Let all that you do be done with love.
I Corinthians 16:14 (NKJV)
I don’t know about you, but to me, January zoomed by! How can it be February already? Well beyond the winter holidays and with several weeks until spring break, parents and students sometimes experience burnout during this short month. That’s why February is a great month to revisit your reasons for homeschooling. Most of us homeschool because it provides the best education for our kids. I believe that besides academics, homeschooling is all about service and sacrifice.
February is a great month to expand your core curriculum with these interesting and fun events: Valentine’s Day, President’s Day, and Black History Month. So, whether or not Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow on February 2nd, we can homeschool through February and enjoy it!
Valentine’s Day—Love or Like?
Valentine’s Day was one of my favorites in the homeschool classroom! It’s a great opportunity to celebrate true love—God’s love. When Jesus was asked which was the greatest commandment, He said, “And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Matthew 12: 28-31 (NKJV)
In my homeschool classroom, we discussed the differences between “like” and “love.” Some of the kids would say, “I love chocolate,” or “I love ice cream,” or “I love the outdoors,” or “I love pizza.” I explained that sometimes the world’s “like” and “love” get mixed up. I emphasized that “like” is fleeting and “love” endures. Love usually involves sacrifice.
Valentine’s Day Activities
During class time, I asked the kids to write Bible verses on Valentines. After all, where is there a better place to find the definition of love than in the Bible? When finished, they gave them to me, and later, I’d hide their Valentines with the Bible verses written on them around our schoolroom. I’d also have the verses written on the board. As they found the Valentines, they’d check off the matching verses. The person with the most Valentines won a prize. Then, I’d ask the kids to read their Valentine’s verses, and we would discuss what the Bible says about true love.
A free Valentine pattern that is the right size to write the Bible verses on can be found at https://originalmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/8-inch-heart-template-1024x791.jpg
You can find your own Bible verses about love, but the ones below may save you a little time. Students can also look up these verses in their Bibles. If you are using a mobile device, I suggest Biblegateway.com.
• Proverbs 10:12
• I John 3:16
• I John 4:8
• I John 4:19
• I John 4:7
• I john 4:18
• I Peter 4:89
• I Corinthians 13:13
• Romans 13:8
• Luke 6:35
• Romans 12:9
• Mark 12:30
• Mark 12:31
Love Your Neighbor
It’s easy to show love to family members and friends, but I always liked my kids to reach out to others. Jesus said we need to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. Our neighbors can be anyone we encounter. We discussed ways to share our love with others—not just on Valentine’s Day but all year!
Here are a few things we came up with:
• Practice polite conversation by asking questions about others, not just talking about ourselves
• Send a card or note (we did this as a classroom activity)
• Make a meal for a neighbor
• Invite people over for dinner and have the kids make the meal
• Identify elderly neighbors and offer to help in various ways, such as yard cleanup or running errands
• Put together Valentine bags to distribute to others (we added the Scripture verse Valentines mentioned above)
• Take Valentine’s cards to retirement homes and memory care
President’s Day
President’s Day originally began as a tribute to President George Washington. Later, it was also celebrated as a tribute to Abraham Lincoln. Today, all Presidents are honored. President’s Day is celebrated on the third Monday of February, so this year, it will be on February 17th. This day is an excellent opportunity to teach kids about our heroes and patriotism.
It’s no secret that United States Presidents lead our nation through one crisis after another, some more than others. The presidency has been described as a “splendid misery” and a “glorious burden.” For instance, George Washington carried the burden of establishing a new nation, while Abraham Lincoln carried the burden of saving the Union. Presidents take the oath of office knowing they will sacrifice their time and effort for the greater good.
In addition to George Washington, whose birthday is February 22, and Abraham Lincoln, whose birthday is on February 12, two more United States presidents were born in February. They are
• William Henry Harrison whose birthday is February 9, 1773
• Ronald Reagan whose birthday is February 6, 1911
A few books about Presidents I’ve enjoyed sharing are:
• Facts & Stories About the Presidents of The United States of America for Curious Kids by Five Mile Publications
• A Kid’s Guide to U.S. Presidents: Fascinating Facts About Each President, Updated Through 2020 by Dylanna Press
• Who Was George Washington? by Roberta Edwards
• Abraham Lincoln’s Hat by Martha Brenner and Donald Cook
• Abraham Lincoln Book for Curious Kids: Discover the Fascinating Life and Legacy of America's Beloved President (Great Minds for Curious Kids) by Mark Lylani
President’s Day Activities
• In our homeschool, I sometimes had students pick a number between 1 and the number of the current president (47). Then, I’d ask them to look up the number of the President they chose. I’d ask them to research and write a brief report, name at least two important things the president accomplished, write at least two quotes from that president, and give one example of the President's struggle while in office.
• After reading about Lincoln’s early years, I would assign the younger kids to build a cabin using Lincoln logs. They can use popsicle sticks, pretzels, and peanut butter instead of Lincoln Logs if you don't mind a mess!
• Some years, I’d give the kids clay and have them construct Mount Rushmore while I read to them facts about the monument.
• I liked to write Presidents’ quotes on leadership, responsibility, or commitment on the whiteboard each day in February and then discuss the quotes. A great list can be found at https://teambuilding.com/blog/presidents-day-quotes
• Memorizing the list of all our U.S. Presidents is fun and fast when accompanied by music! Look up “Yo, Millard Fillmore” by Will Cleveland and Mark Alvarez at Amazon.com.
• Write a paragraph or essay titled If I Become President
Black History Month Focus
February is Black History Month, and homeschooling families nationwide focus on the many contributions of famous Black Americans, including their achievements in science and history and how those achievements have enriched our culture. Of course, all this is important for our children to study. But what about the spiritual lives of our famous Black Americans? Sometimes, this aspect has been overlooked. Many Black Americans throughout U.S. history have realized that their ability to accomplish great things came from their Christian principles.
For instance:
Sojourner Truth said, “When I was a little girl, I used to think that God was everywhere. Now I know that God is in me, and I am in God.”
George Washington Carver said, “I didn’t make these discoveries. God has only worked through me to reveal to His children some of His wonderful providence.’
A few Christian black Americans to highlight this month:
• Sojourner Truth
• Phillis Wheatley
• Rosa Parks
• George Washington Carver
• Frederick Douglass
• Jackie Robinson
• Martin Luther King, Jr.
Black History Month Activities:
• Research the Black Americans listed above with your children.
• Find at least one quote that gives insight into their Christian beliefs.
• Ask your kids to list the accomplishments of each and how all Americans benefit from those accomplishments.
Here are a few books to assist in research:
• Phillis Wheatley – Christian Biographies for Young Readers by Simonetta Carr
• Freedom’s Pen: A Story Based on the Life of the Young Freed Slave and Poet by Wendy Lawton
• My Name is Truth: The Life of Sojourner Truth by Ann Turner and James Ransome
• Who Was Frederick Douglass? by April Jones Prince
• The Story of Jackie Robinson: An Inspiring Biography for Young Readers by Andrea Thorpe
• George Washington Carver: Man’s Slave Becomes God’s Scientist by David Collins
My homeschoolers enjoyed acting out scenes from the individual’s life.
Here are a few ideas we brainstormed and performed:
• Sojourner Truth trying to escape from slaveholders
• Rosa Parks being told to move from her seat on the bus
• George Washington Carver’s discovery of a new invention with peanuts
• Frederick Douglass visiting the White House and talking to Lincoln
• Pretend to be Phillis Wheatley and recite one of her poems
This February, consider Black History Month an excellent opportunity to teach your children about the contributions of famous Black Americans and how their commitment to Christ influenced their lives and ours.
The Greater Good
As parents, we homeschool our children for the greater good—not only for their education but also for the overall benefit of our country and its future. This means we sacrifice our time and money to help shape our kids’ lives, ensuring they have the best opportunities for success. This month offers a great chance to encourage our students to sacrifice their time for the greater good, just as our renowned Presidents and famous Black Americans have done.
Have fun homeschooling this February. As you can see, there is no need to burn out!
Patricia (Patty) Huey founded Hill Creek Christian, a program for homeschoolers in Mount Vernon, WA, where she taught and directed for 25 years. Her memoir, A 21st-Century One-Room Schoolhouse, is a testament to the power of faith and the calling to homeschool. Patty is a regular contributor to Grace Publishing’s Short and Sweet series. She is currently writing her second book, Tripp’s Time Travels, which invites the reader into a deeper relationship with God.
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