Finish Well

In episode 244, “Teen Queen Elisabeth,” Meredith Curtis introduces you to a teenage queen. Have you ever imagined yourself as a princess or queen? How fun to have beautiful clothes and servants to wait on you hand and foot, especially back in the times of knights and castles. Married at 14 and widowed at 20, this young woman ruled in her husband’s absence. How did a teenage girl rule a kingdom? And why did she make the rest of the royal family so mad?

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Have you ever imagined yourself as a princess or queen/prince or king? Back to medieval Europe. Knights & castles. How did a teenage girl rule a kingdom? And why did she do the make the rest of the royal family so mad?

Princess Elisabeth of Hungary (1207-1231) was the daughter of King Andrew II of Hungary and Gertrude of Merania, a Germanic kingdom.

At 4 years old, she moved far away to the small country of Thuringia, now a province in Germany.

Elisabeth was brought to the court of the royal family of Thuringia as a child so that she could learn the language, culture, and customs of the Thuringians. She was pledged to marry the crown prince who grew up to be Louis IV, also known as Ludwig IV.

Creuzburg Castle was full of music, a place for poets and songwriters to gather. Love was the most popular theme. Sort of like pop music today but add tournaments and pageantry.

Early in life, Elisabeth gave her heart to Jesus Christ. Her strong faith revealed itself in a gentle, kind personality. At the age of 14, Elisabeth married Louis, who was 20, and later that year, he was crowned King. The new rulers were very happy together and God blessed them with three children. All accounts say that the couple loved one another deeply as only young lovers can.

Balance between supported husband as queen and the longing to live a life of poverty & charity.

Louis embarks on the Sixth Crusade in 1227 while Elisabeth pregnant with their third child.

Elisabeth’s husband death left her heartbroken.

Three children taken from her.

She got her dowry back.

Rejected many offers of marriage.

In 1228, she renounced the world and joined the order of St Francis of Assisi.

Moved to Marburg, she built another hospital for the sick. She spent hours each day caring for patients at the hospital she founded.

Elisabeth died at the age of 24, leaving her three children orphans. In her short life, she had a beautiful marriage where the couple shared strong faith in Jesus and deep compassion for the poor and needy. As a widow, deprived of her children, she did not see herself as a victim. Instead, she devoted herself to Christ and His Kingdom. She made a difference in so many lives. People loved her!

So, what happened to her orphan children?

Elizabethkirche was built in Marburg to honor Elisabeth of Hungary. It is a beautiful church for a beautiful woman.

The Catholic Church made her a saint in 1235 and to all Christian everywhere, she is an example of Christian charity and kindness.

I love these stories of teens who rule, who minister, who impact people’s lives. Teen years don’t have to be about fitting in and trying hard to have fun the world’s way. Even a 14-year-old can be a queen and rule well. Whatever is going on in your life right now, take a deep breath and fix your eyes on Jesus. He will never leave you and best of all, He has a plan and purpose for your life, just like he did for Elisabeth.

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The post Teen Queen Elisabeth appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

In episode 243, “Write a Mystery 104: Suspects, Clues, & Red Herrings,” Meredith Curtis talks about those ingredients that make a mystery fun. Mystery writers, it’s time to create suspects and all those clues that lead the detective and reader to unmask the criminal, and the red herrings that lead them astray. In a classic who dun it, the writer keeps the reader guessing until the end. That requires motive, means, and opportunity. While super fun, it also requires careful plotting out so that you reader can solve a puzzle along with your detective.

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Crime committed, usually a murder. Clues & red herrings followed by detective & readers who try their hardest to guess the perpetrator. At the end of the story, justice is served.

Characters should always be well-rounded.

The Real Murderer’s identity isn’t revealed until the end of the book.

Other Suspects must have motive, means, opportunity, too.

Victim – why would someone kill him/her?

Show not Tell.

Don’t tell us about your characters when you write, show us. It is better for a writer to show your readers your characters, their personalities, and their emotions through dialogue or actions.

Relationships (and hidden ones too)

Your reader wants to solve the mystery with your detective. You will plant clues for your detective to discover right along with your reader.

Clues reveal information about the murderer, the crime, the motives for murder, and the character of the victim and suspects.

A clue brings the detective and reader closer to solving the mystery. A red herring leads the detective and reader in the wrong direction or to the wrong suspect. That’s the only difference.

Your cozy mystery will be filled with clues and red herrings that lead the detective and reader on a wild goose chase. Sometimes the murderer will plant false clues (red herrings) to lead the detective in another direction away from himself.

Who will solve the mystery first?

Clues can be hard to come up with when you first start writing a cozy mystery.

List of clues/red herrings that you can use in your story. (you’ll have to listen to get it)

For step-by-step help in creating your own murder mystery, grab your copy of Who Dun It Murder Mystery Literature & Writing Volume II by Meredith Curtis

Who Dun It Murder Mystery Literature & Writing Volume II by Meredith Curtis is a one-credit high school English course.

Sign up for our updates and get your copy of 100 Homeschool Hacks FREE. Sign up here.

Maggie & Matt King move to Hopeville, Virginia so Matt can go to seminary, studying to be a pastor. Maggie is a SAHM to Bethany (and more children to come) but finds time to stumble across dead bodies and unmask the murderer. Eventually, Maggie will homeschool her children and enjoy her role as a pastor’s wife. But she doesn’t stop solving mysteries. Enjoy her adventures. Wholesome Christian Cozy Mysteries.

Thank You to our Network Sponsor – CTC Math!

The post Write a Mystery 104: Suspects, Clues, Red Herrings appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

In episode 242, “Write a Mystery 103: Classic Who Dun It Plot,” Meredith Curtis brings you to the next step on your storytelling journey. Mystery writers, it’s time to create a plot. The classic who dun it plot goes beyond the inciting incident, rising action, climax, and resolution. It keeps the reader guessing who the criminal is until the end.

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Crime committed, usually a murder. Clues & red herrings followed by detective & readers who try their hardest to guess the perpetrator. At the end of the story, justice is served.

Plot is what makes a story a story. Stories have action, movement, a beginning, and an ending.

A story moves from the initial scenario to the climax to the final conclusion. The plot, or story line, pulls us into the lives of the characters through their words and actions during the adventure. Every story is made up of a series of incidents that are related to each other.

Conflict is the heart of the story. This is where you find out who the “good guys” are and who the “enemy” is. There is no plot without this dramatic struggle between the main character and an opposing force in the story. Conflict can be external (human versus human, human versus nature, human versus society) or internal (human versus self). Conflict is often introduced early on in the story, sometimes in the opening pages.

In a murder mystery, the battle of wits is between the detective and the unknown murderer.

I like to think of the plot, or storyline, in terms of scenes. One chapter may have several scenes.

Introduce Normal

Show what normal life looks like in the first scene, introduce main characters (can be done in 1 chapter or less than a chapter. The stage is now set for the story to begin.

Teatime Trouble – Maggie & Matt move to Hopeville for Matt to start seminary.

In Third Girl, young woman Norma Restarick seeks help from Poirot, believing she may have committed murder.

Inciting Incident

Crime or murder happens. Clues at the scene. Suspects.

Teatime Trouble

In Third Girl

Conflict & Complications

Conflict between detective and criminal, trying to unmask murderer and bring to justice. Investigating suspects. Every suspect should have a motive. Clues & Red Herrings. Complications – personal things impacting detective, thus impacting investigation.

Teatime Trouble

In Third Girl

Climax

The moment you wait for in a movie, where the action is most intense (the chase scene in a detective television show!) is called the climax. You are at the edge of your chair for the climax.  It is the turning point in the story. The main character comes face to face with a conflict and will change in some way as a result of the conflict. This is the final showdown that elicits the greatest emotion from the reader. The climax might be the murderer confronting the detective, trying to stop him from discovering his identity or the detective revealing the identity of the murderer. It is usually something along these lines.

Complications – personal things impacting detective, thus impacting investigation.

Resolution

The conclusion or ending of the story is where the story stops in a reasonable way that allows the reader to feel that the tale is through.

Justice is served. Things are resolved and/or clarified.

Teatime Trouble

In Third Girl

Back to Normal

I like to add a final scene to bring the amateur sleuth back to normal life. Think of a TV show with the ending scene.

Teatime Trouble

In Third Girl

For step-by-step help in creating your own murder mystery, grab your copy of Who Dun It Murder Mystery Literature & Writing Volume II by Meredith Curtis

Who Dun It Murder Mystery Literature & Writing Volume II by Meredith Curtis is a one-credit high school English course.

Sign up for our updates and get your copy of 100 Homeschool Hacks FREE. Sign up here.

Maggie & Matt King move to Hopeville, Virginia so Matt can go to seminary, studying to be a pastor. Maggie is a SAHM to Bethany (and more children to come) but finds time to stumble across dead bodies and unmask the murderer. Eventually, Maggie will homeschool her children and enjoy her role as a pastor’s wife. But she doesn’t stop solving mysteries. Enjoy her adventures. Wholesome Christian Cozy Mysteries.

Thank You to our Network Sponsor – CTC Math!

The post Write a Mystery 103: Classic Who Dun It Plot appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

In “12 Homeshool Gold Nuggets from Laura & Meredith,” Episode, #241, join Meredith Curtis and Laura Nolette for a trip down memory lane with purpose. They will share their very best homeschool tips and insights to help your homeschool journey be joyful and successful. From teaching to relationships to adding hands-on fun, will share from their successes and failures. Grab a cup of tea (or a mug of coffee) and join us if you want to be encouraged and inspired.

Grab your Homeschool Gold Nugget, Treasure Hunters! Find it here.

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12 years ago, Felice asked me to pray about an idea: a homeschool podcast network. 12 years later, Laura and I are still here podcasting.

 Download the 12th Birthday Treasure Chest!

No purchase necessary — this is a free resource made possible by our generous sponsors: Media Angels, True North Academy, CTC Math, Math Mammoth, BaseCampEd, Powerline Productions, Funda Funda Academy, Raising Real Men, 7 Sisters Homeschool, and Galaxy Grammar Books.

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Don’t just teach kids to read, cultivate a love of reading using reading aloud, conversations instead of book reports, and a well-stock home library.

Science is the discovery of God’s creation and it should be fun. Fun early prevents intimidation in the future.

Some subjects are incremental like phonics, math, grammar, foreign language, music

Many are smorgosboard. You can explore different aspects at different times.

Classic literature is filled with excellent vocabulary and language. This helps moms grow intellectually which gives them a taste of learning and soon a love of learning that is contagious.

Archaeology Dig, Ancient Greek Olympics, Heroes for Jesus Party, Medieval Banquet, Victorian Tea Party, Luau, State Dinner, Vaudeville Show, Seder Meal

History, geography, models, math, art (mosaic), cake & cookie decorating

Immerse in place or time period

Turning the house into an airport & airplane

Farm Tour, Lu Botanical Gardens, Beach, Boating, Palm Tree Farms, Aquarium, Zoos, Bird Sanctuary, Sea World, Planatarium, Wet Walks, Fire Station, Police Station, Colonial-Era Tall Ships, St Lucia Festival, Museums, Morse Museum,

Grandparents stories & hospitalizations, hurricanes, significant world & local events, 911, Charlie Kirk

Church worship team & sound team, Sunday school

Volunteer hours & experience on resumes. Finish Well Conference.

Mistakes with my oldest learning alone. Our history days. Geography Fair, Drama, Fine Arts Nite, Choir, Community band,

Homeschool Co-op: math club, history labs, mapping, science experiments, PE

Map on the Bathroom, Write a Murder Mystery, Mini-Golf Lab,

Ideas that been vetoed: Buy an old car for kids to learn car repair

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Thank You to our Network Sponsor – CTC Math!

The post 12 Homeschool Gold Nuggets from Laura & Meredith appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

In “Live the Legacy of Charlie Kirk,” episode #240, Meredith Curtis challenges teens and adults to keep the legacy of Charlie Kirk alive in your personal life, home, and sphere of influence. She looks at some takeaways from Charlie’s life and gives practical ways to live them out. This is one of those windows in history. Don’t let this moment pass without jumping into a closer relationship with Jesus and shining your light brighter than ever before.

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When I heard Charlie was shot.

How my family reacted to his death.

Watched him grow in the Lord over time. Became first Christian martyr on US soil in a long, long time.

Genuine Love for People.

Deep love for God’s Word & respectful debate.

Promoted “Work hard, marry, have children.”

Pro-life.

Called men to Leadership & Authentic Manhood.

Love America & American Values: honesty, integrity, freedom of speech, Constitution, hard work, etc.

I want to be remembered for my faith and courage. Saw so many people say, “I went to church for the first time today.” Or “I started reading the Bible.” RFK, Jr’s niece.

Read the Word daily and study the Word occasionally. Pray. Worship. Join a local church.

President Trump: “Charlie loved young people, and they loved him. No one could connect with young people like Charlie.”

People are valuable, made in the image of God. Respect.

What about all the people mocking his death? Compassion. When we were His enemies, Christ died for us.

I love when Charlie told guys, you pay on a date! What’s the big deal about that?

This is the lifestyle that makes a culture strong. The nuclear & extended family.

I saw many testimonies after Charlie’s death from women who chose to keep their baby. What a precious legacy.

How can we promote life?

Men need mentors in our culture in the midst of Single-Mom homes, corruption, mixed messages, and a constant battering of biblical manhood. Charlie called men to be men.

If you are a man, be the man God’s called you to be.

If you are a woman, pray for and affirm the men in your life.

Charlie loved America and got involved in the political process. He debated on college campuses where indoctrination can be mixed with education. He was courageous to stand for what he believed – his faith and his politics.

America’s Spiritual Heritage – Great Awakening, Constitution

Get political. If we leave government and politics to the world, how can there be hope for our nation? We have the answers in Scripture.

Prayer for Erika and the children and Turning Point USA.

God bless you, God bless your ministry, and God bless America.

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Learn about government and character the fun way!

Thank You to our Network Sponsor – CTC Math!

The post Live the Legacy of Charlie Kirk! appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

In episode 239, “Write a Mystery 102: Create a Detective,” Meredith Curtis brings you to the next step on your storytelling journey. Mystery writers, it’s time to create a detective. He will be the protagonist, the one your readers will root for. Will it be a man or woman? Will he be a professional or an amateur sleuth? Are there different kinds of detectives? Yes! Discover which one appeals to you and fits in with the story you want to tell. We’ll talk about creating a backstory, relationships, day job, personality, and basic character. You are on your way to creating your own Who-Dun-It!

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Nancy Drew, Frank & Joe Hardy, Trixie Belden, Miss Marple, Hercule Poirot, Monk, Jessica Fletcher.

Last week, we talked about choosing a mystery genre. Today, we’ll talk about creating a detective. Just a reminder

Crime committed, usually a murder. Clues & red herrings followed by detective & reader who try their hardest to guess the perpetrator. At end, crime is punished.

We live in a fallen world, but God is Just. Justice.

God is a mystery writer, leaving clues about Jesus throughout the OT.

Maybe the leader, or ‘star’ of the team or partnership, working with others to solve a case. Include forensics, interviews, etc. in a professional setting.

CSI, Blue Bloods, NCIS,

(Vintage) Dragnet, Adam 12, Hawaii 5-0

Lead Police Detective, with helpers, who solves the case. May have power struggle with other officers.

(Vintage) Columbo, Inspector Morse, Dick Tracy, Detective Chief-Inspector Roderick Alleyn, Walker Texas Ranger,

Professional, licensed detective. Not a police officer but can be a retired officer. Relationship with official police can be good or bad. Solves the case with traditional and/or unique methods.

(Vintage) Hercule Poirot, Sherlock Holmes, Magnum PI, Monk, Psych, Remington Steel, Tommy & Tuppence Beresford, Canon

Can be FBI, CIA, MI6, Naval Intelligence, etc.

Jack Ryan, Agents of Shield, Numb3rs

(Vintage) Scarecrow & Mrs. King, MacGyver, It Takes a Thief, The Wild, Wild West, Mission Impossible,

His (or her) client is accused of murder or other crime so must figure out who the actual perpetrator is.

(Vintage) Perry Mason, Matlock

Stumbles into a case, follows clues to solve case when officials cannot. Good or bad relationship with police. Has a day job.

Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Encyclopedia Brown, Murder She Wrote, Miss Marple, Father Brown, Lord Peter Wimsey

Teams: Sister Boniface, Rosemary & Thyme

How did your sleuth start solving mysteries? Is this the backstory?

Examples of relationships & locations

Garage Sale Mysteries – Jennifer Shannon, husband Jason, son Logan, daughter Hannah, Detective Lynwood, co-worker Dani

Locations – home, antique shop, diner, garage sales, police station

Maggie King Mysteries – Maggie, husband Matt, toddler Bethany, friends Anika & Erik, Miss Lucy, Jack & Betty,

Locations – home, playground, Tidewater Treats, library, church

Sister Boniface Mysteries – Sister Boniface, Police Sam, Felix, & Penny, Mrs. Clam (landlord), Reverend Mother

Locations – Abby, Police Station, Village

Relationship with Police in Father Brown vs. Sister Boniface

For step-by-step help in creating your own murder mystery, grab your copy of Who Dun It Murder Mystery Literature & Writing Volume II by Meredith Curtis

Who Dun It Murder Mystery Literature & Writing Volume II by Meredith Curtis is a one-credit high school English course.

For step-by-step help in creating your own murder mystery, grab your copy of Who Dun It Murder Mystery Literature & Writing Volume II by Meredith Curtis

Who Dun It Murder Mystery Literature & Writing Volume II by Meredith Curtis is a one-credit high school English course.

In Print

PDF Digital Download

Can run a business – bookstore, bakery, craft shop, businessman, accountant, cashier, vet, doctor, nurse, park ranger, farmer, ballerina, student

Maggie – SAHM, Jessica – Writer, Matlock – Lawyer,

Game we play

Introvert vs Extrovert, Silly vs Serious, Late vs. On Time, Big Picture vs. Detail,

Game We Play – what would your character do?

Christian or no? Godly or struggling?

What hills will they die on?

No person is perfect. Where do they struggle?

Quirks help your detective to be relatable and believable.

Monk – OCD, Shaun Spencer (Psych) – Irresponsible, Miss Marple – nosy, gossipy, Trixie Beldon – forgets to obey, Matlock – stingy,

Most detectives have serious observation and thinking skills, notice details & put them together (Sherlock Holmes, Shaun Spenser trained by his dad, Monk, Columbo, Death in Paradise detectives)

CSI, Bones, NCIS use scientific research – still add an uncanny ability to dig out facts

Miss Marple & Jessica Fletcher – conversation, un-noticed

Gus (Psych) – sense of smell

Best friend, spouse, co-worker, parent, child

Dr. Watson, Hastings, Gus, Natalie or Sharona, Della & Paul, Rick & TC & Higgins

Anika & Miss Lucy & Detective Walker

Help you remember all the details

Don’t want your detective to have blue eyes and unruly curls in chapter 2 and straight blond hair and brown eyes in chapter 12.

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Maggie & Matt King move to Hopeville, Virginia so Matt can go to seminary, studying to be a pastor. Maggie is a SAHM to Bethany (and more children to come) but finds time to stumble across dead bodies and unmask the murderer. Eventually, Maggie will homeschool her children and enjoy her role as a pastor’s wife. But, she doesn’t stop solving mysteries. Enjoy her adventures. Wholesome Christian Cozy Mysteries.

Thank You to our Network Sponsor – CTC Math!

The post Write a Mystery 102: Create a Detective appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

In episode 238, “Write a Mystery 101: Choose Your Genre,” Meredith Curtis starts you on your storytelling journey. So, you’ve decided to write your own mystery. Congrats! What a fun project. Let’s start with what kind of mystery you want to write. Are their different kinds of mysteries? Yes! Discover which one appeals to you, and start on your way to creating your own Who-Dun-It.

Bringing Homeschool Joy to Families Everywhere!

Mom, Aunt Shirley, Nancy Drew, Meg, Trixie Belden, Agatha Christie.

What I love about mysteries.

Why I started writing them/high school English with Rose

Crime committed, usually a murder. Clues & red herrings followed by detective & reader who try their hardest to guess the perpetrator. At end, crime is punished.

We live in a fallen world, but God is Just. Justice.

God is a mystery writer, leaving clues about Jesus throughout the OT.

Usually a team, or partners, work together to solve a case. Include forensics, interviews, etc.

CSI, Blue Bloods, NCIS,

(Vintage) Dragnet, Adam 12, Hawaii 5-0

Focus on 1 lead Detective, with helpers, who solves the case. May have power struggle with other officers.

(Vintage) Columbo, Inspector Morse, Dick Tracy, Detective Chief-Inspector Roderick Alleyn, Walker Texas Ranger,

Not a police officer but can be a retired officer. Relationship with official police can be good or bad. Solves the case with traditional and unique methods.

(Vintage) Hercule Poirot, Sherlock Holmes, Magnum PI, Monk, Psych, Remington Steel, Tommy & Tuppence Beresford, Canon,

Can be FBI, CIA, MI6, Naval Intelligence, etc.

Jack Ryan, Agents of Shield, Numb3rs

(Vintage) Scarecrow & Mrs. King, MacGyver, It Takes a Thief, The Wild, Wild West, Mission Impossible,

Client is accused of murder or other crime. Lawyer has to figure out who the actual perpetrator is.

(Vintage) Perry Mason, Matlock

Usually stumbles into a case and follows clues to solve case when officials cannot. Good or bad relationship with police. Has a day job.

Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Encyclopedia Brown, Murder She Wrote, Miss Marple, Father Brown, Sister Boniface, Rosemary & Thyme, Lord Peter Wimsey

Amateur sleuth, focus on following clues, see detective’s personal life, no profanity, usually romance but no romantically private scenes, conversation-focused rather than action focused.

Watch some of these shows. Read books in different genres. Vintage is better because…

What kind of mystery do you like best?

For step-by-step help in creating your own murder mystery, grab your copy of Who Dun It Murder Mystery Literature & Writing Volume II by Meredith Curtis

Who Dun It Murder Mystery Literature & Writing Volume II by Meredith Curtis is a one-credit high school English course.

In Print: https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Mystery-Literature-Writing-Homeschooling/dp/B0CMZNY8ZK/

Digital Copy: https://www.powerlineprod.com/shop/who-dun-it-murder-mystery-literature-writing-second-edition/

Next time, we’ll talk about creating your detective & sidekick. In later weeks, we’ll talk about clues & red herrings, creating suspects, classic who-dun-it plot, and more.

Maggie & Matt King move to Hopeville, Virginia so Matt can go to seminary, studying to be a pastor. Maggie is a SAHM to Bethany (and more children to come) but finds time to stumble across dead bodies and unmask the murderer. Eventually, Maggie will homeschool her children and enjoy her role as a pastor’s wife. But, she doesn’t stop solving mysteries. Enjoy her adventures. Wholesome Christian Cozy Mysteries.

Sign up for our updates and get your copy of 100 Homeschool Hacks FREE. Sign up here.

Thank You to our Network Sponsor – CTC Math!

The post Write a Mystery 101: Choose Your Genre appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

In “Crazy Fun Back to School Celebrations,” Episode #237, Meredith Curtis encourages homeschool families and teens to plan something special for the first day of school. And it doesn’t have to be Mom who plans; teens have great ideas, too. This podcast gives a plethora of ideas from food and nature to silly projects and educational fun. This podcast will make you smile and probably give you some creative ideas of your own.

Bringing Homeschool Joy to Families Everywhere!

Let me take you back in time to 1990. My first & only first-day-of-homeschool photo

Special Breakfasts at Home

Make-Your-Own Breakfast Pizzas

Favorite Restaurant

Nature Fun – picnics, hikes, playgrounds, beach

Creation to Jesus’ Return Timeline

Treasure Hunt to Find Schoolbooks

Plane Trip to Heathrow & Tel Aviv

To kick off our geography co-op, we set up our living room as an airport gate, the dining room as security, and the family room as an airport. We made passports and plane tickets, using them to travel to London and Tel Aviv. It was a blast! (you can read more in Travel God’s World Geography – a yearlong course.)

Turn Christmas Carols into Homeschool Songs

Family Vaudeville Show

Learn more about the vaudeville show in HIS Story of the 20 Century.

School Color Photos

Theme Photos

Crazy Outfit Pictures

Tag me!

Be sure to post them and tag me! 

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Thank You to our Network Sponsor – CTC Math!

The post Crazy Fun Back-to-School Celebrations appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

In “Weather Modification I: What is Cloud Seeding?” Episode, #236, Meredith Curtis introduces weather modification, a topic that has implications for you and your future! Cloud Seeding was first tried in 1946 and has been sanctioned by the government since the 1970s. How does it work? What are the benefits? What are the complications? This topic makes for a lively family dinner table discussion.

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Cloud seeding impacts a large number of people, yet it is seldom discussed. So, let’s talk about it, starting with the basics.

Airplanes release a seeding agent into sub-cloud updrafts or drop the seeding agents directly into the upper regions of the clouds. This seeding agent acts as a condensation nuclei.

“Chinese scientists recently announced the results of a weather modification experiment conducted in the arid western region of Xinjiang. Using a fleet of cloud-seeding drones, the team reportedly increased rainfall by more than 4 percent across an area of more than 3,000 square miles (8,000 square kilometers) in a single day. According to the researchers, just 1 kilogram of silver iodide generated more than 70,000 cubic meters of additional precipitation, enough to fill 30 Olympic-sized swimming pools.” (Graceffo, Antonio, “The CCP’s Weather Modification Ambitions” https://www.theepochtimes.com/opinion/the-ccps-weather-modification-ambitions-5883068 7/13/2025. Accessed 7/19/2025.)

Cloud seeding can increase rainfall, prevent rain, or disperse fog. So, let’s do a quick review of why it rains.

Remember the water cycle? Water evaporates and rises in the air. As it rises, it cools and condenses into ice crystals. A condensation nuclei is needed for the water to condense. This might be dust, smoke, or salt particles.

In 1946, Vincent J. Schaefer used dry ice (solid carbon dioxide CO2) into clouds. This created snow.

Later that same year, Bernard Vonnegut used silver iodine (Ag1) could be used for cloud seeding.

Other known seeding agents:

Dubai uses Titanium for cloud seeding.

By adding condensation nuclei to clouds, cloud seeding manipulates the structure of clouds. This causes the water crystals to fall to the earth as rain.

Drones, rockets, and special airplanes are all used to shoot the particulates into the clouds. Canons and generators can also shoot condensation nuclei into the atmosphere, hoping it will find a cloud or targeting clouds specifically.

Experiments began and continued in 1946.

USA

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Started in the 1990s. Cloud Seeding Missions: 187 (2014), 214 (2017), 184 (2018), 247 (2019). Research, prizes, and government involvement to pursue excellence.

Dubai

More recently, Dubai has followed UAE’s example and used cloud seeding to combat water scarcity.

India

India has experimented with cloud seeding since the 1980s especially during droughts. However, many Indians object to cloud seeding because of its effectiveness and environmental impact.

Indonesia

Indonesia uses cloud seeding to prevent flooding. Indonesia used cloud seeding to fight a fire-related haze in 2015 and to reduce flooding in Jakarta in 2013.

China

China is the leader in weather modification and uses cloud seeding in all kinds of ways, even to make sure clear skies are there for important political events.

The main reason to use cloud seeding is to produce more rain. This can improve crop productivity, increase vegetation cover in an area, and help farmers.

Cloud seeding can modify weather, reduce the size of hailstones, and prevent the formation of fog. Cloud seeding brings relief to places with drought. It can make arid places more suitable for living.

Does Cloud Seeding have Negative Potential?

Cloud seeding harms the environment with the chemical compounds it uses. It is very expensive. Cloud seeding can harm people and animals. For example, silver iodide can impact human health negatively.

Cloud seeding needs clouds. No clouds. No cloud seeding. Flooding is probably the biggest negative of cloud seeding and is a big problem in China and UAE.

The Creation Mandate. We are called to fill and subdue the earth.

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The post Weather Modification I: What is Cloud Seeding? appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

In “Teen Summer Book Club,” Episode, #235, Meredith Curtis has a challenge for teens before summer ends: have a summer book club with friends and/or family. Just choose and read a book for pure enjoyment! Make it more exciting by discussing it with friends while you eat yummy food! Reading excellent literature for fun works out your brain, stretches your vocabulary, increases your attention span, cultivates compassion, and builds character. Plus when you read for fun, you release endorphins and add joy to life!

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“I read that book with a flashlight under the covers so I wouldn’t wake my sister!”

“I figured out who did it.”

“I thought I figured out who did it, but the ending shocked me!”

One summer in high school when boredom was encroaching, I made a list of classics I’d never read.

How about you?

Are there books that interest you, but you’ve never read them?

Maybe childhood classics your friends talk about.

Do you have friends or family members who feel the same way?

Why not choose 1 book that everyone reads. Set a date and plan a book club. You could meet when everyone finishes the book or meet a couple times during the reading (after chapter 10 and after chapter 15).

So, how do you get the discussion going?

I start every book club with this question, “Did you like the book? Why or why not?” This often starts lively discussions because people have different opinions about the same book.

Another one of my favorite questions is “Was the ending satisfying?”  So many times we have ended up with folks sharing a new ending and others standing firm that the original ending is the best! It’s such fun when the discussion gets lively!

Here are some things I like to cover in book clubs:

I don’t try to cover all of those topics in each book club. I will usually keep the discussion going by asking the questions, “What did you like about this character?” followed up by, “Why?” Then I will ask the kids who they didn’t like and why.

Rabbit trails are the best part of book clubs.

Books can be like treasured friends because people and events remind us of our life. Or there are characters we’d love to be friends with or adventures we’d love to experience.

One time we were talking about our favorite characters in Little Women and we realized that most of us chose the character that we related to because we had similar personalities. This led to a whole discussion about personalities.

Historical fiction is fun because it make a time in the past come alive. This can lead to discussions on food, sanitation, transportation, fashion, customs, religion, etc.

Differing opinions is an important part of life. In America, we value freedom of speech. However, free speech doesn’t mean being crass, ugly, or rude. We share our opinions politely and we respect people’s opinions that are different from us. The exception is that the Bible has the final say.

The Blessings of Book Clubs

If you enjoy reading a book and discussing it with friends and/or family, you might ask to add book clubs to your English (Language Arts) classes.

We started a book club years ago when we were reading a challenging book in our homeschool co-op. We had so much fun and we realized that we learned so much more from literature and good books when we discussed them together.

As we discussed the elements of literature (plot, setting, characters, theme, point-of-view, voice) in a natural way, these things became easier and easier to understand and talk about. My teens loved discussing foreshadowing because it was like solving a mystery.  Symbolism was another fun topic because everyone brings a fresh perspective.

Yes, we loved sitting in comfortable chairs to talk about books and eat cookies, but we began to enjoy literature at a deeper level. Book clubs have enriched my children’s education and enjoyment of literature! All our English courses offer book clubs.

What Shall I Read?

Check our reading lists for every age imaginable:

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