If you did not have a Classical Conversations group/co-op in your area...

[Greta]

... and you were NOT interested in attempting to start one yourself. ;)

 

... and you were not very familiar with it, but were reading The Core and feeling inspired to do more memory work.

 

... and yet your student, who has a good memory, detests memory songs

 

Would you buy the Foundations book for memory work ideas? Is it worth the $50? Or can this not be effectively used outside of a CC group?

 

Or would you find other ways of simply incorporating more memory work into what you are already doing? (Suggestions appreciated!)

 

My questions may be a little premature since I'm not even finished reading The Core yet. But I am feeling inspired and feeling like "yes, this is what Classical Education is supposed to be!" and wondering . . . now what do I do next? :D

[laughing lioness]

I started a group and I think Living Memory is a much better investment for memory work. IEW language aquisition thru poetry is excellent. SOTW CD's- fantastic, though i'm in the group that can't stand Weiss' voice. My kids LOVE the CD's though and actually have big chuncks of them memorized.

If you can get to a CC workshop-they are good. Heather Shurley is a great speaker. Leigh not so much, but the material she covers is great.

Oh yea. Memoria Press study guides have great lists of memory work. I made a year of memory work by using them.

[Poke Salad Annie]

I have been pondering the same thing. For our memory work, I have made a notebook with baseball card protector sheets. I cut colored index cards apart in halves and use one color per subject. I type things I have selected to use, then cut and glue these slips of paper onto the index cards. I then fill up the card protector sheets randomly, with various subjects scattered across one page. Right now, the plan is to rotate two sheets at a time per week.

 

I have never seen a Foundations guide, nor been to a CC meeting, so I'm doing this strictly by-the-seat-of-my-pants. If nothing else, it gives exposure and some repetition for things I feel are important, and this is a very inexpensive way to do it.

Edited February 18, 2011 by Poke Salad Annie

[Greta]

I started a group and I think Living Memory is a much better investment for memory work. IEW language aquisition thru poetry is excellent. SOTW CD's- fantastic, though i'm in the group that can't stand Weiss' voice. My kids LOVE the CD's though and actually have big chuncks of them memorized.

If you can get to a CC workshop-they are good. Heather Shurley is a great speaker. Leigh not so much, but the material she covers is great.

Oh yea. Memoria Press study guides have great lists of memory work. I made a year of memory work by using them.

 

Thanks for mentioning all of these resources! I'm not familiar with Living Memory, but I will look for it. I didn't know that about the MP study guides, but I has been thinking about them for other reasons. Cool!

[Greta]

I have been pondering the same thing. For our memory work, I have made a notebook with baseball card protector sheets. I cut colored index cards apart in halves and use one color per subject. I type things I have selected to use, then cut and glue these slips of paper onto the index cards. I then fill up the card protector sheets randomly, with various subjects scattered across one page. Right now, the plan is to rotate two sheets at a time per week.

 

I have never seen a Foundations guide, nor been to a CC meeting, so I'm doing this strictly by-the-seat-of-my-pants. If nothing else, it gives exposure and some repetition for things I feel are important, and this is a very inexpensive way to do it.

 

How clever!! I love it! Thanks for posting this. :001_smile:

[MeganW]

I REALLY like the Foundations Guide, and am glad I bought it. (And I would be even if we weren't going to start CC next year.) It has the vital things for each subject, and they are broken out by week. But then, I like schedules and the more scripted type programs and having it all laid out in black & white. :)

[Greta]

I'm not familiar with Living Memory, but I will look for it.

 

Oh, it's from Drew!!! :001_smile: How did I not know about this? :confused:

 

Does it cover a variety of topics -- science too?

[Greta]

I REALLY like the Foundations Guide, and am glad I bought it. (And I would be even if we weren't going to start CC next year.) It has the vital things for each subject, and they are broken out by week. But then, I like schedules and the more scripted type programs and having it all laid out in black & white. :)

 

I like having things all laid out for me too!

 

Do you think it would be useful for someone like me, who would be using it for a daughter in 5th? Or is it mostly focused on the early years?

Edited February 18, 2011 by GretaLynne
Typo

[susesmiles]

I've been wondering the same thing. I'm thinking of using SL & SOTW, wondering if I should combine it with CC. Is it worth the $50? Can a person ever get a used CC Foundations guide? I've never seen one for sal

[bethben]

I wondered about the CC guide last year and settled on this that's been going well since September. Ds who's 6 does whatever he's supposed to memorize in FLL and Ds who's 10 memorizes whatever he's supposed to memorize in R&S English (basically they memorize Grammar vocabulary and poems for Ds 6).

 

I also got the IEW poetry kit and DS 10 has memorized quite a few poems. They are also memorizing the timeline cards per CC and a Bible verse. It's been going really well and I think they could do more so I am starting a CC group in our area...I finally got the whole grammar memorization thing and why.

 

Beth

[MeganW]

I like having things all laid out for me too!

 

Do you think it would be useful for someone like me, who would be using it for a daughter in 5th? Or is it mostly focused on the early years?

 

It's all the basic facts for the basic subjects. Definitely good for EVERYONE of all ages. It's truly just FACTS, though, not poetry or that kind of thing. Basic history facts, basic science facts, basic math facts, basic grammar facts, etc.

 

I have Living Memory as well, but that is more of a compilation of things to learn over a lifetime. It includes everything from poetry to hymns to geography.

 

CC is more cut & dried. If for some reason we end up not sticking with the CC program, my goal would be to get through the CC memory work, then the Living Memory stuff would be the add-ons. CC is the basics, LM is the basics plus a lot of other stuff that is to make you more culturally knowledgeable. CC has a very clear schedule of what to learn when, LM is the a really really fat book of lists of stuff to learn. I was overwhelmed by LM even though I loved the idea of learning from it. CC seemed more do-able.

Edited February 18, 2011 by MeganW

[angela in ohio]

No. For $50 you can get a lot of other resources. I think it's better to pick memory work that matters to your own family. There is nothing magical about CC's memory work. Buy Living Memory and a great book of poetry to start with. :001_smile:

[warriormom]

:bigear: I have been thinking the same thing! Thank you for this thread!

[laughing lioness]

You can get Living Memory from Lulu.

And, I do think the VP history and Bible cards are excellent even if you dont' agree with VP's theology. The pictures are terrific, great history on the back of the cards. 160 for each set. We laminated ours,memorize in groups of 7 per week and use them like flash cards.

[Wee Pip]

... and you were NOT interested in attempting to start one yourself. ;)

 

... and you were not very familiar with it, but were reading The Core and feeling inspired to do more memory work.

 

... and yet your student, who has a good memory, detests memory songs

 

 

Yup, pretty much describes me, too:) I'm still in research-mode. I started a similar thread a few days ago (mine was about the lists, because I didn't know you had to buy Foundations to get them). Someone suggested the Scholastic Everything you need to know about...books; I'm inter-library loaning one to check it out. I also like the free lulu.com ebook someone suggested. I'm also considering the foundations book, but I really don't want to invest in the veritas press timeline cards (sheesh, that could get expensive quick!) I'm really more interested in just history and science. We do AWANA, so plenty of Bible memorization there. I'm not interested in latin or poetry memorization either. Just history & science (and maybe geography, if all else were going well).

[Dolphin]

Here is a thread I started about CC and foundations. It was more to do with Geography. I invested in the foundations guide and I wish I hadn't. In an e-mail they sent me they told me that basically if you aren't doing a CC program, and you have a question or need something to implement, tough luck. Spend your $50 elsewhere, I really wish I had.

 

Nicole

[Amy Jo]

I bought a 2nd edition of the Foundations guide used on the forums for much cheaper. A printout of updates/corrections to the memory work was included. I'm happy to hear how others are using it and Living Memory (my next purchase).

 

I also recommend Linguistic Development through Poetry Memorization - great poems and fun.

 

I'm not about to spend $100 for the Veritas cards, I'll probably use the ones from Hannah's homeschool helps which go with SOTW.

[Hedgehogs4]

I've been wondering the same thing. I'm thinking of using SL & SOTW, wondering if I should combine it with CC. Is it worth the $50? Can a person ever get a used CC Foundations guide? I've never seen one for sal

 

i have a used one that is the 2nd edition...want it? i'll sell it cheap! :001_smile:

[angela in ohio]

I've been wondering the same thing. I'm thinking of using SL & SOTW, wondering if I should combine it with CC. Is it worth the $50? Can a person ever get a used CC Foundations guide? I've never seen one for sal

 

You should be able to find used older editions as CC customers update theirs to the newest one. They are just as good, even though you will have to make some corrections, and the layout isn't as intuitive.

 

You could also pick things from SL and SOTW to memorize. SWB gives suggestion in WTM for doing this, and I know Sonlight has maps included that you could use.

[Greta]

It's all the basic facts for the basic subjects. Definitely good for EVERYONE of all ages. It's truly just FACTS, though, not poetry or that kind of thing. Basic history facts, basic science facts, basic math facts, basic grammar facts, etc.

 

That sounds good. I have The Harp and Laurel Wreath -- which I bought for the purpose of poetry memorization, and which has sat on my shelf collecting dust for a couple of years now. :blushing: I need to just put it to use.

 

I have Living Memory as well, but that is more of a compilation of things to learn over a lifetime. It includes everything from poetry to hymns to geography.

 

CC is more cut & dried. If for some reason we end up not sticking with the CC program, my goal would be to get through the CC memory work, then the Living Memory stuff would be the add-ons. CC is the basics, LM is the basics plus a lot of other stuff that is to make you more culturally knowledgeable. CC has a very clear schedule of what to learn when, LM is the a really really fat book of lists of stuff to learn. I was overwhelmed by LM even though I loved the idea of learning from it. CC seemed more do-able.

 

Thank you for this comparison!

[Greta]

No. For $50 you can get a lot of other resources. I think it's better to pick memory work that matters to your own family. There is nothing magical about CC's memory work. Buy Living Memory and a great book of poetry to start with. :001_smile:

 

I have a poetry book designed for memorization purposes, and I could buy LM as a PDF file for about $16 if I remember correctly. I could put that on iBooks on my iPad, if I can figure out how to import a PDF (I know it's possible, I've just never done it!). So I think this would definitely be a cost-effective approach. Thanks!

[Greta]

Here is a thread I started about CC and foundations. It was more to do with Geography. I invested in the foundations guide and I wish I hadn't. In an e-mail they sent me they told me that basically if you aren't doing a CC program, and you have a question or need something to implement, tough luck. Spend your $50 elsewhere, I really wish I had.

 

Nicole

 

Wow, the total lack of support when paying top dollar for a book is kind of discouraging. I guess I will buy it used if I buy it at all. Hmmm . . . want to part with yours? :)

 

I'm going to check out your thread. Thanks!

[Paula in MS]

I've been thinking about this a lot. I would love to have a memory list like CC, but tailored to what we are studying now. History sentences from each chapter of SOTW 3 would be great. Does anyone have something like this?

 

I feel like we are not retaining the history. I could order the VP cards, but I really don't need another resource. What I really need is someone to write a list of 30 important sentences from SOTW3. Any takers?

 

I also need a resource of things to memorize for chemistry. I'm not sure memorizing the periodic table is the best use of our time.:001_huh:

 

Thanks,

 

Paula

[Greta]

I also like the free lulu.com ebook someone suggested.

 

I'm not about to spend $100 for the Veritas cards, I'll probably use the ones from Hannah's homeschool helps which go with SOTW.

 

Cheap is good and free is even better. Thanks for mentioning these! :001_smile:

[Amy Jo]

The post below yours by GretaLynne quotes 2 links - I'm sure that one of those has memory sentences - I just can't remember which! But they are from SOTW.

[Greta]

I also need a resource of things to memorize for chemistry. I'm not sure memorizing the periodic table is the best use of our time.:001_huh:

 

I would love to hear *how* people are memorizing the periodic table. I was thinking about this the other day when I was talking to dh about wanting to incorporate more memory work. And I said rather than just trying to memorize all the elements in order of number of protons (hydrogen, helium, lithium, beryllium, etc.) wouldn't it make sense to memorize them by groups? (i.e. Noble Gasses: helium, neon, argon, etc.) That way you would know them by their number of valence electrons and/or their properties, which would be much more useful than just knowing their place in the overall sequence.

 

Is anyone doing this? And if so would you care to hold my hand and show me how? :D

[angela in ohio]

There's an easy way to handle science and history facts. We learned it while visiting an old schoolhouse program. They called it the five finger lesson. it is a take on the five finger character lesson that was commonly taught in one room schools.

 

For each subject area, you learn five facts - one for each finger. The example our "teacher" gave was the states. So you hold up your hand and say "Ohio," then you hold up each finger and give a fact. It could be capital, year of statehood, state bird, motto, and one interesting fact, for example. You can also use the thumb for the topic (Ohio) and then do four facts. I ended up using it to have dc memorize facts about the books of the NT, and it worked well, though we haven't kept up with it well (as often goes with memory work :D.)

 

Another resources not mentioned is Logos School. They have quite a few materials published for memory time: chants, songs, etc.

 

I have very visual children (like me!) and so we do a lot of matching flash cards, Montessori-type three part cards, writing over and over, etc., rather than so much chanting or singing.

[Greta]

They called it the five finger lesson. ...

 

 

I have very visual children (like me!) and so we do a lot of matching flash cards, Montessori-type three part cards, writing over and over, etc., rather than so much chanting or singing.

 

Thank you, I think these techniques would work well for my dd too! Well, I'm not familiar with the Montessori one (I will look it up), but she is definitely visual, and she really hates songs and chants for memory work. So it's very helpful to be shown some other techniques. Thanks!

[TheAutumnOak]

I've been thinking about this a lot. I would love to have a memory list like CC, but tailored to what we are studying now.

 

:iagree:

We have Mystery of History 1 and I bought the challenge cards that you print out to go with it...My son remembers almost everything on those cards!...This is a kid who has a hard time remembering what he just said or what I just said for narration, but he can remember those cards...He sits with them, reads them over and that is it...I wish I had those "challenge cards" for everything :tongue_smilie: