"Be The One"

Monday, June 30, 2014

Obscure Bible Heroes {Blogging Through The Alphabet - J}

J is for Jochebed

Many Bible readers are familiar with the story of Moses - how he was born into an Israelite family of slaves in Egypt. We know of his narrow escape from certain death as a baby. We remember how he grew up in Pharaoh's house, and eventually returned to his Hebrew roots to lead the nation of Israel out of Egypt, through the wilderness, and to the brink of their new home in the Promised Land.

How often do we think of his mother - that dear woman who bore him, hid him, protected him from death, and wholeheartedly trusted God to keep him safe as she gave him up to Pharaoh's daughter? That amazing woman was Jochebed, named in Exodus 6:20 as the mother of Moses.

I like reading about Jochebed in Exodus 2:2-10:

2 "And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months.
3 And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river's brink.
4 And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him.
5 And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river's side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it.
6 And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children.
7 Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee?
8 And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child's mother.
9 And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it.
10 And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water."

It is difficult for me to even imagine the pain in this mother's heart as she gave birth to her son, knowing the edict from Pharaoh that all baby boys must be immediately killed. I recently mentioned the Hebrew midwives and the courage they showed to save these babies, but Jochebed completely took matters in her own hands when her son was born. She had a vision of what he could be, and put her life on the line to hide him away from the evil that was around her, trying to snuff out his life.

When it became apparent that she could no longer keep the baby hidden, she made a bold, daring, and drastic move. I can picture her weeping over that small vessel as she formed it with her hands, praying that her son's life would be spared. I am sure she begged God for wisdom to know right where the tiny ark should be floated. I can envision her sensitive, caring daughter drying her mother's tears and keeping a watch over the small vessel that held her baby brother.

What a miracle and answer to prayer it was that the baby's life was spared, and that Jochebed, his very own mother, was chosen to be the one to nurse him until he was old enough to be weaned and live with his adopted Egyptian family! Since the Bible clearly states that the Egyptian princess named him, I wonder if Jochebed had a 'pet' name for her son while he was with her.

I admire the courage and selflessness that Jochebed displayed in saving her son, and then in giving him away to another to raise, because doing so meant that his life could be spared. I am in awe over the circumstances that God allowed to happen, for Jochebed to be able to enjoy the extra years with her son, nursing him and training him in the Hebrew ways. He truly "did not depart from it" as a grown man, returning to his Hebrew roots, even though he had spent the majority of his childhood growing up as an Egyptian in Pharaoh's household.

public domain - image is from www.bibleexplained.com

As a mother, my prayer is that my life can be as dedicated to God as Jochebed's was, so that my children will experience real Christianity in the short time they spend growing up under my care. They are truly "arrows" that will one day be sent out into this world. I pray that they, like Moses, will always remain true to their God, and that my life will be one of devotion to teaching them His ways.

Friday, June 27, 2014

Review: Veritas Press

This past six weeks Kelly has had the privilege of reviewing an online History course from Veritas Press. We were chosen to review the Self-Paced History: New Testament, Greece, and Rome. We also received the accompanying set of New Testament, Greece, and Rome Flashcards.

The story behind this program: Veritas Press is a Classical Christian Education Company that was started by a home school family, with the intention of diligently teaching their children in the Classical Christian methods. From their very first set of History flashcards, they have expanded the available courses into a full offering of curriculum.

What is the Online Self-Paced Program like? After creating a student account and log in information, Kelly was able to immediately start on her program. The website is pretty easy to navigate, and starts off with a dashboard that lists all 160 lessons, and highlights completed lessons. The student is only able to navigate through the lessons in order, and cannot skip ahead. A lesson is not made available until the prior lesson is completed. Lessons are set up in animated slides, where the student can navigate through each slide, repeat a slide if desired, and pause whenever necessary.

NT Greek 'tutors'

What is a typical lesson like? Each program has a 'tutor' - an actor dressed in the clothing of that era who functions as a tour guide throughout the program. A typical lesson lasts about 20 minutes, and includes a variety of interactive materials, including teaching from the 'tutors', map studies, eye-catching graphics, vocabulary training, and review through multiple choice questions and games. Every few lessons there is an interactive worksheet with review questions, and every five lessons there is a test that reviews the most recent segment of lessons.

How do the tests work? Tests are given every five lessons, and students select their answers from multiple choices. Everything is done online, including the tests and worksheets. When the student submits their answers, the test is graded. Students are able to see incorrect answers, but are not able to go back and retake tests for a better grade.

How are grades recorded? Tests and worksheets are averaged together to give the student a course grade. At the end of the course, or end of the school year, parents are able to print out a report card with the student's official grades. Parents are able to go online to their dashboard to view the student's progress and current average.

Sample of the gradebook - current average is in the upper right corner

Example of a flashcard

Supportive materials: Once a student is logged in to the course, they are able to access a list of suggested literature for extra reading and study. There is even a list that assigns specific pages of the books to coincide with the lessons. Most of the suggested historical fiction books can be found at the library, and we ordered in several for Kelly to read alongside her lessons, which she greatly enjoyed.

What about the flashcards? While we found that the flashcards were not absolutely necessary to complete the online program, they are definitely an asset. The flashcards are large, sturdy, beautifully designed, and colorful. One side has a picture, and the other has nearly a paragraph of information that the student should know for the course. While all 32 of the major historical events pictured on the flashcards are covered in the online lesson, the flashcard makes for a very handy review, especially when tests are looming. The flashcards also contain a handy list of extra resources that the student can look into, including book titles with page numbers that correspond to the information on the card.

What age could use this program? The program is recommended for grades 2-6. Students should be at least seven years old before starting. I think that it would be helpful if students could read somewhat proficiently before using this program as well, since it would make doing the tests and reviews much easier. In our household, Kelly just completed 3rd grade, and reads quite well. She has been able to do this program completely on her own with no extra help. I also wanted to mention that her big sister Melissa, who just finished 7th grade, has sat alongside her and watched the lessons while Kelly was doing them. Even though she is older than the recommended age, Melissa has greatly enjoyed learning from this program as well.

How we used this program: Kelly has enjoyed being able to log on, find her lesson, and do this program on her own. She began with the simple tutorial that showed her how to navigate through the slides. Then she jumped right in to the first lesson. At first, she was completing two lessons daily. I wanted to make sure she was retaining the information, so I slowed down her pace a bit, and limited her to one per day. I must admit that I love a program that motivates my kids to study history so much that I am forced to rein them in! It is neat to hear Kelly asking to do her History lessons, and begging to do a second lesson. Even though we are studying at a very relaxed summer pace, Kelly has looked forward to working on this program since we started. A few times, she has even gone back and repeated previous lessons because she enjoyed them so much. She is very motivated to finish the remaining lessons, even after the review period is over.

What time frame and topics are covered in this course? This course spans the era from 2200 BC to AD 476. It covers the 'world powers' and great civilizations of that era, including the Greeks and the Romans, and the events surrounding the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern lands. It begins with the Minoan and Mycenean cultures, then discusses the Bible lands and the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah, the Persian and Peloponnesian Wars, the rise of the Romans, the reign of Julius Caesar, the world under Caesar Augustus, the ministry of Jesus Christ, New Testament people and places, the destruction of Jerusalem, Nero, and the split of the Roman Empire. The program ends by studying the fall of the Roman Empire.

Why New Testament, Greece, and Rome? I think it is very important to understand this time period, so that we can better understand our Bibles. Kelly has picked up on several key things that have enhanced her Bible knowledge, including places that the Apostle Paul visited, and the culture of the New Testament people. I was glad for the opportunity to review this period in history, because it is often neglected. While we are careful to study Ancient History, the Middle Ages, and American History, we sometimes have had a gap of knowledge about this important era when our Bible was mainly written, and the setting and culture of the time when Jesus Christ walked this Earth. An understanding of this setting and culture greatly enhances our understanding of our Bible, especially the New Testament. After nearly every lesson, Kelly excitedly talked about what she learned. Understanding how the Greeks worshiped mythological gods was a new concept for her, and it was interesting to see the 'dots being connected' with different things she already knows about her Bible, and Paul's missionary journeys. She commented one day that it was no wonder Paul had to come preach the Gospel to the Greeks!

Other Interesting Tidbits about this program: A cornerstone of this self-paced history program is a catchy song that teaches a chronological listing of 32 important historical events that occurred during this time frame. I have to admit that my very first impression of the song and actors was that they were kind of silly, and I did not think Kelly would tolerate them for long. I was SO wrong! Kelly sings the song regularly, even throughout the day when NOT doing History lessons, and had it easily memorized within the first five lessons. She giggles over the actors and their antics, and is completely taken in by the talking characters, such as an animated mask or Trojan horse. It is amazing to hear her sing a timeline of events, and rattle off facts about ancient cultures.

At any time, students can quickly see an overview of their lesson through the "Table of Contents" and jump back to the page they would like to review:

Table of Contents

Each lesson includes "Map Time" where the student drags the labels to their proper places on the map and gets instant feedback about correct answers:

Map Time

Interactive worksheets with multiple choice answers help the student to review their facts. All the worksheets are graded and recorded on the student's progress report:

Review questions

Graded reviews

Animated historical figures made the history lessons come alive:

A talking Trojan Horse

Each lesson uses various games for review - "The Labyrinth" was one of Kelly's favorites:

review games

My impression: I truly am amazed at how completely and thoroughly Kelly has retained the information taught in this program. I think the integration of various types of reviews, teaching, and quick-moving games and graphics has developed this program into a very successful teaching tool. The lessons and reviews are just long enough to be thorough but not tedious. The repetition of the maps, timeline, and vocabulary words has cemented the facts into her brain. I really cannot say enough good things about this program. We have thoroughly enjoyed using it, and are looking forward to completing it.

If you are looking for a solid History program for your elementary age children, that allows them to work at their own pace and thoroughly learn the facts, with minimal planning, teaching, and record keeping on your part, than your search should stop right here with these Veritas Press Self-Paced History programs.

What does it cost? To register for this course, "Self-Paced History: New Testament, Greece, and Rome", the cost is $199. A sibling can be added to use the same course for $100. The set of flashcards costs $19.95. An entire course includes a full year of 160 daily lessons covering 32 major historical events.

For an online course, what type of computer do I need? Veritas Press has an online System Compatibility Wizard that you can use to verify whether their programs will work on your system before purchasing.

Veritas Press has a number of online courses available, in both live classes and self-paced classes. I have been perusing their online catalog and wondering about adding some other electives into our curriculum. Using this course has definitely left a very good first impression on me!

Check out Veritas Press online through the following links:

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/veritaspress

Twitter -- https://twitter.com/veritaspress
Pinterest – http://www.pinterest.com/source/veritaspress.com/
Google+ -- https://plus.google.com/100404634762414542020/about

The Old Schoolhouse Review Crew has reviewed quite a few different History courses from Veritas Press. If you would like to learn more about them, please click the banner below:

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Review: Go Science DVD's

Recently I had the privilege of learning about (and signing up with) Library and Educational Services for wholesale and discount pricing on many of our favorite supplemental materials. I also had the opportunity to review two of the DVD's from the Go Science DVD Series 2.

What is Library and Educational Services? It is a family based business that sells educational materials at a wholesale price to schools, teachers, churches, bookstores, day cares, libraries, and HOMESCHOOLERS! They have a wide range of media materials, including books, video, and audio, and covering topics from faith and Christian character building to science to history and everything in between!

What is the Go Science Series? This is a set of seven DVD's that covers a wide range of scientific topics, (80 experiments in all) including:

Sound, Gravity, & Space
Life Science, Weather, & Light
Air
Chemistry
Motion, Friction, Electricity, & Light
States of Matter & Water
Engineering, Design, & Flight

What is included on a DVD? Each DVD is about an hour long, and includes multiple short segments (ranging from 3-10 minutes each) of experiments. The experiments take place in a group setting, with a large audience of children watching and participating as helpers. The scientist is Mr. Ben Roy, a real life Science professor who has also done science programs for television shows.

What age is this geared for? The recommended ages are 4-12. The live audience children are within that age range as well. My 9 and 12 year olds watched these videos. I think they were perfect for the 9 yr old. The 12 yr old thought they were a 'tad bit juvenile' but she did still enjoy them, and actually learned quite a bit too!

How did we view these? At first, my intention was to watch one or two segments and then do the experiment at home if possible. Once the children started watching, though, they did not want to stop. They were completely captivated by the experiments, and ended up watching the entire DVD in one sitting. For this review, we watched the 'Chemistry' DVD and the 'Motion, Friction, Electricity & Light' DVD.

What about the experiments? Many of them utilize materials that typically you might not use in experiments with younger children. Some of the results were quite dramatic which made me glad the girls were watching it and not necessarily making a huge mess in the kitchen actually doing it! It was great for them to watch and see what happened. We chose several simple experiments to repeat at home. Not all of ours came out as well as the ones on the DVD, but it was still enjoyable, and at least the girls knew what was 'supposed' to happen from seeing it done on the DVD. One thing I loved was that Mr. Roy and the child helpers all wore safety glasses and discussed safety while doing experiments that could have some hazards, as that helped to reinforce the "safety first" lessons I try to teach at home when doing science experiments.

How about the spiritual application? This was absolutely my favorite part of these DVD's. Mr. Roy ties in all sorts of spiritual lessons while completing the science experiments. Each lesson has at least one statement included that reinforces what is being seen. For example, on the Chemistry video, Mr. Roy does an experiment that discusses the properties of bleach, and how it can cleanse stains. He demonstrates this by mixing bleach into a glass full of water dyed red with food coloring. Of course, the bleach turns the water clear again, and he points out that accepting Christ as our Savior can also cleanse the sin from our lives. The experiment illustrates the object lesson simply and clearly. At the end of each segment, Mr. Roy repeats the same statement:

"Every time we learn something about Science, we learn something about our Creator, God."

I agree 110% with this statement, and love how it is repeatedly reinforced throughout the entire DVD. I truly believe that learning about the nature of God is one of the main reasons to study Science! What a blessing to find a DVD that so aptly illustrates that purpose.

How much do the DVD's cost? Each DVD is sold individually for $8.97 but the entire series of all 7 DVD's can be purchased for $59.82 (a 40% savings!) In order to purchase from Library & Educational Services, you must first create a wholesale account. Teachers, homeschoolers, missionaries, resellers, or librarians can sign up for a free account.

My favorite moment: I overheard one of the girls discussing hydrogen atoms with her older sister who is currently taking a college Chemistry class. Not only was she able to intelligently discuss the subject, but her sister seemed surprised and impressed with how thoroughly she grasped it. Actually, I was a little surprised myself, and asked how she knew that information. The response? "I learned it from the Go Science DVD!"

The girls' favorites: Kelly loved the fizzy Mentos and Melissa liked the bleach turning the dyed water clear. The girls also liked the dog who was present on the screen for many of the lessons, and they liked watching children help with the experiments. They thought the teacher, Mr. Roy, seemed very excited about Science.

My final thoughts: I really enjoyed these videos, and would not hesitate to purchase the rest of the series. They are the types of videos that the children will want to watch again. They give great starting points for performing experiments at home - watch the video then try it with the kids! Kids think these are very cool.

You can connect with Library and Educational Services on Facebook.

See how other Crew members used the Go Science DVD's by clicking on the banner below: