Beginnings Introduction

   

"Beginnings" is a one year literature-based History course providing an in-depth, chronological study of the first eleven chapters of Genesis, often referred to as "pre-history."

      Historical people such as Adam, Eve, Cain, Abel, Seth, Enoch, Methuselah, Noah, Shem, Ham, Japheth, Nimrod, and Job are all covered in the course of the year's studies. Also included is an exciting unit on dragons and dinosaurs, which according to the Bible, were historical animals that lived alongside man up until recently.

       Creation, the Fall of mankind, the Flood, and the Tower of Babel are all covered through Biblical eye witness accounts, scientific literature, and period fiction, as well period crafts and activities.

     The Bible is the inerrant Word of God, and Beginnings was designed to reinforce the authority and accuracy of the Bible for our children and ourselves; we can believe God's Word... from the very first verse.

         In seeking out curriculum to teach Ancient History to my kindergartner, I was dismayed to find that the large majority of Christian home school curriculum, while admittedly covering Ancient History more fully than most secular curriculum, still falls short in both the depth and width of study.

       Extending over merely one or two years, the focus remains mostly on ancient civilizations such as Egypt, Greece, and Rome, while others like Sumer, Assyria, Israel, and Babylon are only briefly covered. But even the most comprehensive Ancient History curriculum begin studies around the time of Abraham with the Sumerians of Mesopotamia. The entire time period from Genesis 1-11 in the Bible is barely touched upon, let alone a central focus of study.
      This period has apparently been labeled “pre-history” as there are no secular sources that provide enough detail about the cultures and events that occurred during it to allow for the creation of a school curriculum. Even among Bible believing Christians, this area of study has often been relegated only to Sunday Schools and Bible Class. However, because the Bible is the inerrant Word of God, we can know without question the events and peoples that lived during this “pre-history” period.

      I have compiled a Bible-centered, literature based study of Genesis 1-11, I am calling "Beginnings," appropriate for all elementary level children. As the majority of the literature is written at an 8-12 year old reading level, I will of course be reading it aloud to my pre-reader, while my older children will read some books themselves. Of course, we love "story time"at our house, so read-alouds will continue even when all the children are advanced readers. It's fun to discover and learn together!

      My conviction is that the primary purpose for home educating is to fulfill the calling the Lord has given us to teach our children the precepts of the Lord, from the very beginning of His plan for mankind’s redemption, that they may, too, come into a living relationship with our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ. 

      “The LORD our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. And you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up.” (Deuteronomy 6:4-7)

      I also believe that while history need not be taught sequentially to be effective, all history is affected by the events that occurred at the very beginning of time, and as such it is vital for comprehension of future events. In fact, Genesis 1-11 is the foundation for the gospel message itself.
      Foundational to a child’s understanding of all ensuing historical events, from the covenant God made with Abraham, to the life, death, and resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, is the book of Genesis, the book of “Beginnings.” They discover why bad things happen to ‘good’ people, how the dinosaurs have lived along side man for almost 6,000 years, and about the origins of all false religions. God’s Word is not silent on “pre-history”, so I want to be faithful to teach my children what the Bible tells us about this monumentally important era of “His”-story.

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” II Timothy 3:16,17