Two posts in one day?

Don't get used to it!


History, it has been difficult to get into.  Not a big deal, my children are still very young.  We have made a couple of attempts which have left me floundering, and my children's eyes glazed over.

We are quite conservative Christians in some ways, and decided against a secular teaching of history at this stage. 

Choosing interesting people/places/events was an option, but one I felt unable to effectively put into practice.  My own history knowledge base is sketchy at best, something that I am working at remedying.

Chronological makes sense to us, but just jumping in felt very... so what?

After a lovely D&M with my husband, we decided on a course of action.  Our relationship with land and food underpins much of how human history has progressed.  We feel it is important to understand not only what and where our food comes from now, but how this came to be by shaping civilizations from the very beginning.
From a Christian, Biblical, perspective; agriculture, food, land management and theology are closely tied.

These thoughts changed our perspective on the subject of history, from an interesting extra to important integral piece of the well-educated puzzle.  I expect this project will probably take until Winter Rose finishes primary school.


So, I ordered lots of books and started reading, pulled out my theological handbooks and purchased some highlighters.  I'm still in the very beginning stages, but here's what I've got so far for lesson 1...


In the beginning...

• God made the earth, Genesis 1:11 tells how God created the plants to yield seeds after their kind - and it was good.  God created people to rule over it (vs 26) and plants specifically for food (vs 29).
• God worked - creation.  His work was effortless 'spoke' and perfect 'good'.  Creation was glorious, we glorify God by imitating Him, working and obeying.
• Genesis Chapter 2 - God planted a garden and put man in it.  God had rivers to water the garden (vs 10), put man in to tend and keep it (Vs 15).
• 'Tend/Till' from the hebrew 'Abad' - 'to serve'
• 'Keep' from the hebrew 'Shamar' - 'to watch/preserve'
• Adam to rule the animals, named them (vs 19) but none found comparable.  Biblical theme of bestowing names.

Ideas for activities (thinking K-3 age range here)

• Map with Euphrates river
• Art project - 'Pleasant to sight & good for food' (ch 2 vs 9), collage using leaves, flowers, seeds and pictures of fruit/vegetables.
• Propagate a seed - making points about 'after their kind' ie, apple seed = apple; and our work/obedience glorifying God - we do the work of planting the seed, it grows into something beautiful.