Memory work for Grade 2

[Amanda U]

Ok, I feel dumb asking this - but are the poems from each week meant to be memorized to become part of the recitation at the beginning of the school time?

The teacher manual shows recitation for arts one day and scripture/poetry recitation on another, but these aren't listed as part of the recitation in the back of the manual. If the poems are to be memorized, I'd rather introduce them at the beginning of the week (that way even I could memorize them!). But the way it appears to me in the manual, it looked more like the poems were to be more studied and discussed.

Also, are the arts recitation mean to memorize the artist and title of the art presented each week?

Any guidance is appreciated!

[enbateau]

We did not memorize the poems or the artists and title of the art cards in MP2. But it sort of happens anyway. I typed up a master list of all the poems from the 2 books that came with the core. I used it as my Curriculum Guide page marker. I would read the new poem from the book each Monday, showing her the pictures and discussing the terminology. Then, as the weeks progressed, we'd go back through and I'd read the poems from prior weeks. My eldest loved the apple tree poem, the tiger poem and ferry me poem the best, so she enjoyed reciting these along with me as I read them. Sometimes she asked me to stop reading so she could recite it from memory, but it wasn't with them all. I was more excited when she could identify rhyme scheme or figurative language or the speaker of the poem. I was told that memorizing them was not the goal.

We never got around to even trying to rehash old art cards and artists. We did, however, get to see 75% of the artists' other works in person at various art museums across the country. That was a phenomenal experience. Seeing the scale and size of the real works of art added so much to the experience. I can't wait until my little guy goes through K-1 art cards so my eldest can see the rest.

[tanya]

Hello.

HLS students memorize their Copybook poems and Scripture, not the weekly enrichment poems. We do practice formal recitation weekly using the Copybook selections.

Tanya

[KF2000]

Hi Amanda!

I was in a habit of having my kids memorize poetry before we started with MP, so I have always tweaked the schedule to do just what you said - start the poem on Monday and work on memorizing it through the week. During their independent work, one of their tasks is to practice all their poems, and then when poetry actually comes up in the curriculum guide is when I do a review with them over all their poems. We have really liked it, and it has flowed really nicely into the poetry program that starts in third grade.

AMDG,
Sarah

[Amanda U]

Thank you for the info!

And that's amazing you were able to see so many works of art in person!