Written by Amy M. O’Quinn/Originally posted on the National Writing for Children website

Why Learning Guides Are Important

Authors write books. Educators purchase many of those books to use in the classroom or for other instructional purposes. It is a wonderful partnership, and everyone benefits—the author, the teacher, the students, and the publisher. But there is something else to consider.

Teachers are increasingly using more and more trade books in the classroom along with or in lieu of traditional textbooks to teach everything from A to Z. There are books on every subject or topic imaginable, and these ‘real’ books written by (usually) one author who is passionate about the topic appeal to students on many levels. Whereas textbooks can be a bit dry and tend to summarize, ‘real’ books are exciting, compelling, informative, and immediate.

However, teachers (and librarians) often want some sort of learning guide or additional instructional activities to go along with the books they have chosen. Many authors and publishers are catching on to this trend, and they are delivering just what ‘the teacher ordered.’ They are discovering that if they create learning guides for their book(s), they will probably sell more copies to teachers and librarians. Again, everyone benefits!

I’ve noticed that many children’s authors, especially those who write non-fiction, have all kinds of links, activities, and lesson plans to coordinate with their books right on their websites. And some publishers, such as Sylvan Dell, are doing the same. In fact, Sylvan Dell provides a page on their website that aligns all their titles to science and math standards for every state.

So if you are an author, consider creating a simple learning guide or some instructional activities to go with your book(s). These can be as basic or as complex as you want to make them, and you can easily make these available to educators via your website. Perhaps you can even include links to resources you found during your research. Carla McClafferty’s website is an excellent example. Just remember, teachers love it when much of the educational legwork is done for them. Instead of starting from scratch, they get to do what they do best—teach!

Teachers Can Also Create Learning Guides

However, if learning guides are not available from an author or publisher, teachers can still create their own to align with state standards.

1. First, review a list of standards for your state. Most educators are already very familiar with these standards, and they can easily be found online as well. Since I live in Georgia, I went to the georgiastandards.org website and chose to review educational standards for fourth grade. For residents of other states, you can simply go to your state’s Department of Education and follow the links to the appropriate grade level.
2. Next, you can match up specific standards with a book or books that apply. Or if you have a special book you really like, you can probably find a standard that correlates, especially in the areas of language arts and social studies. Most of the time, the spectrum is rather broad.
3. Have fun coming up with activities and lesson plans that will enhance the book’s content, reinforce learning concepts, and provide an enjoyable alternative to run of the mill worksheets.

An Example of a Learning Guide/Instructional Activities for Fourth Grade

A Fourth of July on the Plains

Written by Jean Van Leeuwen

Illustrated by Henri Sorenson

Pre-Reading Activities:

Meet the Author: Jean Van Leeuwen  (Give brief biographical information about the author and perhaps look at her website.)

Meet the Illustrator: Henri Sorenson (Give brief biographical information about the illustrator.) Show a few illustrations from the book and discuss the medium used.

Story Summary (from the publisher): Young Jesse and his family are with a wagon train traveling from Indiana to Oregon when they stop to celebrate the Fourth of July, but Jesse is too young to go hunting with the men, so he comes up with his own contribution to the festivities.

Background: This story is based on an account of a July 4^th celebration along the Oregon trail in 1852, as recalled in the Diary of E.W. Conyers, 1905 and combined with the lively memories of Jesse A. Applegate, a seven-year-old traveler, as told in Recollections of My Boyhood, 1914.

Set the Scene: Discuss the setting of the story and view photographs of a plain. Discuss the Oregon Trail and geographical features encountered along the journey.

Vocabulary Words: Introduce new vocabulary words/terms.

Meet the Characters: Introduce characters and give their ages if relevant.

Reading:

Read the book aloud or let students alternate reading orally in small groups.

Discussion:

What was it like to travel in a wagon train? Talk about and make a list of some of the things Henry and the other travelers experienced. What were some of the dangers? How long had they been traveling? Would the students be willing to face the hardships of such a journey, regardless of the adventure? Why or why not?

Patriotism: Why was a Fourth of July celebration so important to the travelers? What are some things we do to celebrate in modern times? What did the travelers do to celebrate the day? How did Henry and his friends participate? What happened to make Henry declare that they got their cannons after all?

Creative Writing: Have students pretend they are part of Henry’s wagon train and write a diary entry about the Fourth of July celebration—including all five senses.

Summarizing/Sequencing: Discuss the events of the story. Let students orally narrate what happened. What was the climax? Make a list of the events in the order they occurred.

Map Work/Math:

Trace the route of the Oregon Trail on a U.S. map. Pinpoint the general area of the story. Identify the states along the trail and calculate the number of miles covered in the journey. If the wagon train traveled an average of fourteen miles per day, how long would the trip take, etc.?

In Conclusion

The suggestions above are just a sampling of learning opportunities or instructional activities that can be used with the book, A Fourth of July on the Plains by Jean Van Leeuwen. Notice how well they correspond to the Georgia educational standards for fourth grade listed below. And there are many more standards I could have chosen as well.

SS4H6 The student will explain westward expansion of America between 1801 and 1861.

a. Describe territorial expansion with emphasis on the Louisiana Purchase, the Lewis and Clark expedition, and the acquisitions of Texas (the Alamo and independence), Oregon (Oregon Trail), and California (Gold Rush and the development of mining towns).

SS4CG5 The student will name positive character traits of key historical figures and government leaders (honesty, patriotism, courage, trustworthiness).

ELA4R3 The student understands and acquires new vocabulary and uses it correctly in reading and writing.

ELA4LSV1 The student participates in student-to-teacher, student-to-student,

and group verbal interactions.

SS4G1 The student will be able to locate important physical and man-made features in the United States.

SS4G2 The student will describe how physical systems affect human systems.

e. Describe physical barriers that hindered and physical gateways that benefited territorial expansion from 1801 to 1861 (SS4H6a).

SS4CG4 The student will explain the importance of Americans sharing certain central democratic beliefs and principles, both personal and civic.

SS4CG5 The student will name positive character traits of key historical figures and government leaders (honesty, patriotism, courage, trustworthiness).

M4P1. Students will solve problems (using appropriate technology).

Map and Globe Skills

If you are an author, creating a learning guide is a great idea. It does not have to be complex, but you know your book(s) better than anyone else does, and you can provide teachers with some guidance for using your work in the classroom. Moreover, you increase your chances for more sales if you have additional resources for educators and librarians.

If you are a teacher, the sky is the limit. Using trade books in the classroom is a refreshing change for both you and your students. You can easily align your choices to state educational standards, all while choosing books that are fun and interesting to reinforce or introduce new topics or events. With just a little bit of planning, you can create learning opportunities and activities that your students will remember for years!

I received the following press release from Caroline Harris, publicist for Sylvan Dell, and wanted to share! To celebrate TV Turnoff Week and Earth Day, Sylvan Dell is giving schools, libraries and families free access to their 50 eBooks for the week of April 19-25.

What a great opporunity…so check it out and spread the word!

Lose that Remote and Seize the Day!

TV Turnoff Week Overlaps with Earth Day this Year

Mount Pleasant, SC (April 13, 2010) – Join Sylvan Dell in celebrating national TV Turnoff Week April 19-25 and Earth Day, April 22. Every year this week challenges families to turn off their television sets and find an alternate form of entertainment. Earth Day, celebrating its 40^th year, happens to fall right in the middle of TV Turnoff Week this year and provides a perfect excuse to turn off the television and learn about the earth. 

So, instead of channel surfing, do something good for the Earth. Here are some suggestions:

• Visit an animal rehabilitation center near you. Ask what types of animals do they help? Are any of these animals endangered or threatened? What can you do to help?
• Take a trip to the zoo or your local aquarium. Turn it into a learning activity. Draw or make a list of the ways the animals are alike or different.
• Go hiking in a nature reserve. Collect leaves, shells and flower petals. Draw a tree or make a nature journal.
• Visit a nature museum. Quiz yourself after, what do you remember? Write down what you learned.
• Read a book like “Where Should Turtle Be?” or “What’s New At the Zoo?” Sylvan Dell books are great educational resources that promote awareness and appreciation for animals and the environment.

Sylvan Dell is participating by giving schools, libraries and families free access to their 50 eBooks for the week of April 19-25.  More than 40 of these eBooks explore Earth Day related themes including marine animals, habitats, wildlife, zoo animals, earth and physical science, birds, and astronomy. So, before deciding to turn on the TV, read an eBook and learn about the wonders of the Earth!

For more information about Earth Day, visit http://www.earthday.net/earthday2010

For more information about “TV Turnoff Week,” visit: http://tvturnoff.org/

For more information about Sylvan Dell Publishing, visit: http://SylvanDellPublishing.com

eBook access instructions are located on the Sylvan Dell website at: http://www.sylvandellpublishing.com/TVTurnOffWeek.htm

 About Sylvan Dell Publishing

Sylvan Dell Publishing’s mission is to excite children’s imaginations with artistically spectacular science, math and nature themed stories. Founded in November of 2004, Sylvan Dell has grown to include more than 75 authors and illustrators, in the U.S. and Canada, and 50 titles – honored as finalists or winners of more than 70 book awards. Our Science and Math Through Literature Program integrates reading, science, math, geography, character skills, and language learning through fun, cross-curricular activities. Sylvan Dell provides more online educator resources than any other publisher in the U.S. We offer schools, homeschooling families and public libraries a free one-year access to our ebook site license featuring the most technologically advanced eBooks each with Auto-Flip, Auto-Read, 3D page curling, and selectable English and Spanish text and audio through our School Resource Grant program. For more information, visit http://www.sylvandellpublishing.com.

It’s  Non-Fiction Monday, and today’s round-up is hosted by Lerner Books Blog. The following review is one I previously had published at The Old Schoolhouse Magazine website on their product/curriculum reviews page. I have also reviewed a lot of Sylvan Dell books at the National Writing for Children website.

A Day in the Salt Marsh

By Kevin Kurtz

Sylvan Dell Publishing

976 Houston Northcutt Blvd., Suite 3

Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464

1-877-958-2600

www.sylvandellpublishing.com

In our homeschool, we enjoy using whole “living” books as much as possible, especially in the area of science. A Day in the Salt Marsh by Kevin Kurtz is a delightful picture book that certainly falls into that category!

This high-quality, soft cover book (aimed at ages 4-8) gives the reader a peek into the ecology of a salt marsh, and it also introduces the various plants and animals that live in this particular habitat. The ‘focus’ of the book is showing children how a salt marsh can change hour by hour, depending on whether the tide is coming in or going out.

The rhyming verse format of the book is lively and fun, but the scientific information included is far from being ‘fluff’! On the contrary, even I learned about new things such as Spartina grass which is covered by salt water every day, but has special glands to ‘spit’ the salt back out! And the full color illustrations by Consie Powell are outstanding. There are ‘inset’ drawings within the larger drawings, providing the reader with greater detail to view, examine, and study. They give lots of scope for the imagination, yet they are very realistic as well.

There is an educational section at the end of the book called ‘For Creative Minds’ that provides multiple choice questions to check the child’s comprehension if the parent desires to use it. There is also a ‘Tide Animals Activity’ and more information about what causes tides, why salt marshes are important, and an extra page about Spartina grass and its adaptations. Of course, all these extras are optional, and the ‘story’ itself is very enjoyable and can stand alone.

Overall, I highly recommend the book A Day in the Salt Marsh. We have personally had the opportunity to visit a salt marsh in the past, and this book certainly reinforces and expands upon what we learned there. But if you have never had the opportunity to visit one, Mr. Kurtz’s book will allow you to ‘experience’ a salt marsh from the comfort of your own home. And who knows…after reading this book, you may decide that a field trip to a salt marsh needs to be on your homeschool agenda!

*Be sure to visit Lerner Books Blog to check out more Non-Fiction Monday entries!

Good readers get the big picture. They comprehend the meaning of the text and better understand what the author is trying to convey. In addition, learning to identify a character’s point of view in a simple picture book or story is a great way to introduce  children to an important aspect of being a good reader.

It will also prepare them for heavier literature when they get older when identifying a character’s point of view is vital to understanding the plot and the underlying meaning or theme of the story. It is a skill to develop through the years, and having a basic working knowledge of this device will also help students learn about the first person, second person, third person, omniscient, and limited omniscient points of view as they mature as readers and writers.

Point of View (POV):

POV is simply the standpoint or position from which the reader gets to observe, consider, or ‘hear’ the story. For this particular article, I would like to concentrate on a first person narrative POV from a well-known children’s story.

A Simple Way To Teach POV:

Almost everyone knows the story of The Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf. The pigs are the victims and the wolf is the villain. We ‘hear’ the story from the viewpoint of the three little pigs, and we feel sorry for them—right down to the hairs on their chinny-chin-chins! The wolf is a mean, evil character, and we are happy to see justice served in the end. Obviously, he deserves what he gets!

So gather your students around and read the traditional story of The Three Little Pigs. Or have them act out the story with parts—using appropriate voices and simple costumes if possible. My children always use a high, squeaky voice for the pigs and a low, growly voice for the wolf. Discuss the elements of the story and the perspectives of the characters. Who is ‘good’ and who is ‘bad’? Who is right and who is wrong? How did the pigs feel and react when the wolf came to each of their doors?

A Twist:

But what if there is a chance that the traditional tale we all know and love might not be the ‘real’ story! What if the wolf has a different version of the story to tell? What about his POV?

The True Story of the Three Little Pigs:

Here is where the fun begins! Purchase or check out Jon Scieszka’s hilarious book, The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs from your local library and read it to the students. As Alexander T. Wolf, the narrator, tells his audience on the very first page:

“Everybody knows the story of the Three Little Pigs. Or at least they think they do. But I’ll let you in on a little secret. Nobody knows the real story, because nobody has ever heard my side of the story.”

Of course, in this version, we hear from Alexander T. Wolf. He claims that he had a cold and all that he wanted to do was borrow a cup of sugar from one of his neighbors when all the trouble began. According to him, he was framed!

Now discuss the differences in the two stories and the POVs. Compare and contrast. Make a comparison chart if possible.

The Verdict:

So who is telling the truth, the pigs or the wolf? Who is more believable? Why? Should Alexander T. Wolf have been put in jail?

No matter whose side the students choose, they should all be able to determine the differences in the POV of the characters in the two tales and how it changes the whole story, depending on WHO is doing the telling or whose side is championed!

If you like using the idea of the Big Bad Wolf versus The Three Little Pigs to teach POV, you might also find the book, The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig, by Eugene Trivizas to be another great resource to use with this lesson. As the title implies, the roles of the characters, as well as the POVs, have been switched. Another fun read!

Other Ideas:

Have students re-tell classic stories—but have them change the POV for some interesting twists.

Cinderella versus her stepsisters.

Little Red Riding Hood versus the wolf.

Goldilocks versus the three bears.

Resources:

http://teacher.scholastic.com/writewit/mff/fractured_fairy_true.htm
Scholastic’s site for fractured fairy tales and fables

http://www.shol.com/agita/wolfside.htm
Defendant Testifies: The Wolf’s side of the story

http://www.nancypolette.com/LitGuidesText/truestorypigs.htm
Literature guide to The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs by Nancy Polette

http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/fairytales
More fractured fairy tales

http://teachers.net/lessons/posts/708.html
Lesson plans/ideas

Today is Non-Fiction Monday—and my first time participating. The host for this week’s round-up is The Miss Rumphius Effect.

We are literature-based homeschoolers, and my son has been using a Winter Promise course this year called ‘American Culture.’ We have BOTH loved it. Right now he is learning all about the Stock Market Crash of 1929, but recently he learned about immigration and the living conditions in New York City during the late 1800s and early 1900s. One of the core texts for this section was Deborah Hopkinson’s fabulous book, Shutting Out the Sky.

Shutting Out the Sky by Deborah Hopkinson

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Orchard; 1St Edition edition (October 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0439375908
• ISBN-13: 978-0439375900

Deborah Hopkinson truly captured the immigration experience in her book. She used original writings from immigrants, and the story is told through those ‘voices’ from the past, featuring two women and three men from the countries of Belarus, Italy, Lithuania, and Romania. Those individuals came to America between the years of 1891 and 1901, and their ages at the time of immigration ranged from twelve to sixteen. Most came with family; one came alone.

Of course, I have studied about immigration in the past, but Hopkinson’s book certainly made an impression on me. As I read about the living conditions, sights, sounds, and smells of the tenements on the Lower East Side of New York City at this time in history, I was appalled and my sympathies stirred. My heart especially went out to the mothers who tried to make their home in one small room of an overcrowded building in a strange city. Most had no grasp of the language and even less money. Add to that a lack of good sanitary conditions, and you have a recipe for possible hopelessness.

Most immigrants came to America searching for a better life. They believed they were leaving behind poverty and persecution, and they sacrificed to get to the ‘promised land.’ Many were told that gold was scattered in the street, and all they needed was a shovel and a sack! Of course, this ‘golden land’ sounded like paradise.

Yet, they had no idea what actually lay ahead. Would they have still come if they had known? I believe that, yes, most would have. Because although the parents had a hard time adjusting and the conditions were deplorable, the children adapted more easily. Many had the opportunity to receive an education that had been denied them in the past and a chance to change the course of their lives in the future. Mothers and fathers were willing to sacrifice for their children, and in the end, that is what mattered.

Hopkinson has interwoven the ‘voices’ of the immigrants to create a complex, yet compelling, book. Yes, she does tell about the poverty, overcrowding, and unsanitary conditions; but she also emphasizes the indomitable human spirit and the importance of family ties and traditions.

The photographs are a huge part of this book, and Hopkinson has chosen well. As we all know, a picture is worth a thousand words, and the photos of immigrant families crowded into small rooms, or the countless lines of laundry strung between tenement buildings should make us all thankful for what we have. America has truly been the land of opportunity, and I have great respect for the men and women who worked, scrimped, saved and determined to make better lives for themselves and their descendants.

My favorite paragraph in the book was about young Leonard Covello. When it was time for his family to leave Italy for America, he tiptoed into his grandmother’s room to say goodbye. He understood he’d never see her again, so he always remembered the words she whispered in his nine-year-old ears. She told him that the gold he would find in America would not be in the streets, but in the dreams he would realize—the golden dreams of the future.

If you visit Deborah Hopkinson’s website, you will find links and lesson plans to go along with Shutting Out the Sky.

This book is a fantastic historical resource, yet it touches the heart as well. Highly recommended!

I wanted to pop in and tell everyone about a great new ’round-up’ I discovered last week. It’s called Non-Fiction Monday. You can read a description of it here at Anastasia Suen’s blog. She also lists the sites that are hosting Non-Fiction Monday each week. This week’s host is Books Together.

I just love the whole idea of a non-fiction book round-up all in one place as I’m always looking for great new books to share with my children. And besides, children’s non-fiction is my main writing interest. I also hope to share in this round-up starting next week!

Check it out!

I’ve had so many spam comments that I finally just did a bulk action delete. Then I realized that I had also deleted the legitimate and sweet comments I had as well. Uh oh.
I’ve activated a plug-in that hopefully will take care of the spam issue…I think. I have been getting at least 10 or more spam comments a day.
Live and learn. Live and learn!
I hope to be more ‘present’ with this site soon.

To continue with my series on introducing children to the fine arts, I am going to discuss music appreciation and composer study and give ideas for how easy it is to incorporate this type of learning into our everyday lives. First however, I’d like to recap while I feel this type of exposure is so important.

Why Study Fine Arts?

“Charlotte Mason, a 19th century British educator, believed that exposing children to great ideas and beauty in all areas inspired them to greatness as well. She theorized that by letting them become familiar with the best artists, composers, and writers, they would be less willing to settle for mediocrity in themselves. As Elizabeth Gutman said in her book, The Story of Art, part of The Bookshelf for Boys and Girls series: “The magic power of art can arouse all kinds of emotions in us, from simple joy to much deeper feelings. And artists are great people whose works can gladden our eyes, enrich our thoughts, and deepen our feelings.”

“I think these words can apply to ALL areas of the fine arts. And with today’s norm of following the crowd or being happy with the status quo, we should want our children to be inspired and motivated to strive for more—to reach for excellence instead of being content with the marginal.”

Why listen to classical music or study composers?

We’ve all heard about the ‘Mozart Effect’ in the last few years. There have been books and studies claiming that listening to the music of Mozart actually helps to develop the brain, improve short term memory, and increase IQ. Many parents have jumped on the bandwagon and are exposing their children, some even before birth, to Mozart.

There is great debate on whether or not there really is anything to this theory, but research does show that when a child listens to classical music the right hemisphere of the brain is activated, and when a child studies a musical instrument both the left and right hemispheres of the brain light up. Nevertheless, the interest generated by this phenomenon has catapulted classical music back into the spotlight, and that in itself has been a good thing.

In addition, classical music is simply beautiful and peaceful. It’s universal and no matter what language, music forges a common bond. Music also creates emotions and enriches lives with the fulfillment that comes from enjoyment. Many people believe that the soothing tones of classical music influences children’s behavior in a positive way and increases attention span and concentration. A working knowledge of classical music and the men who wrote it also makes for a well-rounded education and individual. But never underestimate the ability of a very young child to appreciate and recognize a piece of music or the work of a composer. When my son was about two years old, he would shout out, “Tchaikovsky!” whenever he heard Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy!

The composers who made these musical contributions to the world are important in their own right and have their places in history as well. Many of them had extraordinary lives and are quite interesting to read about. Children are usually fascinated to learn things such as the fact that Mozart was a child prodigy who composed music by the age of five or that Beethoven continued to write music even after he lost his hearing. And although it’s easy to introduce our children to the composers as we expose them to various pieces of music, we can do so by casually mentioning the name. The main thing is to cultivate enjoyment and appreciation; a more in-depth study can be done as our children grow older.

There is an excellent article on the Ambleside Online website about music appreciation. And one of the writers/advisors, Wendi Capehart, summed things up quite well:

“In music study the same principles apply as do in picture study, nature study, and nature notebooks. That is the principle of attentiveness and good observation. The goal is not to have children who can give a lecture on music theory. It is to have children learn to enjoy classical music and tell one piece from another just as naturally as they learn the difference between, say, The Farmer in the Dell and When the Saints Go Marching In – because they are both familiar with and fond of what they are hearing. The more they are exposed to good literature, the better they get at reading the themes and language of literature. In art and music, the more they are simply exposed to pictures and music, the more they learn to ‘read’ the themes of the world’s classic compositions.”

So how do we introduce classical music or composers to our children?

1.) Start early! As Wendi said, it’s all about exposure! Simply playing classical music to children when they are young will train their ears to the ‘beautiful and lovely.’ At this age, they haven’t been conditioned by modern music to think of classical music as uncool or boring, and they will be more apt to develop an appreciation for it that will last a lifetime.

2.) Play classical music softly in the background of your home. It sets the tone and atmosphere of a peaceful household. In addition, everyone will begin to recognize the various pieces and probably request their favorites. Although not as calming as other pieces, my children always wanted to hear Flight of the Bumblebee! There are many inexpensive CDs that include the ‘best of’ different composers.

3.) Introduce composers casually as the pieces are played. For very young children, simply telling them who wrote the piece is usually enough. After awhile, they will begin to associate the music with the correct composer.

4.) Biographical sketches or short biographies of composers are appropriate for older children. There are many books and resources available to teach about the composer’s lives. I’ve included some of these in the ‘resources’ section.

5.) Consider using a planned rotation of composers/music for older children as well. Ambleside Online has a plan for a scheduled composer for each term and lots of other great links and resources at: http://www.amblesideonline.org/ComposerSch.shtml.

6.) Try to attend a classical music concert. We are all familiar with the large concert venues in big cities, but many local or regional orchestras also present concerts on a regular basis. This would be a great family outing. There are also occasionally concerts aired on television stations such as PBS.

7.) Children learn from their parents. When we show an interest in classical music and composers, our children will be more receptive. Again, it’s all about starting early and exposure!

Resources:

Classical Kids Collection created by Douglas Cowling, Walter Babiak, Erin Cooper-Gay, and Mark Donnelly. This set includes various dramatized stories/music clips about different composers such as Mr. Bach Comes to Call, Vivaldi’s Ring of Mystery, Beethoven Lives Upstairs, Hallelujah Handel, etc. We have several of these CDs, and my children have enjoyed them immensely.

Baby Einstein Collection DVDs by Julie Aigner-Clark

Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Composers series by Mike Venezia

Great Musicians series by Opal Wheeler

Early Composers (Coloring Book) by Eric Tomb

Great Composers series (Coloring Books) by David Brownell

Lives of the Musicians: Good Times, Bad Times (and What the Neighbors Thought) by Kathleen Krull and Kathryn Hewitt

Composer Study: Charlotte Mason Style website – www.squidoo.com/charlotte-mason-styled-composer-study.
History of Classical Music Study Guide- A curriculum by Beautiful Feet Books at www.bfbooks.com.
San Francisco Symphony for Kids website- www.sfskids.org

Online Classical Music:

www.sky.fm/classical

www.wdav.org

www.kcme.org

www.theclassicalstation.org

In my last  column, I talked about the importance of introducing fine arts to young children. To recap that subject, here is what I wrote:

Why Study Fine Arts?

Charlotte Mason, a 19th century British educator, believed that exposing children to great ideas and beauty in all areas inspired them to greatness as well. She theorized that by letting them become familiar with the best artists, composers, and writers, they would be less willing to settle for mediocrity in themselves. As Elizabeth Gutman said in her book, The Story of Art, part of The Bookshelf for Boys and Girls series: “The magic power of art can arouse all kinds of emotions in us, from simple joy to much deeper feelings. And artists are great people whose works can gladden our eyes, enrich our thoughts, and deepen our feelings.”

I think these words can apply to ALL areas of the fine arts. And with today’s norm of following the crowd or being happy with the status quo, we should want our children to be inspired and motivated to strive for more—to reach for excellence instead of being content with the marginal.

I also introduced the topic of picture study in the last column. Now I would like to discuss the most famous bard of all time, William Shakespeare, and how a ‘Shakespeare Study’ can benefit even young children.

Why Shakespeare?

William Shakespeare ultimately helped to shape the English language. Because of him, we now have such phrases as ‘in a pickle,’ ‘all’s well that ends well,’ ‘love is blind’, ‘wild goose chase’, and countless others. In fact, Shakespeare is credited with coining or creating close to 2000 words and phrases that are now part of our daily usage. In addition, his language is challenging, with tight and concise sentences. Vocabularies are sure to be increased when reading Shakespearean plays or poetry. And most of all, Shakespeare was a master of plot and a great storyteller of history. He knew the Bible and mythology, and drew from both, and it is evident that his writing was definitely influenced by Christianity. I’ve often heard that if a person is familiar with the Bible, mythology, and Shakespeare, he will always have a greater understanding of any literature as well as human nature. Ideas of greed, love, hatred, self-loathing, pity, generosity, courage, and even misunderstandings are ageless.

Why Start Young?

If a child is introduced to Shakespeare early, he will not be apprehensive about studying the plays when he is in high school. When he is young he will certainly not understand all the twists, turns, and nuances that Shakespeare employs, but he can most definitely read simplified versions and keep track of the basic plot and characters and learn the ‘stories’ behind the plays. When he is older, he will already have a basic understanding of Shakespeare’s work and be able to build upon that foundation with a deeper understanding of the plots and the moral and historical significances. He will recognize within the characters a mixture of sinfulness and goodness—just as we all are in real life. He will see weaknesses and strengths in the players within the layers of each story.

Beginning:

Children around the age of six might enjoy Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare for Children by E. Nesbit, author of the Railway Children. Ms. Nesbit retold twenty of Shakespeare’s dramas in story form to make them more accessible to a younger audience, which is the perfect introduction to the bard for children.

The next step up might be Tales From Shakespeare by the brother/sister team of Charles and Mary Lamb. Published in 1807, this book includes all of Shakespeare’s most famous comedies and tragedies. The tales are retold in a clear and exceptional literary style, and the Lambs even borrowed vocabulary and phrases from the actual plays.

Other Resources for Younger Students:

-Starting with Shakespeare: Successfully Introducing Shakespeare to Children by Todd Daubert

-Shakespeare for Kids: His Life and Times, 21 Activities (For Kids series) by Colleen Aagesen and Margie Blumberg

-Shakespeare Can Be Fun series by Lois Burdett

-Shakespeare Stories by Leon Garfield

-Bard of Avon: The Story of William Shakespeare by Diane Stanley

-www.squidoo.com/shakespeareforchildren

- www.pbs.org/shakespeare/educators/resources.html

As a child grows older, the actual plays will become more accessible to him. Because he is already acquainted with the language and characters, Shakespeare’s dramas will seem like old friends that become more enjoyable and appreciated through the years. William Shakespeare had the talent of revealing things that man needs to see in himself—whether good or bad. And as another actor wrote of him, “He was not of an age but for all time.”

Karen Andreola states in her book, A Charlotte Mason Companion, that Shakespeare’s plays provide us “with thoughtful entertainment, a look at human nature, the beauty of the English language, animated scenes from history, and even a good laugh.” Young children can enjoy the same!

Originally published at The National Writing For Children Center.

Classical music. Art Appreciation. Nature Study. Poetry and Shakespeare. These areas of study may sound like complicated courses that are best left alone until the high school or college years, but young children can certainly benefit from an acquaintance with the fine arts as well. As parents, we all want our children to be well rounded and educated to the best of our abilities. We expect teachers (or ourselves if we homeschool) to cover the basics such as reading, writing, and arithmetic, but there is also something so satisfying about recognizing a Monet or a Cezanne, or hearing and identifying music composed by Mozart or Tchaikovsky.

There is joy in taking a walk, finding a special leaf to sketch in a nature journal, and later discovering in a field guide that it belongs to an aspen tree. And who hasn’t heard or read a common phrase (such as green-eyed monster) that can be traced back to the pen of William Shakespeare?

Why Study Fine Arts?

Charlotte Mason, a 19th century British educator, believed that exposing children to great ideas and beauty in all areas inspired them to greatness as well. She theorized that by letting them become familiar with the best artists, composers, and writers, they would be less willing to settle for mediocrity in themselves. As Elizabeth Gutman said in her book, The Story of Art, part of The Bookshelf for Boys and Girls series:
“The magic power of art can arouse all kinds of emotions in us, from simple joy to much deeper feelings. And artists are great people whose works can gladden our eyes, enrich our thoughts, and deepen our feelings.”

I think these words can apply to ALL areas of the fine arts. And with today’s norm of following the crowd or being happy with the status quo, we should want our children to be inspired and motivated to strive for more—to reach for excellence instead of being content with the marginal.

In my monthly contribution to the “Parenting and Teaching Tip” column over the next few weeks, I’d like to explore some of these areas in more depth. But for this particular column, I will focus on “picture study”, which is one facet of art appreciation.

Picture Study

Introducing a new artist or a specific piece of art is very easy to do. Many websites have lists of suggested artist rotations, but it’s better to choose one artist’s work to study at a time so the child can become familiar with the style and at least four of his/her pieces of artwork. My twelve-year-old son recently studied the work of Mary Cassatt, and he can now easily recognize her paintings.

We began our study of Mary Cassatt by reading more about her life in a biography. Then I had him focus only on her painting, Children On the Beach (1884). I let him study the picture for several minutes, then I turned it over and asked him to describe what he remembered about the painting, even the little details. Afterwards, we turned the picture back over to see how well he’d seen it all in his ‘mind’s eye.’ We talked about the medium used, the colors, the subjects, etc. We did this for several days, and each time he remembered more and more about the painting. On another occasion, I had him try to re-create the painting himself from memory. Although not a natural artist, he did quite well! We went on to study three more of her paintings before moving on to a new artist.

On another note, I had a large framed poster of Children On the Beach hanging in my children’s bathroom. When my little ones (ages 2 and 4) took a bath, we would look at the painting and talk about it. It’s amazing how much they learned about Mary Cassatt’s work in just a few minutes each night! They remembered almost as much as their older brother, and it was just that simple.

Some people choose to make artists timelines, create portfolios of artists studied, or collect books of paintings by each artist that are purely for enjoyment. But no matter what path you choose, the whole family (and especially children) will benefit from picture study.

There are many picture study resources:

Websites:

www.abcgallery.com

www.amblesideonline.org/ArtSch.shtml

www.doverdirect.com (This site has ‘classical art’ coloring books and postcard sized reproductions of various artists/paintings).

www.livingbookscurriculum.com/assets-lbc/pj-archives/pj-April5.pdf

www.nga.gov/kids/kids.htm (National Gallery of Art)

Books:

Discovering Great Artists: Hands-On Art for Children in the Styles of the Great Masters by MaryAnn F. Kohl and Kim Solga

Great American Artists for Kids: Hands-On Art Experiences in the Styles of Great American Masters by MaryAnn F. Kohl and Kim Solga

Let’s Meet Famous Artists by Harriet Kinghorn, Jacqueline Badman, and Lisa Lewis-Spicer Smart About Art series by True Kelley

Anholt’s Artists Books for Children series by Laurence Anholt

Getting To Know the World’s Greatest Artists series by Mike Venezia

13 Artists Children Should Know by Angela Wenzel