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Copyright 2018 by JulieHRoss. A Gentle Feast Press. Greer, SC. All rights reserved.

Personal Use Only: This document was purchased for your personal use only. Accordingly, you agree that you will not copy, reproduce, alter, modify, create derivative works, or publicly display any content from this work, except for personal, non-commercial use. For more information, email julie@juliehross.com.

You may post pictures of your family using this product on social media and blogs, as long as A Gentle Feast is properly attributed.

No Redistribution: You may not reproduce, repackage, or redistribute the contents of these downloads, in whole or in part, for any reason.

Modification of Terms: I shall have the right to modify the terms of this Agreement at any time, which modification shall be effective immediately and shall replace all prior Agreements.

You are more than welcome to: Save the files on your computer and print off copies for your immediate family use. Link directly to http://agentlefeast.com to share these files with others. Send this file to be printed by an online service.

You MAY NOT: Host any of my files on your own or other sites. Alter or sell any of my files. Sell files to make a profit. (This includes reselling.) Transmit or store any resources on any other website or other form of electronic retrieval system.

All Scripture verses taken from: The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2016

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An Explanation of Forms in A Gentle Feast In Charlotte Mason’s Parent’s National Education Programmes, students were divided into Forms rather than our traditional American Grades or British Years. The benefit of this is great for families with multiple aged children, allowing for more shared learning among siblings. This also gives you, as the parent, more flexibility to select work that is up or down in other forms, depending on your child’s (children’s) educational needs and academic ability.

I have adjusted Miss Mason’s forms into four groupings for greater simplicity.

The chart below explains the levels in A Gentle Feast. As you move through the cycles, you will follow the lesson plans for the form your child is in that current year.

LOWER ELEMENTARY

UPPER ELEMENTARY

JUNIOR HIGH

SENIOR HIGH

AGF FORMS I II III IV

US GRADES 1-3 4-6 7-9 10-12

PNEU FORMS I a and I b II a and II b III and IV V and IV

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Table of Contents

6 WELCOME LETTER

7 THE PARTS OF THE FEAST

24 SCHEDULING

32 TERM 1 PLANS

88 TERM 2 PLANS

144 TERM 3 PLANS

195 APPENDIX A: SAMPLE SCHEDULES

203 APPENDIX B: EXAMS

208 STUDENT ASSESSMENT FORM

209 APPENDIX C: NOTES ON FORM IV

210 APPENDIX D: NOTES ON NARRATION

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Thank you for your purchase of A Gentle Feast. I pray your family will be blessed by this curriculum plan. Please know that what you have before you is meant to be a tool. I wrote A Gentle Feast because I wanted to share with others the freedom and peace I found in implementing Charlotte Mason’s methods and philosophy into our home. It is not a prescription for success, as no curriculum could possibly guarantee that, and “success” is a very personal ideology. Our culture supports a factory model of education. It can certainly be tempting to follow a mechanical formula rather than thoughtfully thinking through methods and philosophy. Only the Holy Spirit can guide you as you teach your children. Relying too much on a guide can prevent us from hearing His still, small voice. I say all this because I want you to know that A Gentle Feast is not a box to neatly pack your family into with “shoulds” and “musts”. We must always keep going back to Charlotte’s first principle that children are born persons. You know your family best. Use the books, schedules, and plans to help as you prayerfully provide your family with a feast of living ideas.

I created A Gentle Feast because it is what I wish I had when I first started homeschooling. I had read “For the Children’s Sake” by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay when I was still teaching public school. After reading that book about the Charlotte Mason method, I remember grieving because as much as I wanted to provide that kind of rich education she described for my students, I was unable to so so within the constraints of the school system. When I started homeschooling my own children, I was overwhelmed with the different homeschooling OPTION out there; but then I remembered that book I had read years before. As I searched for how to create the learning environment it described in our home, however, I longed for a guide. I wanted a resource that would show me how to create a homeschool rooted in Charlotte Mason’s methods and philosophies with a user-friendly, family-centered design. When I couldn’t find anything that fit my family, I ended up spending hours trying to piecemeal a plan together. At the time, I had three kids under the age of three and was trying to homeschool two elementary children. I felt completely overwhelmed and ended up completely burning out. In those early days of homeschooling, I wished for a guide like A Gentle Feast. As it has developed, AGF has breathed life and beauty into our homeschool. It’s truly created a night-and-day difference in our home, and I pray it will do the same for your family as well!

Blessings, Julie H. Ross

WELCOME LETTER

Welcome to A Gentle Feast

�7THE PARTS OF THE FEAST: MORNING TIME

WHAT IS MORNING TIME? Morning Time is simply a focused, daily ritual that brings the entire family together to share in the feast of books, beauty, and Biblical truth. This practice builds a family culture around these shared experiences. In A Gentle Feast, Morning Time consists of two parts: Bible and Beauty Loop.

WHAT ARE “OPTION 1” AND “OPTION 2”? On the plans, you will notice two options for Beauty Loop items such as: picture study, composers, poetry, and hymns. These are given so that the next time, you cycle through, you can study different selections.

HOW LONG SHOULD MORNING TIME LAST? This will vary from family to family, but you want to be aware of the time so that Morning Time doesn’t infringe on the rest of the feast. Here is a general time frame: • Bible Reading and Narrations: 15-20 minutes,

followed by prayer • Beauty Loop: 5-20 minutes (depending on the

day)

WHAT ELSE DO I NEED TO PURCHASE? • Hymn Study book: Then Sings My Soul. • Fables and Biography books - You may choose to

read one of the books for your entire family or have Forms II and up read their own books.

• Optional books for the artist and composer are listed if you would like to use them to enhance your picture/composer study.

Part 1: Bible

Gather the entire family for devotions, prayers, spiritual readings, or whatever else your family uses for religious studies. Four days of Bible readings are given. The other days can be specific to your denomination. You could include saint stories, catechism questions, missionary biographies, or habit-training, character-building lessons.

I. The Parts of the Feast The Appetizer: Morning Time

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HOW WAS BIBLE APPROACHED IN MISS MASON’S PROGRAMMES?

1. Bible readings are to come directly from the Bible and not a children’s adaptation.

“We are apt to believe that children cannot be interested in the Bible unless its pages be watered down- turned into the slipshod English we prefer to offer them.... It is a mistake to use paraphrases of the test; the fine roll of Bible English appeals to children with a compelling music, and they will probably retain through life their first conception of the Bible scenes, and also, the very words in which these scenes are portrayed,”—Charlotte Mason, Home Education, p. 248-49

2. By age nine, children will have read “the simple (and suitable) narrative portions of the Old Testament, and say, two of the gospels,” —Charlotte Mason, Home Education, p. 249

3. Episodes are read and the children narrate these.

“Read aloud to the children a few verses covering, if possible, an episode. Read reverently, carefully, and with just expression. Then require the children to narrate what they have listened to as nearly as possible in the words of the the Bible.” — Charlotte Mason, Home Education, p. 251

4. After narrations, the teacher can emphasize points from the lesson.

“ Before the close of the lesson, the teacher brings out such new thoughts of God or new points of behavior as the reading has afforded, emphasizing the moral or religious lesson to be learnt rather by a reverent and sympathetic manner than by any attempt at personal application.” —Charlotte Mason, A Philosophy of Education, p. 163

5. Older students were to read through the entire Old Testament on their own. They would also read the New Testament, pairing Miss Mason’s Savior of the World poetry collection with the Bible passages. The Epistles and Revelation were saved until the end of high school.

6. Bible recitations help children memorize larger passages of scripture in a natural manner. “The learning by heart of Bible passages should begin while the children are quite young, six or seven.....The whole parable should be read to them in a way to bring out its beauty and tenderness; and then, day by day, the teacher should recite a short passage, perhaps two or three verses, saying it over some three or four times until the children think they know it. Then, but not before, let them recite the passage. Next day the children will recite what they have already learned, and so on, until they are able to say the whole parable.” —Charlotte Mason, Home Education, p. 253

HOW IS THE BIBLE APPROACHED IN A GENTLE FEAST?

In A Gentle Feast, Bible is done as a family in Morning Time. A four-year rotation is given that covers episodes in the Old and New Testament in chronological order. This is similar to what Miss Mason recommended. In addition, the Psalms and Proverbs are read, keeping with my belief that the rich language and deep truths greatly benefit all students. Your children would not narrate the readings from Psalms and Proverbs. You can access the four- year Bible rotation in the online resources. Older students are encouraged to have personal devotions before school, reading through the remainder of the Bible. Study Bibles, commentaries, and inductive studies can help older students understand what they are reading. In addition, longer portions of Scripture are m e m o r i z e d b y a n d b y l i ke M i s s M a s o n recommended. The same verse is learned over a twelve-week period.

THE PARTS OF THE FEAST: MORNING TIME

Term 1

  The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures.He leads me beside still waters.     He restores my soul.He leads me in paths of righteousness    for his name's sake. Even though I  walk through the valley of  the shadow of death,    I will fear no evil, for you are with me;    your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me    in the presence of my enemies;you anoint my head with oil;    my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

PSALM 23

�33A GENTLE FEASTWEEK 1

Morning Time

Language Arts

TERM 1 MEMORY VERSE Psalm 23

SUBJECT DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 4 DAY 5

BIBLE Romans 1:1-17 1 Kings 1:1-27 Psalm 109 Proverbs 23:1-16 Bible Choice

OPTIONAL MIDDLE/HIGH

DEVOTIONS

Ezra 1 Ezra 2 Ezra 3 Ezra 4 Romans 9

BEAUTY LOOP

PICTURE OR COMPOSER

STUDY

POETRY RECITATION

POET STUDY FABLES/HERO TALES

HYMN STUDY

OPTION 1: Pablo Picasso

OPTION 2: Grandma Moses *Biography in resources

I “After a Bath” by Aileen Fisher II “My Shadow” III “Caged Bird” IV “The Unknown Soldier”

*see notes on recitation

OPTION 1: Sarah Teasdale OPTION 2: Hilda Conkling

*Biography in resources

I Rootabaga Stories Story 1 II The Wright Brothers Ch.1 III Gifted Hands Ch.1 IV Churchill Ch.1

OPTION 1: Read story of “Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee” OPTION 2: Read story of “Wonderful Grace of Jesus”

STUDENT PACKET GRAMMAR/PHONICS COMPOSITION

FORM I Copywork, several lines daily French Style Dictation Drawing/Free Write

Do next lesson in packet Weekly narration notebook (dictated to mom)

FORM II Copywork, several lines daily Dictation of entire passage Drawing/Free Write

Do next lesson in packet Weekly narration notebook (transition from dictated to student written)

FORM III Copywork Dictation of entire passage

Do next lesson in packet Composition assignment Daily written narration One current event narration Final draft of one weekly narration

FORM IV Copywork Composition

If review needed, do lessons on Kahn Academy

Composition assignment Composition Reading Daily written narration Final draft of composition Weekly current events narration

WEEK 1

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Week 1SUBJECT FORM I FORM II FORM III FORM IV

HISTORY Day 1: If You Lived 100 Years Ago, work through several questions each day as your child shows interest Day 2: If You Lived 100 Years Ago

American/World History

Day 1: America’s Story Ch.1 (half) Day 2: America’s Story Ch.1 (finish) Day 3: Kids at Work Ch.1

Ancient History Famous Men of the Middle Ages: The Gods of the Teutons Add people, places, events to BoC

American/World History Story of the World

Day 1: Ch.17: The Boxer Rebellion Day 2: Ch.17: The

Czar and the Admiral Day 3: Ch.18: Persia

Ancient History The Book of the Middle Ages Ch.1 Add people, places, events to BoC

American History Paul Johnson's A

History of the American People pages 627-middle of 634

World History Kahn Academy:

The 20th Century Empires before WWI, German and Italian Empires in 1914

Ancient History Life in Medieval

Times Ch.1 Add people,

places, events to BoC

GEOGRAPHY Grades 1/2 Day 1: Elementary Geography Ch. 1 Day 2: Elementary Geography Ch. 2

Grade 3 Review continents and oceans using songs in resources

Day 1: Book of Marvels Ch.1 Day 2: Watch Video for Ch. 1

*see resources

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (Young Reader’s Edition) Ch.1 Map Drill : Africa *see resources

Endurance Part 1, Ch.1-2 Map Drill on Seterra app

LITERATURE Grades 1-2 Next lesson in 100 Gentle Lessons for choice from readers list

Grade 3 Meet Theodore Roosevelt Ch.1-4

OPTION 1: Anne of Green Gables Ch.1-4

OPTION 2: Young Fu Ch.1-3

Read The Hobbit Ch.1-5

Our Town: Act I

SCIENCE ——————————— Day 1: Marie Curie for Kids Ch.1

Day 2: Marie Curie for Kids Ch.2

Day 3: All About the Wonders of Chemistry Ch.1

7th/8th: Day 1: Marie Curie for Kids Ch.1

Day 2: Marie Curie for Kids Ch.2

Day 3: Exploring the World of Chemistry Ch.1

9th: Biology see resources

See resources for Chemistry, Physics, or Human Anatomy.

Day 1: Day 2: Day 3: Day 4:

WEEK 1A GENTLE FEASTWEEK 1

The Feast

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SUBJECT FORM I FORM II FORM III FORM IV

NATURAL HISTORY

Day 1: Read Among the Pond People Ch. 1 Day 2: Read Among the Pond People Ch. 2

4th/5th: Christian Liberty Press Nature Reader 6th: Storybook of Science Ch. 1-2

Read All Creatures Great and Small Ch. 1-2

Read North With The Spring Ch. 1

CITIZENSHIP ————————— Read Boy Scouts Citizenship: Mike Gets the Word

Read Ourselves 1 section/week

Read Economics in One Lesson #1

MODERN LANGUAGE

see resources see resources see resources see resources

LATIN ———— see resources see resources see resources

MATH Arithmetic Lessons

o o o o oArithmetic Lessons

o o o o Practical Geometry (5th/6th) or Paper Sloyd (4th)

Arithmetic Lessons

o o o o oArithmetic Lessons

o o o o o

SINGING Folk Song: “Down By the Riverside” Solfa: Do next Lesson on Sing Solfa Foreign Language Song *see resources

Can do with Form 1 if desired

Can do with Form 1 if desired

Can do with Form 1 if desired

DRAWING/ART *DURING TEA TIME

Brush Drawing - start with lessons from Brushwork, then twigs and leaves found in nature OR choose your own resources

Brush Drawing - start with lessons from Brushwork, then real objects, plant specimens, and animals from memory OR choose your own resources

Lesson from Artistic Pursuits or John Muir Laws nature videos

Lesson from Artistic Pursuits Kahn Beginners Guide: Read Introduction. Watch and narrate: Representation and abstraction *see resources

OTHER

A GENTLE FEASTWEEK 1 WEEK 1

Week 1

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PRE-READING:SUPPLIES NEEDED: OTHER:

DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 4 DAY 5

Forms I and II Read Aloud

OPTION 1: All of a Kind Family Ch. 1 OPTION 2: Railway Children Ch. 1

Forms I and II Read Aloud

OPTION 1: All of a Kind Family Ch. 2 OPTION 2: Railway Children Ch. 2

All Forms Poetry Tea Time

Forms I and II Read Aloud

OPTION 1: All of a Kind Family Ch. 3 OPTION 2: Railway Children Ch. 3

Forms I and II Nature Study

Frogs (see resources)

Forms III and IV Handbook of Nature Study pages 604-608

All Forms Handicrafts

Forms III and IV Shakespeare

Read “Macbeth” (from Tales from Shakespeare) *see resources

All Forms Work - household chores, gardening, cooking

All Forms Drawing

All Forms Nature Journaling

Tea Time

Wins for the Week

Prep for Next Week

WEEK 1A GENTLE FEASTWEEK 1

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STUDENT PACKET GRAMMAR/PHONICS COMPOSITION

FORM I Copywork, several lines daily French Style Dictation Drawing/Free Write

Do next lesson in packet Weekly narration notebook (dictated to mom)

FORM II Copywork, several lines daily Dictation of entire passage Drawing/Free Write

Do next lesson in packet Weekly narration notebook (transition from dictated to student written)

FORM III Copywork Dictation of entire passage

Do next lesson in packet Weekly Composition assignment Daily written narration One current event narration Final draft of one weekly narration

FORM IV Copywork Composition

If review needed, do lessons on Kahn Academy

Weekly Composition assignment Composition Reading Daily written narrations Final draft of composition assignment or narration Weekly current events narration

SUBJECT DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 4 DAY 5

BIBLE Romans 8:1-17

1 Kings 1:28-53 Psalm 110 Proverbs 23:17-35

Bible Choice

OPTIONAL MIDDLE/HIGH DEVOTIONS

Ezra 5 Ezra 6 Ezra 7-8 Ezra 9-10 Romans 10

BEAUTY LOOP PICTURE OR COMPOSER

STUDY

POETRY RECITATION

POET STUDY FABLES/HERO TALES

HYMN STUDY

OPTION 1: Gershwin

OPTION 2: Amy Beach *Biography in resources

I “After a Bath” by Aileen Fisher II “My Shadow” III “Caged Bird” IV “The Unknown Soldier”

*see notes on recitation

OPTION 1: “Wishes” OPTION 2: “For You Mother”

I Rootabaga Stories Story 2 II The Wright Brothers Ch.2 III Gifted Hands Ch.2 IV Churchill Ch.2

OPTION 1: Read through the lyrics to “Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee” OPTION 2: Read through the lyrics to “Wonderful Grace of Jesus”

Morning Time

Language Arts

A GENTLE FEASTWEEK 2 WEEK 2

TERM 1 MEMORY VERSE Psalm 23

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SUBJECT FORM I FORM II FORM III FORM IV

HISTORY Day 1: If You Lived 100 Years Ago Day 2: If You Lived 100 Years Ago

American/World History Day 1: America’s Story

Ch.2 (half) Day 2: America’s Story

Ch.2 (finish) Day 3: Kids at Work Ch.2

Ancient History Famous Men of the Middle Ages: Nibelungs Add people, places,

events to BoC

American/World History Story of the World

Day 1: Ch.18: Balkan Day 2: Ch.19: Last Emperor Day 3: Ch.19: Vietnamese

Ancient History The Book of the Middle Ages Ch.2, Parts 1-2 Add people, places, events to BoC

American History Paul Johnson's A

History of the American People pages 634-top of 642

World History Kahn Academy: The

20th Century Alliances, Language and religion of the former Yugoslavia

Ancient History Life in Medical Times

Ch.2 Add people, places,

events to BoC

GEOGRAPHY Grades 1/2 Day 1: Elementary Geography Ch.3 Day 2: Elementary Geography Ch.4 and questions orally

Grade 3 Day 1: Review types of maps w/ video in resources. Look for these types of maps in a US atlas. Day 2: Review landforms w/ video in resources. Draw map of your state, add landforms. Use parts of map from last lesson.

Day 1: Book of Marvels Ch.2 Day 2: Watch Video for

Ch. 2 *see resources

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind Ch.2 Map Drill : Africa *see resources

Endurance Part 1, Ch.3-4 Map Drill on Seterra app

LITERATURE Grades 1/2 Next lesson in 100 Gentle Lessons for choice from readers list

Grade 3 Meet Theodore

Roosevelt Ch.5-8

OPTION 1: Anne of Green Gables Ch.5-8 OPTION 2: Young Fu

Ch.4-6

Read The Hobbit Ch.6-10 Our Town: Act II

SCIENCE Day 1: Marie Curie for Kids Ch.3

Day 2: Marie Curie for Kids : Make Crystal Candy Sticks p.34

Day 3: All About the Wonders of Chemistry Ch.2

7th/8th: Day 1: Marie Curie for Kids Ch.3

Day 2: Marie Curie for Kids : Make Crystal Candy Sticks p.34

Day 3: Exploring the World of Chemistry Ch.2

9th: Biology see resources

See resources for Chemistry, Physics, or Human Anatomy.

Day 1: Day 2: Day 3: Day 4:

WEEK 2A GENTLE FEASTWEEK 2

The FeastWeek 2

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SUBJECT FORM I FORM II FORM III FORM IV

NATURAL HISTORY

Day 1: Read Among the Pond People Ch. 3 Day 2: Read Among the Pond People Ch. 4

4th/5th: Christian Liberty Press Nature Reader 6th: Storybook of Science Ch. 3-4

Read All Creatures Great and Small Ch. 3-4

Read North With The Spring Ch. 2

CITIZENSHIP ————————— Read Boy Scouts Citizenship: The Declaration of Independence

Read Ourselves 1 section/week

Read Economics in One Lesson #2

MODERN LANGUAGE

see resources see resources see resources see resources

LATIN ———— see resources see resources see resources

MATH Arithmetic Lessons

o o o o oArithmetic Lessons

o o o o Practical Geometry (5th/6th) or Paper Sloyd (4th)

Arithmetic Lessons

o o o o oArithmetic Lessons

o o o o o

SINGING Folk Song: “Down By the Riverside" Solfa: Do next Lesson on Sing Solfa Foreign Language Song *see resources

Can do with Form 1 if desired

Can do with Form 1 if desired

Can do with Form 1 if desired

DRAWING/ART *DURING TEA TIME

Brush Drawing - start with lessons from Brushwork, then twigs and leaves found in nature OR choose your own resources

Brush Drawing - start with lessons from Brushwork, then real objects, plant specimens, and animals from memory OR choose your own resources

Lesson from Artistic Pursuits or John Muir Laws nature videos

Lesson from Artistic Pursuits Kahn Beginners Guide: Read Introduction to Photography. Watch and narrate: Art and context

OTHER

A GENTLE FEASTWEEK 2

Week 2

WEEK 2

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DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 4 DAY 5

Forms I and II Read Aloud

OPTION 1: All of a Kind Family Ch. 4 OPTION 2: Railway Children Ch. 4

Forms I and II Read Aloud

OPTION 1: All of a Kind Family Ch. 5 OPTION 2: Railway Children Ch. 5

All Forms Poetry Tea Time

Forms I and II Read Aloud

OPTION 1: All of a Kind Family Ch. 6 OPTION 2: Railway Children Ch. 6

Forms I and II Nature Study

Seasonal pond study (see resources)

Forms III and IV Handbook of Nature Study pages 608-617

All Forms Handicrafts

Forms III and IV Shakespeare

“Macbeth”, Act I Scenes 1-3

All Forms Work - household chores, gardening, cooking

All Forms Drawing

All Forms Nature Journaling

PRE-READING:SUPPLIES NEEDED: OTHER:

Tea Time

Wins for the Week

Prep for Next Week

WEEK 2A GENTLE FEASTWEEK 2

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TOTAL MORNING HOURS: 2

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY

DAILY 15 MIN Bible Bible Bible Bible Bible

DAILY 10 MIN Picture Study/Composer Study

Hymn Study Poet Study Fables Poetry Recitation

20 MIN Language Arts Student Packet / Grammar

Language Arts Student Packet

Language Arts Student Packet

Language Arts Student Packet

Language Arts Student Packet

15 MIN Foreign Language Lesson (Oral)

Natural History Book 1

Foreign Language Lesson (Oral)

Natural History Book 2

Handicraft

20 MIN Geography History Geography History Weekly Narration Notebook

15 MIN Play or Sweedish Drill

Play or Sweedish Drill

Play or Sweedish Drill

Play or Sweedish Drill

Play or Sweedish Drill

15 MIN Readers or Phonics

Readers or Phonics

Readers or Phonics

Readers or Phonics

Readers or Phonics

25 MIN Math Math Math Math Math

10 MIN Folk Song Foreign Language Song

Folk Song Foreign Language Song

Sol Fa

AFTERNOON TEA

Read Aloud Handicraft

Read Aloud Poetry Tea Time Work

Read Aloud Drawing

Nature Study

5 DAY SCHEDULEForm 1

A GENTLE FEAST

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A FEW NOTES ON FORM IV

IS A CHARLOTTE MASON EDUCATION RIGOROUS ENOUGH TO PREPARE MY CHILD FOR COLLEGE?

I’ve received this question several times. Often when I ask how old their child is, I learn they are elementary age. Sigh! Homeschool parents often need to breathe deep when it comes to the thought of homeschooling high school.

The short answer to this question is yes, yes, and yes!!!! I have been involved with teens at our public school, and what my kids are doing is far more challenging. Beyond that, I know my children are actually retaining what they learn because their imaginations are being fed on rich, living ideas instead of the sawdust of public school textbooks and worksheets. They are owning the material through narration rather than memorizing tidbits for a test. They are motivated by a love of learning rather than a GPA. Every homeschooler that I have met who was educated with these methods is a well-spoken, well-read, independent thinker, and life-long learner.

WHAT ABOUT GRADES? Charlotte Mason cautioned about grades , rather than the delight in learning, becoming the motivation for the child. In high school though, grades are needed for transcripts and to calculate GPA. If you wish, you can keep these grades from your child so they don’t become a stumbling block to actual learning. You don’t need tests and worksheets to grade. You can grade the quality based on your expectations. I grade my kids ‘narrations as either a pass or a fail. Then I grade their end-of-term exams. I also grade their weekly final composition draft. (You can use the rubric in the Form IV student packet to help with grading.)

WHAT ABOUT TRANSCRIPTS? Transcripts aren’t as intimating as they seem. They are simply a record of what classes your child took and the final grade. Look at the graduation requirements for your state and college entrance requirements for a few schools in which your child may be interested. This will help you determine what to put on the transcript. You will want your child’s transcript to look as normal as possible. You can highlight the unique coursework your child completed in their application, interview, or essay. Most colleges want the transcript to look standard.

HOW DO I ASSIGN CREDIT? The typical way to assign high school credit is by finishing the majority of a textbook or a course or by counting hours. Typical credit hours are between 120-150. For subjects like math and science, using the textbook method works. For subjects like art, you will want to count the hours devoted to picture study, composer study, art activities and reading, handicrafts, etc.

Here are typical subjects needed for graduation and the credits that can be earned from A Gentle Feast. Again, you will want to check with your state representatives for further verification.

MATH 1, 2, 3, 4 ENGLISH 1, 2, 3, 4 SCIENCE- BIOLOGY- CHEMISTRY- PHYSICS- ADVANCED HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY SOCIAL STUDIES: - WORLD GEOGRAPHY 1 - US HISTORY 1 - BRITISH HISTORY 1 - GOVERNMENT .5 - ECONOMICS .5 - FINE ARTS 1,2

SPANISH OR FRENCH 1,2 -OTHER CREDITS YOU MAY NEED TO ADD IN (NOT INCLUDED IN A GENTLE FEAST): COMPUTERS, PE, HEALTH

APPENDIX C: NOTES ON FORM IV

�213APPENDIX D: NOTES ON NARRATION

NOTES ON NARRATION IN FORM II AND UP 1. New narrators, see notes on Form I.

2. Oral Narrations

Narrations are done orally at first. Around age 9, you can begin to partner with your child to transition to written narrations. Your child can dictate their narrations to you while you write or type them out. Another option is to write a part and tell a part. You can then progress to making audio recordings of their narrations and have them listen to the recordings and transcribe parts of them with your help.

“For children under nine, the question of composition resolves itself into that of narration, varied by some such simple exercise as to write a part and narrate a part, or write the whole account of a walk they have taken, a lesson they have studied, or of some simple matter that they know.” (Vol. 1, p. 247)

Even though written narrations are added around age 10, they do not take the place of oral narrations, which continue throughout school.

“Oral composition is the habit of the school from the age of six to eighteen.” (Vol. 6, p. 269-270)

3. Written Narrations

Written narrations start around age 10, but these are not formal composition lessons.

“Before they are ten, children who have been in the habit of using books will write good, vigorous English with ease and freedom; that is, if they have not been hampered by instructions. It is well for them not even to learn rules for the placing of full stops and capitals until they notice how these things occur in their books. Our business is to provide children with material in their lessons, and, leave the

handling of such material to themselves. If we would believe it, composition is as natural as jumping and running to children who have been allowed due use of books. They should narrate in the first place, and they will compose, later, readily enough; but they should not be taught ‘composition.’” (Vol.1, p. 247)

4. Frequency

In Form II, keep the written narrations to one per week. Then add on more subjects as the student progresses. In Form III, one written narration per day may be required.

5. Technology

One thing I do for my teenagers is have them use their phones to voice record their narrations and text them to me. You can also have your child video record their narrations.

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“ I F MOTHERS COULD LEARN TO DO FOR THEMSELVES WHAT THEY DO FOR THEIR CHILDREN WHEN THESE ARE OVERDONE, WE SHOULD HAVE HAPPIER HOUSEHOLDS. LET THE MOTHER GO OUT TO PLAY! IF SHE WOULD ONLY HAVE COURAGE TO LET EVERYTHING GO WHEN LIFE BECOMES TOO TENSE, AND JUST TAKE A DAY, OR HALF A DAY, OUT IN THE FIELDS, OR WITH A FAVOURITE BOOK, OR IN A PICTURE GALLERY LOOKING LONG AND WELL AT JUST TWO OR THREE PICTURES, OR IN BED, WITHOUT THE CHILDREN, LIFE WOULD GO ON FAR MORE HAPPILY FOR BOTH CHILDREN AND PARENTS. THE MOTHER WOULD BE ABLE TO HOLD HERSELF IN 'WISE PASSIVENESS,' AND WOULD NOT FRET HER CHILDREN BY CONTINUAL INTERFERENCE, EVEN OF HAND OR EYE––SHE WOULD LET THEM BE.” 

CHARLOTTE MASON - VOL, 3, P. 33

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