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~ November 2013 ~
Dear Readers,
Happy November! I'm excited to share a contest announcement!
It's the 5th Anniversary of Homeschooling Teen magazine. To celebrate, they are hosting two contests: one for artists and another for writers!
$450 worth of fabulous prizes have been generously donated by several authors and publishers...
- Homeschool Programming
- Philosophy Adventure
- Ultimate Homeschool Expo
- Far Above Rubies
- Teaching Good Things
- Doorposts
- Trivium Pursuit
- Knowledge House (that's me!)
- And more!!!
All participants must be homeschooling teens age 13-19. Check the links below for prizes, rules, and how to enter!
-
T-shirt Design Contest
Win a $150 prize package!
-
Writing Contest
Win one of two $150 prize packages –
one for guys and one for girls!
Deadline for Submissions: November 22, 2013
Featured Article
November includes two holidays of historical significance to Americans - Veterans Day and Thanksgiving - and this month there will also be a special nationwide broadcast that promises to be an historic event.
Veterans Day was established to honor our veterans and to thank those who protect our freedoms and our way of life that we so often take for granted. The stability of America over the last 200+ years helped us to become one of the richest and most technologically advanced nations in the world.
Thanksgiving is a festive time when Americans pause to reflect on our beginnings as a nation, and to give thanks for the many blessings that we enjoy. Despite a declining standard of living in recent years (my husband and I are worse off now than ever before!), we still have many things to be thankful for.
But American culture and society have changed drastically since the birth of our nation. The Founding Fathers must be rolling over in their graves to see the moral depravity, political tyranny, financial bondage, and intolerance against biblical teaching in the country today.
It's not just a battle of good vs. evil, but of Truth vs. Evil. Jesus said, "the truth will set you free" (John 8:32). But what truth is that? It is the truth of His teaching – because it is from God. Life’s greatest freedom comes from knowing Christ and following Him. Only then are we liberated from false ways of living and the shackles of sin.
On November 7, 2013, Billy Graham is celebrating his 95th birthday by inviting the whole country to join him in a special outreach. My Hope America is a massive media effort to reach people across the United States with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Rev. Graham says "With all my heart, I want to leave you with truth." Not involved yet? Learn more.
"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." ~2 Chronicles 7:14
Book of the Month
Homeschool Patriot & Knowledge House!
America's Thanksgiving commemorates the Pilgrims' harvest feast, part of the story of the settling of Plymouth Colony, an important period in American history. Since the Pilgrims' original feast was never repeated, it can't really be called the beginning of a tradition, nor did the Pilgrims call it a Thanksgiving Feast. Nevertheless, the 1621 feast has become a model for our own Thanksgiving celebration. Learn all about the first Thanksgiving, find out what else was happening at that time, read Thanksgiving poems, get authentic Pilgrim recipes, activity ideas, etc.
48 pages of Thanksgiving resources including:
-The Pilgrims' Thanksgiving
-The Mayflower Compact
-The First Ever National Thanksgiving Proclamation, 1777
-Continental Congress Thanksgiving Proclamation, 1782
-Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation, 1789
-Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation, 1863
-The First Thanksgiving (from "Stories of the Pilgrims")
-Pilgrim Timeline
-Pilgrim Trivia
-Thanksgiving Links
-Thanksgiving Poems & Prayers
-Thanksgiving Quotations
-Thanksgiving Scriptures
-Thanksgiving Picture Study
-Thanksgiving Worksheets
-Thanksgiving Activities
-and much more!!!
*Downloadable in PDF format, using Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Famous Homeschoolers
“The March King” was born on November 6, 1854. Musically talented and homeschooled as a child, he grew up to be a world-famous American band conductor who composed over 100 popular marching songs. Read his biography here. You can also download the following story written by Sousa himself: John Philip Sousa: Experiences of a Bandmaster* (Five entertaining anecdotes, good for reading to kids.)
*Downloadable in PDF format, using Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Reading Between the Lines
What motivated the Pilgrims to come to America? What formula for success did they discover? More importantly, how can we apply these same foundational truths today? Monumental is a 90-minute documentary that follows Kirk Cameron across Europe and the U.S. as he seeks to discover America’s true “national treasure” – the people, places, and principles that made America the freest, most prosperous and generous nation on earth. Click here to read the whole story.
Learning Links
Veterans Day (The history and traditions of this holiday, along with some activity ideas.)
The First Thanksgiving (The Pilgrims' 1621 harvest feast became a model for America's Thanksgiving celebration. This page includes Thanksgiving poems, recipes, and activities.)
Giving Thanks (The Thanksgiving holiday is a good time to help your children reflect on what they are grateful for.)
Family-friendly Thanksgiving Films (Some movies with Thanksgiving themes that the whole family can enjoy.)
First in Flight: Wilbur & Orville Wright (To celebrate Aviation History Month, read about these two brothers who built the first successful airplane.)
Teddy Bears (November 14 is National American Teddy Bear Day.)
World Hello Day (Learn how to say "hello" in 40 different languages.)
Freebie of the Month
The Gettysburg Address - President Lincoln delivered his famous speech on November 19, 1863. Download this PDF and practice reciting it.
Thanksgiving Proclamation - This 1623 Thanksgiving Proclamation was attributed to Governor Bradford (although it was most likely created sometime in the 20th century). It's fun to recite and it looks great printed on parchment paper, or print it on plain white paper and have the kids decorate it!
(Requires Adobe Reader: click here for free download.)
Thanksgiving
For each new morning with its light,
~Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)
A bushel of thanks to all my loyal readers. Wishing you and your loved ones a very Happy Thanksgiving!
P.S. Did you like this month's newsletter? Quote of the Month
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food,
For love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.
A Note From Teri...
