Memory Work

[EJCMom]

I want to start some formal, organized memory work with my kids next year. They are going to be in first and second grade. What subjects do you do memory work in? We're using FLL, and I know there are poems in there to memorize, so we'll be doing that for poetry. We're going to be studying US Geography, so I thought we'd memorize the states and their capitols too. We'll be starting SOTW 1. Is there any memory work to go along with that? Is there anything anyone else can think of? If you do memory work with your kids, what do they memorize?

[ladydusk]

I want to start some formal, organized memory work with my kids next year. They are going to be in first and second grade. What subjects do you do memory work in? We're using FLL, and I know there are poems in there to memorize, so we'll be doing that for poetry. We're going to be studying US Geography, so I thought we'd memorize the states and their capitols too. We'll be starting SOTW 1. Is there any memory work to go along with that? Is there anything anyone else can think of? If you do memory work with your kids, what do they memorize?

 

My children love the Geography Songs and learn them quickly (although I don't think there's a states and capitals song)

 

Hannah's HS Helps has Ancients memory work, including History Sentences for Year 1. The SOTW AG has memory cards in the back as well.

 

Another wonderful resource is Hannah's Grammar Stage Memorization (free download) and Andrew Campbell's Living Memory (for purchase).

 

We do Creeds (Apostle's & Nicene), Catechism (for Young Children), Hymns, Bible, Poetry (IEW), Geography, Science, History, Counting/Skip Counting other math facts. We do FLL's Memory Work (poems and definitions). We're learning the Books of the Old Testament (from Wee Sing Bible).

 

I added a tag at the bottom for "memory work" you can find other ideas there.

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

Mine are first and second graders this year and we memorize poems, science definitions and Latin words and phrases. Next year we will add in some history/geography memorization as well.

[Tranquility7]

We do Creeds (Apostle's & Nicene), Catechism (for Young Children), Hymns, Bible, Poetry (IEW), Geography, Science, History, Counting/Skip Counting other math facts. We do FLL's Memory Work (poems and definitions). We're learning the Books of the Old Testament (from Wee Sing Bible).

 

 

We do exactly the same kind of stuff, only we don't do anything to music (doesn't appeal to DS, and he learns it well without music anyway). In fact, I even have him meorize the hymns first as poetry, and then we learn to sing them. He just isn't naturally musical, so that works better for him.

 

We also use the Shorter Catechism rather than the children's catechism. Mainly because I don't want to start all over again with a new catechism later!! And he really does fine on the shorter (he is already a third the way through it).

 

We also do the Veritas history timeline. I never even looked at the end of SOTW to notice any memory cards there, lol! I will have to take a look at that!!

 

One thing I would *highly* recommend is thinking about not only *what* you will have your children memorize, but also *how* you are going to review. Have a review process in place BEFORE you get started!! It is easy to get started with memory work and then get overwhelmed after they have learned a bunch because the review work is in different places, and it takes such a long time to review it all, and some gets reviewed and some gets neglected and before you know it, your child starts forgetting all that good memory work you put in their brains.

 

For us, initially, I just had an index card file, and I would have white cards for our current daily memory work, and then once he learned it, I would write it on a yellow card and move the white card to my archive (for DD someday!). The yellow cards we reviewed once a week. Once DS really really really knew the yellow card, I'd write it on a pink card, archive the yellow, and review pink cards once per month.

 

This worked great when we were just doing Bible, creeds, and catechisms. Once we moved into multiple subjects, I changed my process. Now instead of pink cards, I've organized all of our "well known" memory work in a binder, divided by subject. The memory work is typed or handwritten and pasted on a piece of colored cardstock (multiple facts per sheet, of course). We can easily flip through and review memory work, and I also love the feeling of accomplishment when I see how much we really have learned this year.

 

My long term plan is to continue this binder and break it out into multiple binders (by subject) when necessary.

[cjgrubbs]

Glory, I really like your ideas!

 

This is our first year to homeschool with a 5th and 2nd grade boys. I started out with Bible verses but quickly decided that we needed to do longer passages and poems. So we have learned the Old Testament Books and New Testament Books (5th grader already knew these), we learned Psalm 23. They each have memorization verses for Sunday School each week, also. In addition, we picked a poet - Robert Louis Stevenson - and then have each learned poems by him. I had them pick separate poems, of course, with the results being that they really learned double the poems bc they both know the others poems! If you check on the simplycharlottemason.com site they have several poets suggested that are children friendly.

 

April is National Poetry Month so we are going to do a whole week on poetry next week, including lots of poetry reading, learning about different types of poetry and writing some too!

[Tranquility7]

... I started out with Bible verses but quickly decided that we needed to do longer passages and poems....

 

Yes, yes, yes, yes, YES!

 

Fabulous advice. It is SO much easier (and more fun) to learn longer poems and passages than a zillion little ones.

 

I can give you a list of our stuff if you are interested.

 

We have also started doing our Bible memory work as a family. This has actually turned out fun, and it makes review so much easier, since we can do it whenever and wherever. We are working on Ephesians. Yes, the whole book! Do you think we can do it?! We are just getting started but I have high hopes. If anything, it will stretch DH and I to keep up with DS, LOL.

[MeganW]

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=261470