We have begun our study of Abigail Adams this week after a tiring 2 weeks of sickness. According to the First Grade noah Plan Lessons we are to read Abigail Adams, First Lady of Faith and Courage by Evelyn Witter. It’s an interesting biography that my little ones have enjoyed so far. (We are also doing mathematics, history and all our other subjects but I’m highlighting literature here.) Some helpful online resources I have found concerning Abigail and the colonial period are:

• The Massachusetts Historical Society has lots of information, including all the letters between
• John and Abigail (even pictures of the actual letters!) and an Adams family timeline.
• A beautiful biographical sketch of her by her son, John Quincy Adams.
• Abigail Adams Historical Society has her birthplace and other interesting things.
• Colonial Kids has video of colonial activities and even recipes from Abigail. This site is a lot of fun.
• What was cooking in Abigail Adams White House? by Tanya Larkin.
• Syllabus: Patriotic Women & the American Revolution by Rosalie Slater (FACE).

There are tons more, I know. If you know an interesting link, post it.

Abigail was adored by her children. John Quincy wrote this glowing tribute after her death.

During all the changes and vicissitudes of her husband’s political life, Mrs.
Adams exercised all the virtues that adorn and dignify the Christian character.
The freedom, ingenuousness, and pleasantry of her temper were known and admired by all who conversed with her. She was a lady of uncommon parts, ready thought, quick apprehension, and proper expression. In her letters, she used a great aptness and felicity of language, and, having a fine understanding, accompanied with a faithful and retentive memory, she soon accomplished whatever she was desirous to attain. She lived in the habitual practice of benevolence, and of sincere, unaffected piety.

We look forward to learning more about Abigail over the next few weeks and what we learn I will share here. At this time we are setting up our notebooks with a cover page and pages for each of the 5 literary elements. We have drawn and colored pictures of the gifts she received for her 5th birthday (from chapter 1) and we are keeping a running list of the foods they ate and other clues of colonial life. We are focusing on the setting in literature. Next week we will make a horn book like the colonial kids used. I use the “spirit” of the horn book all the time. We write things like scriptures on index cards, decorate with stickers, laminate and punch a hole for a cord or chain to keep them together. It will be fun to make a real horn book though. It’s a great idea, to keep a reference handy at all times.

As I said in an earlier post, our overarching theme this year is Conscience is the most sacred of all property. The Adams’ are a wonderful example of Christians guided by conscience who changed the face of the world forever. The principle we will highlight this week is America’s Heritage of Christian Character. (click here to learn more.) I love Rosalie Slater’s statement that”Becoming accountable for one’s learning and productivity is the fruit of Christian character.” That is my goal as I educate my children at home. I want to instill a sense of ownership, that she understands God has given her the gift of an intelligent mind to learn and to grow for His glory. It is up to her to discover her place in God’s Providential History and that’s what we try to uncover in our educating moments.

I hate to call it “school” because “school” is not what we do. The word school has a certain image these days that I’m trying to avoid. It’s about imparting ideas and principles, not rote memorization or learning to the test. Webster defines school as “any place of improvement or learning,” so technically everywhere we go is a classroom because hopefully we are always learning. So if that’s what you mean, I guess we do have “school.” A classroom as big as God’s creation–now that’s a school I want to be a part of!