"Online Worldview Course for Home School Students"
is the subject line of the e-mail accompanying and sponsoring this newsletter.

Introducing the First
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                 Information, Inspiration, and Encouragement
    From a Distinctively Christian Perspective of Home Education
Cindy Short and Sue Welch, Co-Editors   /   http://www.TeachingHome.com
_______________________________________________________________

Table of Contents
     August Conventions
Summer Reading
     1.  Read Together as a Family.
     2.  Read God's Word First of All!
     3.  Select Good Reading Material.
     4.  Discuss Your Reading
          for Better Comprehension.
     5.  Add an Enriching Study
          or Activity to Your Reading.
Recommended Resources
     Rhea's Entrepreneur Days
     Little Touch of Elegance
     Speedy Spanish
     Unit Studies Made Easy
     Henty Books on Tape
     Praiseworthy Books
Sunnyside Up: Humorous Anecdote

Greetings,

     Reading provides a wonderful opportunity to use the rest of
the summer in a pleasurable, as well as educational, way.
     Of course, you won't want to stop reading together at
summer's end.  Hopefully you will establish or renew this family
tradition and continue it all year round.

Please Help Us Spread the Word!
     We would appreciate help in getting the announcement below
to as many home-school families as possible.  Please forward it
by e-mail and/or print it in your home-school publication.
     We want to be sure our previous subscribers send us current
addresses, as the magazine cannot be forwarded, and we do not
want anyone to miss the first issue when we resume publication.
Thank you for your help!

     Announcement
          The Teaching Home publishers plan to resume
     the publication of their print magazine this fall, by the
     grace of God.  For complete information see
     http://www.TeachingHome.com/custserve.

     May the Lord bless you and your family for His glory.

Cordially,
The Pat Welch Family, Publishers
Pat, Sue, Heather, Holly, and Brian
The Teaching Home is a home-school, family-run business
operated in our home since 1980.

________________________________________________________

     Dads are Coming Home to Work.
     Teens are Starting Their Own Businesses.
     Spend 3 jam-packed days with experts to learn how!
     Plus, meet author Sharon Lechter!
     Sign up for our our weekly bonus education calls here:
     http://www.EntrepreneurDays.com

________________________________________________________

August Conventions

State Home-School Conventions
Texas Home School Coalition
     August 11-13  http://www.thsc.org
Oregon Christian Home Education Association Network
     August 19-20  http://www.oceanetwork.org

Answers in Genesis Conferences
     See a list of events to be held in the United States as well
as other countries at http://www.AnswersInGenesis.org/events.
Select by country (on sidebar) or "Show All Events" at the bottom
of the page.

________________________________________________________

Little Touch of Elegance
Classic, Feminine Clothing

     You will be delighted with
our beautiful, modest clothing!
It gives women and girls a look
of elegance and a sense of dignity.
Maternity clothing too.
Buy online, request a catalog,
or join our e-mail list.
http://www.elegancenew.com
 

________________________________________________________

1.  Read Together as a Family.
     Why not take a vacation from TV and electronic games and
enjoy reading together as a family.  Here are some tips:
 •  Read aloud with expression and at a slightly slower pace.
 •  Read together before or after another family activity, such as
     a meal, Bible reading, bed time, or rest time.
 •  Read at the table, sitting together on the couch, or outside.

Listen to Recorded Books
     An alternative to reading aloud is to listen together (at home
or in the car) to an audio recording of good literature.

Resources
 •  Unabridged Recordings of Henty Historical Novels.
     http://www.Hentybooksontape.com
 •  Hundreds of Books on Various Audio Formats.
     http://www.BlackstoneAudio.com/index.cfm?AFF=1089

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Books That Teach and Build Character
 •  Speedy Spanish Courses
 •  Devotional, Missionary, Christian Ethics,
     Puzzle, Coloring, and Story Books
 •  Teaching Aids for Pre-K through Teen
 •  Christian Light Education and Rod & Staff
     Curriculum.   http://www.Speedy-Spanish.com

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2.  Read God's Word First of All!
     The Bible is the most important book to read with your children.
God says this about His inspired Word:

     These words, which I am commanding you today,
          shall be on your heart.
     You shall teach them diligently to your sons.
          Deuteronomy 6:6-7

     The Bible contains good literature, true history, exciting
adventure stories, and valuable character lessons, all centered
in the unchanging truths of Who God is, what He has done, and how
He seeks and saves lost mankind.
     Take turns reading aloud as a family or follow along while
listening to a recorded tape or CD of the Bible.

Bible Read-a-Thon
     My ideas about reading the Bible have never been the same
since Connie Ball in Mississippi wrote about her family reading
through the entire Bible in less than 30 days!
     If you want to read the New Testament and/or Psalms and
Proverbs in the next 30 days, follow the schedule below.
     You can divide the daily readings into morning and evening
segments, read it all at once, or read half as much each day and
take 60 days to complete it all.

Day   1:  __ Matthew 1-7    __ Romans 1-3
           __ Psalms 1-5    __ Proverbs 1
Day   2:  __ Matthew 8-11    __ Romans 4-8
           __ Psalms 6-10    __ Proverbs 2
Day   3:  __ Matthew 12-15    __ Romans 9-11
           __ Psalms 11-15    __ Proverbs 3
Day   4:  __ Matthew 16-20    __ Romans 12-16
           __ Psalms 16-20    __ Proverbs 4
Day   5:  __ Matthew 21-24    __ 1 Corinthians 1-4
           __ Psalms 21-25    __ Proverbs 5
Day   6:  __ Matthew 25-28    __ 1 Corinthians 5-8
           __ Psalms 26-30    __ Proverbs 6
Day   7:  __ Mark 1-5    __ 1 Corinthians 9-11
           __ Psalms 31-35    __ Proverbs 7
Day   8:  __ Mark 6-8    __ 1 Corinthians 12-16
           __ Psalms 36-40    __ Proverbs 8
Day   9:  __ Mark 9-12    __ 2 Corinthians 1-5
           __ Psalms 41-45    __ Proverbs 9
Day 10:  __ Mark 13-16    __ 2 Corinthians 6-10
           __ Psalms 46-50    __ Proverbs 10
Day 11:  __ Luke 1-3    __ 2 Corinthians 11-13 - Galatians 1-2
           __ Psalms 51-55    __ Proverbs 11
Day 12:  __ Luke 4-7    __  Galatians 3-6
           __ Psalms 56-60    __ Proverbs 12
Day 13:  __ Luke 8-9    __ Ephesians
           __ Psalms 61-65    __ Proverbs 13
Day 14:  __ Luke 10-12    __ Philippians
           __ Psalms 66-70    __ Proverbs 14
Day 15:  __ Luke 13-17    __ Colossians
           __ Psalms 71-75    __ Proverbs 15
Day 16:  __ Luke 18-21    __ 1 & 2 Thessalonians
           __ Psalms 76-80    __ Proverbs 16
Day 17:  __ Luke 22-24    __ 1 Timothy
           __ Psalms 81-85    __ Proverbs 17
Day 18:  __ John 1-4    __ 2 Timothy, 1 & 2 Titus
           __ Psalms 86-90    __ Proverbs 18
Day 19:  __ John 5-7    __ Philemon, Hebrews 1-5
           __ Psalms 91-95    __ Proverbs 19
Day 20:  __ John 8-10    __ Hebrews 6-10
           __ Psalms 96-100    __ Proverbs 20
Day 21:  __ John 11-14    __ Hebrews 11-13
           __ Psalms 101-105    __ Proverbs 21
Day 22:  __ John 15-19    __ James
           __ Psalms 106-110    __ Proverbs 22
Day 23:  __ John 20-21, Acts 1-3    __ 1 Peter
           __ Psalms 111-115    __ Proverbs 23
Day 24:  __ Acts 4-7    __ 2 Peter, 1 John 1-2
           __ Psalms 116-118, 120    __ Proverbs 24
Day 25:  __ Acts 8-10    __ 1 John 3-5, 2 & 3 John
           __ Psalms 119    __ Proverbs 25
Day 26:  __ Acts 11-14    __ Jude, Revelations 1-3
           __ Psalms 121-125    __ Proverbs 26
Day 27:  __ Acts 15-18    __ Revelations 4-8
           __ Psalms 126-130    __ Proverbs 27
Day 28:  __ Acts 19-21    __ Revelations 9-13
           __ Psalms 131-135    __ Proverbs 28
Day 29:  __ Acts 22-25    __ Revelations 14-18
           __ Psalms 136-140    __ Proverbs 29
Day 30:  __ Acts 26-28    __ Revelations 19-22
           __ Psalms 141-145    __ Proverbs 30
Day 31:  __ Psalms 146-150    __ Proverbs 31

The Bible in One Year
     You can read through the Bible in one year with your family
by reading just 15 or 20 minutes a day.  You don't need to wait
until January 1st to start; you can start any time.
     The Teaching Home has prepared a one-year reading schedule
which you can start any month.  It is divided into Old Testament,
Psalms and Proverbs, and New Testament reading each day for 24
days each month.  You can print this schedule along with Bible
reading tips on our website.
http://www.TeachingHome.com/supplement/bible/index.cfm

Other Bible Reading Schedules
 •  Choose from five ways to read through the Bible: Chronologically,
     Historically, Old and New Testaments Together, Beginning to
     End, or Blended.
     http://www.BackToTheBible.org/devotions/journey
 •  Selected readings from each of four categories each day:
     Historical  (Genesis - II Kings), Devotional (I Chronicles-
     Song of Solomon), Prophetic (Isaiah - Malachi), and
     Doctrinal (New Testament).
     http://www.Rejoicing.com/bread.html

To Understand God's Word
     The Bible is a unique book because it is God's own Word to
man.  Because God's Word can only be truly understood on a
spiritual level by the enlightenment of God's Spirit, it requires
a unique approach for real comprehension.

Prepare for Your Bible Reading
 •  Pray for understanding.
 •  Be right with God and others.
 •  Be eager to hear and obey God's Word.

Observe Crucial Elements in the Passage
 •  Look for the revelation of God's character, attributes, and actions.
 •  Note commands and instructions to remember and obey.
 •  Find and trust promises.
 •  Observe good (and bad) examples.

Correctly Interpret and Apply the Scriptures
     Although most of the Bible is straightforward and clear, the
following principles will help ensure that you come to an accurate
understanding of God's words to you:
 •  Use standard word definitions and grammar rules.
 •  Observe literary forms.
 •  Explore the background of history, geography, and customs.
 •  Stay true to the context of the passage.
 •  Compare the Scripture you are reading with other Scriptures;
     they will all agree when rightly understood.
 •  Use clear passages to interpret unclear passages.
 •  Look up difficult words in Greek or Hebrew, using a complete
     concordance (and possibly a lexicon).

________________________________________________________

New!
Unit Studies Made Easy
by Valerie Bendt
     This updated, expanded version includes all four
of Valerie's previously published unit study books.
Other great books by Valerie: Reading Made Easy,
The Frances Study Guide, Creating Books with Children,
Making the Most of the Preschool Years. http://www.ValerieBendt.com

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3.  Select Good Reading Material.
     Several considerations are involved in selecting reading
material.  Following are some criteria and suggestions.

Choose Appropriate Reading Levels
     Selecting an appropriate reading level will help ensure that
your child will be able to comprehend the facts in what he reads
or what is being read to him and at the same time expand his
vocabulary and knowledge.
 •  Very young children enjoy being read to: poems, rhyming
     storybooks, and picture books.  In fact they love having the
     same ones read over and over again.
 •  Read aloud to your child at a higher reading level than his own.
 •  Select the correct reading level for your child to read
     independently -- high enough to challenge him but not
     frustrate him.  Following is a simple way to help you select
     reading materials on your child's ability level.

Reading Level Test
     Ask your child to read aloud a page of average length from a
selected book.  As he reads, count the number of words he
misses.  This will let you know how difficult the material will
be for him.

0-1 Mistakes - Easy.
     Choose easy materials for your child to read alone for fun
and to build speed in a slow reader.  This easy level also frees
him to focus on new words or concepts.  It is a good choice for
technical or difficult subjects like science or math.

2-3 Mistakes - Challenging.
     Choose materials on this level to stretch your child's
reading ability and vocabulary.  You should be available to
answer questions while your child reads at this level.

4-5 Mistakes - Difficult.
     Expecting your child to read alone at this level could lead
to frustration, skipping over words, and low comprehension.  Use
difficult reading materials only when he will be reading aloud
with you.  Help him sound out new words using phonics rules.
Explain unfamiliar vocabulary and teach him to use a dictionary.

Look for Positive Moral Elements
     A good standard for selecting literature is found in
Phillippians 4:8, where God lists what our minds should
dwell upon:

 •  True - Story is based on truth and reality.
 •  Honorable or Noble - Christian character is reinforced.
 •  Right or Just - Appropriate consequences are meted out.
 •  Pure - Actions and speech explicitly described are free from
     impurity.
 •  Lovely - Beauty is portrayed (in illustrations as well).
 •  Of Good Repute - The emphasis is on good, not evil.
 •  Excellent or of Virtue - The material is moral and edifying.
 •  Praiseworthy - We can praise God for what we are reading as
     well as praising the quality of the work itself.

Read a Variety of Books.
 •  Uplifting books that contain worthy characters to emulate.
 •  Poetry.  (Also find an old hymnal and read the words as
     poetry.)
 •  Plays. Assign characters to read aloud together; double up if
     necessary.
 •  Christian and missionary biographies.
 •  Accurate historical fiction.
 •  Nonfiction on a subject of interest or a topic related to
     something else you are reading or experiencing.
 •  Books in a series.
 •  Unabridged books.

For More Information
 •  See "Selection of Reading Materials" in Newsletter #23.
     http://www.TeachingHome.com/newsletters/vol_2-no_23.cfm
 •  See complete article "A Biblical Approach to Objectionable
     Elements (Christian Educational Censorship) on the Bob Jones
     University Press website.
     http://www.bjup.com/resources/articles/white_papers/objectionable_elements.html

________________________________________________________

Complete and Unabridged Recordings
of the Classic G.A. Henty Historical Novels
Read by a Professional Storyteller!
     Learn history and expand your vocabulary in an easy
and fun way as you listen to Jim Hodges read seven
exciting Henty books.  Listen to samples online.
http://www.HentyBooksOnTape.com

________________________________________________________

4.  Discuss Your Reading
     for Better Comprehension.
     Reading is not beneficial without comprehension, the process
of connecting the words that we read to thoughts that we think.

Knowledge (Facts)
     At this first level of reading comprehension the reader answers
the questions, "Who?, What?, When?, and Where?," thus observing
factual details in his reading.
 •  Ask your child questions relating to descriptions of people,
     places, and events.
 •  Ask your child questions about time and sequence of events.
 •  Read stories together that take several days to finish.
     Start each day's reading with a recap of the events up to
     that point in the story.

Understanding (Inferences)
     At this second level of reading comprehension, greater
understanding is achieved as the reader draws logical conclusions
based on evidence the writer includes along with the reader's
general knowledge.
     The questions, "How? and Why?," are answered as the reader
infers motives and visualizes actions that are not specifically
stated, but implied, by the writer.
 •  Paraphrase (restate in your own words) a sentence, paragraph,
     event, description, or conversation.
 •  Interpret facts by explaining or summarizing.
 •  Infer the motives and reasons for the actions of the characters.
     Why did they behave as they did?  What did they hope to
     achieve?
 •  Identify cause and effect relationships.  What were the effects
     of certain actions and events?  What made them possible or
     necessary?

For Further Study
     The Teaching Home's 15-Part Series on Basic Skills is
available online in our Newsletter Archives and includes:
     Reading Comprehension: Facts
     http://www.TeachingHome.com/newsletters/vol_2-no_23.cfm
     Reading Comprehension: Inferences
     http://www.TeachingHome.com/newsletters/vol_2-no_25.cfm
     http://www.TeachingHome.com/newsletters/vol_2-no_26.cfm
     Reading Comprehension: Analysis and Synthesis
     http://www.TeachingHome.com/newsletters/vol_2-no_28.cfm
     Reading Comprehension: Application
     http://www.TeachingHome.com/newsletters/vol_2-no_29.cfm
     Reading Comprehension: Evaluation
     http://www.TeachingHome.com/newsletters/vol_2-no_30.cfm

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"And the Winner Is:  A Guide to Newbery Medal
Winners from a Christian Perspective."
Expose your children to the best in children's literature as
evaluated by Philippians 4:8.  http://praiseworthybooks.com

________________________________________________________

5.  Add an Enriching Study
     or Activity to Your Reading.
     This is a good way to show your children that research and
study can be fun.
 •  Have a dictionary nearby to look up an unfamiliar word or
     pronunciation.
 •  Find a location mentioned in your reading on a map or globe.
 •  Locate the time period of a book on a timeline.
 •  Research a topic or question raised by your reading.

Activities To Enrich Your Reading
     Excerpted from The Teaching Home's "100+ Creative Book
Reports / Unit Study Activities"
http://www.TeachingHome.com/newsletters/vol_2-no_26.cfm.)

Art and Penmanship
__ Draw a cartoon.
__ Draw and label a picture or map of the setting.
__ Make a timeline of the events.
__ Create original illustrations.
__ Copy and decorate beautiful passages.
__ Write a rebus (a story using pictures to replace some words).

Speech and Drama
__ Read an exciting, interesting, or amusing passage aloud with
     expression.
__ Write a play or movie script.
__ Make a video of your report or dramatization of a scene.
__ Tape record a part of the book, complete with sound effects.
__ Watch a video of your book and critique its faithfulness to
     the original.
__ Use puppets to retell a story.

Writing Activities
__ Write a letter to a friend recommending a book.
__ Compose a 15- or 100-word telegram summarizing the book.
__ Write a riddle about the book, a character, or event.
__ Write the author telling him what you enjoyed about the book.
__ Rewrite the story as a picture book with simple words for
     children.

Poetry
__ Write a poem to accompany a story.
__ Recite or read a poem with appropriate expression.

Written and/or Oral Reports
     These can also be informal discussion topics for the whole
family.
__ Describe the main character(s), and your opinion of him.
__ Describe the setting: time, place.
__ Write a short summary of the story.
__ Describe the most beautiful, humorous, exciting, or sad part.
__ Could this be a true story? Why or why not?  Cite passages.
__ Write about a character you liked or disliked and tell why.
__ Why did you like or dislike the book?
__ Research a topic brought up in your book.

How To Encourage and Record Reading
__ Make a chart or poster to record books read.
__ Use stickers or grades to evaluate reports.
__ Offer rewards based on number of books or pages read.
__ Keep a dated record of books read in a notebook or file.
     Include the student's and/or parent's report/review/
     evaluation of each book for future reference.  This will
     help you to share with others the benefits and enjoyment of
     your reading.

________________________________________________________

Please Thank and Support
Our Sponsoring Advertisers!
     These free newsletters are made possible financially by the
fine suppliers who advertise in them and in the accompanying
e-mail.  Please consider those that advertised in our last issue
(below) as well as the ones in this issue.

Rhea's Entrepreneur Days
     http://www.EntrepreneurDays.com
AVKO Dyslexia and Spelling Foundation
     http://www.spelling.org or http://www.avko.org
My Homeschool Store
     http://www.MyHomeschoolStore.com
The Teaching Home Back Issues
     http://www.goemerchant1.com/index.cgi?ST=&Merchant=theTeachingHomen

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Sunnyside Up: Wandering Minds Can Be Dangerous
     Our daughter and I were reading in her history book about
the Carib tribe, named by Columbus after the Spanish word for
cannibals.
     Since our daughter's mind seemed to be wandering, I asked,
"Do you know what cannibals are?"
     Her response was, "Yeah, 'Poof.'"
     I looked at our daughter, puzzled.
     "You know, those round things that come out of a cannon!"
     Submitted by Sherry Davis, Aurora, Colorado

________________________________________________________

God Loves You.
     Because we have been separated from God by sin, Jesus
Christ died in our place, then rose to life again.  If we trust
Him as our Savior and Lord, He will give us eternal life.
     "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that
not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of
works, that no one should boast" (Ephesians 2:8, 9).
http://www.TeachingHome.com/about/Salvation.cfm

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