This week I've had the opportunity to review the For the Temple Audio Drama by Heirloom Audio. This is part of a series of audio theater productions drawn from the historical adventure stories of 19th century novelist, G. A. Henty. For the Temple tells the story of a young vintner's son swept up into the conflict in the Holy Land between Roman occupiers and Jewish Zealots during the time of destruction of the Jerusalem temple in 70 AD. Your family will really gain an understanding of how the temple was destroyed and what that meant to the Jewish people.
The story is
told in dramatic fashion in a way that both transmits accurate
historical knowledge and gives children a hero of Christian values
to root for. Think Adventures in Odyssey, but with a historical bent. It's not just an audio book. It's an entire production: multiple voices, professional actors, and sound effects that really bring the story to life.
I will give the caveat that this audio drama was intense in places for
my young children (ages 5 and 7). There is a scene where a boat carrying two
of the main characters nearly sinks in a bad storm as well as several
battle scenes that my children found frightening (although I'm sure
older children would have found these parts exciting and engaging). I would
say that this product would be best for upper elementary through high
school. If you have younger siblings or a kiddo who is especially
tender hearted, you might want to have your bigger kids listen out of
their hearing.
The real gold is found in the 51 page, full color study
guide that accompanies the audio material. It provides background information on the history of the time period covered, a list of vocabulary words to
look up and discuss, some basic listening comprehension questions
that cover the plot of each track or chapter (and assess how well you and your children were listening!), and more complex
questions that invite your students to dig deeper into the content
and engage in theological reflection.
These questions would provide
great fodder for family discussion, or they could be assigned as
written work for an older student. The study guide also contains a
wonderful list of titles for further reading on the destruction of the
Jerusalem temple.
This material would be the perfect springboard for a
unit study drawing together history, literature, Bible, vocabulary
and writing. You could also use it as a fun supplemental activity to
go along with your existing history curriculum.
For the Temple is
just one of the many audio dramas available from Heirloom Audio. Here
are some of the other products they offer along with the topics they
cover if you'd like to find a selection to go along with your current
history study.
St.
Bartholomew's Eve: The French Reformation, the Hugenots, the story of the hymn 'A Mighty Fortress Is
Our God'
Wulf
the Saxon: The Battle of Hastings, Edward the Confessor
Captain
Bayley's Heir: Gold Rush, the American West
In
the Reign of Terror: The French Revolution, the American
Revolution
Cat
of Bubastes: Ancient Egypt, Moses
Beric
the Briton: Roman occupation of Britain, introduction of
Christianity to pagan Britain, Emperor Nero, persecution of the early
church
These stories are written from a particular political
and theological view point that some families might find
uncomfortable. For example, Heirloom Audio's story on the Civil War
presents a decidedly pro-Southern take on that period. I struggled to
find any stories that didn't have a white male at the center with
females in supporting roles only. If you are looking to expand your
child's understanding of history by incorporating diverse
perspectives, you might want to look elsewhere. But if you're looking to engage your students with a high-quality audio drama that imparts family friendly values, Heirloom Audio is a great option.
If you'd like to hear what other homeschool families thought of For the Temple and how they're using it in their homeschool, head on over to the Homeschool Review Crew for more reviews!
Comments
Post a Comment