Literature & Classical Studies Suggestions for Student in a Gap between 7th/8th Grade

[stoker]

Hello everyone-

I could use a little advice on what to do with my daughter this year for literature and classical studies. Her birthday is Sept. 6th, so we've always been a little fuzzy on what grade she's in. She's academically very capable, so for a long time we had her tracking a year ahead in everything and two years ahead in some subjects that she was able to do alongside her older brother. As she's gotten older, we have gradually dropped her back to her regular grade level in all subjects except literature and classical studies, which she has kept up with very well. She's turning 13 next week and wants to be a writer.

For literature, she's already done MP's 7th grade literature, so I'm thinking of doing The Magician's Nephew and then probably some 7th- or 8th-grade selections from other providers. She is at a weird stage where she can handle the work load and analysis- and she needs the challenge- but is not really ready for the more mature themes of some of the upper-grade-level selections.

For classical studies, I have no idea what to do. Her older brother, who is a history buff and a very serious student, did Classical Studies I last year in 8th grade and was challenged by it. We're not sure she's ready for that, and I don't want to push her into it too early and have her struggle and not get out of it what she should. But what can I fill in with? She's not that into history, but I see this as an opportunity to fill the gap with something that might ignite her interest and maybe make classical studies easier or more appealing for her going forward- I just don't know what?

Any suggestions would be most welcome. I appreciate you all and your wisdom so much!

-Jennifer

[Jen_NH]

My younger son, who struggles a bit to keep up with everything, did part of Classical Studies I last year in 7th. You could spread the Story of the Ancient Greeks out over the year and simultaneously read just Iliad, covering one book a week. She could read Odyssey next year in 8th. (We did Ancient Greeks in the fall and Iliad in the spring. This year he is reading Odyssey. If I had it to do over again, I would spread it out as I suggested. I will do the same when we get to Aeneid.)
For literature, have you done the Shakespeare study guides. I admit to falling short there since I find plays easier to study in a group. Maybe choose one or two that aren't covered in a typical package?

[stoker]

Ah, I hadn't thought of just spreading out the classical studies- that would make it easier for her to digest. I ran the idea past my older son, and he suggested we could also do The Book of the Ancient World and The Book of the Ancient Greeks this year for 7th and The Iliad and The Odyssey next year for 8th, since he thinks the two former books would lay a good foundation for the more difficult Iliad and Odyssey. Do you see any drawbacks to doing it that way?

I haven't done any Shakespeare yet, mostly because MP has them all listed as "Grades 9+", and I don't know if that's because of difficulty or because of more mature themes? Any insight to share in that regard? Which of the upper-level "Alternate Literature Options" do you think would be most suitable for a 13-year-old?

[jen1134]

stoker Sent you a PM

[momgineer]

Do you see any reason why she couldn’t just keep going in literature? There are lots of additional high school literature books beside those in packages so would be very easy to add an additional year. You can also look into Senior Literature Seminar with Memoria Academy as an alternative extra lit year in high school. It would be great for a budding writer as they study Tolkien and Lewis and their approach to writing and one assignment is to write a short story. It qualifies for dual credit too.
As far as Classical, again, there are ample levels to fill out an extra year in high school. I suggest what your son suggested which is to break up Classical 1 and 2 and do the history books in 7th and the lit books in 8th. That would be Book if the Ancient World, Greeks, Romans in 7th and Iliad, Odyssey, and Aeneid in 8th. You could even make those count for your lit in 8th if you need to slow lit down.

[Carrotsetal]

I like your idea to do some alternative lit selections. In addition to Magician's Nephew, check out Little Women.

[Jen_NH]

Ah, I hadn't thought of just spreading out the classical studies- that would make it easier for her to digest. I ran the idea past my older son, and he suggested we could also do The Book of the Ancient World and The Book of the Ancient Greeks this year for 7th and The Iliad and The Odyssey next year for 8th, since he thinks the two former books would lay a good foundation for the more difficult Iliad and Odyssey. Do you see any drawbacks to doing it that way?

I haven't done any Shakespeare yet, mostly because MP has them all listed as "Grades 9+", and I don't know if that's because of difficulty or because of more mature themes? Any insight to share in that regard? Which of the upper-level "Alternate Literature Options" do you think would be most suitable for a 13-year-old?

I don't see any problem with breaking down the history for one year and the Epics for the following year. You could count Iliad and Odyssey for literature credit if that helps you. Like I said before, my younger son definitely needed a slower pace for them - or at least to do them simulataneously with the history and have fewer literature selections.
7th/8th does As You Like It and A Midsummer Night's Dream. You could incorporate on of those. We've seen performances of both, and I don't think there's anything "inappropriate" in them.

[stoker]

Thank you, everyone, for your thoughtful advice. I don't know how you all manage to do what you do and help others figure things out, too-- but I'm so grateful that you do. 💗

Classical-studies-wise, I think what makes the most sense for us is to do the Books of the Ancient Greeks/Romans in 7th and Iliad, Odyssey, and Aeneid in 8th. Does anyone know if doing it this way will fulfill the curricular requirements for Classical Studies I and II in the Diploma Program? I don't want to have to redo these materials in high school because we did them too early or because we split them up.

[momgineer]

Thank you, everyone, for your thoughtful advice. I don't know how you all manage to do what you do and help others figure things out, too-- but I'm so grateful that you do. 💗

Classical-studies-wise, I think what makes the most sense for us is to do the Books of the Ancient Greeks/Romans in 7th and Iliad, Odyssey, and Aeneid in 8th. Does anyone know if doing it this way will fulfill the curricular requirements for Classical Studies I and II in the Diploma Program? I don't want to have to redo these materials in high school because we did them too early or because we split them up.

I would think it would still count because you covered all the same material, but paging Jessica Gardner to verify.

[Jessica Gardner]

Thank you, everyone, for your thoughtful advice. I don't know how you all manage to do what you do and help others figure things out, too-- but I'm so grateful that you do. 💗

Classical-studies-wise, I think what makes the most sense for us is to do the Books of the Ancient Greeks/Romans in 7th and Iliad, Odyssey, and Aeneid in 8th. Does anyone know if doing it this way will fulfill the curricular requirements for Classical Studies I and II in the Diploma Program? I don't want to have to redo these materials in high school because we did them too early or because we split them up.

Hello! From what you've described, yes, that would meet the curricular requirements for Classical Studies I and II. Your student may complete that work before entering the diploma program if you'd like and will not have to retake those courses in high school.

Note, however, that your student will still need to take two Classical Studies courses during the high school years in order to satisfy the Classical Studies credit requirement for the diploma program.

If you have any questions, please contact our office and we're happy to help! Jessica Gardner

[Kallie BURRUANO]

This has been a great thread. If may piggy back... would a non- history loving child who is struggling through the Book of the Ancient Greeks (not because she incapable but because she has a lot on her plate and her attention span for said subject is, shall we say...a struggle) be okay to spread that over time and carry over either the Iliad or the Odyssey into next year (ninth)? She loves the Book of the Ancient World and is finding this much easier to understand and more enjoyable.

[jen1134]

This has been a great thread. If may piggy back... would a non- history loving child who is struggling through the Book of the Ancient Greeks (not because she incapable but because she has a lot on her plate and her attention span for said subject is, shall we say...a struggle) be okay to spread that over time and carry over either the Iliad or the Odyssey into next year (ninth)? She loves the Book of the Ancient World and is finding this much easier to understand and more enjoyable.

First, she could totally do the epics as literature next year, or she could just read one of them this year and call it good. My current 9th grader is doing BOAG and Odyssey this semester and BOAR and Aeneid next semester. He read Trojan War last year so I was comfortable having him only do Odyssey, especially since it would round out the story of the war and its heroes.

For BOAG: did she read Famous Men of Greece beforehand? One of my boys said that was very helpful prep for him for BOAG. I looked at the following links with my current 8th and 9th graders to give visual support to BOAG and Odyssey and they really enjoyed them! (I presented these classroom-style rather than giving the kids the links. Still, please preview all pages/sites as every family has their own threshold for classical art/sculpture):

Filter this page for Greece and the time period you would like and it will bring up related artifacts:

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search?showOnly=highlights&department=13

Present-day images and maps of ancient Troy:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/in-search-of-troy-180979553

Excavations at the palace of Nestor on the mainland:

https://travelthegreekway.com/the-palace-of-nestor

We also used Google Maps to become more acquainted with the area and a Google search for "Crete" brings up an info box at the top of the page with scrollable images of the present-day coastal areas as well as some of the ruins at Knossos.

You can find similar resources for subsequent chapters as well. Also, she may be interested in the fact that the Persian kings invading Greece were some of the same kings mentioned in the Bible!

HTH!

[Kallie BURRUANO]

First, she could totally do the epics as literature next year, or she could just read one of them this year and call it good. My current 9th grader is doing BOAG and Odyssey this semester and BOAR and Aeneid next semester. He read Trojan War last year so I was comfortable having him only do Odyssey, especially since it would round out the story of the war and its heroes.

For BOAG: did she read Famous Men of Greece beforehand? One of my boys said that was very helpful prep for him for BOAG. I looked at the following links with my current 8th and 9th graders to give visual support to BOAG and Odyssey and they really enjoyed them! (I presented these classroom-style rather than giving the kids the links. Still, please preview all pages/sites as every family has their own threshold for classical art/sculpture):

Filter this page for Greece and the time period you would like and it will bring up related artifacts:

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search?showOnly=highlights&department=13

Present-day images and maps of ancient Troy:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/in-search-of-troy-180979553

Excavations at the palace of Nestor on the mainland:

https://travelthegreekway.com/the-palace-of-nestor

We also used Google Maps to become more acquainted with the area and a Google search for "Crete" brings up an info box at the top of the page with scrollable images of the present-day coastal areas as well as some of the ruins at Knossos.

You can find similar resources for subsequent chapters as well. Also, she may be interested in the fact that the Persian kings invading Greece were some of the same kings mentioned in the Bible!

HTH!

Thank you!
and yes, she did do FMOG, and also didn't care for that 😔. So funny to me that she really like Egyptian history as we didn't touch on that a lot. It's not a favorite of mine...