Amanda Bennett's Patriotic Holidays Unit Study
Review by Jody Smith, Editor,
www.ncubator.com
On the dedication page of her new unit study, Amanda Bennett writes, "This book is dedicated to those who have risked and sacrificed everything for the life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness that all Americans enjoy!" These words are truly prophetic.
Bennett wrote "And What About ... Patriotic Holidays" before September 11, 2001. We are all aware of a sharp contrast in the spirit of the American people, before and after this date. Before the tragedy, little emphasis was placed on heroes, courage, or nationalism. Politicians and military men were seen in the light of cynicism, even suspicion. But in the aftermath of September 11, America has entered a new era. And homeschoolers looking for resources to satisfy the new patriotic hunger will be very interested in this unit study. Its appearance now could not be more timely.
In the introduction, the author states the purpose for this book. "...I have noticed that most of our children have never been exposed in a memorable way to the idea of patriotism -- of pride in our country. many families today don't make a regular practice of flying the American flag on special American holidays ... I am saddened to see that the younger generation is unaware of what the flag means, or thanks to those soldiers, what freedoms we enjoy in America."
The author focuses on four American holidays -- Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, and Veterans Day. The book is written for all age groups, from preschoolers to adults, and includes a learning plan for Elementary Grades, and one for Middle Grades. The whole family can get involved in this unit study.
For further enrichment, she recommends books dealing with each holiday, and suggests family activities. She advocates listening to old stories of relatives and friends, to learn about those special days, and to learn about how they have been celebrated in past years.
Bennett opens other doors to resources on the Internet which will add greater dimension to your personal study. She thoughtfully includes pages of websites relating to each of the four celebrations. And the Appendix of Patriotic Holidays Unit Study contains prayers, letters, and excerpts from speeches by historical figures -- precious glimpses into the real life dramas and human experiences of the past.
What we have here is a treasure trove of US history, love of God and country.
About the Author -- Over the years Amanda has amassed a wealth of information and resources, and has made it available to others, in books and on her website. If she couldn't find what she was looking for, she wrote it herself. Amanda has written unit studies on many subjects, and has done workshops and conferences all over the US and the Internet. She has written for such publications as The Family Times, Homeschooling Today Magazine, and the online Christian Homeschool Forum. And all of this has been accomplished while homeschooling her three children.