Grammar of Poetry Review

"Poetry is important because words are important."

Roman Roads Media just might be my favorite new curriculum supplier. I have several reasons, but one of the main ones is that they took one of my favorite curriculum's, re-packaged it, included DVD's and put it back on the market, all bright and shiny:

  The Grammar of Poetry

by Matt Whitling

Why bother with poetry? Poetry is about the art of creative writing. There is no more effective way of teaching beautiful writing than to teach poetry, memorize poetry and perform poetry. I have a profound love and appreciate of poetry because I have a profound love and appreciation for the power and beauty of words. The Grammar of Poetry teaches students of all ages (5th grade through adult) how listen to, write and read poetry.

The Grammar of Poetry is one of the first curriculum reviews I did- way back in 2009- and it continues to be one of my most read blog posts. I've taught this program to groups twice- first, as a semester long-course to a group of 5th-9th graders and then as part of a High School Creative Writing Course for 9th to 12th graders. It is a brilliant introduction to the foundations (grammar) of Poetry; thoroughly covering the two parts of poetry; pictures (tropes) and music (rhyme) and including imitation (the students write poetry throughout the course). It is simple but not simplistic. It guides your students through the seemingly complex maze of iambic, trochaic, anapestic and  dactylic forms with ease.

The Program consists of 9 modules, Each module includes a lesson on trope (pictures) and meter (music) - which are the key ingredients of poetry- as well as imitation. The DVD's include Matt Whitling (the author) teaching the course module by module. There is a terrific chalk-talk introduction to the program, an apologetic for the importance of teaching poetry as well as a  Matt Whitling speaking about attitude in classes and why poetry is important for both boys and girls to learn.

I would love to teach this program again. Unfortunately, time is at a premium. Guess what? My younger kids will still be learning this great information, because they will be watching the DVD's and learning from one of the best, Matt Whitiling. I was asked by a GG reader if I thought that the DVD's were a "nice to have" or  a "must have." I'm of the belief that the younger the kid, the better served they are by real, live, teachers. I also think that when you can get a hold of a master teacher in an areas that isn't one of your best areas, CD's and DVD's bring world class leaders home. So, really, weigh your confidence and skill level, the age of your students and decide. The book includes all that you need to teach this course masterfully. If you want the support of Mr. Whitling by your side, or can't eek out any more time, let him teach for you.

You can teach this course a number of different ways: as a "bootcamp" -over the course of a month, teaching a module/3 lessons a day. As a semester long course- doing approximately 3 modules or 10 lessons a month or as a year long class doing 1 module or 3 lessons a month. I always incorporate poetry memorization into this class (there are poems throughout, as well as a terrific poetry anthology in Appendix A) because I want the kids to really own the beautiful words of some master poets. For that reason, I think a semester is ideal for teaching the Grammar of Poetry. I always had one hour to teach this class in and that was enough time for recitation, the prior weeks riddles (included in every lesson, the lesson, practice and any questions.

 My 11 and 14 year old will continue this class over the spring and into summer. They are both proficient writers, love all things Roman Roads Media and enjoy the presentation style of Mr. Whitiling. Additionally, I know that my kids are in capable hands, leaving me free to do the plethora of tasks demanding my attention. While not a flamboyant teacher, Mr. Whitiling is neither dry nor boring. He is engaging, sure of himself and clearly loves the material and teaching. You really can't go wrong with the DVD set. It is professional quality with excellent graphics, a world class teacher and course material that every well-education student should have.

This is the perfect class for 6th graders through high school, an excellent addition to any high school literature program or as an elective credit. In 23 years of homeschooling, I count the The Grammar of Poetry as a Home school Must Have, regardless of your pedagogy, kids abilities or appreciation of poetry.

You can purchase the program directly from Roman Roads Media, as individual components of a curriculum (Student manual, Teacher Manual, DVD's) or as a bundle for $100. Be sure to check out the web-page for lots of great info and freebies. You can also "Like" their FB page here.  This is a company to keep your eye on if you appreciate quality, classical materials.
Stay tuned for my up-coming review of The Greeks by Roman Roads Media.

I was given a complimentary copy of the new The Grammar of Poetry, complete with DVD's in exchange for my honest review. Honestly, I loved the program before and I love it even more now.

@Golden Grasses 2008-2013. All photographs, artwork and text are the property of the owner unless otherwise stated. Don't miss a thing! Subscribe to Golden Grasses and get our articles right to your inbox!

The Grammar of Poetry- Curriculum Review

The Grammar of Poetry by Matt Whitling is part of the Imitation in Writing series published by Logos School Academy.

The Grammar of Poetry is just that, the system of rules and principles used in poetry. There are 30 lessons in the book, which can be used as a quick intensive, semester-long or year-long study. It is recommended for use in 6th grade but it is certainly usable through high school. I would recommend it for students who can think abstractly.

The first lessons introduce and define poetry, simile and rhyme, types of poems and how to read a poem. Rhyming Dictionaries are also introduced. Metaphor is covered and then 2 lessons on meter. At lesson 9 the pace picks up with every other lesson focusing on a figure of speech or meter.

Figures of speech covered include metaphor, simile, pun, personification, synecdoceh, hyperbole, onomatopoeia, alliteration, theoretical question, refrain, oxymoron, and euphemism. Spacial poetry is also included. Meters covered are Iamb, Trochee, Anapest, Dactyl, Refrain.

Lessons include practice and review, student writing samples, stanzas for students to discover the meters, definitions, as well as lots of opportunity for the student to create their own poetry as well as memorize great poems. Riddles are included throughout.

I have found this to be an excellent addition to our writing program as it introduces advanced stylistic techniques and gives the student an excellent basis for understanding poetry. At $20 per copy The Grammar of Poetry is a lot of bang for your academic buck.

You can order The Grammar of Poetry through Logos Academy http://www.logosschool.com/materials/shop/item.asp?itemid=28

The Grammar of Poetry: On-line this Time

The Grammar of Poetry was THE first curriculum review I ever wrote. I wrote it because I LOVED the program; I was teaching it in a co-op and as a long time poet, fell in love. Since then, the program has been re-published by Roman Roads Media. I had the great pleasure of being chosen to write a review of Roman Roads Media's newly re-published Grammar of Poetry as well as Old Western Culture, taught by the imitable Wes Callihan. I immediately became a member of the I love Wes/ I love RRM fan club (no, it's not real, but lets talk a few minutes and I convince you that you do need most, if not ALL of the RRM published curriculum!).

And then, because Dr. Dh challenged me in an area (it's his way), I contacted RRM and we've been talking ever since. And now, I'll be working for them in a couple of capacities, including Book Rep AND teaching The Grammar of Poetry on-line as part of Roman Roads Media's flipped classroom program. I am super excited. Have I mentioned I love this program? If you want your kids to GET creative writing, to GET meter, to understand the beauty of poetry and good writing, you really want to check out this curriculum. And, if you love fabulous curriculum, master teachers and inspiring lessons you want to spend some time on the Roman Roads Media site.

And see that cute crowd above? They are just a few of my former Grammar of Poetry students.

All photographs, artwork and text are the property of the owner unless otherwise stated. Don't miss a thing! Subscribe to Golden Grasses and get our articles right to your inbox!

How to Teach Writing

I love teaching writing, partly because I still believe in magic and good writing is magical- it takes you places, teaches you things and expands your life in ways little else does. Plus, it's a blast to be part of someone elses creative process.     Teaching writing pushes me to write better, it keeps me reading and researching newer, better, faster ways of writing, creating, reading. Not only is writing is a creative endeavor, it is an exercise in logic and a powerful tool. Watching kids minds "get it," write better, think better, express themselves better is a total rush.
I  had a question from a fellow homeschooler recently about how to teach writing and here's my not so brief reply:



Get Literary- Read to your kids- out loud, daily. We started reading out loud to our kids 25 years ago when our oldest was an infant: a book of poems by Tolkien, golden books, the Bible, fairy tales, nursery rhymes and fables. Read quality. There is enough of it out there that you don't have to settle for mediocre twaddle. Poems, riddles, rhymes are not twaddle, they are full of tropes. It's an important difference.



Reading out loud together is a huge part of our family culture and we share words and stories and shared universes daily.  We also read books that are at their grade level, above their grade level and books they've loved since early childhood. Children's books are not, by definition, dumb. Sometimes the most profound literature is the most simple.

Get Poetic- Memorize poetry at an early age. We started with IEW's Language Acquisition Through Poetry Memorization. Andrew Pudewa writes a great apologetic for poetry memorization in the intro to the book, along with including a Charlotte Mason like review chart. One of the homeschooling (or just educate your child well) must haves imho. We've expanded from there and the kids are currently memorizing poems for the Poetry Outloud  Competition as well as Horatius at the Bridge for the Churchill Challenge. (find out more about Horatius here).
Poetry includes learning about tropes (any literary or rhetorical device, as metaphor, metonymy, synecdoche, and irony, that consists in the use of words in other than their literal sense).





Write Poetry- we've enjoyed using Matt Whitling's Grammar of Poetry for a clear, concise understanding of the forms of formal poetry. Great for use from 5th grade and up. Not only will your kids learn the forms, rhyme and rythem of poetry from this study but they will get great trope practice ; ).

Get literate -teach reading- use a good phonics based program- AlphaPhonics lover here, all the way, baby, in conjunction with Explode the Code. I'm not an advocate of better late than early. Think of all those delicious books you would miss out on by waiting however many years? Teach your kids to read between the ages of 4-6 and encourage them to read. Summer reading hours around here add up to 1-2 hours a day. If my kids aren't reading- daily, they don't use the computer. Words first, then pixels.



Get Wordy- Expand your Vocabulary. Use big words when you talk to your kids; they'll learn by context and they'll ask for info when they want it. They'll understand that language usage is rich. They'll try out new words themselves. They'll make humorous mistakes (I always think of the scene in Star Trek IV movie when Spock keeps trying to emulate Kirk's usage of colorful metaphor!).

Get cosmopolitan- Study a foreign language. Vocabulary and grammar usage will increase with the study of a second language.



Get Nerdy- Study Grammar. You can write well without understanding grammar but it's a sad fact of nature that you will write better if you do understand grammar.



Get Real -Turn off the T.V. and other electronic devices. There is nothing inherently bad in electronic devices as long as they are managed. If your kids interact only with electronics, and are not required to talk, in complete sentences with manners, with real, warm blooded humans- interactively, not just rotely, they will struggle with communication because they are being acclimated to interact with machines, not people, who are far more complex. Imago Dei, right?!

Get Funny- Make humor a part of your daily life; riddles, puns, jokes, comic routines, humorous lines and scenes from books and movies- we recite and laugh at them daily in our home. Recently my 2 youngest have been on a Charlie Brown kick- they have read every book, watched every T.V. special and have internalized scores of funny lines and profound Charlie Brown truths. Comic books are great because they distill to the essence profound truth, wisdom and humor- think about it- 1-3 stills and the joke has to be set up and delivered. Not only that, but comics and humor are rife with literary tropes- they have to be because of the economy required. Great stuff, that.





Get Dramatic- I've written here and here about our on-going love affair with theater. Learning to perform is a great way to internalize the writing of terrific literary works (i.e. one of the reasons I LOVE Shakespeare Camp is because my kids own the play by the end of the week). To perform well one must understand the vocabulary, intent of the author, meaning of the entire play. We've done historical plays, plays based on poetry, humorous plays and Shakespeare plays. They have all helped our kids internalize what makes a piece good, mediocre or just plain bad, they have driven our kids to the original work being performed, they have expanded our vocabulary and rhetorical repertoire





Get Writing- most importantly, get writing. Writer's write. It's just that simple. Good writer's write a LOT.

(all pins from my Pinterest boards- check them out ; )!


 

Loaded Pistols:Virtual Curriculum Fair Playing with Words

Words are loaded pistols. ~Jean-Paul Sartre

Words do two major things: They provide food for the mind and create light for understanding and awareness. ~Jim Rohn
This is my 3rd year participating in the Virtual Curriculum Fair and it's always a blast. Not sure what I'm talking about? Hop on over to Susan's blog: Homeschooling Hearts and Minds (whose is the brains behind the VCF) and find out all about it! 

If you have read Golden Grasses for any length of time, you know that we be bibliophiles 'round here and often have our noses stuck in books. If you haven't, welcome to the word nerd party! I have whole Pinterest boards devoted to Literary Love, Books Worth Reading, Writing. and Homeschool English and often post fun lit chat on Golden Grasses Facebook page. If you are looking to find a good book, want to talk lit or just get a little bibliophile understanding, you've come to the right place!

What does a book and writing loving Momma use to instill and ensure a tribe of fellow bibliophiles? So glad you asked! Check out my posts from posts from previous VCF years:
2013 VCF Word Play
2014 VCF Word Nerd Love

As my kids have gotten older, we've moved past phonics and the mechanics of writing. I still recommend AlphaPhonics- simple, effective, affordable- phonics for everyone. Writing with Ease and First Language Lessons are fantastic. Language Acquisition Through Poetry Memorization is a must have, bar none. Poetry Outloud for high schoolers. Grammar of Poetry for anyone 5th grade and up. And books. Tons and tons of book, on -tape, read out-loud and privately, shared, discussed, thought about and mulled over. Not just any books because I am not of the school that says, "at least they're reading." No. Good quality, make your brain work and your imagination soar quality lit. Throw in some fun, cause life's a party, but make them good words, which abound. Redemption is the greatest story that ever lived and books, even dystopian, must redeem or it counts as carp and to be avoided.

We have done diagramming- Our Mother Tongue, Mary Dalys Whole Book of Diagramming and this year Essentials at our local Classical Conversations Community. Cub (14), Flower (11) and I sit in and work hard each week, memorizing, diagramming, chart copy-ing and writing. It's good stuff. We are all learning a ton. The kids write about a paper a week- 20 papers in 24 weeks. Cub did a 3 day class with Andrew Pudewa this summer and Flower participated in a 3 day CC Practicum Writing Camp this summer -CC kids camps are some of the best ed value around- free classical ed training for parents to boot!

This year in Foundations we are studying John 1:1 -7- and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We have memorized this in Latin and English. We are people of the Word, baby!
We are studying Latin using First Form Latin.
We are studying German using Rosetta Stone.
We are studying the Grammar of the English Language using Essentials by Classical Conversations and how to write using IEW's American History Theme Book.
We are studying Poetry using the Grammar of Poetry and Cub just may participate in Poetry Outloud this year.

We are studying theater and projection and presentation by participating in CC's Foundations class (a presentation a week takes the fear right out of standing up in front of people) and Tantara, the local Festival of One Act Plays for homeschool high schoolers, as well as Drama Camp this spring.
Spelling U See for my spelling challenged mathy kiddo. Love this program!
Vocabulary gets studied every single day as we look up words, define them for each other, check synonyms, read, watch and google.

We study Shakespeare with regularity for several reasons-  and by several methods-by participating in Shakespeare Camp year  after year. We also use the Great Courses Shakespeare course, and our newest Bardology addition? This year we are reading outloud the, "Verily, New Hope" trilogy- a Star Wars, Shakespeare Smash up that is full of fun and serious laughs. Great stuff that will afford your kids access to Elizabethan language, Shakespearean thought, Iambic Pentameter and a whole lot of fun! You can search Golden Grasses for Shakespeare and come up with a ton of posts on Bardology.

We study the Bible because, like I said, we are people of the Word. The Word became Life and dwelt among us and His name is above all names, the name of Jesus. We study to know Him and to make Him known. Theology and Biblical studies are all part of what we study when Words come into play. We hope to be known as People of the Word. So we read the Bible and study it using various translations, several different commentaries, celebrating Biblical feasts and Holidays, gaining understanding in Biblical languages and cultures, history, geography and politics. Biblical Archeology Today and Jerusalem posts provide regular reading and discussion, along with keeping abreast of recent discoveries like Eliat Mazar's discovery of King David's Palace.

Take some time and read more posts on Word Play. And don't forget to link up!

Co-Hosted by: 

Susan @ Homeschooling Hearts & Minds
Chareen @ Every Bed of Roses
Laura @ Day by Day in Our World
Stacie @ Super Mommy to the Rescue
Lisa @ Golden Grasses

We are being joined by these lovely bloggers:
Building a Foundation of Words by Susan @ Homeschooling Hearts & Minds


Language Arts for 2015 by Chareen @ Every Bed of Roses


Bible-Based Language Arts Resources by Tauna M @ Proverbial Homemaker


Relaxed Homeschooling: Language Arts in the Early Elementary Years by Brittney @ Mom's Heart


Loving Books and Words by Sarah@Delivering Grace


5 Language Arts Resources We Love by Becky @ Milo & Oats


Teaching Reading at Home: A Tale of 5 Readers by Kristen H. @ Sunrise to Sunset


A More Simplistic Approach to 7th Grade Language Arts by Christy @ Unexpected Homeschool


Language Arts Reading for Delight-Directed Learning by Susan @ The Every Day of Education


How To: Spelling Dictation by Heather @ Only Passionate Curiosity


The World of Words in our Homeschool by Joelle @ Homeschooling for His Glory


Unschooling and Words, Words, Words by Nicole @ Schooling in the Sun


Learning With Literature and Language Arts Resources by Leah @ As We Walk Along the Road


Words and More Words! by Michele @ FamilyFaithandFridays


Language Arts in Our Homeschool (2014 � 2015) by Laura O @ Day by Day in Our World


Our curriculum choices ~ Language Arts by Renata @ Sunnyside Farm Fun


The 2015 Virtual Curriculum Fair ~ Language Arts in Our Homeschool by Jennifer @ A Glimpse of Our Life


Loaded Pistols: Virtual Curriculum Fair Playing with Words by Lisa @ Golden Grasses


A Renewed Focus on Reading Aloud by Debra @Footprints in the Butter


Language Arts in our Classical / Charlotte Mason Homeschool by Sharra @ The Homeschool Marm


Logic of English Foundations: The Grand Prize Winner of Phonics by Chelli @ The Planted Trees


A Sentence a Day Teaches Grammar the Fun Way by Amy A @ One Blessed Mamma


Tackling Language Arts by Jacquelin @ A Stable Beginning


Middle School Monday - Lightning Literature and Composition by Kym @ Homeschool Coffee Break


The Great Grammar Discovery by Laura @ Four Little Penguins

@Golden Grasses 2008-2013. All photographs, artwork and text are the property of the owner unless otherwise stated. Don't miss a thing!Subscribe to Golden Grasses and get our articles right to your inbox!

Word vs. Image Part II: Become an Auditory Learner

How to train your student to be an auditory learner.

Why is this important? Because the ultimate goal of learning in any area is the Rhetoric Stage- excellent written and spoken communication. Speech requires the ability to listen and understand, to speak with meaning and fluency. We all know people who have brilliant ideas but who can't communicate them well or clearly. Rhetoric skills are imperative if we hope to influence, lead, teach, or be agents of change on any level. So, how do you develop this skill?
Play (and sing!) music. Preferably with words. Quality music with a message. We listen to Christian radio in the car and our kids have a vast repertoire of poetry, theology and music because of it. Our co-op is blessed with gifted musicians who have our kids singing rounds, patriotic, religious, theater and camp songs. It thrills me to hear my 10 year old singing Handel's Messiah, as well as hear Christina Rossetti's lovely poem, "What Can I Give Him," sung by first graders. Singing rounds together teaches everyone cadence and meter.
Read aloud. Q: When are your kids too old to be read aloud to. A: Never. (Andrew Pudewa has a great article on this ). Have your listeners narrate back to you what you've read. Don't be schoolish. Just be interested in what they are saying, prompt them to listen for details, go back and read again when they are unclear. Read aloud for 15 minutes a day or more. Explain difficult words. Use an excellent program like Writing With Ease for elementary ages to develop your skill and their in this area. When they are older delve into literary analysis with them. Teach them to discern good from bad from great.

Play CD's. We have a large repertoire of CD's. A lot of history. SOTW is excellent as are Diana Waring resources. Books on tape- G.H. Henty has several read by Jim Wiess and chock full of history (though you'll have to slog through the formulaic writing after the 2-3rd one).  The library has loads of books on tape.

Use flash cards. This uses more than one sensory pathway- both auditory and visual. Veritas Press' history and biblical time-line cards (160 in each set) are chock full of information and have beautiful artwork to represent the person, place and time-period. Laminate them and they'll last for years. We also do math flash cards, foreign language flash cards, science flashcards.

Study poetry, drama and speech. All require an understanding of both words, meaning, rhyme, meter. IEW's Language Acquisition Through Poetry is fun and engaging and a great place to start with kids as young as pre-school (get the CD). Logs' Grammar of Poetry is a good place to go from there. Simple, inexpensive and comprehensive. Weekly presentations required of elementary aged kids. Teach them about where to put their hands, how fast or slow to speak, etc. Drama or Speech for High Schoolers. If you can't find something, create a Drama camp or festival and check out Poetry Outloud. Utilize tropes in your home- puns, alliterations, metaphor. Build your kids repertoire of language and how to manipulate it. I remember the first family reunion I went to with my husband's family. The men talked in puns for hours. Literally. (Be impressed or groan, both are appropriate responses).

Memorize quotes and jokes and poetry. Living Memory has lists of quotes in both English and Latin. Both are fun to have in your repertoire. Ita Vita comes in handy more than you might think.  Quality movies (quality is loosly defined- I'm counting Finding Nemo on my list- "Yes, I'm a natural blue!") provide ample opportunity to build a repertoire of responses to life's circumstances. I've mentioned (over and over again) IEW's Language Acquisition Through Poetry Memorization as well as Grammar of Poetry. Both have a wonderful selection of poems ranging from Celery to Charge of the Light Brigade. As I've said before, teach your kids humor. Comedic timing is a gift to give the world. We have comic and joke books (Watterson is our very fav, but we appreciate lots of other artists as well) , watch Charlie Brown specials and comedians (Ken Davis is a particular fav and we like the Thou Shalt Laugh series). Comedy is not easy. Do your kids (and the world) a favor and teach them what's funny and how to be funny.

Fill your kids minds with words, word pictures, tropes, metaphors and their transition to the Rhetoric stage will be that much smoother because they will not only be excellent communicators but they will have something of excellence  to talk about. If you train them to be auditory power-houses, they will be picking up and filing boat-loads of information without your even knowing it!

As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts, experiences, ideas.

Memoria Opus (Memory Work)

Several years ago I got to a place where I was really dissatisfied with how we homeschooled. We did what seemed like a lot of work, but at the end of the year I just wasn't sure what the kids knew. Yearly testing gave us some sense of what was going on but I wanted to know that we weren't just "putting in time." That the effort and money that we were pouring into educating our kids was acutally going to yield academic fruit in the form of our kids owning a body of knowledge.
I learned an important distinction a few years back and that is the difference between overview and memorization. Overview is generally the big picture. Memorization is the detail, the particulars. Both are important. As we read accounts of how school used to be (i.e. Laura Ingalls Wilder) I am amazed at the amount of memory work required, most likely due to a lack of resources like paper and printer cartridges! A lot of curriculum these days is good for overview but doesn't demand that the student memorize particulars. Memory work is important because it cements the details in the student's brain- giving them the power to recall. At the end of the day, or year, they know that they know. In addition, the students brain is being "trained to retain." I've noticed how much easier it is to memorize things this year than last- my kids have been working the mental muscles of their minds and they are able to tackle more difficult memory work as a result. IEW's Poetry Memorization program goes through 4 sets of increasingly difficult poems as the students acclimate to the rigors and joy of memorizing poetry (it's based on the Suzuki Violin method, which Andrew Pudewa was a teacher of for several years- the intro to the program makes for some interesting reading regarding learning methods and memory work).

The key to memory work is to involve as many senses as possible; sight, hearing, touch, speech.

1. Read or overview the new work out loud
2. Have the student read the selection (or memory cards) outloud.
3. Write the selection on a white board (we have several smaller ones cut from a large shower tile and bordered by duct tape). Read the selection out loud together. Erase a small portion of the selection, recite from memory the erased section, read the rest. Erase another small portion, recite from memory and read the rest. Rinse. Repeat.
4. Flash cards. We use this time honored method for vocabulary, VP history cards, science, grammar, etc. Break the work down into manageable sections. People memorize most easily by having sets of 7 presented to them.
5. Audio CD's. This is a great way to introduce memory work and reinforce it. IEW's Language Aquisition Through Poetry Memorization has 80 poems on CD and is a great way to spend quiet or travel time ,reinforces the poems memorized and gently introduces new ones.
6. Post memory work throughout the house: on the fridge, bathroom, schoolroom walls. We have a large hanging white board in our dining (school) room. On it we list all of the weeks memory work. I have one of the kids re-write the weeks memory work at the beginning of the week reinforcing their learning.
7. Use games to re-inforce learning. "Jeopardy" is the classic memory skills game but there are certainly others. Teacher Created Resources has some fun and inexpensive game books. Right Start Math has an entire book on math games, Quarter Mile Math is a blast - a computer game dedicated to math facts, etc.
8. Contextualize the learning. We memorize history sentences as well as do related history read-alouds in addition to listening to SOTW audio CD's and making history time-line notebooks. Contextualizing learning creates more mental "hooks" in the kids brains so that they have a place to hang and organize the information (see Karen Andreola's writing on Charlotte Mason for more info on "mental hooks"). We are memorizing english grammar, making english grammar lapbooks and are learning sentence diagramming, in addition to learning latin grammar. We are memorizing a poem a week through the IEW program at the same time that we are working through Logos Academy's "Grammar of Poetry" book. The kids are learning how to write poems as they are memorizing them and gaining a richer understanding of trope, rhyme and meter as they go. All of the pieces start falling into place when the kids start making connections.
Memory work decontextualized is more difficult to learn and usually doesn't serve a good enough purpose imho to warrant the time and work involved. If you are having a Kindergartener memorize Latin declensions without a Latin program you are making both of your lives more difficult. Either give the kid a context or spend your time more age-appropriately learning fairy tales, songs and poems. One thing that really struck me during our day at the One Room Schoolhouse was the time the Rural Teachers spent on Fairy Tales, nursery rhymes, songs and poems. We used Calvert Curriculum for a couple of years and it was very similar to their approach. Not only did the kids come home singing the songs and narrating the stories (though no one had told them to) but they also had a marvelous time.

Many people wonder how an kinesthetic learner can sit still long enough to memorize long passages of poetry. Don't have them sit. Have them stand, hop, skip as they recite. We had a mini-tramp in our small student housing cottage and my oldest dd learned the times tables while bouncing. Swing your kids as you review the week's poetry. In other words, don't let your child's learning style dictate the lessons. Incorporate them in, strengthening those areas that are weak and utilizing strengths.

Use curriculum that incorporates memory work. Many classical curriculum suppliers have built in memory-work as part of the lessons, teaching us (the homeschool parent) what we didn't learn during our own formal schooling. Memoria Press and IEW are both blue ribbon winners. The Classical Conversations Foundations program is a great way to learn about memorization and how to actually do it with success in your own homeschool. They have 3 cycles, complete with audio CD's and powerpoint, which you can purchase without joining a CC community. Veritas Press and Logos Academy also have some great resources for memory work that are inexpensive and excellent, and there are many others.

Memorization is a rewarding skill that gets easier with practice. So... prodeo quod monumentum!

Word Nerd Love- 3rd Annual Virtual Curriculum Fair

Last years Language Arts: Word Play post was full of words found around our house and I've also written about Story, and I hope you already know it's a favorite subject of mine!

For this year's Virtual Curriculum Fair I wanted to share some of the amazing curriculum finds that we've used and loved- you know the tried and true stuff- along with some really cool new things that we've had a blast using just recently.

The proverbial question, what to do about phonics?
But before I share with you my tested, tried and true combo, let's talk for a minute about pre-phonics. You know, how to get your kids used to the idea of reading, words and sounds. For starters, talk to your kids. Talk to them and mirror them when they are babies and toddlers. Kids learn to talk and learn vocabulary by hearing people talk to them. People, not electronics. So, if you think putting them in front of a television or cool games on your IPad or netbook will magically give your kids the superpowers they need to understand language, think again. Nothing can replace real people speaking real words to your kids. Talk to them and read to them. Think daily dose;  at least 15 minutes of reading a day. Teach your kids the symbols for sounds (i.e. letters). It's pretty simple really, sing the ABC's and point out things that start with the letters you are singing, "A" -point to apple, etc. Check out Usborne Dot-to-dot letters books. I'm also a big fan of Kumon workbooks. While a bit spendy they are colorful, engaging and get the job done.
Teach your kids upper and lower case letters; they'll run into both, sooner or later.

We used AlphaPhonics in conjunction with Explode the Code for all 5 kids. 5 for 5 they are all rock out readers. It's an inexpensive, bells and whistles free (think open and go for Momma) effective combo that combines difficult work with fun and the ultimate reward -excellent reading skills.

Spelling- this has been an Achilles heel for some of our kids. The two programs that have actually worked for my spelling challenged kiddos have been Sequential Spelling and Spelling/Vocabulary City. Love, love, love them both. For the more advanced speller, check out IEW's Advanced Vocabulary/ Spelling program. Cub is working through it now. He is a natural speller, and digs the challenge. Plus, the vocabulary and poetry throughout appeals to his inner lit nerd.

Poetry- if you want to get words, how to play with them, understand tropes and how to use them, get yourself some poetry, memorize it, learn it, write it and perform it. Where to start? I'm glad you asked. IEW's Linguistic Development Through Poetry Memorization is the place. Move on from there to Matt Whitling's Grammar of Poetry or Memoria Press' Poetry for the Grammar Stage, et al, and from there the skies the limit. We like to throw in Shakespeare along the way, (again, using Matt Whitling's Tales from Shakespeare, moving on to Great Courses Shakespeare study and, of course, Shakespeare Camp.

Also to be considered, Memoria Press' new poetry guides. What's not to love about Memoria Press?

Handwriting? Let me direct you to 2 of my favorite companies- Memoria Press and Classical Conversations. PreScripts from Classical Conversations combines cursive, history sentences and drawing techniques. Memoria Press combines handwriting with copywork and the result is reinforcement of beautiful ideas, thoughts and Scripture.



Literature- we are serious readers 'round here. We've read hundreds of books for thousands of hours over the course of decades. This includes reading out loud, reading individually, sharing books on tape, watching the movies of books we love and sometimes a combination of all of the above. How to find books worth reading, when the local BooksRUs would like to deluge you with trash? Check out the following catalogs: Bethlehem Books, Veritas Press, Memoria Press, The Well Trained Mind, Sonlight for kids reads worth your time. For Momma? Check out my incomplete list of Educational Influencers for a good place to start your educational reading. Looking for fiction and non-fiction but don't know where to start? I've been a contributor to The Well Trained Mind 52 books in a year thread for years now. It's comprised of homeschooling Mommas from all over the world, from all walks of life who read, breathe and talk lit.
Still need ideas? Contact me, and lmk what you are looking for. I'm sure I have an idea or two to get you started.

Grammar- I am a recovered grammar-phobe. I used to think that you were either born getting grammar or not, and I missed out. I thought that until I was challenged by Leigh Bortiens to think beyond my own limitations and learn something I didn't know. I started out with Nancy Wilson's excellent and gentle Our Mother Tongue. From there, we delved into Andrew Campbell's excellent Grammar Catechism, found in Living Memory,  but this year we are going to check out Memoria Press' English Grammar Recitation (be still my memory loving heart!). We've also used First Language Lessons I and IV- Flower, little nerd girl that she is loves FLL! And don't forget Mary Daly's excellent The First Whole Book of Diagrams. In this slim and ohsodo-able little volume you will go from basic subject/ predicate diagramming to complex, crazy stuff. All of my kids have done it, at earlier and earlier ages and they've all loved the word sleuthing required of truly complex sentence diagramming. Does it matter? Well, only if you really CARE about well written sentences.

Writing? Oh, baby. Now you are in my field of True Love. Writing= happy sigh. Where to start? Copywriting. Simple, do-able, just takes a source document and pencil and paper. There's tons of good copybooks around. We love Memoria Press copybooks. From there, check out Writing With Ease. A simple, gentle introduction to writing for 1-3rd graders that isn't overwhelming, easily done in minutes a day and a blast to do with a group. Writing With Skill easily follows. I like this program, too. Good stuff for the kids to learn basic academic writing. Writing With Skill I- IV is now available. And, IEW. Watch the TWSS and you will have a good, basic understanding of how to teach, and grade writing. While they do have SWSS (videos the kids watch and create a writing notebook from) I prefer the theme books, along with a group of kids to teach.

Creative Writing? I developed my own curriculum for this, as I didn't really find something I loved. If you have a writer on your hands, make sure to check out NaNoWriMo for kids. They have great tools and resources for the budding writer. Great books on how to write? Stephen King's On Writing and Annie Lamott's Bird by Bird are great places to start, but be forewarned that they are both chock full of language.

Latin- we've done some; all the while violating the first law of the teacher (the teacher must know that which they are teaching). We keep at it, however; let me suggest Memoria Press once again. Buy the DVD's and let delightful Leigh Lowe guide the way. For older students the Great Courses might be something worth checking out.

So, can't get enough of my favorite subject? Be sure and check out what fellow homeschoolers use as they play with words:

Leah Courtney @ As We Walk Along the Road
Laura Hoggard @ Four Little Penguins
Christy @ Unexpected Homeschool
Kristi K. @ The Potter's Hand Academy
Amy @ Eclectic Homeschooling
Tauna @ Proverbial Homemaker
Renata @ Sunnyside Farm Fun
Jessica @ Modest Mama  
Nicole @ Schooling in the Sun
Jennifer @ a glimpse of our life
 Stacie @ Super Mommy to the Rescue
Lisa @ Golden Grasses
Laurie @ Our Abundant Blessings
Lori Moffit @ My Journeys Through Life
  Brittney @ Mom's Heart
Monique B @ Living life and learning
Jeniffer D @ Thou Shall Not Whine
 Christa @ Fairfield Corner Academy
Debra @ Footprints in the Butter
Kim @ Homestead Acres
Chelli @ The Planted Trees
Hillary M @ Our Homeschool Studio
Sharra Badgley @ The Homeschool Marm
Lynn P @ Ladybug Chronicles
Michele @ Family, Faith, and Fridays:
 Mary @ Winecup Christian Homeschool  
 Kristen @ Sunrise to Sunset
 Laura O in AK @ Day by Day in our World

Want to join in the fun? We'd love for you to link up and share what you use for Language Arts! (and don't forget to check back next Monday for more VCF!)

@Golden Grasses 2008-2013. All photographs, artwork and text are the property of the owner unless otherwise stated. Don't miss a thing! Subscribe to Golden Grasses and get our articles right to your inbox!

Classical Word Study - 2016 Virtual Curriculum Fair

I have long been a lover of words, language and reading; it's my thing. And, as Christians, we are to be lovers of the Word, do-ers and not hearers only. We are called to understand that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. God doesn't take words lightly, and neither should we.

WRITTEN WORDS

We are learning Latin using Henle Latin. Knowing and understanding English Grammar has been integral to our ability to access Henle. We prepped for Henle using several excellent programs: Rod and Staff Grammar, Mary Daly's Whole Book of Diagramming, SWB's Writing with Ease and Writing with Skill and finally CC's Essentials Program.

WHY LATIN?

1- The love of vocabulary.  Words are an artists tool to create something beautiful.
2-  The love of puzzles. Latin-language acquisition is one big challenging puzzle. The pieces fit exactly right, but one must puzzle and play around to get it all correct.
3- Learning a language is a window into a culture, a way of thinking and being, a way of life.
4- We are training our brains to retain. Learning a "difficult" subject like Latin allows us to realize that hard tasks are simply  a collection of smaller, easier tasks. Learning Latin makes the "Little by little, one travels far" adage a motto to live by because you realize you can.
5- Learning Latin gives one a  deep sense of satisfaction.  Don't dismiss the joy of hard work and the satisfaction of delving deep into something difficult. We've struggled with Latin in the past because we didn't treat the grammar of Latin as grammar. We over-viewed it. This time around we are hardening in the grammar. We chant forms, and chant some more and drill flashcards and drill some more.

So,  Latin. We are learning grammar, vocabulary, a foreign language, how to memorize and how to think logically.

Literature

This year, our lit has focused on CC's lit selections. The kids are reading 1 book every three weeks for CC and then whatever else they want to read on their own time. They are also spending time listening to Wes Callihan's Old Western Culture at every opportunity. Great stuff!

Composition

 Lost Tools of Writing by the Circe Institute, oh, how I love thee. LTW is a phenomenal program that teaches the student to think deeply about the text, pushes them to memorize and understand classical writing terminology (Exordium, Division, Amplification, etc). The kids are producing a Persuasive Essay every 3 weeks, using weeks 1 and 2 to create an issues, create ANI Charts with 30 items on each of the 3 columns (Affirmative, Negative, Interesting) and all of the other pieces that go into an excellent persuasive essay. Step by step, A, B, C. Simple and extremely effective!

SPOKEN WORDS

Presentation

We continue to be involved in TeenPact and this year both kids did the 1-day Political Communications Workshop. Lots of opportunity to stand up and present ideas, think on one's feet and ask good questions.
The CC Challenge program gives ample opportunity to do public speaking through weekly Science Presentations in A, Debate in 1. Additionally, the kids are regularly leading discussions in Math, participating in Socratic Circles and doing Individual Debate Events, among other things.

DRAMA

Tantara/Shakespeare Camp

We participate in  Tantara is a yearly One-Act play competition and Shakespeare Camp a yearly performance of a complete Shakespeare play.

Coming UP: I'll be teaching The Grammar of Poetry this year on-line for Roman Roads Media, grades 5th - adult.  If you want an excellent introduction to poetry forms, tropes and good writing, think about signing up! if you want to develop your LOVE of words, sign up- we are going to have a great time!

Check out previous posts for VCF on WordPlay
Loaded Pistols
Word Nerd Love
Word Play
I have whole Pinterest boards devoted to Literary Love, Books Worth Reading, Writing. and Homeschool English and often post fun lit chat on Golden Grasses Facebook page. 

Please visit my blogger buddies, who makethe VCF worth reading, year after year!

This year the Virtual Curriculum Fair is hosted by 

Laura @ Day by Day in Our World, creator of the lovely graphic, above!

Chareen @ Every Bed of Roses 

and Kristen @ Sunrise to Sunset. 

Language Arts: Words Make the World Go Round by  Laura @ Day by Day in Our World
The Language Arts in Our Homeschool and Everything Relating to it   by Joelle @ Homeschooling for His Glory
Teaching Elementary Latin by Yvie @ Gypsy Road How to Learn ASL &
 Spanish in 20 Minutes a Day by Rochelle @ RochelleBarlow
Classical Word Study by Lisa @ GoldenGrasses
 Language Arts Means and Methods by Laura @
Four Little Penguins Sprechen Sie....  by Jennifer King @ A Peace of Mind
The Art of Eloquence  by Jennifer King @ A Peace of Mind
Love Languages by Jennifer King @ A Peace of Mind
3 Reasons You Don't Have To Be Afraid To Grade That Essay - And It's Free @ LJSkool
High School Language Arts by Kym @ Homeschool Coffee Break
Words, Words, and More Words by Chareen @ Every Bed of Roses
Finishing Strong - Starting Gently by Kristen @ Sunrise to Sunset

@Golden Grasses 2008-2013. All photographs, artwork and text are the property of the owner unless otherwise stated. Don't miss a thing! Subscribe to Golden Grasses and get our articles right to your inbox!

Year 21 Curriculum Picks

It's the 3rd Annual Not-Back-To-School Blog Hop over at The Heart of the Matter. This week is

Curriculum Week.

I've been making lists and tweaking and checking the attic for what we still have (from our house fire; see the Tear Down to Build Up posts if you want to read the long version) and have finally made a shopping list!

We do participate in 2 different homeschool outsourcing opportunities. One is a co-op. This year I'm co-teaching Jr. and Sr. High school art. I'll be using a combo of Bruce McIntyre's Drawing Textbook and Drawing on the Right Side of Your Brain. Classes taken at co-op have an * beside them.

The other is a Tutoring Center. Ana hires and pays teachers. It is a terrific resource. This year I'll be teaching Creative Writing using Whitling's The Grammar of Poetry and Roddy's How to Write a Novel. 

Feeche

 rising Jr.

Math - Life of Fred Algebra II

Science -Apologia's Anatomy and Physiology.

English - R and S Grammar 9 and 10., Creative Writing (TC), Lightening Literature- lit around the world (TC), Shakespeare (ext. co-op),

Geography- a brief overview of whatever continent they are working on with the LL program.

Foreign Language- Rosetta Stone German I; Latin (maybe- and if so Wheelock)

History - VP cards, Kingfisher's Encyclopedia of History. World History Overview. Probably using Global History, The Growth of Civilizations.

Art * -Drawing and various crafts

Music *- chorale

Unit Study- tbd

Phys Ed- Ballroom Dancing, Karate w/ Dad. Jogging and regular workout w/Dad.

Religion and Apologetics- overview of World Religions using Usborne. Challenge Basic with our good friend Bruce.

Bible- personal devos and study of Hebraic Roots/ O.T. Festivals

Drama- Festival of One Act Plays, Shakespeare Camp

Shop Class- continue to help with house re-build, help me make several more items from Ana White's site.

Reading- whatever he can cram in

Camps: Challenge and Back to D.C. , Shakespeare Camp, Drama Camp.

Cub

 Rising 6th Grader

Math- Life of Fred Decimals and Percents. Singapore Story Problems, Minute Math,

Science- Pre-Chem (TC)

English- R & S Grammar 5 & 6, Lightening Lit 7; IEW First Fun; IEW Poetry- level III

Foreign Language- Latina Christiana Latin II; RS German

History- World history overview (TC); VP Cards, Kingfisher History of the World, Mystery of History CD's (taking a break from SOTW which we L.O.V.E but which he has whole sections memorized from)

Logic- Fallacy Detective, Critical Thinking I and II

Art *-Drawing, crafts,

Music*- Chorale

Unit Study*- tbd

Phys. Ed* -karate w/Dad.

Bible - Veritas Press Cards, Study of Hebraic roots and O.T. Festivals

Memory Work - Still working on list- for sure poetry, science terms, latin vocab/declensions/conjugations/phrases

Reading - compiling a list to use in conjunction with History overview. Also, compiling a list of books on tape to make use of our bi-weekly trips to town.

Drama Camp

Flower

rising 3rd Grader

Math- Singapore Story Problems, Minute Math, Still deciding between Prentice Hall 4 and Singapore Math

English- R & S Grammar 3, WWE III,  IEW Poetry- level III

Foreign Language- Prima Latina and maybe Latina Christiana Latin I;

History- World history overview (TC); VP Cards, Kingfisher History of the World, Mystery of History CD's

Art *

Music*- Chorale

Unit Study*- tbd

Phys. Ed* -karate w/Dad.

Bible - Veritas Press Cards, Study of Hebraic roots and O.T. Festivals

Memory Work - Still working on list- for sure poetry, science terms, Latin vocab/declensions/conjugations/phrases

Reading - compiling a list to use in conjunction with History overview. Also, compiling a list of books on tape to make use of our bi-weekly trips to town.

Drama Camp

For those of you interested in updates about our older Girlies, both homeschool graduates, here's the skinny.

Miss. R and KB

Miss R will be a Senior in College this year 16 hours away, with a major in Missions (think world view and cultural anthropology). She's been to Europe several times and South America once on various missions trip. She has several options upon graduation, but hasn't landed on any yet. She is very happily dating a crime fighter, whom we hope to meet this fall.

KB is 1/2 way through a 13 month long Cosmetology program after lots of campaigning and political involvement. She plans to continue with a 4-year degree, focusing on poli-sci and art. While, on the surface, Cosmetology has nothing to do with politics, I think it is the perfect environment to learn more about them. She is in a cut-throat environemnt each and every day that is decidely antithetical to her world view. Furthermore, it is,literally, skin deep. It's the perfect training ground for politics!

What are you doing this year for school?