Does Classical Writing encourage writing across the curriculum?

[5LittleMonkeys]

I read in an old thread a while ago (can't find it now :glare:)that Classical Writing gives assignments and encourages writing in other subjects (history, science and literature). Could anyone confirm, deny or expound on this for me.

 

I love SWB's writing lectures and have been using them but I'm also going to be starting Classical Writing in Jan. and would like to know if I still need to write plans for cross curriculum writing or if CW will take care of that for me to some degree.

 

Thanks.

[Pata]

We are using CW Aesop A and I would say no, they don't schedule it. I'm currently trying to figure out what we are going to do, whether we will blend CW with SWB's suggestions or if we will just go with SWB's writing plan. I'm interested in hearing what others have to say :).

[siloam]

I read in an old thread a while ago (can't find it now :glare:)that Classical Writing gives assignments and encourages writing in other subjects (history, science and literature). Could anyone confirm, deny or expound on this for me.

 

I love SWB's writing lectures and have been using them but I'm also going to be starting Classical Writing in Jan. and would like to know if I still need to write plans for cross curriculum writing or if CW will take care of that for me to some degree.

 

Thanks.

 

Not all at once, but yes they generally have a lot of history and literature with a few text science passage, science is probably the most neglected. They just don't do all at once, but one at a time because there is only one weekly model.

 

Once you get into or maybe finish Diogenes, it is my understanding that the child has enough time and knowledge to do outside writing in addition to CW. My dd is finishing up Homer B, so I can't say this from experience.

 

Heather

[5LittleMonkeys]

Heather,

 

So so your dc do any writing in history or science? Could you use passages from your history or science to replace some of the models in CW or would that mess things up?

 

Thanks.

[siloam]

Heather,

 

So so your dc do any writing in history or science? Could you use passages from your history or science to replace some of the models in CW or would that mess things up?

 

Thanks.

I have had my girls doing other writing at different times, but right now not a lot. My 5th grader doing Aesop is also doing WWE 4 type summaries with her Bible. My oldest used to outline her science, but she is an auditory learner. Translation, she hated outlining her science and it didn't improve her test scores. Her attitude went south towards science so I stopped and tried having her read aloud to herself, and her test scores and attitude improved. If we were doing more WWE science I would have both doing weekly summaries, but that hasn't panned out right now. Thus until my oldest finishes Homer I don't have much planned. Later this year I will have my oldest write on topics from TOG and long term I plan to have them do Science essays. It just isn't all happening now.

 

You can replace models, if you want to do the work. My dd doesn't like re-writing Biblical passages, so I did replace those in each level. Aesop is easy, but Homer was a little more challenging. The first one needs a little more work because I chose a model that was way too long, but the rest turned out well.

 

Heather

Edited November 8, 2010 by siloam

[5LittleMonkeys]

Thanks Heather!

 

I guess this will be a case of it being dependent on the child and his\her ability\willingness. I'm glad to hear that you can substitute models if you want to.

 

Oh, and off topic, thank you for your help with my math\dd11 problems. I am using most of your method suggestions and we are anticipating having a great time with math. :D

[siloam]

Thanks Heather!

 

I guess this will be a case of it being dependent on the child and his\her ability\willingness. I'm glad to hear that you can substitute models if you want to.

 

Oh, and off topic, thank you for your help with my math\dd11 problems. I am using most of your method suggestions and we are anticipating having a great time with math. :D

 

Yea! I love it when something works, even if it is still a long road...

 

Heather

[bugs]

We have Homer for Older Beginners (so 7th grade and above) and they do encourage that students start cross-curriculum writing. Probably because in Homer they've got narratives - history = narrative.

[Rosy]

It's kind of like WWE--you can get the Core and give your own models, make your own spelling and grammar lessons to go with them, etc., or you can get the TM and wkbk and use the provided models. The Core outlines the principles you're teaching, but if you would be using Aesop you can just assign your own fables. So yes, it would be fairly easy to use across the curriculum, it would just take a little more leg work. Actually, at times DD has decided she doesn't like the story in CW, so I give her the option of using a Bible story or fairy tale as a model instead.

[Jamee]

I'm interested in this program but a bit confused on where to start DS, fifth grade. Does he start with Aesop or Homer? Also, does one need to purchase all three of the texts? There's a main, a student and teacher's guide, right? What exactly is the main text and how does it differ from the teacher's?

[bugs]

I'm interested in this program but a bit confused on where to start DS, fifth grade. Does he start with Aesop or Homer? Also, does one need to purchase all three of the texts? There's a main, a student and teacher's guide, right? What exactly is the main text and how does it differ from the teacher's?

 

They have a board where you can ask questions like this. http://www.classicalwriting.com/messageboard/

[5LittleMonkeys]

We have Homer for Older Beginners (so 7th grade and above) and they do encourage that students start cross-curriculum writing. Probably because in Homer they've got narratives - history = narrative.

 

It's kind of like WWE--you can get the Core and give your own models, make your own spelling and grammar lessons to go with them, etc., or you can get the TM and wkbk and use the provided models. The Core outlines the principles you're teaching, but if you would be using Aesop you can just assign your own fables. So yes, it would be fairly easy to use across the curriculum, it would just take a little more leg work. Actually, at times DD has decided she doesn't like the story in CW, so I give her the option of using a Bible story or fairy tale as a model instead.

 

Thanks for the responses! I'm sure there will be a period of time before I'm completely comfortable enough with the program to easily swap out models but I'm very glad to hear that it can be done. I get to have my cake and eat it too.:tongue_smilie:

[siloam]

I'm interested in this program but a bit confused on where to start DS, fifth grade. Does he start with Aesop or Homer? Also, does one need to purchase all three of the texts? There's a main, a student and teacher's guide, right? What exactly is the main text and how does it differ from the teacher's?

It is ideal to have a 5th grader in Homer A, but honestly none of my kids have made the ideal. :D

 

With a 5th grader you would want to start with Aesop A or B. In order to skip to B you would want them to have a solid foundation with quotes, sentence type, capitalization rules, nouns, pronouns, verbs, helping verbs, subject, predicate and how to look up words in a dictionary. B will quickly review them and move on to new material.

 

To explain which texts you need let me give you some history.

 

Originally there was only the Core book, which is like WWE hardback. It explains why and gives you examples, but it is up to you to implement it. If you plan to choose your own models then all you need is the core.

 

Their #1 fan, Kathy, came along and wrote the TM and student texts to make the program easier to use. It still requires you read the Core to understand what needs to be done, but it chooses models and lays out the work that needs to be done. The student text has the model nicely spaced for marking of grammar work, it has forms for parsing work, vocab work and such. The teachers manual outlines the week, suggests vocab words, and has the answers to the main grammar work. There is suggested review work that they won't include answers for. Only the student workbook is consumable.

 

Heather

[Jamee]

It is ideal to have a 5th grader in Homer A, but honestly none of my kids have made the ideal. :D

 

With a 5th grader you would want to start with Aesop A or B. In order to skip to B you would want them to have a solid foundation with quotes, sentence type, capitalization rules, nouns, pronouns, verbs, helping verbs, subject, predicate and how to look up words in a dictionary. B will quickly review them and move on to new material.

 

To explain which texts you need let me give you some history.

 

Originally there was only the Core book, which is like WWE hardback. It explains why and gives you examples, but it is up to you to implement it. If you plan to choose your own models then all you need is the core.

 

Their #1 fan, Kathy, came along and wrote the TM and student texts to make the program easier to use. It still requires you read the Core to understand what needs to be done, but it chooses models and lays out the work that needs to be done. The student text has the model nicely spaced for marking of grammar work, it has forms for parsing work, vocab work and such. The teachers manual outlines the week, suggests vocab words, and has the answers to the main grammar work. There is suggested review work that they won't include answers for. Only the student workbook is consumable.

 

Heather

 

thank you very much. that helps a lot is makes more sense than what I had read.