I enjoyed seven little events last week.
1. Unexpected chocolate on my desk from an anonymous student.
2. In world history we are studying the Middle East, so we are learning the song with all the countries of the Middle East and working on maps so that we can not only recite the names of all of these countries, but that on the map we know where all of them are.* (We color them tomorrow. -2 pts. spelling) This CD is available (in a more recent form) at https://christianlearning.org/product/geography-songs/.
3. My new double (quadruple?) jack! I used to have to change plugs four times a day, but now, with this handy-dandy thingy, I don't have to do that anymore. Thanks, Mr. Martin.
4. The crock pot. Microwaves stress me out. I don't like molecules being rearranged electronically, and this way, all of our lunches are warmed up at the same time without waiting in line for the microwave. And, that gives us a few more minutes of precious free time. Thanks again, Mr. Martin.
5. Every time we get to chapter 10 of Genesis and read about the Table of Nations, I get all excited about Peleg (or Peg Leg as I tell the students to help them remember him.) Verse twenty-five of Genesis 10 reads, "And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided . . ." I found this nifty little map lab that uses part of the fossil record as evidence for Pangea or whatever they're calling it these days. It's absolutely fascinating. I realize that this is up for interpretation, but, it is in the Bible! Here is a link to print out the puzzle: https://www.coreknowledge.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/CKSci_G4U4_ProcessesShapeEarth_AAP_WegnersPuzzlingContinents.pdf.
6. The day before we did the maps, there was a sentence in our grammar books with a reference to Paradise Lost, written by John Milton. I mentioned that I had read the whole poem (book) in high school, and one of the students asked about it. So, while they were coloring and cutting out their puzzle maps the next day, I read them the first two pages of Paradise Lost. I love learning!
7. This week I also received emails from two of my former eighth grade homeroom students who are now in high school. They both asked me to look over their papers and give them feedback. I absolutely love hearing from my former students, and I love it that they care about the work they are handing in to their high school teachers.
*For these geography tests, I give the students a blank paper and a blank map. They are expected to write all the countries completely from memory, and then using the list they wrote by themselves, they will label the map with each of these countries.