Fine Arts, Orchestra

Weeks 19-24 bring a study of the orchestra, its composers and instruments. We will introduce concepts weekly on community days, and you can expand upon the studies at home.

The focus of your teaching at home is to help your children develop a love and appreciation for this music.

Ways to do this are many, but a few suggestions include:

• listen to music while doing chores, in the car, or while drawing/painting, 
• Make a game out of paying attention to and recognizing the instruments played during a song,
• attend a symphony together (for younger students, look for a children's program which has adjusted length and will typically showcase different instruments in a way for clear understanding),
• ask a friend who plays an instrument for a short lesson and demonstration,
• find books, cds, and videos at your local library about different instruments, composers, and musical time periods,
• use music as an aid for quiet reflective time while everyone draws, journals, or prays,
• seek out ways to let your children get their hands on instruments--a museum, a touch-and-feel symphony, friends or family
• talk about how music can facilitate worship, and enjoy worshipping in song together as a family
• consider private music lessons for your child. Most music teachers will encourage even the youngest of students to begin, but you're never too old to start! If cost is a barrier, start with the parent learning from a book or video and then teaching the children as they progress. (Remember, we don't have to be experts, just lead learners!)

We know that God is a musical God, and in Heaven there will be much music! We know that God made us musical beings--we are soothed, invigorated, alleviated, and ignited through music, yet it is something that is being taught less and less. We gain the full benefit of music when we study it. In addition, science has shown that there is no better activity to aid in our learning of every other subject than learning a musical instrument. Ages ago, the study of music was not seen as elective but as core. Let's reclaim this lost perspective!

picture source: Classical FM Radio

Presentation Schedule, 4th Quarter

We strive to develop oral communication skills at a young age in an ever-increasing digital world. We know that equipping our children to be confident communicators will prepare them for adulthood and most importantly, bring glory to God as they are able to make Him known in the world.

The final quarter of presentations will incorporate all 3 of our previous quarterly focuses:

• Connecting with the audience
• Articulation
• Style and expression

Week 19 (March 23): "Tell us about your name." Does it have a meaning? Why did your parents choose that name for you? What is its origin? Do you have any nicknames, and who calls you by them?

Week 20 (March 30): "How To." Tell us how to do something assuming that the audience doesn't know the most basic steps. Organize into 4 main steps. It can be any topic. Examples: "How to plant a seed", "How to build a lego tower", "How to check out a library book", "How to set the table." If applicable, feel free to bring items that help demonstrate while still using strong verbs to explain, i.e., "Stack the blocks one on top of the other" vs. "Do this, then that"

Week 21 (April 6): "Show and Tell a Piece of Art" (either famous work or homemade). Tell what period it is from (or resembles). Who is the artist? What techniques and materials were used? What is the subject? What was the artist's motivation? 

Week 22 (April 13): "Instrument of the Orchestra" Choose an instrument from the orchestra that you'd like to learn more about or that you'd like to play. What is its name? What group does it belong to? (brass, strings, woodwinds, or percussion). What sound does it make? How do you play it? Feel free to bring visual and audio aids--draw a picture, find a picture in a book, find a song featuring the instrument and play a piece of it, or even bring the instrument itself if you have access to that.

Week 23 (April 20): "Favorite part of CC" Tell us what you like about CC. It can be several things from any of the elements: Christian, Classical, Community. Is there a favorite Fine Arts or Science focus? Favorite piece of memory work?

Week 24 (April 27): "Summer Plans" Tell us some things that you're looking forward to about the summer. Going on a trip? Playing outside? Swim lessons? Family reunion? Give us a glimpse of your summer months.

Informational Meeting Sat. Jan. 21

CC Newtown Square will host an informational meeting for interested families on

Saturday, January 21, 

11AM-noon 

at the Panera in West Chester Town Center.

We will have a brief overview, explanation, and time for questions.
All are welcome!

No commitments are expected or required--please come to explore classical home education with built-in community, accountability, and a flexible plan!

Phases of the Moon

I love the 6 week emphasis on outer space because there are so many fun ways to expand on our studies at home! Here are few additional resources for phases of the moon.

30 Day Moon Journal (free)

Moon Calendars for 2017 (for purchase)

Don't forget that 2017 is a year of a total solar eclipse! Read more at space.com

And lastly, my kids' favorite: Phases of the Moon snack time! ;) 

How last week's science experiment helped us worship Jesus

Integrated learning is a buzz word in classical education. We integrate our subjects because we have an integrated God, i.e. God's love for people isn't a separate subject from His brilliance in creating the world. If science means the "study of the natural world" it stands to reason that we also learn about the Creator of the world when we study science.

Last week on community day, we did a science experiment that demonstrated the magnetic forces of the solar system. We used a polarized magnet, iron shavings, paper, and vinegar. Through our procedure, we produced a visual image of the planets' orbits around the sun and understood that the magnetic pull of the sun contributed to their paths and orbit shape.

The next day during our breakfast Bible readings, the kids and I explored John 6:16-21, the story of Jesus walking on water. We've heard this story before, seen it depicted in cartoons, coloring pages, and pop culture references. The emphasis has usually been on the setting--detailed descriptions of the water, the boat, and the astonishment on the disciples faces. Nothing is wrong with this rendition of the story.

But the previous day's science lesson gave a whole new context to this miracle.

Let me be clear--it illuminated it for ME--the mama, the teacher, the middle aged adult. I found myself in awe of our Savior because the elementary school science experiment was fresh on my mind, and so because of this,

I was excited to review the science lesson while we discussed the scripture passage. 

The kids caught on immediately and I could see the awe and understanding in their eyes:

God has placed natural forces in motion to hold the planets together. He has created elaborate systems  and cycles (also a lesson from a previous week). Because of our science lessons, we have a greater understanding of how He does this, and so greater is our awe when God himself steps outside of those systems to do something unnatural!

The kids and I marveled together about how Jesus defied gravity by walking on water! Studying science made it more tangible for us. And the beauty of integrated learning is that we don't leave one lesson on the shelf while we study another. The benefit of homeschooling is that I'm with them for each of these subjects, so I can easily facilitate bringing it together.

Finding the relationship between science and scripture helps us worship the Lord more deeply, and that's really what this homeschool journey is all about!

Reading Aloud

Today we mentioned the importance of reading aloud as an integral part of our school days. What a blessing and privilege to snuggle up with our kids and read together! Not only is it the most pivotal factor in language development, the bond that it builds with our children has proven to increase their self-worth and emotional stability.

Infographic taken from ReadingFoundation.org 

Make it a goal to read 20 minutes aloud each day. It doesn't have to be consecutive, and small children who are active also receive the same language benefits if they are in the room but still moving about.

The most important thing is to keep it enjoyable and consistent!

Resources:
Half-a-hundred-acre-wood blog shares book suggestions that correlate with our CC Cycle studies. Here is her list for this year's Cycle 2. http://www.halfahundredacrewood.com/2016/04/classical-conversations-cycle-2-booklist/

Charlotte Mason has book lists organized by age and subject here.

You can purchase (or borrow from your library) the book Honey for a Child's Heart, which reemphasizes the importance and joys of reading as well as has book recommendations for rich enjoyment and learning.

"Charlotte's Web and Other Gospel Stories" Guest Post by Samantha Holland

My friend, colleague, and fellow mom, Samantha, wrote this jewel of an article and shared it privately among our group of women. She gave me permission to share it here publicly so as to encourage. Truly the richest moments of parenthood!

One morning, I put down Jesus Calling for Kids with a sigh. My kids look bored and it’s not worth the eye rolls. “Why does it say pretty much the same thing over and over?” the eldest asks. They haven’t been into Bible stories lately, either. We’ve read them all. "Let’s read Charlotte's Web today, instead” I suggest. They eagerly agree.

A few chapters in, I recognize the Gospel in Charlotte's web. One creature doomed from birth to die, another acting as savior, coming down from above--from a spiderweb, to be exact.

I pause, closing the book and using my finger as a bookmark. "How does this story remind you of the Bible?" I ask the kids. Silence. "OK," I venture, "how is Charlotte's Web like the Easter Story?" I watch light bulbs go on in their young minds as they recognize the familiar characters, the themes of despair and redemption. We talk about this for a few minutes--about how Charlotte calls herself "I am" just like Jesus did, how she ascribes worth and value to an animal that Farmer Zuckerman sees only as a ham. Charlotte writes "radiant" and "humble" in her web and makes untrue things true about Wilbur, just because she miraculously says so. Just like Jesus does for us.

The book ends with Charlotte’s sacrificial, lonely death. The kids are captivated and I secretly smile. We may not be reading the Bible, but we are reading the Gospel! Even when we put down our Christian books, we found Jesus in a children’s novel.

Looking for the gospel outside Bible stories might be nearly as important as reading Bible stories. One reinforces the other. It’s telling that we can't hardly write stories or songs or even live our lives without repeating gospel themes over and over.

I’m sad when the books ends, because it feels like the ending of a special moment of discovery with the kids. I shouldn’t have worried though--we move on to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and there God is again, this time as a candyman wearing a purple coat and inviting friends into a beautiful world he created. A world which humble, unassuming Charlie Bucket inherits in the end.

Here are some questions I use to help the kids process stories we read:

1. Who is the hero in this story? Why? What character traits do they have?
2. Who reminds you of God in this story? Who reminds you of Jesus?
3. Who are you in this story? Why? Who do you want to be?

Who is not God in this story? Why?

Join us at Parent Practicum in West Chester

Details

Aug. 2-5, 2016 at Goshen Baptist Church, West Chester.

• Meet the community
• Learn the classical education model
• Shop the bookstore
• Practical helps
• Biblical insight
• Vision and encouragement for the future
• Always free!

email keri.armentrout@cru.org for more information

Informational Meetings

Here are the opportunities to get more information about our program.

• Parent Practicum, August 2-4 @ Goshen Baptist Church, West Chester 

• Sunday, Aug. 14, 4:30PM-5:15PM @ Panera Bread, Newtown Square Shopping Center

*Classical Conversations is committed to encouraging parents! This is why CC provides FREE parent trainings around the country. God has equipped you to teach your child, and at a Parent Practicum, you receive training and vision that gives you the confidence to persevere or jump in for the first time.. 

Our community is attending the Free 3 Day Practicum at Goshen Baptist Church in West Chester. August 2-4. Please join us!!

Structured for Families

After homeschooling solo for the first year, I knew I needed two things--structure and a plan. And my desire was for me to not have to invent that all by myself.

A friend invited me to a CC meeting, and I discovered that it had a well structured curriculum for 7 subjects, and yet it was the only one I had looked into that was designed to not only work easily for teaching multiple aged kids at the same time, but also having tremendous flexibility in how we expanded upon each topic.

Many of the other homeschool curriculums I had looked into had large box sets, lots of pre-reading for the teacher, too many pages to complete each day. I asked friends who used such sets, and they frequently talked about feeling "weighed down" by "trying to get it all done." And if they were schooling more than one child, that workload doubled.

This was not my style. I was more appealed by the Charlotte Mason homeschool style--reading good books aloud together, exploring nature together through outdoor play, etc. Yet I was firmly against the idea of "unschooling" in the sense of not having a plan and hoping that my kids learned to read and do math simply by taking them to the grocery store. 

Surely there was a balanced option somewhere?!

Yes, it is here with Classical Conversations! 

Each week there is a learning objective in each main subject; Here's the genius--It's the same basic objective for Pre-K-6th grade, and you, the parent, have full freedom how much you want to expand on each subject each week. 

For example, in Science, the weekly objective is to learn the 3 types of animal consumers: Carnivore, Herbivore, Omnivore. Your kindergartner can color a picture and simply know that a lion is a carnivore, a giraffe is a herbivore, and a bear is an omnivore. Your 3rd grader could make a collage of different animals in each category, while your 5th grader reads a chapter book and writes a 2 page report. 

Here's why this system is so functional and fruitful:

• You, as parent-teacher, don't have to read a textbook about animal consumers before you begin.
• You, as parent-teacher, don't have to create 24 science objectives on your own.
• You, as parent-teacher, can tailor your weekly projects to your children's learning needs and your personal teaching style. 
• CC Connected (our online community for sharing resources) has posts from other parents doing the same learning objectives--many of them have already created crafts, worksheets, journal ideas etc. for the weekly objectives and you can download for free. If you wanted to, you could even get together with friends from the community and do a science project together because everyone is working the same objective!
• Your 4 year old can study the same thing as your 10 year old and you'll have richer conversations as a family as you're all learning the same topic at the same time.
• CC provides a writing program for 4th-6th graders (it's called Essentials, and you can hear more about it in another post), and it lines up with the learning objectives in other subjects. So you, parent-teacher, don't have to go searching for upper-level challenges for your upper- elementary kid.
• You get to decide if you expand on the weekly objective at all. You can say, "You know what? The fact that my 6 year old knows what 3 types of animal consumers are is good enough. Science = done! We need to spend more time on math this week anyway!"

I can't possibly explain all the benefits to such a system in one blog post, so if you're left wondering more, please attend one of our info meetings.

Free Parent Training Aug 2-4

Join us for an annual Parent Practicum in West Chester on Aug 2-4. It's an encouraging and equipping time together!

• Meet other families
• Learn more about the classical learning style
• Practical training for the present
• Vision for the future
• Prayer and encouragement
• Shop the bookstore and save on shipping

Nursery for littles and camp for olders is available at low cost.

See all the details HERE