Below you will find frequently asked questions about Classical House of Learning products. You are also welcome to email me with your questions: classicalhouseoflearning@gmail.com.
Which time periods are finished?
Visit the pages for Grammar Stage and Logic Stage to download lessons that are finished.
When will other time periods be ready?
Check my blog for production news updates.
How much does it cost?
I'm happy to say that I am now able to provide this program for free! This is a big project, but I think it fills a need. You can download completed lessons by visiting the Grammar Stage page or the Logic Stage page.
In what format will Classical House of Learning Literature be available?
Classical House of Learning Literature can be downloaded in eBook format (.pdf) by visiting the pages for Grammar Stage and Logic Stage.
Is it secular?
Classical House of Learning Literature is secular, even though I am a (fairly liberal) Christian. Because there are too many variations in spiritual beliefs for one program to suit everybody and because I find it extremely frustrating to adapt religious programs to suit our own beliefs, I did my best to keep Classical House of Learning Literature neutral on issues of spirituality and religion. Rest assured that I have no hidden agenda to indoctrinate your children for or against Christianity. ;-) Keep in mind, however, that many classic works of literature contain Christian characters and/or themes. I have also included religious stories from other cultures and religions as they tie into the historical time period being studied.
Here are my potentially relevant personal spiritual beliefs:
- I accept current scientific thought on the theory of evolution and I avoid creation-based science materials for my children.
- I tend to treat religion as a separate subject and generally avoid programs that attempt to infuse religious principles into everything. I dislike being force-fed religious ideas, which is another reason why we generally avoid materials from Christian publishers. Disclaimer: Some of my children use Christian Light Education math because its format suits them. I would prefer a secular option, but this is what's working right now.
- I believe that some parts of the Bible should not be interpreted literally, which includes the creation story.
- I believe in a loving God who does not condemn non-Christians, and I believe that I can also learn truth from non-Christian beliefs and teachings.
- I place emphasis on the teachings of the New Testament over teachings the Old Testament (i.e. I wear pants and shorts, don't cover my head, celebrate holidays and birthdays, accept evolution, etc.).
Does Classical House of Learning Literature include writing?
It includes instructions for narrations and book summaries, but it is not intended to be a writing program. Early versions did have a writing component, but I feel it's best to keep those separate for now as it really slowed down how quickly I could complete the program.
Does Classical House of Learning Literature include literary analysis?
Grammar Stage does not include in depth literary analysis. Logic Stage includes some, but literary devices are not a focus of this program. The focus is on learning how to articulate the basic plot and character motives within a story.
Classical House of Learning Literature is like....
My idea was to make this program similar to the activity guides for The Story of the World by Susan Wise Bauer, which is the history program our family uses. Each lesson includes a biography of the author or background information, reading assignments, vocabulary lists (if needed), review questions, narration examples, summary assignments for books, copywork or dictation, and activity ideas.
Do I need the Teacher Pages book? or Do I need the Student Pages books?
You can use the program using only the Teacher Pages book. However, if you want an older student to work independently, you will also need to the Level 2 Student Pages. The Level 1 Student Pages contain narration and copywork pages only and are optional.
Level 1: ONLY contains narration and copywork pages for Level 1 Grammar Stage students. Everything else is found in the separate (required) Teacher Pages.
Level 2: Included are review questions (NO ANSWERS), narration pages, book summary exercises (NO ANSWERS), author biographies, vocabulary lists, copywork pages, memorization pages, and additional activity ideas. The lessons (36+ weeks of material) are correlated to chapters from The Story of the World history program by Susan Wise Bauer.
NOTE: The Teacher Pages contain answers to the review questions as well as sample narrations and book summaries. The Teacher Pages include book and materials lists as well.
What is your target age/grade for each level?
Grammar Stage is for ages 6 - 9 (grades 1 - 4). Logic Stage is for ages 10 - 14 (grades 5 - 8). Ancients is targeted at 1st grade and 5th grade. Middle Ages is targeted at 2nd grade and 6th grade. Early Modern will be for 3rd grade and 7th grade. The Modern Age is for 4th grade and will be for 8th once I write the guide for Logic Stage.