Today we made the most of what it means to be homeschooling at this day and age.
- Science: While studying about the parts of the plants, we read about how stems and leaves grow from buds that pop open in the spring. A quick youtube search led us to spectacular time-lapse videos of actual buds opening.
- Language: Verbs were introduced using a sports theme. We read about soccer and how it is the most popular sport in the world. Since my daughter wasn’t very familiar with it, I had her watch clips from the movie “Shaolin Soccer” as it was the first thing that came to mind.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQAYgumbnjU
Of course, I did teach her how the sport was actually played, along with watching some stuff from the World Cup.
- Filipino: We read a story entitled, “Ang Kaharian sa Kagubatan” (“The Kingdom in the Jungle”) about how the jungle was full of trash and the King Lion asked for a meeting. The animals realized that waste segregation was the best solution to their problem and resolved to separate their trash into “biodegradable” and “non-biodegradable.” In order to illustrate how biodegradable materials decompose and become part of the earth again, we watched this time lapse video of a dead piglet decomposing: (WARNING: IMAGES CAN BE DISTURBING FOR SOME.)
- Mathematics: We’re adding two-digit numbers now. And since we started with some “mental math” strategies from Shelley Gray (which by the way have been very helpful):
I did a quick google search on more mental math strategies and found this:
http://www.homeschoolmath.net/teaching/a/adding_2_digit.php.
I honestly don’t know how moms homeschooled decades ago when all these stuff wasn’t available with just a couple of mouse clicks. But, I am very grateful that they are now just a few seconds away now that I am the one doing the homeschooling. Google and youtube have proven invaluable in enhancing what we learn from textbooks. It’s overwhelming how so much information is right at our fingertips.
However, this fact also reminded me about how we are living in the end times. Daniel 12:4 tells us:
“But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.”
I remember reading somewhere how this verse has been said to refer to both transportation and the internet, because at no time before now are people travelling from one place to another so much (running to and fro) and the process of transferring information or knowledge been so quick and so widespread (knowledge shall be increased).
And at no time until now has prophecy after prophecy being fulfilled right before our eyes. Just read the news about what’s going on in Israel and the Middle East; the policies and trends being adapted by Obama, the call for religious unity by the Pope, etc… and if one has enough knowledge on Biblical end-time prophecies, it would be easy to see how we are indeed, living in the end times.
Of course, no one knows the exact date as Jesus would come like a thief in the night (Matthew 24), but the Bible also says we would not be like the children of darkness that we would not know when the thief would come. Instead, we are to live as children of light, and therefore, we will not be taken by surprise (1 Thessalonians 5). The signs are here for us to be warned — and for us to pray — and be ready.
And ready we should be. For us, it’s a reminder not to put too much focus on academics that the education of the heart and spirit is neglected. As with all things, we must seek God first and do all things for His glory.
And be thankful. Thankful for each day that God is still graciously giving us to learn more about Him and experience His love. These are things that cannot be searched in google and is not something we could expect from watching youtube. It comes from having a quiet time of prayer and meditating His Word — something that we honestly have a hard time keeping. Being techie does make it harder for us to know how to have a quiet time with the Lord, but thankfully, He is gently reminding our family to make this our top priority.
Thank You LORD.
