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~ February 2015 ~
Dear Readers,
February may be a short month but it sure is a busy one! February 11 is Make a New Friend Day, February 12 is Kindness Awareness Day, February 14 is Valentine's Day and Arizona Statehood Day, and February 16 is Presidents Day.
February is also a popular month for homeschool birthdays! Besides George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, the following famous homeschoolers were born in February: Ansel Adams, Thomas Edison, Wilson "Snowflake" Bentley, Charles Dickens, and Laura Ingalls Wilder. (Laura was taught at home when she was unable to attend school due to distance or weather, and she homeschooled her daughter Rose!)
Featured Article
Engineers are critical to our world and to the way in which it works. Engineers also help shape the future. Whether it’s developing new fuel sources, managing energy resources more efficiently, or exploring the outer edges of the universe, engineers make it happen.
As more engineers—and more kinds of engineers—are needed to address 21st Century challenges, our nation needs more students who are college and career ready in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). As a longtime champion of engineering and technical disciplines, ExxonMobil is committed to inspiring and preparing the next generation of those professionals.
The company has launched a nationwide initiative in cooperation with the engineering community to help illuminate the profession. The “Be An Engineer” campaign aims to highlight the meaningful contributions that engineers make to the world as well as provide resources to help young people pursue this discipline as a career.
Engineering is a rewarding field which historically has lower unemployment rates and higher starting salaries than many other professions. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics anticipates the demand for professionals in several engineering disciplines—led by software and petroleum engineers—to continue to grow with the addition of approximately 250,000 engineering positions over the next 10 years.
For more information, visit BeAnEngineer.com. The site includes an education page with recommended classes, curriculum resources, and lesson plans.
Book of the Month
George Washington is fondly called "The Father of his Country." As President of the Constitutional Convention, Washington was the first signer of the U.S. Constitution. The Citizens Rule Book contains the complete text of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. This booklet is a practical reminder of the values upon which our country was founded. Order some for your Presidents Day celebrations. Only $1.00 each!
Over two hundred years after his birth, Abraham Lincoln is still considered one of the most influential Americans of all time. More books have been written about him than any other president.
If you like Abe Lincoln, you will love Abraham Lincoln: The Boy, The Man. This 160-page pictorial biography is perfect for homeschoolers, and it comes in a bilingual English/Spanish edition! Limited quantities.
E-Book of the Month
George Washington's 110 Rules of Civility & Decent Behavior Download this 17-page e-book for FREE! Includes Washington's original rules as well as selected examples for copywork and memorization, plus a writing activity.
Famous Homeschoolers
Kit Carson, John Wesley Powell, John Muir, Theodore Roosevelt, Frank Lloyd Wright, Sharlot Hall, Henry Fountain Ashurst, Ansel Adams, Sandra Day O'Connor, Pat McMahon. Some grew up in Arizona, others moved there later in life, and a few were just passing through. They all left their mark on the state. Each of them was homeschooled or self- educated! [Read the full article at Arizona Edventures.]
Did You Know...?
Arizona celebrates its Statehood Day on February 14. The 48th state was admitted to the union in 1912.
Reading Between the Lines
Benjamin Carson is a retired world-renowned pediatric neurosurgeon, devout Christian, potential candidate for the 2016 presidential election, and best-selling author. He wrote Gifted Hands,
From the time he was a child, Carson had to overcome many obstacles. His father left the family, so young Ben and his brother were raised in inner-city Detroit by a mother with a third grade education. Ben was considered stupid by his classmates in grade school, and he had a violent temper that threatened to land him in jail. Sonya Carson was a dedicated mother who kept telling her sons, Ben and Curtis, to use the brain God gave them. Curtis ended up becoming an engineer, and Ben eventually catapulted to the top of his class and beyond – to a Yale scholarship, the University of Michigan Medical School, and he became the youngest director of pediatric neurosurgery in the history of Johns Hopkins Hospital at age 33.
Today, Dr. Ben Carson holds twenty honorary doctorates and is the recipient of many awards including the Horatio Alger Distinguished American Award, the Award for Greatest Public Service Benefiting the Disadvantaged, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and induction into the “Great Blacks in Wax” Museum in Baltimore, Maryland. Carson has endowed a scholarship program and has set up literacy projects specifically in poor areas, so kids can learn the love of reading, which will have a profound impact on their academic performance.
If teens apply Carson’s concept of T.H.I.N.K. B.I.G. to their lives, they too can overcome obstacles and work toward achieving their dreams. You Have a Brain: A Teen's Guide to T.H.I.N.K. B.I.G.
Read the first three chapters online | Buy on Amazon.com
Available in the following 5 formats:
Hardcover
Learning Links
George Washington's Farewell Address
Since 1862, there has been a tradition in the United States Senate that George Washington's Farewell Address be read on his birthday, February 22.
Freebie(s) of the Month
Give your friends, colleagues, and neighbors a Valentine greeting that lets them know how much God loves them! I've created a Valentine gospel tract for you to download. It's actually two pages that you can print double-sided and fold over, so the recipient can open it up and read the message inside. The main text also works as a stand-alone Valentine handout if you'd rather just print that page only. Make as many copies as you wish!
Valentine Gospel Tract - inside page
Valentine Gospel Tract - outside cover
Remember when you were a kid and your classmates exchanged Valentines? Living Waters has created a new Downloadable Valentine that can be easily understood by children. Simply print the pages back to back on card stock, then cut. You will have six Valentines per page with five different candy heart messages.
Valentine Cutouts - Write your own messages on these Bear Heart Notes.
Washington Word Find - My favorite kind of word game! (I found 60; can you beat me?)
Presidents Day Quiz - Lincoln and Washington Trivia.
(Requires Adobe Reader: click here for free download.)
Quote of the Month
“May this Valentine's Day be filled with love, understanding, and contentment as you journey through life with those you hold dear.” ~Darly Henerson
A Note From Teri...
It's almost time for The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC)! The 2015 GBBC will take place on February 13-16. The GBBC is an annual 4-day event that engages bird lovers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of where the birds are. It’s free, fun, and easy! Everyone is welcome to participate - from beginning bird watchers to experts. It takes as little as 15 minutes on one day, or you can count for as long as you like each day of the event. Scientists use the observations from the GBBC to help get the “big picture” about bird populations. Learn about birds and bird watching, find birding activities for kids, and get more information about the GBBC at www.birdcount.org.
Happy Homeschooling!
P.S. Did you like this month's newsletter?