A Living Catechism: St. Patrick's Summer

St. Patrick's Summer: A Children's Adventure Catechism 

by Marigold Hunt

I bought this book years ago to read aloud to the kids, but they ended up listening to it at Children's Adoration at our parish instead. The moderators of Mater Amabilis have recently suggested it as an alternative catechism book for fifth grade (Level 2 Year 2). Second Son, my youngest, was just starting Level 2 Year 1, but I thought this would be a good year to schedule catechism because I didn't know how it would go in a Covid year at our parish. They ended up meeting every Sunday in person, just as planned, but Second Son read through the book as well. 

In St. Patrick's Summer, two young children are prepared for First Communion by miraculous visits from St. Patrick in the answer to prayers from their faithful (but tired) catechist. He teaches them about the beginnings of the Catholic faith and the meaning of the Eucharist in a way that makes the faith not only alive to them, but relevant to their daily lives.

The explanations are excellent. Very often they give a basic idea but encourage the reader to learn more as they grow; they leave lots of room for nuance and a deeper understanding as children mature.

This is a great book for kids to read independently in Level 2. Second Son read and narrated about half a chapter once a week. Some chapters are longer and were divided into three readings. It would also be a good book for First Communion preparation, but parents may want to read it aloud.

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Amazon and Bookshop are affiliate links. I purchased this book.

American Geography in Level 2 using the Geography Coloring Book

Last week I shared a set of lesson plans incorporating The Geography Coloring Book with the Mater Amabilis™ geography books in Levels 1A, 2, and 3. You can find those lesson plans here.

A friend in the Mater Amabilis™ Facebook group asked if I had considered adding assignments for American Geography in Level 2. This two-year course uses four books by Holling Clancy Holling: Paddle-to-the-Sea, Seabird, Tree in the Trail, and Minn of the Mississippi. These are magnificent books, illustrated with colorful details, spreading a delightful feast of geography, history, and the natural world.

One of the resources recommended for American Geography in Level 2 is a set of four maps designed to accompany the Hollings books. I've always used the map set, which is just lovely, but my friend pointed out that many people do not have wall space for big maps like those. Also, if you have already purchased The Geography Coloring Book, you wouldn't need to invest in another resource.

So I devoted a little time to creating mapping assignments in The Geography Coloring Book for the Hollings books in Level 2 American Geography. For each book, read one chapter a week. Most weeks have mapping assignments that correlate with the text. I also added some coloring for states not specifically included in the books so that by the end of the two years, a student will have colored each of the individual states.

My youngest is starting Level 2 next year, but I've already bought the map set, so if you use these plans, please let me know how they work or it they need any changes!

Level 2 Year 1: Paddle-to-the-Sea

Ch. 1

Color Canada (just the letters) on p. 10

Ch. 2

Label and color Lake Nipigon on p. 10

Ch. 8

Lake Superior on p. 10

Ch. 9

Michigan on p. 10

Ch. 11

Find Duluth, MN and Superior, WI on p. 10

Ch. 12

Find the Apostle Islands on p. 10

Ch. 13

Label Isle Royale and find the Keweenaw Peninsula on p. 10

Ch. 16

Color Ontario (just around the edges is fine) and find Sault Ste. Marie on p. 10

Ch. 17

Color Lake Michigan and Indiana on p. 10. Find the Straits of Mackinac, Gary, IN, and Chicago, IL.

Ch. 18

Maryland and New Jersey on p. 7

Ch. 19

Connecticut and Delaware on p. 7

Ch. 20

Color Lake Huron and Lake St. Clair on p. 10. Find Saginaw Bay and Detroit, MI.

Ch. 21

Color Lake Erie on p. 10

Ch. 22

Color Ohio on p. 10. Find Toledo, Sandusky, and Cleveland in Ohio and Erie, PA. Color Pennsylvania on p. 7. Find Buffalo. NY and Niagara Falls.

Ch. 23

Color New York and Lake Ontario on p. 7. Color in the letters that spell Canada. Find Toronto and Kinsgton in Ontario. Find the Thousand Islands using the map in the chapter.

Ch. 24

Color Lake Champlain and Vermont on p. 7. Find the St. Lawrence River, Montreal, and Quebec.

Ch. 25

Color Ontario, Quebec, Newfoundland, and the Gulf of St. Lawrence on p. 5. Find the St. Lawrence River.

Ch. 26

Color the Atlantic Ocean on p. 5. Find Newfoundland and France on a globe.

Level 2 Year 1: Seabird

Ch. 1

Greenland on p. 3. Find the Arctic Circle.

Ch. 2

Maine and Baffin Bay on p. 3

Ch. 3

Labrador Sea on p. 3

Ch. 4

Newfoundland on p. 3

Ch. 5

New Brunswick on p. 3

Ch. 6

Maine and Nova Scotia on p. 7

Ch. 7

New Hampshire on p. 7

Ch. 8

Massachusetts and Rhode Island on p. 7. Find Cape Cod and Nantucket Island.

Ch. 9

Atlantic Ocean on p. 7

Ch 10

Pacific Ocean (just the letters is fine) on the Western Hemisphere on p. 1

Ch. 11

Pacific Ocean (just the letters is fine) on the Eastern Hemisphere on p. 1

Ch. 12

Oceania (Eastern Hemisphere) on p. 1

Ch. 13

North America (Western Hemisphere) on p. 1. Find Greenland.

Ch. 14

Arctic Ocean on both hemispheres on p. 1

Ch. 15

Atlantic Ocean and Equator (Western Hemisphere) on p. 1

Ch. 16

Atlantic Ocean (Eastern Hemisphere) on p. 1

Ch. 17

South America (Western Hemisphere) on p. 1 Label Cape Horn.

Ch. 18

California on p. 11. Find San Francisco.

Ch. 19

Antarctica on both hemispheres on p. 1

Ch. 20

Add Hawai’i (Western Hemisphere) to p. 1

Ch. 21

Asia (Eastern Hemisphere) on p. 1

Ch. 22

Indian Ocean (Eastern Hemisphere) on p. 1

Ch. 23

Africa (Eastern Hemisphere) on p. 1

Ch. 24

Europe (Eastern Hemisphere) on p. 1

Ch. 25

Alaska on p. 9

Ch. 26

Hawai’i on p. 9

Level 2 Year 2: Tree in the Trail

Ch. 1

Add the Tree to Kansas on p. 9 using the map at the end of your book. Color Kansas.

Ch. 2

Color Santa Fe, NM on p. 9

Ch. 3

Oklahoma on p. 9

Ch. 4

Texas on p. 9

Ch. 5

New Mexico on p. 11. Find Santa Fe.

Ch. 6

Colorado on p. 11

Ch. 7

Nebraska on p. 10

Ch. 8

North Dakota on p. 10

Ch. 9

Color the Rocky Mountains, Kansas (KS), Missouri (MO), Louisiana (LA), and New Mexico (NM) on p. 4. Find Canada, the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the Great Lakes, and the Mississippi River.

Ch. 10

Color Mexico on p. 4. Color Missouri on p. 9. Find St. Louis and the Missouri River. Sketch the Trail from the Tree to Santa Fe on p. 9 using the map from the chapter in your book.

Ch. 11

South Dakota on p. 10

Ch. 12

Arizona on p. 10

Ch. 13

Idaho on p. 10

Ch. 14

Add Council Grove to p. 9. Find the Kansas River, Topeka, and Independence, MO.

Ch. 15

Montana on p. 10

Ch. 16

Nevada on p. 10

Ch. 17

Oregon on p. 10

Ch. 18

Utah on p. 10

Ch. 19

Washington on p. 10

Ch. 20

Wyoming on p. 10

Ch. 21

Find Dodge City on p. 9

Ch. 23

Add Bent’s Fort to p. 11. See the map in chapter 21 to help you add it.

Ch. 24

Rocky Mountains on p. 11. (Just color in the letters.)

Level 2 Year 2: Minn of the Mississippi

Ch. 1

Minnesota on p. 10

Ch. 2

Mississippi River on p. 4

Ch. 3

Trace the Mississippi River with your finger on p. 4. Color the Gulf of Mexico. Add Lake Itasca to p. 10.

Ch. 4

North Carolina and South Carolina on p. 8

Ch. 6

Trace with your finger the area of the glacial ice spread shown on p. 28 in your book on the map on p. 4 in the coloring book.

Ch. 7

Find Minneapolis and St. Paul on p. 10

Ch. 8

Great Lakes on p. 4

Ch. 9

Color Quebec and the Gulf of St. Lawrence on p. 4. Color Wisconsin on p. 10. If you like, add Lake Pepin.

Ch. 10

Color Florida on p. 8. Color Illinois on p. 10. Find the Wisconsin River, Green Bay, the Fox River, and the Illinois River.

Ch. 11

Iowa on p. 10. Find the Missouri River and St. Louis.

Ch. 12

Color Nova Scotia on p. 4. On p. 10, find Rock Island and the Iowa River.

Ch. 13

On p. 9, find the Missouri River, the Ohio River, and St. Louis.

Ch. 14

Kentucky on p. 8. Find the Ohio River. Compare the map on p. 61 of your book with the map on p. 4 of the coloring book.

Ch. 15

Arkansas on p. 9

Ch. 16

Tennessee on p. 8. Find Memphis.

Ch. 17

Alabama and Georgia on p. 8

Ch. 18

Color Mississippi on p. 8. Find Vicksburg and Natchez. Color Louisiana on p. 9. Find Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

Ch. 19

Gulf of Mexico on p. 9

Ch. 20

Virginia and West Virginia on p. 8

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Bookshop and Amazon are affiliate links.

Artistic Pursuits Elementary 4-5 Book Two Color and Composition

First Daughter's otter

We've been using Artistic Pursuits for a few years now, but I've only written about one book, Early Elementary K-3, Book One. I found some pictures of First Daughter's artwork from fifth grade and thought I'd share them.

Artistic Pursuits

Elementary 4-5, Book Two

Color and Composition

at Artistic Pursuits, Amazon, Rainbow Resource Center

First Daughter began this book in the middle of fifth grade (back in 2017-2018). She had already completed Elementary 4-5 Book One, but I do think you could jump in to this book without Book One. We're flexible on our art books. The kids don't rush to finish a book in a year; they just pick up in the fall where they left off in the spring. In this case, she finished Book One about half way through the year and just started right in to Book Two.

Just like in the K-3 book, this one provides much more than drawing or painting. Each unit is divided into four lessons that present new vocabulary (in art and words) for their own experiences, art appreciation and art history, techniques, and a final unit project that tries to bring it all together. The art appreciation lessons are excellent. They choose lovely art and high quality prints of it. I think Second daughter likes those lessons the best; she often adds the dates of artwork to her Book of Centuries.

water bottles by First Daughter

Book Two introduces color in a more explicit way than Book One. My two students who have moved from Book One to Book Two in the Elementary 4-5 series have been very pleased to see lovely watercolor pencils in their art supplies. Some of the topics covered in this book include:

• color wheel
• primary and secondary colors
• intermediate shading
• tinting
• neutral colors
• color value
• direction and movement
• shapes and textures
• blending colors
• points of view (front, back, high, low)
• focused lessons on buildings, figures, faces, and interiors

They recommend two lessons a week with an hour each time. My children almost never spend an hour on art, but we do schedule it twice a week. My kids each have an art box that contains their book and supplies. A few things don't fit and have to live on my art shelves, but this way nearly everything they need is always ready to go without me being involved. They do not share supplies, but because everyone is doing their own art with their own book, they generally have different supplies. I save them when the book is finished for the next student coming along. (So all the Elementary 4-5, Book One supplies are currently tucked away for Second Son when he's ready for them. Second Daughter is already in Elementary 4-5, Book Two, because I am very slow on posting some things.)

Duckling by First Daughter

The supplies for this book are pretty simple unlike those early elementary books where you're looking for supplies like celluclay. 

• watercolor pencil set (at least 12; I found a set of 24 on sale
• 8" brush round (I bought one of these for each of the children as they use them in multiple books. Ours are American Painter and were about $5-6 each, though I don't see size 8 at the moment.)
• 9"x12" watercolor paper pad (I try to buy these in bulk when they're on sale at our local hobby store.)
• sketch pad for drawing (I usually buy whatever 8.5"x11" book of 80 lb paper is on sale at our hobby store.)
• vinyl eraser
• metal handheld pencil sharpener
• a colored pencil set is optional as the student can use the watercolors dry

Apples by First Daughter

I like how this structured art book challenges my children to draw things they might not otherwise draw and to use materials in ways they might not otherwise attempt. They don't always create amazing art, but they are always learning. Over time, every child has created something beyond what they thought they could.

First Daughter finished the book early in seventh grade. The duckling and apples are from the later lessons. Aren't they lovely?

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. I purchased most of my Artistic Pursuits books used. Links to Amazon are affiliate links. Links to Artistic Pursuits and Rainbow Resource Center are not affiliate links.

A Master Lesson Plan for the Geography Coloring Book with Mater Amabilis™

As I was wrapping up our Mater Amabilis™ Level 1A year and organizing the Level 2 plans for Second Son, my youngest, I realized that over the years I have assigned different maps for the same book and the same maps for different books in The Geography Coloring Book. Because I love things to be nice and orderly, I decided to spend a little time creating a coherent set of master plans for The Geography Coloring Book aligned with the geography books for Mater Amabilis™ in Level 1A Year 2 (third grade), Level 2 (fourth and fifth grades), and Level 3 (sixth and seventh grades).

Just a friendly reminder: The Geography Coloring Book is not an essential tool for studying geography. I might even argue it's not the best tool for studying geography within the Charlotte Mason method. It is, however, an easy resource. The student colors the assignments independently, then can show the map work while narrating. Something similar would be asking the child to trace the country borders, rivers, and seas, but I found my kids tended to skip that part if I wasn't sitting next to them. I also personally love coloring maps, so in the usual fashion, I like assigning my children work I enjoy.

Moment of truth: These plans will not be used with any of my children in their entirety. They are plans for a hypothetical child who would start 1A Year 2 next year. These plans would allow for a student to use the same coloring book for the five years without duplicating the maps. (A few years allow options for different books, so there may be one or two countries or activities that appear more than once, but I really tried to avoid duplication.) At the end of five years, there are still plenty of maps left to color if you have a student who enjoys it.

If you are interested in a nice neat printable version of these, I intend to share a link in the Mater Amabilis™ Facebook group.

Level 1A Year 2 Geography and Earth Studies: People & Places
Mapping Lessons for Asia

Post on the Books We Read

Level 1A Year 2 Geography and Earth Studies: Extreme Environments

Map Assignments (for 52 Days by Camel, Jungle Islands, and By Truck to the North)

Level 2 Years 1 and 2 Geography and Earth Studies: American Geography
Mapping Lessons for the Holling C. Holling books (Paddle-to-the-Sea, Seabird, Tree in the Trail, and Minn of the Mississippi)

Level 2 Year 1 Geography and Earth Studies: People and Places

Mapping Lesson for the Americas

Post on the Books for Second Son

Post on the Books for First Son

Level 2 Year 2 Geography and Earth Studies: People & Places

Mapping Lessons for Africa

Post on Some of the Africa Books

Level 3 Year 1 Geography and Earth Studies: Travel

Book of Marvels: The Occident

Level 3 Year 2 Geography and Earth Studies: Travel

Book of Marvels: The Orient

Please do not copy and share these elsewhere, but instead share by linking to this post or to the Facebook group.

Links to Bookshop are affiliate links. You can also find The Geography Coloring Book at Amazon (affiliate link).

An Update to Mapping Activities for the Americas (Level 2 Year 1, Fourth Grade)

This is a revised and expanded lesson plan for The Geography Coloring Book for the Mater Amabilis™ Level 2 Year 1 People and Places Americas studies. You can find the final mapping plans our family used in this post, along with some notes about the books we read.

Our plans were kind of all over the place through the years. If you use the plans in this post, you can follow the master lesson plan (which I'll link here after I've finished and posted it) without assigning the same maps in different years. In comparison to Level 1A, the new plans for Level 2 expand from individual countries more to the continent as a whole.

You would only choose three of these books.

Chúcaro: Wild Pony of the Pampa

Week 1

Forward and 1. Lasso

Geography Coloring Book: Argentina on p. 17

Week 2

2. Ombu

Geography Coloring Book: Paraguay on p. 17

Week 3

3. The Casita

Geography Coloring Book: Uruguay on p. 17

Week 4

4. Currycomb and 5. Tears

Geography Coloring Book: Bolivia on p. 17

Week 5

6. Gitana, the Gypsy and 7. Meat, Mate, Music

Geography Coloring Book: Chile on p. 17

Week 6

8. What the Mayordomo Didn't Know Was Not Worth Knowing

Geography Coloring Book: Ecuador on p. 17

Week 7

9. The Red Kerchief--A Mystery and 10. Something Is Brewing Again

Geography Coloring Book: Peru on p. 17

Week 8

11. The Vaquero Never Had a Chance

Geography Coloring Book: Colombia on p. 16

Week 9 

12. An Urgent Message

Geography Coloring Book: French Guiana on p. 16

Week 10

13. The Patron

Geography Coloring Book: Guyana and Suriname on p. 16

Week 11

14. Bolas and 15. The Match

Geography Coloring Book: Venezuela on p. 16

Week 12

16. Itchy Hooves and 17. To Iguazu

Geography Coloring Book: Brazil on p. 16

The Cay

Week 1

Chapter One

Geography Coloring Book: Netherlands Antilles on p. 13

Week 2

Chapter Two

Geography Coloring Book: Bahamas on p. 13

Week 3

Chapter Three

Geography Coloring Book: Dominican Republic on p. 13

Week 4

Chapter Four

Geography Coloring Book: Haiti on p. 13

Week 5

Chapters Five and Six

Geography Coloring Book: Puerto Rico on p. 13

Week 6

Chapter Seven and Eight

Geography Coloring Book: Jamaica on p. 13

Week 7

Chapters Nine and Ten

Geography Coloring Book: St. Kitts and Nevis on p. 13

Week 8

Chapter Eleven

Geography Coloring Book: Antigua and Barbuda on p. 13

Week 9

Chapters Twelve and Thirteen

Geography Coloring Book: French Territories on p. 13

Week 10

Chapters Fourteen and Fifteen

Geography Coloring Book: Dominica on p. 13

Week 11

Chapters Sixteen and Seventeen

Geography Coloring Book: St. Lucia on p. 13

Week 12

Chapters Eighteen and Nineteen

Geography Coloring Book: Trinidad & Tobago on p. 13

The Secret of the Andes

Week 1

Chapters 1-2

Geography Coloring Book: Peru on p. 14

Week 2

Chapters 3-4

Geography Coloring Book: Chile on p. 14

Week 3

Chapter 5

Geography Coloring Book: the Amazon and its Tributaries on p. 15

Week 4

Chapters 6-7

Geography Coloring Book: the Orinoco and its Tributaries on p. 15

Week 5

Chapter 8

Geography Coloring Book: the Rio de la Plata on p. 15

Week 6

Chapter 9

Geography Coloring Book: the Parana on p. 15

Week 7

Chapter 10

Geography Coloring Book: the Paraguay River on p. 15

Week 8

Chapters 11-12

Geography Coloring Book: the Uruguay River on p. 15

Week 9

Chapter 13

Geography Coloring Book: the other Rio de la Plata tributaries on p. 15

Week 10

Chapter 14

Geography Coloring Book: the Andes Mountains region on the small map on p. 15

Week 11

Chapter 15

Geography Coloring Book: the Guiana Highlands and Brazilian Highlands land regions on the small map on p. 15

Week 12

Chapters 16-17

Geography Coloring Book: the Central Plains land regions (Llanos, Selvas, Gran Chaco, Pampas, and Patagonia) on the small map on p. 15

Where the Flame Trees Bloom

Week 1

Introduction

Geography Coloring Book: Color Cuba on p. 12

Week 2

The Teacher

Geography Coloring Book: Mexico on p 12

Week 3

Choices

Geography Coloring Book: Belize on p 12

Week 4

The Surveyor

Geography Coloring Book: Costa Rica on p 12

Week 5

Lightning

Geography Coloring Book: El Salvador on p 12

Week 6

Samone

Geography Coloring Book: Guatemala on p 12

Week 7

The Legend

Geography Coloring Book: Honduras on p 12

Week 8

Canelo

Geography Coloring Book: Nicaragua on p 12

Week 9

The Rag Dolls

Geography Coloring Book: Panama on p 12

Week 10

Mathematics

Geography Coloring Book: Caribbean Sea on p 12

Week 11

The Ice Cream Man

Geography Coloring Book: Gulf of Mexico p. 12

Week 12

The Feast of San Juan

Geography Coloring Book: Jamaica on p. 12

Week 13

Epilogue

Geography Coloring Book: Cuba on p. 13

Maya Quest: Interactive Expedition

The mapping activities here are on the same map as those for Where the Flame Trees Bloom so a family would choose one or the other of these books or forgo the mapping activities for the second book selected.

Week 1

pp. 2-11

Geography Coloring Book: Color Mexico on p. 12

Week 2

pp. 12-33

Geography Coloring Book: Belize on p 12

Week 3

pp. 24-33

Geography Coloring Book: Guatemala on p 12

Week 4

pp. 34-41

Geography Coloring Book: Costa Rica on p 12

Week 5

pp. 44-59

Geography Coloring Book: El Salvador on p 12

Week 6

pp. 60-73

Geography Coloring Book: Honduras on p 12

Week 7

pp. 74-87

Geography Coloring Book: Nicaragua on p 12

Week 8

pp. 88-99

Geography Coloring Book: Panama on p 12

Week 9

pp. 102-109

Geography Coloring Book: Caribbean Sea on p 12

Week 10

pp. 110-117

Geography Coloring Book: Gulf of Mexico on p 12

Week 11

pp. 118-125

Geography Coloring Book: Cuba on p. 12

Week 12

pp. 126-131

Geography Coloring Book: Jamaica on p. 12

Journey to the River Sea by Eva Ibottson

This is not one of the Mater Amabilis™ suggestions, but a book my family has enjoyed.

Week 1

Ch 1-2

Geography Coloring Book: Color Brazil on p 14

Week 2

Ch 3-4

Geography Coloring Book: French Guiana on p 14

Week 3

Ch 5-6

Geography Coloring Book: Color Suriname on p 14

Week 4

Ch 7-8 

Geography Coloring Book: Guyana on p 14

Week 5

Ch 9-10

Geography Coloring Book: Venezuela on p 14

Week 6

Ch 11-12

Geography Coloring Book: Colombia on p 14

Week 7

Ch 13-14

Geography Coloring Book: Argentina on p. 14

Week 8

Ch 15-16

Geography Coloring Book: Eucador on p 14

Week 9

Ch 17-18

Geography Coloring Book: Bolivia on p 14

Week 10

Ch 19-20

Geography Coloring Book: Paraguay on p 14 

Week 11

Ch 21-22

Geography Coloring Book: Uruguay on p 14

Week 12

Ch 23-24

Geography Coloring Book: Falkland Islands on p. 14

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Amazon and Bookshop are affiliate links.

A Challenging but Worthwhile History: This Country of Ours

This Country of Ours

by H. E. Marshall

This Country of Ours is the first option on the Mater Amabilis™ Level 1B syllabus for History, the first year in a three year course of study that continues through Level 1A (first grade through third grade). I started to read it aloud to First Son when he was in first grade and...it was a bit of a disaster. A lot of reasons for our struggles were at play: First Son was not a strong narrator. I was new at homeschooling and at narration myself. I had an exhausting two-year-old. I also had a demanding infant. The book was published in 1917 and is written with an attitude toward Native Americans we now recognize as racist, though it was not intended as such, but I was uncomfortable dealing with that attitude as we read. This Country of Ours is a challenging text, and the early chapters are in some ways the most difficult. 

We had barely scratched the surface when I decided to switch to Stories of Great Americans for Little Americans by Edward Eggleston, one of the suggested alternatives. This was a much better book for First Son at that age and for me, too. 

There are a lot of discussions in the Mater Amabilis™ Facebook group about This Country of Ours and the American history options in Levels 1-3. I heard stories from other families that loved the book and from those that used it in later years. So a couple of years ago, I decided to revisit it. First Daughter and Second Daughter have read the whole book. Second Son just started it in Level 1A Year 2 (third grade).

One of the aspects of the book I really wanted to address was the change in attitude toward Native Americans between Marshall's time and our own. I also wanted to give my readers a more concrete grasp of where these events were taking place. So I wrote a study guide, one that could be printed with a little introduction to each chapter saying everything I would say if I were sitting down to read it aloud to them. I included some maps to study before and as they read. As the girls used the study guide, I fixed errors and expanded it. Over the past few weeks, I added a list of people for each chapter. (My children explained they were having trouble telling people apart, especially in remembering which country or army someone represented.)

Over the past three years, I have read This Country of Ours two or three times, and I have come to love it. The people described are real, with their faults and virtues. The stories are exhilarating, and yet encourage further study. The language is full of rich descriptions. As a teacher of children at multiple levels, I can see myriad connections with This Country of Ours and other books in the Mater Amabilis™ syllabi like A Book of Discovery. These are not explicit, as they would be in a series that referred to early books or chapters, but are there because they exist in reality.

Though I address Native Americans in the study guide, I found a book for Second Son to read from before he started This Country of Ours and to intersperse in his readings to give a completely different perspective on events concerning Native Americans. First People: An Illustrated History of American Indians by David C. King seems to be an even-handed description of life before Europeans arrived and the consequences that followed interactions between Europeans and Native Americans.

Second Son was nine years old before he even started third grade and is a fantastic reader and narrator, so he could handle a little more difficulty than just This Country of Ours. Even so, I let him tell me if I'd assigned too much. If he wanted to only read half a chapter, I let him. Because I knew he was such a strong reader, I knew he'd be able to handle adding First People in addition to This Country of Ours.

I encourage all Mater Amabilis™ families to explore the many different ways to teach American history in Levels 1-3. The website has many options and the Facebook group has lots of people willing to share their own experiences. Here are just a few ideas:

• Read This Country of Ours over three years starting in Level 1B as on the original Mater Amabilis™ syllabus (first, second, and third grades). Use the study guide and read aloud to your student. Divide the early chapters into as many readings as you need so your student doesn't get overwhelmed.
• Read This Country of Ours over three years starting in Level 1A Year 2 and going through both years of Level 2, as Second Son will, with readings from First People interspersed (third, fourth, and fifth grades). Or spread This Country of Ours over these three years but without any reading from First People.
• Read This Country of Ours over two years in Level 2, as Second Daughter did, using the study guide (fourth and fifth grades). (She did not read First People.)
• Read This Country of Ours over two years in Level 3, as First Daughter did, with First People as an independent reading book (sixth and seventh grades). 

As you can see, my own four children have each read (or not read) This Country of Ours on a different schedule.

The study guide I wrote is available in the Mater Amabilis™ Facebook group for families to download and print or to use on a tablet and would be appropriate for reading aloud with children in Levels 1B and up, or printing for children to use independently in Levels 2 or 3. I hope it provides some support for families who might otherwise hesitate to use This Country of Ours.

Incorporating First People with This Country of Ours (perhaps most appropriate for Levels 2 or 3)

Start the year with First People. For This Country of Ours, read about a chapter a day (perhaps increasing to two chapters nearing the end of the third year as the chapters get shorter). Some of the First People readings might need to be broken up as well, depending on your student.

• First People
• Introduction pp. 6-11
• Chapter 1: The Beginning pp. 15-19 (The Ice Age and the Land Bridge, Adapting to the Environment)
• Chapter 2: The Emergence of Indian Cultures pp. 28-33 (The Mound-Building Cultures, Monk's Mound)
• This Country of Ours (TCOO)
• Chapters 1-12
• First People
• Chapter 2: The Emergence of Indian Cultures pp. 68-71 (The Southeast, The Cherokee)
• Chapter 3: First Encounters with Europeans pp. 75-77 (Europeans Explore the Southeast)
• Chapter 4: The European Impact pp. 88-89 (Changes in the East)
• Chapter 5: The Contest for a Nation pp. 118-119 (The Virginia Frontier)
• TCOO
• Chapters 13-21
• First People
• Chapter 2: The Emergence of Indian Cultures pp. 60-67 (The Northeast Woodlands, The Iroquois, The Ojibwe)
• Chapter 3: First Encounters with Europeans pp. 78-79 (First Meetings in the Northeast)
• TCOO
• Chapters 22-31
• First People
• Chapter 5: The Contest for a Continent pp. 120-121 (The Conflict in New England)
• TCOO
• Chapters 32-49
• First People
• Chapter 5: The Contest for a Continent pp. 122-123 (The Conflict Moves West)
• TCOO
• Chapters 50-66
• First People
• Chapter 2: The Emergence of Indian Cultures pp. 42-46 (The Great Plains, The Sioux: Before European Contact, Made from Bison)
• Chapter 2: The Emergence of Indian Culture pp. 48-51 (The Plateau, The Great Basin)
• Chapter 4:  The European Impact pp. 94-98 (Changes on the Plains, The Sioux: After European Contact, Weapons of the Plains)
• Chapter 2: The Emergence of Indian Cultures pp. 54-59 (The Pacific Northwest, The Haida: Before European Conflict, Totem Poles)
• Chapter 3: First Encounters with Europeans pp. 84-85 (Encounters on the West Coast)
• Chapter 4: The European Impact pp. 108-113 (Changes in the Northwest, The Haida: After European Contact, The Kwakwaka'wakw)
• TCOO 

• Chapters 67-72
• First People
• Chapter 5: The Contest for a Continent pp. 126-131 (Last Conflicts in the East, Write it in Cherokee, The Trail Where They Cried)
• TCOO
• Chapters 73-74
• First People
• Chapter 5: The Contest for a Continent pp. 124-125 (Other Indian Struggles to Survive)
• TCOO
• Chapter 75
• First People
• Chapter 3: First Encounters with Europeans pp. 80-82 (The Spanish in the Southwest)
• Chapter 4: The European Impact pp. 100-107 (Changes in the Southwest, The Navajo: After European Contact, The Apache)
• Chapter 5: The Contest for a Continent pp. 134-135 (Indian Losses in the Southwest)
• TCOO
• Chapter 76
• First People
• Chapter 2: The Emergence of Indian Cultures pp. 52-53 (California)
• Chapter 5: The Contest for a Continent pp. 132-133 (The Impact of New Developments)
• TCOO
• Chapters 77-91
• First People
• Chapter 5: The Contest for a Continent pp. 136-143 (War for the Great Plains, What's in a Headdress?, Final Victories, Final Defeats)
• TCOO
• Chapters 92-99
• First People (spread over many days)
• Chapter 6: The Struggle to Survive
• Chapter 7: A People's Revival

Second Son also read some of the supplemental reading during his independent reading time over the course of the year.

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Amazon and Bookshop are affiliate links. I have also often purchased books directly from Yesterday's Classics because their reprints are consistently good and the myriad of options on bookseller sites are often impossible to evaluate before purchasing.

Trust and Forgiveness: Tirzah

Tirzah

by Lucille Travis

This is one of the recommended books for RC History's Connecting with History Volume 1. (We're finishing volume 3 this year and then rolling right into 1 again. We study American and modern history a little differently and in another strand.)

Tirzah, a girl born under slavery in Egypt, and her family follow Moses into the desert. This familiar story of the Hebrews highlights aspects lost in the pages of Exodus...what fears parents had, how strange the commands of God, how desperate the situation time after time. As the Hebrew characters struggle with their own failures and sinfulness, some of them persevere in their trust and devotion to God.

One of the aspects of the book I appreciated was the contrition of one of the main characters as he realizes his sins. His father wisely takes the young man to Moses to ask for forgiveness (which many of us might have thought unnecessary) and Moses responds with kindness and comfort. His words are ones I hope my children would remember when they desire reconciliation.

Later, Tirzah and her brother discuss the difficulties they face in the desert: violent enemies, thirst, and hunger. Why does God not make it easier for them? Ram muses:

What I mean is, suppose he had made the whole crossing easy for us, plenty of water and meat every day, what then? We wouldn't even know what he had done for us.

There are scenes of great agony and violence: Pharaoh and his armies destroyed by the Red Sea, wounded and dying Hebrew soldiers suffering at the hands of Amalekites, and rebellious Hebrews cut down at the degree of the Lord. It may be too harsh for some young readers. My ten-year-old is going to read this independently; I doubt I would read it aloud with very young children near-by.

I also loved the example of Hanna, who risks her own life to care for those who are stricken with the plague for their sinfulness and waywardness.

Now child Yahweh may punish those who do wrongly, but when a man or woman is down sick we must not add to their suffering by refusing help. Yahweh has given us herbs and plants to use for the good of all. I must use my skill wherever it is needed.

I'm pleased to have this book in our library for grammar level kids to read independently (grades 4-6, though I'd be comfortable with third grade reading it if the skills are there).

The opinions in this post are my own. I have received nothing for this review, but the links above to RC History are affiliate links. The book is also available at Amazon (affiliate link), which is where I purchased it.

A Different Mythology: Tales of Ancient Egypt

Tales of Ancient Egypt

by Roger Lancelyn Green

It's been a few years since we studied ancient history with RC History's Connecting with History volume 1, but we'll be returned to it again this year. Each time around, I find myself tempted to buy just a few more books at the higher levels; they're all so good! This year, I bought Tales of Ancient Egypt. I love Green's version of Robin Hood, so I really didn't seriously consider not buying this book.

The book is divided into three sections: Tales of the Gods, Tales of Magic, and Tales of Adventure. There is a short introduction at the beginning and a map of Egypt, both of which are useful for the student.

The tales themselves are wonderfully told with interesting language and excitement. There are written as if a comfortable grandfather were telling tales in front of a fireplace. (I don't really know what Green was like in real life, but that's always how I imagine him.)

I particularly enjoyed the Story of the Greek Princess, which tells a version of the abduction of Helen in which she is secreted safely away in Egypt through the entire Trojan War. (I searched online and there are indeed ancient sources for such a tale.) I also enjoyed the last tale which tells an Egyptian version of what we would call a Cinderella story, though it has some marked differences from more common ones today.

I expect all of my children will enjoy the stories in this book. My sixth grader will be assigned it. I will recommend it to my fourth grader. I even included it as optional independent reading for my ninth grader (along with the myths and tales he is reading for narrations). It's appropriate for all ages, though younger ones would appreciate someone reading it aloud.

The Puffin Classics edition is a nice little paperback, well-printed.

This post is my honest opinion. I have linked above, with affiliate links, to RC History, because that is the program through which I learned of this book. I purchase our books through a variety of sources and ended up buying this one on Amazon (also an affiliate link). 

Homeschool Record: Our 2016-2017 Poetry

In the past couple of years, we've started reading one poem a day, focusing on a particular poet for six weeks or so, depending on the book or books I choose to read. One poem each morning after our prayer - that's all.

Separate from this poet study, we read from a book of poetry about once a week just for beauty and enjoyment as part of our cultural studies loop.

Just for the blog record, here are the books of poetry we read during the 2016-2017 school year (7th grade, 4th grade, 2nd grade, kindergarten).

My America: A Poetry Atlas of the United States collected by Lee Bennett Hopkins - We started this last year after First Daughter completed her third grade state study and finished the few left this year. I like this collection of poems that highlights a few characteristics of the areas of the United States. We've checked it out from the library numerous times, but now we have our own copy thanks to PaperBackSwap.com.

The Glorious Mother Goose selected by Cooper Edens - Second Son needed a dose of Mother Goose and this one was on our shelves. I happen to enjoy the illustrations in this book.

Over the Hills and Far Away: A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes collected by Elizabeth Hammill - This book included a few of the traditional nursery rhymes we know from England and America with lots of variations and additions from cultures all over the world, gorgeously illustrated. (library copy)

Forest Has a Song by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater is a book of poems focused on being outside, perfect for the family needing some nature study encouragement. The watercolor illustrations are fun and vibrant, too. (library copy)

Classic Poetry: An Illustrated Collection selected by Michael Rosen has a carefully selected collection of two or three poems by prominent poets in roughly chronological order, but I was disappointed at the times only a portion of a poem was included without any indication that it was just a portion. I don't mind excerpts of poetry for younger audiences; I just like to know.  There was a nice sentence of two to introduce each poet. We didn't finish by the end of the year, so we started with this book in the fall of 2017. (There's a newer version available, but we read the old one from our library.)

Beowulf and Christ: The King's Thane (and other Beowulf books)

The King's Thane
by Charles Brady

This book is recommended in Connecting with History volume 2 (my affiliate link) in unit 5, the time when the tale of Beowulf was first written down. This book, brings the story forward a bit in time, to coincide with the first Bishop of York. The setting provides opportunities for conversations of faith and valor.

Beorn wants desperately to be a thane, but a deformed leg hinders his ambition. When a hero comes to battle Grendel, he accepts Beorn as his thane, teaching and training him. Father Paulinus is a missionary priest who has already converted the queen and some others, though Beorn and the king hesitate.

At one point, Beorn and Father Paulinus have just finished a meal at a freeman's cottage, one full of welcome, good food, and family. Asked what he saw there, Beorn answers:

"Richness," said Beorn. "But a far different sort of richness than gold can buy. The richness of black earth and fat tillage. Honest wealth and weal and health and -- yes, a kind of holiness as well, though it is true I know not much of holiness and so should not speak about such things."

Father Paulinus responds:

"What is the world's glory worth, after all? Kings live that Gorm and Elfwina may be, not they that kings may flourish. If it is anything, Bjarki's sword is to keep safe such as these twain and their small ones. It is true that the songs the scops sing do not get written about such as Gorm and Elfwina. No matter. They are what the songs say."

At the end is a note provided by the author. He addresses the change in venue for Beowulf's story:

As for the suggestion that a monk named Beorn wrote the Beowulf, well, someone wrote the Beowulf, most probably at a Northumbrian court, and quite possibly as early as the year 667 a.d., when my Beorn would have been only fifty-six years of age.

First Son (seventh grade) read this book independently but I think it could have been a good family read-aloud as well.

I did share more traditional forms of Beowulf as well. I read aloud Beowulf by James Rumford to all the children. There's courage and lofty language and just enough visuals of the monster to intrigue the children without scaring them. (My youngest is six.)


First Daughter (fourth grade) will read Michael Morpurgo's version of Beowulf. Lavishly illustrated by Michael Foreman, this version is full of phrases reminiscent of epic tales but accessible to younger readers. There's plenty of gore including an illustration of Grendel eating a man's leg as he dangles upside-down (just to be clear). The Christian elements of the original are highlighted (a shadow of a cross above the dying Beowulf, for example). This version is also recommended by Connecting with History.

First Son (seventh grade) read Beowulf the Warrior by Ian Serrailier which is recommended by Connecting with History. This version is more sophisticated than Morpurgo's book, but could still be read by a wide range in ages from late elementary and up. It retains the look and feel of an epic poem (rather than prose). It was my favorite of the versions we read this year.

The King's Thane and the Rumford and Morpurgo versions we read were from the library. I bought Beowulf the Warrior at a Bethlehem Books sale last summer.

The italic print: Links to Amazon are affiliate links. As an affiliate with Amazon, I receive a small commission if you follow one of my links, add something to your cart, and complete the purchase (in that order). Every little bit helps - thanks! 

Unless otherwise stated, links to RC History for the Connecting with History program are not affiliate links, but if you'd like to make a purchase through my affiliate link, here it is!

2013-2014 Memory Verses: Fourth Grade and First Grade

Here are a few lists of the memory verses for fourth grade and first grade in 2013-2014.

We also sometimes memorize entire psalms or parables, but I put those in our poetry memorization rather than Scripture verses. Basically, if it's too long to go on an index card and gets put in the memory binder, it's "Memory Work." If it's on an index card, it's "Memory Verses." We practice and review them both about four days a week.

For all our memory verses and parables, I use the NRSV (except for one difference, noted below). If it's a psalm and in our memory binder, I usually use the KJV.

First Son's Fourth Grade Memory Verse List

• Psalm 27:4 (from previous year)
• 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
• Ephesians 4:31-32
• Isaiah 11:1-3
• Mark 8:34-36 (in progress)

First Daughter's First Grade Memory Verse List

• Psalm 45:10 (from previous year)
• Psalm 33:22
• Jeremiah 31:25
• John 6:35
• Psalm 139:13-14
• Philippians 4:13
• Isaiah 9:2 (RSV)
• 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (in progress)

Here's a link to First Son's first grade memory verses.

Our Homeschool: Poetry in 2013-2014

I've been thinking about poetry recently, as we continue to enjoy our weekly poetry readings so very much and realized I never posted our poetry for last year (fourth grade, first grade, prekindergarten, and trouble-maker). We read poetry once a week and that's all. We just read it and look at any illustrations there might be. Sometimes the kids enjoy a poem and sometimes they don't. That's fine. I try to choose poems and collections I think they might enjoy or appreciate and always with illustrations. During Advent and Christmas, we read seasonal poetry, but that's another post. (We also memorize poetry, but that happens during our memory work time. You can read more about it in this post.)

The Pied Piper of Hamelin by Robert Browning. A few lines of this poem are in one of the Writing with Ease books and fascinated my children (Level 3, maybe?) so I searched through all the options at the library to find the one with the illustrations I liked best and selected this one with illustrations by Kate Greenway. I'm always pleased when I can share a famous poem or poet with the children in a stand-alone book rather than a poetry collection.

Shakespeare's Seasons ed by Miriam Weiner and illustrated by Sharon Whitt is a delighful collection of snippets of Shakespeare wonderfully illustrated. I chose this to entice my children with some lovely Shakespearean lines as we were just beginning our study of Shakespeare. I think they liked the illustrations more than the poetry, but I intend to request it again after they've come to know the Bard a bit better.

Something Rich and Strange A Treasury of Shakespeare's Verse compiled by Gina Pollinger is one of my favorite collections of Shakespeare for children (in my admittedly limited experience). I still request it every few months. This is a full book, so we went through about ten pages a week for a few months. Even going slowly, I did not read every page but chose a few as we went along.


This Big Sky by Pat Mora with illustrations by Steve Jenkins is a book of poetry of the American southwest. We enjoyed it and I think it would be a fantastic selection for anyone who lives in the southwest or wants to share it with their children. I personally love the illustrations by Jenkins, too. Perhaps someone would like to write a small book of Kansas poems for him to illustrate?


Animal Poems by Valerie Worth also illustrated by Steve Jenkins delighted the children. They loved the poems and the illustrations. With that porcupine on the cover, how can you resist?

A Family of Poems: My Favorite Poetry for Children selected by Caroline Kennedy, illustrated by Jon J. Muth. I love everything about this book. I love the selection of poems and the illustrations. We didn't finish this book before the end of the school year, so we read more from it in 2014-2015.

The links above are affiliate links at Amazon and I receive a small commission if you make a purchase. I received nothing in exchange for this review. We checked out copies of all of these books at our library.

Homeschool Review: Map, Charts, and Graphs D: States and Regions

Maps, Charts, and Graphs Level D: States and Regions by Modern Curriculum Press

We've been using this series for four years now and I'm still pleased with it. I like having one set of workbooks for the ease of use for one subject but mostly because I like presenting my kids with one subject in which they are also learning how to answer multiple-choice and short-answer questions. It's not a difficult skill so one page a week is more than sufficient. There were certainly a few times this year when First Son missed a question because he didn't understand how he was supposed to answer even though he could figure out the answer with the map.

Level D had 30 lessons covering cardinal directions, intermediate directions, map keys, elevation maps, globes, scale, highway maps, political maps, geographic regions of the United States and Canada, state maps, special maps (like at a museum), time zones, and comparing maps. Some of the most difficult and most valuable lessons required First Son to write directions to get from one place to another using a map. The last five lessons cover pictographs, bar graphs, line graphs, circle graphs, and a chart. These lessons at the end were more useful this year as we didn't cover charts and graphs as much in math this year as in previous years. (I did, however, find one error in the answer key for one of the graph lessons. First Son's answer didn't match the one in the answer key, but was correct when I checked the graph.)

As before, all of the lessons are in full color and spread across two pages. They are appealingly designed. Each one took First Son fifteen or twenty minutes to complete. He was able to work independently, though I did review the material with him if he did not answer all of the questions correctly.

In addition to the answer key, the book contains a one page glossary, and a simple atlas I found quite useful. I intend to cut it out and put it in a folder to continue to reference in future years. (I haven't purchased the later books yet; they may contain similar atlases.)

In the past few years, I've been purchasing these workbooks at Sacred Heart Books and Gifts. (I am an affiliate with Amazon, but not with Sacred Heart.) 

Reviews of Previous Books in the Series
Level A: The Places Around Me
Level B: Neighborhoods
Level C: Communities

People and Places in Fourth Grade: Central and South America

[UPDATE June 2020 - Read the updated plans for my younger students here and a master plan for all levels here.]

First Son is finishing up Year 1 of Level 2 Mater Amabilis (fourth grade). For his People and Places studies, we focused on Central and South America. I think you could include North America, but he knows that pretty well already. I'll tell you what we did this year, and then I'll tell you how I intend to change it (hopefully for the better) for First Daughter in a few years.

Independent Reading

Each week, once a week, First Son read from a book I selected set in Central or South America, some of which were found on the list of suggested reading on the Mater Amabilis site. I did not require narrations from this reading. My hope was to give First Son an introduction to some of the people and features of the area but I wasn't necessarily interested in his ability to spout off a lot of information. I tried to favor fiction over non-fiction but not exclusively so.

Hidden World of the Aztec by Peter Lourie is an introduction to the Aztecs through archeological work being done in the present. Having visited some of these sites myself, I couldn't resist asking First Son to read something about them.

Where the Flame Trees Bloom by Alma Flor Ada is one recommended by Mater Amabilis. I enjoyed these stories myself, but I think First Son was a little bored by them.

The Cay by Theodore Taylor is one of my favorite books. I thought it would appeal particularly to a boy and First Son did admit he liked it by the end.

Tierra Del Fuego: A Journey to the End of the Earth by Peter Lourie is my favorite of Mr. Lourie's book. It's a travel memoir more than a non-fiction book about the island.

Chucaro: Wild Pony of the Pampa by Francis Kalnay is a story of a young boy on a ranch in the Pampas of Argentina. First Son didn't think it was very exciting but he didn't complain about it, either.

To Go Singing through the World: The Childhood of Pablo Neruda by Deborah Kogan Ray is a picture book biography of Pablo Neruda. I like including biographies and this one is short. I opted not to read it aloud because I didn't think my little ones would be very interested.

Amazon by Peter Lourie is a look at the Amazon River today. It's nonfiction and a pretty easy read.

Journey to the River Sea by Eva Ibbotson is a book I loved. I thought it was exciting and fun. First Son did not like it, but I think this was due more to the female protagonist (sometimes you have to read about girls) and because I tried to fit it in too quickly at the end of the year. He had to read larger sections of it at a time and that frustrated him, not because the reading was difficult, but because he'd rather be doing something else.

Jorge from Argentina is one I read aloud to the children after Second Son received it from his godparents for Christmas. The timing was convenient for our studies, but it's a great little story on Pope Francis. All my kids enjoyed it and First Daughter could have read it herself.

Book basket (books I requested from our library for perusing but did not require)

The Aztec Empire (True Books) by Sunita Apte

Aztec, Inca & Maya (DK Eyewitness Books)

Amazon Wildlife (Insight Guide)

Patagonia: Wild Land At The End Of The Earth with photography by Tim Hauf, just so we could look at the photographs.

The Tapir Scientist: Saving South America's Largest Mammal (Scientists in the Field Series) by Sy Montgomery is a book I found during the school year and didn't want to add it to our already full schedule, but it's a really interesting book on the tapir and being a scientist in South America.

Mapwork

Each week, I asked First Son to trace from a map of Central or South America. First, he made a map of Central America and added in geographical features like mountains and lakes. Then he traced each of the Central American countries and islands individually or in small groups, just a little each week. Later, he made a large map by tracing all of South America and colored it by geographical region. He followed that with one country a week from South America. On the country maps, he had to mark the capital, a few large cities, and at least a few major features like the highest point or a volcano. First Son was much too frustrated drawing freehand maps last year, so we stuck with tracing. I went through a few different atlases in search of the best one for his mapwork. I wanted one that would be clear for him but also include a good amount of information.

I had a picture atlas I bought when First Son was in kindergarten or first grade, but it was not very detailed. I wanted something better for First Son to copy. After asking around on some message boards (thank you to all the Mater Amabilis folks who responded!) I bought Rand McNally's Answer Atlas. I think this is a pretty good atlas for middle grade children. It's a bit older, so for some continents (like Africa), that could be a problem, but overall I was pleased.

I was lucky, though, to find an old copy of the Geography Coloring Book (3rd Edition). (Mine is the second edition.) This one was much easier for First Son to trace. I also found his copy of Maps, Charts, and Graphs D has a really clear set of political maps in an atlas in the back of the book. It's no frills, but that would have actually worked quite well. Again, it hasn't been revised in a while, but you could just talk about the newer countries.

My favorite atlas is one I received as a gift for Christmas. It's truly wonderful and I highly recommend it if you have room in your budget: National Geographic Concise Atlas of the World, Third Edition. The maps are beautiful and large, though the binding does make it hard to see a small part of the maps. I wouldn't recommend this for tracing, as the resulting maps might be too big to fit in a regular folder, but it's wonderful for perusing and locating places of interest.

Videos

I wanted to show First Son some videos, especially of the Amazon and the rain forest because I thought they might convey the grandeur of the landscape in a way different from the books. I found a series available for streaming on Amazon (ironic?) called Wild South America: The Complete Series. I planned to watch one episode every third week or so during our last two terms.

Picture Books

About once a week, I read aloud a picture book set in Central or South America, just for fun. I did not comment on the relationship between the books selected and the countries First Son was mapping, though I know he sometimes noticed the connection. The selections were our Reading-Around-the-World books for the year, so I was mainly interested in quality picture books set in Central America or South America. Hopefully I'll get some posts up about the books I found and can link it here.

What I'll Change

I hadn't read the Mater Amabilis page carefully enough and assigned the People and Places reading in addition to First Son's independent reading. This made for a lot of reading. He could handle it alright (though not every fourth grader would have), but I think it prevented him from enjoying the reading as much as he might have. I also assigned a lot of books because some of them seemed really short and relatively easy for him to read. I'll choose fewer books next time and cycle them within the other independent reading books. I reserve the right to change the books I intend to assign based on new books I find and First Daughter's interests, but if I were planning for next year (I'm not), I would probably choose Where the Flame Trees Bloom, The Tapir Scientist, and Journey to the River Sea. I'd probably also assign To Go Singing through the World again, which is short. Then we'd have a short biographical book, a memoir, a nonfiction book, and fiction.

For the mapwork, I would think about having First Daughter draw maps freehand. I always loved drawing maps myself and think drawing them forces a student to really concentrate on all the features. If she is not inclined (I'm not ready to force the issue), we're going to get a new edition of the Geography Coloring Book and have her follow the instructions to color the appropriate regions.

The kids enjoyed the first few videos, but they quickly tired of them. I am not opposed to videos for school (obviously) but they rarely seem necessary. We only watched two or three of them. If they're still available for streaming, I might offer them to First Daughter.