tjlcc Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 Can you explain how a commonplace book for literary terms works? Who is the author of Prose and Poetry? Which selections do you recommend from Readings in Medieval and Modern History? Is The Book of Marvels essential? The price is deterring me at the moment. What are your top three choices for Physics? Can you elaborate on the Science notebooks? Thank you for sharing your curriculum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kfamily Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 I'm sorry. I keep trying to type out my response....and my first one was very long...and my computer keeps cutting me off before I've been able to hit post. So, I'm going to break up the questions and post them one at a time. :) Who is the author of Prose and Poetry? http://www.amazon.com/Walch-Toolbook-Series-Prose-Poetry/dp/0825138027 Can you explain how a commonplace book for literary terms works? A Commonplace book gives a reader a place in which to collect favorite or striking excerpts of poetry or prose and/or their thoughts, questions and impressions about the books they are reading. Poetry, dialogue, detailed descriptive scenes, speeches or anything else that the student finds interesting in any way can be used as a selection for any entry. The Literary Terms Commonplace Book came about as a combination of creating a literary terms dictionary, which would be built from the terms learned in Prose and Poetry and Figuratively Speaking, and a method of noticing these terms with each new subsequent literary work and writing them down. The Literary Terms Commonplace Book: This commonplace book will be set up as a literary terms dictionary. Excerpts from books, which serve as examples of literary terms, are added under the appropriate headings. The literary terms are first introduced from the following books: Figuratively Speaking and Prose and Poetry. The literary terms are arranged in alphabetical order and grouped accordingly. A number of terms overlap by using both books, but there are plenty of new terms to each book to make combining them valuable. The overlapped terms are grouped together and, in some cases, similar terms are grouped together. Each week the student completes the work for 1-2 terms (depending on how quickly you would like to move through the lessons) and then adds the new term(s) to their commonplace book. The definition is copied and then at least one example from the above book(s). Several pages are left blank between terms to allow for later entries. The student uses their commonplace book as they read books for the current term. When a specific literary term is recognized, they can copy the excerpt from this book and add it as another example. A review of the literary terms at the start of a new term for school might be helpful to ensure that a variety of excerpts are being added. It may be necessary to create a checklist of terms which will require the student to keep up with this variety of excerpts. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kfamily Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 Which selections do you recommend from Readings in Medieval and Modern History? If you don’t need this right away, I would love to get back to you on this question. I’m currently just getting the guide for The Middle Ages by Dorothy Mills started and will be using Readings in Medieval and Modern History, along with The Portable Medieval Reader, for primary source selections incorporated with the guide. If you do need a tentative list sooner than a couple of months, then let me look it over for a week or two and then I can give you a better list of which ones that I'd like to include for that year. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kfamily Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 I'm having a lot of trouble with my computer and/or this site today. :( When I try to type directly into the post box, I keep getting kicked off and lose the post. I've resorted to typing the responses in Word and copying and pasting them here. I'm having some trouble with the transfers of these too. So please forgive the number of separate posts and the crazy way they look. :) Is The Book of Marvels essential? The price is deterring me at the moment. I know…this one is so pricey. We have a joke in my house that this particular book is an heirloom book for our family. J No, it is not essential. It is a lovely book, filled with pictures and engaging accounts of Halliburton’s travels all over the world. I’ll see if I can add some alternative suggestions for Year Seven. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjlcc Posted June 8, 2015 Author Share Posted June 8, 2015 Thank you, Kfamily. Will reply more tomorrow, but wanted to check in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kfamily Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 Sorry, the formatting is so off with this... What are your top three choices for Physics? I’m currently working on notes/guide for The Wonders of Physics: An Introduction to the Physical World by Irving Adler. I really like it so far. The text is very clear but thorough and there are pictures and diagrams on every page. It is an older book, so if this concerns you then you might want to use a more current text such as the free CK12 Physical Science for Middle School (Physics Section). I’m also really like the series of books by Fred Bortz (The Proton, The Electron, The Neutron, etc.). I haven’t had a chance to look at Physics for Entertainment very well yet, but it looks like a fun book filled with brain teasers and ideas for hands-on, exploratory work for students. I usually try to keep a few books on the list that are free for those on a really tight budget. Physics for Entertainment and the books by Houston are in this category. I would use the Macaulay books for reference or light reading, but I know that some have used the books in a deeper way. Can you elaborate on the Science notebooks? I’m currently still working on these details. This is still a work in progress. :) Here is a list of the principles on which I’m trying to focus when planning out science: Principles •Observations, verifications, experiments, demonstrations and science notebooks along with living books, biographies, academic journals, etc. will be the main basis for the lower years and will be used to augment textbooks in the upper years. •A science notebook with observational drawings, written narrations, copied diagrams and created diagrams based on data from primary sources or personal observations will be kept. A formal lab notebook will be kept in the high school years and could be introduced sooner, if needed. •Demonstrations, discussion, documentaries and sometimes textbook work are also important for concept development and putting together connections. •Experiments should be authentic as often as possible and not merely replications of what another source requires. Experiments that are used from these sources are to be viewed more as demonstrations or practice for science skills or formal lab notebooks rather than true experiments. •Work on science skills and math used in connection with science will be part of a science skill category of our curriculum. I will include some science testing skills under this heading as well. •Learning how to create, carry out observations and experiments, test theories and formally write and display a science research project will be accomplished in this curriculum. •One of the most important aspects to include in narration work is to expect the student to read, reflect and then form questions about the reading. I have a separate page with narration suggestions that can be used with keeping a science notebook. I also have instructions for keeping the formal lab book, which will be used in the high school years. I will send you a copy of these in a private message, if that is okay. I’m still working on the upper years and much of it is not fully written out. All of the guides for all subjects, instructions and narration ideas will be part of the complete Year Seven guide when it is complete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjlcc Posted June 9, 2015 Author Share Posted June 9, 2015 I'm sorry. I keep trying to type out my response....and my first one was very long...and my computer keeps cutting me off before I've been able to hit post. So, I'm going to break up the questions and post them one at a time. :) Who is the author of Prose and Poetry? http://www.amazon.com/Walch-Toolbook-Series-Prose-Poetry/dp/0825138027 Can you explain how a commonplace book for literary terms works? A Commonplace book gives a reader a place in which to collect favorite or striking excerpts of poetry or prose and/or their thoughts, questions and impressions about the books they are reading. Poetry, dialogue, detailed descriptive scenes, speeches or anything else that the student finds interesting in any way can be used as a selection for any entry. The Literary Terms Commonplace Book came about as a combination of creating a literary terms dictionary, which would be built from the terms learned in Prose and Poetry and Figuratively Speaking, and a method of noticing these terms with each new subsequent literary work and writing them down. The Literary Terms Commonplace Book: This commonplace book will be set up as a literary terms dictionary. Excerpts from books, which serve as examples of literary terms, are added under the appropriate headings. The literary terms are first introduced from the following books: Figuratively Speaking and Prose and Poetry. The literary terms are arranged in alphabetical order and grouped accordingly. A number of terms overlap by using both books, but there are plenty of new terms to each book to make combining them valuable. The overlapped terms are grouped together and, in some cases, similar terms are grouped together. Each week the student completes the work for 1-2 terms (depending on how quickly you would like to move through the lessons) and then adds the new term(s) to their commonplace book. The definition is copied and then at least one example from the above book(s). Several pages are left blank between terms to allow for later entries. The student uses their commonplace book as they read books for the current term. When a specific literary term is recognized, they can copy the excerpt from this book and add it as another example. A review of the literary terms at the start of a new term for school might be helpful to ensure that a variety of excerpts are being added. It may be necessary to create a checklist of terms which will require the student to keep up with this variety of excerpts. We've been working through Figuratively Speaking together this year. We finished Part 1 (Figurative Language). We only used it a few times per month, but reviewed each lesson briefly every time. Neither of us could remember many of the definitions from memory, but we improved slightly over the year. A specific commonplace book for this would be helpful. Thanks. I will have to look into Prose and Poetry for Year 8. Is this ongoing or have you intended it only for Year 7? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjlcc Posted June 9, 2015 Author Share Posted June 9, 2015 Which selections do you recommend from Readings in Medieval and Modern History? If you don’t need this right away, I would love to get back to you on this question. I’m currently just getting the guide for The Middle Ages by Dorothy Mills started and will be using Readings in Medieval and Modern History, along with The Portable Medieval Reader, for primary source selections incorporated with the guide. If you do need a tentative list sooner than a couple of months, then let me look it over for a week or two and then I can give you a better list of which ones that I'd like to include for that year. We are just finishing The Middle Ages (Mills). :) I will look at Readings in Medieval and Modern History and perhaps include it a bit next year. Any thoughts you have are most welcome, but only at your convenience please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjlcc Posted June 9, 2015 Author Share Posted June 9, 2015 I'm having a lot of trouble with my computer and/or this site today. :( When I try to type directly into the post box, I keep getting kicked off and lose the post. I've resorted to typing the responses in Word and copying and pasting them here. I'm having some trouble with the transfers of these too. So please forgive the number of separate posts and the crazy way they look. :) Is The Book of Marvels essential? The price is deterring me at the moment. I know…this one is so pricey. We have a joke in my house that this particular book is an heirloom book for our family. J No, it is not essential. It is a lovely book, filled with pictures and engaging accounts of Halliburton’s travels all over the world. I’ll see if I can add some alternative suggestions for Year Seven. It must be good as it's on so many curriculum lists. Sigh. We'll see. I can get this Book of Marvels by Jenkins at a decent price, but just because the books share the same title doesn't mean the content will be of the same quality. I will schedule The Brendan Voyage for my son, and possibly How the Heather Looks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjlcc Posted June 9, 2015 Author Share Posted June 9, 2015 Sorry, the formatting is so off with this... What are your top three choices for Physics? I’m currently working on notes/guide for The Wonders of Physics: An Introduction to the Physical World by Irving Adler. I really like it so far. The text is very clear but thorough and there are pictures and diagrams on every page. It is an older book, so if this concerns you then you might want to use a more current text such as the free CK12 Physical Science for Middle School (Physics Section). I’m also really like the series of books by Fred Bortz (The Proton, The Electron, The Neutron, etc.). I haven’t had a chance to look at Physics for Entertainment very well yet, but it looks like a fun book filled with brain teasers and ideas for hands-on, exploratory work for students. I usually try to keep a few books on the list that are free for those on a really tight budget. Physics for Entertainment and the books by Houston are in this category. I would use the Macaulay books for reference or light reading, but I know that some have used the books in a deeper way. Can you elaborate on the Science notebooks? I’m currently still working on these details. This is still a work in progress. :) Here is a list of the principles on which I’m trying to focus when planning out science: Principles •Observations, verifications, experiments, demonstrations and science notebooks along with living books, biographies, academic journals, etc. will be the main basis for the lower years and will be used to augment textbooks in the upper years. •A science notebook with observational drawings, written narrations, copied diagrams and created diagrams based on data from primary sources or personal observations will be kept. A formal lab notebook will be kept in the high school years and could be introduced sooner, if needed. •Demonstrations, discussion, documentaries and sometimes textbook work are also important for concept development and putting together connections. •Experiments should be authentic as often as possible and not merely replications of what another source requires. Experiments that are used from these sources are to be viewed more as demonstrations or practice for science skills or formal lab notebooks rather than true experiments. •Work on science skills and math used in connection with science will be part of a science skill category of our curriculum. I will include some science testing skills under this heading as well. •Learning how to create, carry out observations and experiments, test theories and formally write and display a science research project will be accomplished in this curriculum. •One of the most important aspects to include in narration work is to expect the student to read, reflect and then form questions about the reading. I have a separate page with narration suggestions that can be used with keeping a science notebook. I also have instructions for keeping the formal lab book, which will be used in the high school years. I will send you a copy of these in a private message, if that is okay. I’m still working on the upper years and much of it is not fully written out. All of the guides for all subjects, instructions and narration ideas will be part of the complete Year Seven guide when it is complete. Anything you want my send my way is most welcome. Thank you. I have Physics for Entertainment on our Kindle, along with The Wonder Book of Light (Houston) and Physics Lab in Housewares Store. These will be supplemental readings (so to speak), but I'm looking for something longer and deeper to stretch out over the year. Are there reasons for not including The Secrets of the Universe (Fleisher)? Thanks for your suggestions. I will look into those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kfamily Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 We've been working through Figuratively Speaking together this year. We finished Part 1 (Figurative Language). We only used it a few times per month, but reviewed each lesson briefly every time. Neither of us could remember many of the definitions from memory, but we improved slightly over the year. A specific commonplace book for this would be helpful. Thanks. I will have to look into Prose and Poetry for Year 8. Is this ongoing or have you intended it only for Year 7? The idea was to complete both books in Year 7, but you can always complete Figuratively Speaking first and then follow it with Prose and Poetry at your own pace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kfamily Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 It must be good as it's on so many curriculum lists. Sigh. We'll see. I can get this Book of Marvels by Jenkins at a decent price, but just because the books share the same title doesn't mean the content will be of the same quality. I will schedule The Brendan Voyage for my son, and possibly How the Heather Looks. I haven't seen the book by Jenkins, but it looks interesting. My older daughter really loved How the Heather Looks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kfamily Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 Anything you want my send my way is most welcome. Thank you. I have Physics for Entertainment on our Kindle, along with The Wonder Book of Light (Houston) and Physics Lab in Housewares Store. These will be supplemental readings (so to speak), but I'm looking for something longer and deeper to stretch out over the year. Are there reasons for not including The Secrets of the Universe (Fleisher)? Thanks for your suggestions. I will look into those. I'll pm you the science notebook and formal lab pages in a PDF. I have no particular objections to Fleisher's book. I just don't own it and it tends to be a bit pricey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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