Page 19 - Class Catalog 2017 Newest

Classical Track Classes

History and Literature Through the Centuries (American History and Literature, 1600-Present). This series of classes
walks students through the pages of world history and world literature in four-year cycles, but accommodates grades

5th- 12th simultaneously, broadly dividing classes between two of the classical model’s stages of development. the

Dialectic (or Logic) stage, roughly 5th or 6th-8th grade, fluent readers who have naturally started making connections
between the academic disciplines and demanding the reasons behind the facts, and the Rhetoric stage, strong readers in
high school. The at-home assignments are easily adapted to a child’s individual writing abilities/ The classes are designed
to reduce confusion in homeschooling by unifying the family in a single historical period, allowing for family
conversations that slide naturally around common themes and topics, but at different levels of complexity, depending
on the ages of the children in the family. The classes themselves allow for weekly discussions and presentations. This

year we will be studying American History and Literature; next year we will progress to Modern World History and
Literature, 1600-Present; then we will cycle back to the Ancients. The History and Literature Through the Centuries
classes are designed to be taken together at each level, but can be taken separately. Dialectic (Middle School) American
Literature will not be offered this year.

fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, classical
• Dialectic American History (5th-8th). Middle School (Dialectic) American History takes advantage of the middle
school student’s developing ability to ask and answer analytical questions and organize information. The core
text is encyclopedic to provide a framework in which students will master the fundamentals of inquiry by
exploring topics that particularly interest them. In class, we will review and solidify important dates and facts,
share our research, and discuss how the topics of American history relate to each other, how to avoid other
people’s mistakes, and the !mericans that inspire us to godly action/ ore Text. DK Smithsonian hildren’s
Encyclopedia of American History. Supplies: A three-ring binder, 10 dividers, 5X5 graph paper, loose-leaf
notebook paper, pencils/pens, colored pencils. Teacher: Laura Keifer Recommended Donation of $12 per weekly
donation
ninth, tenth, eleventh, twelfth, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, classical
• Rhetoric-stage American History (9th-12th). High School (Rhetoric) American History (and American Literature)

takes advantage of the burgeoning adult’s desire to formulate their own opinions and assert them/ The core
history text is narrative- its author claims to have clearly stated his own opinions for the reader’s evaluation. In
addition, he has sprinkled the text with insightful questions about underlying principles that drive historical
events. In class, we will review important dates and facts, share maps and primary source images, discuss the
truths we glean from the text, great American speeches and articles, (and our literature) and refine our opinions
about America and our history to the point that we are able to clearly, tactfully, thoughtfully, and memorably
articulate them to both a Christian and Non-Christian audience in writing and speech. Core Text: Johnson, Paul.
A History of the American People. New York: Harper Perennial, 1999. (It does look intimidating – Don’t worry!)
Supplies: A three-ring binder, four dividers, 5X5 graph paper, loose-leaf notebook paper, pens/pencils, colored
pencils (optional). Teacher: Laura Keifer Recommended Donation of $12 per weekly donation
ninth, tenth, eleventh, twelfth, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, classical
• Rhetoric-stage American Literature (9th-12th). High School (Rhetoric) American Literature places our Great
Works of literature in historical context and provides a forum for discussing the themes and rhetorical devises
our authors use to communicate their ideas, and for presenting the truths we discover to each other. Core
Works (Tentative). Washington Irving, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow- Edgar !llan Poe, “The Fall of the House of
Usher”- Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter- Harriet eecher Stowe, Uncle Tom’s abin- Mark Twain,
Huckleberry Finn; Steven Crane, The Red Badge of Courage; O. Henry, The Cop and the Anthem; Jack London, To
Build a Fire; Thornton Wilder, Our Town; Arthur Miller, The Crucible; Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird; Supplies:
we will use the same binder for both History and Literature. Teacher: Laura Keifer Recommended Donation of
$12 per weekly donation