Author Archives: Adriana Zoder

Jan 4 2019

Story of the World, Vol. 4, Chapter 36

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Story of the World, Vol. 4, Chapter 36 is rather dark, covering the assassinations of John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. On the bright side, we have the Civil Rights movement and the victory over segregation.

Pop art: comic strips and book cover

Pop art: comic strips and book cover

When the chapter mentioned Rosa Parks, we Googled it and found the famous pictures of her bus protest and subsequent arrest. Also, we pulled up a copy of Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous speech, “I Have a Dream.” I would start crying just reading it, so I let them do the reading to themselves. What is it with me and crying these days? Am I getting soft in my old days?  Continue reading »

Jan 4 2019

Story of the World, Vol. 4, Chapter 35

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Story of the World, Vol. 4, Chapter 35 is titled The Cold War. The space race between the Soviet Union and the USA covers the first story. The second story takes us to Cuba during the 13 days in October, when the world teetered on the brink of nuclear war.

Boy weighs himself with books

My son weighed himself with a stack of books.

Once again, I teared up during reading because of my personal experience with communism. The kids make me laugh with their reactions to my tears, so I end up crying and laughing at the same time. Continue reading »

Dec 31 2018

Reflections on 2018

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In many ways, 2018 has been a crucial year for our homeschooling. Our oldest was 10 for most of 2018 and tackling fifth grade, which, where I come from, counts as middle school. I kept looking over my shoulder at the last five years (Where did they go?) since we started homeschooling. On the other hand, I also kept looking forward to the next eight (Can I do it? I think I can! I think I can!).

With Tennessee Governor and First Lady Haslam in Nashville at the Executive Mansion

My daughter and I got to meet Tennessee Governor and First Lady Haslam in Nashville at the Executive Mansion, where we had dinner with the Top 100 Readers of TN.

It feels like we are in the middle of our years with children at home. We have had children for 10 years (now 11) and we have another 10 to go to graduate our youngest, who is 8. If you cannot follow the math, it is my fault. My words fail me. The point is, I feel like we are in the middle of my homeschooling career, should I choose to accept this mission all the way through. Continue reading »

Dec 31 2018

Story of the World, Vol. 4, Chapter 34

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In Story of the World, Vol. 4, Chapter 33, we visit Argentina to learn about Evita Peron and oh, yeah, her husband, too. Later, we travel to the Belgian Congo for one sad story after another. The history of Africa has been such a source of heartache for us, but we are mere spectators. Africans have endured much injustice and cruelty during colonization.

Boy and girl looking up chemical elements

We get passionate about combining science and history.

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Evita” plays in my head any time we talk about Argentina and President Peron. I teared up while reading the story for the children because the story is so artistically ingrained in my memory, it touches me all over again.  Continue reading »

Dec 27 2018

Study.com Recommendation

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“Where do your children go to school?” the gentleman bagging our groceries asked my husband. “My wife homeschools them,” he answered, pointing to me. The man turned toward me and said, “If you can pull it off, I’d homeschool them all the way through high school.”

Pumpkin Patch Babies

Taken eight years ago. These babies have grown up too fast. Hard to believe we are planning high school.

We have accomplished a lot of things this year and I have blogged about most of them. But the most important message the Universe, or God, if you will, has sent me starting this summer is that I should homeschool through high school. Several people have suggested it, prophesied it, encouraged it, and provided guidance and products for it. They have come to me. I have not come to them. The grocery store man represents the latest example of such messengers.  Continue reading »

Dec 23 2018

Story of the World, Vol. 4, Chapter 33

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Story of the World, Vol. 4, Chapter 33 covers Communism in Asia. My children are very curious about Communism, because I have told them stories about what life was like in Romania before 1989.

Finding Korea on the map

Finding Korea on the map

We had fun with the story about Vietnam because it got to be so confusing, I could not keep up with what I was reading myself. So we laughed about it. Continue reading »

Dec 20 2018

Story of the World, Vol. 4, Chapter 32

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Chapter 32 covers Africa and China after World War II. The author manages to explain the convoluted way China became a Communist country in simple terms, though the actual process was nothing but.

As to Africa, the story focuses more on South Africa and the difficult relations between the British, the Dutch, and the native Africans.

Taiwanese Flag Craft

Taiwanese Flag Craft

We chose to build a Taiwanese flag. Continue reading »

Dec 17 2018

Story of the World, Vol. 4, Chapter 31

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“Western Bullies and American Money” is the title of this chapter. To be more precise, the first story covers the Suez Crisis while the second describes the Marshall Plan.

Gatlinburg
Gatlinburg from the 12th floor of the Park Vista Hotel

Last year, I watched “The Crown” and they have an episode about the Suez Crisis and how the Queen had no idea of what the British Prime Minister plotted. So I felt like I knew something about this story as I read it to the children.  Continue reading »

Nov 29 2018

Story of the World, Vol. 4, Chapter 30

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Story of the World, Vol. 4, Chapter 30 talks about partitioned countries: Palestine and India. We worked on this chapter the week of Thanksgiving, so the recommended cooking project fit. I decided to make a gluten free cake about partitioning Palestine.

Two sides of cake with peanut butter M&Ms

Two cake layers with peanut butter M&Ms

For the first time in my life, I bought candied cherries. I did not even know they existed. My husband warned me they did not taste good, but I was determined to try them. After all, the recommendations discussed using M&Ms instead and how that would be an inferior option. Continue reading »

Nov 27 2018

Story of the World, Vol. 4, Chapter 29

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Story of the World, Vol. 4, Chapter 29 covers the end of World War II with two stories: the war that stretched across the world and the atom bomb. Sobering events to be sure, albeit fascinating.

Boy carrying luggage

My son acting out “leaving London” like English children during WWII.

I made sure to point out that we live one hour away from Oak Ridge National Laboratories, where THE bomb was manufactured. My husband has cousins who work there. His uncle worked there all his life. We have yet to visit the place. We plan to do that in the near future. Maybe next spring, when we can afford a field trip day without wondering about book work. Continue reading »