Bringing Lessons to Life
From Shannon Whiteside, Program Director:
If you need a break from the heat, summer can be a good time to get on the internet and plan field trips and activities for the coming school year. You will want to check out the ideas we have in Extra Helpings. You can find extra helpings by going to Quick Links on the first page of each set of lesson plans and then click or scan the QR code to find the Extra Helpings. Each school year, I like to see if any of the local theatres or colleges are performing the Shakespeare plays for next year (Hamlet, The Taming of the Shrew, and Richard III). We advise you to call and double-check that the plays are appropriate for children. I also like to look for concert venues or colleges where they are performing music from the composers we will study (early instruments, Thomas Tallis and Renaissance composers, and Bach). Perhaps the art museum has an exhibit or collection from this year’s artists (Tang Dynasty, Botticelli, and Holbein) and you can plan a trip to view the paintings.
Since the historical time period we are studying is 800-1650 AD, there is probably a museum in your area where you can learn more about the native tribes that lived in that region. Or if you want to take a trip out to the East Coast, you can visit historic Jamestown, Plymouth, Massachusetts or one of the other early American Colonies. When I was a student, I enjoyed field trips because they were something different and time out of the classroom, but I never found them very interesting. However, in a Charlotte Mason education where the science of relations takes place, field trips are interesting because you have already established a relationship with the play, the paintings, or the historic places. It is like seeing an old friend and experiencing the ideas you read about.
I had that opportunity this summer to visit historic Jamestown, Virginia. I had read the books in our program about Jamestown and found it interesting to see the place where the first English settlement was established. I was also reminded about the hardships the colonists faced and thought about all those who didn’t make it through the Starving Time. It is fascinating that archeologists continue to excavate the area and search for items that will help us understand the natives and colonists who lived in that area. If you are interested to hear more about their projects, check out this short video I recorded while on site. What field trips or excursions do you plan to take this year? Let us know in the comments below!
Notes
1. Foundations Course: Deepen your understanding of relational education in our Foundations Course. Sign up for weekly emails or find it on your dashboard under Resources.
2. Latin: Are you registered for the Alveary-Exclusive Latin class with Magistra Reed? This is a great opportunity for students new to Latin whether they are 7th graders or highschoolers. Sign up for this optional online course through the Program (Step 2 of the dashboard). Both Level 1 and Level 2 will be offered this year.
3. Mid-Year Sale: Living Book Press is offering their biggest sale of the year June 25-July 9. Shop here!
4. Office Hours: We are taking a break from Office Hours for the month of July because of summer and the conference at the end of the month. We are excited to bring you some fresh ideas and conversations beginning in August. Please note that we are moving our meetings to the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month at 3:30-4:30 pm (EST).
