Cycle 1, Week 5

 ^"And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, ^preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him." Acts 28:30-31

ANCIENT ROME

Paul in Rome

BIBLE: We'll read Acts 28 and discuss Paul's life in Rome. I really want to emphasize 1) Paul's dedication to preaching the Gospel, even in scary circumstances 2) God's provision and rewards to those who faithfully serve Him 3) Hospitality, especially the importance of allowing others into our home, even when it doesn't seem convenient for us, for the furtherance of God's kingdom. Actually, since I'm late getting this post up, I've already read the account of Paul at Rome aloud while the boys watched this slideshow. It held their attention, and I think it helped to "see" Paul and the setting. 

We'll also discuss the challenges Paul must've faced as he lived in Rome. We'll tie back into the Roman gods, and how Paul had to reason with the Romans about idol worship. He had to deal graciously with unbelievers and be a living example of Christ's love to the Romans. I'll have the boys make a house out of their cardboard bricks. They can take turns pretending to be Paul. I might have them say things like, "Jesus loves you," or "God sent his Son," "Jesus is the Messiah," etc. 

We'll continue using Doorposts' Put-On Chart for character study. This week, we'll continue to practice patience. 

HISTORY:

Monday: Introduction to Ancient Rome. We'll watch clips of these videos, just so the boys can get a feel for the setting, time period, etc. Since Johnathan and Samuel are so young, they don't yet grasp the concept of hundreds or thousands of years, so I think it helps for them to see the buildings, people, dress, etc. of the time periods we're studying. That way, they understand that this isn't happening now, but a "long time ago." We'll also read Romulus and Remus. Thanks to CC's timeline, Johnathan is already familiar with Romulus and Remus!

We enjoy Kingfisher history books. 

Romulus and Remus

Tuesday: CC Community Day; no "school" at home
Wednesday: We'll delve into the mysterious Pompeii. I am over-the-top excited about learning more about Pompeii. I remember being a little girl in a small country school learning about Pompeii. I was captivated by a documentary that we watched in class; I can still picture the images of the preserved bodies! Fascinating! On Wednesday, I'll probably read bits of Pompeii...Buried Alive! before naps and bed, or if we have a comfy minute on the couch.

Thursday: Today's history hour will be spent recreating a Pompeii home! This looks easy and very fun. I'm thankful for the people who do the work for me sometimes.

Friday: We'll probably spend this day recapping. Here are some fun activities I've found on the web:

• "Dress the Gladiator" online game (great for boys!)
• Ancient Rome coloring pages
• Have fun like the children of Rome: play tic-tac-toe, sword fight, play jacks, or throw a ball

GEOGRAPHY: Egypt! If you don't use CC's Geography Tables, I would highly recommend them. In fact, I think I'm going to have to buy another one for Samuel. These are beautifully done, match the maps that CC uses on community day, and are easy to wipe off. (The boys like using Vis-a-Vis markers on the maps. The fine tips on those markers help me to see that Johnathan knows the locations he's tracing or circling.)

ENGLISH: Continue using our Preposition Penguin to review and learn prepositions. 

MATH: Learn to skip-count 9s and 10s using the song (for the 9s) on CC's audio CD. We'll also use skip-counting charts and the skip-counting game (very helpful). 

LATIN: Learn the second declension noun endings. Johnathan is breezing through these noun endings, mostly due to the great songs on CC's audio CD.. Classical tools are beautiful things!

SCIENCE: We're learning the major groups of invertebrates this week. We'll use our plastic toys to find invertebrates and watch this fun, short video.

TIMELINE: Johnathan is continuing to obsess over the timeline. He wants to listen to the song as soon as he wakes up. He likes to line up his cards on the kitchen floor. I hear him singing "Israelite Conquest and Judges, Greek Dark Ages..." in the bathtub..Sometimes I wonder if he needs a little break... ;)

FINE ARTS: This week, we're focusing on perspective. I'll follow the ideas given in the back of the Foundations Guide. I also like some of the images and thoughts provided in this lesson.