Olympic Reflections

Welcome back to Nicolene, our UK insider!  

If you missed her guest post about an Inside View of the Olympics 2012, you can read it here.  Today she's sharing her reflections on the Olympics.

All of a sudden, I find myself here in the final week of the London 2012 Olympics. A couple more days, and it will all be over. An event we have been anticipating for several years has now come to a close. It was certainly worth the wait.

Our family has had so much fun! We have gained a wealth of knowledge and a huge understanding of the wide range of emotions seen at the Games—compassion, determination, and pride being just a few.

Though the Olympics were just two weeks long, we have been enjoying the build-up for a lot longer, participating in almost every Olympic-themed event we could. The first and most enjoyable was the torch relay, an event we could not wait to be part of. We tracked the torch almost daily via TV and Internet from its initial landing back in May to the day of the opening ceremony. It was an activity that gave my children a much greater understanding of the geography of the country they live in. We were lucky enough to travel to three different towns to watch the torch go by, and each time was a truly unique experience and an emotional event. Each torchbearer with his or her own story and being part of the thousands of people there to cheer support and encouragement—amazing!

Though we were not able to attend the Olympics, we found ourselves blessed enough to experience a pre-Olympic visit to London just days before the opening ceremony. What an adventure it was—an experience we will never forget and a memory my children will hold forever. The streets were decorated with hundreds of flags to welcome all the athletes arriving from around the world. We bumped into uniformed Olympic workers complete with official name badges and saw soldiers brought in from Afghanistan in training for Olympic security. These were all wonderful learning experiences for my family.

Since the opening ceremony was way past our little ones’ bedtime, we brought down our pillows and blankets, nestled up on the floor with a snack picnic, and literally waited for the games to begin. The children were so excited, cheering along holding their Olympic mascot toys Wenlock, Mandeville, and the team GB lion. It was lovely to share the historic moment together.

Watching the games has been wonderful and truly inspiring not only for my children but friends’ children too. There has been many a lump in the throat when I hear the backstories of some of the athletes. And for the children to see their determination has added a little mortar to the building of their characters. Who knows how many budding young future athletes will come from these Games? We have already been discussing how old each child will be by the time the next Olympics comes around. We’ve talked about which of them would be old enough to participate in the Games, what sports they think they could achieve in, and the scientific makeup of the medals.

This has been an opportunity to give my children one of the richest learning experiences of their lives so far, and sharing it with others through the unit study Olympics co-op on Facebook has just been the icing on the cake.

Nicolene Barnes and family
High Peak, Derbyshire, U.K.

An Inside View of Olympics 2012

We have a special guest blogger to share what getting ready for the Olympics 2012 is like, from an insider's view... she's from the United Kingdom! 

"It’s 2012 and the Olympic year is finally upon us!

I had hoped for a long, long time that my country (England) would get the opportunity to host the Olympics at some point in my lifetime, and what a great point in time—while my children are young and home educated. It’s something we can experience and discover together and take with us forever.

I remember hearing about the bid and how surprised I was when I found out that England had been chosen to host the 2012 Olympics. It seemed like forever away. I remember the streets of London jam-packed with people celebrating the news and thinking how amazing it will be when the Olympics are finally here.

We hadn’t been home educating for long at that point, but it had already started off a little flame of interest that just needed kindling. We talked about how old they would each be by the time the Olympics came around, what sports they would participate in if they were in the Olympics, and how they thought the future would be by the time 2012 arrived.

Now 2012 is here, and the London Olympics are just around the corner! There is so much out there to capture our interest, and what an amazing learning experience it is going to be.
 
The shops and major and minor stores combined have gone crazy for merchandise and memorabilia, but then, so have we. The range is so extensive: there are toys, sweets, chocolate, bedding, teapots, artwork, clothing . . . the list goes on! 

I have a box full of goodies in hiding for the event, containing perishable and non-perishable items. Cadbury (one of the main sponsors) has brought out mascot-shaped chocolates, including Easter eggs! We have also purchased an outfit for the event—British themed, incorporating the red, white, and blue, be it little flags or just coloured sportswear! After all, it is the jubilee year too!

I have purchased a plush mascot for each of my younger children. Wenlock (the Olympic mascot) and Mandevill (the Paralympic mascot) are lovely, sleek, futuristic-looking creatures; just looking at them confirms we have reached 2012.

We are able to follow the Olympic mascots on Twitter and Facebook and visit them on their own section of the main London 2012 website where there are not only fun and games, but plenty of other online educational resources.
The whole event is very child-friendly, a subconscious form of inspiring our nation’s youth to be a little more patriotic and proud of their country. But it is a whole country event and it makes me proud too! 

I can’t wait for the torch relay; we’re using it as a learning event and tracking its progress throughout the country, from lands to the upmost Scottish islands and back down to London. We are lucky enough to have it pass though several towns near us. The dates have been shared among our home education community, and we will be turning out in droves. Certain schools have realized its learning potential and have chosen to either close the schools down for the day so children can attend with their parents or to go along as a school outing. What a wonderful memory to share with your children—to be physically alongside the Olympic torch on its way to the Olympics!

There is so much knowledge to be gained from this experience that we are going to need the rest of the summer to recover from it all!

I have already found supporting Olympic apps that will record times and dates of events and give you results as each event passes. Flag recognition apps to build knowledge for the opening ceremony, online craft ideas, as well as books and ideas to help us take part in World Sports Day—our own mini Olympics—a month before the Olympics on June 25. All I need now is an amazing unit study to collaborate it all!"


Nicolene Barnes, homeschool mum of 6, Derbyshire, UK
 

Thanks for your insider view into the preparations going on there in the UK, Nicolene. Wish we could join you!
  

Olympics 2012 is ready to help you bring it all together:  apps, activities, crafts, Internet resources, and four weeks of exciting, daily learning adventures.

Stop by our Facebook and Pinterest pages for more ideas.  Here are a few more great apps to get you started:

·         iLondon2012

·         LDN 2012

·         World Flags (Match'Em Up History & Geography)

Welcome Guest Blogger - Louanne Mason

I found out about Amanda Bennett’s Download N Go™ studies last spring from a fellow homeschool mom. I promptly found the USAB website and Facebook  page and started to do a little research. I realized that they were going to be a perfect match for my teaching style and my wiggly 4-year-old. I decided to purchase the Sunny Seashells unit since we were going to the beach that summer.

 The unit is set up to be a five-day learning adventure. We took a lot longer than five days because my daughter was at the low end of the suggested age range for these. I wanted her to enjoy it and not feel like it was information overload. There are book suggestions for each day and video links built in. I ordered about a dozen books from the library, and we set the laptop on the table each time. Each day also has family fun suggestions and craft ideas included. There is a “shell of the day,” and my daughter liked some more than others. Each day also has a featured country of the day, and my daughter would find them on the world map and color them in. My friend from church brought a shoe box full of shells for us to use, and then when she found out how much my daughter loved them, she gave her the box full. My daughter was totally shocked, exclaiming, “MOM! Did you know that she gave me the whole box? Can you believe that?”

When we finished Sunny Seashells, my daughter said, “Mom, you are really fun to do this with. It’s like a party with you!” And at least ten times that day I heard, “I am so excited for our vacation. I want to find some shells!”

This sparked a love of unit studies in my daughter, and we moved on to Rocking Robots, Autumn Treasures, Goofy Geckos, and Valentine’s Day. We have been doing these for eight months now, and my now-5-year-old is totally involved with picking out which unit we will do next. She also gets excited to head to the library to get the next round of books for our study.

Something really cool has happened with every unit we have done. During Autumn Treasures we learned about monarch butterflies, and when leaving church that Sunday, the monarchs were on all the bushes in front of our car! I had our camera in there, and my husband was able to capture some amazing photos. I thought it was God’s gift to us to actually see them on their migration.

My daughter wanted to do the Goofy Gecko unit because she got a green anole for her fifth birthday. We love to watch him and knew that he was known as the American chameleon because he can change colors. During our gecko study we found out through one of the books that our anole is actually the smallest iguana in the world. My daughter loves to tell people that now. Our zoo has an amazing reptile exhibit, so we took a field trip there and my daughter was saying, “Hey, that guy was in our unit study,” or “There’s a giant day gecko.”

I think these units are really fantastic. I learned a lot or perhaps learned again things from when I was little. I love that it’s broken down day by day and you can do as little or as much as you want based on the age of your child. The videos and other links being built into the PDF are a huge convenience. We have also tried to do some kind of cooking project that ties into each unit, and my daughter really enjoys that part. I also think that these are not just for homeschoolers—a lot of families could use them to supplement an interest that their child has to gain more information in a fun way.

Louanne Mason

Fort Worth, Texas

http://www.dwimble.com/

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Thanks Louanne for sharing your experiences with us (and your adorable pictures!).  We love hearing from families like yours and how you use USAB studies. 

If you would like to be a guest on our blog, please send an email to amanda@unitstudy.com and let us know your ideas!

The Chasing Mona Lisa Mom - Tricia Goyer

Today we are pleased to welcome our special guest, Tricia Goyer!

As a homeschooling mom I never struggled with figuring out what I wanted my kids to learn. The problem came with knowing where to stop. After sitting down one year to figure out my high schooler’s schedule, I came up with fourteen subjects. Fourteen! Uh, I had to trim that down a little bit.

I have the same problem when I look at Amanda's unit studies: Horses, Gardens, Space, oh my! I want to do it all.

As a historical writer I’ve often had the same problem. It’s easy to dig into research, but it’s hard to know when to stop and write the book. Thankfully, for my new novel Chasing Mona Lisa, I had a co-writer to help with the process. Mike Yorkey (former editor of Focus on the Family magazine) is a WWII history buff. He also lived in Switzerland with his wife Nicole, who is Swiss.

What I love about historical fiction is feeling as if I’m living history. With fiction you don’t just learn facts and dates. Readers get to experience thoughts and emotions similar to those of the people who lived during that time.

I’ve also discovered that by having my teens read a novel, it’s like adding another “subject” to my own homeschooling classroom, while my kids think they’re just in for a fun read!

Here are a few things we discovered about the France of August 1944 while we were researching Chasing Mona Lisa:

• The Nazis bought up tons of art as well as confiscated magnificent pieces from Jewish families.
• The Parisians rose up and fought the Nazis in the days leading up to the Liberation.
• Paris was liberated without much warfare or bloodshed.
• The Louvre curators hid the Mona Lisa and other famous pieces in their collection during the war.
• The Mona Lisa was moved around like a pea in a shell game and was hung in a girl’s bedroom during the war.
• Allen Dulles, an American, ran a spy network in Switzerland. The OSS was the precursor to the CIA.
• There were skimming and “Swiss bank accounts” among the Nazis. (I bet you’re not surprised!)

Mike and I learned much more in the process, and I've enjoyed sharing it with my teens. Chasing Mona Lisa is a book you can read with your teenagers as you study France with your whole family!

--Tricia Goyer

Tricia is the author of more than 30 books and has published over 500 articles for national publications such as Focus on the Family, Today’s Christian Woman and HomeLife Magazine.

She won the Historical Novel of the Year award in both 2005 and 2006 from American Christian Fiction Writers, and was honored with the Writer of the Year award from Mt. Hermon Writer's Conference in 2003. 

To find out more about Chasing Mona Lisa go to Tricia's website.

A Special Invitation From Amanda

Please join me, Tricia, and Mike on Monday evening (2/13/12), to hear even more about Chasing Mona Lisa, Passport France, and how you can use both to spark a new excitement about learning for your teens. This will be an evening of fun, prizes, intrigue, and learning in a live, video chat event you won't want to miss! 

Mark your calendars for 
February 13, 
7 - 8:30 p.m. (CST). 
RSVP for this event now!

With the release of Chasing Mona Lisa, Tricia and Mike have provided an excellent companion novel for Passport France Explorer!

In Monday's live, video chat event we'll be exploring the learning opportunities found in pairing historical fiction and unit studies. In particular, Tricia and Mike will be sharing their first-hand observations and research about France, revealing the fascinating true story behind their new book, Chasing Mona Lisa, while I'll be sharing how to use novels, such as Chasing Mona Lisa, to enrich unit study learning.

We will be offering a fantastic array of prizes, from children's books and unit studies to handbags, jewlery, and decorative items . . . all with a French flair; so don't miss this chance to embrace the joie de vivre!

Bon voyage!

Amanda B.

We Just Had a Great Idea!

Do you use USAB unit studies? Wouldn't it be great if there was a place you could share your family's excitement and experiences, and also find out how other families are using these studies? 

We hear from customers all the time, thrilled with the fun and lasting learning they're experiencing using USAB unit studies. That gave us an idea . . . Why not invite YOU to be our guest, and share your experiences with USAB studies?! We can ALL encourage each other as we learn, discover, and explore with unit studies.

If you would like to be a guest blogger, please contact us at amanda@unitstudy.com and give us an idea of what you would like to share.

Also, be sure to visit us on Facebook and Pinterest this week. We are sharing activities, recipes and inspiration to go with our Valentine's Day Download N Go spotlight--just in time to help you celebrate!

Blessings,


Amanda B.


PS - Did you get your FREE, Love Printables yet? I can't wait to see how your families customize them!

The Playbook

Today we are thrilled to welcome our guest blogger, Barb Cash! She is a long-time friend and fellow homeschool mom, as well as a very gifted writer and speaker. Her husband, Tim, is a former professional baseball player and currently pastors The Oasis Church in Loganville, GA, and they have five terrific sports-addicted kids. 

 Please welcome Barb and read the words that she shares today. Don't forget to leave a comment for her and make her feel right at home here on the USAB blog!
Many thanks,
Amanda B.

Our oldest daughter, Rachel, babysits for a member of the Atlanta Falcons. One Friday night he and his wife were going out, so she went to care for their two sweet little ones. She had not been there long when she called, obvious excitement in her voice.

"Mama, you're never going to guess what I am staring at right now!"

I quickly racked my brain to try and come up with a reasonable explanation for her fervor, but I was left wondering. I guess I should digress at this point and let you know that Rachel is a rather unusual teenage girl. She is a sports junkie, and nothing makes her come alive like a good baseball, football, or basketball game! Given that knowledge, I figured it must be sports related, but the details escaped me! I told her I gave up.

"I am staring at the playbook for the game between the Falcons and the Eagles this Sunday. The real playbook. The key to everything that is going to take place on the field this week!"

When I got done laughing and inwardly rolling my eyes, I admonished her not to even open the cover! "Oh, I wouldn't," she replied, "but it sure is one of the prettiest things I have ever seen!" (I told you she was rather unusual.) After telling her I thought it would be okay to take a picture of the cover with her phone, I hung up and shook my head. What a nut!

Last night while lying in bed, though, I revisited our conversation (with a giggle, of course) and suddenly I was struck with a thought. How many people are facing the Playbook for the game of life, but never do more than stare at the cover? You with me? I am referring to the Bible, of course!

The Falcons playbook was designed specifically for the opponent they were going to be facing that particular Sunday. The Bible was given to us so we would be prepared to meet the opponent we will go up against every day from now to eternity—Satan!

Why then do we fail to open our Playbook and read what the One who has already been victorious shares with us are our best offensive tactics? Football players know that it is to their benefit to focus on their offense and rack up the points so as to not have to rely too heavily on their defense. A good defense is necessary, but if the offense is on their game, the defense is not exhausted to quite the same extent.

It's the same for us in life. The Lord has laid out in a very clear and concise way what our best offensive plan of attack is. He has also laid out a defensive plan, but if we employ the offensive tactics, the defensive ones are not as necessary. We are able to live a victorious life without always trying to dig ourselves out of a hole.

The reality that we face an opponent who is alive and well and seeking to annihilate us at any moment is a given. Why enter the battle each day without having read the Playbook and seeing what patterns the Coach thinks we should run that day then? It's all there—everything we'll need to play effectively.

- Barb Cash
www.BarbCash.com