Adventures In Odyssey Audio Series

Description

This well known series from Focus on the Family consists of CDs from the popular radio program. Animated videos are available as well. For those of you who aren't familiar with the series, it is centered in a small "main-street" type of town called Odyssey. An older, wiser gentleman (and inventor) by the name of John Avery Whitaker, "Whit" for short, owns an establishment that is part ice cream parlor and part science & history museum of sorts. Whit has several employees, friends and frequent customers who make up the main characters of the stories.

Many episodes consist of one or more characters facing a challenge or dilemma whereby they come to Whit for advice. Whit typically points them to a Bible passage or story to help them learn how to handle the situation. Whit is usually not preachy, but helps guide the situation along so that the character needing help really "gets" the lesson.

Other episodes have one or more children going through the Imagination Station, a kind of time machine, which transports them into a period from the Bible or American History.

There is a lot of humor in this series for kids and adults. While I have fast-forwarded a little through a few episodes that have some brother-sister squabbles which present less than ideal family examples, my family has greatly enjoyed listening to Odysseys together. They definitely make "car time" go by faster. Each episode is about ½ hour long. - Jerry

Teaching Method
Traditional
Teacher-centered curriculum commonly used in classrooms that may include a text, teacher manual, tests, etc.
Charlotte Mason
A methodology based on the work of a 19th century educator who maintained that children learn best from literature (Living Books), not textbooks.
Classical
A methodology based on the Latin Trivium (three stages of learning), including the grammar stage (memorization and facts), logic stage (critical thinking), and rhetoric stage (developing/defending ideas).
Unit Study
A thematic or topical approach centered around one topic that integrates multiple subject areas.
Montessori (Discovery)
A methodology based on the work of a 20th century educator that emphasizes student and sensory-driven discovery learning and real-life applications.
Religious Content
Christian/Religious
Faith-based or including instructional religious content.
Neutral
Avoids religious or theoretical topics or presents multiple viewpoints without preference.
Secular
Contains content contrary to common Christian beliefs (i.e. evolution).
Learning Modality
Auditory
Learns through listening, talking out loud or reading out loud.
Visual
Learns through seeing, prefers written instructions and visual materials.
Kinesthetic/Tactile (Hands-On)
Learns through moving, doing and touching.
Multi-Sensory
Curriculum that employ a variety of activities/components.
Presentation
Sequential
Curriculum progresses through well-defined learning objectives. Emphasizes mastery before moving to the next topic.
Spiral
Topics and concepts are repeated from level to level, adding more depth at each pass and connecting with review.
Conceptual/Topical
Focus is on the “why,” often with a unifying concept as well as specific skills; coverage may be broader.
Teacher Involvement
Low Teacher Involvement
Student-led materials; parent acts as a facilitator.
Medium Teacher Involvement
A mix of teacher-led time and independent student work.
High Teacher Involvement
Teacher-led lessons; may utilize discussions, hands-on activities and working together.
Additional Materials Required
No other materials needed
Everything you need is included.
Other Materials Required
There are additional required resources that are a separate purchase.
Other Materials Optional
There are additional resources mentioned or recommended but are not absolutely necessary.
Consumable
Consumable
Designed to be written in; not reusable.
Non-Consumable
Not designed to be written in; reusable.