• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

BJU Press Blog

  • Home
  • Shop
    • Shaping Worldview
  • Simplified Homeschool
  • Successful Learning

history

Learning in Order to Teach

June 30, 2015 by Wesley

statue of General George Custer on horse
Statue of General Custer by Dwight Burdette/Wikimedia Commons/CC-By 3.0

In a recent post, Karin showed us how the whole Bible is connected in one big story about God’s work to restore a fallen creation back to Himself. The truths of the gospel describe to us our destitute position and God’s wonderful deliverance. God has exalted the human race far beyond what we deserve—first, by creating us in his own image (Genesis 1:26); second, by promising to redeem us (Genesis 3:15); and lastly, by sending the Son in the likeness of human flesh (Romans 8:3). These truths also have implications for our whole lives, including what we do in relation to education.

Education should develop people in all the ways appropriate for human beings. This honors the reality of the image of God in man. We’re also training our children to live among other image-bearers. This can only be accomplished if they truly realize what being an image-bearer means and have been trained to view others that same way. School is a valuable opportunity for Christian worldview shaping.

Let’s consider one subject area—history. Do you ever talk about people as you teach history? Of course, you do. People are the primary topic of history. But does the fact that those people are made in the image of God ever affect what you say or do? Consider one familiar figure in American history, General George Armstrong Custer. To some people he’s a tragic hero. To others, he’s a villain. What you believe about the image of God in Custer, the men under his command, and the Plains Indians will affect what you say about him and the Battle of Little Bighorn.

I hope you’ll take a trip sometime this summer and visit a historically significant place. There, on the wall or in the ground will be a statue or a plaque to a certain man. Your homework assignment is to apply the reality of humans as image-bearers to that man. Then share that with your kids. Why is his statue there? Is he important? Is he valuable? Was he good or bad or a mixture of both. Remember that “good” and “bad” are determined by God. A person is not good simply because he agrees with you.

As you talk about him as an image-bearer of God, you can ask another question, “Did he honor the image of God in other people?” As you prepare to defend your conclusion from the Bible, you just might find that your own thinking hasn’t been entirely scriptural. What a wonderful opportunity to develop your biblical worldview alongside your child’s.

Filed Under: Shaping Worldview Tagged With: field trip, history, research, teacher, worldview

Grandmothers Can Be the Best Teachers

May 5, 2015 by Meredith

image of a grandmother and granddaughter video chatting.With Mother’s Day just around the corner, I don’t want to overlook a very important group of women. They’re called grandmothers. And every child, no matter how old, knows just how grand they are. In fact, grandmothers often have the ability to encourage, inspire, motivate, and instruct children in a way that their own mothers cannot. At least, that’s the role my grandmothers have played in my own life, especially during the years I was homeschooled.

Distance often kept me from seeing my grandmothers face-to-face, but that didn’t stop them from taking an active part in my education. Here are some of the ways they got involved.

Language Arts

Grandma knew written words could make people feel special, and when I had to practice letter writing, she became my pen pal. Her round, flowing script wasn’t always easy to read, but what she wrote told me that I had sent her something important.

Another favorite past time Grandma shared with me as a child was reading. She would often send me books that Mom would incorporate into my lessons. Some of my favorite stories were the ones we read out loud while seated on her high, comfy bed. Uncle Wiggily was and still is quite the character.

Other ideas: Kids love solving puzzles, so try asking your grandkids to help you solve the newspaper’s daily crossword puzzle. Playing a simple game of hangman can reinforce proper spelling. Or start a reading club with just the two of you and later expand it to include their cousins and friends.

Math

Most of my time with both grandmothers was not spent in a kitchen. But in recent years, I’ve had the opportunity to collect their special family recipes and cookbooks. Cooking and baking can be great ways to practice math fractions, especially since the hard work results in a tasty treat.

Other ideas: Counting games are another way to teach sums and times tables. They can be done around the house or while running errands. If you work from home or own a business, your grandkids could play “office” by calculating orders. This teaching moment might work best with a mature young person.

History

Grammie told me stories she remembered about our family heritage. When I had a family genealogy project in elementary school, she sat on the couch for hours telling stories. This trip down memory lane for her gave me a deeper understanding of our family and broader perspective on the society in which she grew up.

Grandma took day trips with me and Mom to historical sites. It became “the thing to do” every time we visited. We often explored places on Georgia’s Antebellum Trail as well as the home sites of famous authors.

Other ideas: Share your perspective on a historical event that has taken place during your lifetime. Introduce your grandkids to people of character that you’re related to or who come from your area. This teaching moment can be done by viewing pictures or art, reading newspaper clippings, and visiting different places.

Science

Every morning Grammie would check her blood sugar and prepare her insulin. That daily routine of hers greatly fascinated me as a young child. It also helped me realize that science has many different facets—even if I didn’t want to learn them!

Other ideas: Demonstrate a plant’s life cycle by asking your grandkids to help you plant flowers or do yardwork. Spend time stargazing on a clear night, and share how our wonderful God made this planet a special place for us to live.

My grandmothers were my favorite teachers because they made ordinary events extraordinary and mundane tasks exciting. They helped me to gain perspective on the past, present, and future. But most importantly they simply invited me to be a part of their lives.

To all grandmothers: Thank you for choosing to invest in the next generation. May God bless you this Mother’s Day!

Filed Under: Successful Learning Tagged With: education, English, family, grandmothers, history, language arts, learning, math, Mother's Day, science

Who Was Saint Patrick?

March 17, 2015 by BJU Press Writer

Patrick, son of Calpornius, lived in the village of Bannavem Taburniae in Britain. While the year of his birth is not known, he probably lived from around 390 to 460. Patrick was probably raised in a wealthy home, as demonstrated by his knowledge of Latin. Virtually all that we know about Patrick is found in two surviving letters that he wrote: “Confession” and “Letter to Coroticus,” with most of the information coming from the first letter. He begins “Confession” with the words, “I am Patrick, a sinner, most unlearned, the least of all the faithful, and utterly despised by many.” This work was penned near the end of his ministry and provides many interesting details about his life.

statue of St. Patrick The Pilgrim in Lough Derg, County Donegal, Ireland
Lough Derg St. Patrick The Pilgrim by Andreas F. Borchert/Wikimedia Commons/CC-By-SA 4.0

Patrick was about sixteen years old when he was carried into captivity during an assault on his village by Irish raiders. He and thousands of other Britons were sold into slavery, with Patrick being taken to Ireland. He was bought by an Irish farmer and sent out to tend the livestock. At the time Patrick was captured, he was not a Christian. In his own words, “I did not know the true God.” However, while serving for about six years as a slave, he turned to God in prayer and received Christ. Following a time of fasting and praying, he dreamed about a man who told him that his captivity would soon end and that a ship was ready for him. Patrick ran away from his master and walked “perhaps two hundred miles” to get to a port, where a ship was preparing to depart for Britain. Through many challenging and dangerous episodes, Patrick managed to make his way back to his family.

He continued to study the Bible and soon had his own “Macedonian call” in the form of a vision that prompted him to return to Ireland as a missionary. Over the next several decades, he tirelessly witnessed—suffering opposition, physical attacks, and imprisonment—to win thousands of Irish people to Christ. Many of these Irish believers demonstrated the reality of their faith by participating in believer’s baptism and thus became targets of persecution, alongside Patrick. While most of the Irish remained pagan and opposed to Christianity, Patrick established many churches and laid the foundation for a strong Christian presence in Ireland.

A number of legends are also connected to Patrick.

  • Patrick used the shamrock to explain the Trinity.
  • Patrick banished all snakes from Ireland after being attacked by snakes during a time of fasting.
  • Patrick’s walking stick once grew into a living tree. (The story goes that Patrick carried a walking stick made from an ash tree. When he would come into a village and begin to present the gospel, he would thrust the walking stick into the ground until he was ready to depart. On one occasion, Patrick labored for a long time to overcome the resistance of the people in the village to the gospel. By the time he was ready to leave, his walking stick had taken root and was growing.)

This brief recounting of his life should answer the question, “Who was Saint Patrick?” If you’re wondering why Christians should remember and honor him, it’s because he was a humble believer who bravely endured decades of harsh resistance in order to bring the gospel to many people in Ireland. He loved the Scripture and quoted from it nearly a hundred times in his two surviving letters. Patrick loved God and gave Him credit for everything he accomplished in his life.

Works Cited

Holmes, J. M. The Real Saint Patrick. Greenville, SC: Ambassador, 1997.

• • • • •

Dennis is the lead writer for BJU Press secondary-level heritage studies materials and holds a PhD in church history. He is the author of First-Generation Anabaptist Ecclesiology, 1525–1561 and occasionally speaks at Christian school conventions and to other groups on various topics, including Islam, Israel, and key events in church history.

Filed Under: Successful Learning Tagged With: Briton, history, Irish, Latin, Saint Patrick

Remembering Women’s History

March 5, 2015 by Megan

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Genesis 1:27

God created us in His own image. Because we are created in the image of God, we have the ability to think, to create, to communicate, to foster relationships, and much more. We are patterned after Him.

photo of bronze statue of Sacagawea
Statue of Sacagawea by Timberdoggie/Wikimedia Commons/CC-By-SA 3.0

March is Women’s History Month—a great opportunity for us to take the time to remember women who have used their God-given gifts and abilities to influence the world around them. Throughout this month, you may want to take time with your students to study the lives of some notable women in history. Download our Women in American History crossword puzzle (view answers) and clue sheet to survey famous women in the United States, or check out some of the resources below.

Websites

  • Women’s History for Teachers from the Library of Congress
  • Women’s History Teaching Resources from the Smithsonian

Books

  • The Scholastic Encyclopedia of Women in the United States 
  • Remember the Ladies: 100 Great American Women by Cheryl Harness

What resources have you found helpful when teaching your students about the women in our history?

Filed Under: Successful Learning Tagged With: history, printable, puzzle, women

Understanding the Fields of War

July 28, 2014 by Meredith

World War I is more than a passing thought to the people of Ypres, Belgium. They are surrounded by the reminders of this war through cemeteries, monuments, trenches, and museums. But to your student who is living in the United States—a country with few physical reminders of the Great War—World War I may just be another event mentioned in the BJU Press Heritage Studies textbooks. It’s important that young people understand a war that began a hundred years ago because it still affects our world. Here are some suggestions to help them.

What brought about the war?

Ultimately, mankind’s inherent sin nature and the choices we make result in fighting (James 4), yet there are specific actions that led to the start of the Great War. The initial conflict began with the assassination of Austria-Hungary’s heir to the throne, Archduke Francis Ferdinand. A Bosnian radical carried out the offense, but demands were made on Serbia, where the assassination took place. The demands were not met, and Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia on July 28, 1914. Europe quickly divided itself into two sides as a result of previously established alliances. These alliances were motivated by nationalism, imperialism, and militarism, which resulted in countries expanding their colonies and resources through force. Political tensions were high at the start of the war, and each action led to an equally troubling reaction.

Individual activity idea: Set up domino tiles into a standing position about 1 inch apart on a flat surface. When the pattern is complete, have your student tip over the very first domino. Watch the dominoes fall over in succession. Discuss the effect one action has on events and people. Relate this activity to the conflicts that led to World War I. 

Group activity idea: Gather your students in a tight circle. (Groups of 8-10 work best.) Have each student hold hands (or a piece of short rope) with someone across the circle. Make sure no one is holding hands with someone directly next to him. (Each student should be connected to two people—a different person for each hand.) Have students untangle themselves (get back into a circle) without letting go of each other’s hands. Time how long it takes. Discuss the challenges of working together and deciding whom to follow. Relate this activity to the alliances established between the countries drawn into World War I.

What influenced the war?

War hurried the development of machines as countries looked for ways to defeat their enemies. These new tools of torture forever changed warfare. Heritage Studies 4 from BJU Press explains some of these changes.

The style of fighting in World War I was new and different from any earlier war. Machine guns were better and more powerful than earlier models. . . . Armies began using tanks, moving vehicles that could fire shells as they went along. Because of their heavy armor, tanks were very hard to stop. Later in the war, they were big enough to drive across trenches.

Chemical weapons were also first used in this war. Poisonous gases were placed inside shells. When the shells exploded, the gas was released into the air. The gas was difficult to breathe. Sometimes it made soldiers ill, blinded them, or even killed them. Gas masks were invented to help protect soldiers from poison gas.

Aircraft were also used in warfare for the first time. The Germans used zeppelins, similar to blimps, to drop bombs. Later in the war, airplanes replaced these slower machines. Fighter planes were light and fast and could carry machine guns.

The submarine emerged as another effective weapon that the German navy used to sink warships and commercial ships. These attacks on civilians influenced America’s decision to enter the war.

Discussion question: How do our motives affect the way we use something? Point out that machines (such as airplanes) can be used for good or evil. Relate this discussion to the inventions and strategies that influenced World War I. 

What resulted from the war?

The Great War ended in an armistice—a ceasefire—on November 11, 1918, but relations between the two sides did not improve after the Treaty of Versailles. Soon certain trends began to emerge, some negative and some positive.

  • Ambitious men took advantage of the chaos that came after the war and promoted themselves as political leaders. Their personal agendas went unchecked and contributed to another world war.
  • Military tactics changed. By implementing new strategies and inventions, fighting became more violent. Civilians also found they were no longer spectators of war.
  • Economies collapsed because of debt from the war.
  • More than eight million people were killed. Most were from Germany, Russia, France, and Austria-Hungary. The United States lost 116,516 people.
  • People’s philosophies of life changed. Pessimism was followed by a “live for pleasure” mentality.
  • Improvements made for the war were adapted for peaceful uses—airplanes, cars, steel buildings.
  • The United States of America developed as a world leader. Our land was preserved. Our rights were defended.

How do you teach your students about the impact of war?

Filed Under: Successful Learning Tagged With: 100 anniversary, history, war, World War I, WWI

  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Go to page 1
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Go to page 5
  • Go to page 6
  • Go to page 7
  • Go to page 8
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

As parents, teachers, or former homeschool students, we are passionate about homeschooling from a biblical worldview. We hope these teaching tips, fun activities, and inspirational stories support you in teaching your children.

Email Signup

Sign up for our homeschool newsletter and receive select blog posts, discounts, and more right to your inbox!

Connect with Us!

                    Instagram     

Read Posts on Specific Subjects

Early Learning
Foreign Language
History
Language Arts
Math
Science

Footer

Disclaimer

The BJU Press blog publishes content by different writers for the purpose of relating to our varied readers. Views and opinions expressed by these writers do not necessarily state or reflect the views of BJU Press or its affiliates. The fact that a link is listed on this blog does not represent or imply that BJU Press endorses its site or contents from the standpoint of ethics, philosophy, theology, or scientific hypotheses. Links are posted on the basis of the information and/or services that the sites offer. If you have comments, suggestions, questions, or find that one of the links no longer works, please contact us.

Pages

  • About BJU Press
  • Conversation Guidelines
  • Terms of Use & Copyright

Archives

Copyright ©2019 · BJU Press Homeschool