by Erica Johns | Feb 3, 2017 | Art
At first glance, it can easily seem that the arts has solely been the domain of white men, for white men, until the last hundred or fewer years. Thankfully, there is plenty of diversity within the history of the arts, if we are willing to seek it out.
This new collection includes 30 printable works of art featuring people of color, from a wide range of artists, from the 1400s to the 1800s. You’ll learn about prominent men and women that were active in the arts world, politics, and their communities, and enjoy a glimpse into various cultures and time periods that is interesting and diverse. Get it here.
You may also enjoy this blog post and talk I did about Why Black History Should Matter to Homeschoolers.
by Erica Johns | Jan 24, 2017 | Mom to Mom
Have you ever been going along in life, doing seriously awesome at several things, but then you’re automatically pointing out everything you AREN’T doing well right now? Â It’s crazy! Â We moms tend to be so hard on ourselves, and act like we should be able to maintain every area of life at an A+ level.
Let’s think about this:
An Olympic athlete that just won a medal was not also at home organizing their closet or baking brownies with their kids.
A business person that just closed a multi-million dollar deal was not also reading Story of the World to their kids that were snuggled up with blankets all over the living room.
A mom that successfully got the dog to the vet to fix what ails is not a mom that can also be weeding the perfect English garden or taking her children to the art museum.
Let’s not do this to ourselves, ok? When we do well at something, could we just cheer ourselves on and appreciate our efforts and growth and loveliness? Without pointing out all the still-waiting areas of our lives?
That’s the one thought I want to share with you today. Be your own biggest cheerleader! See the many good things you do and just say, “Hooray! That’s awesome! I love it that I got that done!” And if the thing you got done was resting while you recovered from illness, or nursed the baby, or cleaned a sweet little face, or loved your husband, or got the pencils sharpened, that all counts too.
All of the pieces and parts of each day and the love and care you pour out for your family matter a big, whole bunch. Let’s treat ourselves like we believe it, ok?
I would love it if you’d comment and tell me some things that you have been doing great at recently! Take 2 minutes and do it. Then I can cheer you on, too. 🙂
by Erica Johns | Jan 22, 2017 | Freebies
Affiliate links have been used in this post.
Who would love to do some self-paced online courses for music appreciation with your kids? I’d love to share about some from Gena Mayo of Music in Our Homeschool. She has 4 courses that will teach your kids about composers, styles, and musical concepts, while at the same time being so much fun! Check out the free preview lessons at the bottom of each course page.
Each course comes with lifetime access and is self-paced, so students can do it independently. Â My middle and high schoolers are current working through the musicals course and the 20th century music appreciation course. Â We love it!
This week we are having an awesome giveaway where one lucky person will win lifetime access to all four courses, since Gena has decided to partner with us in a giveaway. This is almost a $200 value!
Here are descriptions of the 4 courses:
- Lessons to read
- Videos to watch
- Printables
- Complete each lesson in 15 minutes.
- More material is included if you’d like to expand the time or the days on a particular lesson.
- Some of the lessons include the harp, Patriotic music, and a cappella singing, Handel’s Messiah, and birds in classical music.
- Ten lessons on ten different musicals.
- Read about the story and background.
- Watch video clips.
- Work on one printable per lesson.
- Take an online quiz.
- Explore links to outside sites with other materials to enrich your study.
- The ten musicals are Annie, Seussical, Cats, James and the Giant Peach, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Mary Poppins, Newsies, Annie Get Your Gun, The Music Man, and The Wizard of Oz.
- Semester course
- 18 lessons
- All videos and printables included
- Use for high school credit
- Appropriate for K-12th grades
- Some of the composers and styles include Josquin Desprez, motets, concertos, Bach, Handel, orchestra, harpsichord, Mozart, opera, and Beethoven, and much more.
- Full-year course
- 36 lessons
- All videos and printables included
- Use for high school credit
- Appropriate for K-12th grades
- Some of the composers and styles included are John Phillip Sousa, Ragtime, Big Band, Opera, Puccini, Gershwin, Stravinsky, Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley, Jazz, Folk Music, Film Music, John Williams, John Cage, serialism, Schoenberg, and more!
by Erica Johns | Jan 3, 2017 | Art, Freebies
Peter Paul Rubens was a Flemish Baroque painter in the 1600s. I just love his work, both because of the wide range of subject matter and styles that he did so well, but also because of the beauty and warmth that come through so many of his works, particularly those featuring his family. So often old time portraits can seem stoic and severe, and to me Rubens shares devotion and chemistry in relationships that seem very much in tune with a way people of the 21st century can appreciate and relate to!
This collection features 19 printable works of art in this collection, ranging from Biblical themes, ancient Greece, royalty and wealth, genre works, and many beautiful portraits featuring his family. You will love this collection!
I’m giving it away FREE in January to our Subscriber Perks Members! Â (which is also free to join) Â Click here to get started with your free art today!
You can also watch my little show and tell about this collection here!
by Erica Johns | Dec 11, 2016 | Great Stuff for Homeschool Moms
If you are a Christian homeschooling family that’s looking for materials that will educate your children about creation and a biblical view of origins, you will love this!
Mission: Imperative offers DVDs, books, and actual safari excursions that are focused on creation-related topics, including materials specifically for children.
Their The Adventures of Ranger Mike DVDs are geared toward teaching kids about creation mysteries in a fun way. Â
In Search of Behemoth: While sneaking quietly through the grass, Ranger Mike comes across some huge creatures. He is on a quest to find some clues about the age-old puzzle of “behemoth.” The Book of Job mentions behemoth, and Ranger Mike shows how the Bible can solve this mystery!
Hide and Seek: Something’s there! Lurking in the shadows! What is it? Join Ranger Mike in South Africa as he plays and unusual game of “hide and seek” while trying to solve the mystery of the elusive “monster.” During the adventure he’ll show all sorts of secret wonders of God’s creation.
The giveaway has ended. Â Our winner is Christina. Thanks to all who entered!
