Saving Western civilization one student at a time ...
Late
Summer 2014
Home of the Classical Core Curriculum www.MemoriaPress.com
Late Summer 2014 FEATURED ARTICLES
2 5 11 14 20 30 34 46 50 54
CHRISTIAN STUDIES
Letter From the Editor by Martin Cothran Classical Core Curriculum Q & A by Martin Cothran Stargazing by Cheryl Swope One Mother's Love of Latin by Jennifer Houlihan The Whole Truth: What the Classic Writers Knew That We Have Forgotten by G. K. Chesterton Logic & Reality: Why Traditional Logic Doesn't Use Truth Tables by Martin Cothran Why Should Christians Read the Pagan Classics?
38 39
CLASSICAL CORE CURRICULUM
4 6
Special-Needs Curriculum Packages New Curriculum Packages:
Jr. K-7th Grade
10 11 28
Lesson Plans by Subject New Simply Classical (Special-Needs) New Memoria Press Curriculum Map
Jr. K-7th Grade
Jr. K-7th Grade
Full-Year Packages, Read-Aloud Sets, Summer Reading, and Science & Enrichment Sets
27
26
12 13 16 18 19
24
Kindergarten - Second Grade: Numbers Books, Enrichment Guides,
25
New American Cursive 1-3
Art Cards, Composition & Sketchbooks, Alphabet Charts, Copybooks
LITERATURE, GRAMMAR, & WRITING Grades 1-8 Grades 3+ Grades 3-12 Grades 3-12 Grades 4-12
33
Grades 5-8
CLASSICAL STUDIES
35 36
Introduction to Classical Studies, Ancient Wall Maps, Timeline Set, Horatius at the Bridge D’Aulaires’ Greek Myths Famous Men Series
Grades 6+
Grades 3-8
Rome, Greece, the Middle Ages, and Modern Times
Grades 5-Adult
Dorothy Mills Histories
Grades 6+
The Trojan War, Iliad, Odyssey, Aeneid, The Aeneid for Boys and Girls New The Divine Comedy, On Obligations, New The Republic & the Laws New
Grades 6+
Ancient World, Ancient Greeks, Ancient Romans, & Middle Ages
37 38
Grades 10+
CLASSICAL EDUCATION RESOURCES
LOGIC & RHETORIC Traditional Logic I & II Aristotle's Material Logic Classical Rhetoric Logic and Rhetoric Supplements:
Prima Latina & Supplements Grades 1-4 Latina Christiana & Supplements Grades 3-6 Latin Recitation CD/DVD New First Form Latin Series & Supplements Grades 5-12 Henle Latin Series, NLE Prep Guides Grades 8-12 Elementary Greek New Grades 3+ Greek Alphabet Book Grades 5+ Greek Wall & Desk Charts New Latin Supplements: Roots of English, Book of Roots, Latin Copybook Cursive, Latin Grammar for the Grammar Stage, Lingua Biblica
Jr. Kindergarten & Phonics: Alphabet Books, Coloring Books, First Start Reading, Classical Phonics, Book of Crafts, Alphabet Flashcards
32
Book of Astronomy, Book of Insects, Grades 3+ What's That Bird?, Book of Trees, J. H. Tiner Series New
First Start French I & II
23
49
200 Questions About American History, Grades 3-8 Geography I & II, Geography I Review, States & Capitals, U.S. Review, Artner Reader's Guide, The Story of the Thirteen Colonies & the Great Republic
LATIN, GREEK, & FRENCH
Jr. K-12th Grade
Teach Yourself Cursive New Literature Study Guides Introduction to Composition Poetry Anthologies New English Grammar (Grammar Stage)New Classical Composition
Grades 3-8
SCIENCE
PRIMARY YEARS
25 44 48
Grades 9+ Grades 10-12
AMERICAN / MODERN
by Cheryl Lowe
The Poetry of Love: Marital Wisdom in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales by David M. Wright The "Demon Irony": Classical Literature as an Antidote to Modern Thought by Martin Cothran Memoria Press Book Review: The Schools We Need and Why We Need Them reviewed by Martin Cothran
The Wars of the Jews New The City of God Christian Studies I-IV Christian Studies Wall Maps
Grades 7-12 Grades 9-12 Grades 9-12
Handbook of Christian Apologetics, Socrates Meets Jesus, Aristotle's Rhetoric, Figures of Speech, How to Read a Book
Publisher | Cheryl Lowe Editor | Martin Cothran Managing Editor | Tanya Charlton Copy Editor | Jennifer Farrior Senior Graphic Designer | Karah Force
40 41 42 55
Trinity Classical School Teacher Training Conference 2014 Register Today! Classical Latin School Association (CLSA) Memoria Press Online Academy Now Enrolling! Homeschool Convention Calendar 2014
MEMORIA PRESS 4603 Poplar Level Road Louisville, KY 40213
www.MemoriaPress.com
© Copyright 2014 (all rights reserved)
ONLINE ACADEMY
www.memoriapress.com/onlineschool
Simply Classical Curriculum for Special-Needs Students from Cheryl Swope and Memoria Press
Level A: Readiness, Rhythm, and Rhyme (Ages 2-3) $225 $200 Complete Set (all books + Lesson Plans) $30 Lesson Plans for One Year (only) Level A seeks to nurture wonder and language through an early love of books. Level A helps you strengthen your child's readiness skills through music, movement, and poetry. The child receives gentle lessons in colors, numbers, letters, vocabulary, shapes, Mother Goose rhymes, and prayers. Through the beauty of simple stories, lessons, and songs, Level A guides the child through improvement in each of these areas: oral language, finemotor (small muscle) and gross-motor (large muscle) movement, and daily living skills. For approximate chronological or mental ages 2-3 (children with cognitive, language, or motor abilities at an introductory level).
Included in Level A: Simply Classical Curriculum: Lesson Plans for One Year, Level A; Prayers for Children; Jesus Is With Me; Jesus Hears Me; Jesus Knows Me; Big Red Barn; The Best Mouse Cookie; Little Fur Family; Bunny's Noisy Book; From Head to Toe; Goodnight Moon; Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?; Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?; Numbers, Colors, Shapes; The Very Busy Spider; Good Night, Gorilla; The Tale of Peter Rabbit; Fuzzy Yellow Ducklings; Flaptastic Shapes; ABC: Amazing Alphabet Book; Put Me in the Zoo; Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb; Cars and Trucks From A to Z; My First Counting Book; The Animals' Christmas Eve; Big Dog ... Little Dog; Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You?; My First Real Mother Goose; 1 Is One
Level B: Essentials, Etiquette, and Ear Training (Ages 3-4) $185 $160 Complete Set (all books + Lesson Plans) $30 Lesson Plans for One Year (only) Level B provides extensive practice in readiness skills with an emphasis on fine-motor skills. The child learns how to hold a pencil properly and how to color. Alphabet and number lessons integrate fine-motor practice every day. In Level B, the child learns manners. He practices saying please and thank you. He learns to win and lose games gracefully. To inspire a love of words, this level includes children's poetry set to beautiful music. Lessons introduce the names and sounds of letters, the names and values of numbers, as well as games, and stories. Through simple Bible stories, daily prayers, and memory verses from Holy Scriptures, the child learns of God's holiness, love, and mercy in Christ. For approximate chronological or mental ages 3-4 (children ready for instruction in fine-motor skills, manners, numbers, poetry, and knowledge of letter sounds).
Supplemental Read-Aloud Program $125 (Level B)
Included in Level B: Simply Classical Curriculum: Lesson Plans for One Year, Level B; A Child's Garden of Bible Stories; How Can I Help?; A Child's Garden of Verses; My First ABC Book; Prayers for Children; Please and Thank You; Prayer for a Child; Bible Pictures to Color; Counting With Numbers; Adventures With Books; Big Thoughts for Little People; Alphabet Coloring Book; Simply Classical Crafts, Book One; Alphabet Flashcards; Numbers Coloring Book; Richard Scarry's Best First Book Ever!; My First Body Board Book; My Big Animal Book; A Child's Garden of Songs CD; Back to the Garden CD
Level C: Animals, Alphabet, and Aesop (Ages 4-5) $200 $175 Complete Set (all books + Lesson Plans) $30 Lesson Plans for One Year (only) Level C helps your child gain a stronger memory, better listening skills, a longer attention span, and a sense of amazement. Guide your child through an amazing study of animals, even while he learns the alphabet and numbers. Level C helps prepare the child for reading, writing, and early arithmetic. In this highly integrated program, alphabet lessons correspond to animal studies, books, and memory verses, while read-alouds coordinate with oral language and fine-motor activities. Recitations and review help foster mastery of knowledge. For approximate chronological or mental ages 4-5 or older special-needs children who need a year of instruction before beginning to read. Even the older child who needs remediation in oral language or letters of the alphabet will appreciate the content of this level.
Supplemental Read-Aloud Program $335 (Level C)
4
Simply Classical Curriculum for Special-Needs Students
Included in Level C: Simply Classical Curriculum: Lesson Plans for One Year, Level C; Prayers for Children; The ABC Bible Verse Book; Richard Scarry's The Best Mother Goose Ever; Going on Eagerly; Alphabet Books One & Two; Numbers Books One & Two; First Start Reading, Book A; First Start Reading, Teacher Guide; Christian Liberty K; Simply Classical Crafts, Book Two; Animal Alphabet; Animals, Animals; The Aesop for Children; Classical Phonics, My Very Own Scissors Book
www.MemoriaPress.com
$140
$330
Jr. Kindergarten
Kindergarten
$140 Complete Set (all books + Lesson Plans) $45 Consumable Books Set (for additional students) $30 Lesson Plans for One Year (only)
$330 Complete Set (all books + Lesson Plans) $80 Consumable Books Set (for additional students) $30 Lesson Plans for One Year (only)
• Jr. Kindergarten Curriculum: Complete Lesson Plans for One Year • Counting With Numbers • Inside and Outside • Prayers for Children • Alphabet Books 1 & 2 • Coloring Books: Alphabet & Numbers • Richard Scarry's Best Mother Goose Ever • Big Thoughts for Little People (Devotional) • Hailstones and Halibut Bones (Poetry) • Memoria Press Manuscript Wall Charts • Alphabet Flashcards • The Book of Crafts
• Kindergarten Curriculum: Complete Lesson Plans for One Year • Kindergarten Enrichment Guide • Copybook I • Composition & Sketchbook I • The Golden Children's Bible • Christian Liberty Nature Reader (Book K) • Animal Alphabet Coloring Book • First Start Reading: A, B, C, D & Teacher Guide • Classical Phonics & SRA Phonics 1 • Primary Phonics Readers Sets 1-4 (40 books total) • Rod & Staff Beginning Arithmetic 1: Student (Part 1), Teacher, & Practice Sheets • Numbers Books 1 & 2 • Soft and White, Fun in the Sun, & Scamp and Tramp • 1/2" ruled penmanship tablet • Kindergarten Art Cards
Supplemental Read-Aloud Program $340.00 A set of 34 classic picture books chosen for their beauty in prose and illustration. A great addition to any children's library, one book is read aloud and discussed each week in Jr. Kindergarten.
Supplements:
Read-Aloud Set $275 | Read-Aloud Set with Poetry $295 | Supplemental Science & Enrichment Set $325
Jr. K
Reading & Phonics
Christian Studies Alphabet Books (p. 23) Alphabet Coloring Book (p. 23) Richard Scarry's Mother Goose Hailstones and Halibut Bones
Prayers for Children Big Thoughts for Little People
K
SRA Phonics 1 Classical Phonics (p. 23) First Start Reading (p. 23) Animal Alphabet Coloring American Language Readers Nature Reader K Primary Phonics Readers
The Golden Children's Bible (p. 39)
1st
SRA Phonics 2 Classical Phonics (p. 23) 1st Grade Literature Set (p. 44) Supplemental readers
The Golden Children's Bible (p. 39)
Latin
2nd
SRA Phonics 3 Classical Phonics (p. 23) 2nd Grade Literature Set (p. 44)
6
Classical Core Curriculum
Prima Latina (p. 12)
The Golden Children's Bible (p. 39)
www.MemoriaPress.com
$365
$370
1st Gr ade
2nd Gr ade
$365 Complete Set (all books + Lesson Plans) $105 Consumable Books Set (for additional students) $315 Continuing MP Student Set $30 Lesson Plans for One Year (only)
$370 Complete Set (all books + Lesson Plans) $130 Consumable Books Set (for additional students) $340 Continuing MP Student Set $30 Lesson Plans for One Year (only)
• First Grade Curriculum: Complete Lesson Plans for One Year • First Grade Enrichment Guide NEW • Copybook II • Composition & Sketchbook II • New American Cursive 1 • The Golden Children's Bible • Classical Phonics & Primary Phonics Readers Sets 5-6 (20 books total) • SRA Phonics 2 • Rod & Staff Beginning Arithmetic 1: Student (Parts 1-2), Teacher, & Practice Sheets • First Grade Literature: Study Guides w/ Novels • A Little House Christmas Treasury • Christmas in the Big Woods • Winter on the Farm • 1/2" ruled penmanship tablet • First Grade Art Cards • Alphabet Wall Poster
• Second Grade Curriculum: Complete Lesson Plans for One Year • Prima Latina complete set • Prima Latina Copybook • Copybook Cursive Scripture and Poems • Composition & Sketchbook II • New American Cursive 2 • The Golden Children's Bible • SRA Phonics 3 • Rod & Staff Math 2: Student (Units 1-5), Teacher, & Blacklines • Classical Phonics • Second Grade Literature: Study Guide Sets w/ Novels • 1/2" ruled penmanship tablet • Second Grade Art Cards
Supplements:
Read-Aloud Set $290 | Read-Aloud Set with Poetry $305
Supplements:
Read-Aloud Set $290 | Read-Aloud Set with Poetry $305 | Supplemental Science & Enrichment Set $350 (Complete) $250 (Continuing)
Writing & Penmanship
Math Numbers Coloring Book (p. 23) Counting With Numbers Inside and Outside
Alphabet Books (p. 23)
Copybook I (p. 24) Composition & Sketchbook (p. 24)
Copybook II (p. 24) Composition & Sketchbook (p. 24) New American Cursive 1 (p. 25)
Prima Latina Copybook (p. 12) Copybook Cursive (p. 24) Composition & Sketchbook (p. 24) New American Cursive 2 (p. 25)
1-877-862-1097
Enrichment Book of Crafts (p. 23) Alphabet Flashcards (p. 23)
Numbers Books (p. 24) Rod & Staff Math 1, Part 1
Art Cards (p. 24) Kindergarten Enrichment (p. 24)
Rod & Staff Math 1, Parts 1-2
Art Cards (p. 24) First Grade Enrichment (p. 24) Alphabet Wall Poster (p. 24)
Rod & Staff Math 2 Art Cards (p. 24)
Classical Core Curriculum
7
$400
$400
3rd Gr ade
4th Gr ade
$400 Complete Set (all books + Lesson Plans) $150 Consumable Books Set (for additional students) $30 Lesson Plans for One Year (only)
$400 Complete Set (all books + Lesson Plans) $150 Consumable Books Set (for additional students) $30 Lesson Plans for One Year (only)
• Third Grade Curriculum: Complete Lesson Plans for One Year • Latina Christiana I complete set + Review Worksheets • Third Grade Literature: Study Guide Sets w/ Novels • D'Aulaires' Greek Myths set • Christian Studies I set • New American Cursive 3 • States & Capitals set • Astronomy set • Rod & Staff Math 3 set (student, teacher, blacklines, speed drills) • Rod & Staff Spelling 4 set (student, teacher) • English Grammar Recitation & Workbook I set • Introduction to Composition set • Poetry for the Grammar Stage set • The Best Christmas Pageant Ever • Timeline Program NEW!
Supplements: Supplemental Read Aloud Program: Novels (11 books) $150.00 | Picture Books (25 books) $300.00 Summer Reading: Story of the World, Vol. 1 (before 4th grade; p. 22)
Resources Included in Previous Year Packages: Timeline Program* $39.95 | Poetry for the Grammar Stage* $30.00 | English Grammar Recitation* $9.95 | Golden Children's Bible** $17.99 *included in 3rd grade package
**included in K-2nd grade packages (also sold on p. 39)
Supplements: Read-Aloud Program $120.00 Summer Reading: Story of the World, Vol. 2 (before 5th grade; p. 22)
Literature The Moffats Farmer Boy Charlotte's Web (p. 44)
Latina Christiana I (p. 13)
Greek Myths (p. 36)
Christian Studies I (p. 39)
First Form Latin (p. 16)
Famous Men of Rome (p. 36)
Christian Studies II (p. 39)
Lassie Come-Home Heidi The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (p. 45)
Famous Men of the Middle Ages (p. 36)
Christian Studies III (p. 39)
Adam of the Road Robin Hood The Door in the Wall King Arthur (p. 45)
6th
5th
3rd
Classical & Christian Studies
4th
Latin & Greek
• Fourth Grade Curriculum: Complete Lesson Plans for One Year • First Form Latin complete set • Fourth Grade Literature: Study Guide Sets w/ Novels • Famous Men of Rome set • Christian Studies II set • Geography I: Middle East, North Africa, and Europe set • United States Review set • The Book of Insects set • Rod & Staff Math 4 set (student, teacher, drills, tests) • Rod & Staff Spelling 5 set (student, teacher) • English Grammar Recitation Workbook 2 set • Classical Composition: The Fable Stage set
8
Second Form Latin (p. 16)
Third Form Latin (p. 17) Greek Alphabet Book (p. 19)
Classical Core Curriculum
Famous Men of Greece Horatius at the Bridge (pp. 35-36)
Timeline Set (p. 35)
Christian Studies IV (p. 39)
The Hobbit Anne of Green Gables The Bronze Bow The Trojan War (p. 45)
www.MemoriaPress.com
$425
5th Gr ade
6th Gr ade
$425 Complete Set (all books + Lesson Plans) $150 Consumable Books Set (for additional students) $30 Lesson Plans for One Year (only)
$450 Complete Set (all books + Lesson Plans) $150 Consumable Books Set (for additional students) $30 Lesson Plans for One Year (only)
• Fifth Grade Curriculum: Complete Lesson Plans for One Year • First or Second Form Latin complete set • Fifth Grade Literature: Study Guide Sets w/ Novels • Famous Men of the Middle Ages set • Christian Studies III set • Geography II: Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, Oceania, & the Americas set • Rod and Staff Arithmetic 5 set (student, teacher, tests) • Rod and Staff Spelling 6 & English 5 sets (student, teacher, worksheets, tests) • What's That Bird? set • Exploring the History of Medicine set • Classical Composition: The Narrative Stage set
Resources Included in Previous Year Packages: Timeline Program* $39.95 | Poetry for the Grammar Stage* $30.00 | English Grammar Recitation* $9.95 | Golden Children's Bible** $17.99 *included in 3rd grade package
**included in K-2nd grade packages (also sold on p. 39)
Supplements: Read-Aloud Program $100.00 Summer Reading: Story of the World, Vol. 3 (before 6th grade; p. 22)
English
Spelling
$450
Writing
• Sixth Grade Curriculum: Complete Lesson Plans for One Year • First, Second, or Third Form Latin complete set • Sixth Grade Literature: Study Guide Sets w/ Novels • Famous Men of Greece set, Horatius at the Bridge • Christian Studies IV set • Rod and Staff Arithmetic 6 set (student, teacher, tests, quizzes) • Rod and Staff Spelling 7 & English 6 set (student, teacher, worksheets, tests) • The Story of the Thirteen Colonies and The Great Republic, 200 Questions About American History, & Everything You Need to Know About American History Homework • Book of Trees set, Exploring the World of Biology set • Classical Composition: The Chreia/Maxim Stage set • Greek Alphabet Book set
Resources Included in Previous Year Packages:
Timeline Program* $39.95 | Poetry for the Grammar Stage* $30.00 | English Grammar Recitation* $9.95 | Golden Children's Bible** $17.99 *included in 3rd grade package
**included in K-2nd grade packages (also sold on p. 39)
Supplements: Read-Aloud Program $50.00 Summer Reading: Story of the World, Vol. 4 (before 7th grade; p. 22)
Modern St.
Math
Science
English Grammar, Workbook I (p. 48)
Rod & Staff Spelling 4
Introduction to Composition (p. 48)
States & Capitals (p. 27)
Rod & Staff Math 3
Book of Astronomy (p. 26)
English Grammar, Workbook II (p. 48)
Rod & Staff Spelling 5
Classical Composition: The Fable Stage (p. 49) Writing, Year 1
Geography I: The Middle East, North Africa, & Europe (p. 27)
Rod & Staff Math 4
Book of Insects (p. 26)
Rod & Staff Spelling 6
Classical Composition: The Narrative Stage (p. 49) Writing, Year 2
Geography II: Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, Oceania, & the Americas (p. 27)
Rod & Staff Math 5
What's That Bird? The History of Medicine (p. 26)
Rod & Staff Math 6
The Book of Trees Exploring the World of Biology (p. 26)
Rod & Staff English 5
Rod & Staff English 6
1-877-862-1097
Rod & Staff Spelling 7
Classical Composition: The Chreia/Maxim Stage (p. 49)
The Thirteen Colonies & the Great Republic 200 Questions About American History (p. 27)
Classical Core Curriculum
9
$475
7th Grade The Classical Core Curriculum has now graduated to the upper school. In the important step from the 6th grade to the 7th, students need to take the basic skills and knowledge they have mastered in the lower elementary grades and begin converting them into a more advanced command of skills subjects like Latin and math, and into a deeper understanding of history and literature.
7th Gr ade $475 Complete Set (all books + Lesson Plans) $150 Consumable Books Set (for additional students) $30 Lesson Plans for One Year (only)
Memoria Press’ new 7th Grade Core Curriculum package does just this. Students begin advanced study in Latin grammar, and, having completed arithmetic, begin their study of pre-algebra. Having studied the basic characters and events in ancient history, they begin their study of Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey. In literature, they begin their study of Shakespeare.
• Seventh Grade Curriculum: Complete Lesson Plans for One Year • First, Second, Third, or Fourth Form Latin complete set • Seventh Grade Literature: Study Guide Sets w/ Novels • Book of the Ancient Greeks set • Book of the Ancient World set • Iliad & Odyssey set w/ Novels • Poetry and Short Stories: American Literature set • College of the Redwoods Pre-Algebra (text, solutions manual, quizzes and tests) • Rod and Staff English 8 set (student, teacher) • Geography: Exploring & Mapping the World set • Exploring Planet Earth set • Classical Composition: Refutation - Confirmation Stage set
And if your student missed some or all of the Classical Core Curriculum before this? No worries. They can begin or continue Latin where they are and still pick up the basic outlines in ancient history and literature in preparation for Homer. In addition, the Shakespeare plays begin in the 2nd semester, allowing the student time to get ready. Don’t let your student miss out on the only complete and fully developed classical curriculum available.
Don't need an entire curriculum package? Lesson Plans by Subject $3.00 - $15.00 per subject Homeschooling gives you the flexibility to choose the curriculum that specifically meets the needs of your students. Memoria Press' new lesson plans by subject allow you to tailor the Classical Core Curriculum to your own needs. These plans retain our week-at-aglance layout, which gives you the standard program for that grade for individual subjects.
or
10
Classical Core Curriculum
✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Prima Latina Latina Christiana First Form Series First Start Reading Literature Read-aloud Enrichment Copybooks New American Cursive Famous Men Series Grammar & Spelling Dorothy Mills Histories
✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Iliad & Odyssey Aeneid States & Capitals Geography American History Math Christian Studies Book of Insects Book of Astronomy What's That Bird? Book of Trees
www.MemoriaPress.com
a time when many of our friends are becoming somewhat reluctant "empty-nesters," my husband and I are in the process of realizing that we need to continue homeschooling our children even beyond their graduation. At 19, neither of our specialneeds twins are able to attend college, yet both want to continue learning. Over time their difficulties have not lessened, but increased. Because of this we have learned to relax our expectations, but not the quality of our courses or methods. My son has embarked on Introduction to Logic, Introduction to Music Theory, Introduction to Composition, and other classes at home. He learns slowly, but with Socratic questioning and purpose. As his medical conditions progress, he hopes his continued education will strengthen his otherwise weakening mind. We required years to master Latina Christiana I, but Michael told me, "Latin is so meticulous and systematic, I think it takes my boggled mind and sorts it out." He added, "I want to study Latin forever." His twin sister Michelle chimed in, "Me too." Most of my daughter's academic abilities never progressed to the level of her brother's, but she enjoyed beginning elements of each area in the liberal arts, all bathed in truths from theology, the queen of the liberal sciences. As classical teachers we want to help our children love truth, goodness, and beauty. We encourage this through the liberal arts and sciences and the great literature of Western civilization. Each of our children have been able to grasp different aspects of this. One day we read The Merchant of Venice together. My concrete-thinking son understood very little, but Michelle loved Portia's famous speech on mercy. She played Portia in each scene. When Bassanio (reluctantly played by Michael) noted that outward appearance does not always indicate inward beauty, Michael paused at the wisdom of this insight. In the play, Bassanio references Troy and Hercules, so we recalled our beginning classical studies.
At
Hours later the same day, my husband located some star guides and gathered the children. Equipped with binoculars, we all settled in on a big blanket for an early autumn evening of stargazing. On such occasions, we see how all learning comes together in gratifying ways. Lying still in an open field near the woods that night, we marveled at the numerous clusters of stars in our country sky. My daughter recalled Abraham and the promise about his descendants. My husband identified the constellation Aquila. Michelle said she knew from Latin it would be an eagle. We smiled to ourselves. My husband pointed out various constellations and the planet Mars. The names of constellations prompted stories from Greek and Roman mythology, and our children know these far better than we do. As a family that evening, we all relaxed together, captivated by one of those rare moments that instantly beautify family life. When the darkness deepened in the sky, we spotted the Big Dipper low on the horizon. My husband noted the trapezoid shape of its ladle, and my children agreed. They knew the shape from early geometry studies. He pointed to another constellation, “forty-five degrees from the bright star overhead.” As the children followed his finger, I remembered all of the protractors from our many years of basic geometry lessons together. We searched the rugged craters of the moon through our binoculars. My son surprised me by noting the half moon's appearance as "a perfect semi-circle, with the diameter bisecting the whole." Then for a moment we fell silent. A fall chill descended under those stars. Snuggling our fragile daughter to keep her warm, I appreciated the richness a classical education offers even children such as ours. If their abilities continue to fade with the progression of their illnesses, we can still enjoy the opportunity to homeschool our children into their adult years. “O Lord, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all.” (Psalm 104:24)
Buy your copy of Simply Classical by Cheryl Swope and check out the new special-needs classical curriculum at:
www.ClassicalSpecialNeeds.com
Prima Latina:
An Introduction to Christian Latin by Leigh Lowe Grades 1-4 “We have found that students who start with Prima Latina are much more likely not only to continue Latin, but to love it!” Are you looking for a gentle introduction to Latin and a course that prepares your young student for a more advanced study of the language? Prima Latina is specifi cally designed for students and teachers with no Latin background. This course was developed for children in 1st-4th grades who are still becoming familiar with English grammar and wish to learn Latin at a slower pace. Its goal is to teach and reinforce an understanding of the basic parts of speech while introducing Latin. It benefi ts the student by teaching him half of the vocabulary in Latina Christiana I and grounding him in the fundamental concepts of English grammar, the key to Latin study.
Prim a Latina $90.90 complete set
$34.95 basic set
(student, teacher, CD, DVDs, flashcards)
(student, teacher, CD)
Student $15.00 | Teacher $15.00 | CD $8.95 | DVDs $45.00 | Flashcards $14.95
Student Book
• 25 lessons + 5 review lessons • Latin vocabulary words with corresponding English derivatives • Latin prayers • Grammar skills appropriate for primary grades • Consistent review
Teacher Manual
• Student book w/ answers keyed • Tests
Pronunciation CD
• Complete verbal pronunciation • Four Lingua Angelica songs
DVDs
• 3 discs, 9 hours (15-20 min./ lesson) • Comprehensive teaching by Leigh Lowe • Recitation & review, vocabulary practice, and explanation of derivatives • On-screen notes, diagrams, & examples • Self-instructive format
Flashcards
The grammar lessons are set forth in a form appropriate for primary grades. The review lessons that follow each unit provide the consistent review needed to master Latin. With clear explanations and easy-to-read lessons in a two-color format, Prima Latina is perfect for those teachers and parents who would like to start their students on an early study of Christian Latin. Which Latin program is right for your student? (page 15) “Order Leigh Lowe’s Prima Latina, along with the accompanying teacher’s guide and supplementary CD.” - Susan Wise Bauer & Jessie Wise “If you are beginning Latin and have no Latin background, this is the curriculum for you.” - Julie A., www.homeschoolreviews.com
• Vocabulary with derivatives • Latin sayings • Conjugations & Declensions
view samples online: www.MemoriaPress.com
Latin Supplements
Prima Latina Copybook New American Cursive Grades 1-4
$14.95 Help your children practice their Latin while developing their penmanship skills. Includes a cursive vocabulary practice page from each Prima Latina lesson and a cursive Latin prayer practice page for each Prima review lesson.
12
Latin
Lingua Angelica:
Latin Songs & Prayers Song Book $9.95 Music CD $11.95
Latin prayers and hymns, beautifully sung by a six-voice Gregorian chant choir. Perfect enrichment for the young or beginning Latin student. Full program for First Form students on page 16.
Latina Christiana I:
Review Worksheets by Brenda Janke Grades 3-6 Worksheets $9.95 | Answer Key $5.00
These supplemental review worksheets will help your students master the grammar and vocabulary they are learning in Latina Christiana I. Contains 1-2 pages of cumulative review for each LCI lesson.
www.MemoriaPress.com
Latina Christiana I
Introduction to Christian Latin by Cheryl Lowe Grades 3-6 Latina Christiana I is, quite simply, the best Latin grammar course available for beginning students. Cheryl Lowe’s clear explanations, easy instructions, and step-by-step approach have led thousands of teachers and students to declare, “I love Latin!”
Latina Christiana I $98.90 complete set
$41.95 basic set
(student, teacher, CD, DVDs, flashcards)
(student, teacher, CD)
Student $16.00 | Teacher $20.00 | CD $8.95 | DVDs $55.00 | Flashcards $14.95 Online Class (p. 42) • Latin Prayers & songs
Student Book
• 25 lessons + 5 review lessons • 10 vocabulary words per lesson w/ corresponding English derivatives • Latin sayings, songs, and prayers
DVDs
• 5 discs, 18 hrs. (35-40 min./ lesson) • Comprehensive teaching by Leigh Lowe • Recitation & review, vocabulary practice, and explanation of derivatives • On-screen notes, diagrams, & examples • Self-instructive format
Teacher Manual
• Student book w/ answers keyed • Weekly lesson plans • Tests, quizzes, & keys • Comprehensive teaching instructions
Flashcards
Pronunciation CD • Complete verbal pronunciation
• Vocabulary with derivatives • Latin sayings • Conjugations & Declensions
Each lesson consists of a grammar form, ten vocabulary words, and a Latin saying that teaches students about their Christian or classical heritage. Five review lessons help ensure that your student has mastered the material. In addition, every lesson includes simple English derivatives of Latin words to help build English vocabulary. Exercises reinforce memory work and teach grammar in incremental steps through simple translation. Grammar coverage includes 1st-2nd declension nouns, 1st-2nd conjugation verbs, 1st-2nd declension adjectives, the irregular verb to be, and 1st-2nd person pronouns. The Teacher Manual includes a complete copy of the student book with overlaid answers and provides detailed weekly lesson plans, comprehensive teaching instructions, tests, weekly quizzes, and keys. The thirty lessons can be completed in a year for young students or in less time for older students. Move straight to First Form Latin after LC I (see p. 16). “I have taught my own children using your LC books and Henle, and yours is the best curriculum available.” - V.B., Latin teacher "The content, excellent quality, and organized layout make this an impressive beginning course ..." - CHC "You make it so easy and understandable. I cannot commend you enough! Thanks for all you've done to make Latin accessible ..." - L.F., homeschooling parent
Latina Christiana II $98.90 complete set
(student, teacher, CD, DVDs, flashcards)
$41.95 basic set (student, teacher, CD)
Student $16.00 | Teacher $20.00 | CD $8.95 | DVDs $45.00 | Flashcards $14.95
view samples online: www.MemoriaPress.com
Latin Supplements
Latina Christiana I & II Grammar Charts $20.00
Latina Christiana I & II by Paul O’Brien Grades 3+
33’’ x 17” (6 charts total)
$19.95 ea. (Ludere Latine I or II)
Grammar forms organized on wall charts is a great visual aid for Latin students. Our charts help students see the organization of the Latin grammar at a quick glance.
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Ludere Latine: Latin Word Games for
Additional Copies $7.00 These word game supplements are stuff ed with enrichment activities to help your students learn the vocabulary, grammar, and derivatives presented in Latina Christiana.
Latin Recitation CD/DVD NEW! Grades 3+
$14.95 (CD & DVD) This CD/DVD combination off ers both audio and visual aids for the Latin student. There is a recitation of the entire Latin grammar on both the CD & DVD. The entire recitation lasts about 40 minutes. The DVD has visual charts with the grammar as Cheryl Lowe pronounces it.
Latin
13
When I apologized to my children for speaking crossly to them the other day, my daughter cheerfully replied, “It’s okay, Mommy. Errare est humanum.”
S
he reassured me that it is only human to err, having been taught this and many other rich Latin sayings using Memoria Press’ Latin curriculum in our homeschool. Having been public-school-educated myself, I’d never learned a lick of Latin until now. I thought I wasn’t smart enough. It was for brainy people who weren’t really Earthlings―and Catholics. But as I began to teach my own children in our homeschool, and as I fell more deeply in love with the Scriptures, having read and re-read the King James Bible for dear life over the years, Latin drew me in. I wanted my children to know Latin. So we started out with Memoria Press’ Prima Latina in 2008. I chose it because it seemed very sensible and not babyish or gimmicky. I thought I could hand out workbooks and pat the children on the head as they became Latin geniuses. We took Prima Latina with us to Germany when my husband was stationed there for his Air Force pilot job. My oldest three children (we have five) would work at Prima Latina and math, we’d visit castles, work at Prima Latina and math, take walks in our village, eat crepes in France, and work at Prima Latina and math. The first thing I noticed about Memoria Press’ Latin curriculum is what it doesn’t talk about. In every other foreign language course, including the French I had in college, the vocabulary and topics began and centered upon finding the bathrooms. Eating. The color of your clothing. Then in more advanced courses we graduated to the self. What do you think about something? What are your feelings? What are your observations? 14
One Mother's Love of Latin
It was all about the flesh. Not so with Memoria Press. From page one, the agenda is spiritual warfare and the things of God. We learn about weapons, strength, fear, hope, wretchedness, eternity. And I’ve been missing out. I’m a grammar geek and could hardly wait to tackle monstrous two-page sentence diagrams in college. But they never ended up anywhere. It was grammar for grammar’s sake and it had a hollowness about it. My copy editing classes did put grammar to good use. But after a while, hard news sounds like the weather report droning on and on to me, and so it was not that satisfying either. You would think I’d have been confident about Latin as a homeschool mother. Secretly, I was scared of Prima Latina. I was intimidated by it. It took us three years to finish it. When I say “us,” I mean my three oldest children. I hung back and watched. I started them on Latina Christiana in 2011, and when we got to noun declensions, I made the amazing and prayerful discovery that, if my children were going to learn Latin, I was going to have to learn Latin as well. The noun declensions were too much for them to figure out without a teacher guiding them. I wanted that teacher to be me. And so I jumped in with them. I’d had no previous Latin training myself. Did I put my children in school for a couple of years and go get a degree in Latin? No. I kept right on homeschooling as before. I’ve simply stayed one week ahead of them in the lessons. That’s it. When they ask me questions I can’t answer about next year’s curriculum, I say, “I
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don’t know. It’ll be interesting when we figure that out.” That answer is fine with them. We are about to begin Third Form Latin. I see the world differently now. Many times after I’ve read a chapter in my King James Bible, I like to read the same chapter in the Vulgate Bible. There’s nothing like it. I cannot understand everything just right, but I know a pluperfect third person singular verb when I see it and my eyes don’t have to stay on it very long. I am reading the Latin Bible at the same pace as I read English, and it’s a faint sound of lovely music that I know will grow stronger in the next few years. I figured out all by myself like a big girl that scient means "they will know." When I conjugated scio for the first time and put it with omni, I discovered that when we say God is omniscient we are saying, "He is all they will ever know." We begin our homeschool day with my reading out loud a chapter of the Geneva Bible to my children. Many times I ask them to take turns following along and silently reading the Vulgate Bible as I read the same passage out loud in English. One day I knew we were about to get to the part where Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” I gave the Vulgate Bible to my 16-year-old son. I played it cool but could hardly Four of Jennifer’s children in 2009, wait for his face to light up and his eyes to brighten when he during the family’s Prima Latina days. read that familiar passage. He and I were being silly another Jennifer has a degree in journalism and time, texting each other in English and incorporating some mass communication from the University of Latin just for fun. We made quite a few clever Latin jokes if I North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has begun a new do say so myself. The last text I sent him that day said, “You blog and Bible study, www.TriumphantChicks.com. She might be a nerd if … you text jokes in Latin.” has also contributed to the newsletter for the Fellowship of Christian Airline Personnel. Her husband flies for the Before we begin Memoria Press’ composition DVDs, my military and an airline. They live in Georgia with their five children and I say the Lord’s Prayer out loud together in Latin. homeschooled children. It is something very beautiful to behold in my kitchen. I often play the Lingua Angelica music in our living room as we go about our daily chores, and I feel as if we are standing on holy ground. An Ideal Latin Sequence A friend recently told me that, in her first month TRIVIUM STAGE GRADE LATIN PROGRAM of learning Latin, her daughter was reading Virgil. I *Prima felt a pang of jealousy because after all these years of 2nd (BeginningLatina program for grades 1-4) Primary grammar we’ve still not gotten to read him. But we’ve Grammar Prep *Latina Christiana I 3rd (Beginning chosen to do it the grammar-first way for good reason. program for grades 3-6) The other way is grabbing it before you are ready or *First Form Latin 4th (Beginning program for grades 5-12) capable. It’s dessert before the meal, or yanking a plant Grammar Stage Memorize the Latin up out of the ground before it is fully mature. I believe 5th Second Form Latin grammar it’s worth the wait. 6th Third Form Latin My husband and I will travel to Rome, Italy this Fourth Form Latin/Henle I 7th Logic Stage (syntax & Caesar prep) summer for a week. I have never been to Italy before. How to use the grammar I don’t really know or care if I will be able to find a Henle II (Caesar) or *Henle Latin I for syntax & translation skills 8th those beginning Latin in grades 8+ bathroom or read an Italian menu. I’m sure we can sort 9th Henle II (Caesar) that out. But I know that I will be able to appreciate and stand astonished at the statues, museums, architecture, Rhetoric Stage 10th Henle III (Cicero) paintings, and layers of culture surrounding Christianity Read Latin literature 11th Ovid because that is what Memoria Press has opened up to me. 12th
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AP Virgil
One Mother's Love of Latin
15
"This is the best-structured course on any subject I have ever seen." - Andrew Pudewa, Institute for Excellence in Writing
First For m Latin $115 complete set
(all 5 books, CD, DVDs, flashcards)
$55 basic set
Second For m Latin $115 complete set
(all 5 books + CD)
(all 5 books, CD, DVDs, flashcards)
$55 basic set (all 5 books + CD)
Text $12.50 | Workbook $15.00 | Teacher Manuals (2) $24.95 | Quizzes & Tests $5.00 | CD $8.95 | DVDs $55.00 | Flashcards $14.95
Text $12.50 | Workbook $15.00 | Teacher Manuals (2) $24.95 | Quizzes & Tests $5.00 | CD $8.95 | DVDs $55.00 | Flashcards $14.95
Online Class (p. 42)
Online Class (p. 42)
Latin Grammar Year One
Latin Grammar Year Two
by Cheryl Lowe Grades 5+ (or any age if completed Latina Christiana I) • 5 noun declensions • 1st - 2nd declension adjectives • 1st - 2nd conjugations in 6 tenses (active voice) • sum in 6 tenses • Syntax: nominative and accusative cases; complementary infi nitive; subject-verb agreement; noun-adjective agreement; predicate nouns and adjectives
"... I was quite reluctant to change programs, but I'm glad I did! It is well laid out, presents the information in bite-sized pieces, has a good amount of review and worksheets for each lesson, and explains the grammar and information very well." - Linda
by Cheryl Lowe Grades 6+
• 2nd declension -er -ir nouns and adjectives • 3rd declension i-stem nouns • 3rd declension adjectives of one termination • 1st and 2nd person pronouns and possessive pronoun adjectives • Prepositions with ablative and accusative • Adverbs and questions • 3rd, 3rd –io, and 4th conjugations in 6 tenses (active voice) • Present system passive of 1st - 4th conjugations and -io verbs • Syntax: genitive of possession; dative of indirect object; ablative of means and agent
Based on 20 years of teaching experience, First Form’s grammar-fi rst approach focuses on grammar forms and vocabulary because those are the grammar stage skills suitable for the grammar stage student. However, the First Form series is for students of all ages because all beginners, regardless of age, are in the grammar stage of learning. Syntax (how to use the grammar) and translation are logic and rhetoric stage skills, respectively, and quickly overwhelm the student unless they are introduced at a slow, gentle pace and taught for mastery. First Form is the ideal text for all beginners, grades 5 and up, or is a great follow-up to Latina Christiana I. Student Text
• 34 two-page lessons on facing pages • Small, concise, unintimidating text in an att ractive two-color format • Systematic presentation of grammar in fi ve logical units • Appendices with English grammar, prayers, conversational Latin, vocab. index, & more!
Student Workbook
• 4-6 pages of exercises for each lesson • Exercises for practice and mastery • Grammar catechism for daily rapid-fi re review
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Latin
Teacher Manuals
• Key to workbook & quizzes/tests • Copy of student book inset with comprehensive teaching instructions • Recitation schedule • Chalk Talk scripted lessons • FYI notes for teachers w/ limited background
Quizzes & Tests
• Reproducible weekly quizzes & unit tests
Pronunciation CD
view samples online: www.MemoriaPress.com
DVDs
• 3 discs, 9 hours (15-20 min./lesson) • Superb explanations • On-screen notes, illustrations, & diagrams • Recitations, Latin parties, & more!
Flashcards
• Vocabulary with derivatives • Latin sayings • Conjugations • Declensions
• Includes the pronunciation of all vocabulary, sayings, and grammar forms for each lesson
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Third For m Latin $115 complete set
(all 5 books, CD, DVDs, flashcards)
Fourth For m Latin
$55 basic set
$140 complete set
(all 5 books + CD)
(all 5 books, CD, DVDs, flashcards + Henle I text, key, & grammar)
Text $12.50 | Workbook $15.00 | Teacher Manuals (2) $24.95 | Quizzes & Tests $5.00 | CD $8.95 | DVDs $55.00 | Flashcards $14.95
$80 basic set
(all 5 books, CD + Henle I text, key, & grammar)
Text $12.50 | Workbook $15.00 | Teacher Manuals (2) $24.95 | Quizzes & Tests $5.00 | CD $8.95 | DVDs $55.00 | Flashcards $14.95
Online Class (p. 42)
Online Class (p. 42)
Latin Grammar Year Three
Latin Grammar Year Four NEW!
by Cheryl Lowe Grades 7+
by Michael Simpson & Cheryl Lowe Grades 8+
• Perfect system passive of 1st - 4th conjugations and -io verbs • 4th declension neuter nouns • 3rd declension adjectives of one and three terminations • Imperative mood, vocative case • Nine irregular adjectives • Regular and irregular comparison of adjectives and adverbs • Pronouns: 3rd person, demonstrative, intensive, reflexive • Active and passive subjunctive of 1st - 4th conjugations and -io verbs • Syntax: apposition; adjectives used as nouns; objective and partitive genitive; subjunctive in purpose clauses; exhortations; deliberative questions
• Participles, infinitives, gerunds, and gerundives • Deponent verbs • Irregular verbs, including eo, fero, and volo • Plural nouns • Locative Case • Pronouns: relative and interrogative • Syntax: double accusative; relative clauses; sequence of tenses and indirect questions; impersonal verbs; indirect statements (accusative with infinitive construction); gerundive of obligation
Fourth Form sets without Henle I: $115 complete set $55 basic set (all 5 books, CD, DVDs, flashcards)
(all 5 books + CD)
*Henle Latin is required for Fourth Form.
Latin Supplements
Lingua Angelica I: Latin Songs & Prayers
(Translation Course)
by Cheryl Lowe
Latin Grammar Wall Charts First Form $20.00 (4 charts) 33" x 17" Second Form $20.00 (3 charts) 33" x 17"
$39.95 set (student & teacher, Song Book, & CD) Student $11.95 | Teacher $16.95 | Song Book* $9.95 | Music CD* $11.95 Lingua Angelica covers 28 beautiful hymns sung by a six-voice Gregorian chant choir. Because hymns have shorter, simpler sentences and clearer word structure than most Latin literature, the Christian Latin in this course is ideal when beginning Latin translation. In both LA I and II, the student book provides vocabulary work, space for interlinear translation, and grammar word study exercises. The teacher manual has a complete copy of the student book (w/answers) as well as instructions on how to use the course, making the teaching easier.
Lingua Angelica II Student $11.95 | Teacher $16.95
*Song Book and music CD are used for both LA I and II. (see above)
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Seeing grammar forms organized on wall charts is a great visual aid for Latin grammar students. They are also a great aid for teachers during Latin recitations. Our grammar charts are in a large easyto-read format that help students see the organization of the Latin grammar at a quick glance.
First & Second Form Desk Charts $12.95
(First & Second Form together in one package) 8.5" x 11"
We have down-sized our First and Second Form Wall Charts into handy desk charts for individual student use. These are especially handy for homeschoolers who don't have wall space for poster-sized charts.
Latin
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Henle Latin I:
Advanced Christian Latin by Robert Henle Grades 8+
$28.45 set (Text, Grammar, & Key)
Text $16.95 | Key $5.00 | Henle Grammar (used all 4 years) $9.50
In the First Year text, a limited vocabulary of 500 words allows students to master grammar without being overwhelmed with large vocabulary lists. Repetitious Latin phrases and copious exercises produce mastery rather than frustration, and the mixture of Christian and classical content is appealing to students.
Henle Latin II-IV: Advanced Christian Latin by Robert Henle Grades 9+
Choose from Henle Latin II, II, or IV Text $15.95 ea. | Key $5.00 ea.
Note: Though Henle is considered a Catholic text, its superiority as a teaching resource and the outstanding benefits of its Christian perspective also make it appropriate for Protestants.
Supplements: The Book of Roots, Roots of English, Lingua Angelica, and Lingua Biblica
Memoria Press Guides to the National Latin Exam NEW by Cheryl Lowe Grades 5+
Introduction $9.95 | Level I $14.95 | Level II $19.95
Ηenle Latin I: Study Guides Study Guide (Units 1-2, Units 3-5, or Units 6-14) $14.95 ea. Test/Quiz Package (Units 1-2, Units 3-5, or Units 6-14) $9.95 ea. Need a litt le more guidance on how to use Henle? Our student guides will tell the student what to do at every step of the way. Each is broken down into 30 weekly lessons with daily student activities. Detailed, thorough, and well-organized, with check-off boxes for completed work, these guides will ease your transition into Henle. View samples online: www.MemoriaPress.com
Latin Copybook Cursive: Hymns & Prayers Grades 4+
The National Latin Exam provides an opportunity for students to compare their Latin knowledge with students across the nation. Nearly 150,000 students take this exam annually. Our Guides to the National Latin Exam include the vocabulary, grammar, and syntax, as well as the Roman culture, history, mythology, and geography commonly found on these exams. Guides are broken down for each level, beginning with the Introduction level of the NLE. Our NLE guides, paired with previous exams you can download from the NLE website, make a great preparation for student success on the National Latin Exam.
Henle Latin & NLE Prep. Online Classes (p. 42)
Latin Grammar for the Grammar Stage by Cheryl Lowe (All Ages)
$14.95
$14.95
This copybook has simple, clean pages to provide handwriting practice. It starts with an introduction to forming lett ers and numbers. Then students move to classroom Latin followed by sayings and hymns from Latina Christiana and the First Form Latin series. While improving their handwriting, students will memorize timeless Latin sayings and beautiful hymns.
A Latin grammar is a compendium of grammar forms and syntax in a systematic, concise, and easily accessible reference book. Designed specifi cally for students, Latin Grammar for the Grammar Stage includes all conjugations and declensions, plus a very basic introduction to Latin syntax (how to use the grammar). An essential resource for mastery and review, it can be used with the First Form series or any other Latin program.
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Latin
Roots of English:
Latin and Greek Roots for Beginners by Paul O’Brien Grades 6-8 $19.95 In order to learn words with Latin and Greek roots and use them appropriately, a young student needs to understand the meanings of their roots, prefi xes, and suffi xes. Roots of English presents careful analysis of these word elements so that the student learns not only the modern meanings of the words, but also their underlying, ancient meanings. Most of the Latin roots covered in this book correspond to the Latina Christiana I Latin vocabulary set.
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Greek Alphabet Book
NEW
NEW
NEW
by Cheryl Lowe, Grades 3+ Student $15.00 | Key $10.00
Though the Greek alphabet is similar to our English alphabet, it is also different enough to be a major impediment to the study of Greek. Delving into the Greek grammar and learning the alphabet at the same time is overwhelming for almost everyone. Give yourself the time to master the Greek letters and become comfortable with them before you plunge into Greek. Memoria Press’ Greek Alphabet program is a tour of the Greek letters, their formation, and sounds. A page is devoted to each letter and includes a letter diagram with arrows showing proper formation, printing lines showing placement of letters above and below the lines, letters to trace and copy, interesting facts and hints to help remember the letter’s sound, and questions. Each lesson consists of three letters, a review page, and a quiz.
First Start French I:
Introduction to the French Language by Danielle Schultz Grades 5-8
$39.95 set (student, teacher, CD)
Student $17.50 | Teacher $17.50 | CD $8.95 Modeled after the Latina Christiana format, each of the lessons covers 10-15 vocabulary words, a French saying or proverb, a grammar form, and a short dialogue in French. Your students will practice conversation, reading and translation, and are introduced to French culture. The Teacher Manual helps keep you ahead of your student, while quizzes and answer keys make it easy to check progress.
First Start French II $39.95 set (student, teacher, CD)
Elementary Greek Program by Christine Gatchell, Grades 4+
Choose from Years One, Two, or Three:
$50.00 set for each year (text, workbook, cd, flashcards) Text $18.95 ea. | Workbook $12.95 ea. CD $12.95 ea. | Flashcards $12.95 ea.
Finally, a Greek text that’s both simple and substantial! Designed to be used as a full course for teaching children as young as third grade, Elementary Greek may also serve as a self-teaching program for teens and adults. No previous knowledge is necessary, and each concept is covered thoroughly and reviewed regularly throughout the course. Thirty weeks of daily lessons ensure a complete school year of brief, incremental lessons with no additional planning. Year One of this course introduces the Greek alphabet, basic vocabulary, grammar, and translation. The accompanying workbook is a vital resource that provides practice and application for each step of the way. An audio companion CD is available to aid in pronunciation of individual letters, words, grammar paradigms, and passages. The set also includes flashcards that cover every vocabulary word used in the text.
Student $17.50 | Teacher $17.50 | CD $8.95
The Book of Roots: Advanced Vocabulary Building From Latin Roots by Paul O’Brien Grades 8+
Lingua Biblica:
Old Testament Stories in Latin by Martin Cothran Grades 9+
Student $24.95 | Key $1.95
Student $19.95 | Teacher $19.95
More advanced than Roots of English, The Book of Roots offers a comprehensive listing of derivatives for Latina Christiana I, along with Latin definitions, English derivatives, and etymology. There is also a section of weekly exercises that provides reinforcement. Ideal as a vocabulary roots course, this book also has significant practical appeal: it is an ideal standardized test prep book, training students to uncover the meanings of words by deciphering parts. A great resource for students who love words!
This is an exciting supplementary translation program based on the Vulgate Bible. It provides a sampling of Bible story translations and exercises that will fortify the student’s knowledge of Latin vocabulary and grammar. A great companion to the Henle series, each lesson includes three levels of study. Level I has the easiest sentence translations. Level II includes more advanced sentence translations. Finally, Level III includes the entire translation with advanced exercises.
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Greek Wall & Desk Charts NEW 22'' x 34'' Wall Charts $12.95 8.5" x 11" Desk Charts $8.95
(2 Charts/Set) (2 Charts/Set)
This set, made up of two alphabet charts, makes a great visual aid for the teacher, classroom, and home. One chart has the upper- and lowercase letters of the Greek alphabet with their names in English and Greek. The second chart lists diphthongs, accent marks, pronunciation helps, and syllable names. These charts come in two sizes—posters for the classroom and small charts for individual student use.
Latin, Greek, & French
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Alphabet Books
Recommended for Ages 4-5
$30.00 (2-book set) Learning the alphabet is the critical first step in learning how to read. The Alphabet Book teaches letter recognition, letter formation, and pencil grip through repetition and tracing. Activities, created with the younger student in mind, make learning each letter simple and fun. This book also introduces initial and ending sounds, providing a gentle introduction to phonics. The Alphabet Book acts as a great supplement to any primary program or full-year preschool/kindergarten program.
Coloring Books
Alphabet & Numbers Recommended for Ages 4-5
$6.00 ea. Have you been searching high and low for junior kindergarten activities that are fun and instructional? Look no further! These coloring books have simple line drawings on uncluttered pages! The Alphabet Coloring Book has a 2-page spread for each letter, and the Numbers Coloring Book has two sets of 2-page spreads for numbers 0-12. These books are the perfect supplement to any junior kindergarten program.
The Book of Crafts
for Junior Kindergarten Classical Core Curriculum Supplement by Tara Luse
$16.95 The creative arts are an essential part of the primary school education. By using the activities in this book, you can reinforce number and letter recognition, strengthen fine motor skills, and foster creativity and confidence. This book is for the youngest crafters and is intended to be a supplement to our Junior Kindergarten curriculum. For easy reference, the crafts are separated into three categories: Literature Crafts, Letter Crafts, and Review Day Crafts. While the crafts in this book have been carefully chosen to promote skill growth and coordination, the most important component is fun. Enjoy each of your creations and the time spent together making them!
Alphabet Flashcards $10.00 (4¼'' x 5½") These flashcards are modeled after our manuscript Alphabet Wall Charts. Each letter is on one side of the card, and the image beginning with that letter is on the flip side. These are perfect for reinforcing your child's letter recognition and beginning sounds.
1-877-862-1097
First Start Reading:
Phonics, Reading, and Printing by Cheryl Lowe Recommended for Kindergarten
$42.95 set (Books A, B, C, & D + Teacher Guide) Your children can begin reading instantly as they progress through 4 simple student books and 34 phonetic stories. The Teacher Guide includes helpful assessments, tips, and more! • consonants • short & long vowels • 57 common words • manuscript printing • artist-drawn coloring pictures • drawing pages for every letter FSR is a balanced, age-appropriate approach to phonics and reading, with a serious focus on correct pencil grip and letter formation. Also, while many phonics programs today use the ladder approach (consonant-vowel blending), we prefer the more traditional (vowel-consonant) approach combined with word families. Mastery of short vowels is the sine qua non of phonics programs, but few programs provide adequate practice. *Note: Printing, an important pathway of the learning process, is an integral part of FSR. Some children, however, are reading-ready before their motor skills are developed enough for printing. If this is the case with your child, you may use FSR without the printing component.
Classical Phonics
A Child's Guide to Word Mastery Grades K-2
$15.95 Classical Phonics consists of phonetically-arranged word lists for students to practice their growing word recognition skills. In a word list there are no context clues, so the learner must rely on his mastery of letter sounds. For instance, if your child can pronounce each word in this list correctly – pot, pat, pit, put, pet – he knows his short vowel sounds, and you can move on to long vowels! If not, he needs more practice, and Classical Phonics is the most effective tool we know of to address the repetition that young ones need when learning to read. It can be used as a supplement to any phonics program and covers nearly all English phonograms and sounds taught through second grade. Classical Phonics is your go-to resource for phonics practice and for building confident readers. Classical Phonics is a teacher and student guide all in one. It provides thorough, concise phonics explanations at the bottom of most pages, giving you the background you need to teach phonics even if you never learned it yourself.
Primary Education
23
Numbers Books
Memoria Press Copybook Series
by Leigh Lowe Recommended for Kindergarten
by Cheryl & Leigh Lowe Grades K-2
$30.00 (2-book set) Written by Leigh Lowe (author of Prima Latina), the Numbers Book is the perfect introduction to numbers, counting, and patterns. Lots of tracing practice also makes this book ideal for the slightly older student who has already mastered counting, but still needs extra practice writing numbers. The activities (mazes, coloring, pattern recognition, connect the dots, and more!) are so much fun that your student won't be able to wait for the next lesson!
Enrichment Guides
(Kindergarten or First Grade)
$19.95 These supplemental guides are organized by week, matching our Classical Core Kindergarten and First Grade programs. Each guide includes an overview of each read-aloud book, author and illustrator biographies, oral reading questions, and a simple language lesson. These activities will help bring each read-aloud book alive for your student. Also included are resources for the history, culture, and science lessons, biographies of the artists and composers, and poetry lessons.
Alphabet Wall Charts (11'' x 17'') Manuscript Charts $14.95 Cursive Charts $14.95 (New American Cursive font) Visual aids reinforce each letter of the alphabet while young students learn to read and write or practice their cursive penmanship. With beautiful letters, colors, and hand-drawn illustrations, they also make great educational posters for your home and/or classroom!
Alphabet Wall Poster $7.00 (22'' x 34'') We created this chart upon the request of our homeschool customers. This poster-sized chart has the alphabet listed in manuscript and cursive. If you don't have the wall space for our Alphabet Wall Charts, this poster is the perfect resource for your students!
Art Cards (5½" x 8½")
Kindergarten $9.95 1st Grade $9.95 2nd Grade $9.95
Enrich your child's primary educational experience with beautiful pieces of art from the most influential artistic movements in history including the Renaissance, Romanticism, Impressionism, and more! These supplements are coordinated with our primary Classical Core Curricula.
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Primary Education
$39.95 set (Copybooks I-III) Copybook I $14.95 | Copybook II $14.95 | Copybook III $14.95 These three-in-one wonders include memory passages, copybook exercises, and drawing pages. We have selected Scripture from the King James Bible and classic children’s poems, such as those by Robert Louis Stevenson, which describe the world in charming detail. Our copybooks introduce basic strokes and margin/spacing guidelines, along with alphabet practice pages with traceable characters and instructions for difficult letters.
Copybook Cursive:
Scripture & Poems (New American Cursive)
$14.95 Now get our original Copybook III in cursive! Filled with the same Scripture and poetry in our original Copybook III, but formatted in the New American Cursive font, our second graders complete this copybook alongside New American Cursive 2. Also a good choice for older students who need cursive practice.
Composition & Sketchbook $7.95 ea.
Choose from: I, II, or III Our Composition & Sketchbook allows each student to write and illustrate compositions. This book is a great resource for all subjects and becomes a journal of your child's work for each year. And now we have expanded our line of Composition & Sketchbooks to include two new titles:
Composition & Sketchbook I: NEW 5/8" Ruled for Younger Students
This font is ruled with a middle dashed line, and each page is divided in half so that students draw on the top half of the page and write on the bottom half. So, 4-5 year old students aren't overwhelmed by a 2-page spread.
Composition & Sketchbook III: NEW College-Ruled for Older Students
This book is laid out in a 2-page spread with an entire page for a picture on the left-hand side and a page of college-ruled lines on the right-hand side. Grammar school students will be very comfortable with this more mature format.
www.MemoriaPress.com
Book of Trees NEW
Book of Astronomy
Grades 6+
Grades 3+
Student $14.95 | Teacher $16.95 This astronomy program covers stars, constellations, and the motion of the earth, as well as the sky as seen throughout all the seasons, including the “Summer Triangle” and seasonal zodiacs. This program was developed with third graders in mind, but it is also great for older students!
Book of Insects Grades 4+
$48.00 set
(reader, student, teacher, Peterson Guide)
Student $14.95 | Teacher $16.95 | Text $14.95 | eBook $12.00 Peterson Guide $6.95 This set includes a classic reader that takes a narrative approach to the life of insects and a workbook that takes your student through the different kinds of insects.
$59.00 set
(reader, student, teacher, Peterson Guide, Tree Book for Kids & Their Grown-Ups)
Student $14.95 | Teacher $16.95 | Peterson Guide $6.95 | Text $14.95 | Tree Book for Kids and Their Grown-ups $15.95 Does your student know that the very gift of breath is the result of the oxygen that trees and plants put into the air? Or that trees and plants provide the means of sustenance for all life on earth? Our new Trees Reader, along with a student workbook and teacher key, will teach your student both plant morphology and taxonomy (the different parts and different kinds of plants), as well as photosynthesis and respiration. Other chapters cover flowers and fruits. As much of modern science instruction becomes increasingly dominated by a focus on technology and scientific abstractions, teachers, parents, and students will appreciate programs like this one that return to the traditional focus on the wonders of nature. Complete with Memoria Press Quizzes, Reviews, & Tests
What’s That Bird? Grades 5+
$48.00 set
(reader, student, teacher, Peterson Guide, coloring book)
Student $11.95 | Teacher $12.95 | Text $14.95 | Peterson Guide $6.95 | Coloring Book $8.95
J. H. Tiner Series
What’s That Bird? teaches students about birds, their anatomy, and how they live. The workbook includes facts to know, comprehension questions, and characteristics of individual birds. Students will learn about 30 common birds, as well as several incredible birds! Turn this Birds Unit Study into a full-year science course with the addition of J. H. Tiner’s Exploring the History of Medicine. The World of Animals $24.99
(K-2nd grade)
This book investigates and describes the anatomy, behavior, and habitats of over 1,000 animals. It makes a great additional science resource for use with our Kindergarten, First, and Second Grade Classical Core Curriculum packages (pp. 6-7).
Choose from: Exploring the History of Medicine Exploring Planet Earth Exploring the World of Mathematics Exploring the World of Chemistry Exploring the World of Physics Exploring the World of Biology
Grades 5+ Grades 6+ Grades 6+ Grades 6+ Grades 6+ Grades 6+
We love John H. Tiner's science books for middle school students. He writes from a biblical perspective and has won numerous awards for his books on science and medicine for young people. They are excellent introductions to the people and places central to the planet earth, the history of medicine, biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics. These illustrated books have review questions and activities after every chapter, and Memoria Press has added additional supplemental review questions to each chapter, unit reviews, unit tests, and a final exam for each book in the series.
The Well-Trained Mind:
The Well-Educated Mind:
$27.95
$25.00
A Guide to Classical Education at Home, 3rd Edition by Susan Wise Bauer & Jessie Wise
26
Text $13.99 ea. Quizzes, Reviews, & Tests $8.00 ea.
Science
A Guide to the Classical Education You Never Had by Susan Wise Bauer
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The Story of the Thirteen Colonies & the Great Republic Grades 5-8
$39.95 set (text, student, teacher)
Novel $16.95 | eBook $14.00 | Student $17.95 | Teacher $17.95 We have combined Guerber's The Story of the Thirteen Colonies and The Story of the Great Republic into one edited volume that makes it a perfect one-year survey of American history for the middle school years. The study guide includes important facts, vocabulary, and comprehension questions for each chapter, as well as enrichment activities such as mapwork, drawings, research, writing assignments, and more!
States & Capitals Grades 3-6
$32.00 set (text, student, teacher) Text $7.99 | Student $12.95 Teacher $12.95
In this study guide each state is given a 2-page spread that includes a map with room to write the state capital, nickname, abbreviation, and fun facts about the state. By the end of this year-long course, students will be able to map all 50 states and capitals. We recommend that this guide be used with Don’t Know Much About the 50 States.
Geography I:
The Middle East, North Africa, & Europe Grades 4+
Text $14.95 | Student $11.95 Teacher $12.95 A unique geography program designed for students pursuing a classical education, Geography of the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe covers the area that constituted the ancient Roman Empire. Each region is explored in its historical context in “History’s Headlines” as well as in the present in “Tour of Today.”
The United States
Review of States & Capitals (shown above) Grades 4+ Workbook $5.00 | Key, Quizzes, Tests $7.95
This study guide will help students retain the knowledge they gained in their study of States & Capitals. This review takes very little time and makes a great companion to Geography I.
$48.00 set (Geography I Text,
Workbook, and Teacher Guide + United States Review Workbook & Teacher Key)
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200 Questions About American History Guide $9.95 | Key $5.00
We have compiled a list of 200 questions that everyone should know about American history. The questions come directly from our newly edited The Story of the Thirteen Colonies & the Great Republic (left), Everything You Need to Know About American History Homework, and Story of the World, Vol. 4.
Everything You Need to Know About American History Homework $9.99 This book, filled with charts, maps, timelines, and short summaries of important facts about American history, makes a great companion to Guerber's The Story of the Thirteen Colonies and the Great Republic (top left).
The Artner Reader's Guide to American History Grades 3-8
$14.95 The Artners have read and researched, selected and catalogued, the best of children’s American history books— both in and out of print.
Geography II:
Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, Oceania, & the Americas Grades 5+ Text $14.95 | Student $11.95 Teacher $12.95
After studying Geography I, students are ready to cover areas of the world outside the ancient Roman Empire. Each lesson includes physical features, history, and culture. Students will continue to deepen their understanding of past and present as they learn about ancient and modern countries.
Geography I Review
The Middle East, North Africa, & Europe Grades 4+ Workbook $5.00 | Key, Quizzes, Tests $7.95
This study guide will help students retain the knowledge they gained in their study of Geography I. This review takes very little time and makes a great companion to Geography II.
$48.00 set
(Geography II Text, Workbook, and Teacher Guide + Geography I Review Workbook & Teacher Key)
American/Modern Studies
27
K
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
PriMary
Jr. K
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Over 25 Literature Guides! (pp. 44-45)
Grades 3-8
Grades 3+ Poetry (p. 48)
Grades 4-8
D'Aulaires' Greek Myths (p. 36)
Grades 5-8
Famous Men of Rome, Famous Men of the Middle Ages, & Famous Men of Greece (p. 36)
First Start French (p. 19)
Writing & graMMar
Grades 1-8
FrenCh
Classical Core Curriculum Packages for Jr. K through 7th Grade Everything you need for one year! (pp. 5-10)
Grades 6-8
Famous Men of Modern Times (p. 36)
Grades 3-6
English Grammar Recitation I-III (p. 48)
Grades 6-8 The Trojan War (p. 37)
Grades 3
Introduction Composition (p
Grades 6+ Horatius at the Bridge (p. 35)
Latin
CLassiCaL
Literature
PaCkages
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LogiC/ rhetoriC
Grades 3-6
Latina Christiana (p. 13)
Grades 7+
Traditional Logic I & II (p. 32)
Grades 9+ Material Logic (p. 32)
Grades 5+
Grades 6+
First Form Latin (p. 16)
Grades 9+
Classical Rhetoric (p. 33)
Second Form Latin (p. 16)
Christian
Grades 1-4
Prima Latina (p. 12)
Grades 3-8
Christian Studies I-IV (p. 39)
Grades 7+
Third Form Latin (p. 17)
Grades 6-9
The Book of the Ancient World (p. 36)
Grades 10+ The Wars of the Jews (p. 38)
Fou
Grad
The C (p
Classical Christian Education for All Ages ...
Grades 3-6
Grades 4-12
Introduction to Composition (p. 48)
of the . 38)
English Grammar Recitation (p. 48)
Grades 6-9
Grades 7+
The Book of the Ancient Greeks, Ancient Romans, & Middle Ages (pp. 36-37)
Grades 8+
Fourth Form Latin (p. 17)
Grades 10+ The City of God (p. 38)
Grades K-1
Grades 1-4
First Start Reading (p. 23)
Grades 7+
Classical Composition (p. 49)
Modern
s 10+
Grade K
Numbers Books (p. 24)
Iliad & Odyssey (p. 37)
Grades 9+
Grades 3+
Greek Alphabet (p. 19)
Grades 8+ The Aeneid (p. 37)
Henle Latin w/ Memoria Press Guides (p. 18)
Grades 3-8
200 Questions About American History (p. 27)
Grades 3-6 States & Capitals (p. 27)
Grades K-2
New American Cursive (p. 25)
sCienCe
Grade Jr. K
Alphabet Books (p. 23)
greek
PriMary
✓Complete curriculum packages ✓Customize your own package ✓Purchase books separately
Copybooks (p. 24)
Grades 4+
Elementary Greek Program, Years I-III (p. 19)
Grades 10+ The Divine Comedy (p. 38)
Grades 10+
On Obligations & The Republic and the Laws (p. 38)
Grades 5+
Memoria Press Science (p. 26)
Grades 4+
Geography I (p. 27)
Grades 5+
Geography II (p. 27)
Grades 5-8
Story of the Thirteen Colonies (p. 27)
One of the questions people ask about traditional logic is why it doesn't teach truth tables. Modern logic, the most common kind of logic encountered in high school and college uses them, so why does traditional logic ignore them?
M
any people encounter a smattering of logic in high school math courses. Here, more than likely, they will encounter simple truth tables. Truth tables were invented by philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein. He invented them to accompany the calculus into which modern analytic philosophers had transformed logic. They were a way to quickly solve for the truth of complex logical propositions in the modern system.
there are twenty-four hours in a day. If either one or both of these statements are false, then the combined statement would be false. Using truth tables, we would set forth all of the truth possibilities of P and Q so we could see clearly when P and Q is true and when it is false:
Let's take the statement: There are 7 days in the week and 24 hours in a day. In the modern system of logic we would want to immediately reduce this down to its formal elements. Let's say that: P = there are 7 days in the week Q = there are 24 hours in a day If we did this, then we could represent the statement as follows: P and Q How do we find out whether the statement P and Q is true? In modern logic, this is determined by the statement's elements—in this case, P and Q. P and Q is true only when both the statements represented by P and Q are themselves true—in other words, if it is true to say that there are seven days in the week and that 30
P
Q
P and Q
T T F F
T F T F
T F F F
We don't really need to go to all this trouble to verify that a simple statement like P and Q is true. But what if you had a statement like P and (Q or (If R, then S))? When statements become much more complex, truth tables can be an easier way to calculate their truth value. So if truth tables make the determination of the truth of statements easier, then why doesn't traditional logic teach them? The first reason is that they are not practically useful in actual argument or discussion, since most statements used in everyday speech and even in academic conversation never get to the level of complexity that would require a truth table to figure them out. They are helpful in certain scientific
Logic & Reality: Why Traditional Logic Doesn't Use Truth Tables
www.MemoriaPress.com
applications and for computer programming (modern logic's most practical application), but outside those fields, they are seldom used or needed. I have not only taught logic, but engaged in private and public debate for over 20 years. While I have repeatedly made use of William of Sherwood's traditional mnemonic verse of the 19 valid syllogism forms and the rules for syllogism reduction (both of these are covered in Traditional Logic, Book II), I have never had to resort to a truth table. Another reason for the absence of truth tables from traditional logic has to do with the philosophical differences between the two systems of logic. To state it baldly, traditional logic doesn't believe in the truth tables. The reason they are used in one system and not the other has to do with a concept called "truth functionality." "Truth functionality" simply means that the truth or falsity of a statement's parts will tell us the truth or falsity of the whole statement. In the statement P and Q, we can tell its truth from its component parts, P and Q. P and Q is called a "conjunctive proposition"—it conjoins antecedent P and consequent Q. Traditional logicians believe that conjunctive statements are the only kind of statements whose truth can be "solved" in a truth table. No other kinds of logical statements (P or Q, If P, then Q, etc.) are truth functional in this way. You cannot tell their truth value merely from the truth value of their parts. But this does not stop the proponents of modern logic from trying to quantify such statements, even if such quantification results in some strange anomalies. Take the following example: If it rains, then my dog will get wet In modern logic, we would "solve" for the truth of this statement using a truth table. If we assume: P = It rains
Q = My dog gets wet
... then the truth table would look like this: P
Q
If P then Q
T T F F
T F T F
T F T T
(line 1) (line 2) (line 3) (line 4)
This kind of statement is considered true in every possible case except when P is true and Q is false (line 2). Let's say my dog is an outside dog and has no protection from the rain. In that case, when it rains my dog gets wet—both P and Q would be true,
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and therefore it would be true to say (line 1) that the entire statement, If it rains my dog gets wet (If P then Q) is true. Now let's say it was raining, but my dog was in the garage, dry and cozy. In that case, it would be true to say that it was raining, but false to say that if it rains, then my dog gets wet (line 2). It rains, but my dog does not get wet. The statement would therefore be false. But what about the other two possibilities? What if it does not rain and my dog gets wet (maybe because I sprayed him with the hose) or if it does not rain and he does not get wet (lines 3 and 4)? In what sense is it meaningful to say that, in these cases, the statement If it rains my dog gets wet is true? In fact, it makes no sense at all. How could a statement that is contingent on something happening be true or false if it didn't happen? In the traditional system, a conditional statement asserts a necessary logical connection between the rain and your dog getting wet. But modern logic can only keep its system clean and efficient if it can solve the truth value of the whole on the basis of the parts. Formal efficiency is a Procrustean bed into which we try to fit language. But things get lost in the process— things like common sense. But it is not just when the antecedent is false that the truth tables don't make sense. Take this statement: If ducks can swim, then the moon orbits the earth In this case, the antecedent is true, as is the consequent. And so the truth table tells us (line 1) that the whole statement is true. But is it? What does the fact that ducks can swim have to do with the fact that the moon orbits the earth? The antecedent and the consequent may individually be true, but there is simply no logical connection between them. In the traditional system, the statement is neither true nor false. It is simply meaningless. The traditional system captures the actual meaning of conditional statements as we use them in real life: to assert a necessary connection between the antecedent (P) and the consequent (Q). In modern logic the only connection recognized is the happenstance coincidence of the truth or falsity of the individual elements. In the traditional view, we assert that the rain and the dog getting wet have a fundamental metaphysical relation. Modern logic was developed by people who rejected the very idea of metaphysics. Traditional logicians reject the idea that language can be quantified in the way that modern philosophers believe it can. Attempts to quantify language only serve to distort it.
Logic & Reality: Why Traditional Logic Doesn't Use Truth Tables
31
Handbook of Christian Apologetics:
Hundreds of Answers to Crucial Questions by Peter Kreeft & ronald Tacelli
$22.00 *Optional Logic supplement This book is the perfect supplement for Traditional Logic. modern skeptical arguments are here in abundance—all logically answered. Students love to see something they have learned incorporated into real books. This book will help your students see how important and useful traditional logic is, and at the same time fortify them in their faith.
Classical Rhetoric $140.00 complete set
(basic set + How to Read a Book & Figures of Speech)
$94.95 basic set
(student, key, DVDs, Aristotle's Rhetoric)
Student $39.95 | Key $4.95 | DVDs $55.00 | Aristotle's Rhetoric $3.50 | How to Read a Book $16.99 | Figures of Speech $31.95 Online Class (p. 42)
Classical Rhetoric by martin Cothran Grades 9+
Classical Rhetoric with Aristotle is a guided tour through the first part of the greatest single book on communication ever written: Aristotle’s Rhetoric. With questions that will help the student unlock every important aspect of the book, along with fill-in-the-blank charts and analyses of great speeches, this companion text to Aristotle’s great work will send the student on a voyage of discovery from which he will return with a competent knowledge of the basic classical principles of speech and writing. This is more than just a course in English or public speaking. It involves a study of the fundamental principles of political philosophy, ethics, and traditional psychology. A student learns not only the elements of a political speech, but also the elements of good character; not only how to give a legal speech, but also the seven reasons people act; not only how to give a ceremonial speech, but what elicits specific emotions under particular circumstances and why. • Sample weekly plan • Clear explanation of lesson components • Easy-to-read layout • reading questions • Figures of speech • Evaluative & analysis questions • How to Read a Book questions • Case studies from Homer, Plato, Shakespeare, lincoln, marc Antony, and much more!
"Our study of logic led us to use Martin Cothran’s book on rhetoric ... Our oldest finished it last month and ate it up; he wants to study constitutional law and we are very happy with the foundation he has received because of Cothran’s materials." - Kendra F.
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Socrates Meets Jesus: History’s Greatest Questioner Confronts the Claims of Christ by Peter Kreeft
$16.00 *Optional Logic supplement In this clever book, Socrates makes mincemeat of the arguments of skeptics who want to abandon reason when it comes to Christianity. Because of the copious use of logical syllogisms, this book makes a great supplement to Traditional Logic.
Aristotle's Rhetoric edited by Edward Corbett
$3.50 *REQUIRED for Classical Rhetoric This book contains the same rhys roberts translation used in Classical Rhetoric. Selected because of its clarity and simplicity, its carefully chosen terminology distinguishes this translation from all others currently available.
How to Read A Book:
A Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading by mortimer Adler & Charles Van Doren
$16.99
*Strongly Recommended Rhetoric supplement How to Read a Book contains clear and useful instructions on how to determine what kind of book you are reading, the four levels of reading, and how to read different kinds of books. The principles in this book are applied directly to Aristotle's Rhetoric in memoria Press' Classical Rhetoric.
Figures of Speech: 60 Ways to Turn a Phrase by Arthur Quinn
$31.95
*Strongly Recommended Rhetoric supplement This book presents 60 of the most common classical figures of speech and gives examples from classic literature of each. memoria's Classical Rhetoric contains Figures of Speech exercises at the beginning of each chapter.
Logic
33
The Critical Thinking Skills Hoax
Reading Assignment:
The Top 10 Reasons:
WHY SHOULD
Christians
Two good books to help you understand the importance of pagan literature: From Achilles to Christ by Louis Markos and A Preface to Paradise Lost by C.S. Lewis. Then jump into The Iliad and The Odyssey. I recommend the Butler translation.
READ THE
pagan ClassiCs ? REASON #10: LITERATURE by Cheryl Lowe
W
hat is literature and what is it for anyway? Have you ever wondered that? It's not practical like science and math, so what is its purpose? Why do we include literature in our curriculum, how do we choose it, and what do we hope to achieve by reading literature? These are some of the questions that puzzled me most in my own education. The ancients thought about all of these questions too. Plato brings up the question of poetry, by which the ancients meant literature, and he famously bans the poets from his ideal Republic. Because, he said, the poets inflame the emotions at the expense of the intellect. And furthermore the gods did all kinds of scandalous things and weren’t very good role models. So Plato was the first "book banner," which I wish parents would use as a defense when objecting to The Catcher in the Rye or some other clearly inappropriate book their impressionable child is being forced to read in school. Yes, the ancients were concerned about the effects of literature on children. Quintilian recommended a grading of literature according to age and Plutarch devoted a whole treatise to the sort of guidance needed for the young when reading Homer and the other poets. Wouldn’t we parents like to have Plato, Quintilian, and Plutarch on our sides when advocating for our children? We could—if we had had a classical education. But was Plato right to ban the poets? He raised the question of the purpose and value of literature and there have been many to answer his objections, beginning of course with Aristotle who, in his Poetics, defends and explains the nature and purpose of literature. Literature, Aristotle says, holds up a mirror to man, so that he can see himself more clearly, see beyond the surface to the
34
Why Should Christians Read the Pagan Classics?
meaning of life. For the Greeks the unexamined life, the life of a slave, was not worth living. The point I’m trying to make here is that there isn’t much the Greeks didn’t think about, and you will find what they had to say is as relevant today as it was 2,500 years ago. And if you are concerned about the effects of literature on the young, so were they. For many Christians, a serious objection to classical literature is one echoed by Plato: the necessity of learning about the pagan gods. Let me make two quick points about Greek and Roman mythology:
1.
Chesterton explained in The Everlasting Man that there were two kinds of pagans in the ancient world: the good pagans (the Greeks and Romans) who had beautiful, benevolent gods that did not require human sacrifice or temple prostitution, and the bad pagans of Baal, Tyre, Carthage, and Canaan, described so vividly in the Old Testament. The battle between these two religions culminated in the Punic Wars, in which Rome destroyed Carthage and the religion of Baal once and for all. The Romans, then, actually accomplished what the Hebrews were unable to do in the Old Testament. God works in mysterious ways.
2.
The gods are really archetypes for human character traits and as such provide stories that have proven to be classic and eternal. They describe the human condition so well that we have no real substitute for them. Knowledge of Greek mythology is necessary for a study of English literature and Western art, because writers and artists can't seem to do without it, and neither can we. Even today, if we want a symbol for beauty, what do we use? Venus. Like everything else in my "Ten Reasons to Study the Pagans," literature begins with the Greeks and so must we. Without the foundation of the pagan classics, our study of literature will always be superficial and incomplete. www.MemoriaPress.com
Introduction to Classical Studies Grades 3-8
$79.95 set (student & teacher guides, Famous Men of Rome, D'Aulaires' Greek Myths, Golden Children's Bible)
Student $12.95 | Teacher $14.95
Timeline Set for the Grammar Stage NEW!
Events from Ancient to Modern Times Grades 3-6
$39.95 set
Newly reformatted, this guide now includes a student workbook for easier use. Designed for use with D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths, Famous Men of Rome, and The Golden Children's Bible, this guide will show you how to teach, learn, and master the stories fundamental to a classical education. The guide contains a three-year reading plan and is a great way for older students to catch up if starting their classical studies late.
(Composition & Sketchbook, Handbook, Wall Cards, Flashcards)
We haven't been so excited about a new product in a long time! Our new Timeline program will enable students to master a total of 60 events over the course of four years (3rd6th grades). History is a very unsystematic subject, and time is very abstract. Students need a timeline that they memorize, build on, and recite every year—and memoria Press is bringing it to you! Timeline Composition & Sketchbook $9.95 These books will be completed over the four-year period in which this timeline is completed. Each event has a 2-page spread with a picture frame for illustrating the event on one side and a page of blank lines for writing a summary of the event. Timeline Handbook $9.95 The Timeline Handbook includes teaching guidelines, charts of the dates studied by grade and by time period, and summaries of each event to help students complete their Composition & Sketchbook. Student Flashcards $12.95 Each student should have his/her own set of flashcards for drill and practice. One side has the date and the reverse side has the event. These cards are color-coded identically to the Timeline Wall Cards.
Ancient Civilization Wall Maps For All Ages!
Large (24'' x 33'') $35.00 Small (11'' x 17'') $19.95 make the ancient civilization stories come alive on your classroom walls. These color wall maps are perfect for any classical education classroom. Each set includes individual maps of Greece, Italy, the City of rome, and the roman Empire. These maps contain all the hot spots in the classical world, including the famous cities, countries, rivers, lakes, mountains, and oceans.
Horatius at the Bridge Grades 6+
$19.95 set (book, medal, pin) Book $14.95 This guide contains the complete text of Thomas Babington Macaulay's 70 stanza ballad and a comprehensive study guide, including vocabulary, maps, character and plot synopses, meter, comprehension questions, teaching guidelines, and a test. Medal $5.00 | Lapel Pin $2.00 Students at Highlands latin School memorize and recite this entire poem and receive the Winston Churchill Award certificate, medal, and lapel pin. We are now offering the same opportunity to all students. You can purchase the medal and pin in a set with the book or individually. Send us a recording of your students reciting the poem, and we'll send them a Winston Churchill Award certificate to present with the medal.
Timeline Wall Cards $12.95 (shown right) Cards for the wall timeline have the date and event on the same side. Cards are added throughout the year as students study history in Classical/Christian Studies and American Studies. The wall timeline should be in a prominent place in the classroom throughout the year, beginning in grade 3. Timeline Wall Cards shown right. View more samples online at www.MemoriaPress.com.
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classical Studies
35
D'Aulaires' Greek Myths Grades 3-8
$45.95 set (text, student, teacher)
Text $19.95 | Student $17.95 | Teacher $17.95 | Flashcards $12.95
This is an ideal beginning book for your child’s classical education journey, regardless of age! Superbly written and illustrated, this classic introduces timeless tales that have enchanted people for thousands of years. Because they are everywhere in Western art and literature, Greek myths are the essential background for a classical education. You can hardly read Shakespeare without them! Each of the 30 lessons in the Student Guide presents important facts to know, vocabulary, comprehension questions, and a picture review and activities section. It also points out the many references to Greek mythology in the modern world.
Famous Men of Rome
Famous Men of Greece
$39.95 set (text, student, teacher)
$39.95 set (text, student, teacher)
Grades 4-8
Grades 5-8
Text $16.95 | eBook $14.00 | Student $17.95 | Teacher $17.95 | Flashcards $12.95
Text $16.95 | eBook $14.00 | Student $17.95 | Teacher $17.95 | Flashcards $12.95
Famous Men of Rome is ideal for beginners of all ages who are fascinated by the action and drama of rome. Inside are 30 stories, covering all of ancient rome’s history, from its founding to its demise. Witness the rise and fall of a great civilization through the lives of larger-than-life figures.
If the romans were history’s great men of action, the Greeks were history’s great men of thought. Dive into the lives and minds of thirty-two famous Greeks through stories detailing the rise, Golden Age, and fall of Greece. learning about the triumphs of Aristotle, Ptolemy, Ulysses, Pericles, Alexander the Great, and many others will enable your students to understand why the scope of Greek accomplishment is still known today as “The Greek miracle.”
Famous Men of the Middle Ages Grades 5-8
$39.95 set (text, student, teacher)
Text $16.95 | eBook $14.00 | Student $17.95 | Teacher $17.95 | Flashcards $12.95
The story of the middle Ages is told through the lives of Attila the Hun, Charlemagne, William the Conqueror, Edward the Black Prince, and Joan of Arc, among others. This course guides students through the turbulent “dark age” of history and illustrates the transition from the end of ancient times to the birth of the modern era. This book is a perfect precursor to Famous Men of Modern Times.
Famous Men of Modern Times Grades 6-8
$39.95 set (text, student, teacher)
Text $16.95 | eBook $14.00 | Student $17.95 | Teacher $17.95
modern history—history, that is, after the fall of Constantinople in 1453—can sometimes seem like a confusing jumble of unrelated events. As a result, many curricula needlessly avoid this exciting period of history. Famous Men of Modern Times will bring the events of the last 500 years to life. These stories provide great insight into the foundations of the modern world.
Dorothy Mills Histories
The Book of the Ancient World $39.95 (novel, student, teacher)
Grades 6+ eBook $14.00
Novel $16.95 | Student $17.95 | Teacher $17.95 Dorothy mills takes the student on an adventure, exploring the geography, culture, architecture, and most prominent people of Egypt, Persia, the Hittites, Israel, and more. Not only does she teach the valuable history and lessons of the ancient peoples, but she gives the students an understanding of the people and neighbors out of which Christianity sprung.
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classical Studies
The Book of the Ancient Greeks $39.95 (novel, student, teacher)
Grades 6+ eBook $14.00
Novel $16.95 | Student $17.95 | Teacher $17.95 The journey continues, starting in Crete and ending in the Hellenistic Age ushered in by Alexander the Great. Students learn about the development of democracy, the primordial defense of democracy in the Persian wars, the heyday of Athens (also known as the Golden Age), and that sad self-destruction known as the Peloponnesian Wars. But it is not history alone—culture, values, and life lessons are taught.
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new
The Iliad $32.00 (text, student, teacher)
Novel $12.00 | eBook $7.00 Student $11.95 | Teacher $12.95 | DVDs $45.00
The Odyssey
(pp. 42-43)
$32.00 (text, student, teacher)
Novel $12.00 | eBook $7.00 | Student $11.95 | Teacher $12.95 Samuel Butler translation Grades 7+ Iliad & Odyssey Complete Set
The Trojan War
$60.00
(Iliad & Odyssey novels, student guides, teacher guides)
Western civilization begins with the Iliad and Odyssey. This is a perfect place to start your study of the Great Books. Our study guides will help bring Homer’s great works alive for your student. Our Teacher Guide has inset student pages with answers, teacher notes for each lesson, quizzes, and tests, giving the teacher all the background information needed to teach these books.
The Aeneid
David West translation Grades 8+
Novel $13.00 | Student $16.95 | Teacher $16.95 After you have completed your study of Homer, the Aeneid is your next logical Great Book to study. Virgil's epic story of the founding of rome will come alive when read with the help of our study guide as you continue your quest to master the classics. After reading Homer and Virgil, your students will have completed their first big step on the road to being classically educated! This is a great preparation for latin AP Virgil also.
The Book of the Ancient Romans $39.95 (novel, student, teacher)
Grades 6+ eBook $14.00
Novel $16.95 | Student $17.95 | Teacher $17.95 After the Greeks, all roads lead to rome. And like any good roman course, this one begins with the she-wolf and the legendary founders of rome, romulus and remus. The rise and fall of a monarchy, the embrace of a republic with the simultaneous dislike for kings, and finally the ironic rise of the Roman Empire teach unforgettable principles about human nature and society.
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Take Memoria Press Courses Online! by Olivia Coolidge Grades 6-8
Novel $6.95 | Student $11.95 | Teacher $12.95 This retelling of the Trojan War is the best preparation for reading Homer. Each lesson in the study guide has reading notes, vocabulary, comprehension questions, and an enrichment section that includes extra discussion topics, writing projects, art, and map work. After studying The Trojan War with our guide, your student will know Homer's main characters, the gods and goddesses, and the main storyline of the Iliad and Odyssey.
The Aeneid for Boys and Girls NEW! by Alfred J. Church, Grades 6-8
$9.95 Alfred Church's retelling of Virgil's Aeneid is a great introduction to Aeneas, who escaped from the burning city of Troy and founded rome. After reading this novel, students will have a good grasp on the characters and story of the Aeneid and be ready to tackle the more difficult prose in Virgil.
The Book of the Middle Ages $39.95 (novel, student, teacher)
Grades 6+ eBook $14.00
Novel $16.95 | Student $17.95 | Teacher $17.95 See how Christianity spread out, building a new civilization on the remnants of the roman Empire. From the foundation of monasteries to the bell towers of universities, from the crowning of Charlemagne to the execution of Joan of Arc, the travel through Christendom unfolds beautifully.
classical Studies
37
On Obligations NEW!
The Divine Comedy
Translated by P. G. Walsh Grades 10+
Novel $20.00 | Student $16.95 Teacher $16.95 | Quizzes $5.00
Ciardi translation Grades 10+
by Cicero
Novel $13.95 | Student $17.95 | Teacher $17.95 Cicero was a man trying to give the politicians of his day solid principles to live by as they drove his fatherland, Rome, down the royal road of decay. His work On Obligations played a large role in Western Christendom but is daunting to read alone. Let us accompany your highschooler as he learns the principles of justice, wisdom, beneficence, courage, and propriety.
The Divine Comedy is one of the crown jewels of both Western and Christian literature. This epic, allegorical poem illustrates Dante’s spiritual journey of redemption that takes him through the pit of Hell (the Inferno) to the Beatific Vision of God (the Paradiso). The Student Guide contains helpful study questions, and reading notes for difficult lines.
The Wars of the Jews:
The Fall of Jerusalem NEW! by Josephus Grades 9+
The Republic & the Laws NEW! by Cicero
Translated by Niall Rudd Grades 10+
Novel $12.95 | Student $17.95 | Teacher $17.95 Marcus Tullius Cicero, a Roman statesman from the first century B.C., was convinced that the upright moral life was the happier life. The Republic became the blueprint of the U.S. government almost 2,000 years after it was written. In The Laws, Cicero defends his understanding of the upright moral life and becomes the first person outside of Scripture to ever posit the existence of natural law. Studying such perennial works is a boon to everyone.
Novel $10.00 | Student $11.95 | Teacher $12.95 "There will not be left a stone upon a stone." We teach our children Christ's prophecy, but do they ever learn about the fulfillment of it? Josephus, a Jew turned Roman citizen from the first century A.D., is regarded as the most trustworthy source for the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. This short course is the follow-up to a study of Scripture as well as the best introduction to the history of Christianity.
The City of God
Vernon J. Bourke edition Grades 10-12
Novel $14.00 | Student $17.95 | Teacher $20.95 | Quizzes/Tests $5.00
Classical Studies Suggested Timeline If you don't begin your classical education until middle or high school, it is never too late! We would suggest that you start with Year 5 of our Classical Studies Map and move forward from there. Before beginning your study of the classics, it is always helpful if your student has a basic knowledge of Greek mythology (D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths [p. 36]) and has read a retelling of the Trojan War (Olivia Coolidge's The Trojan War [p. 37]). Year
Program
1
D'Aulaires' Greek Myths (p. 36)
2
Famous Men of Rome (p. 36)
The City of God, arguably Augustine's greatest book, influenced Western society more powerfully than perhaps any other book except the Bible. To study the City of God is to study the source of some of Western society’s greatest and most cherished beliefs. The book serves as the cultural fountainhead of all that followed, and it is unlikely that it will ever be equaled. The study guide aids students in comprehending Augustine's masterpiece. The teacher guide contains helpful chapter summarizations as well as a thorough introduction to teaching this course effectively. Don't let your students miss the study of this influential book that helped to shape some of the most important intellectual, theological, and political issues of the Western world that are just as relevant today as 1,500 years ago. COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. In Chapter 1, Augustine is criticizing the enemies of the City of God. What is the criticism he is leveling against them?
Augustine is criticizing these individuals because they sought safety from the invaders in the __________________________________________________________________________________ sanctuaries of Christian churches, and now they are attacking Christianity itself. They did not hesitate __________________________________________________________________________________ to claim they were Christian in order to be saved, but once they were saved from the attackers, they __________________________________________________________________________________ failed to show gratitude for their safety. __________________________________________________________________________________
2. Summarize Augustine’s point about suffering in Chapter 8.
Suffering has a twofold purpose: __________________________________________________________________________________ 1. It serves as a punishment for the unrighteous. __________________________________________________________________________________ 2. It teaches the good to be patient. __________________________________________________________________________________ The difference, Augustine says, is “not in what people suffer but in the way they suffer.” __________________________________________________________________________________
3
Famous Men of the Middle Ages (p. 36)
3. In Chapter 9, Augustine criticizes Christians for not reproving the wicked. Why, in Augustine’s opinion, have Christians failed to do this?
Because of the effort required to do so, because of the fear of antagonizing them, waiting for a more __________________________________________________________________________________ opportune moment, or for fear that a rebuke may actually make them worse. __________________________________________________________________________________ 4. In Chapter 19, Augustine presents the case of Lucretia, who committed suicide. What reason does Augustine give for her suicide?
She was unable to bear the burden of shame. The shame comes from a fear that people would think she __________________________________________________________________________________ was a willing participant, and the only way she could prove her innocence was to take her own life. __________________________________________________________________________________ 5. According to Chapter 21, does Augustine ever see a justifiable reason for killing another human being.
4
38
Famous Men of Greece, The Trojan War, and Horatius at the Bridge (pp. 35-37)
5
Iliad and Odyssey (Homer) and The Book of the Ancient Greeks (pp. 36-37)
6
The Aeneid (Virgil) and The Book of the Ancient Romans (p. 37)
7
Greek Plays (Euripides, Sophocles, Aeschylus)
8
The Divine Comedy (Dante) (p. 38)
Classical Studies
If so, what is the reason or reasons?
Yes. When God authorizes killing by a general law, when He gives an explicit commission to an __________________________________________________________________________________ individual for a limited time, or when the State punishes criminals. __________________________________________________________________________________ 6. In Chapter 27, Augustine says there may be only one justifiable reason for suicide. What is that reason, and does he ultimately agree with it?
To keep one’s self from falling into sin. Augustine does not agree with this reason. __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ 7. In Chapter 33, Augustine gives a strongly worded reason for why Rome suffered the humiliation of defeat. Describe what Augustine has to say.
He says it is because Rome was already declining from within. He cites the examples of spiritual __________________________________________________________________________________ disease, degeneration, and a decline into immorality and indecency. He asks the opponents of the City __________________________________________________________________________________ of God why they take no responsibility for the tragic situation. Instead of learning from their adversity, __________________________________________________________________________________ they remain in sin. __________________________________________________________________________________
4
view samples online: www.MemoriaPress.com
Book I
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Christian Studies IV
A Chronological Overview of the Bible Grades 6-8 Student $17.95 | Teacher $20.95
Christian Studies I-III Grades 3-6 $119.95 set
(Christian Studies I-III: Student Books & Teacher Manuals + The Golden Children's Bible)
Christian Studies I:
Student $17.95 Teacher $20.95
Christian Studies II:
Student $17.95 Teacher $20.95
Christian Studies III:
Student $17.95 Teacher $20.95
All Major Bible Stories up to the Entry into Canaan Grades 3-6 The Rise and Fall of Israel, the Period of the Prophets Grades 4-6
All Major New Testament Stories Grades 5-6
This three-year series thoughtfully guides your child through The Golden Children's Bible, teaching him/her the fundamentals of Bible stories, history, and geography, with solid detail at a manageable pace. Students do not merely skim the surface; they embark on a three-year Bible reading course that builds faith by teaching Salvation History as real history. Using these guides, your student will be well prepared for the good work of advanced Christian studies.
Christian Studies IV takes students back through the highlights of the Bible, reviewing drill questions, Scripture memory passages, and more! This study guide can serve as a review course for Christian Studies I-III or stand alone as a survey study of the Bible. We give you the Scripture passages where the answers to the drill questions can be found so that you can read through the Bible by touching on the major stories and characters. This course is a great preparation for studying early church history in the upper school years.
Christian Studies Wall Maps NEW! For All Ages!
Large (24'' x 33'') $35.00 | Small (11'' x 17'') $19.95 Since understanding geography is important to Biblical studies, we have developed a set of five Christian studies wall maps. They include three maps for the Old Testament and two for the New Testament. These maps are an ideal supplement for memoria Press' Christian Studies I-IV or for any Bible program.
Students work through one-third of The Golden Children's Bible in each year. The Student Book offers 30 lessons, each comprised of: • • • • •
Weekly memory verses map and timeline work review lessons and tests every 5 lessons Comprehension, drill, and discussion questions references The Golden Children's Bible page numbers as well as actual Scripture references
The Teacher Manual offers: • Insight and background information for each lesson • Additional discussion, composition, or research prompts • Helpful notes for the teacher
Christian Studies Suggested Timeline Grade 3+ 4+
The Golden Children's Bible $17.99 This book was chosen because of its slightly simplified, but poetically appealing King James text along with its beautiful, accurate, and age-appropriate illustrations. This is important because we believe students should learn to revere the Bible as a sacred book, distinct from stories with cartoon heroes. "I love the way it is written, and the pictures keep my 4-year-old's attention." - Kim
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5+ 6+ 7+
Program Christian Studies I
(Major Bible stories up to the entry into Canaan)
Christian Studies II
(Rise and Fall of Israel & Period of the Prophets)
Christian Studies III
(Major New Testament stories)
Christian Studies IV
(Chronological Overview of the Bible)
The Book of the Ancient World (Egyptians, Hittites, Assyrians, Babylonians, Phoenicians, Hebrews)
8-9 +
Early Christian history taught through primary sources (Luke, Ignatius, Clement, Eusebius, and more)
10 +
City of God (Augustine)
11 +
Christian Apologetics (Lewis, Chesterton, Kreeft)
christian Studies
39
Classical Latin School Association Member School:
TRINITY CLASSICAL SCHOOL www.tcshouston.org Trinity Classical School is a college-preparatory Christian school in Houston, Texas. We use a hybrid teaching model that combines traditional schooling with homeschooling in a Christian setting with classical curriculum, offering the “best of both worlds” through a collaborate-style approach. On-campus classes meet two days per week, with at-home learning occurring on the alternate days. This allows parents to participate in the instruction of their children and also gradually prepares students for a university environment. TCS families are unified in valuing Christian discipleship. Our school motto is Ambulare in sapientia Dei, “To walk in the wisdom of God,” and we aim to instill Godly wisdom and excellence of character by integrating Christ-centered, biblical principles as part of each subject. TCS provides a rigorous, college-preparatory, biblically sound education to train the next generation of Christian leaders using the classical model. Trinity Classical strives to equip students with tools for lifelong learning through the phases of the Trivium. Since 2009 the school has grown to an enrollment of 400 students from families who have a vision for Christian, classical, collaborative education. TCS currently offers classes for pre-K through 7th grade, and plans to add an additional grade per year until reaching 12th grade in Fall 2018. We are grateful for what God is doing at Trinity Classical School.
tcsoffice@tcshouston.org 281.656.1880
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Classical Latin School Association
classicallatin.org
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memoria Press’ grammar-based latin & Greek programs teach the mother tongues of Western civilization in a clear, incremental, and systematic way. Full-Year
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GOVERNMENT & ECON.
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Our sequence follows the traditional Aristotelian approach, teaching students to master the science and art of demonstration, as well as the fundamentals of definition, classification, and division.
Fall
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42
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Traditional Logic I & II Material Logic with Aristotle Informal Logical Fallacies Classical Rhetoric with Aristotle
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We focus on critical reading, math, and writing skills to ensure that students are especially prepared for standardized tests.
Classical Economics Classical Political Philosophy
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These courses teach the basic ideas of political philosophy and economics (the basic structure of and influences on American government), with an emphasis on the differences between classical and modern political and economic philosophy. Full-Year
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Students will learn how to read, analyze, and discuss literature by gaining a basic understanding of plot, character, and setting. Implementing the method of writing instruction used for 1,500 years, students will also learn to express themselves with clarity, precision, and style. Full-Year
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Classical Composition: Fable Stage Classical Composition: Narrative Stage Classical Composition: Chreia/Maxim Stage Middle School Composition I Middle School Composition II High School Composition I High School Composition I (Accelerated) High School Composition II High School Composition III High School Composition IV Composition: Senior Thesis Grammar School English Literature I Grammar School English Literature II Grammar School Literature III Middle School English Literature I Middle School English Literature II Middle School English Literature III English I/II: The Short Story English I/II: The Short Novel English III: The Divine Comedy English V Senior Seminar: Lewis & Tolkien
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CLASSICAL/CHRISTIAN
A careful selection of primary and secondary sources as we take students through the history, thought, and geography of the cultures of Athens, rome, and Jerusalem. Full-Year
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Classical Studies I: The Greeks Classical Studies II: The Romans Classical Studies III: Cicero & Augustine Classical Studies IV: Classical Philosophy D'Aulaires' Greek Myths Famous Men of Rome Famous Men of the Middle Ages Famous Men of Greece Christian Studies: Early Church History Christian Studies: A Reformation Reader Christian Studies: Fundamentals
"It's amazing how much he learned and how much he enjoyed class!" "I want to thank you for teaching Latin this year. This class has certainly raised my opinion of what can be accomplished in an online class."
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Mr. Benningfield Instructor
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"I cannot say enough how much I appreciate MP materials. I started a struggling reader on your materials last year after completely scrapping everything else we were using. Now she is not only a strong reader, but she enjoys reading and writing enough to do so regularly without being asked." - Angie
Developing Superior Readers reading requires an active, discriminating mind that is challenged to think, compare, and contrast. Students who have been challenged by good literature will develop into superior readers and will never be satisfied with poor-quality books. Each novel has been carefully selected to nourish your child's reading skills. The study guides focus on vocabulary, spelling, comprehension, and composition—skills which train students to become active readers. Each lesson includes a word study to help students build vocabulary. The comprehension questions challenge students to consider what they have read, identify the important content of each story, and compose clear, concise answers (a difficult skill at any age). Writing is thinking, and good questioning stimulates the child to think and write. Each lesson also includes enrichment activities such as composition, map work, research, drawing, and much more!
1st Grade Literature $14.95 StoryTime Treasures Student Guide
$14.95 More StoryTime Treasures Student Guide
$10.00 Teacher Key
StoryTime Treasures Set Student Guide $14.95 Little Bear $3.95 Little Bear's Visit $3.95
$40.00
More StoryTime Treasures Set
Blueberries for Sal $7.99 Make Way For Ducklings $7.99 Caps for Sale $6.99
Student Guide $14.95 Miss Rumphius $7.99 Billy and Blaze $5.99 The Little House $6.95
$52.00
The Story About Ping $3.99 Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie $6.95 Stone Soup $6.99 Blaze and the Forest Fire $5.99
2nd Grade Literature $55.00 Literature Guide Set
Student Guides: The Courage of Sarah Noble, Little House in the Big Woods, Tales From Beatrix Potter, Mr. Popper's Penguins, and Teacher Key
$99.00 Literature Guide Set w/ Novels Student Guides, Teacher Key, & Novels
The Courage of Sarah Noble
Little House in the Big Woods
Tales from Beatrix Potter
Mr. Popper's Penguins
2nd Grade Lit. Teacher Key
Student Gd. $11.95 Novel $4.99
Student Gd. $11.95 Novel $6.99
Student Gd. $11.95 Stories (ea.) $6.99
Student Gd. $11.95 Novel $6.99
$12.95
3rd Grade Literature $69.00 Literature Guide Set
Student & Teacher Guides: Farmer Boy, Charlotte's Web, The Moffats
$93.00 Literature Guide Set w/ Novels
44
Student Guides, Teacher Guides, & Novels
Farmer Boy
(3rd Grade sets above do not include Homer Price)
Student Gd. Teacher Key Novel
Literature
Charlotte's Web $11.95 $12.95 $8.99
Student Gd. Teacher Key Novel
The Moffats $11.95 $12.95 $8.99
Student Gd. Teacher Key Novel
Homer Price Beta $11.95 $12.95 $6.95
Student Gd. Teacher Key Novel
$11.95 $12.95 $5.99
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4th Grade Literature
Literature Online Classes (p. 43)
$69.00 Literature Guide Set
Student & Teacher Guides: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe; Heidi; Lassie Come-Home
$94.00 Literature Guide Set w/ Novels Student Guides, Teacher Guides, & Novels
The Lion, the Witch ...
Heidi
Student Gd. Teacher Key Novel
Student Gd. Teacher Key Novel
$11.95 $12.95 $8.99
Lassie Come-Home $11.95 $12.95 $4.99
Student Gd. Teacher Key Novel
$11.95 $12.95 $7.99
5th Grade Literature $95.00 Literature Guide Set
Student & Teacher Guides: King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table, Robin Hood, Adam of the Road, The Door in the Wall
$118.00 Literature Guide Set w/ Novels Student Guides, Teacher Guides, & Novels
King Arthur Student Gd. Teacher Key Novel
Robin Hood $11.95 $12.95 $4.99
Student Gd. Teacher Key Novel
Adam of the Road $11.95 $12.95 $4.99
Student Gd. Teacher Key Novel
The Door in the Wall NEW! $11.95 $12.95 $6.99
Student Gd. Teacher Key Novel
$11.95 $12.95 $5.99
6th Grade Literature $95.00 Literature Guide Set
Student & Teacher Guides: Anne of Green Gables, The Trojan War, The Bronze Bow, The Hobbit
$129.00 Literature Guide Set w/ Novels Student Guides, Teacher Guides, & Novels
Anne of Green Gables
The Trojan War
Student Gd. Teacher Key Novel
Student Gd. Teacher Key Novel
$11.95 $12.95 $9.95
The Bronze Bow $11.95 $12.95 $6.95
Student Gd. Teacher Key Novel
The Hobbit $11.95 $12.95 $6.95
Student Gd. Teacher Key Novel
$11.95 $12.95 $10.99
Beta!
7th Grade Literature $95.00 Literature Guide Set
Student & Teacher Guides: The Wind in the Willows, Treasure Island, As You Like It, Tom Sawyer
$129.00 Literature Guide Set w/ Novels Student Guides, Teacher Guides, & Novels
The Wind in the Willows
Treasure Island
Student Gd. Teacher Key Novel
Student Gd. Teacher Key Novel
$11.95 $12.95 $9.95
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer As You Like It $11.95 $12.95 $9.95
Student Gd. Teacher Key Novel
$11.95 $12.95 $9.95
Student Gd. Teacher Key Novel
$11.95 $12.95 $9.95
8th Grade Literature NEW!
Beowulf Student Gd. Teacher Key Novel
Canterbury Tales $11.95 $12.95 $10.95
Student Gd. Teacher Key Novel
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Henry V $11.95 $12.95 $10.95
Student Gd. Teacher Key Novel
$11.95 $12.95 $11.00
$9.95
Study guide coming soon!
Additional Upper School Literature Buy 10 or more Memoria Press literature guides & price drops to $10 each! Robinson Crusoe Student Gd. Teacher Key Novel
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A Midsummer Night's Dream $11.95 $12.95 $7.95
Student Gd. Teacher Key Novel
(Novels not included)
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Literature
45
Marital Wisdom in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales by David M. Wright
C
haucer and his Canterbury Tales might well be the cardinal literary élan of the Middle Ages. Before considering Chaucer's contribution to marriage, let us begin with a brief look at his legacy. By the late fourteenth century, it had become commonplace for the last couple hundred years to take a pilgrimage to the shrine of St. Thomas à Becket, but no one had yet made a story out of it—let alone a verse narrative where the characters on the pilgrimage each tell their own tale. Chaucer also countered expectations by choosing to write in the vernacular English rather than in the expected literary Latin, in statu quo res erant ante Chaucer. And though he didn’t invent iambic pentameter, he used it in rhyming couplets, propelling it to become the standard English verse form for centuries, used especially often by Shakespeare. This "father of English poetry" gadflied his countrymen with a witty treatment of English society. Though it was nearly impossible to shift classes in the Middle Ages, Chaucer moved among, if not
B
ut at the last she for his worthiness, And namely for his meek obeisance Has such a pity caught of penance, That privily she fell of his accord To take him for her husband and her lord, Of such lordship as men have o'er their wives. And for to lead the more in bliss their lives Of his free will he swore her as a knight That ne'er in all his life he day nor night Ne should upon him take mastery Against her will, nor kith her jealousy, But her obey and follow her will in all, As any lover to his lady shall—
46
transcended them: He was born a commoner, but through his intellectual facility gained acceptance and mobility in the aristocracy. Drawing on his varied class experiences and keen understanding of human nature, he could write astutely about all levels of society—using poetic wit, satire, logos, and pathos to gently spur his countrymen toward truth, toward a heightened understanding of themselves and others. In The Canterbury Tales we find a panoply of colorful characters from a wide cross-section of English culture, who each tell a most fascinating tale. And here, both the character and the tale matter, though sometimes the emphasis falls on one more than the other. One particularly dynamic character is the all-toohuman, bawdy, passionate Wife of Bath—a rather pitiful character, yet one whose frankness must have initiated a needed fresh perspective in Chaucer's day. In the Middle Ages, marriage happened by arrangement, involved the exchange of property, and functioned for
Save that the name of sovereignty, That would he have, for shame of his degree. She thankėd him, and with great humbleness She saidė: "Sir, since of your gentelesse You proffer me to have so large a rein, Ne wouldė never God bitwixt us twain, As in my guilt, were either war or strife. Sir, I will be your humble, truė wife— Have here my truth—till that mine heartė burst." Thus been they both in quiet and in rest. For one thing, sirs, safely dare I say: That friendės ever each other must obey If they will longė holden company.
Love will not be constrained by mastery. When mastery comes, the God of Love anon Beateth his wings and farewell—he is gone! Love is a thing as any spirit free: Women of kind desiren liberty, And not to be constrainėd as a thrall— And so do men, if I sooth sayen shall. Look who is most patïent in love: He is at his advantage all above. The Franklin's Tale, ll. 738-772
the purpose of procreation. Most couples did not marry for love or for physical attraction. Enter the Wife of Bath, whose very being is contrary to societal expectations. In her Prologue, which is longer than her tale, we learn much about her and her provocative views: she has had, without shame, five husbands; she advocates respect for women; she is comfortable with sexuality; she prefers experience over authority; and finally, she proposes that wives should have sovereignty over their husbands—a point she supports well by explaining how she gained mastery over each of her five husbands. The Wife of Bath’s tale is an exemplum, a story told to illustrate a point. The tale features a knight in King Arthur's day who must search far and wide to discover the answer to the question: What do women most desire? If he cannot uncover the answer in a year's time, he will lose his head. He eventually finds the answer from an old homely woman, which is the very point the Wife of Bath most wants to convey: Wives want mastery over their husbands. Because of the Wife of Bath's tart feminism and dauntless persona, it is quite common in our "liberated" age to extol her as a testament to a progressive idea of women and marriage. But this should come as little surprise. We find in texts and characters the interests of our age; indeed, we find ourselves. And because of this, we tend to overlook the many wise spiritual and theological points the Wife of Bath makes in both her prologue and her tale. She references Christ and Scripture more than a dozen times. For example, gentilessė, "virtuous character," is not a matter of birth, but of moral action—and even more so, a matter of God’s grace: For gentilessė comes from God alone. Then comes our very gentilessė of grace; It was no thing bequeathed us with our place (ll. 1162-1164)
Or in these lines: Christ wills we claim of Him our gentilessė, Not of our elders for their old richesse. (ll. 1117-1118)
Here is a large, earthy feminist with a rotund amount of worldly and Scriptural wisdom. The Wife of Bath is altogether one very interesting and thoughtprovoking creation. With this said, however, I must confess that I am not quite as taken with her as many contemporary readers are—but not because of her feminism or her views of wifely sovereignty. Certainly, much can be gained by considering her rollicking perspectives. The real reason I am not so taken is because of The Franklin's Tale—for it contains Chaucer's most 1-877-862-1097
thoughtful and salubrious idea about love and marriage. The Franklin, with his multi-layered tale of love, patience, and fidelity in marriage, affirms a proper balance between two extremes: the complete sovereignty rumpused by the Wife of Bath; and, though not discussed here, the interminable patience and nearimbecilic acquiescence of Griselda in The Clerk's Tale. As is evident from the passage (in the blue box), the marriage of Arveragus and Dorigen in The Franklin's Tale is a model marriage—one of mutual sacrifice for the other; one of mutual consent, faith, trust, and love. Here we find a perfect pitch, an Aristotelian mean—a balance that reflects the indelible words of St. Paul in Ephesians 5:22-25: "Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. ... Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her." Certainly many commendable things can be said of the Wife of Bath. She's a great deal of fun, upsurging from the tale in almost Quixotian esprit. But I don't think she best reveals the profundity of Chaucer's wisdom on the subject of love. Love will not be constrained by mastery. When mastery comes, the God of Love anon Beateth his wings and farewell—he is gone! (ll. 764-766)
The natural bird imagery to express this truth in marriage brings to mind a pertinent quote by R. Morris, a late nineteenth-century literary critic: Even Chaucer’s love and reverence for books gave way before an eager desire to enjoy the beauties of nature in that season of the year when all around him was manifesting life and loveliness. Not less evident is Chaucer's high estimation of women, and his perception of a sacred bond, spiritual and indestructible, in true marriage between man and woman.
In The Franklin's Tale Chaucer finds his fluid stride—the spiritual plenty of mutual love and sacrifice—the laying aside of one's own interests and life for the other. Perhaps this age's preference for the Wife of Bath reveals a glutinous irony: just who is the more wise and free in marriage—the medievals or the postmoderns? After all, our paradigms of liberated sovereignty bellow from Hollywood the values of our age: ephemeral marriages and solipsistic autonomy— and these without the authenticity and spirituality of the Wife of Bath, or the saintly love and mutual surrender in The Franklin's Tale. More on The Canterbury Tales and other Memoria Press literature guides on page 45. The Poetry of Love
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fought the bad guys, who were not good and definitely not as strong (partly, as it used to be thought, because they were not good). It was a serious show: There was a moral earnestness to it that characterized most of the shows on television and at the movie theaters of that time. When it came to chasing and capturing the bad guys, there wasn’t any joking around. I imagine that if I watched the show today, I This explains not just why critics didn’t like would find it fairly shallow and boring. particular movies, but why so much of modern art, The movie, I found, was very different. There was particularly film and literature, are the way they are the pretension of good—the evil railroad owner was and why we react to them the way we do. desecrating Indian land (not to mention just being The irony that Fish alludes to is a form of an all around jerk) and the Lone Ranger and Tonto cynicism—and of arrogance. Critics are guilty of it, were trying to foil his plans—but at the same time but we—not just critics and authors and filmmakers, neither character was a traditional hero. but we the audience—respond to it. It is the attitude Unlike the old television series, Tonto was the by which we both make and view narrative art real leader and he basically had to drag the less today. We are invited by the director or author to than enthusiastic Lone Ranger (who was portrayed deconstruct a story and its characters, to tear them as something of a wimp) down, to subvert them— along with him on his quest. an invitation to which we In addition, Tonto provided readily respond. The impulse to unmask the the comic relief. Much of I have long wondered why my students are at first conventional is all over our culture his dialogue consisted of wisecracks. Neither of them put off by older literature in were what we would call which the conflict involves role models. The Lone Ranger was not a drama. The a morally upright hero and in which the conflict good guys had become comic figures. The movie is extrinsic—between the hero and some evil force was far more interesting and entertaining than the or person (rather than the intrinsic psychological television show, I have to admit. And yet I didn’t like dramas of today). It is not as if they have never it very much. It had other kinds of problems that any come across such a tale. They have read plenty of mediocre movie has, but there was something else children's stories in their time. about it that bothered me. The problem is that, while they will read them, What I realized after I thought about it a bit their inclination is not to believe them. They consider was that it too had been ironized. In fact, the very them idealistic. These works don't seem to speak to purpose of the movie was clearly to take the original life as it really is. Students bring a cynical attitude idea of the show, which had a kind of nobility, and to toward what we have them read. They are not critics deconstruct it. At almost every point, the movie is a (at least not yet), but they are full-fledged ironists. complete inversion of the original. We are trained to be this way by the culture around In the TV series, you never knew who the Lone us. If you look at modern film and our entertainment Ranger really was, but in the movie, we are allowed culture in general, you see irony everywhere. to see behind the mask, and behind the mask is no One recent evening, I turned on the television hero at all, but a figure mostly comic. and landed on a channel that was playing The Lone This impulse to unmask the conventional Ranger. I had not seen it in the theater, so here was is all over our culture. It affects our sports and my chance. entertainment media, as well as the news. Being in my mid-50s now, I am of the generation Gone are the days when Mickey Mantle could that saw my share of reruns of the original television come to the plate stone drunk and have no one know show. So I was curious as to what Hollywood would about it but the other players—and the sportswriters, do with it (or to it). who kept it a secret. (Mantle admitted to it later on, In the old television show, the Lone Ranger saying he would see three balls coming at him. "I was a serious character, as was Tonto, his Indian just hit the middle one," he said.) companion. They were strong and good and they The artist who deploys irony tests the sophistication of his audience and divides it into two parts, those in the know and those who live in a fool’s paradise. Irony creates a privileged vantage point from which you can frame and stand aloof from a world you are too savvy to take at face value. Irony is the essence of the critical attitude, of the observer’s cool gaze; every reviewer who is not just a bourgeois cheerleader (and no reviewer will admit to being that) is an ironist.
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And how many times have we seen the media swarm around a movie star or famous musician who has fallen from grace and who is then the subject of about a week's worth of coverage on CNN, whose producers are well aware of our lust to know what these people are really like underneath all that makeup and pretension? What a comfort it is to the rest of us to know that they're really no better than we are. One recent event was a telling measure of how far irony has taken root in our public discourse. When David Letterman recently retired from NBC's "The Late Show," he was replaced by Stephen Colbert. Letterman was a more straightforward comedian, but Colbert is an arch-ironist. Colbert’s show, "The Colbert Report," differs from "The Late Show" in that it is almost pure satire. Colbert does not play himself as host of his show ... or does he? So wedded is his character to himself in ironical union that his Wikipedia page describes him thusly: “Stephen Colbert is the persona of political satirist Stephen Colbert." Colbert’s character is a send-up of various prominent television pundits. As Deborah Solomon at The New York Times has put it, Colbert plays a "wellintentioned, poorly informed high-status idiot." He is pompous, overly confident in his opinions, and selfobsessed. And we are expected to believe, not what he says, but exactly the opposite. Colbert’s show, along with John Stewart’s "The Daily Show," was conceived as a political humor show, engaged in lampooning the serious shows that serve as the the primary news sources for many Americans. But according to one report, for as many as 25 percent of young adults under 30, "The Colbert Report" and "The Daily Show" together are now their main source of news. These shows were designed to be parasitical on the mainstream news shows. But with Colbert now set to
The Story of the World
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We have always been fans of Susan Wise Bauer's Story of the World series, and now we have added it as supplemental summer reading for our Classical Core packages (pp. 8-9). Each volume fits perfectly as an overview to the time period students will be studying in the coming year. The Story of the World has won numerous awards and continues to stand out as a top pick for homeschoolers. These books make a great addition to any classroom!
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The "Demon Irony"
Irving Howe once called irony the "gospel of chaos." occupy Letterman's chair, we are seeing a complete cultural inversion. Where the serious was once supreme and satire subordinate, irony now rules. We live under the sun, where we know there is nothing new. Irony existed even in ancient Greece. The comic playwright Aristophanes mercilessly lampooned Socrates. But the comic poets, who employed a destructive kind of irony, were always subordinate to the tragic poets, whose irony was sympathetic. And both of these were subordinate to the epics of Homer, which contained no irony at all. Modern irony differs from ancient irony in two ways. First, it is almost entirely destructive. The tragic irony of a story like that of Sophocles' Oedipus led the viewer to sympathize with the hero who is being victimized by fate. The greatest of the Greek playwrights wrote tragedies, but tragedies, like epics, are almost entirely absent from modern literature and film. Behind the old irony was a recognition, if not an affirmation, of an underlying metaphysical hierarchy with greatness at the top and meanness at the bottom. It was an order in which the hero ranked high. But behind the new irony is a rejection of that order. The belief in a logos—an ordering principle of reality—underlay the old irony; the belief in nothingness underlies the new. The old irony was theological; the new irony is nihilistic. The Christian philosopher Søren Kierkegaard praised irony when it was used to allow one to stand above and judge oneself: He called this "mastered" irony. But he condemned the kind of irony that allowed one to stand above and judge
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never read classic children's the world, as if he were not part of it himself: This stories, books such as Honestly, was "unmastered" irony. This kind of irony, he said Red Riding Hood Was Rotten!: (echoing Hegel), was "infinite absolute negativity." The Story of Little Red Riding This is why literary critic Irving Howe once Hood as Told by the Wolf; and called irony the "gospel of chaos" and why one of Seriously, Cinderella Is SO Dostoyevsky's characters in his novel The Possessed Annoying!: The Story of Cinderella termed it "the demon irony." as told by the Wicked Stepmother But the chief difference between traditional and are now common fare. modern narrative is not that the modern contains There are children who have irony and the classical does not. The chief difference never read the Three Little Pigs is that, in modern culture irony has become the chief who do know The Three Little literary and critical mode. Satire and cynicism now Wolves and the Big Bad Pig. I predominate in an unprecedented way. What are remember going with my the cultural consequences of a situation in which, family to see the movie Shrek for many people, the parasitical has become the and wondering how many of primary? How does it affect the way people think the children in the theater watching it actually knew when they are saturated in the sarcastic? What the fairy tales which it so gleefully fractured. happens when parody becomes the primary mode of But there is a child even in the modern adult, cultural cognition? which is perhaps the reason superheroes are so The most obvious consequence of the popular at the box office. Despite our cynicism, dominance of modern irony is that there can no the hero is still preserved in Superman, Batman, longer be a hero. This is why we no longer see epic and Iron Man. The superheroes now so common stories being written today. The only epic hero story at the theater are heroes, but they are also either of any consequence written in the last 100 years is historically distant or utterly J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the fantastic. We seem to have Rings, and the only reason it exists The most obvious driven the hero into our cultural in the modern world at all is subconscious, and he has turned because it is not modern. Although consequence of the back up in Metropolis, the Bat written in the twentieth century, it is of another time—a time in which modern dominance of Cave, and Stark Tower. There is nothing wrong with greatness was acknowledged. It is irony is that there can irony as long as it does not become the same in American films: There villainous and try to take over are a few exceptions—like Ridley no longer be a hero. the world. But the ironic should Scott's film Gladiator―but they are always be subordinate to the the exception that proves the rule. heroic, which is why classical literature is such a And with the hero goes the good guy in general. great corrective to modern literature and fi lm. It "All writers," said Dostoyevsky in a letter to his niece preserves the hero, and he is primary. in 1868, "and not only ours, but even all Europeans Grounding ourselves and our children in books who have tried to portray the positively good man like the Iliad and the Odyssey, the Aeneid, and have always failed." Dostoyevsky underscored his the Divine Comedy (as well as classic children's point about the impossibility of a good character literature)―unironic stories which portray in modern literature by writing his story The Idiot. characters living in a morally ordered world―will The protagonist Myshkin is good, but he has to be not only keep us metaphysically grounded in the portrayed as a complete misfit. True and the Good, but will better equip us to "Of the good figures in Christian literature," appreciate the ironic when it is appropriate. said Dostoyevsky, "the most perfect is Don Quixote. One of the disadvantages of putting irony first But he is good only because at the same time he is is that it undermines even irony itself. When ridiculous and succeeds only by virtue of that fact." everything is satirical, what is there to satirize? Even the good characters of children's Irony encourages us to see through things. But "if literature, which one would expect to be the last you can see through everything," said C. S. Lewis, bastion of innocence, are being assailed by the "then there is nothing left to see." satirists. In a culture in which many children
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