some encouraging spiritual resources to sustain your soul for the journey ahead. One day, your own child may come back to you and say, “Mom, now I understand how much you love me.”

Sign up for our Homeschool Solutions eNews to receive news about a special Mother’s Day surprise we’re planning!

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Rebecca is a work-at-home freelance writer, novelist, wife, and the mom of two bright-eyed little ones. She credits her success in writing and her love of books to her own mom, who homeschooled three kids from pre-K through high school.

Remember These Dates in May

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It’s not often that the name of a month can also be used as another part of speech. In fact, I think only three months qualify—May (verb), March (verb), and August (adjective). So here’s my wish for you: may your month of May be filled with wonderful possibilities! Here are a few celebrations for your family to add to your list.

photograph of Alan Shepard in astronaut suit

May 5

Alan Shepard entered space in 1961. He was the first American astronaut to do so. His space flight on a Mercury spacecraft lasted less than sixteen minutes, but it proved to be a successful step toward our country’s future voyages to the moon. Learn more about Alan Shepard and his contribution to our space program.

May 8

It’s mothers’ special day! Mothers everywhere deserve recognition for giving the gift of life. And having a godly mother is a special blessing from the Lord. Have you been blessed by having a “Titus 2 woman” in your life? Thank (or remember) her on this day with your words and actions.

Train-illustration

May 10

Completion of the transcontinental railroad took place this day in 1869. Civil War veterans, Irish immigrants, and Chinese immigrants built a railroad track that would connect our nation. One team (Union Pacific) worked its way west while the other team (Central Pacific) pushed east. They met in Promontory Point near Ogden, Utah. The transcontinental railroad brought change to the Great Plains as people and agricultural products moved easily across the grasslands, but the vast herds of buffalo the nomadic Indians depended on declined after that. Use this video to show your kids how the transcontinental railroad changed America.

May 12

Celebrate Limerick Day by creating a rhyme. Usually humorous in tone, a limerick consists of five lines and has a defined meter (often anapestic) and rhyming scheme (AABBA). The first line introduces a person and place and establishes the poem’s main rhyming scheme. Ask your kids to write their own limericks—just copy this example (by Eileen Berry and Dawn Watkins) from BJU Press Reading 4 (2nd edition):

There was an old man from Pompeii
Who gave talks on volcanoes each day.
When the mountain erupted,
He got interrupted
And forgot what he wanted to say.

illustration of Lewis and Clark expedition

May 14

The Lewis and Clark expedition began on this date in 1804. Sent by President Jefferson, Meriweather Lewis and William Clark and their Discovery Corps set out to explore the regions of the Louisiana Territory, which our nation had purchased from the French. Beginning at the Mississippi River, the expedition traveled west and documented geography, peoples, and vegetation. See what date they reached the Pacific Ocean, and use this interactive lesson to teach your kids about this important expedition.

photograph of Clara Barton

May 21

On this date Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross in 1881. During the American Civil War, Clara Barton saw a need to provide supplies and medical aid to people. Known as the “Angel of the Battlefield,” she used her skills to fulfill God’s command that we love our neighbors (Matthew 22:36–40). After the war, Clara traveled to Europe and learned about the International Red Cross organization that provided relief to the sick and wounded. An inspiring role model, Barton’s service to others reached global proportions when she was given presidential approval for the United States to join the Red Cross network. Learn more about her achievements and take a virtual tour of her home, which served as the headquarters of the American Red Cross.

May 24 & 27

Ever since studying Physics in high school, I have found bridges fascinating. Their history, beautiful designs, and construction amaze me. On May 24, 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge opened to connect Brooklyn and Manhattan. A little over fifty years later, California’s Golden Gate Bridge opened on May 27, 1937, spanning San Francisco Bay.

  • Learn about John A. Roebling and how he and his family influenced the construction of both bridges.
  • See how the Brooklyn Bridge influenced America in this video.
  • Find tips for visiting the Golden Gate Bridge.
  • Learn about the history of the Golden Gate Bridge with these FAQs.

illustration of a veteran saying the pledge to the American flag

May 30

Today we honor those in the armed services who gave their lives for us so that we could be free. Taking time to reflect on their sacrifice as well as the sacrifice of their families should make us grateful. Use this blog post to teach about the history of Memorial Day and find ways your kids can participate in this holiday.

What observances are you adding to this list? Let me know in a comment below!

Why Do You Homeschool? Additional Reasons

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Over the last several weeks we’ve shared with you some of the reasons Deborah chose to homeschool her kids. As we wrap up this blog series, consider these additional factors that prompted her decision.

why HS_part5

  • Eliminating negative peer pressure—Although you might think that homeschooling would limit your child’s interaction with other kids his age, in actuality, it limits the amount of negative peer pressure your child receives. Homeschooling has changed drastically in just the last decade, and there are so many opportunities now for parents of homeschool kids to be selective about the kinds of social interaction their children participate in—cutting down on the bullying and the peer pressure to make poor choices.
  • Interacting with people of all ages—Another boon of homeschool education is that, not only do you get to tailor your child’s interaction with other children their age, but you can also choose to expose them to various age groups as well. Bring them along with you when you meet with other adults. Each generation has its own stories and wisdom to share, and the ability to converse with people outside of one’s age group is quickly becoming a lost art that needs to be revived.
  • Teaching a good work ethic and practical life skills—This goes along with other areas already covered in this blog series. When you can supervise what your child is learning and you have the extra time to spend together as a family, you can teach your child that “whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men” (Colossians 3:23)—not just the what but also the why.

There are so many other good reasons why homeschooling is a terrific option! Deborah definitely doesn’t regret it, and many other homeschool parents are thankful that they chose this path for their family.

What reason for homeschooling would you add to this list? Please let us know in a comment below—we want to hear from you!

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A Creative Writing graduate of Bob Jones University, Hannah worked for BJU Press for almost nine years as a writer and proofreader. Currently a coffee barista and freelance writer, she also tutors one student in French. While Hannah herself was not homeschooled, her experience in tutoring and teaching violin have shown her how beneficial one-on-one education can be. She hopes to homeschool her own kids someday.

Why Do You Homeschool? Spending Time with Family

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why HS_part4

Over the last few weeks, we have introduced you to Deborah, a homeschool mom of four, and have explored with you some of her reasons for homeschooling her children.

What’s another important reason Deborah chose to homeschool? Spending time with family.

This reason became especially apparent to her through one subject in particular. She says, “Our favorite subject was (and still is) reading. All of us are avid readers to this day over twenty years later.” Being able to read together as a family brought them together and encouraged a passion for the written word in each of them.

When you have that extra time to spend with your family, you also gain the opportunity to be there for all of those special little moments in the lives of your children. You can be there as they read their first book all by themselves. When they have questions or concerns, they can come to you, your spouse, and their siblings. You’ll probably notice your children working together as a team. I’m sure you’ve witnessed already that the younger ones are always watching and learning from the older ones.

Extended family time benefited Deborah’s family, but their homeschool journey took another turn. As Deborah puts it, “The need [for me] to work reared its head, but the Lord showed Himself faithful. I had not worked outside the home in twenty-two years, and He gave me a temp job to assist the homeschool consultant at BJU Press. That later turned into a full-time job in customer service helping other homeschool moms—icing on the cake as far as I was concerned.”

She went on, “There was no Distance Learning back then. If there had been, I might have considered ‘part-time homeschooling’ as the kids got older. [But instead] all the kids went to a Christian school that used BJU Press curriculum—no adjustments needed.”

If you’re considering homeschooling, Deborah hopes these reasons will help you in the decision-making process. And remember, you’re not alone. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or stories of your own. Experienced homeschool moms like Deborah are just a phone call away.

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A Creative Writing graduate of Bob Jones University, Hannah worked for BJU Press for almost nine years as a writer and proofreader. Currently a coffee barista and freelance writer, she also tutors one student in French. While Hannah herself was not homeschooled, her experience in tutoring and teaching violin have shown her how beneficial one-on-one education can be. She hopes to homeschool her own kids someday.