Showing posts with label SL Lit 300. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SL Lit 300. Show all posts

29 July 2018

Picture Post, and a book review ~ July 2018

The Ranchsliders are finally in and glazed
One of the engagement cards Daisy crafted
The first wedding card Daisy's ever made, she really struggled with it.
Leroy LOVES to be in on piano practice
Daisy's current read. I edited the profanity out first.
Adding a review of a 'highschool' audiobook I've just listened to: 
This was a recommended homeschool history book (Sonlight Core 300) that we never  read with the children - we have heard some first-hand accounts from Cambodian friends who were young teens in Cambodia during the late 1970's.
This a sober, harrowing, and gritty listen. The love, care and respect this family have for one is heartening – along with their deeply held Buddhist faith – those traits seem to undergird the incredible resilience Teeda's family required to endure each next heartache and hardship.  The fact that all, bar one member of their family group make it through that holocaust seems miraculous.  Although the writing may not rank as the very best in literary terms, I felt compelled to keep reading.  This is a story that stays with you, long after the last word is read.  
    
(Extra: while the author/s detail the atrocities of a despotic, genocidal, regime it is done in a more sobering, factual tone without “glorifying” the very real horror or the gore of the events taking place.  Beheadings, mass murders, the horrors of slavery, an account of gang rape, the desperation and vulnerability of fleeing refugees.) 

26 September 2016

Our Week Ahead ~ Monday 26th Sept 2016 (Diverse Selection of Books)

It's always interesting for me to see which books the children will choose from the book basket to read: now that Jay has finished reading, and writing, about a select group of books we had scheduled up for him to use with his NZ English course - he can read any title he would like to out of his book basket.  
(This is for English or history related reading... not for pleasure time reading.   His pleasure/free time reading options are all business and finance related tomes.)
After looking through the selection he chose to go with To Kill a Mockingbird ~ Lee.   
This is a book, in our home, that definitely needs discussion - and is not a story that we'd want Daisy reading any time soon - as it contains very mature, violent, and racist themes. One of the books I was hoping Jay might select to read and study, he's elected to go through in audio format during term break - which is next week for us.

Our Week ahead


September Monday 26  2016
Family
Bible
All:  Luke 21+

History & Geography
Hymn:  Wherever He Leads, I’ll Go  ~ B.B. McKinney (1936)  wk 2 of 4
(Then Sings My Soul Bk 2 ~ Morgan p.293)    

Economics 
Economics for Everyone ~  R.C. Sproul  jnr     (Mostly for Daisy.  Mr. Sproul is definitely of Reformed theology - which is very apparent in the first lesson -  we aren't Reformed so adjusted the lesson content accordingly.) 

Jay
History & Geography  
1:  Bp Early Modern Times:      
o   Ch: 27 Dividing Germany, Dividing India p.409-414a, 415-421
3:  ITTC:  William Faulkner  – Go Down, Moses (1942) p.339

Free Reading in Sept
Business related titles

Mapping:  
o   BP Map 27 

History, Literature, & Book Basket:
1: Book Basket:  
o   1:  To Kill a Mockingbird ~ Harper Lee (set in early 1930’s)
o   2: The Birth Order ~ Leman   (selections)

2:  Audio’s in Sept: 
1:  Surfeit of Lampreys ~ Ngaio Marsh (1941)  NZ/Britain  
(content issues - the way the victim was murdered - may need editing out for others!  Recommend you listen through this before handing to your teen.
 Many of Marshs stories are set in and around theatrical localities and often as not a few of the characters are "physically" free spirited    :-/  
This story doesn't have that.
Added to that: this is one of the few audios, that I've encountered of hers, that doesn't have the narrator fleshing out select male characters with a very effeminate affectation.)

Daisy
History & Geography  
1:  Bp Early Modern Times:      
o   Ch: 27 Dividing Germany, Dividing India p.409-414a, 415-421
2:  ITTC:  William Faulkner  – Go Down, Moses (1942) p.339
3:  Kingfisher Encyclopedia
o   p.419 (The United Nations 1945-48)
o   p.421 (Indian Indep 1945-47)
o   p.424 (British Commonwealth 1914-49
Mapping:   
o   BP Map 27 

History, Literature, & Book Basket:
1: Book Basket:
o   1:  Parallel Journeys ~ Eleanor Ayer (1938+)  SL 300 Lit

Free Reading
A Little Bush Maid ~ Mary Grant Bruce  (1902) Aust (BCW)
synopsis: Norah's home was on a big station in the north of Victoria-so large that you could almost, in her own phrase, "ride all day and never see any one you didn't want to see"; which was a great advantage in Norah's eyes. Not that Billabong Station ever seemed to the little girl a place that you needed to praise in any way. It occupied so very modest a position as the loveliest part of the world! The homestead was built on a gentle rise that sloped gradually away on every side; in front to the wide plain, dotted with huge gum trees and great grey box groves, and at the back, after you had passed through the well-kept vegetable garden and orchard, to a long lagoon, bordered with trees and fringed with tall bulrushes and waving reeds.

Boys Without Names  ~ Kashmira Sheth (India)    (emotive, gritty read!)

05 September 2016

Our Week Ahead ~ 05 September 2016

Quick toss up of our week ahead.

September Monday  05  2016
Family
Bible
All:  Luke 19+

History & Geography
Hymn:  Only Believe  ~ Paul Rader (1921)
 (Then Sings My Soul Bk 2 ~ Morgan p.283)    
3: Audio (Class Time):
o   TGC:  C.S.Lewis  L3.  Ethics and the Tao – Mere Christianity


Jay
History, Literature, & Book Basket:
1: Book Basket:  
o   2:  Alas,  Babylon ~ Pat Frank  (1959) Dystopian (SL Lit 330)  R.R.  for Te Kura (some content issues in this book - sensuality, promiscuity, and swearing - we edited them out.)
o   3:  Mere Christianity ~ Lewis


Daisy
History & Geography  
1:  Bp Early Modern Times:      
o   Ch: 24 Spanish Civil War, Germany’s Weimar Republic & Rise of Hitler p.352b-365a
2: Story of New Zealand
o   Ch:16  Depression & the Welfare State (1929-1939) p.172-184
3:  Kingfisher Encyclopedia
o   p.406-07 (Weimar & Hitler 1919-39)
o   p.408-09  (Spanish Civil War 1936-39)

Mapping:   
o   Review New Zealand Regions (Lizardpoint)
o   BP Map 24  Spain

History, Literature, & Book Basket:
1: Book Basket:
o   1:  The Hiding Place ~ ten Boom (audio)
o   3:  Years of Dust ~ Marrin (1930’s) U.S    wk 4 0f 4

Free Reading
The Star of Kazan ~ Ibbotson (Read during our mid-term break.  Daisy enjoyed it.)
All My Noble Dreams and Then What Happens ~ Whelan

22 August 2016

Our Week Ahead ~ 22 August 2016 (Nearly Spring Time!)

It's only a few weeks until Spring 'officially' arrives here:  it's so nice to have the days getting progressively warmer and to have the sun setting later.  
The last week has definitely felt easier to get some outdoors exercise in without the need to bundle up too.  Lovely!
Daisy and I have 12 weeks worth of scheduled history and literature to complete for this year and then we'll be getting ready for Christmas .....

Just posting the new topics and reads for our week ahead:

August Monday  22  2016
Daisy

History & Geography  
1:  Bp Early Modern Times:      
o   Ch: 23 The Great Depression  p.336-348A (selections) 
2: Story of New Zealand
o   Ch:16  Depression & the Welfare State p.172-184
3:  Kingfisher Encyclopedia
o   p.404-405 (Great Depression), 
o   Arts p.426-27,
o   Architecture p.428-29, 
o   Science p.430-31

Mapping:     
o   Review New Zealand Regions (Lizardpoint)
o   BP Map 23  U.S.A

History, Literature, & Book Basket:
Free Reading

Small Acts of Amazing Courage ~ Gloria Whelan (thanks Allie & Elise for recommending this!)

Family
Bible
All:  Luke 17+
  
History & Geography
Composer:
Hymn:  Lead Me to Calvary  ~ Jennie E. Hussey (1921)
 (Then Sings My Soul Bk 2 ~ Morgan p.281) 
 

Artist:   George Edmund Butler     wk 1 of 4
Behind the Twisted Wire: NZ Artists in World War 1 ~ Jennifer Haworth Ch:5-6  (library book)
2:  Book Basket:

o   Parallel Journeys ~ Ayer   (SL 300)

23 May 2016

Our Week Ahead ~ 23 May 2016 (Finding Books for a Voracious Reader)

Having a teen that is a voracious reader, and an audio book devourer, is a great problem to have.... until it's time to start finding additional titles that are content appropriate for that particular child.
Keeping up with the supply and demand seemed easier during the younger years;  we are finding keeping Daisy's Free Reading basket supplied with interesting and good quality stories a challenge this year.
We've been scouring  through all/any book lists and suggestions others have compiled and are coming up with very few usable options.  I could start pulling books that are semi ear marked for the next three years English Lit studies, but we were wanting to save those for 'new' stories to enjoy and study then - my prayer orientated friends will understand this;  so, I figured it's time I started praying that we will come across some more worthy or interesting/delightful  (& age appropriate)  books for her,  since Daisy doesn't have many Free Reading titles left on this years list.
(Her free reading options, for 2016,  are listed part way down this long post under  Free, Unscheduled, Reading for Daisy).

Here's a portion of our week ahead:

May Monday 23  2016
·       Family
Bible
All:  Luke 

History & Geography
Christians of Note:  
Jonathan Goforth 1859-1936,  (Canadian.  Missionary to China)
Smith Wigglesworth 1859-1947  (British Evangelist)  

3:  Short Stories: 
·        The Open Window  ~ Saki (1914) Notes for Daisy
·        The Interlopers  ~ Saki (1919)    (extra)

·       Jay
History & Geography  
2:  Bp Early Modern Times:    (allowing 2 weeks)
Ch: 14 p.210a,   Ch:15 Big Business (Robber Barons) 212-224a

3:   ITTC: Henry James (1881)  p.287

Mapping:  BP  wk.15  U.S.A in 1912

History, Literature, & Book Basket:
1: Book Basket:  
Outliers ~ Gladwell    (Assignment)  

Free Reading
Animal Farm ~ Orwell   (1945)  Brit Lit

·       Daisy
History & Geography  
2:  Bp Early Modern Times:       
Ch: 14 p.210a,  Ch:15 Big Business (Robber Barons) 212-224a

3:  KF p.378-379 (Arts), p.382-383 (Science) (1836-1913)
4:  ITTC: Henry James (1881)  p.287
 
Mapping:  BP  wk.15  U.S.A in 1912
Review:  Your choice  (Lizardpoint)

History, Literature, & Book Basket:
1: Book Basket:
1:  Hudson Taylor  ~  Benge
2:  The Keeper of the Bees ~ Stratton-Porter  (post WWI)

Free Reading
When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit ~ Kerr  SL300 

2:  Audio’s in May:
Mrs. Pollifax series  
Bk8:  Mrs. Pollifax and the Golden Triangle       Story line is more intense in this book than others that we've listened to in the series so far.
Mrs. Pollifax and the Golden Triangle Audiobook
Bk10:  Mrs. Pollifax and the Second Thief         Interesting art history/art forgery theme in this one. 

18 May 2016

Fahrenheit 451 ~ A Few Extras

Jay is using Fahrenheit 451 ~ Ray Bradbury as one of his dystopian reads for a research paper he's needing to complete, and SL 300 Lit doesn't have this as one of their Modern History books so I decided to go searching for some discussion guides/writing prompts etc for us to use.  Here is what we archived:
Fahrenheit 451 Teachers Guide (pdf)  Under the heading Books & Lesson plans, scroll down to:  Teacher Guide from Simon & Schuster
The Big Read Fahrenheit 451 (pdf)  also can be down loaded from here
Steppenwolf Guide (pdf)
Essay Questions   &  Themes  (also includes other items that may be of interest)

We also had a brief look at anti-heroes in Modern Times literature and in today's culture.

Spare, sit down and just read, hours seem to be in very short supply this year so I elected to listen through this book on audio (to check for possible content issues, and so I could discuss it with Jay... and in a few years time with Daisy when she reads it.) 
I was able to download the audio for free through e.pukapuka (pertinent info, just for kiwis) - though I did notice that audible USA has the version read by Tim Robbins available too (I thought he read this book really well).

I know of  a few other mums who appreciate knowing of potential content that may need  discussion in books, ahead of time too, so tossing this comment in, again:

Fahrenheit 451 ~ Bradbury    1953
Dystopian.   This makes for tame reading after pre-reading 1984, and, Brave new World.  We purposely went with this book as opposed to other curriculum providers dystopian suggestion, Brave New World  (depressing! s3x & drug based,  suicidal and despair filled ending) .
Fahrenheit 451 still contains content issues - which are implied,  rather than exemplified- a woman tries to commit suicide, dysfunctional marriage, totalitarian state which murders people, protagonist uses a fire torch on his work colleagues - but!  the story ends with hope!  We both really appreciated the ending. 

02 May 2016

Our Week Ahead ~ May 2 2016 (Includes Book Reviews)

Term break seems to have gone so quickly; and here we are back to scheduled learning.
I did manage to get some encouragement listening done amongst the other things I was wanting to work on last week.
One of the audiobooks I started listening to was Sally Clarkson's Own Your Life, the topics covered in this particular book resonates so deeply with me.  Much of what Sally writes about is the way I aspire, prayerfully, to live my life ....I said aspire, not attained to ☺.    Recommending this book!

I've also managed to listen through The Great Gatsby ~ Fitzgerald, and am currently a good way through  Alas, Babylon ~ Frank - both are SL Lit 300 reads.
Gatsby is an easy listen (read), almost too easy - Fitzgerald writes with such fluidity and almost poetic, beautiful, prose, which could lull one into missing the content that is actually going on in the book; emotional and physical adultery,  drug and drink induced binge parties,  along with other low calibre conduct that could also be found in the jazz era. For other mums that like to know about additional content issues, Fitzgerald includes two sensual encounters: one premarital, the other adulterous.
I'd like Jay to go through Gatsby next year (2017) with the sensual content edited;  with that adjustment it makes for a great conversational read.
Alas, Babylon also has sensuality interspersed through the beginning chapters, and a few chapters towards the end , along with some language content. (We'll be editing out the former.)  I'm thinking of including this title as one of Jay's reads for this year as the story line is very interesting - written in 1959 Frank details the collapse of the United States after a nuclear war, as he sees it.

Our Week Ahead, which predominately details just what we're doing for History and English:
Children on the Shore ~ Cassett (1884)
May Monday 02  2016
·       Family
Bible
All:  Luke 10+

History & Geography
Hymn:  Send the Light  ~ Charles Gabriel
(Then Sings My Soul Bk 2 ~ Morgan p.213)
    
Artist:   Mary Cassatt 

1:  Read Alouds:
The Road from Home ~ Kherdian (1915)  SL 300

2:  Book Basket:
Do Hard Things ~ Harris   together, book basket time

3:  Short Stories: 
The  Machine Stops ~ Forster (1909)

4: Afternoon Audiobook:
War & Peace ~ Tolstoy (1869)  week 2 of 4


·       Jay
History & Geography
2:  Bp Early Modern Times: Ch:11 Jim Crow Laws U.S.A., Australia, Africa p.153-154a,156-167a

Mapping:  
Review:  Australia/Oceania (Lizardpoint)

History, Literature, & Book Basket:
1: Book Basket:  
1:  NZ Road Code
2:  Rabbit-proof Fence ~ Pilkington (1931)  (Aust)
3:  Outliers ~ Gladwell     SL 400

Free Reading
1:  The Great Adventures of Sherlock Holmes ~ Doyle
2:  Tales From  the Perilous Realm ~ Tolkien

2:  Audio’s in May: 
1:  Made for Success ~ Ziglar

English
1:  Essentials in Writing:  Essay  Fri
2:  NZ English  Reader Response Booklet   M, T, W, T
Novel:  
Fahrenheit 451 ~ Bradbury  (Utopian)   R.R
Short Stories:
How Much Land Does a Man Need ~ Tolstoy (1886)   R.R.

·       Daisy
History & Geography
2:  Bp Early Modern Times
Ch:11 Jim Crow Laws U.S.A., Australia, Africa p.153-154a,156-167a

3:  KF Encyclopedia
 p.374-375 (Australia 1788-1913)

4:  Flesh and Blood So Cheap ~ Marrin   (USA 1911)      Really interesting book

Mapping:  Australia   BiblioPlan Map wk11
Review:  Australia/Oceania (Lizardpoint)

History, Literature, & Book Basket:
1: Book Basket:
1:  C.S. Lewis ~ Benge   (optional read)
2:  Delight-led reading (not sure of titles yet) 

2:  Audio’s in May:
1:  Rabbit-proof Fence ~ Pilkington (1931)  (Aust) completed.    Does have a few content issues that we discussed before Daisy started listening to this
2:  Agatha Christie (title (?)
4:  Trumpeter of Krakow ~ Kelly   ex.SL