A Ship Full of Ideas: Lesson Plans on the Titanic

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Written by Amy Nicholson
www.TOSMagazine.com

“Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the search of the depth? Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death? Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth? declare if thou knowest it all . . .” [God answering Job] ( Job 38:16–19).

 “We are all on the Titanic. The reason we cannot stop talking about the great liner is because the Titanic is about everything.”[1] —John Wilson Foster

On April 14, 1912, the Titanic, touted as the “world’s safest ship” on its maiden voyage from Southhampton,England, to New York City, collided with an iceberg, and sank. A total of 1,523 people died.[1] This event left an indelible mark in history. This year will mark the one-hundredth anniversary of that fateful night. We can commemorate it in our classrooms with lesson plans that span the curriculum.

 The lessons that follow would be most suitable for middle and high school-aged students but could be modified for use with younger children. These activities focus on research and critical thinking, urging students to delve a little deeper and see God’s hand at work. (more…)

Updated: We Are Not Alone

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Written by Katharine Trauger
http://katharinetrauger.wordpress.com/

A short life of almost constant pain . . . educated entirely at home in post-Bourbon France . . . who was this famous home scholar?

 Throughout history, men have lost young wives.

This is the case for you, Étienne, as you realize you must somehow manage to raise your small children after their beloved mother dies.

Your own dad was Treasurer of France and you need no money. During this dangerous time in French history, you do desire the protection you believe comes from holding high office, and you put your law degree to good use. Your short marriage to Antoinette Bégon gives you two daughters and a son. She dies when the youngest is a year old.

From the start, you hire a governess, Louise, whose devotion wins the children’s love. She rears them as her own and imparts womanly grace and skills to your daughters, Gilberte and Jacqueline.

Your poor son, though, suffers almost constant pain from unknown causes. You devote yourself to your children’s education, and quit your positions in the birthplace of your family, moving to Paris and its academia when your son is seven.

Your affinity for sciences and math, proficiency in several languages, and skill in poetry make you an excellent teacher. (more…)

MyCollege – Make College Work for You So You Do Not Have to Pay for It!

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Written by Clifford Stumme
www.TOSMagazine.com

High school graduation is the pinnacle of home school success, but what comes after? You have set your child up for success. From reading lessons at age 3 to finding just the right math curriculum for algebra in high school, you have done everything that you could to make graduation successful and to prepare your child for the “real world.” However, some time, around ninth grade perhaps, something began looming on the academic horizon. You thought, “How will we ever have that much money?” and “Will he be able to pass the ACT or the SAT?” and “For that matter, which test should he take?” and “Where can I get financial aid?”

This unspeakable fear was . . . college.

Most people believe that a four-year degree at a cost of tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars, is the only way to do college. For years, parents and students have subjected themselves to outrageous tuition fees and years of loan repayment, but there is a way to escape all of that. (more…)