Sep. 24, 2008 TOG Year 3, Week 3: Early Industrial Revolution
Lower Grammar
Here's another good rhyme from Mother Owl's Rhymes (Kate Perkinson Howard ©1911)
Robert Fulton
Way back in eighteen seven,
Robert Fulton, known to fame,
Built the first steamboat,
And called it by his name.
Other men had tried in vain,
By steam to make things go,
But Robert made it practical,
The others were too slow.
Upon the grand old Hudson,
He made his trial trip,
The people cheered him loudly
When they saw his little ship.
Steam gaily up the river
From the city of New York
And skim along the water
As lightly as a cork.
You can download this rhyme here.
Grammar and Dialectic
The first antique school book I ever purchased was Building the Nation by Charles C. Coffin. It is a bit of a narrative history book that I think is excellent for grammar stage and a nice read for dialectic. The vocabulary is rich and some terms are outdated and might need explanation (e.g., go to meeting instead of church.) Mr. Coffin incorporates his Christian worldview into the text. I think I will be posting a lot from this book, at least through unit 3.
This week's excerpt is on the Industrial Revolution, download here.
Dialectic and Rhetoric
Ben and Zach are working on the Invention project scheduled for dialectic students for the next seven weeks. Both are required to write a biographical report and create a display board, for extra credit they make make a small scale version of a invention produced by their inventor.
Philosophy ~ This week covered the German philosopher Immanuel Kant. We enhanced our studies with online resources (Scott Somerville suggested this site) and Peter Kreeft, who has a wonderful CD available called What Would Socrates Do? The CD includes various philosophers through the ages and deals with ethics; the lecture on Kant is called Being Good and Being Fair: The Ethics of Kant. Also, available for free is an article written for The National Catholic Register called The Pillars of Unbelief, which includes a piece on Kant. |
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Sep. 18, 2008 TOG Year 3, Week 2 Napoleon: The Man and His Career
Lower Grammar
In addition to copy work and Primary Language Lessons, I am using Writing Aids with Ethan. We pull words from our reading from the week for his word bank cards. We also memorized this poem about grammar:
A noun's the name of anything;
As, school or garden, hoop or swing.
Adjectives tell the kind of noun;
As, great, small, pretty, white, or brown.
Three of these words we often see,
Called articles - a, an, and the.
Instead of nouns the pronouns stand;
John's head, his face, my arm, your hand.
Verbs tell of something being done;
As read, write, spell, sing, jump, or run.
How things are done the adverbs tell;
As, slowly, quickly, ill, or well.
They also tell us where and when;
As here, and there, and now, and then.
A preposition stands before
A noun; as in, or through, a door.
Conjunctions sentences unite;
As kittens scratch and puppies bite.
The interjection shows surprise;
As, O, how pretty! Ah, how wise!
Dialectic and Rhetoric
PBS produced a film in 2000 chronicling the life of Napoleon. It is very good and available on Netflix. The web site linked provides some helpful information for students and some useful lesson plans if you have the time, which we didn't. We also spent some time, more time in fact, over at the BBC web site. There you will find articles and interactive content that will enrich your student's week. |
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Sep. 11, 2008 Tapestry of Grace, Year 3, Week 1 ~ When John Adams Was President
We spent a marvelous eight days in Walt Disney World and our start day for school was delayed. Of course this means we jumped right into school, were shocked back into reality, and didn't get to everything I hoped. Hopefully you will find something useful here :-)
Lower Grammar
You all probably know about the wonderful coloring pages that whitehouse.gov offers, but I'll link them anyway. I am using the coloring pages for Ethan's presidential flash cards, I reduced them to half size and printed them on card stock. Ethan colored Washington and Adams as we reviewed the first presidents of our country. The information we added on the back was very simple since Ethan is only in 1st grade. You can download the cards here to print yourself, if you want more information on the back simply use my front and design your own back.
I found a great old book that I have a feeling I'll be using a lot this year. It's called "Mother Owl's Rhymes" by Kate Perkinson Howard. I'll let the book's introduction speak for itself:
Mother Owl is a wise old bird;
She said: "Now, what's the use
Of learning all the silly things
We find in Mother Goose?
Why not teach children things
Worth while, a rhyme, a fact, a rule,
To store away within the mind
Before they go to school?
'Twill help them up the rugged path
Of learning's hill to climb;
For things we learn in childhood
We remember for all time."
I offer you this little book,
I hope to please you well,
And if it does, 'twill not offend
The author if you tell.
I wish it had some illustrations, but will be content with the lovely rhymes. This week Ethan worked on a piece called "Geography." You can download it here.
Dialectic and Rhetoric
We started a Year 3 co-op. Yipee! I am the leader of the dialectic and rhetoric discussions. I didn't prepare any extras this week though, too busy. I hope to add some in the coming weeks. |
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Aug. 3, 2008 Circa Notebooks
I have used the Circa system for personal notebooks (including Marcia's Garden Tryst Sheets which are fabulous!) for a few years now and like it very much. What's Circa? It's a unique notebooking system by Levenger. I'm having trouble linking for some reason, sorry, you'll need to cut and paste:
http://www.levenger.com/PAGETEMPLATES/STATIC/Generic.asp?Params=category=326-888|level=2-3
Be sure to check out the video on the link provided.
This year I decided to use Circa for my TOG workbooks because many documents that I normally put in the spiral bound workbooks will not be ready in time.
There are really only two items that you must have, the Circa punch:
And the rings or discs. You need 11 rings per 8 1/2 by 11 workbook:
Circa uses regular paper. Print off your notebook documents as you normally would:
Using the punch, punch about 8 pages at a time. I get 24 lb paper from Costco:
Here's a close-up of the punched paper:
After you have finished punching all your pages, begin to put them on the rings. I have found since I am right-handed working from the back pages to the front works well. I add about a dozen pages at a time, one ring at a time. I forgot to take a picture of this, I'll add it when I do the next workbook.
When I have all my pages on the rings I add clear front and back cover. I use the Levenger covers which are very sturdy:
Finished Book:
Adding pages is very easy, simply punch your new pages:
Open the book to the appropriate spot, and add them in, one ring at a time:
These notebooks hold up very well. Pages do not rip out like they do in binders. I am using 1" rings with Ben, rhetoric and 1/2" rings with Zack & Ethan (D & LG.) 1" rings hold 160 sheets of paper, 1/2 inch rings hold 80 sheets. There are also 3/4" which hold, I think you may be able to guess, 120 sheets.
Any questions fell free to post!
Karen |
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Jun. 30, 2008 Update on Tapestry Workbooks
Many people have been interested in the Tapestry notebooks I make for my children. Let me say right off the top that while I don't find it very time consuming to make these, it takes me about one week for three levels, it is a costly venture. I estimate the cost to be around $30 per quarter for three workbooks. For me it's worth it. My older boys are finding it easier to stay on schedule, we no longer have piles of papers, and they are enjoying TOG a lot more. The cost is definitely something to take it into consideration though.
Here's the cost break down:
I have an HP printer that prints over 2000 B&W copies per one XL cartridge and about 1/3 of that in color I think. The cost for my cartridges is $57 at Costco and I estimate we use less than 1/4 of the cartridge for all three books.
Ink: $15
Paper: $3
Binding: $12
I make a new workbook every quarter.
The LG book contains the yellow pages, SAPs (just copied, not reformatted), maps, copywork pages I make with Startwrite software, coloring pages, and misc other things such as a log to keep track of all the books Ethan reads.
The dialectic workbook includes the yellow pages, the general information page from the SAPs, all the SAP questions I choose to give him reformatted in a desktop publishing document, maps, and any supplements needed for the week such as charts or the green supplements.
A week from Ben's rhetoric workbook is pictured below. I print off the covers for all the workbooks from the TOG printables page.
The week starts with the yellow assignment pages:
I also include the red writing assignment chart
Next you will find a copy of the General Information of the week from the SAPs and the beginning of the reformatted questions. He usually does all the questions, but sometimes I leave some out depending on how heavy the other subjects are.
Maps are included each week and I typeset the book so that the geography questions are on the left and the map is on the right.
Ben is completing the Government and Philosophy credits
The SAPs are followed by the Pageant of Philosophy
and government readings. I've found the government CD that Lampstand sells to be very handy.
When appropriate you may also find various charts or pictures featured for that week
Green Supplement pages
Along with various other charts
At the back of the book is the time-line section
and an appendix that has the unit's framework and the people glossary which I forgot to take a picture of :-) The people glossary is only available if you have purchased the Evaluations.
The rhetoric workbook is between 200 and 250 pages per unit. The dialectic workbook is about 100 pages. The lower grammar book is 60 pages or so.
I'm sure I forgot to mention something so if you have any questions feel free to ask.
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May. 20, 2008 TOG Workbook FAQs
How long does this take?:
Formatting one unit generally takes me about 1 week working every afternoon for about four hours or so a day. This is for 3 levels of workbooks, but does not include extras I add in especially for my LG son (coloring pages, copy work etc.)
How much does it cost?:
It depends on your printer and whether you choose to print in color like I do. I have an HP printer that prints over 2000 B&W copies per one XL cartridge and about 1/3 of that in color I think. The cost for my cartridges is $57 at Costco and I estimate we use less than 1/4 of the cartridge for all three books.
Ink: $15
Paper: $3
Binding: $12
Where do you get them bound?:
I go to Office Depot, but all office supply stores offer this service. Some people purchase their own comb binders which definitely will save money, but my children and I prefer spiral.
Any disadvantages to binding? Do you ever wish you could insert a page?:
Every so often I'll miss a chart or something that needs to be inserted. My boys have multi-subject binders and there is a TOG section for any misc. pages. The advantages of having these books far outweigh the disadvantages.
What are the advantages?:
Some advantages are:
- We stay on schedule more consistently. I, unfortunately, am often a stumbling block in our schooling. I can't tell you how many times our weeks have stalled because of me. The workbooks take me out of the equation just enough to help our weeks run smoother.
- Our papers are neat and orderly.
- Because I am surveying the unit as I make the workbooks I am able to choose ahead of time extras and projects I want to include and I have a better idea of what the boys will be covering before I read the teacher's notes.
- The workbooks help my boys focus on what they need to accomplish in a week.
What about their writing assignments?:
Although I include the red writing assignment sheet in the workbook, we still follow the instructions about setting up writing notebooks that you will find in your Tapestry year plan. All their assignments and outlines for writing projects are filed in those binders.
Do you include blank pages for their copy work or dictation or memory work?
For my lower grammar son I do. If TOG assigns copy/dictation/memory work in the SAP for my D & R sons that assignment is in the workbook, but they write in their commonplace book. These books include copy work from various subjects. I have one too.
Do you take a week off between units to do the prep for the next unit, or do you do it all in advance?
I make these in advance, not much in advance though, first because I am unfortunately a notorious procrastinator and secondly because I am on the cycle that depends on the TOG production calendar.
I will add other questions people have as they arise so if you ask me a question on a particular post about the workbooks I will probably answer it here to keep them all together.
~ Karen |
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May. 20, 2008 TOG Workbooks: How to reformat document
Reformatting the student SAPs from the Loom is not difficult and I hope this post helps those of you that would like to see the process step by step. You need the following software:
A PDF reader (Adobe Reader is free)
Word processing or desktop publishing software
I use Quark because it's great, I'm used to it, and we have it (my husband needs it for his advertising business.) For the purpose of this example I am using Word since most of you probably have that software or something similar.
Open your weekly SAP with your PDF reader
When you open a pdf document with Adobe I believe the default tool is the grabbing tool (the hand.) You need to switch to the text tool (the letter T )
Click and drag over the area of text you would like to copy:
Choose "copy" from the edit menu (or command c)
Switch to your word processing program and open a new document. After the blank document is open choose "Paste" from the edit menu (command v.)
Unfortunately the document will lose most of its formatting and you will copy in some words or numbers you may not want to include, e.g. the title of the week.
Not a big deal though since the plan is to open up room for answers to be written in. Simply delete anything you don't want and format the questions with as much room as you like. Choose whatever font you would like and add in any text you need to make the document fit your plans. Sometimes, for example, the question will be, "Compare y to x," and I will add in, "Using the Venn diagram (or T chart) provided on the next page," and then I make sure I add the appropriate chart. Whatever you want to do to personalize your book. You will probably find yourself changing your mind on things from unit to unit, coming up with all sorts of brilliant ideas (which you must share with me ;-) Here's a page that is partially formatted:
And the finished page:
I don't reformat pages that seem to work on their own such as the LG, UG, & Dialectic literature worksheets and various charts included at the rhetoric level:
Sometimes if 1/2 a page is a fantastic chart, but I need to make changes on the other 1/2 I'll copy the page, cut off the portion not need, copy again (now 1/2 of this is blank), format that particular page to fit in the blank area of the copy and then print it on that sheet. If you look on the left page below you will see an example of this:
I hope this post helps clear up things for those interested. Feel free to ask any questions and I'll try to get back in a timely manner. :-) |
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Apr. 23, 2008 Happy Birthday Will
In honor of Shakespeare's 444th birthday, we ditched school and spent the day making merry with all things Elizabethan and Shakespearean. Normally my older boys are just too cool for something like this, but when you add no school + anything they usually come around. There is some question as to what day Shakespeare was actually born, we know he died on April 23rd, but his birth is a bit of a mystery. After a very quick, rather unscientific search of the web I settled on April 23. After all, if this date is good enough for STRATFORD-UPON-AVON, it's good enough for me. Plus it's St. George's Day, and we got to include a little bit on him as well because Ethan loves St. George.
First we had to do a little bit of decoration, we colored pictures and hung streamers. As we decorated we listened to an audio version of A&E's Biography: William Shakespeare, it's on iTunes for only $0.95.
I had hoped to begin our time of celebration outside, but Ben is allergic to grass and oak tree pollen and both are now in full force here. Our kitchen stood in for the stage (instead of our deck) and we groundlings watched from the pit (our family room.) We recited sonnets and portions of plays. This was a little out of the comfort zone of my teenage boys, but they had fun in spite of themselves. After our oratory practice, lunch was served. We dined on duck, cheese, pears, really good bread, strawberries and clotted cream.
Next we played a file folder game I made, you can download it here. The game is called Quote to The Globe. Players must correctly identify various Shakespearean quotes in order to advance, there's a wee bit of history thrown in too. The first player to make it to The Globe wins. Suffices to say, who ever paid attention for our stage portion did well with the game. I served as reader since I knew all the answers. I also came across some fun online games at Bantam.
We ended our day with one of my favorite movies, Much Ado About Nothing. I think Kenneth Branagh is hysterical in it, and I will admit that it upsets me that he and Emma Thompson are no longer together. :-/ And that's all I have to say about that.
Our Favorite Sonnets
SONNET 18
Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate:
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer's lease hath all too short a date:
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimm'd;
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance or nature's changing course untrimm'd;
But thy eternal summer shall not fade
Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest;
Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade,
When in eternal lines to time thou growest:
So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
So long lives this and this gives life to thee.
SONNET 73
That time of year thou mayst in me behold
When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang
Upon those boughs which shake against the cold,
Bare ruin'd choirs, where late the sweet birds sang.
In me thou seest the twilight of such day
As after sunset fadeth in the west,
Which by and by black night doth take away,
Death's second self, that seals up all in rest.
In me thou see'st the glowing of such fire
That on the ashes of his youth doth lie,
As the death-bed whereon it must expire
Consumed with that which it was nourish'd by.
This thou perceivest, which makes thy love more strong,
To love that well which thou must leave ere long.
SONNET 116
Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come:
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.
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Apr. 9, 2008 Tapestry of Grace: Year Two, Week Fourteen ~ The Aztecs and the Incas
History/Church History
This week was a week of comparisons. We compared the two great empires of Central and South America, the Aztecs and the Incas respectively. We also compared both of those cultures with their Spanish conquerors and with the cultures of Ancient Greece and Rome. We shed some light on the horrific practices of both the Aztecs and the Spanish conquistadors. As we studied the economy of exploitation that was set up by the conquerors, we read portions of writings by Michel de Montaigne, Bartolome de las Casas and Hernan Cortes. We'll let you draw your own conclusions, but I will mention that we had quite a lively discussion.
Government
Ben really enjoyed Machiavelli's "The Prince." We often found ourselves comparing this prince with Plato's philosopher king. TOG's government credit is a gem (have I said that already?) Give it a try!
Literature
In addition to our scheduled readings, we began listening to The Children's Shakespeare by E. Nesbit. Open Texture offers a wonderful audio version.
Rhetoric - Ben read The York Play of the Crucifixion. I had him read this modernized version as well. From the University of Toronto. Also read this week was Everyman and we found luminarium.org to be a very useful web site. It includes a link to a modernized version. I did have Ben read the text from Norton's as well.
Memory Work
Ethan finished up The Ten Commandments.
Zach: Ephesians 5:8-12
for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true, and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret.
Copywork
Ethan: "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."
Hands-on
Ethan colored an Aztec phoenix, I've linked other Aztec images as well. We also read a legend online written by Hans Christian Anderson about this mythical bird.
Zach is still working his way through "Amazing Leonardo da Vinci Inventions You Can Build". My camera is missing, but one day soon I hope to have some pictures posted of these fun projects. By the way, the text is available for free online at Wowio, courtesy of Verizon.
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Jan. 28, 2008 Tapestry of Grace: Year Two, Week Seven ~ High Middle Ages
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Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
"For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?"
"Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?"
For from him and through him and to him are all things.
To him be glory forever. Amen.
Romans 11:33-36
History/Church History
This is not a pretty week as we look at the Crusades, but in addition to reading about the atrocities associated with this period of history, we also saw the good that came out of it. God has a plan for good in this world and all the evil men conspire to do can not thwart it.
Philosophy
Thomas Aquinas was studied this week. I tied in this week's writing assignment (informal outlines from lectures) by having Ben outline a lecture by Peter Kreeft on Aquinas.
Literature
Lower Grammar - The Usborne Official Knights Handbook
Dialectic - The Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle.
Rhetoric - Finished Inferno, read parts of Purgatario and Paradiso. We found the web site Dante Worlds very helpful.
Hands-on
We made a file folder game of Nine Men's Morris. We also played it online. We're hooked!
Copywork
Ethan: You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
Zach:
"O Lady mine, the spring is here,
With a hey nonny nonny;
The sweet love season of the year,
With a ninny ninny nonny;
Now lad and lass
Lie in the grass
That groweth green
With flowers between.
The buck doth rest
The leaves do start,
The cock doth crow,
The breeze doth blow,
And all things laugh in-"
~ Little John's untitled ditty from The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood
Recitation and Commonplace Book
"Within the deep and luminous subsistence
Of the High Light appeared to me three circles,
Of threefold colour and of one dimension,
And by the second seemed the first reflected
As Iris is by Iris, and the third
Seemed fire that equally from both is breathed.
O how all speech is feeble and falls short
Of my conceit, and this to what I saw
Is such, 'tis not enough to call it little!
O Light Eterne, sole in thyself that dwellest,
Sole knowest thyself, and, known unto thyself
And knowing, lovest and smilest on thyself!"
~ Paradiso
canto XXXIII lines 115-126
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Jan. 25, 2008 Tapestry of Grace: Year Two, Week Six ~ Feudalism
History/Church History
We learned a lot about feudalism this week and the benefits and disadvantages it brought to the church. Zachary, dialectic, enjoyed exploring the Middle Ages pages at the eMuseum of Minnesota State University Mankato
Philosophy
Anselm of Canterbury's works were examined this week. Our readings and discussions, which made our brains ache, led to an examination of the paradox of Achilles and the Tortoise by Zeno.
Literature
Lower Grammar - The Usborne Official Knights Handbook
Dialectic - Zachary finished The Story of Rolf and the Viking Bow.
Rhetoric - Ben is reading Inferno and is enjoying it immensely.
Memory Work
Ethan is memorizing The Ten Commandments.
Zach: The Rules of Chivalry
Thou shalt believe all the church teaches and observe all its directions
Thou shalt defend the church
Thou shalt respect all weaknesses and shalt constitute thyself the defender of them
Thou shalt love the country in which thou wast born
Thou shalt not recoil before thine enemy
Thou shalt make war against the Infidel without cessation and without mercy
Thou shalt perform scrupulously the feudal duties, if they be not contrary to the laws of God
Thou shalt never lie and remain faithful to thy pledged word
Thou shalt be generous and give largesse to everyone
Thou shalt be everywhere and always the champion of the Right and Good and the foe of Injustice and Evil
Copywork
Ethan: I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.
Zach: "...The wicked knight leapt suddenly upon him, cutting off the top of the crown which the unction of sacred chrism had dedicated to God. Next he received a second blow on the head, but still he stood firm and immovable. At the third blow he fell on his knees and elbows, offering himself a living sacrifice, and saying in a low voice, 'For the name of Jesus and the protection of the Church, I am ready to embrace death.' But the third knight inflicted a terrible wound as he lay prostrate. By this stroke, the crown of his head was separated from the head in such a way that the blood white with the brain, and the brain no less red from the blood, dyed the floor of the cathedral. The same clerk who had entered with the knights placed his foot on the neck of the holy priest and precious martyr, and, horrible to relate, scattered the brains and blood about the pavements, crying to the others, 'Let us away, knights; this fellow will arise no more." Edward Grim was a clerk from Cambridge who was visiting Canterbury Cathedral on Tuesday 29 December 1170 when Thomas Becket was murdered.
Recitation and Commonplace Book
"Through me the way is to the city dolent;
Through me the way is to eternal dole;
Through me the way among the people lost.
Justice incited my sublime Creator;
Created me divine Omnipotence,
The highest Wisdom and the primal Love.
Before me there were no created things,
Only eterne, and I eternal last.
All hope abandon, ye who enter in!"
These words in sombre colour I beheld
Written upon the summit of a gate;
Whence I: "Their sense is, Master, hard to me!"
And he to me, as one experienced:
"Here all suspicion needs must be abandoned,
All cowardice must needs be here extinct.
We to the place have come, where I have told thee
Thou shalt behold the people dolorous
Who have foregone the good of intellect."
And after he had laid his hand on mine
With joyful mien, whence I was comforted,
He led me in among the secret things.
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Jan. 11, 2008 Tapestry of Grace: Year Two, Week Five ~ Vikings
History/Church History
Well, our first week back from Christmas break was filled with distractions, so we didn't quite get it done. Rather than rush through Alfred and the Vikings we will settle in for another week.
Government
This week we have been studying Alfred's Doom Book. I found a good web site that gives some background information on Alfred and his laws, even though we have TOG's government supplement it was helpful and those of you who do not have the Government cd will find the information needed to answer the government questions.
Literature
Lower Grammar - I'm reading "Leif the Lucky" aloud to Ethan.
Dialectic - Zachary is enjoying The Story of Rolf and the Viking Bow.
Hands-on
Zach began carving the image of a viking ship into a bar of Ivory soap. Their web site includes soap carving instructions.
Something Fun
Last year I taught a literature class to 9 - 12 year olds at our co-op. We read Heaney's version of Beowulf, did some literary analysis, vocabulary study, and discussion. In addition, my students wrote a script inspired by Heaney's text, made puppets, and filmed their show. It was a fun and relatively easy project.
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Jan. 3, 2008 Tapestry of Grace: Year Two, Week Four ~ Charlemagne
History/Church History
Have you ever had one of those weeks where it seems like nothing is getting done and you are ruining your child's education, but then you find out while you were distracted with life your children were actually learning something? That was this week for us. When our discussion time began I was filled with dread, but my sons surprised me with all they learned about Charlemagne.
Literature
Lower Grammar - Ethan read "The Adventures of King Arthur" (Usborne) to me. That is the longest book he has read yet, he did a great job.
Dialectic - Zachary has read Beowulf many times so I had him read "The Son of Charlemagne" by Barbara Willard. He gave it a 
I have type set a good retelling of Beowulf. If time is short, but you don't want to skip reading the tale this would be a great option for you. It's only 13 pages, download here.
Hands-on
Ethan built a castle out of Legos and K-nex and made up a legend which he orally shared with us. It sounded an awful like the legend St. George and the Dragon, but since this knight's name was Tree Beard and there was no princess we overlooked it.
Zach worked on his juggling skills using this juggling how-to web site, I think he's still working on it.
Memory Work
Ben and Zach finished The Lord’s Prayer in Koine. We also included some Latin carols from Lingua Angelica.
Ethan memorized the first verse of "Veni, Veni, Emmanuel".
Copywork
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
Dictation
(Charlemagne) was very forward in succoring the poor, and in that gratuitous generosity which the Greeks call alms, so much so that he not only made a point of giving in his own country and his own kingdom, but when he discovered that there were Christians living in poverty in Syria, Egypt, and Africa, at Jerusalem, Alexandria, and Carthage, he had compassion on their wants, and used to send money over the seas to them. ~ Einhard*
* Einhard was a scholar in Charlemagne's court. He was a man of considerable talents and a product of Charlemagne's education system. As a symbol of gratitiude, Einhard wrote "Vita Caroli" or "The Life of Charlemagne." Click here to read more from his work.
Recitation
Ben read aloud the scene when Oliver and Roland argue about blowing the oliphant from "The Song of Roland."
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Dec. 28, 2007 Tapestry of Grace: Year Two, Week Three ~ Byzantine Empire and Rise of Islam
History/Church History
We learned a lot about Muhammad this week, it was very interesting. At the rhetoric and dialectic level we read portions of the Quran and compared verses from it with similar verses in Scripture.
Government
We read an article that was written by Ghulam Ahmed Parwez, a Pakistani scholar who founded the Tolu-e-Islam movement. This reading is included in the Tapestry of Grace Key Documents in Government studies CD which I very strongly recommend for those with rhetoric students or if you are working that level yourself. In fact, I will use this post as opportunity to state how much Ben and I are enjoying our government discussion, if you can at all squeeze government into your schedule I think you will not regret it.
Literature
Lower Grammar - I read the Zeman book to Ethan, beautifully illustrated.
Dialectic - Zachary continued with his reading of 1001 Arabian Nights. His literature worksheet included literary terms and we used the Bedford-St. Martins Glossary of Literary Terms to assist with that assignment.
Hands-on
We looked at tessellations which are very prominent in Muslim art.
Ethan colored an M.C. Escher illustration and played with his lizard tessellation puzzle. I forget where I got it from, but here it is.
Zach made his own tessellation using the web site tessellations.org for guidance.
We spent a little time studying Escher too.
Memory Work
Ben and Zach are still working on The Lord’s Prayer in Koine.
Ethan is memorizing The Apostles Creed.
Copywork
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
the Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord
Dictation
Patience is the key to contentment. - Muhammad
Recitation
Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. ~ I John 2:22-23
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Dec. 20, 2007 Tapestry of Grace: Year Two, Week Two ~ Justinian
History
Why is the name Flavius Belisarius not known to school children in the same manner as Alexander, Julius Caesar, and Hannibal? This man was an incredible general and it was so exciting reading about him. I’ve included a three page document titled “The Age and Laws of Justinian” from The World’s Greatest Events Vol. II and if you like you can download it and read a little more about this neglected general. I’ve also uploaded a poem about Belisarius by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (see above link); it addresses a legend about how he was treated by Justinian in his elder years.
Literature
Lower Grammar - I read Caedmon’s Song to Ethan. I am very glad I purchased this book, nicely illustrated and written. I also read another version of the tale of Caedmon from “Britain Long Along” retellings by E.M. Wilmot Buxton ©1906. You can download it here.
Dialectic - Zach is reading a different version of Arabian Nights, a $1.00 library cast-off that is quite good. This is a good literature assignment to switch out books if you are trying to use what you have on the shelf. The worksheets are not tied specifically to the version recommended in the curriculum.
Rhetoric - This is a busy week. Ben and I will be writing out literary terms all weekend. I recommend assigning some of these in Week One is possible. Drop by drop the bucket gets full. 8-S
Hands-on
We completed a fun project this week. We made copy books that resemble the jewel encrusted Bibles of the Middle Ages. Inside we included a little illuminated writing and Latin Scripture verses from the Vulgate. You can download a mini-kit I put together for your use, or you can make your own using the web sites I used for inspiration:
Leaves of Gold and Medieval Woodcuts
Memory Work
Ben and Zach are still working on The Lord’s Prayer in Koine.
Ethan is memorizing The Apostles Creed.
Copywork (Ethan)
Praise we now the Keeper of heaven’s kingdom,
The mind of the mighty maker,
The Glorious Father who made
The world and all its wonders;
Dictation (Zach)
Ah! vainest of all things
Is the gratitude of kings;
The plaudits of the crowd
Are but the clatter of feet
At midnight in the street,
Hollow and restless and loud.
~ from “Belisarius” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Recitation (Ben)
None, I gave him a break because of the literary terms mentioned above.
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Dec. 20, 2007 Tapestry of Grace: Year Two, Week One cont.
Monday
Today my husband Lou turned 44 and we traditionally take everyone’s birthday off. Unfortunately for Ben that was not the case since he had so much work to make up.
Government:
Ben completed his reading and questions.
Total TOG Time: 2 hours (Ben only)
Tuesday
History:
Both Ben and Zach finished their history readings and questions.
Church History:
Church History reading begun
Hands-on:
We drew Celtic Knots this week, this is actually a project left over from unit four of Year One. Click here for modified graph paper to make your knots easier to draw and here for step by step instructions.
Government:
Discussion
Philosophy:
Reading and discussion
Total TOG Time: 2 hours
Wednesday
History:
Discussion, dialectic and rhetoric together.
Church History:
Finished reading, answered questions.
Discussion, dialectic and rhetoric together.
Literature:
Individual discussion.
Total TOG Time: 1.5 hours
Memory Work:
Ben and Zach are still working on The Lord’s Prayer in Koine.
Ethan has memorized The Lord’s Prayer in English this week.
Copywork (Ethan):
A different section of The Lord’s Prayer every day.
Dictation (Zach):
“Troubadours, minnesingers, and trouveres wrote and performed lyric poetry in the castles of great lords and kings. Lyric poems were set to music and told tales of courtly love, in which knights performed daring deeds for the women they admired.”
~ from “Medieval Myths, Legends, and Songs”
Recitation (Ben): None scheduled
Extracurricular items:
I forgot to mention last week that the older boys and I watched
“I, Claudius.” We all enjoyed it very much. There are a few scenes that required the fast-forward button, but overall it was fine.
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Dec. 20, 2007 Tapestry of Grace: Year Two, Week One
Since we began week 1 after completing unit four of year one we didn’t have to do much in the way of review. I did have Ben and Zach read a summary of the Roman empire from Augustus to the fall of the West. (download here) A typical week one assignment is to discuss why we need to study history, we had already done that so instead we discussed what makes a hero. As inspiration for our discussion I read this poem:
The Hero
Sir Henry Taylor (1800–86)
WHAT makes a hero?—not success, not fame,
Inebriate merchants, and the loud acclaim
Of glutted Avarice,—caps toss’d up in air,
Or pen of journalist with flourish fair;
Bells peal’d, stars, ribbons, and a titular name—
These, though his rightful tribute, he can spare;
His rightful tribute, not his end or aim,
Or true reward; for never yet did these
Refresh the soul, or set the heart at ease.
What makes a hero?—An heroic mind,
Express’d in action, in endurance prov’d.
And if there be preeminence of right,
Deriv’d through pain well suffer’d, to the height
Of rank heroic, ’t is to bear unmov’d,
Not toil, not risk, not rage of sea or wind,
Not the brute fury of barbarians blind,
But worse—ingratitude and poisonous darts,
Launch’d by the country he had serv’d and lov’d:
This, with a free, unclouded spirit pure,
This, in the strength of silence to endure,
A dignity to noble deeds imparts
Beyond the gauds and trappings of renown;
This is the hero’s complement and crown;
This miss’d, one struggle had been wanting still,
One glorious triumph of the heroic will,
One self-approval in his heart of hearts.
Also completed this week:
Geography - This week’s assignment is huge, mapping the world and medieval Europe. We needed the help of the internet for a few of the locations.
Hands-on - No hands on this week
Literature - Zach enjoyed the week 1 assignment which is basically an overview of medieval literature. It whet his appetite for stories to come.
I am reading aloud to Ethan from Britannia: 100 Great Stories from
British History.
Memory Work/Copywork
Zach and Ben are memorizing The Lord’s Prayer in Greek.
Ethan’s copywork was:
Attila was the Scourge of God. Leo saved Rome from Attila.
Lord willing we will finish week one on Wednesday :-)
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Dec. 19, 2007 Tapestry of Grace: Getting Ready for Year 2
As we finally begin Year 2 I am going to attempt to keep a weekly record of our journey through Tapestry of Grace. This year we have one student completing rhetoric level work, one student at the dialectic level and one just barely lower grammar 5 year old. Should be an interesting year.
Janice in NJ inspired me to make workbooks for my children and I just got them bound today.
Each Book is for one unit and contains:
Yellow Sheets (Weekly Reading and Overview)
Writing Assignment Page (Red pages)
I cut and pasted the SAPs in Quark and formatted them so that there is
enough room to write answers in the workbook
Maps
Summarizing Worksheets when needed
Supplement 14 from Writing Supplements when needed for compare/contrast assignments.
Pageant of Philosophy (rhetoric workbook)
Government Reading (rhetoric workbook)
Each week for dialectic is approximately 7 pages,
but rhetoric averages 15 pages.
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Dec. 19, 2007 I'm moving back
My .Mac blog isn't working as well as I would like and I've missed the ease of HomeschoolBlogger. Hopefully I will get caught up on my TOG posts over Christmas break.
Karen |
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Jun. 27, 2007 New Web Site |
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