MelissaB, I loved your thread on I think I know what I'm looking for...

[Kfamily]

but does it exist?

 

I was searching for more feedback on Classics in the Classrooom and came upon this thread. This is exactly the question I've asked several times but probably didn't articulate very well. I love the conclusion you came to on how to handle older dd's literature. Are you still planning on doing this? If so, would you pretty please share an example or tidbit of what you came up with? I know you can't share all that hard work but if you found a couple of resources in particular that helped you arrange your selections I would love it if you could share a couple.

I hope you don't mind my asking. I really would like to chose books and prepare our curriculum this way but have been unsure of where to begin. I do have How To Read a Book and haven't read it yet. I can start here.

Thanks so much!!

[Kfamily]

bump

[Melissa B]

Definitely read How to Read a Book. It is in my top three as far as homeschooling helps.

 

 

Here is what I have decided to do (FWIW.)

 

For literature I am using Excellence in Literature by Janice Campbell. I really, really like this program. It has almost everything I was looking for. She suggests one month per unit, but we spend two months and I add an extra book. So every two months we cover three books from the same author or literary technique, one biography and a TON of context information. She provides links to music, art, poetry, short stories, interesting tidbits, etc. She provides some areas to focus on while reading just to get us started, two or three smaller assignments and one larger essay per unit. I pull information from Perrine's and Teaching the Classics because she assumes the student has more knowledge of literary terms than my daughter actually does. I like it so well, I am spending the summer taking her ideas and figuring out how to bring them down to the level of my younger kids. :D

 

For history I have decided to write my own. We do two strands of history at once - ancient and American/world. I just finished an outline for dd11's (will be 12) ancient history next year. She will be doing ancient Greece.

 

Books at (or below) her reading level for history focus:

Story of Greece - MacGregor

Famous Men of Greece (I have the guides to go with this to make sure we get our history down. I may have her take the quizzes, still undecided on that.)

 

Context material:

Story of Philosophy (Part one) -Magee

What Life was Like at the Dawn of Democracy

I will also be adding four or so biographies that focus more on the math and science of the times. I haven't decided yet what those will be.

 

Higher level focus: (these materials only require reading, listening and some discussion - no writing at all)

I am in the minority in assigning these books to my dd at her age. But, my philosophy and end goals are different than those of the WTM and most of the people here - so there it is. I have come to believe I am not asking too much too soon, taxing my daughter's brain before it is properly developed or prepared, creating undue stress, assigning what I want to read rather than considering my daughter, taking away from her childhood, or any other of the gently given suggestions I have been offered the last couple of years. :D (The people on the WTM forums have been very gracious when suggesting I am being overly ambitous. I really appreciate their consideration, but still tend to disagree.)

 

Teaching Company DVDs - Famous Greeks

Hamilton's Mythology (first three parts)

Iliad

Odyssey

Plutarch's Lives (Greek lives only)

Oedipus Rex

Oedipus at Colonus

Antigone

Last Days of Socrates

Heredotus' Histories (only a few sections)

 

 

 

For American/World history she will be focusing on 1600 through about 1820. But, I haven't written that one out yet. (We school year round and six days, so there isn't as much here as it would seem for a student only schooling five days and/or 36 weeks.)

 

If that rambling post wasn't especially helpful, I am happy to attempt to clarify. :)

[usetoschool]

Definitely read How to Read a Book. It is in my top three as far as homeschooling helps.

 

 

Here is what I have decided to do (FWIW.)

 

For literature I am using Excellence in Literature by Janice Campbell. I really, really like this program. It has almost everything I was looking for. She suggests one month per unit, but we spend two months and I add an extra book. So every two months we cover three books from the same author or literary technique, one biography and a TON of context information. She provides links to music, art, poetry, short stories, interesting tidbits, etc. She provides some areas to focus on while reading just to get us started, two or three smaller assignments and one larger essay per unit. I pull information from Perrine's and Teaching the Classics because she assumes the student has more knowledge of literary terms than my daughter actually does. I like it so well, I am spending the summer taking her ideas and figuring out how to bring them down to the level of my younger kids. :D

:)

 

I have looked at her website over and over and like what I see, but keep putting it off because it is "designed for highschool"...after looking at the ages of your kids, I was wondering if you actually use the program as written with an 11 year old or do you tweek it? The example online has them writing a 500 word essay for A Connecticut Yankee...do you do some of it orally, or shorten the essay, or is your dc willing and capable of doing the essay? I have looked at just about every literature program out there and none of them were quite what I want. I agree, I love the way she presents things, the extra information, the questions, all of it. Excellence in Literature is the closest to my ideal I have found and if I could use it, or the methods and information in it sooner instead of making do with something else, I would be happy. So, if you have done the experimenting with it...:001_smile: can you share?

Edited May 18, 2009 by jcooperetc

[Melissa B]

I would say that I use it as it is. The only changes I have made:

 

I read the books as well, in order to discuss them with her (the program is written to the student so this isn't necessary)

I oversee her work (not necessary with the program)

I spend more time on each unit than is suggested

I introduce literary terms with each unit (not in the program - although there are suggested books for kids who need work in this area)

I helped her with the first couple of writing assignments (there are instructions and samples of each type of writing assignment in the back of the book)

 

My dd11 was thrilled to finally be reading books with some "meat" in them. She doesn't love the writing parts, but I think it is necessary and will make writing author profiles and approach papers a simple task when she enters high school.

[usetoschool]

Thanks!

[Kfamily]

Thank you MelissaB! I wish we were neighbors!

 

You mentioned using Perrine's and Teaching the Classics. I don't have Teaching the Classics-does this help you a lot? Is Perrine's the author of a book?

 

I copied the titles of several books you mentioned. Hope you don't mind!:D

 

I too have really set up our curriculum for the coming year in a way that is far different sometimes than most. We are will be doing a quick move through the ancients to get us back to the middle ages. Dd is really excited about some of the older books we will be using and I decided to use books she was motivated with to change our approach to our lessons. I want to step her up a lot this year and these books are interesting to her.

 

World History:

The Story of Europe (Marshall)

The Story of England (Harding)

The Story of France (MacGregor)

I downloaded some good resources from Google books. I printed a great timeline which runs the history of England and France together and another one from The Story of Europe which does something similiar only includes Germany and other European countries. I printed some period maps for England and France and am also retyping some questions from the Harding book. He has a couple of questions at the end of each chapter with usually two or three general questions, one or two map questions and one or two that make good essay type questions. I have a lot more to work on here.

To this I wil add a couple of biographies or historical fiction. I'm leaning towards these:

In Freedom's Cause

Joan of Arc (Twain)

Daughter of Time

The Crusades

 

We will be reading all of Bulfinch's Mythology this year so that will help cover some of Charlemagne. I have English Lit. for Boys and Girls planned (1/2 of it) as well. This is my way of trying to tie everything together but with my own lack of education (at least in this way) I really feel like I'm fumbling along.

 

We do two threads of history too and we will continue with American History as well.

 

I think your plans sound great!! I would love for you to share more in the future. We are all in this together and I love learning and sharing all of this. I have been considering the Excellence in Literature and may add that in-even if as just a resource. I am committed to CW (since I know I wouldn't be able to handle this level without the hand-holding). I will tackle some of our bigger works in literature as we get to them in CW.

 

Thanks for sharing!:grouphug:

Edited May 19, 2009 by Kfamily

[Melissa B]

You mentioned using Perrine's and Teaching the Classics. I don't have Teaching the Classics-does this help you a lot? Is Perrine's the author of a book?

 

 

No, actually I have not found Teaching the Classics to be as helpful as I had hoped. I use it because I have it. But, I think it will be more useful when I try and set up a literature plan for the younger kids.

Now, Perrine's Literature: Structure, Sound and Sense (Thomas Arp) has been a very big help. This is the book I generally use for literary term explanations. Unfortunately, the short stories are really geared more toward high school or above.

 

- - -

 

Your school year looks like it will be very interesting as well. We won't be doing medieval studies for another two years. So, be sure and mention which books can't be missed! I have Dicken's History of England I was thinking about using that year, but I haven't read it yet.

I am really looking forward to our new school year. It is the first year I will be officially schooling all four kids, but we have some great plans and I love history and literature studies. It is hard to believe I am about to begin my last go around with the letters of the alphabet. :ohmy: It seems like just yesterday I was working on letters with dd11!