Need a break from your regular curriculum? Veterans Day is coming up. We at Silverdale Press can help you seize the holiday as a unique, enriching learning experience. For a limited time, get our Veterans Day Unit Study for FREE! 

Do you know what’s so special about Veterans Day 2018? Before Veterans Day was Veterans Day, it was actually called Armistice Day. One hundred years ago this Veterans Day, we signed the armistice that ended World War I. 

Don’t know the history behind our national holiday? Here’s your chance to learn all about it and make meaningful memories with your family at the same time. 

Download our White House Holidays: Veterans Day Unit Study for FREE. It’s our gift to you in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the holiday that grew into Veterans Day. 

Use the coupon code VETFREE at checkout. The coupon is only good until November 1, so order now. 

With beautiful illustrations, meaningful activities, and rich history, your family will learn about the following topics:

• The history of Armistice Day and Veterans Day
• President Woodrow Wilson and his leadership during World War I
• Food conservation during the war
• The poem "In Flanders Fields” and why poppies are a symbol of Veterans Day
• How we can honor veterans today

Best of all, we provide everything you need. Our unit studies are so easy for parents to use!  

And if you haven’t already, download our free Veteran Oral History Guide to use as a supplement. If you have a family member or friend who is a veteran, this is a great way to record their stories for posterity. 

We hope this free unit study blesses your family, as you teach your kids about our national history.   

At Silverdale Press, we love to help your family learn about elections. For the next several weeks, our Hot Chocolate and Current Events will focus on the upcoming congressional election in the U.S. 

Studying current events has so many benefits. Not only does it increase vocabulary, it can help you pass along values to your children. Since everyone is talking about the congressional election, now is a great time to have a purposeful discussion with your kids about it. 

But first, some information:

-This is a midterm election year, meaning that it happens in between presidential elections. 
-All 435 members of the U.S. House of Representatives are up for reelection.
-Out of 100 Senate seats, 33 seats are being contested in regular elections and 2 are being contested in special elections.
-Those elected to the House will serve two-year terms; those elected to the Senate will serve 6-year terms.
-Republicans currently hold majorities in both houses. 
-Voter turnout for midterm elections is around 40 percent. 

Hop on over to our blog to get the article, map points, and discussion questions. 

Get the article:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2018/10/17/donald-trump-midterm-themes-kavanaugh-impeachment-nicknames/1590500002/

Plot these points on a map: 
Washington, D.C.; Montana; Arizona; Nevada

Discuss the following questions:
​
What is the main topic of this article?
Why is Donald Trump campaigning so hard in the congressional election?
If Democrats get control of Congress, do you think they’ll try to impeach the president or the new Supreme Court justice, Brett Kavanaugh?
What message do you think the president needs to get across at his rallies, in order to get Republicans to turn out and vote?
Why is voter turnout so low in congressional midterm elections?
Do you think voter turnout will be higher this year than its usual 40 percent?
Do you think this election is a referendum on the president’s leadership? 
Why do you think President Trump is holding more rallies than Presidents Bush and Obama did?
Why do you think the president is looking forward to the next three weeks? 

The Supreme Court: What’s Ahead on the Docket

The Supreme Court convened for its new term on the first Monday in October, as it does every year. With new associate justice Brett Kavanaugh recently confirmed and sworn in, we take a look at what’s ahead on the Court’s docket. 

Quick fact: The Supreme Court only hears about 70 to 80 cases per year, and the vast majority of those cases are not headline-grabbing civil rights and liberties issues.  

1. Get the article from Voice of America
​https://www.voanews.com/a/us-supreme-court-new-term/4592566.html

2. Note the following vocabulary words:
​Docket: a calendar or list of cases for trial
Cert: Refers to a petition for a writ of certiorari, or the petition through which parties ask the Supreme Court to take a case
Stare decisis: a legal principle that is translated “let the decision to stand” and binds justices to uphold cases on the basis of precedent
Precedent: previously decided cases

3. Plot the following point on a map: Washington, D.C. 

4. Answer the following questions:-What is the main issue raised in this article?
-When do you think the Supreme Court should revisit and even overturn past decisions?
-Why do you think the three cases highlighted are worthy of a hearing by the Supreme Court? Are they issues that average people care about?
-Do you think the Court should accept and decide politically divisive cases?  

Greetings! Teaching homeschool writing is hard. But do you know the secret to your child improving his or her writing skills? It’s regular writing practice. Writers write. It’s as simple as that. 

Engaging prompts also help your child to enjoy the writing process. That’s why we at Silverdale Press have created these 10 fall writing prompts. These prompts span the categories of writing: persuasive, expository, informative, creative, and narrative.

Lost in a corn maze (story starter/narrative fall writing prompt): 
You and a friend are running through an empty corn maze on a cool, autumn night. Your flashlight suddenly burns out. You look down to see what is the matter. When you turn around, your friend is gone. Write a story about what happens next. Be sure to use lots of action words. 

Pen pal letter (explanatory/descriptive fall writing prompt): 
Write a letter to a pretend pen pal in a foreign country. Describe how your town celebrates fall. Be sure to include local food, festivals, and activities. 

Autumn poem (fall creative writing prompt): 
Take an autumn nature walk. Bring along a notebook and pencil. Write a poem about the natural splendor of autumn. 

Football: yes or no? (fall persuasive writing prompt): 
If football is dangerous, should parents let their kids play the sport? OR If football is dangerous, should we watch it on television? 

Apples: which kind is best? (fall persuasive writing prompt): 
Complete this statement. ____________ is the best kind of apple because ___________________. 

Pumpkin patch story starter (fall creative writing prompt): 
Finish the following story. I was walking along in the pumpkin patch, when a black crow landed on my shoulder…

October 31 (explanatory fall writing prompt): 
Some families celebrate Halloween, while others do not. Write a short essay explaining how and why your family does or does not celebrate Halloween. 

Veterans Day (persuasive fall writing prompt): 
Veterans Day is November 11. What does our country owe to those who served in the military?

Thanksgiving turkey (creative fall writing prompt): 
Write silly instructions on how to cook a Thanksgiving turkey. 

Thanksgiving menu (descriptive fall writing prompt):
You are in charge of writing a Thanksgiving menu (real or imaginary) for your family’s Thanksgiving feast. List the dishes as on a real menu. List the name of each dish, as well as a one-line description underneath. Be sure to use sensory language, describing taste, smells, textures. 

Greetings! The routine and predictability of your regular curriculum can be great. But the daily grind can wear you down after a time. Your kids may be restless and complaining. While your regular curriculum may be effective, it may lack, shall we say, SPICE. 

With that in mind, here are some ideas to (literally) spice up your homeschool this fall. While assignments, readings, and workbooks are all great, learning can happen in so many ways, ways that will enrich your whole family. 

Pie Baking Day

Why not take a day off of regular school and bake pies together? Baking a fall pie can be a valuable learning experience. Not only will you be teaching math and life skills, there are also intrinsic lessons about seasonal eating and the growing seasons. Not to mention that your kids will love the break and the sweet learning outcomes. 

Apple Cider and Read Aloud Day

With the temperatures falling, fall is a great time to curl up with a good book. Plug in your crockpot. Fill it with apple cider. Add some cinnamon sticks and orange slices. Then curl up on your couch for some read aloud time. Your library probably has some great fall seasonal and holiday books. 

Reading aloud is one of the best things you can do with your kids. From increasing vocabulary to learning sophisticated sentence structure, reading aloud is the magic pill for helping your kids to succeed in school. Adding apple cider will only add more spice to their learning. 

Unit Studies

Homeschool unit studies can be great way to take a break from your regular curriculum. Unit studies can incorporate most subject areas—language arts, history, science, and even math if you’re creative. They are a great way to allow students to follow their own interests and ensure that they love what they are learning. For parents, putting together a unit study can take some effort. But there are pre-made ones out there that make the parent’s task easier. 

Fall is a great time to spice up your homeschool with a unit study. Little kids can do a unit study on apples, pears, or pumpkins. Older kids may want to do a more in-depth unit study on subject like sugar, cinnamon, and even chocolate! History, science, writing, life skills, and ethics could easily be woven into such unit studies.  

Find it hard to get teens and tweens to talk? Get the conversation going with Hot Chocolate and Current Events! Reading the newspaper is a habit of great leaders and thinkers. Won’t you join us for a year of family-friendly and fascinating news articles? This week, add a box of donuts for an extra incentive. We’re talking business and marketing in the news! 

Do you know which storied purveyor of fried dough glazed with sugar is changing its name?

Get the article:

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/sep/25/dunkin-donuts-name-rebrand-new-england-boston-reaction

Plot these points on a map:
-Quincy, Massachusetts
-New England
-Boston, Massachusetts

Learn these vocabulary words:
superfluous—unnecessary, especially through being more than enough
sacrilege—misuse of what is regarded as sacred
pigeonholed—assign to a restrictive category or class

Discuss the following questions:
Where does the story take place?
What is the main topic, problem, or issue?
What is your reaction to this article?
Do you think that the second word in the brand’s name is superfluous?
Why is it sacrilege for New Englanders to say they don’t like “Dunks”? 
Do you think it’s a good idea for established brands to change their names?
Why do you think this company decided to change its name?
Do you think the company is being pigeonholed as a donut place?
Do you think the name change will help Dunkin’ be more successful? 

It’s so important to record the memories of friends and loved ones, especially those who have served our country in the military. In this newsletter, we’ll teach you how to do your own veterans oral history, so that you can preserve for all time the experiences of those brave men and women. 

What is oral history? Oral history is the collection and study of historical information using recordings of interviews with people having personal knowledge of past events. With a veteran oral history, your goal is to interview and record a veteran about his or her experiences in the military. 

With the 100th anniversary of the armistice right around the corner, this would be a really neat homeschool project, not to mention a priceless keepsake. 

Step 1: Prepare
-Decide whom you will interview
-Gather recording equipment—maybe an app for your phone, a digital camera, or a simple audio recorder
-Ask the veteran permission, and set up a time and quiet location
-Test the sound/recording equipment

Step 2: Conduct the Interview

Use these questions as a guide:

-What is your name and birth date?
-Where were you born? 
-Did you have any family who served in the military before you?
-What did you do before you entered the military?
-In which branch of the military did you serve?
-How long were you in the military, from when until when?
-In which branch of the military did you serve?
-At what rank did you start out, and at what rank did you leave? 

-Did you enlist in the military, or were you drafted?
-If you were enlisted, what made you want to join?
-If you were drafted, how did you feel upon being drafted?
-How did your family feel about you going into the military?
-What were your first few days and weeks like?
-Discuss your training/boot camp. What did you learn? What kind of physical training did you have?
-Who were your instructions, and what were they like?
-What were your reactions to the physical training, schedule, accommodations, and food?
-How often could you talk to friends and family?

-Where did you serve? At home or abroad?
-Did you serve during a war or conflict or during a time of peace?
-What were your responsibilities?
-Did you witness any combat action?
-Were you in any famous battles?
-Did you get injured?
-Did you see death and destruction; if so, how did that make you feel?
-What kind of food did you eat, and what were your living and sleeping quarters like?
-Did you get time off, and what did you do in your free time?
-Who were your friends in the military, and what were they like?
-How did you keep in touch with friends and family back home? 

-When did you return home? Describe what it was like to come back.
-Why did you leave the military?
-Did you keep in touch with your military friends?
-What have you done with your life since leaving the military?
-Do you think about your time in the service often?

-Would you recommend that a young person today join (the veteran’s branch of) the military?
-What were the most valuable skills and lessons you took away from your military service?
-How did your service affect the trajectory of your life?
-Is there anything else you want us to know about that we didn’t cover?

Step 3: Preserve and Share
-Be sure to back up your interview so that it is not lost
-Transcribe the interview if you have time, or have it transcribed
-Get permission, then share with family or friends who would be interested in having these memories

I hope you have found these suggestions helpful. Looking for more Veterans Day resources? Check out our Veterans Day Unit Study! 

Are you studying current events with us? Studying current events, especially other parts of the globe, is a great way to give your kids a heart for the world. They can’t have a heart for the world if they don’t know what’s going on beyond their own four walls. 

Sign up for our newsletter to get currents events articles and discussion questions delivered to your inbox each week. It's free! 

This week, we’re talking about health in the news:

Do you know which African country is experiencing a cholera outbreak? 

1. Get the article:

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2018/sep/20/medieval-cholera-outbreak-exposes-zimbabwe-problems

2. Map points: Zimbabwe

​3. Vocabulary:
cholera: an infectious and often fatal bacterial disease of the small intestine, typically contracted from infected water supplies and causing severe vomiting and diarrhea.
autocratic: relating to a ruler who has absolute power
borehole: a deep, narrow hole made in the ground, especially to locate water or oil.

4. Questions to discuss
Where does the story take place?
What is the main topic, problem, or issue?
What is your reaction to this article? 
Why do you think the cholera outbreaking is happening in this particular country?
How can the cholera outbreak be stopped?
Should the world community respond? If so, how? If not, why not? 

• ​Writing is hard for homeschool parents to teach. If you are like most homeschool parents, you’re probably worried about questions like these: 


• What topics will make my child want to sit down and write? 
• How do I come up with good assignments? 
• How can I help my child make an argument and defend it?

At Silverdale Press, we want to equip parents to teach writing. We’ve created a FREE, 105-page PDF download to help you teach persuasive writing. 

This download was made available to our newsletter subscribers. Not on our list? Click here to subscribe.  

Children learn to write by writing. There is no better teacher than regular, weekly practice. The more children write, the better writers they will become. Our FREE download gives you a prompt for every week of the year. What could be easier than that?  

• The download includes 52 prompts with two lined pages for each question. 
• The questions are family-friendly, yet relevant to the lives of your middle and high schoolers.
• The topics are wide-ranging, from food to social media to education. 

With this free resource, we take the burden off of parents. The job of parents is to sit back and encourage. Your child will be engaged, and your whole family will be enriched. Interesting discussions are sure to ensue!

For more in-depth instruction, check out our homeschool writing curriculum: Persuasive Writing and Classical Rhetoric: Practicing the Habits of Great Writers.  

Reading the newspaper aloud in your homeschool increases vocabulary and enhances your home’s print climate—leading to success in school and life. Join us each week for Hot Chocolate and Current Events, our effort to enrich your homeschool family life. 

This week’s article is about the military and global affairs:

In which country are young men binging on pizzas and burgers to try to avoid military service? 

Hop on over to our blog for the article, vocabulary words, map points, and discussion questions. 

1. Download this article to read aloud with your family:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/13/give-pizza-a-chance-south-koreans-pa-weight-to-thwart-conscription

2. Check out these vocabulary words:
conscription—mandatory enlistment for service to the state, especially in the armed forces
binge—to indulge in an activity, especially eating, to excess
civilian—relating to a person not in the armed forces or police

3. Plot this point on a map:
South Korea

4. Discuss the following questions:
Where does the story take place?
What is the main topic or issue?
What is your reaction to this article? 
What do you think about South Korea’s mandatory conscription law?
Should pop stars be exempt from military service?