Learning History with Games

You know that we've begun the cleaning, organizing, packing, and purging that goes along with any major move.

As I go room by room and make my lists, I am not only planning clothing, bathroom, and kitchen items that we'll be taking for 5 people, for 3 years overseas, but also school stuff for the three children for 3 years.

One of the dreams that Indy and I have had for a long time is that when the kids get old enough, we want to play games with them that will teach them about history.

For years, Indy was a history teacher and he loved to use games in the classroom (and play test them over his lunch hour with other faculty.)

This past year we covered the 20th Century, so we'll be coming back around to the beginning of time this next fall. Our plan, to incorporate some gaming fun into education, is going to look something like this...

Year 1 - Covering the beginning of time to the Fall of Rome.
*We'll have a 6th, 4th, and 2nd grader

We'll be playing "Chariot Lords" in the fall to see the rise and fall of the different ancient civilizations as we study them. As we move into studying Rome, we'll play the "Rome" game which is actually 3 games in one. Finally, we'll finish off our studies that year with "The Journeys of Paul" game so that we can see what the apostles went through as they traveled the world, spreading the Good News.

Year 2 - Covering the Fall of Rome to the beginning of the 19th Century.

*We'll have a 7th, 5th, and 3rd grader

"Empires of the Middle Ages" is similar to "Chariot Lords" in that it will follow the chronology of the Medieval time period. We'll also be taking "Here I Stand" (not pictured) to re-enact the time period of the Protestant Reformation. It is an excellent game that we took with us to Tanzania and left there for the student body at HOPAC. We are in the process of getting another copy with Indy's trade credit (he traded in a good portion of his game collection to a game store since we've been home this year.) Finally, "Liberty," as you can see from the cover, it details the period of the American Revolution.

Year 3 - Covering the entirety of the 19th Century.

*We'll have an 8th, 6th, and 4th grader

Indy was able to get some 6mm miniature armies and then we can re-enact many of the Napoleonic battles of the early 19th Century. We're also bringing along "For the People" which covers the period of the American Civil War.

Believe me when I say, we are leaving dozens of games behind, in storage. Many reasons for this...space and weight in taking stuff overseas is probably number one...but, also, our kids are now 11, 9 and 6. These game choices were made for a young Dialectic and an older Upper Grammar student who have gaming experience. Our younger daughter will more than likely play with me, as a team. When we're home on furlough next time, we'll be looking at a rising Rhetoric student and we have many, many more game choices to consider then. It will be a whole new batch of fun to bring the next time.

Enjoy! And, let us know if you've used games in your study of history. Which ones and how did it go?

Let the creativity begin!

So, we finished off the school year and now what do we do?!

As the mom, who loves to spend time with her kids, really...I've got all kinds of family outings (letterboxing and hikes) planned, craft days to sew and scrapbook and paint, etc....but, I also have newsletters to write, training that I need to complete before we leave the country, paperwork to handle, phone calls to make, a house to divide into three piles - going to Kyrgyzstan, going into storage, donate/give away/sell; there are times I am just going to need the kiddos to be creative and play on their own.

The best way to do that, and not have the kids get, dare I say it, "bored," is to have some things already planned and organized to keep them occupied. 

I've pulled some fun books together that they can use during the summer. The boys love to solve mysteries and Sissi loves to draw, so I'm thinking these will be good. We also have Mad Libs and Sudoku books on hand.

Some days, they have so much creative energy. Here is Gwangi, it's still the last day of school and he has already gotten paper out and created his own game board and set of rules to play with his heroclix.

But, I wouldn't be honest if I didn't show that some times, this is the default...

So, after seeing some ideas on Facebook, I decided to come up with a list. A list of fun, alternate, creative ideas for play and to spend their time this summer. Actually, my oldest wrote about 90% of this list and I then added a few other ideas, but it is now taped on my freshly cleared off sliding glass door for their viewing pleasure. I'm excited to see how it goes!

Here is to a fun and creative summer! Do you have any similar plans that you would be willing to share?

And the Books are Closed

Another end to another school year!

I've already posted about some of our favorites and what we've studied this year.

Today, I'll post about our last day of school for the 2013-2014 school year.

This was Sissi's artwork this morning. Truly, this girl is an artist. She is constantly drawing. I have pictures taped all over the sliding glass door and in the bedrooms. Picking the "favorites" to keep in her "memory bin" for this year is going to be difficult.

We did our Unit review this morning. The younger two, Gwangi and Sissi, did the above quiz out loud with me and they did very well. I was thrilled with what they remembered from the last 30 years or so of history and current events.

This was Krypto's quiz. It was six pages!

He was able to "characterize" the presidents from Carter through Obama by picking out 2 things that were issues for them on the domestic front and two issues that they dealt with in foreign affairs. Then, he had a list of about a dozen events and had to put them on a timeline. Finally, he had a map of the Middle East and had to label the countries. What a trooper he is...there was a bit of verbal help from me when he got stumped, in the form of, "Well, what President did that happen under?"...and once he could remember the time frame, he was good to go.

Our rising 2nd grader.

One of the things I know I will miss as she grows up is her super cute way of saying, "You're uh-pposed to...." We have stopped correcting her "supposed to" and just smile...in fact, we find ourselves saying it as well.

Our rising 4th grader.

Our rising 6th grader.

There were some tears this morning when Gwangi and Sissi realized that he is almost half way done with school and then will leave to go to college.

So glad they love each other.

....they have also asked me to look into any "college from home" programs that might be out there, lol!

My kiddos.

The more serious looks. 

I could not be happier, could not be more grateful for how things have gone this year. It may have been tough at times, juggling the travel and speaking schedule that we've kept this year in the US, but they have sparkled and shone and enjoyed the challenge.

Next up, tomorrow...cleaning off the shelves (and maybe the sliding glass door?), getting stuff ready to list for sale, and taking a trip to the Used Book store. After that, making a list of "fun" activities and options for them to do over the summer. We have 3 weeks of Mommy and Daddy getting a bunch of "work" done around the house before we hit the road for a month of "goodbyes!"

AWANA Graduation Night

This year back in the US has been a pretty awesome plethora of "experiences"...one of the best...most favorite...growth enabling experiences we chose for the kids this year was to join an AWANA group.

They have been able to memorize more scripture than I have ever had them work on before and it's really gotten me thinking and planning on what we're going to work on together as a family next year overseas.

Sissi with her Sparkies teacher, Ms. Roxanne

She is a lovely lady that obviously cared for our girl and really put her full energies into helping her to excel. Sissi was able to complete one and a half books, even with all of our travel and time away!

Krypto with some of his friends.

The standard "silly faces"

Gwangi with a friend, who has also been on both of his baseball teams.

Another good friend, who is also a neighbor.

The kids had been saving their AWANA bucks and today was the last "store." Sissi got a glow in the dark spinner and was so excited to use it and show it to her friends. They also got pizza!

More spinning, and I like the look on her face.

Spinner is flying high!

Gwangi got a participation award. Again, with all of our travel, we have missed quite a few weeks, and even though this kid could memorize 3 and 4 verses a week, there just wasn't time in their Small Group meetings to get them all checked off. 

Gwangi did have 100 AWANA bucks though, so he got a bouncy ball and a basketball game.

Krypto and one of his friends.

Krypto with his teacher, and receiving his book completion award. This boy worked so hard and is such a blessing to others. He spent most all of his AWANA bucks buying gifts for his Small Group members and for his brother and sister.

I am so proud of their hearts and their desire to hide His Word in them!

Our Wednesday AM and Favorite Psalms

Just another 4.5 days of school...so this morning I asked, what was our favorite Psalm of the year?

We used the Notgrass drawing pages each morning for our devotion time. I would read the Psalm, we would talk about it, then the kids would draw a picture, based on the written Notgrass prompts, and that would help them to remember what the Psalm was about.

Sissi said her favorite was Psalm 54, because she likes that God always listens to her, every time, all the time, and she feels safe that way. (Yes, the cursive handwriting is mine, she wanted it to be "fancy" for God.)

Her second favorite was Psalm 51, because she likes snow and playing in it and it reminds her of God creating the earth.

Gwangi said his favorite was Psalm 104, because it reminds him that God created awesome creatures such as the Leviathan.

His second favorite was Psalm 98, because he feels like the ocean (and other water) is an unlimited adventure. You never know what is underneath the waves.

Krypto said his favorite was Psalm 5, because it comforts him.

He said his second favorite was Psalm 119, because it reminds him that God is always there and will guide him.

Just a few more pictures from our morning....

For her reading aloud time with me this morning, she picked Amelia Bedelia. Clearly, these are her new favorite books to read.

We're wrapping up our coverage of all of History this next week! Next year, we're back to Egypt and Adam and Eve! Today, Krypto and my discussion was about 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, the genocide in Rwanda, and a few other things that occurred during the Bush administration.

Gwangi is seen here working on his math. He is half way through Math U See Delta, which is actually 4th grade math. I'll have him go back and do a review in the fall, but he (really, all of them are) doing very well in math. On the floor you can see "The Indian in the Cupboard," which he finished up reading today for his literature assignment.

A life lesson from the Ammonites

There are a multitude of life lessons in the stories of David...someone should do a study on it, really! Maybe Beth Moore already has, I'm not sure?!

Personally, I have been cogitating and thinking and chewing the past couple of weeks on 2 Samuel 10. 

In this story we have Nahash, a dead king, who historically was known as the bad guy that poked out the right eye of many of the children of Gad and Reuben. He is the king who laid siege to Jabesh-gilead and that is the incident that pushed the Israelites to install Saul as their king (1 Samuel 11.)

We aren't really sure, at the beginning of 2 Samuel 10, what kindness Nahash had done for David, but, I assume there was no sarcasm at the start of the chapter. I believe that David fully intended to console and pay homage to a dead man, a dead king in fact, when he sent his men on the trip to the Ammonites.

Hanun's advisors though put suspicous and vile thoughts in his head and caused him to mistrust David's intentions. Hanun ended up acting on those suspicions, and out of fear, and decided that he would "strike first."

In so acting, he hurt David's men, without ever pausing to ask any questions or give David the benefit of the doubt.

Then, David, in his anger, brings out an army and an all out war was declared....and thousands are left dead.

What started off as a well-intentioned visit, became a blood bath.

How many times have we jumped the gun and hurt others because of a suspicion or an unknown? Or, sometimes, because of listening to bad counsel?

Why is our first response, even among the body of believers often times, to "hurt the other first" and in essence start a domino effect full of pain and mistrust?

I pray with our children, almost daily as they have issues with each other over toys or games, that we give each other the benefit of the doubt rather than get angry and lash out in suspicion and fear when we feel that someone has wronged us. I think we all know where unforgiveness and bitterness can lead us, right? Wouldn't it be better if, instead of talking or acting on our first instinct, that we first of all take the time to pray for wisdom about our situation, that we surround ourselves with wise advisors and read the wise counsel found in the Word before we act...particularly in our relationships with our family, with our close friends, and with those we find at our places of worship?

Let's make a choice today...to choose to ask questions, to clarify, if we feel wronged. To trust that God has a plan for us, that He is our refuge and our strength, even when things appear to be dark and ominous and full of trouble. Let's choose to not do evil to others....even IF they are doing evil to us.

Some of our favorite verses about this are as follows -

Romans 12:21 - Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Romans 13:9b-10 - Love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Matthew 7:12 (also known as the Golden Rule) - In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

...and I know, there are many, many more. The Word is full of examples of forgiveness and those people that stop to accept wise counsel before acting...and, it is also just as full of examples of those that did not. Can we ask the Lord to help us to not be a Hanun, or a Rehoboam, or a Balak and Balaam today? To instead show love and forgiveness, because "love covers a multitude of sins." (1 Peter 4:8 and Prov 10:12)

Just a few memories from this school year

We just have another 5.5 days of this school year left.

It has truly flown by in a blur of assignments, life experiences, and travel.

There have been so many blessings and things learned this year...so, I asked the kids....

What has been your favorite things about this year? (I'll blog more later about what I learned and what we're doing next year.)

Sissi (finishing Grade 1) - I love math and I really liked learning about all the Presidents. I can't wait to go to Mt. Vernon this summer when we're in DC and see the secret tour from "National Treasure"...I want to be where George Washington was.

Gwangi (finishing Grade 3) - I really liked learning about WWII, but, I wish we had learned about more of the battles. My favorite books to read this year were "The Phantom Tollbooth," "Escape From Warsaw," and "The House of Sixty Fathers." Also, getting my Nook for my birthday was pretty awesome! Oh, and at Christmas time I was so happy to get Axis and Allies and my tanks from Uncle Tony. Yep, that's about it.

Krypto (finishing Grade 5) - I also really liked learning about WWII, but also the Cold War and the Persian Gulf War. My favorite books from this year were "Lillies of the Field" and the book about Jacob Deshazer because I love how he changed his whole heart and forgave the people that hurt him and went back to tell them about Jesus. I also really like Tolkien and C.S. Lewis and you know I'm reading his space trilogy now and that is really great. Writing has also been better this year and yes, you can share what I just wrote, Mom.

Krypto's assignment this past week was to write a personal narrative, about a recent experience -

Making a Computer Game

One day, about a week ago, I had the crazy idea to make a board game.  It was simple, all you had to do was link computers to the network and then upgrade your servers.  It also allowed you to connect to the internet and interact with other players. Then I decided to take it to a friend who knew about computers, and guess what? He said it might work!

That’s when we really got crackin', we strained our brains, trying to work out all the core mechanics for our game. It was hard, but it was totally worth it. We added a lot of cool things like research, servers you can only use a certain time of year, six different kinds of servers, links, eight players, and there are even viruses and a cyber defense force!

It was awesome, and we stored all that information on the side of an old shopping bag we cut open. One night we went outside to eat with our families. (I’m not the parent, though, did I mention I’m 11 and my friend is 39?)  Then my friend suggested that we give the idea to a friend of his that could do the artwork for us. We sent the ideas and guess what again, she liked it! We’re still working on it, but if we do finish it, we hope you enjoy it!