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| Ketting Peck and Courtney Tingle enjoy a "hands-on" learning experience! |
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Salvete (Latin, hello) from KCA Junior High Class,
Spring is here! The temperature is warmer, the grass is greener, and the flowers are starting to bloom. We are able to enjoy being outside and appreciate the beauty of the earth that God has made for us!
Although we are compelled to enjoy the delights of the season, our class is hard at work gaining new learning experiences every day. With just a few more weeks to go in this school year, we are utilizing every minute to achieve our academic goals. We have many interesting subjects to study and the students have a great enthusiasm about them.
One of the most exciting subjects we are studying is The American Civil War. Previously the class had researched the events that led up to the conflict with a focus on the factors that contributed to the growth of the institution of slavery in our country. We have looked at slavery from the aspect of the conflict between the slave states and free states, the governmental and economical ramifications, as well as, the heart-wrenching personal costs of this horrible institution.
The students have realized the terrible price that the citizens of this country have paid for the sake of freedom. This has been amplified in several projects that we have done, but one in particular has enabled the class to understand the personal cost of war. My paternal great grandfather was a Civil War veteran and I have the privilege of possessing a written biography of him enumerating many of the battles in which he participated. We are using this source to map out and read personal accounts of each of the battles in which he fought. From the Battle of Shiloh to Sherman’s “March to the Sea,” we are marching right along with “Grandpa Joe,” experiencing the hardships and sorrows he endured. It is an awesome thing to see these young people have compassion for the ones who fell for the sake of liberty so many years ago. A study like this brings history alive for them and helps them appreciate the sacrifices of past generations have made for their freedom.
Several of our other subjects are revolving around this study of the Civil War. Our artist is Winslow Homer who is famous for his battle scenes of that great conflict. We are also studying the work of photographer, Matthew Brady who was made famous for his graphic photos of the aftermath of the battles. We are also looking at some of the hymns that are reminiscent of this time period such as, “The Battle Hymn of the Republic, “There is a Fountain Filled with Blood,” etc. We are using the “Emancipation Proclamation” and Lincoln’s second inaugural address as copy work.
Our Bible book this month is I Kings. This book is significant not only for its place in the Bible, but for its historical value. Many of the accounts within this book give us a glimpse of the life at this time period, and the apostasy that led to Israel’s downfall. Many lessons are to be learned within its pages; the most important one, I believe, is that we must hold God’s Word as the only guide in our life, and that we must keep our faith in Him as the most precious thing in our lives.
Finally, I cannot believe that this school year is about to end. My class has experienced many new things these past months. My hope is that their faith in God is stronger, their enthusiasm for learning has grown, and they are able to use the lessons they have learned to become someone “GREAT” in their future.
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