Simply Classical Journal - Winter 2019

A Publication of Memoria Press

journal

Summer 2019

Nothing Ordinary

by Cheryl Swope Be Amazed Interview with Aileen Delgado

AMONG FRIENDS

by Michelle Brazelton

Classical Education for Children with Special Needs

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR AT T H E E N D OF T H E DAY, YOU H AV E A BO OK

R

by Cheryl Swope

ecently I attended some out-of-town meetings on parochial education.

As I left my hotel room to face the long day ahead of me, prepared but a little hesitant to begin the extended and mind-intensive work, I gathered my name tag and folder. I scanned the hotel room one last time to see if I had forgotten anything, and my eyes rested on the nightstand where I saw the novel I was reading. I smiled. I was enjoying that book. No matter what happens today, my book will be here when I return.

Many of us whose children struggle with complex needs wait until everyone's last morsel has been swallowed, the last dish cleared, the last tooth brushed, the last prayer said, and the last lingering hug received before we rest. Whether we then escape to the deck, a favorite chair, or simply hide away in the bathtub, at last we have a moment to wrap ourselves in someone else's thoughts, experiences, and insights to be soothed, amused, or informed. If we capture such moments, we begin to find perspective renewed, thoughts untangled, and rest restored.

As homeschoolers or classroom teachers, we seek to teach our children to read well. We want them to read for meaning and to be discerning when selecting reading material. Amid our children's fears or distractions, failures or disappointments, duties or trials, a good story can bring cheer to their minds and hope to their hearts. We know that a good thought, especially at bedtime, can resound within our souls with enough comfort to allow us to rest for the night.

Whether for teaching or for reading ourselves, we need not always reach for the thickest Tolstoy volume or the most complex Shakespeare play. If only a moment remains at the end of the day, The Little Engine That Could reminds us to seek help from a cheerful friend and keep chugging along. The Trumpet of the Swan bespeaks appreciation for our children's struggles and reminds us to handle our children's differences with care. The Magician's Nephew opens our eyes to the majestically artistic power of our Creator in ways far beyond what we imagined before reading. A good book takes us outside ourselves while renewing us from within.

Later that night in the hotel room, my mind was still spinning with conversations, ideas, and plans from the day. I closed the heavy door behind me, shed the weight of my tote bag, removed my name tag, and set aside my folder. As I prepared for bed, I glimpsed my literary companion, something to look forward to.

Crawling under the plump covers, I opened the novel and began reading.

Cares dissolved as I resumed the story. Before sleep came, as I often do at night, I then reached for my leather-bound Bible and turned to my bookmarked page. For more than a week I had been reading Isaiah after reading my novel.

Nothing compares in all of literature to such words: "He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak" (Isaiah 40:29). Yes, He does.

No matter what happens in our lives, at the end of the day we have a book. If we teach our children nothing more than this, we will do much.

2

Heading Goes Letter from theHere Editor

ClassicalSpecialNeeds.com

SIMPLY CLASSICAL JOURNAL

Summer 2019 FEATURED ARTICLES

2 4 14 17 18

CURRICULUM

6 7 16 17 19

Letter from the Editor by Cheryl Swope Among Friends by Michelle Brazelton Nothing Ordinary by Cheryl Swope Book Notes by Michelle Swope Be Amazed an Interview with Aileen Delgado

Use coupon code SCJSUM5OFF19 for $5 off your next order!

Enrichment, Language Arts

Ages 3-9

Simply Classical Curriculum Packages

Ages 2-14

Cursive, Copybooks, Thankfulness Journals

Ages 4-12

Character Building

Ages 4-13

Simply Classical: A Beautiful Education for Any Child

New! Simply Classical Curriculum Levels 5 & 6: Grammar, Greece, & Gratitude (p. 12)

Follow @_SimplyClassical_ on Instagram and tell us your #simplyclassicalstories!

SimplyClassical.com A free forum for all things Simply Classical.

Encouragement. Instruction. Community.

2019 Conventions Calendar The Memoria Press team loves hitting the road and meeting our customers face to face! Come visit Cheryl Swope and the team at the conventions listed below to explore our award-winning curriculum and receive customized curriculum advice.

Great Homeschool Convention - Ontario, CA Templeton Honors College - Philadelphia, PA Memoria Press Conference - Louisville, KY Classical Education Conference - Chicago, IL Classical Schools Gathering - Cleveland, OH

June 13-15 June 25 July 8-10 July 16-18 October 14

View our full convention schedule online: MemoriaPress.com/Conventions

presents

2019

July 8-9 TO REGISTER TODAY! MemoriaPress.com/SG19

Join us for the Special-Needs Track with workshops led by Cheryl Swope and experienced Simply Classical users

Š Copyright 2019 (all rights reserved) Publisher | Memoria Press Editors | Cheryl Swope & Martin Cothran

Managing Editor | Dayna Grant Copy Editor | Ellen R. Hale Graphic Designers | Aileen Delgado & Jessica Osborne

ClassicalSpecialNeeds.com

MEMORIA PRESS MemoriaPress.com

“I

w o u l d l o ve t o get my child on Memoria Press, but I can't figure out where." That was my very first forum post three years ago. It was 3:00 a.m. in mid-August. By 10:00 a.m. Cheryl Swope had responded with a customized curriculum plan for my child.

She recommended we switch to the Simply Classical Level 1 curriculum and even gave me a subject-by-subject list of which books we needed to purchase in order to make the switch. By late September I posted this: "We're four weeks in and loving Memoria Press! Such a blessing to find this curriculum and take a leap of faith."

We're still loving the curriculum. I am still delighted that we took that leap of faith years ago, and I've posted more than 840 times on the forum since then.

Those first few posts were my baby steps towards being an active forum member. I have no idea how long I quietly lurked before I joined and posted that first message in the middle of the night.

I must have been at my wit's end to be cruising the internet at that late hour. What I do know is how deeply meaningful the forum has been to me and my family since then.

The forum is a place to meet others walking a similar path to my own. I live in a very small town, population six hundred. Our county has a density of less than one person per square mile. We are hemmed in by ten-thousand-foot mountain passes. Meeting another family homeschooling a child with autism, anxiety, and other unspecified learning disabilities is like finding the proverbial needle in a haystack.

Enter the Memoria Press forum, where I meet people facing struggles similar to my own. We bounce ideas off each other. We talk about what worked and what didn't. In short, I have learned that I'm not on this path alone.

There is safety in numbers and a comfort in knowing you're not alone. The camaraderie makes the

Michelle Brazelton, homeschooling mom in the mountains of Colorado, has a degree in communications and is better known as Colomama on our free online forum at SimplyClassical.com, where we invite you to find that you are indeed among friends.

4

Among Friends

journey more bearable. The forum is a safe place to ask for guidance and for prayers, and to discuss the results from the latest round of tests and assessments.

WORDS FOR THE JOURNEY Later, after we received our child's diagnosis, I posted on the forum. It was a challenging time, to say the least. The best advice I received was to do nothing— literally, nothing—to just be still and internalize the results. To remember that God gave us this child for a purpose. That this child was the same now as before the test results. That this child still needed our love just the same. And still needed an education.

The forum is also a safe place to announce your latest breakthrough or milestone. It is a place to receive and give encouragement.

I posted on the forum the day my child learned to ride a bike. At the age of ten, most kids would have passed that milestone long ago. That didn't dampen our enthusiasm or pride. My forum friends were giddy with excitement right along with us.

I posted a picture of my child with his Certificate of Completion included at the end of the New American Cursive workbook. His sense of accomplishment and pride at a difficult job well done was evident in his beaming smile.

Our family has now completed Simply Classical Levels B, C, 1, 2, and 3, and traditional cores for junior kindergarten, kindergarten, and first grade.

We are working through Simply Classical Level 4 and traditional cores for kindergarten and second grade ClassicalSpecialNeeds.com

this year. We are eager to begin Simply Classical Levels 5 & 6 next year.

The difference I have witnessed in my children after these years of using Memoria Press curriculum is nothing short of profound. My struggling learner has gained confidence and perseverance. I don't question whether we're doing enough anymore.

Planning doesn't take forever; I simply open the Curriculum Manual and do the next assigned thing.

On the forum, I am among friends. We are all trudging along together.

We lift each other up. We cheer each other on. We are in a safe place.

I encourage you to join us on the forum, if you haven't already. It's nice to read the past and current discussions, but the largest benefit comes from being an active member of the community. You can ask questions and receive help, while at the same time help other families on their journey. Come join us. You are safe among friends here.

Create your free account at SimplyClassical.com 1-877-862-1097

5

Enrichment Ages 3-5,

Ages 7-9,

chronological age or skill level

Ages 3-5,

chronological age or skill level

chronological age or skill level

$19.95

$9.95 ea.

(Book One or Book Two)

$6.00 ea.

Scissors Books Help your child develop hand strength, fine-motor skills, and independence with one or both books in this set. In My Very First Scissors Book, the child learns to open and close his scissors to cut along thick lines which fade, grow wavy, and create shapes as the pages progress. In My Very Own Scissors Book, the activities coordinate with alphabet lessons in Simply Classical Curriculum Level C (p. 8) or may serve as a useful precursor to Simply Classical Crafts. Both books feature perforated pages and large "cutting boxes" to promote the child's success.

Simply Classical Enrichment: Level 3 This guide helps you teach American history, poetry, music, art, and science through the Simply Classical Level 3 American History Read-Aloud set, maps, classical music selections, and art cards.

Everything is scheduled for you weekly with thoughtful discussion questions, science activities, and topics for art and music appreciation that will enrich your year and expand your child's cultural, scientific, and general knowledge.

Simply Classical Crafts The creative arts are an essential part of primary school education. These activities reinforce number and letter recognition, strengthen fine-motor skills, and foster creativity and confidence. Book One contains letter crafts from Memoria Press' Jr. K Book of Crafts. Book Two contains story crafts from Memoria Press' Jr. K Book of Crafts. While the crafts in these books 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!

Language Arts Ages 6-9, chronological age or skill level

Ages 6-9, chronological age or skill level

Student $19.95 ea.

Teacher $10.00

$14.95 ea.

(Book 2 only)

Simply Classical Spelling: Books 1 & 2

Simply Classical Writing: Books 1 & 2 (choose from Read-Aloud or Bible Story editions)

"What should I write? I don't know what to say." The so-called progressive approach leaves beginning writers ill-prepared for the art of writing. This series combines classical copybook, grammar rules, and composition into one carefully sequenced series of explicit instruction, so students can practice early writing skills with confidence.

This series gives your struggling writer an incremental, multi-sensory approach with an oral/aural emphasis. Each week includes targeted Word Study exercises to promote linguistic awareness, cognitive flexibility, and improved spelling skills. ✓✓ Improve auditory discrimination ✓✓ Increase cognitive flexibility ✓✓ Strengthen listening skills ✓✓ Build spelling confidence

Ages 6-9, chronological age or skill level

Simply Classical StoryTime Treasures

$40 each set

(Student, Teacher, Little Bear, Little Bear's Visit, Caps for Sale, & Blueberrries for Sal)

Simply Classical More StoryTime Treasures (Student, Teacher, Billy and Blaze, The Story About Ping, Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie, & Stone Soup)

Blossoming readers need more than practice; they need to discover the riches of a good story.

With simplified exercises in word study, composition, and oration, these delightful guides provide a joyful introduction to children’s literature. Teach essential language arts skills, as your students encounter stories of tenderness, bravery, and kindness. Created especially for struggling learners or students with special needs, these adaptations of the Memoria Press originals are each subtitled “A Guide to Reading Deeply and Writing Skillfully through a Collection of Four Stories.” The Teacher Guides provide sample answers modeled in complete, well-formed sentences.

6

Enrichment & Language Arts

ClassicalSpecialNeeds.com

Full-Year Classical Core Curriculum Packages for Students with Special Needs Visit ClassicalSpecialNeeds.com to obtain detailed information about each level and to take readiness assessments.

Simply Classical Curriculum

LEVEL A PACKAGE PRICE

225

$

Readiness, Rhythm, & Rhyme Ages 2-3 (Chronological Age or Skill Level)

Curriculum Manual Only $30

• • • • • • • • • • • •

Level A Curriculum Manual 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 My Very First Book of 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

Simply Classical Curriculum

LEVEL B

Curriculum Manual Only $30 Consumables Only $34 Supplemental Read-Aloud Set $125 CURRICULUM MANUAL Lesson Plans for One Year

Essentials, Etiquette, & Ear Training Ages 3-4 (Chronological Age or Skill Level) CHRISTIAN STUDIES, MEMORY, & MANNERS

A Child's Garden of Bible Stories, Bible Pictures to Color, Prayer for a Child, Please and Thank You Book, Big Thoughts for Little People, How Can I Help?

RETAIL

212.14

$

PACKAGE PRICE

185

$

PHONOLOGICAL AWARENESS, PHONICS, & READING Alphabet Coloring Book, My First ABC Book, Simply Classical Crafts Book One (p. 6), Alphabet Flashcards

ARITHMETIC & FINE-MOTOR

ENRICHMENT

Numbers Coloring Book, Adventures With Books, Everywhere We Go, Counting With Numbers

My First Body, Do It Carefully, My Big Animal Book, A Child's Garden of Verses, A Child's Garden of Songs CD, Back to the Garden CD, Best First Book Ever!

New to Simply Classical?

You need this item from Level A. Prayers for Children $4.99

1-877-862-1097

Simply Classical Curriculum

7

Simply Classical Curriculum

LEVEL C RETAIL

224.67

$

Curriculum Manual Only $30 Consumables Only $85 Supplemental Read-Aloud Set $335

Animals, Alphabet, & Aesop Ages 4-5 (Chronological Age or Skill Level) CHRISTIAN STUDIES, MEMORY, & MANNERS

PACKAGE PRICE

200

$

PHONOLOGICAL AWARENESS, PHONICS, & READING Alphabet Books 1-2, Classical Phonics, First Start Reading A Student Book, First Start Reading Teacher, Simply Classical Letters & Numbers Desk Charts (p. 16)

CURRICULUM MANUAL Lesson Plans for One Year

My ABC of Bible Verses

ARITHMETIC & FINE-MOTOR Numbers Books 1-2, Going on Eagerly, My Very Own Scissors Book (p. 6)

ENRICHMENT Animals Animals, Simply Classical Crafts Book Two (p. 6), Aesop's Fables, Richard Scarry's Best Mother Goose Ever, Finding the Answers, Hearing and Helping, Christian Liberty Nature Reader Book K, Animal Alphabet Coloring Book

New to Simply Classical? You need this item from Level A. Prayers for Children $4.99

Simply Classical Curriculum

LEVEL 1

Curriculum Manual Only $30 Consumables Only $70 Supplemental Read-Aloud Set $150 Supplemental Science & Enrichment Set $125 CURRICULUM MANUAL Lesson Plans for One Year

PHONOLOGICAL AWARENESS, PHONICS, & READING

CHRISTIAN STUDIES, MEMORY, & MANNERS The Story Bible, The Creation Story for Children, Simply Classical Copybook 1 (p. 16)

New to Simply Classical? You need these items from Level C. Classical Phonics $16.95 Letters & Numbers Desk Charts $12.95 First Start Reading Teacher $14.95

8

Sentences, Sums, & Stories Ages 5-6 (Chronological Age or Skill Level)

Simply Classical Curriculum

Fun in the Sun, Soft and White, Scamp and Tramp, Primary Phonics Readers Sets 1-3, Core Skills Phonics K-1, First Start Reading A-D Student Books, Phonics from A to Z

ENRICHMENT Kindergarten & First Grade Art Cards, Hailstones and Halibut Bones, A Child's Book of Poems, The Days Gone By CD, My Nature Journal (p. 16), Our World Jumbo Puzzle

RETAIL

450.53

$

PACKAGE PRICE

350

$

ARITHMETIC & FINE-MOTOR Rod & Staff Arithmetic 1 Student (part 1), Teacher, Flashcards, Practice Sheets, Best Counting Book Ever, This First Thanksgiving Day

ClassicalSpecialNeeds.com

Simply Classical Curriculum

Curriculum Manual Only $30 Consumables Only $125 Optional Extended Literature Set $19.50 Supp. Literature, Science, History, & Geography Read-Aloud Set $240 Comprehension, Calculations, & Character Supp. Arithmetic Read-Aloud Set $50 Ages 6-8 (Chronological Age or Skill Level)

LEVEL 2

CURRICULUM MANUAL Lesson Plans for One Year

CURSIVE Cursive Practice Sheets, New American Cursive 1 (p. 16)

RETAIL

308.22

$

PACKAGE PRICE

LITERATURE, COMPOSITION, & GRAMMAR Simply Classical Writing: Book One (Read-Aloud Ed.) (p. 6), Simply Classical StoryTime Treasures Student and Teacher (p. 6), Little Bear, Little Bear's Visit, Blueberries for Sal, Caps for Sale, At the Farm

ARITHMETIC & FINE-MOTOR Rod & Staff Arithmetic 1 Student (part 2), Speed Drills

PHONICS & SPELLING Moose Moments: Silent E, Moose Moments: Short Vowels, Moose Moments: Consonant Digraphs, Core Skills Phonics 2-3, Phonics Flashcards, Core Skills Spelling 1, Simply Classical Spelling: Book One (p. 6)

ENRICHMENT

New to Simply Classical?

You need these items from prior levels.

275

$

Second Grade Art Cards, Animal Tales CD

CHRISTIAN STUDIES, MEMORY, & MANNERS SC Copybook 2: Manuscript (p. 16)

Classical Phonics $16.95 Arithmetic 1 Teacher $20.95 Arithmetic 1 Practice Sheets $16.50 Arithmetic 1 Flashcards $17.80 A Child's Garden of Bible Stories $11.99

"I just wanted to say what a blessing this curriculum has been. I have seen such tremendous progress with my eight-year-old son. I suspect he has ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia. Reading for him had been such a struggle. Now I am so much more hopeful and have such a sense of relief. His reading, printing, and spelling have improved. So for those of you debating about trying this curriculum I highly recommend it." — Elise

1-877-862-1097

Simply Classical Curriculum

9

Simply Classical Curriculum

LEVEL 3 RETAIL

382.37

$

Literature, Latin, & Liberty Ages 7-9 (Chronological Age or Skill Level)

300

CURRICULUM MANUAL

LITERATURE, COMPOSITION, & GRAMMAR

PACKAGE PRICE

$

Curriculum Manual Only $30 Consumables Only $130 Optional American History Read-Aloud Set $225 Supplemental Arithmetic Read-Aloud Set $50 Level 3 Supplemental Science & Enrichment Set $280

Simply Classical More StoryTime Treasures Student and Teacher (p. 6), Billy and Blaze, The Story About Ping, Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie, Stone Soup, Wagon Wheels, Prairie School, Prairie School Student and Teacher, Simply Classical Writing: Book Two (Read-Aloud Ed.) Student and Teacher (p. 6)

Lesson Plans for One Year

CURSIVE

PHONICS & SPELLING

New American Cursive 2: Famous Americans (p. 16), My Thankfulness Journal: Beginner (p. 16), New American Cursive Desk Strip

First Start Reading Book E Student and Teacher, Core Skills Phonics 4, Core Skills Spelling 2, Sounds of the Sea, On the Trail, Simply Classical Spelling: Book Two (p. 6)

LATIN Prima Latina Student, Teacher, and Pronunciation CD

CHRISTIAN STUDIES, MEMORY, & MANNERS Simply Classical Copybook: Cursive (p. 16)

ARITHMETIC & FINE-MOTOR Rod & Staff Arithmetic 2 Student Units 1, 2, and 3, Teacher Units 1-2 and 3-5, and Blacklines, Write-On / Wipe-Off Demo Clock

ENRICHMENT SC Enrichment: Level 3 (p. 6), Map of the U.S. Sticker Picture Book, States & Capitals Flashcards

NEW USER ADD-ON SET $95 New to Simply Classical?

You need these items from prior levels.

Classical Phonics, The Story Bible, K, 1st, and 2nd Grade Art Cards, Phonics Flashcards, Core Skills Phonics 3

10

Simply Classical Curriculum

ClassicalSpecialNeeds.com

Curriculum Manual Only $30 Consumables Only $130 Optional Level 2 Extended Literature Set $19.50 Optional Level 4 Extended Literature Set $25.00 CURRICULUM MANUAL Lesson Plans for One Year

Simply Classical Curriculum

LEVEL 4

Mammals, Multiplication, & Myths Ages 8-10 (Chronological Age or Skill Level)

CURSIVE

PHONICS & SPELLING

New American Cursive 2: Famous Quotations and Scripture, My Thankfulness Journal: Beginner (p. 16), Prima Latina Copybook

Traditional Spelling I set

RETAIL

514.88

$

PACKAGE PRICE

400

$

LITERATURE, COMPOSITION, & GRAMMAR

LATIN

Animal Folk Tales set, The Courage of Sarah Noble set, Little House in the Big Woods set, Second Grade Literature Dictionary, Core Skills Language Arts 1 and 2

Prima Latina DVDs, Prima Latina Flashcards

ENRICHMENT Heroes, Horses, and Harvest Moons: A Cornucopia of Best-Loved Poems, Vol. 1 CD, Don't Know Much About the 50 States, Sleeping Beauty, Beauty & Beast, King Midas and the Golden Touch, Cupid & Psyche, Persephone, Pegasus, The Trojan Horse: How the Greeks Won the War, Mammals Student, Mammals Teacher, The World of Mammals, What Is the Animal Kingdom?, What Is a Mammal?, My Nature Journal (p. 16), Composition & Sketchbook II

ARITHMETIC

NEW USER ADD-ON SET $83

Rod & Staff Arithmetic 2 Student (Unit 4) and Student (Unit 5), Flashkids Flashcards: Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, and Division

New to Simply Classical? You need these items from prior levels.

1-877-862-1097

Rod & Staff Arithmetic 2 Teacher Manual Units 3-5, Prima Latina Student, Prima Latina Teacher, Prima Latina Pronunciation CD, States & Capitals Flashcards, Map of the U.S. Sticker Picture Book, Classical Phonics, Phonics Flashcards

Simply Classical Curriculum

11

Simply Classical Curriculum

Curriculum Manual Only: Two-Year Standard Pace $45 Curriculum Manual Only: One-Year Accelerated Pace $30 Consumables Only $140 Grammar, Greece, & Gratitude Optional Simply Classical American History Set (for independent reading) $225 Ages 9-14 (Chronological Age or Skill Level) Levels 5 & 6 Read-Aloud Set $75

LEVELS 5 & 6

RETAIL

696.73

$

PACKAGE PRICE

530

$

515 for One-Year Pace

$

CURRICULUM MANUAL

ENRICHMENT Creating Art, Music Appreciation I, States & Capitals Student, States & Capitals Teacher, God's Protected World Student, God's Protected World Teacher

Lesson Plans: Two-Year Pace or One-Year Pace (Two-Year Pace contains extra review!)

CURSIVE

ARITHMETIC

New American Cursive 3: Scripture and Manners, My Thankfulness Journal: Intermediate (p. 16)

Rod & Staff Arithmetic 3 Student, Teacher, Blacklines, Speed Drills, Supplemental Worksheets, and Supplemental Worksheets Key

CLASSICAL STUDIES

LATIN

D'Aulaires' Greek Myths Text, Teacher, and Flashcards, Timeline Program, Courage and a Clear Mind CD

Latina Christiana Student, Teacher, and Pronunciation CD, Latina Christiana Review Worksheets, Latina Christiana Review Worksheets Key

OPTIONAL: ADDITIONAL WRITING PRACTICE SET $100 StartWrite CD, Farmer Boy Student, Charlotte's Web Student, A Bear Called Paddington Student, Mr. Popper's Penguins Student, English Grammar Recitation I Student, Christian Studies I Student, D'Aulaires' Greek Myths Student

12

Simply Classical Curriculum

Many of our studies in Levels 5 & 6 are conducted orally, as students with special needs often encounter difficulties with writing despite an ability to learn challenging content. We have assembled this set of workbooks for any student who needs or wants additional writing practice.

ClassicalSpecialNeeds.com

Grammar, Greece, & Gratitude Simply Classical Curriculum Levels 5 & 6: Grammar, Greece, & Gratitude is designed for students with ability levels ranging from ages 9-14, and can be taught at a Two-Year Standard or One-Year Accelerated pace.

Students learn vocabulary, grammar, outlining, and composition through familiar classical children’s literature. They embark on new enrichment studies in Creating Art and Music Appreciation. Students practice cursive writing through lessons in manners and reflective gratitude.

In Levels 5 & 6 you will teach Greek Myths, Latina Christiana, Christian Studies, and more. Science includes hygiene, nutrition, and natural science with lessons and experiments. In true classical form, Simply Classical Levels 5 & 6: Grammar, Greece, & Gratitude will help students learn Latin and begin to make connections across all studies.

LITERATURE, COMPOSITION, & GRAMMAR Core Skills Language Arts 3, English Grammar Practice Student and Teacher, Introduction to Composition Student and Teacher, English Grammar Recitation, English Grammar Recitation I Teacher, English Grammar Recitation Flashcards, Composition & Sketchbook III, Farmer Boy novel and Teacher, Charlotte's Web novel and Teacher, A Bear Called Paddington novel and Teacher, Mr. Popper's Penguins novel and Teacher, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Poetry for the Grammar Stage Student and Teacher

CHRISTIAN STUDIES

PHONICS & SPELLING

Christian Studies I Teacher, Memory Verse Flashcards, Old Testament Flashcards, The Golden Children's Bible

Traditional Spelling II Student, Teacher, and Practice Sheets

NEW USER ADD-ON SET $70

New to Simply Classical? You need these items from prior levels.

Demo Clock, States & Capitals Flashcards, Prima Latina/Latina Christiana Flashcards, Classical Phonics, Phonics Flashcards, Addition Flashcards, Subtraction Flashcards, Multiplication Flashcards, Division Flashcards

1-877-862-1097

Simply Classical Curriculum

13

by Cheryl Swope

14

ClassicalSpecialNeeds.com

W

hen my grandma left me more than half a century of diaries, she gave me much more than large boxes of small books. She gave me a keyhole through which to peer into the span of her life.

Often at night I draw open another volume and close my eyes to breathe in the faint memory of her rosescented perfume. In my heart I find myself back in her well-kept home, where I was often welcomed to rest and refresh from the cares of the world.

My grandma's love embraced me when I was a baby in a washtub on her kitchen table, a growing child playing hide-and-seek, a young student matching wits with her at Scrabble, a new teacher finding her way, and finally a mother with my arms full of wiggly twin babies.

In her later years, my grandma prepared the same meal for my growing children that she had prepared many times for me: a savory roast, golden potatoes, slowcooked green beans, and buttery sweet corn. She laughed whenever we praised her cooking. "This is the only thing I know how to make anymore!"

My admiration for her homemaking has not always been so strong. During my years at university in which I became "enlightened," I was taught to disdain everything domestic. "All that cooking and cleaning, where did it ever get a person? What a waste of a life!" But it was I who was wrong.

The Span of a Life

My grandma would be the first to say she never saw her life as anything special. She did not want praise because, as she insisted while shaking her head, "I know me."

Throughout her lifetime, tragedy struck in jarring ways, as it will. As a little girl she lost both her father and baby brother during the influenza epidemic. With her grieving mother and two younger sisters, she moved to their grandparents' hill farm, where she worked washing dishes for "rich neighbors who entertained company." She went to church every Sunday; she prayed often. Looking back, she said she thought perhaps she relied more on her heavenly Father because she had lost her earthly father.

When she was seventeen, the Depression began and work became scarce. She attended the public high school where she studied four years of Latin, read good poetry, studied upper level mathematics, and fell in love with history. Every day after school she walked long distances to work at a store, because her income was needed to keep her mother and sisters in the apartment they now rented together. A nurturer, she looked forward to the day she would marry and have many children of her own. However, shortly after she married my grandfather and my mother was born, my grandmother received the heartbreaking news that she could bear no more children.

Cheryl Swope is the author of Simply Classical: A Beautiful Education for Any Child and Memoria Press' Simply Classical Curriculum, as well as editor of the Simply Classical Journal.

1-877-862-1097

While she was raising my mother she taught Sunday School, led summer Bible school, volunteered at the Red Cross, became a docent at the local history museum, enjoyed her friends, parties, and vacations with my grandfather, and eventually cared for both her mother and mother-in-law in her home.

Her diary entries remind me that though she lived to be one hundred, she saw most of her days as ordinary: Tuesday, March 12, 1957—age 45 Did the usual. Cleaned, cleaned, cleaned. Took Minnie [mother-in-law] to the doctor. Stopped by the hospital to visit Mom. Had a few phone calls. Wrote letters to Judy [adult daughter] and Lucille [sister-in-law].

Sunday, April 3, 1977—age 65 Went to church. Palm Sunday. Beautiful day. After lunch I did two loads of wash to hang outdoors. Mom called.

Worked around the house all afternoon. Wrote Lucille & Art a long letter. Read after dinner and went to bed early.

Thursday, May 8, 1997—age 85 Up at 6:40 a.m. Took a bath, made the bed, ate breakfast.

Went to the beauty shop and then to work at the Historical Museum. Gave a tour to a group of eleven young adults from a special learning school. Went to the store with Eleanor. Watered the flowers in the backyard.

The Wonder of It All

We can learn from her. Day by day our cares and tasks may seem habitual, or laden with more duty than love, but there is a miracle at work in the sacrificial diligence of the daily moments and doing what is set before us to do. G. K. Chesterton writes, "The most extraordinary thing in the world is an ordinary man and an ordinary woman and their ordinary children."

Though sometimes we may feel excited at the beginning of a school year, we may also feel excitement fade into a mundane collection of obligations. We teach grammar, history, math, and reading to children who will become adults and, if they live long enough, grow old. And on it goes. Jaded perspectives may insist that all of this is too ordinary or even useless, yet an ordinary classical education, like ordinary homemaking or any ordinary, honest vocation, is a marvel in itself.

The primary teacher teaches child after child to hold a pencil correctly, to form beautiful letters, and, most glorious of all, to read well. The grammar school teacher imparts the knowledge necessary to write, calculate, and learn. The upper school teacher may read the same work of literature year after year, but, though he already knows well the insights hidden in the pages, he patiently leads a new class of students to see those insights for themselves.

Let us appreciate the cumulative, extraordinary impact of our daily obligations: We tie shoes, clean closets, or prepare meals. We care for, teach, and love those in our lives. As we pause for a moment at the wonder of all that is being done through us in these daily moments, let us remember that in the end, an entire lifetime of such days is nothing ordinary.

Nothing Ordinary

15

Copybooks & Cursive New American Cursive

Simple, clear, & effective!

Book 1 $22.95 Book 2 (Scripture or Famous Americans) $22.95 Book 3 (Scripture or Famous Quotes) $22.95 StartWrite CD $29.95

• • • • • • •

by Iris Hatfield Ages 6-12, chronological age or skill level

Natural right slant (easier for beginners & lefties) Illustrations/Exercises for letter connections Bound at the top for right- or left-handers Focus on accuracy and legibility Simplified classic letter forms Multi-sensory teaching methods Takes only 15 min./day

Ages 6-12, chronological age or skill level

Ages 4-11, chronological age or skill level

Beginner Journal $8.50 Intermediate Journal $8.50

$8.95

My Nature Journal

My Thankfulness Journals

by Cheryl Swope

These journals let students practice cursive writing while thinking about God's daily blessings in their lives. Each page begins "Dear Heavenly Father," and closes, "Your child," with space for the child's signature. In between is room for students to list their blessings each day. The Intermediate Journal is a smaller font size and has less tracing as students progress.

Savor small moments of wonder with your child as he learns the simple beauty of nature. Create a keepsake for your child as you witness improvement in his knowledge, attention to detail, and writing skills through the exercises. Help your child make essential connections between oral language and written language, even as you assist his ability to observe and enjoy the wonders of nature. This book can stand alone as a delightful supplement to any program.

(New American Cursive font)

by Cheryl Swope

Ages 5-8, chronological age or skill level

Ages 9+ chronological age or skill level

$8.95 ea.

Aesop Copybook $8.95

Book 1, Manuscript Book 2, Manuscript or Cursive Book 3, Cursive

Aesop's Fables $14.99

Simply Classical Copybook Series:

Aesop Copybook Set $20.00

Book One, Two, and Three by Cheryl Swope Strengthen penmanship, spelling, punctuation, vocabulary, fine-motor skills, and memory through the time-honored tradition of copybooks.

Students learn habits of accuracy, neatness, and patience while receiving truth and comfort from Holy Scripture. Shorter selections help accommodate for writing difficulties while providing the full benefits of copybook exercises for all beginning writers.

Aesop Copybook

by Cheryl Swope

Letters & Numbers Desk Charts Reinforce your teaching with desk charts formatted to accompany lessons. Bold, targeted letters assist visual discrimination.

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Penmanship

Ages 4-7, chronological age or skill level $12.95

The Aesop Copybook is a lovely companion to Aesop’s Fables. It will strengthen your student's writing and composition skills while giving the opportunity to contemplate the timeless wisdom of Aesop's fables and learn from the gentle moral instruction they provide. The simplicity of the New American Cursive style and the brevity of lessons will assist students to become stronger, more capable thinkers and writers. Teaching instructions are included.

ClassicalSpecialNeeds.com

Character Building Ages 4-13 Guide Books $19.95 ea.

Book One Core Set $52 Book One Read-Aloud Set $95 Book Two Core Set $22 Book Two Read-Aloud Set $92 Book Three Core Set $55

Myself & Others: Lessons for Social Understanding, Habits, and Manners

Book Four Core Set $48

by Cheryl Swope These 14-week sets provide simple, standalone lessons in common courtesy, character, and compassion that often seem neglected today. With easy-to-teach instructions, each book provides 4-day lessons that can be taught in as little as 30-60 minutes per day over a single semester or summer.

Myself & Others provides lessons with five components: 1) Rules – basic social rules for daily life 2) Health – essentials for hygiene, physical and mental health, and forming good habits 3) Safety – guidelines and cautions for staying safe in various circumstances 4) Manners – instruction and practice with good manners to serve others well 5) Listening – daily readings with inspiring stories for delight, moral imagination, character, and virtue To view guide samples and full book set lists, visit ClassicalSpecialNeeds.com.

BOOK NOTES

The Trumpet of the Swan

by E. B. White

A Book Review by Michelle Swope Louis the Trumpeter Swan, born into this world without a voice, is the fifth cygnet child of a cob of noble proportions.

The cob father, pained that one of his children—voiceless but still precious to him nonetheless—resolves to do something he would not ordinarily do so that his son Louis can overcome this difficulty and speak even what time cannot.

Thus money problems and headaches begin when his father swipes a trumpet so that voiceless Louis can "speak," and throughout Louis' life adventures and new love with a childhood sweetheart, Louis must pay for the trumpet. You may gather that when you have difficulties, stealing anything even to help a noble cause is wrong, even if done with love, and amid life’s lessons you will find humor.

Happy tales! *This book will be included in an upcoming Simply Classical Extended Literature Set.

Michelle Swope was born in 1995 with her twin brother, Michael. She enjoys reading, listening to music, and playing with her cat Silky. Despite having schizophrenia, autism, and learning disabilities, Michelle graduated from her classical homeschool in 2013 and has since written two books of fireside poetry, Through Time's Looking Glass and her recent release, God's Harvest.

1-877-862-1097

Character Building

17

BE AMAZED Interview with Aileen Delgado

I

f you appreciate the covers and beauty of design throughout our magazine, you must meet the designer who lends elegance and artistry to every issue. A quiet young woman, she approached me with tears in her eyes after our Sodalitas conference sessions on struggling learners one year. Assigned to photograph our sessions, she had also been listening. She sensed the depth of love from our homeschooling mothers toward their children with special needs. She heard the common mixture of worry, celebration, concern, sadness, determination, and perplexity about the future. After a childhood fraught with difficulties in both spoken and written language, including auditory processing disorder, she thought our Simply Classical parents should know her story.

She said, "I think my story will encourage these mothers. They need to know that it will be okay."

Aileen Delgado serves as senior graphic designer for Memoria Press, The Classical Teacher, and the Simply Classical Journal.

18

Be Amazed

Thank you, Aileen, for sharing your story with us.

What was the hardest subject for you in school?

It was English, because of my problems understanding language. It affected the way I expressed myself verbally and in writing, and it took me a long time to understand what I read.

Did you wonder if your parents were frustrated with you or worried about you? If yes, what does that feel like as a child?

Yes they were sometimes frustrated and worried.

I saw it at times when they would help me with homework. As a child I didn't understand the frustrations they had, I only knew that I kept failing.

They tried to help me and they made me feel loved, but I still sometimes felt like I was wrong, a problem, weak, lost, and useless. Both my parents worked, so they had to put me in a day care center at a young age. There was a particular caretaker there who was dismissive of my struggles, and who made me feel like I was the problem. This external voice reinforced ClassicalSpecialNeeds.com

my internal doubts and self-criticisms, and for many years I felt like I could not speak up about what I was feeling or experiencing. My parents became frustrated with my lack of communication, and our relationship became strained. Not until I became an adult and learned to better express myself did more understanding come for both my parents and myself, and we have a better relationship now.

What do you wish other parents would remember about their struggling children?

I didn't want to be born with this learning disability, and children born with a learning disability don't want it either; nor do any parents want that for their child. For the child with special needs to overcome her struggles, it will take the support and understanding of parents, teachers, and friends, and it will take time. Children with special needs may need more time to understand what they are learning.

I needed that slow process. I want parents to be okay with their children going at a slower pace, to accept that some children need more time than others. Be patient. Your patience, especially in the midst of frustration, is a comfort and reassurance beyond words. It says, "I see you. I see your struggle and your effort. You can do this."

Clearly today you are gifted in art and design.

We know that children with language processing disorders often have talents in areas related to creativity or working with elements apart from language. How did you come to realize that art and design are your talents?

I realized in elementary school. We were learning about the medieval period, and we had a project to create an illuminated letter. I was really interested with the lettering of that time and with calligraphy.

I was so interested that I took classes in calligraphy.

Around the same time, I developed an interest in painting from watching Bob Ross on The Joy of Painting on PBS during Saturday mornings at my house. At a craft store near us they had workshops where you could paint like Bob Ross. My mother and I went to those workshops. It was there that I saw I loved creating art and that I had a gift for it.

Who helped you the most to develop these talents?

Both of my parents helped me to develop these talents in different ways. It was my mother who took me to my drawing classes. She was there when I cried that I wasn't good at drawing, and she always reminded me that I could do it. Whenever I showed my father what I drew, he would tell me how good I was and would tell me to keep it up. He encouraged me and let me know which of my drawings he liked more, so I could see where I was succeeding. I am grateful to both of them for supporting me in the arts.

What would you tell your little-girl self if you could go back to those early days with words of encouragement?

I would say, "You are going to overcome many obstacles due to the love of your parents and their belief that you can do anything. All the hard work and the struggles that you will go through are going to pay off and you will be amazed at what you can overcome and accomplish. You can do it. You will be fine."

Simply Classical: A Beautiful Education for Any Child

REVISED EDITION

by Cheryl Swope | Text $24.95 Ready to be encouraged? We are now offering this second edition of Simply Classical: A Beautiful Education for Any Child with revised content, updated resources, and new information for classical schools and cottage schools. You will find more tips for teaching all children classically, more stories of real children, and more inspiration for your own journey. With thanks to all who responded so warmly to the original book, we offer this new edition to help you: • Increase your child's academic success • Restore your child's love of learning • Regain confidence to teach any child • Renew your vision of hope for your child with special needs • Receive help navigating the daunting process of receiving a diagnosis • Learn how to modify existing resources for your child's needs • Find simple strategies any parent or teacher can implement immediately • Appreciate a spiritual context for bringing truth, goodness, and beauty to any child

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