History was never as interesting to me when I was a child as
it was for my children! By teaching them history with unit studies about real
people, the page was turned and the subject became captivating. Our kids will
never forget that the name of Lewis and Clark’s dog was Seaman, or the fascinating
drawings and journal entries that told the stories of their days and adventures
as they journeyed through uncharted territory and met some amazing natives. Making
history come to life this way made it indelible in their minds.
I will never forget one of our field trips to the Davy
Crockett Cabin Museum in Tennessee, and neither will anyone else that happened
to be in the museum that day. We were all spread out in the cabin, reading the
various exhibit signs, sharing discoveries, and having so much fun learning
about this American hero. All of a sudden, I heard our oldest son shout, “Mom! You
aren’t going to believe this—Davy wasn’t any taller than YOU!” He was dumbfounded.
I imagine that to an 8-year-old boy, a hero like Davy must have been at least 6
feet tall, not a mere 5’ 8”. Everyone in the museum started giggling, then
laughing, and we all had a great time that day, learning together and sharing
what we learned with others. Now THAT is what I call real learning.
By using real people from history and helping the children
learn about their lives and adventures in real time, the lessons are priceless
and unforgettable. They never had to memorize specific dates of wars or other
bits of tedious information that made their eyes glaze over. They learned about
the path of people and events through God’s plan and time. And that is the goal
as they learn—letting them see His fingerprints as they explore!
Blessings,
Amanda B.
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