Sample Home School Unit Study
(Can be readily adapted to the other nations we serve — Brazil, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Paraguay, Trinidad, Venezuela, and Urban Minneapolis.)
Where in the World is Belize?
SCIENCE
Imagine the broad world of the Caribbean and Central America. Explore:
- Wildlife and birds of Belize.
- Sea Life. (STEM takes one free-day to snorkel at the beach.)
- Shells, and the animals that reside in them. Start a collection.
- Tropical trees and flowers.
- Did you know Belize has the world’s second largest coral barrier reef?
MATH
Make it practical:
- What is the currency of Belize? What is the exchange rate between Belize and the US? Start a foreign currency collection.
- How far away is Belize? How long will it take to travel by air? By land travelling 60 mph? How about distance in metric units?
- What time is it in Belize? How about studying world time zones?
- To fund your mission, develop and carry out fund raising projects while teaching money management, budgeting, and saving concepts.
HISTORY/GEOGRAPHY
Introduce your Christian young person to their neighbors in the planet.
- Where is Belize? What’s the capital city? Population of Belize?
- From whom did Belize gain independence in 1981?
- What is the economic base of Belize? What’s eco-tourism?
LANGUAGES
What a great opportunity for language immersion!
- What’s the primary language of Belize?
(Hint: it’s English. However, we minister in Belize to Spanish-speaking refugees from neighboring countries. Other nations we serve speak Spanish,Portuguese, French, or Creole.)
CULTURAL STUDIES
Your home schooler will have a chance to experience a culture completely different from the US.
- How do Belizeans grow their food? Build their homes? Run their government?
- What are the differences between hot cultures and cold cultures? (See, even you can learn something.)
- Who are the indigenous peoples of Belize? (Hint: Remember the Mayan Indians?)
- How do Belizeans dress? What foods do they eat?
BIBLICAL STUDIES
- What is the Great Commission? Where do I fit in God’s Plan?
- What is the 10/40 Window and who lives there?
- What is an unreached people group?
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
- That’s easy. Just carry a few cinder blocks while helping to build a church!
PRE-FIELD MINISTRY PREPARATION
- Create evangelistic puppets, plays, dramas, clowns, or mimes.
- Prepare lessons and crafts for Vacation Bible School.
- Prepare your testimony, a song to sing, a sermon.
ON-FIELD MINISTRY
- Visit orphanages and schools.
- Dig a well, build a church, or feed a child.
- Experience team building and cooperation.
- Gain God’s passion for the unsaved peoples of the earth.
POST-FIELD
- Share your mission with your church or home school group.
- Maintain a relationship with the national host. Then take others back with you!
- Many short-termers go on to further mission involvement. What a great home school and eternal outcome!
- Think of all the reports your students can write. Better yet, how about preparing a photo album, scrap book, or slide show of the mission. Have you had enough? This list is limited only by my time and your imagination. Ready to go? Call us 1-877-STEM-646 (1-877-783-6646) or email us and we’ll get you there!
