mamalynx and Happygrrl Iwas wondering

[mama25angels]

if you still use a grammar curriculum using the LCC method? Thanks

[elegantlion]

This was our first year with LCC and we did not use an outside grammar course. We used Latin for Children and Cw Aesop for grammar, which was sufficient for us. My ds did Easy Grammar 4 the year before so he a solid year of grammar under his belt.

 

We are continuing with CW Homer and plan to use Harvey grammar, but probably in a lighter schedule than listed in CW. I was pleasantly surprised how much grammar was learned during Latin.

[laylamcb]

I know Lynx uses FLL with littles--and so do I, because Lynx is my hero. :D

[Closeacademy]

There has been plenty of grammar in Lively Latin and application of grammar in Classical Writing Aesops for my 3rd to 4th grade dd. In fact I sometimes think that there is overkill between the two programs so we don't always do all the grammar activities in CW but we do everything in Lively Latin.

 

:001_smile:

[Mama Lynx]

if you still use a grammar curriculum using the LCC method? Thanks

 

I use FLL with the littles, because it's been my experience that it's easier to begin Latin when they know a little English grammar. So far we've only used FLL 1 and 2.

 

We also do Classical Writing, which incorporates grammar. CW schedules Harvey's Grammar, or an additional grammar text of your choice - we don't do this. We just do the grammar in CW itself, and Latin.

 

My rising 3rd grader is not quite ready for the jump to CW and Latin, so I plan to do FLL 3 with him. It's such a nice, gentle program, and so easy to implement, that we might do 4, as well. We may delay CW until 5th or 6th grade, and fill the years until then with FLL, WWE, and narration.

 

But once they're ready for Latin, I find that between CW and Latin, we get plenty of good grammar instruction and practice!

[Mama Lynx]

I know Lynx uses FLL with littles--and so do I, because Lynx is my hero. :D

 

:lol: and :grouphug:

[happygrrl]

I just have a second here...

(and speaking of that I second the Mama Lynx hero worship :thumbup:)

 

I am using FLL with my youngest as he is not ready for Latin yet. Will be soon I think. The olders were already using Rod and Staff when we transitioned to LCC, so I am keeping on with that. We just do it lighter since we run into grammar in Latin and CW. So, for example, today we'll do a R&S lesson but only orally, and it will take less than 10 minutes. When we come across that concept in other subjects I bring it out...( "Hmmm. Was that quote indirect or direct? Do we use a comma there? Where? Good!). So far that has been just right for us. My oldest has some signifigant learning disabilities (this is why I LOVE LCC, and how it saved my sanity, but that is another post) so the format of Rod and Staff is perfect, as well as the repetition of concepts throughout the subjects.

 

HTH! Thanks for asking LCC stuff; I am planning and it is fun to see what others are doing. Plus, I am a verbal thinker so all this chatting is helping *me* as much as it might any one. :)

[mama25angels]

Thanks so much for being willing to answer my questions, I would also like to know if you follow the LCC recommendations to the letter or if you mostly just follow the method using what you have on hand or what you like for each particular subject?

[happygrrl]

The author of LCC stresses that this is more of an approach than a curriculum (Drew, I hope you are reading and that you hastily jumo in to correct me if needed!). IN that sense you could do any number of curriculum choices and still be "doing" LCC. That said, there are some curriculums that just don't tweak well into a LCC-type schedule. A science that must be done daily, for exapmple, has proven to be impossible for me to alter. I find that I keep adding and adding and doing a bit more, and then I have violated every premise that I went to LCC for in the first place!

 

I think every family will do things differently according to their needs (as shown by the above grammer discussion).

 

That said, here is where I differ from the LCC rec's.:

We add in Rod and Staff for grammar, and a modified TOG for history. My kids disliked Latina Christiana, so we are doing Lively Latin. I like Artistic Pursuits and we do that as a group on Fine Arts Day. We are recent converts to the Orthodox Church, so we are doing a class at Church in place of religious studies (this is suggested in the book, so not a point if difference I guess). I just purchsed the science book and LOVE it, but am at a loss about how to implemet it for science! More onn that front as I sort it out. We jumped into this "in the middle" so we are behind grade level on some subjects (this is also due to the aforementioned learning disabilities we work with). Other than that, I find the book's reccommended resources to be delightful so we use them as much as possible.

[mama25angels]

Thanks again for your response, I have some ideas that i'd love to bounce off of you guys if you don't mind?

[elegantlion]

Thanks so much for being willing to answer my questions, I would also like to know if you follow the LCC recommendations to the letter or if you mostly just follow the method using what you have on hand or what you like for each particular subject?

 

We follow the curriculum suggestions tweaking for our family. Latin (we use LFC), math, and composition (Classical writing) are our three main subjects. Some days that is all we get done and I feel like we've had a full day, time and content wise. My son is very interested in science so we might spend more time on science than some families. We started LCC this year (5th grade) so we are a little off pace from some of the suggestions, but I see LCC as a framework and I can color it in the way it works best for us.

[Mama Lynx]

Thanks so much for being willing to answer my questions, I would also like to know if you follow the LCC recommendations to the letter or if you mostly just follow the method using what you have on hand or what you like for each particular subject?

 

No, I don't follow it to the letter.

 

First of all, we do the WTM four-year history rotation. I started out that way, and by the time Drew brought out LCC, I couldn't bring myself to change that part of our studies. Actually, my older kids are using TOG for history.

 

My two older kids are having more WTM-ish than LCC-ish literature, in some ways, because of that four-year cycle and when we started.

 

We do: Keep Latin, math, and writing at the forefront of our days. If we have to cut back, and do nothing other than those things, we know we are doing well. We use Classical Writing, which teaches via the progymnasmata exercises.

 

We keep science very informal, student-led, and full of nature studies, as recommended by LCC, until late middle school.

 

In the spirit of the first version of LCC, we keep a Classical Studies stream going. So although we are doing the four-year history cycle, we are always studying Greek/Roman literature or history, as well.

 

When I go through my booklists for the year, I consult Drew's lists first; then WTM's. I also take into account assigned supplementary reading in CW. Then I pick the best, keeping the list short.

 

Now, for my younger kids ... I was not impressed with TOG for my 7 and 8 year old, and so we really stopped doing history like that with them. They are still working on phonics and basic math and writing, but all else for them is much closer to the LCC program. They are getting LCC history and literature, pulled from both the first and second grade lists. I plan to do the same next year, as well. I will probably pull them back into the cycle when they are 3rd and 4th grade, for the ancient history year, and then we'll see after that, if I want to keep doing the four-year thing with them, or if I am comfortable following the LCC history and lit plan.

 

Right now, I'd call us an even split between LCC methods and TWTM methods; although my philosophy of classical education is the LCC philosophy, and so we set great store by our study of Latin, and strive to keep our schedule uncrowded so that we don't let the good squeeze out the best.

 

Is that more than you ever wanted to know? :lol:

[Mama Lynx]

Thanks again for your response, I have some ideas that i'd love to bounce off of you guys if you don't mind?

 

Bounce away :)

[mama25angels]

Ok, here's a plan that I put together for my 1st grader using things we have on hand or that are free online, I think this is more in line with the first edition:

 

English studies:OPGTR/ Abeka Oral Language Exercises

Fifty Famous Stories Retold

WWE(copywork)

The Harp and Laurel Wreath (memory work)

 

Greek--Greek Alphabetarion(I know we're supposed to start latin first,but I think Greek would work for him)

 

Classical Studies--Tanglewood Tales and ?

 

Christian Studies--Ergemeir (sp?) story Bible, VP cards and Greenleaf guide to OT History

 

Modern Studies--A First Book of American History w/D'aulaier bios.

Geography--world map and The Train of States

 

Arithmetic--Singapore w/Mastering Mathematics

 

Fine arts--AO

Science--CLP Reader 1 and whatever else we can find at the library

 

 

extra read alouds and such, what do you think?

[mama25angels]

No, I don't follow it to the letter.

 

First of all, we do the WTM four-year history rotation. I started out that way, and by the time Drew brought out LCC, I couldn't bring myself to change that part of our studies. Actually, my older kids are using TOG for history.

 

My two older kids are having more WTM-ish than LCC-ish literature, in some ways, because of that four-year cycle and when we started.

 

We do: Keep Latin, math, and writing at the forefront of our days. If we have to cut back, and do nothing other than those things, we know we are doing well. We use Classical Writing, which teaches via the progymnasmata exercises.

 

We keep science very informal, student-led, and full of nature studies, as recommended by LCC, until late middle school.

 

In the spirit of the first version of LCC, we keep a Classical Studies stream going. So although we are doing the four-year history cycle, we are always studying Greek/Roman literature or history, as well.

 

When I go through my booklists for the year, I consult Drew's lists first; then WTM's. I also take into account assigned supplementary reading in CW. Then I pick the best, keeping the list short.

 

Now, for my younger kids ... I was not impressed with TOG for my 7 and 8 year old, and so we really stopped doing history like that with them. They are still working on phonics and basic math and writing, but all else for them is much closer to the LCC program. They are getting LCC history and literature, pulled from both the first and second grade lists. I plan to do the same next year, as well. I will probably pull them back into the cycle when they are 3rd and 4th grade, for the ancient history year, and then we'll see after that, if I want to keep doing the four-year thing with them, or if I am comfortable following the LCC history and lit plan.

 

Right now, I'd call us an even split between LCC methods and TWTM methods; although my philosophy of classical education is the LCC philosophy, and so we set great store by our study of Latin, and strive to keep our schedule uncrowded so that we don't let the good squeeze out the best.

 

Is that more than you ever wanted to know? :lol:

 

 

 

actually, that's what I wanted to know. Thank you for such a detailed response!!

[happygrrl]

 

We keep science very informal, student-led, and full of nature studies, as recommended by LCC, until late middle school.

 

 

 

Mama Lynx- Could you expound on this? Or perhaps link me to a post if you have done so already? I really love the grade 6 book in the new LCC, but am trying to see if and how it will work for us. (Perhaps secretly I am sad about transitioning from nature study...ooops, have to go look at the little onesies they used to wear, be right back!:lol:)

[elegantlion]

Ok, here's a plan that I put together for my 1st grader using things we have on hand or that are free online, I think this is more in line with the first edition:

 

English studies:OPGTR/ Abeka Oral Language Exercises

Fifty Famous Stories Retold

WWE(copywork)

The Harp and Laurel Wreath (memory work)

 

Greek--Greek Alphabetarion(I know we're supposed to start latin first,but I think Greek would work for him)

 

Classical Studies--Tanglewood Tales and ?

 

Christian Studies--Ergemeir (sp?) story Bible, VP cards and Greenleaf guide to OT History

 

Modern Studies--A First Book of American History w/D'aulaier bios.

Geography--world map and The Train of States

 

Arithmetic--Singapore w/Mastering Mathematics

 

Fine arts--AO

Science--CLP Reader 1 and whatever else we can find at the library

 

 

extra read alouds and such, what do you think?

 

My only concern would be the Greek. I would want to make sure his English reading skills were well in place before starting a language with a different alphabet. The new LCC doesn't recommend Latin until 2nd grade.

[laylamcb]

My only concern would be the Greek. I would want to make sure his English reading skills were well in place before starting a language with a different alphabet. The new LCC doesn't recommend Latin until 2nd grade.

 

:iagree: Focus on those phonics.

 

One other thing: For whatever reason, A Wonder-Book was a HUGE hit here, whereas they were somewhat less enthused about the stories and pacing of Tanglewood Tales. Weird.

[Mama Lynx]

Mama Lynx- Could you expound on this? Or perhaps link me to a post if you have done so already? I really love the grade 6 book in the new LCC, but am trying to see if and how it will work for us. (Perhaps secretly I am sad about transitioning from nature study...ooops, have to go look at the little onesies they used to wear, be right back!:lol:)

 

Oh, heck, you're going to make me out myself :)

 

"child-led, informal, nature studies ..." those are all impressive ways of saying I don't do much.

 

My kids love science. They watch/read a lot of Magic School Bus, and documentaries like Walking With Dinosaurs and Cosmos. The older ones look at the Astronomy Picture of the Day, and the Wired Science blog. We go to science museums and natural history museums, aquariums and zoos. DH and I love science, so this is just what we do.

 

We take nature walks when I think of it, which, sadly, is not often. We catch caterpillars until they turn into butterflies, and tadpoles, etc.

 

We use informal ideas from howtoteachscience.com, such as teaching the kids about the periodic table, and teaching scientific laws, and observational skills.

 

We've done Real Science 4 Kids Chemistry. We've done a little Singapore Science, but not much. Frankly, I don't like most of what is on the market for elementary and middle school. I do like RS4K Chemistry, and I do like Pandia Press' science ... although we just didn't *do* it, so i finally sold mine. (I was very much impressed, though, and may try again in the future.)

 

I *wish* that I regularly did the activities at Harmony Art Mom's blog handbookofnaturestudy.blogspot.com

 

We do have "The Way Life Works," and I *love* it! I didn't require my kids to read it. I left it laying around, and my oldest picked it up and read a good bit of it. I need to find it and leave it out again :D I have just learned that there is also a textbook version of it, and am wondering if it would be suitable for high-school level biology, if I added a Teaching Company lecture, and some labs.

 

I also have the Moeschel Astronomy book (two copies, because i ordered it and then forgot I ordered it), and it is good, as well. But again, i just haven't *done* it. Another Astronomy resource I'd love to get my hands on is Classical Astronomy - Signs and Seasons by Jay Ryan.

 

Now my oldest will be heading into 8th grade, and i'm a bit panicked about getting serious with this science stuff. I keep running around, looking at resources, getting panicked about *which* branch of science to start with, and running in circles.

 

Again, I'm rambling :D If I keep this up, maybe I'll even start to blog again :lol:

[mama25angels]

My only concern would be the Greek. I would want to make sure his English reading skills were well in place before starting a language with a different alphabet. The new LCC doesn't recommend Latin until 2nd grade.

 

 

ok, so i'll wait until 2nd grade before starting Greek or Latin.

[mama25angels]

:iagree: Focus on those phonics.

 

One other thing: For whatever reason, A Wonder-Book was a HUGE hit here, whereas they were somewhat less enthused about the stories and pacing of Tanglewood Tales. Weird.

 

 

 

Thank you, i'll try that one instead

[happygrrl]

Oh, heck, you're going to make me out myself :)

 

"child-led, informal, nature studies ..." those are all impressive ways of saying I don't do much.

 

My kids love science. They watch/read a lot of Magic School Bus, and documentaries like Walking With Dinosaurs and Cosmos. The older ones look at the Astronomy Picture of the Day, and the Wired Science blog. We go to science museums and natural history museums, aquariums and zoos. DH and I love science, so this is just what we do.

 

We take nature walks when I think of it, which, sadly, is not often. We catch caterpillars until they turn into butterflies, and tadpoles, etc.

 

We use informal ideas from howtoteachscience.com, such as teaching the kids about the periodic table, and teaching scientific laws, and observational skills.

 

We've done Real Science 4 Kids Chemistry. We've done a little Singapore Science, but not much. Frankly, I don't like most of what is on the market for elementary and middle school. I do like RS4K Chemistry, and I do like Pandia Press' science ... although we just didn't *do* it, so i finally sold mine. (I was very much impressed, though, and may try again in the future.)

 

I *wish* that I regularly did the activities at Harmony Art Mom's blog handbookofnaturestudy.blogspot.com

 

We do have "The Way Life Works," and I *love* it! I didn't require my kids to read it. I left it laying around, and my oldest picked it up and read a good bit of it. I need to find it and leave it out again :D I have just learned that there is also a textbook version of it, and am wondering if it would be suitable for high-school level biology, if I added a Teaching Company lecture, and some labs.

 

I also have the Moeschel Astronomy book (two copies, because i ordered it and then forgot I ordered it), and it is good, as well. But again, i just haven't *done* it. Another Astronomy resource I'd love to get my hands on is Classical Astronomy - Signs and Seasons by Jay Ryan.

 

Now my oldest will be heading into 8th grade, and i'm a bit panicked about getting serious with this science stuff. I keep running around, looking at resources, getting panicked about *which* branch of science to start with, and running in circles.

 

Again, I'm rambling :D If I keep this up, maybe I'll even start to blog again :lol:

 

Thanks! Your science reality sounds a lot like ours. I also love the "Way Life Works" book. Maybe my problem is that while trying to look at it through my "teacher-eyes" I get totally absorbed with just reading it. It is... well... different is the only way I can describe it. DH and I and science-y so it is not that it is intimidating. Rather I thought I could use it as a spine and work in some experiments or something, and I find that it is not exactly a spine sort of book. I love your experience of just laying it about. That would likely work really well. It might be over my kids' heads at this point, but then again I am slowly dealing with the fact that I probably underestimate them.

 

I believe that *theoretically* one could learn the basics of science without learning science. What I mean to say is that through observation logical thinking skills developed from other subjects one should be able to leap into any science with an "of course!". Practically, I am afraid that I am not enough of a master of the philosophy of LCC to ensure that this would actually happen (after all, not only did I need to buy CW I needed to buy the woorkbboks too! And not just as a time saver if you know what I mean).

 

I love the science rec's from the first edition of LCC (have you seen them?), but they also scare the pants off of me, for the above reason. So that leaves me with a science need, and no science curriculum that I like. (Also, if I need to do upper level curriculum then possibly I need to ramp up to that... not just go from catching crawfish to a major text! ). I like your Biology idea, and it is good to heaer that the astronomy book is a winner. Keep us informed of your thoguhts! :lurk5:

 

Thanks so much for letting me ramble and also for indulging this thread hijack! Off to look at Pandia Press :)

[MorningGlory]

What a wonderful, informative thread! Thank you to all who have posted! I'm so glad that I clicked on it.

 

Jetta

[Mama Lynx]

I love the science recs in LCC1 too, and I'm afraid of them as well. I'm also afraid of how well we'd be able to "sell" that program to a college. In theory, the college should be able to see that it's a superior course of study. But in practice? I don't know.

 

I should note that so far Pandia Press' materials are only for elementary school. You can use them for middle school, though - you just have to beef it up a bit. I believe they are planning to publish higher levels. I liked it because it incorporates careful observation and recording of data from the beginning. We started with Project Life. The little boys loved it, but I don't know, I just ... didn't do it. It is very notebooky, and I can't get into that (I've tried).

[mama25angels]

One more question for you, I have an older edition of CHOW that I could use for history (I think i'm starting to combine the recs. in the two editions, lol), but it stops at chp. 75, I think it is. So, what i'm wondering is should I just finish up that part with Everything You Need to Know About World History or should I just not bother and use SOTW? Thanks for the wonderful discussion ladies and for brainstorming with me. Now, I need to work on a plan for my older ones, I think I may just leave them as is.

[teamturner]

No, I don't follow it to the letter.

 

First of all, we do the WTM four-year history rotation. I started out that way, and by the time Drew brought out LCC, I couldn't bring myself to change that part of our studies. Actually, my older kids are using TOG for history.

 

My two older kids are having more WTM-ish than LCC-ish literature, in some ways, because of that four-year cycle and when we started.

 

In the spirit of the first version of LCC, we keep a Classical Studies stream going. So although we are doing the four-year history cycle, we are always studying Greek/Roman literature or history, as well.

 

When I go through my booklists for the year, I consult Drew's lists first; then WTM's. I also take into account assigned supplementary reading in CW. Then I pick the best, keeping the list short.

 

 

 

I am so glad to read how you do this. I've been unable to make a decision as to how to incorporate history for us the LCC way. After having done Ancients, Middle/Ren., and American History up to just prior to Civil War, I thought I would begin the LCC sequence w/the Greeks and try to get through D'Aulaire's Greek and Norse Myths, Black Ships B4 Troy, and The Wanderings of Odysseus for Literature.

 

However, I'm really torn between doing that and going back to 1600-1850 using Biblioplan and SOTW 3 (which I already own) and covering what the rest of the world was doing during the early years of America.

 

I am curious how you combine the 4 yr. history cycle w/the literature recs in LCC 2nd ed. And how you keep it simple? I love the idea of only doing history once a week. I have a copy of the LCC 1st ed. that a friend loaned me that I haven't delved into yet. How much reading do you assign your kids between the classical studies and the history extras? Do you have a family read aloud?

 

Thanks for advising us LCC newbies!

[happygrrl]

I love the science recs in LCC1 too, and I'm afraid of them as well. I'm also afraid of how well we'd be able to "sell" that program to a college. In theory, the college should be able to see that it's a superior course of study. But in practice? I don't know.

 

I should note that so far Pandia Press' materials are only for elementary school. You can use them for middle school, though - you just have to beef it up a bit. I believe they are planning to publish higher levels. I liked it because it incorporates careful observation and recording of data from the beginning. We started with Project Life. The little boys loved it, but I don't know, I just ... didn't do it. It is very notebooky, and I can't get into that (I've tried).

 

Thanks! (We always drop the notebooky stuff too).

[forty-two]

My only concern would be the Greek. I would want to make sure his English reading skills were well in place before starting a language with a different alphabet. The new LCC doesn't recommend Latin until 2nd grade.

I would think a different alphabet would be a plus, not a minus. I thought the problem with starting written Latin too early, before English phonics are automatic, was that, since it used the same alphabet but with different sounds, it could cause confusion. But since Greek has a completely different alphabet (mostly; there's some overlap in the capital letters), the only issue I can see would be that Greek could take up time that would be better spent on solidifying English reading skills. Possible, but you can only spend so much time on phonics in one sitting anyway - Greek could be as good a break as anything.

 

An supporting anecdote from my oh-so-vast experience :tongue_smilie:: I've been teaching my almost 3yo the Greek and Hebrew alphabets since January. (I got her the Little Bitty Baby Learns Greek/Hebrew board books for Christmas. We keep them out, and I read them whenever she asks.) While at first she had a bit of trouble keeping the overlapping capitals straight (calling alpha "A" and B "beta", for example), I just kept reminding her that in English it is A, but this is Greek, so it is alpha (and vice versa). It seems to have worked, as now she is able to keep them straight.

 

(Honestly, sometimes I think about teaching her to read with the Greek alphabet first (using English words transliterated into Greek), because it is much, much, much more regular. She can tackle the complexities of English phonetics after she has made the connection between sound and print. No idea if I'm actually up for something that radical, but we'll see. It's not *that* different from people using made-up phonetic alphabets to teach beginning reading. :D)

[Mama Lynx]

I can tell you what I did this year. I'm still trying to figure out next year.

 

This year, I went through the Year 3 WTM literature recommendations, and wrote everything down. Then I looked at the LCC2 recs. It just so happens that the LCC2 recs for grades 6-8 dovetail nicely with year 3 WTM.

 

Starting with Diogenes, CW recommends optional literature reading. For Maxim, most of what they recommend is Ben Franklin's autobiography. Score! That also fits.

 

So I collected the three lists, and then starred the ones I thought were most important. My son is not a fast reader, unless he's very interested. And then, there was also some historical fiction I really wanted us to do.

 

The list I came up with was this:

 

Don Quixote (we did an adaptation) (check)

Perrault's Fairy Tales (check)

The Witch of Blackbird Pond (check)

Johnny Tremain (audiobook)

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle (working on now)

Pied Piper (Browning) (I forgot this one, need to get)

Grimm's Fairy Tales (check)

Franklin's Autobiography (did most of it)

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (not yet)

A Christmas Carol (watched Oliver! instead, and they are very familiar with various movie versions of ACC, anyway)

The Raven (haven't done yet)

The Tell-Tale Heart (haven't done yet)

The Fall of the House of Usher (haven't done yet)

East o' the Sun and West o' the Moon (haven't done yet)

 

In addition, TOG recommended, that I think are good to read:

 

Diary of a Napoleonic Foot Soldier (check)

Mr. Midshipman Hornblower (check)

The Princess and the Goblin (didn't do yet)

Carry On, Mr. Bowditch (didn't do yet, may listen to on audiobook)

 

Oh, and then for some reason, I had him read Frankenstein, which wasn't on the lists.

 

My kids have already read The Hobbit, and have had read to them Alice in Wonderland and Tom Sawyer, or those might have made the list.

 

Now, this was the list for my 7th grader. My 5th grader read a shorter, and different, selection. He is a much slower reader.

 

Our family read-alouds this year were Little House books, and half of Johnny Tremain. The little boys get Journey to the Center of the Earth at night right now, just for fun.

 

My 7th grader usually spends the first hour or so of his day reading. He usually reads his classical studies one day a week, and splits up the literature/history reading as he wants to. Then we discuss history on Fridays. Reading one time period a week, it took him all year to read the Iliad. I didn't mind that - he would read about a book a week, and then we would discuss that book. I thought it worked well. (My 5th grader read D'Aulaire's Greek Myths and The Children's Homer for his classical studies this year.)

 

The books we haven't gotten to yet - we'll just keep plugging away, over the summer.

 

My biggest problem with TOG, as you may notice from what I've written here, is that it's easy for TOG literature to distract me from the LCC/WTM list. But at the dialectic stage, certainly, I think LCC/TWTM have meatier/more important selections.

[Mama Lynx]

I agree. I think unless a young one is struggling with english phonics or phonemic awareness, I think teaching the Greek alphabet and using it for transliteration should be fine. i'd teach it as a "secret code."

 

(Aside: What are you using to teach yourself math proofs?)

[happygrrl]

Good post. I think this sounds very close to our coming year (fingers tightly crossed).

 

I can tell you what I did this year. I'm still trying to figure out next year.

 

This year, I went through the Year 3 WTM literature recommendations, and wrote everything down. Then I looked at the LCC2 recs. It just so happens that the LCC2 recs for grades 6-8 dovetail nicely with year 3 WTM.

 

Starting with Diogenes, CW recommends optional literature reading. For Maxim, most of what they recommend is Ben Franklin's autobiography. Score! That also fits.

 

So I collected the three lists, and then starred the ones I thought were most important. My son is not a fast reader, unless he's very interested. And then, there was also some historical fiction I really wanted us to do.

 

The list I came up with was this:

 

Don Quixote (we did an adaptation) (check)

Perrault's Fairy Tales (check)

The Witch of Blackbird Pond (check)

Johnny Tremain (audiobook)

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle (working on now)

Pied Piper (Browning) (I forgot this one, need to get)

Grimm's Fairy Tales (check)

Franklin's Autobiography (did most of it)

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (not yet)

A Christmas Carol (watched Oliver! instead, and they are very familiar with various movie versions of ACC, anyway)

The Raven (haven't done yet)

The Tell-Tale Heart (haven't done yet)

The Fall of the House of Usher (haven't done yet)

East o' the Sun and West o' the Moon (haven't done yet)

 

In addition, TOG recommended, that I think are good to read:

 

Diary of a Napoleonic Foot Soldier (check)

Mr. Midshipman Hornblower (check)

The Princess and the Goblin (didn't do yet)

Carry On, Mr. Bowditch (didn't do yet, may listen to on audiobook)

 

Oh, and then for some reason, I had him read Frankenstein, which wasn't on the lists.

 

My kids have already read The Hobbit, and have had read to them Alice in Wonderland and Tom Sawyer, or those might have made the list.

 

Now, this was the list for my 7th grader. My 5th grader read a shorter, and different, selection. He is a much slower reader.

 

Our family read-alouds this year were Little House books, and half of Johnny Tremain. The little boys get Journey to the Center of the Earth at night right now, just for fun.

 

My 7th grader usually spends the first hour or so of his day reading. He usually reads his classical studies one day a week, and splits up the literature/history reading as he wants to. Then we discuss history on Fridays. Reading one time period a week, it took him all year to read the Iliad. I didn't mind that - he would read about a book a week, and then we would discuss that book. I thought it worked well. (My 5th grader read D'Aulaire's Greek Myths and The Children's Homer for his classical studies this year.)

 

The books we haven't gotten to yet - we'll just keep plugging away, over the summer.

 

My biggest problem with TOG, as you may notice from what I've written here, is that it's easy for TOG literature to distract me from the LCC/WTM list. But at the dialectic stage, certainly, I think LCC/TWTM have meatier/more important selections.

[forty-two]

 

Aside: What are you using to teach yourself math proofs?

I've got most of Charon's recommended books, but I'm mainly using just two for self-education, though I dabble in others. "Principles of Mathematics," by Allendoerfer and Oakley (2nd edition) is my primary one, but whenever I feel ambitious I pull out Lay's "Analysis: With an Introduction to Proof." The Allendoerfer book is basically a proofy pre-calc book; Lay's book is meant for a first class in real analysis, generally an upper-level undergraduate course (easiest analysis book worth the name, according to Charon). Technically I have all the customary pre-reqs for real analysis, but the book intimidates me at times. When even the Allendoerfer book makes me feel stupid, I pull out one of Frank Allen's Algebra books. Edited May 28, 2009 by forty-two
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