Co-op in Review: February 5, 2015

This week, we focused our studies on the southern kingdom of Judah.  Like the northern kingdom, Israel, Judah fell into sin and idol worship.  And, as always, God showed mercy to His people, even as he judged.   He provided prophets, such as Jeremiah and Isaiah to warn and inform His people.  And,  he provided safety and refuge--even in captivity--to a remnant of Israelites who were held captive in Babylon.  Prophesy was fulfilled, Jerusalem fell, Solomon's temple was destroyed--and yet, God's power, mercy and providential wisdom can be seen at every turn.  The Dialectic kids dove deep into discussing these important events.  And, they learned about, and sketched designs of their new long-term project--constructing a pot or vase in the classical Greek style.  The Upper Grammar class learned about the oldest known board game for two players--backgammon.  They were taught the rules, made their own board games and then played some tournaments.  In Lower Grammar, the kids put on their painting shirts and got messy making beautiful Ishtar Gate mosaics, to remind them of on of the most famous Babylonian landmarks--the Ishtar Gate.  The Five in a Row kids read the book, "The Hat Maker's Sign".  It's a historical fiction book about Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson--where Franklin consoles the hurt Jefferson as his Declaration of Independence is picked apart by the Continental Congress.  The kids then made darling Thomas Jefferson figures out of toilet paper rolls and then they made folded paper hats!