Figuring out this Comparative Ancient Literature study

[Renai]

So, Dancer is in 11th grade and has been studying quite a bit on ancient history and literature for the past 1.5 years or so. At the end of last semester I finally figured out I could turn it into a credit some kind of way. She's read, or listened to The Epic of Gilgamesh, Iliad, Odyssey, Cat of Bubastes, (the Percy Jackson series, haha) and really started digging into Greek, Roman, and Egyptian mythology (when I got confused, I asked her to make me family trees or something so I could keep everyone apart). One question I asked her was how, or do, the mythology reflect on how the people of the day lived their own lives. She's currently also going through GP lectures - The Other Side of History, and Great Mythologies of the World. In her own words, she wants to "compare and contrast pieces of literature from around the world - ex. papiro (papyrus) from China compared to one from Greece during same time period," amongst other goals (having a timeline of writing, etc.).

 

I want to add some writing instruction, as she needs more help in organizing her thoughts better, more efficiently. Her actual writing in terms of vocabulary, grammar, and content are good, according to other teachers.

 

But, basically, I don't know what I'm doing. I haven't had any output yet, other than a lot of discussion of the mythology and the cultures in which they were written. And stories about the gods. She knows a lot of god history. Sigh.

 

She will be doing more dual enrollment at the community college next year (she's currently earning a certificate in patisserie), and I want her to place in the equivalent of English 101 to start her AAS. Last semester, she placed one class below that.

 

What else should she be doing in this "class?" Right now, she's just absorbing a bunch of information, and periodically talking to me about it until my eyes glaze over.

[Vida Winter]

Have you used IEW for writing? Perhaps you could use it with some of her ancient history sources. Another idea - when my dd was in high school she took a Bravewriter class - I think it was Expository Essay or maybe a Research Paper class and her topic had to do with how King Tut died. I can't remember a lot but it was a 10-page paper with many sources.

[Renai]

Thanks for your response.

 

No, I've never used IEW. Is it a big learning curve? We really don't have the funds to do another class, but took a look at Bravewriter classes at the beginning of this semester and think it would have worked well for the goals I had for her.