Unconventional angle to core classes

[SA Homeschooler]

I know this is a Classical Education forum but I bet a few have veered off on tangents.  So, would you share with me if you have used an unconventional spin to a core subject?

 

For instance, I am thinking of approaching U.S. History from an economic standpoint.  I would like to emphasize the mobilization America.  How U.S. companies reinvented themselves in order to help the America win.  Companies like Ford, Disney, General Electric made significant contributions.  This is my effort to make the subject more relevant and palatable for my ds.

 

I am also considering centering our study of poetry around song lyrics.

 

I would love to hear your thoughts.

[elegantlion]

We've done that with a few subjects. Last year we took a break from history and did a social studies course I called "Themes in Human Culture"  where we looked various aspects. We did the discovery of time, some history of language, ethics, a section on greed and power and something else which escapes me right now. 

 

For American History next semester we're going to study from Reconstruction to the Cold War, with an emphasis on WWII - this was ds's request. 

 

 

[chiguirre]

There's an economic history of the US on EdX. I took it about 6 months ago and really enjoyed it. Sorry I can't post the link from my kindle.

[SA Homeschooler]

Thank you!! I'll look at EdX.  Would love to have a link if you find the time. =)

[Sunshine State Sue]

Ds is an athlete.  I liked the idea of a year (or a semester) on the science of sports.  Problem was science is a rather weak subject for me (and I work 30hrs/wk) and ds was unmotivated.  So, it never panned out.

 

 

[SA Homeschooler]

Oh Sue that sounds great!! My kiddo is a full-time tennis player so something along the lines of the Physics of Tennis would be great!!  I hope I can make it happen.

 

Do you think there will be any problems with these unconventional courses on the transcript?  Can they still count as core course or would they need to go in the elective category?

[kiana]

physics of tennis alone would be really difficult to justify a full credit. physics of sports is sometimes taught as a university-level elective but I'd rather use it as a supplement to a more conventional physics course

[SA Homeschooler]

Yes, I'm sure you're right.  There just wouldn't be enough for a whole course but maybe we could use it as a supplement.  Thank you.

[Sunshine State Sue]

Do you think there will be any problems with these unconventional courses on the transcript?  Can they still count as core course or would they need to go in the elective category?

Problem for who?  I would think that the colleges might like to see something out of the ordinary.  It would make for good conversation with an admissions officer.  I don't know I'd try it with the NCAA.  Although, ds took a semester of Exercise Physiology and Sports Medicine, so maybe they occassionally see sports related classes on transcripts.  They ignored that class, though.  Ds had 4.5yrs of science.  I would definitely check with the NCAA beforehand if I hoped to use it as a core class.

 

HTH!

 

[Sebastian (a lady)]

I did an unusual literature class I called "Roots of Steampunk" that had lots of Victorian era literature. But the works themselves were classic lit. It was grouping them that was unusual.

[Chrysalis Academy]

I think a lot of people here do this; two posters who come to mind immediately are 8filltheheart and corraleno.  You might search for their topics and/or for "outside the box" tags.  There have been some awesome ideas shared in the past! Here is one of my favorites:

 

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/500945-outside-the-box-for-high-school/

[MariaT]

I taught a Caribbean history class, using Brown University Choices curriculum. I put together two of their courses: one was for a history of the Haitian Revolution, then I followed that with a US Imperialism course that talked about the US policies in the Caribbean while the Panama Canal was being built. I counted it as a semester.

 

It was part of a year-long project on coral reef regeneration. A few families got together to teach their kids, learn marine biology, do labs at the aquarium downtown, learn to scuba dive, then we went to the Dominican Republic to do scientific surveys of coral reefs for an international conservation group. A friend was really into Project Based Learning, so she proposed this, and the families involved devoted a year to it. We also did biology that year, but kept marine bio separate. My friend went back the following year with her kids and a different group of families, to continue the project.

 

My oldest DS used this instead of World History. He took a Holocaust History course at the CC as well as some philosophy classes which were organized historically.

 

http://www.choices.edu/

 

here is the Coral Reef Regeneration project website we created:

http://cr2chicago.weebly.com/

 

It was fun to approach the topic from an angle. Because my kids had done the SOTW cycle twice by that time, it was interesting to them to go deeper on different eras and regions.

 

Maria

[Leav97]

I did an unusual literature class I called "Roots of Steampunk" that had lots of Victorian era literature. But the works themselves were classic lit. It was grouping them that was unusual.

 

I don't suppose you kept any of the plans.  I would enjoy that class.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

I don't suppose you kept any of the plans. I would enjoy that class.

Sorry, beyond a booklist it was read, discuss, write.

[Closeacademy]

My daughter's geography studies started because of a manga series called "Hetalia." And we've used travel guides to explore the countries.  And youtube has been great for exploring the various countries folkmusic and how the different languages sound.  She also just spends time studying maps through history on her own.

 

btw--Hetalia isn't for everyone.  It does use language and stereotypes but the premise is "What if the countries of the world were just really cute boys (and a few girls) and they acted out history together."  It is done from a Japanese worldview.

 

 

[lewelma]

I designed a Physics for Poets course for someone here on the board: http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/492610-physics-for-poets-my-attempt-at-a-living-books-approach-to-physics/

 

This is my description of the philosophy behind the course:

 

As for the living books approach, I think that there *are* students out there that simply will not engage with a conceptual physics textbook let alone a mathematical one.  I thought for a very long time about the goals for this course and what the assessments would be.  There are no tests, thus there is no expectation that a student will really learn lots of material on a very specific level.  There are a lot of research papers, which require the student to hunt for answers.  I did this on purpose.  For students who care very little for physics and are not motivated to take a mathematical class, I want them to have experience with looking up things they don't know.  To not be afraid of not understanding, but to rather have a desire and the know-how to fix their ignorance.  All the papers and presentations also force the student to be able to *explain* the conceptual workings of whatever he/she chooses to research.  At the end of the course I would expect the student to have a vague/general feeling for a wide variety of concepts in physics, and to have more specific knowledge in the areas they chose to research.  I also want them to be pleased that they have spent a year of their life studying physics and feel that it was worth their time.

 

In the end, an algebraic working knowledge of mechanics or optics is not really going to help a humanities-type understand issues in the news (CERN, nuclear power, etc), especially if a mathematical approach causes them to dread/hate all things physics.  At some point, my overarching goal is to draw them in.  Let them experience some success with physics by using the tools of *their* trade - reading and writing; rather than the tools of our trade - math and the scientific method.  Obviously, these students will not be as well prepared as if they liked physics and were willing to study the mathematics of physics.  But sometimes you need to work with what you have.

 

Ruth in NZ