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Unit Study e-Newsletter, January 2006
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By Julie Nott |
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 Happy
New Year! I hope you and yours had a wonderful Christmas filled with many fond
memories of family and friends. As our family traveled down South to visit family
- 2,700 miles away - I had lots of time to think about all the things I had not
accomplished in 2005 and how I wanted to change that in 2006. Sometimes that can
be depressing, but I found it invigorating. You see - I used to be one to just
give up, throw in the towel, and see no hope for the future. But a few years ago
my outlook changed. My perspective on life took a turn. Through some deep introspection
and a shift in how I perceived God, He was no longer this deity who seemed uninterested
in my life. Instead of reading His word and secretly thinking, "Yeah, like
you really KNOW what's going on with me," I started to truly believe how
He felt about me. And it wasn't all that bad. It's amazing how that shift in perspective
has changed my outlook on life. Do you need a perspective shift? May 2006 be your
best year ever! Now on to some business.
Patience & patience & Lord, please give me patience. Have you
ever prayed that prayer? To be honest, that's one fruit of the Spirit that I am
constantly praying for. I mumble that prayer when I'm in a line of traffic
and already ten minutes late. Or when I've told my son for the third time to get
started on his math. Or when I'm having to wait on someone else to do something
before I can get my something done. And about this time of year living in the
Midwest, I'm really growing impatient for spring! Ever been there? Of course you
have & we all have!
Jessica Hulcy from KONOS has given us a very timely unit study on patience.
Be prepared to learn right along with your kids! You'll be talking about yeast
and waiting for bread to rise. Your kids will be learning about Jacob's impatience
and how he acted on that. I believe this study will be talked about for years.
Why? Because this character trait is something we humans battle with every day
in many different situations.
And get this - we have not one but TWO unit studies for you this month! Amanda
Bennett has graciously given us a one-week excerpt from a four-week unit study
she has written on the Olympics. The Winter Olympics are set to start on February
10! Did you know that? I didn't until Amanda told me! You see, I still learn something
new every day!
Well, I'm running out of words (and space) so sit back, be
patient, and read on! You're sure to learn something!
Julie Nott, Editor
The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Unit Study e-Newsletter |
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By Jessica Hulcy
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*Taken from KONOS Character Curriculum
Volume I by Jessica Hulcy and Carole Thaxton
Approaching Learning
Most people define units as a topic studied through
many different subjects. But subjects are manmade concoctions. Science, art, and
history do not come in neat packages in God's world; rather, they come all jumbled
up. At KONOS we have a saying:
The whole world is our curriculum and the
whole library is our textbook.
We believe that "the chief end of man is to glorify God
and enjoy Him forever." This belief causes us to always approach learning
by looking for the character of God and His character lived out in us. This makes
our motive for studying His world larger than merely studying subjects. We are
always focused on the character of God and the attempt to reflect His character
in our lives.
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|
We
introduce a new unit by learning the definition of the character trait being studied
and then by reading or memorizing the appropriate Bible verse. We then go to the
Bible to see if there are examples of people being patient or being impatient.
Next, we do activities centered around subtopics that shed light on the character
trait. These subtopics provide the reading and academic work for school and at
the same time help the family practice the character trait in their own lives.
While we will break this mini-unit into subjects to help
you plan and implement, you can arrange the activities in any order. Please bring
the focus of every subject back to the character trait. PRAY before you begin
to teach that God will create just the right situations in your family to illuminate
the character trait. This is a dangerous prayer, but so much more rewarding than
just marching through subjects with no purpose other than to cover subjects.
True, it is helpful to read about others who displayed the character trait, but
the heart-change in our own lives occurs only when we begin to incorporate the
character trait into our daily lives. Remember, as homeschoolers we have the opportunity
to teach to both the head AND the heart.
Definition
Patience is waiting without complaining.
- We want to recognize there are things for which we must wait,
such as growing up, traffic, lines, Christmas, learning new
skills, our birthdays, and even marriage!
We want to practice waiting constructively
by preparing to wait, by finding constructive things to do
while we wait, and by not complaining as we wait.
Vocabulary
| |
wheat |
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germ |
| |
endosperm |
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bran |
| |
chaff |
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sheaves |
| |
threshing |
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winnowing |
| |
fail |
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gleaning |
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reaping |
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tares |
| |
leaven |
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unlaven |
| |
yeast |
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mold |
| |
meldew |
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budding |
| |
spore |
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sporangium |
| |
dough |
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knead |
| |
carbon dioxide |
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oxygen |
| |
rise |
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pre-heat |
| |
parable |
|
decption |
|
Jason Hulcy and C. J. Thaxton, the two boys KONOS was written for, doing the Patience
Unit at age 6. Today, both are 30 years old, happily married, very successful
in their fields, and still working on patience! |
|
| Bible and Critical Thinking |
There is an appointed time for everything.
And there is a time for every event under heaven;
A time to give birth, and a time to die;
A time to plant, and a time to uproot what is
planted.
A time to kill, and a time to heal;
A time to tear down, and a time to build up &. |
- Read the story of Jacob being impatient when he stole the birthright from
Esau in Genesis 27. Did this impatience cause Jacob any problems? Read Genesis
29 and Genesis 31. Ask your students to list the problems caused by Jacob's impatience.
(Jacob having to flee his home, Jacob being deceived by Laban, Esau hating his
brother and chasing him for years, etc.)
|
| SCIENCE and HEALTH and RESEARCH |
- Read about yeast. How does it reproduce? Define budding.
- Explain how yeast makes bread rise. What gas does
yeast give off when it grows? What gas do humans
breathe in and what gas do they breathe out?
-
The instructions on the yeast package tell you
to add sugar in a certain amount and water of a certain
temperature to the yeast. What is the purpose of
the sugar? Why is the temperature of the water important?
-
Perform the experiment below to test what happens
when the variables of sugar, yeast, and specific
water temperature are changed from what is recommended
on the package.Find a bread recipe and double it.
Next, divide the dough into 8 small portions and treat
each portion according to the instructions below:
Dough A: No yeast
Dough B: Normal water + normal yeast + normal
sugar per instructions
Dough C: Hotter water + normal yeast + normal
sugar
Dough D: Colder water + normal yeast + normal
sugar
Dough E: Normal water + normal yeast + more
sugar
Dough F: Normal water + normal yeast + less
sugar
Dough G: Normal water + less yeast + normal
sugar
Dough H: Normal water + more yeast + normal
sugar |
Be sure you label each of the 8 portions before you
allow the dough to rise andbake so you will know what
happened to each portion.
- How is yeast different from mold and mildew?
- What conditions are needed to grow mold? Grow some
bread mold.
- If you have any mildew in the bathroom or kitchen
what can you use to kill it? Explain why vinegar and
bleach would kill mildew. Why does mildew usually grow
in the bathroom and kitchen?
- Define chaff, germ, bran, and endosperm. Draw
the wheat grain on a sheet of paper and label the parts.
- Whole wheat flour uses all of the grain ("whole-grain"), while
white flour gets rid of the germ and bran and uses only the endosperm.
Research the process in the manufacturing of white flour that gets rid
of the germ and the bran.
- Explain the difference between bleached and unbleached
flour. Research how flour is bleached. Which flour
would be healthier for you to consume and why?
- Some bread does not have yeast, yet it still rises.
Look at bread recipes that do not call for yeast (most
quick breads and muffins). What makes these breads
rise? (baking soda plus buttermilk) Does the combination
of these two ingredients give off a gas? Find out how
these two ingredients cause dough to rise.
|
Arts/Crafts and Critical Thinking |
- Every good baker must have his own baker's hat. Before you begin baking bread,
have your child make a baker's hat using discovery learning. Give him
materials (i.e., tape measure, fabric, thread, needles) and a specific amount
of time to complete the project. Suggest some resources for pictures of a baker's
hat and then leave him to himself. Many children will balk at this at first, because
they are used to being told every step to take. Be patient with your child. Know
that if you continue to teach this way, he will be brighter and have more confidence
in his own abilities. Remember: good teachers are interested in PROCESS, NOT PRODUCT
when children are young.
|
Practical Living and Math |
- Practice patience by baking bread. Pick out a good
recipe and have the children list the ingredients needed.
Check the home supplies to see what you have on hand
and what items need to be purchased at the store. Go
to the store and shop for the needed items.
- While at the grocery store, notice the different
kinds of flour available. Go to the deli section and
see how many different kinds of breads are available.
- Get out the recipe again and read it through. Have
the kids wash their hands thoroughly in hot water and
clean and sanitize all preparation surfaces. (Teaching
children proper cooking sanitation from an early age
is so important. It might even be a good refresher
for you!) Place all of the ingredients on the clean
counter as the kids read through the recipe.
- Assist the children with measuring if needed. Talk
about fractions. How many ¼ cups make 1 cup?
How many 1/3 cups make 1 cup? How many ½ cups
make 1 cup? Let them prove their answers by measuring.
- Make bread. Let the kids do the work.
|
Language Arts |
- While making bread, define homophones. Talk
about flower/flour, need/ knead, sow/sew,
hole/whole, bred/bread, right/write, etc.
- While the dough is rising, read The Little Red
Hen and dramatize it as you are making the bread.
Continue waiting patiently.
- Read the parable of the tare among the wheat in Matthew
13:24-30. Let your children explain. Now read Matthew
13:36-43. Have your children explain what the wheat
represents and what the tares represent. Who sowed
each? What happens to each?
- Read Ruth 2. Define gleaning, sheaves, and reapers. Why
is gleaning "among the sheaves" better than
gleaning after the reapers?
- Define threshing and winnowing.
Read about the different ways to thresh wheat by beating
it with a flail or having animals tread on it. Draw
a winnowing fork.
- Read Matthew 3:11-12, where John the Baptist describes
the coming of Christ as he is baptizing people.
"As for me, I baptize you with water
for repentance. But He that is coming after me
is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove
His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy
Spirit and fire. And His winnowing fork is in
His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing
floor; and He will gather His wheat into the
barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable
fire."
Discuss how John is speaking about Jesus separating
the wheat (believers) from the chaff (non-believers)
using the winnowing fork (judgment). What do the barn and
the unquenchable fire symbolize?
- While continuing to wait on the bread to rise, have
a contest to determine who can list the most things
made from wheat. Younger children can say the words
to mom, while older kids can write them down themselves.
| sandwiches |
pie |
crust cookies |
| toast |
muffins |
waffles |
| crackers |
cakes |
cream gravy |
| spaghett |
pretzels |
bread crumbs |
| macaroni |
shredded wheat |
dumplings |
| pizza |
biscuits |
raisin bran |
- Define
and talk about irony. Going back to the story
of Jacob, what is ironic about Jacob and Laban?
|
Geography |
- Continue waiting patiently for the bread to rise. On a blank map of the United
States, have kids point out where they think most of the wheat is grown in the
US. Now compare to an agricultural map and see why the Midwest is called America's
Bread Basket. Name the wheat-growing states. Note that the rainfall in this
area is not too heavy. Why would rice not grow well in the same area?
|
History |
- Read from Exodus 12 how the angel of death passed over
the Hebrew homes. What protected them from the angel
of death?
- Read about and explain Passover to your children.
Why do the Jews celebrate Passover with unleavened bread,
bitter herbs, and the meat of the lamb? What does each
of these symbolize? Research Passover further and have
a Passover dinner.
- Before Jewish families celebrate Passover, it has
become tradition for the children to hunt for any leavened breadcrumbs
in the house and get rid of them. What does the yeast
or leaven represent that the Jews are symbolically
removing from their lives? (sin and evil)
- In Luke 22, Jesus broke bread at the Last Supper.
Read about this and let your children tell you what
the bread and the wine symbolize. Remember, the bread
at the Last Supper was Passover bread, because Jesus
was celebrating Passover with His disciples and the
bread would have been unleavened and symbolically without
sin, just as Jesus was without sin.
|
| Art History |
- View The Last Supper by Leonard da Vinci.
Pay attention to the way the artist arranged the groups
of men. Which is Judas?
|
Character |
- Talk about deception and being impatient
with God. Discuss any impatience seen recently in the family
and what problems followed because of it as well as any
victories in patience and what joy followed.
|
|
Jessica Hulcy, co-author
of KONOS Curriculum, is an educator, author, popular
national homeschool speaker, and homeschooling mom
of four sons. A graduate of the University of Texas
at Austin in English and biology with postgraduate
work in zoology and education at East Texas State University,
Jessica taught five years in underprivileged areas
in Dallas public schools. It was there that she learned
the value of the hands-on, discovery learning method
of teaching that is the cornerstone of KONOS. Jessica
and husband Wade live in Anna, Texas, on 75 acres,
where Jessica just completed her 24th year of homeschooling,
graduating her youngest son, Jared. Jessica continues
to write curriculum, speak nationally, and lead yearly
KONOS tours to Europe. For more information on KONOS
Curriculum, visit www.konos.com. |
|
Congratulations to our e-Newsletter readers
Julie & Kelly! They will each receive one of Rebekah Wilson's books
from Hope Chest Legacy! Here's what Kelly had to say:
"Julie, I am so excited about winning one of Rebecca's
books (Whoooohoooooo!!!) Can you hear me shoutin' for joy? Thank you, thank you,
thank you so much! What an absolutely wonderful surprise to open my email and
see this. You are just the sweetest!" |
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Introduction
The excitement of the runners approaching the stadium, the thrill of
the lighting of the Olympic flame, the beginning of the games - what a spectacle
to witness and what an event to comprehend! As a child, I was only vaguely aware
of the Olympic events - there was not much coverage in our local media. However,
with the changing world of technology, satellites, and the Internet, the Olympics
now receive broad coverage and offer so many learning experiences along with thrilling
competition.
Our family's interest in the Olympics grew as our children became
interested in sports and intrigued by people from faraway places around the globe.
With these interests, we all joined in the learning adventures. Who can forget
the snowboard competition of the last Winter Olympics or the thrill of watching
Olympic speed skater Dan Jansen take a victory lap around the ice skating rink
while holding his baby girl? With the Winter Olympics, there are plenty of opportunities
to learn about world geography, world history, winter sports, and the science
of sports.
The Bible tells us that we are fearfully and wonderfully made,
and this is an important concept for children of all ages to understand. The study
of the Olympics provides a wonderful opportunity for everyone to learn just how
amazing our bodies are - created by Him. The science involved in pressing the
limits of human ability is awe-inspiring - laws of physics coming into direct
conflict with the wonderful bodies that God created for each of us. The deep and
personal commitment of the athletes to achieve their best performance, their faith,
concentration, endless training, and reaching out to help each other - these are
all lessons in the importance of goal-setting, persistence, and personal values
for students of all ages.
Some of the areas covered in the Winter Olympics
Unit Study include:
- History of the Ancient Olympics
- Science and Sports
- Sports and the Human Body
- World geography
- World politics and its influence on international sports
As you can see, this unit study can be fascinating and covers
so many areas of learning - while holding the interest of the whole family as
the drama and action of the Winter Olympics unfold. For many children, this will
be their first exposure to the idea of working and training and committing to
a goal of doing their very best - an important concept that will help them for
the rest of their lives. As the Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 9:24:
"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one
gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize."
|
The Daily Learning Plan is composed of the
following basic components: |
- Today's Passage - to be read, copied, and perhaps even memorized.
- Words of Wisdom (WOW) - spelling/vocabulary
words and their definitions to be written, studied, and learned.
- People and Places to Know - Important and interesting people
and places will be investigated during the study.
- Read and Discover - questions that must be researched and
answered as each topic is explored.
|
Week One Learning Objectives: |
- Develop knowledge of the history of the ancient Olympics
- Investigate the modern Olympics
- Learn about some of the main countries participating in the
Winter Olympics
- Become familiar with the science of snow
|
Week One - Day One - Lower Level |
Today's Quote
Carefully copy today's quote into your Olympics Journal:
"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works
are wonderful." Psalm 139:14
Words of Wisdom (WOW Words)
Look up the following words in the dictionary and write the words and
their definitions in your Olympics Journal.
Website suggestions: Webster's
1828 Dictionary and Word Central.
|
Interesting People and Places |
Using an encyclopedia or Internet site, look
up Greece. Where is it - can you find it on a globe or map? The
very first Olympics were held in Greece - at Olympia. Draw a map of Greece in
your journal, and mark the capital of Greece on the map. Draw the flag of Greece
in your journal. Website suggestion: Greece
Read and Discover
Using an encyclopedia, book, or Internet site, read the following
questions and find the answers. Write your answers in your
journal.
| 1 |
What contests were held in the ancient Olympics?
Website suggestions: Ancient
Greek Games and History
of the Games |
| 2 |
When did the Ancient Olympics begin, and when did they end? Why did they end?
Website suggestions: Olympic
Timeline and Ancient
Greece and the Olympics |
| 3 |
What time is it in Greece when it is 8 am at your house?
Website suggestion: Time
Converter |
| 4 |
The Winter Olympics will be held in Torino, Italy, this
year. Using the website suggested or a map, find the city
of Torino. What sea is Torino close to? Website suggestion: Map
of Italy |
| 5 |
Today you will begin recording the weather conditions in Torino, Italy, in
your journal. Using the website suggestions or other resource, write down the
current temperature and weather conditions (fog, snow, sunny, etc.) How does their
weather compare with the weather in your hometown'is it colder or warmer in Torino
today than at your house?
Website suggestions: Weather
in Torino Today and Weather.com
|
|
Additional Internet Resource: |
Winter
Sports Coloring Pages
Week One - Day One - Upper Level
Today's Quote
Copy today's quote into your Olympics Journal:
"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works
are wonderful, I know that full well."Psalm 139:14
Words of Wisdom (WOW Words)
Look up the following words in the dictionary and write the words and their definitions
in your Olympics Journal.
Website suggestions: Webster's
1828 Dictionary and Dictionary.com
| achieve |
| athlete |
| event |
| country |
|
 |
|
Interesting People and Places |
Today, you are going to investigate the country
of Greece. Use an encyclopedia or Internet site
to read about Greece, and answer the following questions about
Greece:
- Where is Greece located?
- What is the population of Greece?
- What form of government does Greece have?
- What is the main religion observed in Greece?
- At 8 am in New York, what time is it in the capital of Greece?
Draw the flag of Greece and a map of Greece in your journal, indicating
the capital.
Website suggestions: Information
Page on Greece and Embassy
of Greece
|
Read and Discover |
Using library books, encyclopedias, or Internet
sites, find the answer to these questions and record your answers
in your journal along with the source of your information (book,
encyclopedia, website, etc.).
|
WEEK ONE - Day Two - Lower Level |
Today's Quote
Carefully copy today's quote into your Olympics Journal:
"One chance is all you need." - Jesse Owens (Olympic athlete)
Words of Wisdom (WOW Words)
Look up the following words in the dictionary and write the words and their definitions
in your Olympics Journal.
Website suggestions: Webster's
1828 Dictionary and Word Central
|
Interesting People and Places |
Using an encyclopedia or Internet
site, look up Jesse Owens. Who was he, and how was he involved
with the Olympics? Write or narrate your answer in your journal.
Website suggestions: Jesse
Owens: White House Dream Team and Jesse
Owens
Read and Discover
Using an encyclopedia, book, or Internet site, read the following questions
and find the answers. Write your answers in your journal.
| 1 |
What is a motto? What is the Olympic motto, and
what does it mean? Website suggestions: Modern
Olympic Symbols and Traditions |
| 2 |
Using the website suggestion or other resource, write down the current temperature
and weather conditions (fog, snow, sunny, etc.) in Torino, Italy. How does this
compare with the weather in your hometown - is it colder or warmer in Torino today
than at your house?
Website suggestions: Weather
in Torino Today and Weather.com |
| 3 |
Do you like sports? If you do, describe your favorite sport to watch or play.
If you don't, describe what sport you might like to try someday, just to see if
you could play it. Did you know that some of the Olympic sports include badminton,
trampoline, and ping-pong? |
| 4 |
 What
are the three awards given to the winning athletes in each event? Write or narrate
your answer in your journal, then draw a picture of one in your journal.
Website suggestion: Olympic
Traditions
Additional Internet Resources:
Winter
Olympics Word Search Puzzle
Olympics
Outline: Ancient Greece to 1940
The
Olympics of Ancient Greece |
|
WEEK ONE - Day Two - Upper Level |
Today's Quote
Copy today's quote into your Olympics Journal:
"I ran and ran and ran every day, and I acquired this sense of determination,
this sense of spirit that I would never, never give up, no matter what else happened."
- Wilma Rudolph (Olympic athlete)
Words of Wisdom (WOW Words)
Look up the following words in the dictionary and write the words and their definitions
in your Olympics Journal.
Website suggestions: Webster's
1828 Dictionary and Dictionary.com
| determination |
| ceremony |
| training |
| travel |
|
|
|
Interesting People and Places |
Using an encyclopedia or Internet site, look
up Jesse Owens. Who was he, and how was he involved with the
Olympics? Describe what happened at the 1936 Olympics and why it was important.
Website suggestions: Jesse Owens
and Owens Pierced
a Myth
Read and Discover
Using library books, encyclopedias, or Internet sites, find the answer
to these questions and record your answers in your journal along with the source
of your information (book, encyclopedia, web site, etc).
| 1 |
This year's Winter Olympics will be held in Torino
(Turin), Italy. What is the history of this town? A very intriguing Christian
artifact is housed in a church in Turin - what is it and what is the history of
this artifact? Summarize your answers in your journal.
Website suggestions: History
of Turin, Turin,
and Historical Artifact |
| 2 |
How did the modern Olympics begin? Describe the history of the modern Olympics
in your own words in two paragraphs in your journal.
Website suggestions: 19th
Century Olympic Movement and Olympics
Outline: Ancient Greece to 1940 |
| 3 |
What is the motto of the Olympics and what does it mean in English? What is
the history of the motto, and what inspired its use?
Website suggestion:Olympic
Traditions |
| 4 |
What do the Olympic rings signify?
Website suggestion: Olympic
Traditions |
|
WEEK ONE - Day Three - Lower Level |
Today's Quote
Carefully copy today's quote into your Olympics Journal:
"It is better to look ahead and prepare than to look back and regret."
- Jackie Joyner-Kersee (Olympic athlete)
Words of Wisdom (WOW Words)
Look up the following words in the dictionary and write the words and
their definitions in your Olympics Journal.
Website suggestions: Webster's
1828 Dictionary and Word Central
|
Interesting People and Places |
Using an encyclopedia or Internet
site, look up Italy. Where is it - can you find it on a globe
or map? The Winter Olympics are being held in Italy soon. Draw a map of Italy
in your journal, and mark the capital of Italy on the map. What is the main religion
in Italy? Draw the flag of Italy in your Journal.
Website suggestions: Map
of Italy and Italy
Read and Discover
Using an encyclopedia, book, or Internet site, read the following questions
and find the answers. Write your answers in your journal.
| 1 |
What kind of paper money is used in the United States? What kind
of money is used in Italy? Using the website suggested, look at the different
kinds of money used in Italy, and then draw a picture of one of them in your journal.
If you have saved $10 in American dollars, how much would that be in Italian money?
Website suggestions: Money
in Italy (the link to see the types of money is in the second paragraph -
"Specimen") and Currency
Converter |
| 2 |
What time is it in Italy right now?
Website suggestion: Time
in Italy |
| 3 |
Using the website suggestion or other resource, write down the current temperature
and weather conditions (fog, snow, sunny, etc.) in Torino, Italy. How does that
compare with the weather in your hometown - is it colder or warmer in Torino today
than at your house?
Website suggestions: Weather
in Torino Today and Weather.com |
| 4 |
What is a snowflake? How is a snowflake formed? Are all snowflakes different?
Website suggestions: Snow
and Science
of Snow and Learning
about Snow |
| 5 |
What is your favorite Italian food? When was the last time
that you ate this food? |
|
Additional Internet Resources: |
|
WEEK ONE - Day Three - Upper Level |
Today's Quote
Copy today's quote into your Olympics Journal:
"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created
him; male and female he created them." Genesis 1:27
Words of Wisdom (WOW Words)
Look up the following words in the dictionary and write the words and
their definitions in your Olympics Journal.
Website suggestions: Webster's
1828 Dictionary and Dictionary.com
| stadium |
| participate |
| discipline |
| integrity |
|
 |
|
Interesting People and Places |
Today, you are going to investigate Italy.
Use an encyclopedia or Internet site to read about Italy, and answer
the following questions:
| 1 |
Where is Italy located? |
| 2 |
What is the population of Italy? |
| 3 |
What form of government does Italy have? |
| 4 |
What is the main religion observed in Italy? |
| 5 |
At 8 am in New York, what time is it in the capital of Italy? |
| 6 |
Draw the flag of Italy and a map of Italy in your journal,
indicating the capital of Italy as well as the home city of
the Winter Olympics 2006. |
Website suggestions: Information
page about Italy and Embassy of Italy
|
Read and Discover |
Using library books, encyclopedias, or Internet
sites, find the answer to these questions and record your answers
in your journal along with the source of your information (book,
encyclopedia, web site, etc).
| 1 |
What currency is used in Italy? When was this introduced, and
what is the history of this system? What is the value of $20 US today?
Website suggestion: Money
in Italy and Banknotes and
Coins and Currency
Calculator |
| 2 |
What is the significance of the Olympic flame?
Website suggestion: Olympic
Traditions |
| 3 |
Read about the first modern Olympics. Where were they held, what events were
included, and what events did the United States dominate? What unique gift did
the winner of the marathon win?
Website suggestions: First
Modern Olympics and Modern
Olympic History |
| 4 |
 Describe
the variations in Italian food and how it developed in different regions of Italy.
Find a recipe for authentic Italian food and try it with your family. Record the
recipe and your results - enjoy!
Website suggestions: Traditional
Italian Cooking and Italian
Recipes |
Additional Internet Resources:
|
WEEK ONE - Day Four - Lower Level |
Today's Quote
Carefully copy today's quote into your Olympics Journal:
"Whether you believe you can do a thing or not, you are right."
- Henry Ford
Words of Wisdom (WOW Words)
Look up the following words in the dictionary and write the words and their definitions
in your Olympics Journal.
Website suggestions: Webster's
1828 Dictionary and Word Central
|
Interesting People and Places |
Using an encyclopedia or Internet
site, look up Eric Lidell. Who was he, and how was he involved
with the Olympics? Write or narrate your answer in your journal.
Website suggestions: Eric
Lidell and Eric
Lidell
Read and Discover
Using an encyclopedia, book, or Internet site, read the following questions
and find the answers. Write your answers in your journal.
| 1 |
What are the Modern Olympics? When did they begin, and what is
the name of the man who helped get the Olympics started again?
Website suggestions: Modern
Olympics and Go
for the Gold |
| 2 |
What do the five Olympic rings stand for, and what do the
colors stand for? Website suggestion: Olympics |
| 3 |
Using the website suggestion or other resource, write down the current temperature
and weather conditions (fog, snow, sunny, etc.) in Torino, Italy. How does that
compare with the weather in your hometown - is it colder or warmer in Torino today
than at your house?
Website suggestions: Weather
in Torino Today and Weather.com |
| 4 |
Which Olympics were first covered by US television?
Website suggestion: Olympic
Fun Facts |
| 5 |
The Opening Ceremonies are going to be held soon, and the athletes will all
enter the stadium with their country's team members. Watch for the flags of each
country, and see how many you recognize! |
Additional Internet Resources:
3-D
Snowflake Craft
|
WEEK ONE - Day Four - Upper Level |
Today's Quote
Copy today's quote into your Olympics Journal:
"It's easy to have faith in yourself and have discipline when you're
a winner, when you're number one. What you got to have is faith and discipline
when you're not a winner."
- Vince Lombardi (American football coach)
Words of Wisdom (WOW Words)
Look up the following words in the dictionary and write the words and
their definitions in your Olympics Journal.
Website suggestions: Webster's
1828 Dictionary and Dictionary.com
| recognition |
| winner |
| challenge |
| champion |
|
|
|
Interesting People and Places |
Using an encyclopedia or Internet
site, look up Eric Lidell. Who was he, and how was he involved
with the Olympics? Write or narrate your answer in your journal.
Website suggestions: Eric
Lidell and Eric Lidell
and Eric
Lidell
|
Read and Discover |
Using library books, encyclopedias, or Internet
sites, find the answer to these questions and record your answers
in your Journal along with the source of your information (book,
encyclopedia, website, etc).
| 1 |
What is snow? What is the difference in a snow
crystal and a snowflake? Describe and draw a stellar dendrite
snowflake.
Website suggestions: Snow
Flakes and Snow Crystals and Snowflake
Primer and Guide
to Snowflakes |
| 2 |
Which Olympics were first covered by US television, and where were they held?
What network covered these Olympics, and how much did they pay for this right?
Website suggestion: Olympic
Fun Facts |
| 3 |
Using the website suggestion or other resource, write down the current temperature
and weather conditions (fog, snow, sunny, etc.) in Torino, Italy. How does that
compare with your weather?
Website suggestions: Weather
in Torino Today and Weather.com |
| 4 |
 The
Opening Ceremonies will be held soon for the Winter Olympics. Keep an eye out
for the athlete's march into the stadium - watch for some of the well-known athletes,
as well as those from small and obscure countries.
Additional Internet Resources:
Snowflake
Primer
Snow Crystals
- FAQ's
Grow
Your Own Ice Spikes!
Make-a-Flake
|
|
WEEK ONE - Day Five - Weekly Windup |
This week we've learned so much about the Winter
Olympics that we will spend today reviewing some of the information
we've learned!
Lower Level Windup
Spend some time looking at and reviewing this week's pages in each student's
Olympics Journal.
| 1 |
Review the WOWs (Words of Wisdom) by
writing them on 3 x 5 cards. Flip through the cards with the
child to see how much they remember and review the meanings
of the words. Save the cards for use throughout this unit study,
having the student collect them in an envelope that they can
decorate with their own drawings. |
| 2 |
Talk about the four Interesting People and Places they
have read about this week. Does the child remember some of
the stories about these people and places? This is a great
time to review what the student has written or narrated about
some of these people in their Journal. |
| 3 |
Have the student talk about their favorite part of this week's
study. Was it a part of the Read and Discover questions,
one of the Interesting People and Places,
a favorite Internet site, or perhaps a favorite book? |
| 4 |
Take some time today to work together on the family's Olympics Album
- gathering drawings, photos of project efforts, and souvenirs and including them
in the album. |
|
Upper Level Windup |
Looking at your Olympics Journal, review
all of your work from this week with your parents.
| 1 |
Share your favorite findings of the week - your most interesting
person, fact, or book. Why was it a favorite? |
| 2 |
Have one of your parents review your WOWs (Words
of Wisdom) with you, asking you for the spelling
and definitions of your words for this week. |
| 3 |
Which Internet sites were the most interesting? Did you discover
other sites that were also helpful? |
| 4 |
Choose a nation that is competing in the Winter Olympics
that you would like to visit someday. Describe your destination,
the sites that you would like to see there, the type of government
that is in place in your selected nation, and approximately
how many people live in this country. Record all of this information
in your Olympics Journal. Website suggestion: World
Atlas |
Additional Internet Resources
World Atlas
www.worldatlas.com
Everyday Life in Ancient Greece
www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/ancientgreece.htm
Olympic Fun Facts
www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0771580.html
The Story of the Winter Olympics
www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0115111.html
Hats, Mittens, and Scarves to Make for Winter
www.bevscountrycottage.com/sa.html#child%20hat
Christians in Sports
www.sportsspectrum.com/
Dave Downing - Triple Threat Snowboarder
www.sportsspectrum.com/articles/article2.html
Christianity Today at the Olympics
www.christianitytoday.com/holidays/olympics/
God Gives Us Choices - Olympic Competition
www.christianitytoday.com/tc/2004/004/10.56b.html
Torino 2006 Winter Olympics Calendar
www.torino2006.org/ENG/IDF/calendario_gare.pdf
NBC Olympics Coverage
www.nbcolympics.com/index.html
BBC Olympics Coverage
www.nbcolympics.com/results/1550001/detail.html?ib_oll=Headline
Olympic Athletes 2006
www.nbcolympics.com/athletes/results.html
Christianity Today - Olympia Revisited or Christianity in the History
of the Olympics
www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2000/139/54.0.html
The Winter Olympics
www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0115111.html
Olympics 2006
www.factmonster.com/spot/winter-olympics.html |
| Amanda Bennett is a wife, mother,
homeschooling parent, speaker and author of numerous books
for families. Holding a degree in engineering from the University
of Florida, Amanda worked in engineering and professional
research before turning home to raise and educate her three
children. With more than 13 years of homeschooling experience,
Amanda and her husband now have one child in veterinary college,
another in college, and a rambunctious seventh-grader who
keeps things interesting. Her unit studies and conference
presentations have become extremely popular with homeschool
families from coast to coast. |
Amanda Bennett |
|
Don't stop at the end of this mini-unit! Join Amanda as she
continues the Winter Olympics Unit Study Adventure for the next
three weeks. Order the complete downloadable version
of Winter Olympics at
Amanda Bennett's Unit Studies
www.unitstudy.com or
visit Amanda's
Yahoo Unit Study Group.
All Rights Reserved
These unit studies may only be used for personal use by those
who receive it through The Old Schoolhouse Magazine.
Copies of this work may not be transmitted, stored or recorded in any
form, and this product is not to be offered for sale. |
Inspire a love for learning! The award-winning Googol Power Math Series makes
learning math facts fun by combining an entertaining story, great music and layered
learning. Their online store has many other recommended products to inspire learning.
Check out their new free online children's book "Nena's Math Force."
The website has many other free resources that make math exciting. www.googolpower.com
KONOS is generously offering to give away their Character Curriculum
Volume 1! I tell you what - this thing is HUGE and PACKED with gobs of
goodies! My Volume 1 is almost (but not quite) sacred! I'd like to hear your testimonies
from the past unit studies in our e-Newsletter. Have your kids enjoyed them? Have
YOU enjoyed them? Does it seem like the kids are "catching" more? I
will pick one winner from all of the submissions. Send your email by February
15 to UnitStudy@TheHomeschoolMagazine.com
with the subject line "Testimonial." Submission implies permission to
reprint in any TOS publication.
But wait, there's more! One blessed family is going to win Amanda Bennett's brand-new
COMPLETE four-week study of the Winter Olympics! But here's the deal - can you
tell me who was the only athlete to win gold medals in both Summer AND Winter
Olympics? Do I know? Not until Amanda told me! But if YOU know, email me the answer
at UnitStudy@TheHomeschoolMagazine.com
by February 10 (the start of the Olympics!) with the subject
line "Winter Olympics." The first person with the correct answer gets
the prize! May the fastest "googler" win! |
Lynn says - Thanks so much! Looking forward to starting
the unit on OWLS ... as we are moving into our new house next month and have already
heard one welcoming us from the nearby mountainside!
Laura says - I love using unit studies with our son! He loves
all the wonderful crafts, books, web sites, coloring pages, and nature walks.
Our son loves to learn this way and can retain the smallest details about any
topic we choose to learn about. We started when he was 2 years old using "Peak
With Books," and then we did "5 In A Row" and then "Living
Learning Books." Now we tailor most of our studies this way. Thank you for
the Owl unit study.
Kelly says - I just love the wonderful contests you have,
and look forward to reading each newsletter that comes from TOS. |
Do you ever wonder if you really have
what it takes to homeschool?
Paul and Gena Suarez, publishers of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine,
just released a brand-new e-book, Secrets of Successful Homeschooling,
to show you that "Yes! You CAN homeschool!" Whether you are a new parent
thinking ahead to your family's educational years, a homeschooler in the trenches,
or a veteran who has "been there, done that," this e-book holds something
for everyone.
"You will cry, laugh, and feel inspired at the different stories ... I
think that this book will springboard a new homeschooler to venture out into the
unknown and inspire veteran moms to hang in there and keep going."
- Karen Flores, homeschool mom of two boys
Affordable and instantly downloadable, this e-book would be
perfect to help you start out the new year inspired,
motivated, and encouraged in your homeschooling journey.
To purchase your copy of Secrets to Successful Homeschooling, visit
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Sign up for our affiliate program and you can earn 66%
of each sale by telling your friends
about our e-book. Sign up here:
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Thank you for reading the TOS Unit Study e-Newsletter this
month. We'll have another exciting unit study for you next month! Barbara from
www.HomeschoolJourney.com
is providing a wonderful unit entitled "Expansion and Conflict." You
won't want to miss this one! It covers the Louisiana Purchase, Lewis and Clark,
St. Louis to Santa Fe Trail, Oregon Trail, Plains Indians, and Indian Wars. Tell
all your friends!
You may forward this e-Newsletter to your friends in its entirety. If you have
any comments, email me at UnitStudy@TheHomeschoolMagazine.com
with your feedback. Don't forget to look for the Winter issue of the magazine,
just arriving in stores and mailboxes!
Copyright © 2006 The Old Schoolhouse Magazine,
LLC
PO Box 1701, Dandridge, TN 37725
All rights reserved.
Publisher@TheHomeschoolMagazine.com
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