Monday, February 23, 2015

Great Commission Films - IndoctriNation Review




We recently had the opportunity to review the documentary IndoctriNation by Great Commission Films ($19.95).

The movie IndoctriNation is based on the research of Colin Gunn, a Scotland-born homeschool father of seven.  He and his family travel across the US in a big yellow school bus.  He wants to understand why public education prevents Christian beliefs and values to be included in the education system, yet secular views and ways of life are allowed.  Why can't both sides be allowed in school? He also wants to understand what the impact this way of thinking will have on future generations of American students.  Is keeping your children home for homeschooling the best option?

During the film, you travel with Colin around the US while he interviews Christian teachers while they speak of the degradation that they see happening in the schools, and yet there is nothing they can do to stop it.  They speak how they feel helpless, but if they speak up, they will surely lose their jobs.  In fact, teachers have lost their job for simply answering questions asked by students about religion.

Interviews also include Ken Hamm and even graduates of public school.  It was very interesting to hear from the former students.  I have to agree with them, thinking back how hard it was to be Christian over 25+ years ago in a public school.  Morals were downgraded then, and I cannot imagine how it is now for students with all the changes in society.

There are many examples provided showing that Christianity is not even to be mentioned.  One example shows a young student delivering her valedictorian speech, and as soon as she mentions Jesus Christ the mic is immediately muted and no one is allowed to finish hearing her comments.  Something so simple as thanking God for allowing her to make it through high school is not allowed.  This is how that student believes, and yet she is not allowed to express her beliefs for fear of offending others.  Where will it stop?

I will admit, that I am very laid back about many things.  I do not homeschool my children for strictly religious reasons.  We allow them to make decisions based on facts and the biblical teachings that we have taught them.  But I do admit that not having the bad influences on them is a great benefit.  Joey has a hard enough time making decisions without extra influences feeding him lies.  

After watching IndoctriNation I will have to say I am even more thankful for having the opportunity to homeschool.  IndoctriNation did open my eyes to how so many things are just plain confusing for typical students, let alone children with special needs.  I am able to give them a well-rounded education from both a typical educational standpoint, but also teach them about honesty, good morals and being the best person they can be.

I found the movie to be a little scary to watch.  It definitely shows the real examples that children can face in public school.  The bad situations that parents can try and protect them from.  I will even admit to having tears in my eyes a couple of times just thinking about the examples of Columbine.  But it also showed me an underlying debate among Christians.  I guess I never thought about the many Christians who decide to leave their kids in public school to have a good influence on others.  It seems that this is a very strong debate in the community.

It was a very eye opening documentary.  It has definitely made me appreciate homeschooling our children even more.  If you are a Christian who is contemplating homeschooling as an option for your family, I do recommend viewing this film.  I did not watch this with our children though, because they have a tendency to misunderstand beliefs.  I was afraid they would not fully understand the debate involved between the Christians.

I would not recommend it though if you are not Christian or do not believe in God.  This is definitely from a Christian standpoint.  There are examples of very religious individuals that, in my opinion, cannot see how extreme they are being in their views.  

Be sure to check out Great Commission Films on Social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IndoctriNationMovie
Twitter: https://twitter.com/indocmovie
Vimeo: http://vimeo.com/indoctrination
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/IndoctriNationMovie
Several members of the Schoolhouse Review Crew were given the opportunity to review IndoctriNation.  See how they enjoyed this film in their families.  Visit the Schoolhouse Review Crew blog and read their stories.
 
IndoctriNation DVD Review
Crew Disclaimer

Sunday, February 22, 2015

Week 38 - Taking it easy, the 10 Plagues and Cuniform writing



Week 2 in Oklahoma City begins....

We started out the week with a bit of a challenge.  I woke up on Sunday to a huge patch of the carpeting by the kitchen soaked with water.  The tile of the kitchenette was not wet though.  So we had to pack up everything, including our full fridge and move to another suite.  We lost our view of the Bricktown River, but gained extra space in the new suite.  So I guess it balanced out.

We ran our errands early, since we were expecting an ice storm.  Then we walked down to take the kids for movie and ice cream.  They have been begging to see the new Spongebob Movie....me not so much.  But they loved it.


This doesn't happen very often...we took the girls to Coldstone Slab Creamery.  You can see the reflection of Lydia's face in the glass as she watches her ice cream get mixed.




Then we walked to Bass Pro to look for a new cooler.  Everyone had to try the shooting game in the store.  Oh and we explored and did some gift shopping too.




Monday brought schoolwork.  I changed Brayden's to-do list some this week.  He finished his US Presidents book.  He has now read about every US President.  So I am starting him on some research skills with internet scavenger hunts that I create for him.  I am also questioning whether or not he truly understands the fraction work he is doing.  So I am reviewing simple division and early fraction work with him.


This week, the girls covered two chapters in their history book.  We worked on the red/white crown of Egypt....which they are drawing here.
They learned about Cuneiform and Hieroglyphics.  They made their names on "clay tablets" and "papyrus".  They baked the clay in the oven then to make it harden.    




Caty working on her Swaps for World Thinking Day next week.  She was working hard on folding these.


For our Family bible study we learned more about the Ten Plagues and discussed why these were all so bad for the Egyptians.  They made charts to remember each one.  Then we watched a great program about the Navajo on JW.org.



I was very proud of the boys for finishing their next chapter in science.  They are using the Bob Jones Distance Learning.  So we have an online login and they can watch videos from a teacher and then they have reading and worksheets from a textbook also.  Very "school-like".  I was nervous about the two of them working together, but they are doing great.  I was very proud of them for knowing almost all the answers on the test, and they didn't "study" a bunch either.  Just regular work.

Lydia is having a refresher in parts of speech to help her writing.  Caty is working on learning them.  So this week, they worked on Common and Proper Nouns.  There were two noun sorts they did. And then Caty learned about syllables.

We are reviewing a different science program right now.  This week we are learning about Food Chains and the Food Web.  They each made a poster about these ways of life.  Watch for our review on Visual Learning Systems coming in a couple weeks.  (this was the start of our poster for the Food chain)

Joey finished his Understanding Money class that he took on Currclick.com.  I think he learned a lot from it.  Lydia is working on her multiplication, she is currently using Great Parents Academy (watch our upcoming review).  She also played on Always IceCream a few times too.

She and her friends though created a game this week on Minecraft.  They figured out how to play "House" together virtually.  I was amazed at the little social structure they created.  It was pretty cool.

Being silly in Target.


 The kids found a cookie decorating kit on the VDay clearance rack at Target.  So while Mommy was packing from our 2 weeks in OKC, they decorated and ate cookies.

We headed home from OKC, had to stop and get out a couple times to walk around.  Of course we stopped at the Candy Factory for a little sugar rush.  The signs were screaming to us the same way the Wall Drug signs did.  Nice little candy store.  Totally not what I was expecting.

We had a nice week.  Got our work done and we made it home safely.  Now we are unpacking and prepping for next week.  We have a few more weeks of school before we take a short break with daddy on a vacation.  The kids are looking forward to that and our upcoming family anniversary party.  But we have more travels to plan between then and now.

Hope everyone had a wonderful week.  

Linking up with other moms at Homeschool Mothers Journal



and

Weekly Wrap-Up





Thursday, February 19, 2015

Homeschool Travels - Ross Perot Science Museum



Another gem we found while visiting Dallas, Texas was the Ross Perot Science Museum.  We actually ran out of time to explore this wonderful museum.  This is definitely one we will visit again when we are in Dallas again.




 There is a point where you can have a view of the city taken behind you.

 Of course we visited the dinosaur section.



 Hadrosaur tracks
 T-rex leg
 The bird section was really great.  We spent a lot of time in here.  Lydia loved it.
 There were several stations where you could build your own bird.

 Examining bird vs mammal bones under the microscope.

 You could be an eagle.
 Or a Macaw.
 Using bird vision
 Comparing the various size of bird eggs.


 Finishing up her bird.

 The gem/mineral section was AMAZING!!

 This was a huge geode that you could open and close.

 Lydia really liked this section.


 There was a section and interactive ride on diagonal drilling.

 Lydia checking out the geode.


 Brayden liked this interactive puzzle.



I highly recommend this museum.  They are ASTC members, so if you have a family membership to another science museum, it may have reciprocal benefits for this museum.