High School History and Literature Series
Recitation and Enrichment Series:
I like how the Recitation and Enrichment Volumes look, but how do we use them?
What if we've never had any exposure to Latin. Could we skip that recitation?
Do we need curricula in math, history, and science?
How do I use Recitation and Enrichment Volumes with all of the grades in my home-school?
What is the copywork, dictation, and nature study part of the R & E Volumes?
Recitation and Enrichment Series:
Each volume covers the history and literature of a particular era. History is studied through contextual studies that point students toward an understanding of historical landscape, geography, and chronology. Students engage in studies of historical figures, civilization and culture, war and warfare, government, religion and church history, fine arts, and philosophy. Students are introduced to historical methods and vocabulary. Literature studies revolve around a survey of select great works. Students are introduced to each work through investigation into context and authorship. Literary criticism is introduced through vocabulary study and select annotated editions of each text. Specific topics may be seen in our Scope and Sequence materials available here.
The Literature portion of the course covers select titles of great works. An optional summer reading list is included. You may download a Scope and Sequence for each volume here.
The Creek Edge Press High School History and Literature Series makes no attempt to frame or distill information for students. Research and response tasks direct students to inquire and build critical thinking skills.
Research and response objectives make up the bedrock of this series. Students complete their research using course materials and respond as directed.
Dynamic interaction is woven throughout the History and Literature portions of this series. Dynamic interaction refers to the varying focal points, course material, and response formats that increase personal interest and engagement.
Course material lists are included in each Course Assignment book. Lists of recommended books for each volume may be seen here. Books and internet links have been selected with care, but comparable materials may be substituted. Students do not need all of the books listed in order to complete course objectives. Course Materials provide purposeful dynamic interaction through varying points of view and focal points.
Yes, it is an honors course. Each volume of the series may count toward the following high school credits on a 4.0 scale:
The Course Introduction includes information on evaluating student work. Tests are not available, but Socratic Discussion Templates in the Course Introduction may be used at any time as an aid in evaluation.
Grade-appropriate skills are expected. Students should have ease with basic language mechanics and understand how to read for main points. Further analysis and synthesis skills are developed throughout the course.
The course facilitator's primary role is to communicate expectations and increase them over time. Course facilitators are also responsible for providing course materials and being available for course seminars and initial support when beginning the course.
The main distinctive of this series is its Socratic nature. Student research to discover and respond with what they have learned. This is quite different from research done to find the 'correct' answer. Overall, the lens (where students are looking), the focus (what students are looking for), and the application (what they do with the material) sets this course apart.
I like the Recitation and Enrichment Volumes, but how do I use them?
The Recitation and Enrichment Volumes are designed to prioritize and pace memory work in history, science, math, Latin grammar, English grammar, poetry, and literature. The recitation portion follows a four year history cycle that corresponds with the world history Task Card Sets and many other history resources. The recitations are primarily cumulative and are meant to be spoken aloud daily. Also included are history timeline cards and selections for copywork and prepared dictation.
The enrichment portion of your week plan provides several objectives pulled from the work of Charlotte Mason. Here you will find objectives for nature study, fine arts, geography, vocabulary, literature, poetry, as well as a customizable section. Manners and character traits are also covered in alternating volumes. The introduction describes how to use this section in detail, but plan to use the vocabulary portion daily. Manners, character traits, and geography may be touched on once each week. Plan to spend an hour or two each week on nature study and twenty or thirty minutes each on the art and music objectives.
We aren't studying Latin. Can we skip that Recitation?
Yes, feel free to set aside anything that doesn't apply to your family's goals. Perhaps you want to focus on the English Grammar Recitation and leave Latin for another year. That said, I heartily recommend giving it a try! You might be surprised at the interest that is piqued and at what can be learned through systematic recitation.
Note that while the Latin Grammar Recitation is designed to introduce the structure of Latin in a sequential and incremental manner. This recitation may be used to reinforce Latin studies or introduce the structure of the language to those who have not studied it previously.
Do we need curricula in addition to our Recitation and Enrichment Volume?
Yes. The math, science, and history recitations are meant to correspond with other materials. They may be used to introduce topics, but they are primarily designed for families who are looking for a systematic memorization and recitation program that follows a four year history cycle and incorporates copywork and dictation.
Note that the history sentences and science recitations line up with the topics included in Creek Edge Press history and science task card sets. You may choose to line these up with individual task card sets, but know that they are not required.
The Enrichment portion of each week plan relies on a few select resources. These are noted in the appendix.
Using Recitation and Enrichment with Multiple Grades
I have laid out a tiered approach for each of the Recitation and Enrichment sections. This allows students in grades 1-12 to work with the same material. For example, when doing copywork and dictation, students in grades 1-2 are directed to copy the title and first line from a model. Students in grades 3-4 are directed to copy the entire selection. Upper grades are instructed to take down a prepared dictation of the entire selection. Each content area is accomplished in a similar fashion. This approach is described in detail in the introduction.
Copywork, Dictation, and Nature Study in Recitation and Enrichment Volumes
The copywork and dictation portion should be familiar areas for home-schoolers along the Charlotte Mason and Classical continuum. Copywork involves neat copying from a model and dictation, for our purposes here, refers to the prepared dictation as described by Charlotte Mason. Details are included in the introduction located in the front of each Recitation and Enrichment Volume.
Nature study objectives follow the topics on Anna Comstock's Handbook of Nature Study and rely on a few other select resources listed in the appendix. All of the music listening and art or picture study assignments may be found in supporting links at Creek Edge Press's web-site. Those links and a few others are included in the Resource Lists for those sections. Specific instructions are included for interacting with the geography and vocabulary portions. All instructions include a tiered approach to be sure all students are involved and challenged.
Scheduling Recitation and Enrichment
The recitation portion of the week plan should be used daily as memorization is bet done in small chunks on a regular basis. Recitations will gradually increase in length as the amount of memorized material grows. Even so, expect all recitations to take no longer than thirty minutes daily.
The enrichment portion of your week plan may be completed in a variety of ways. Generally, I recommend touching on the vocabulary portion daily and devoting an hour or two each week to nature study and perhaps twenty to thirty minutes of weekly exploration of the fine arts. The geography, manners, and character trait portions are best done on a weekly basis for five to ten minutes.
Listening and Picture Study in Recitation and Enrichment
All of the music listening and art or picture study assignments may be found in supporting links at Creek Edge Press's web-site. Those links and a few others are included in the Resource Lists for those sections. Specific instructions are included for interacting with the geography and vocabulary portions. All instructions include a tiered approach to be sure all students are involved and challenged.