SunnyDays Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 I would like to incorporate some memory work this year with 4th grade DS. Last year was our first year hsing, and we were just trying to put everything together... so I didn't really give it much thought. But this year, I'd like to give it a try. It would be preferable to start with just a few pieces... I don't want to go heavy with it each week. How would you recommend I get started? What's an easy way to organize or work with the student? What are a few things that would make good memory work for a beginner? One thing that came to mind is the list of presidents and maybe a short poem or two. Thoughts or resources would be appreciated!! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeritasMama Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Have you read Living Memory by Drew Campbell? He uses a binder system, and his book includes all the info you could ever need for memory work. I bought the digital version so I can simply cut and paste whatever we are working on into word and then change the size and the font, print it and put it in the binder. I am starting to do this formally with my son this year. We are incorporating catechism, scripture, poetry, history and dates, geography facts, and latin, and math facts. I am starting slowly, we are memorizing the pledge of allegiance right now along with latin and math. He has his binder that he uses 5-10 minutes a day to review, and then he recites some of his memory work during morning recitation. SCM also has a memory work system, it is used for scripture but many people adapt it for other subjects. I also love this idea, but I don't like my handwriting :001_unsure:. HTH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Tick Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 One thing I was amazed to see in practice was that reading the selection 2 or 3 times every morning out loud is an amazingly simple way to commit it to memory! I guess it has been too long since I memorized anything myself (decades). Why don't you (and dd?) think about what you want to accomplish with memory work. One goal I like is that I think it is important to build the confidence that you *can* memorize things - even long things. Another goal might be to memorize things that would be useful later, "30 days hath September", "In 14 hundred and 92", etc. Presidents? maybe, prepositions? perhaps, latin vocabulary or verb declensions? could be. I might start with a short, cute poem that appeals to you both. Then maybe a second, and then decide from there. I like things that we might be reminded of in daily life once in a while. I have little kids, so we all know the S. Silverstein poem Eyeball in the Gumball Machine You and your daughter might like Langston Hughes' Winter Moon or, if you have stairs in your house, Hughes Mearns' Little Man Lastly, keep a record as you go - handwritten or on computer so that you can flip through once in a while and review some of the older things you haven't seen in a while. I'm trying to reconstruct one now that I can use in the car once a week to review poems, definitions, lists, etc. It occurs to me that this might be a nice gift when they are older. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RocCityMom Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 I use Laura M. Berquist's strategy for memorizing poetry from her book The Harp and the Laurel Wreath. The first day we read the poem and discuss it. The next day, we work on memorizing the first stanza. We continue working on the first stanza for a week, just several minutes each day. By the end of the week, the first stanza is committed to memory. We do the same the next week for the next stanza, and so on. In so doing, we are able to memorize a 4 stanza poem in a month. Sometimes, the kids memorize it more quickly than that. Once it's memorized, I record the kids reciting it and we write the poem in our notebook and the boys illustrate it. We just started methodically working on memorization and recitation, and I am so glad we did. The boys feel such a sense of accomplishment and they really love reciting their new poems for dad on the weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lotsofpumpkins Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 I second the scripture memory system from simplycharlottemason.com. You could use it for any kind of memory work. We are using it to memorize Bible verses, and I love how it keeps us organized. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristinannie Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 I love th SCM system. I wish they sold it. Since we have only been doing this for about six months and my kids are young so we have learned enough to split them into two days. We do the most recent stuff every day and then split the rest into two groups. We used to do everything daily until it got to be too much. We do a mixture of scripture, poetry, and catechism. We will add Shakespeare later on. I love Harp and Laurel Leaf. I also really like the IEW poetry program although I didn't buy the cds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunnyDays Posted September 9, 2012 Author Share Posted September 9, 2012 Thank you for all the ideas. I will look at some of the suggestions and mull over how we want to accomplish this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristinannie Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 The best thing to do is just start. Pick a couple things to learn and just start. Do it at the same time every day. You really don't need a system until much later. Just jump in and persevere. It is awkward at first, but so worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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