CORNISH FAMILY HOMESCHOOL REVIEW: 2022 -'23
In 2022 and 2023, we continued our classical education focus, which revolves heavily around the study of Latin, ancient history, and classical literature. Our favorite homeschool publisher is MemoriaPress.com, and this is where most of our curriculum materials are purchased. Every morning began with a core focus time spent on Latin and math. Each child also worked on a rigorous grammar curriculum that puts a strong focus on all components of language arts (grammar, sentence diagramming, vocabulary, spelling, and composition). Dad, a mechanical engineer still working from home two days per week due to the pandemic, assumed oversight of the children's science education again this year. We also continued our enjoyable afternoon enrichment time that encompasses much of our "content" work, such as history, classical studies, literature, and the arts.
We began this journey with ten students more years ago than I care to calculate, and with the graduation of Josiah, I have only two students remaining.
JOSIAH, age 18, 12th grade
Josiah had already finished his math and science requirements prior to this school year, and he joined us mostly for our afternoon enrichment time. With literature guides from Memoria Press, we studied The Iliad, Beowulf, and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. He is currently reading War and Peace and Les Misérables on his own.
LITERATURE: The Iliad, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and Beowulf
An exciting opportunity emerged this year when Dad, who will be retiring soon after 35 years as an engineer for the Navy, decided to start his own business. Josiah will now take classes to assist with the future family business. I gave him an English literature credit for the above work and considered him a graduate from the family homeschool as of his 18th birthday in February. Preparing himself to work with his father is his new focus.
HELENA, age 16, 10th grade
Helena continues to follow a highly academic and rigorous path. She excels at math and science, but also at languages, reading, and writing, which I find is a rare combination. In seven months, she has nearly completed Saxon Algebra 2, which also includes some geometry, trigonometry, chemistry, and physics, and is a course often spread out over two school years. She is also nearly done with her third year of Latin, which involves a large amount of grammar study and increasingly complex translations. She completed an introductory physics class with her dad earlier this year and will soon begin chemistry. She did a U.S. history refresher course last fall. Like Josiah, Helena studied and completed literature guides for The Iliad, Beowulf, and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The Odyssey, The Hound of the Baskervilles, and A Midsummer Night's Dream are on tap for this summer. Video instruction, lectures by Mom, discussion, and exams of these books took place during our afternoon enrichment and arts sessions, described above.
MATH: Saxon Algebra 2 - Pictures of her workbook and completed tests.
LATIN: Third Form Latin - workbook pages, a translation, and completed quizzes.
LITERATURE: The Iliad, curriculum guide by Memoria Press, workbook pages and first exam.
OTHER LITERATURE: Final exam on Beowulf.
HISTORY: U.S. History refresher course
Helena also finished an exhaustive (and exhausting!) 700 page grammar and composition curriculum that she had begun last school year. I am probably even happier than she is to have that completed. See two lessons below.
SELAH, age 11, 6th grade
It seems my final two students, Helena and Selah, have turned out to be the easiest of all, which my old-aged self certainly appreciates. They work hard every day, with virtually no prodding on my part, ever. Selah follows a lengthy daily schedule that includes Singapore math, Latin, the Memoria Press 6th grade literature program, a Greek mythology course, a history study of ancient Rome and famous Romans, the science of insects and other science readings, spelling, grammar, copywork of classic authors, and foreign language studies of her choosing on Duolingo in French, German, Greek, and Hindi. Her free reading this year included multiple re-readings of the Little House on the Prairie and the Anne of Green Gables series and a fun series of mysteries set in ancient Rome. She is currently reading and discussing Great Expectations with me. She joins us for the afternoon enrichment time and has a particular interest in the instruction videos for The Iliad.
MATH: Selah is currently on grade level with Singapore Primary math, having recently completed level 6A and having begun 6B on March 27. My older students often used Singapore math a year (or more) behind grade level, as it is a challenging program.
LATIN: Selah has done four levels of junior Latin and is nearly done with her first year of more advanced study, which includes extensive grammar, translation, and parsing of vocabulary and grammar.
LITERATURE: She is nearly done with Memoria Press's 6th grade literature program, which includes the study and analysis of four books: The Door in the Wall, Robin Hood, King Arthur, and Adam of the Road. The workbooks include comprehension questions, vocabulary, short essay questions, mapwork, and enrichment activities.
GREEK MYTHOLOGY: follows much the same format as the literature program above, with readings, questions, vocabulary, and mapwork.
FAMOUS MEN OF ROME: Again, follows the same format as above. View workbook pages and a comparison/contrast essay on Cincinnatus, Coriolanus, and Camillus below.
SPELLING: Rod and Staff Spelling 6
COPYWORK OF FAMOUS AUTHORS
SCIENCE: The Book of Insects
Other Science Readings: It Couldn't Just Happen, Archimedes and the Door of Science, and The Mystery of the Periodic Table. Selah has a strong interest in the field of nursing, and I am going to begin to gear her science studies in this direction next year.
GEOGRAPHY: United States capitals and world geography
FREE READING: The Roman Mysteries Series
Anne of Green Gables series
Little House on the Prairie series: multiple re-reads; doesn't want me to include a picture because she's embarrassed that she still reads them.
We do schoolwork year-round and sometimes save a subject or project for an intensive focus during the summer. This year, both girls will be working on a composition program from vintage English grammar and composition books. Both books were written by C.H. Ward, an educator during the early 1900's. I love using old English books, as I find the standard of rigor much higher than found in many of today's programs. The first book for Selah is for 7th/8th grades and Helena's book that follows is a high school composition course.
Our family has always taken a "lifestyle" approach to exercise, health, and nutrition. Mom and Dad are regular runners and walkers and try to lead by example in these areas. Each child is required to exercise for a minimum of 15 minutes per day, usually a walk or run, and they often do more in the way of scootering and roller blading. Diet and nutrition are discussed, taught, and practiced with a healthy, plant-based diet.
Similarly, art and music are shared informally in the afternoon enrichment time with YouTube videos and stories about artists and composers.
All in all, we are having an enriching and productive year. There are always numerous interruptions and distractions in a larger-than-average family, and with God's help and grace, we seem to be managing them well in 2023. I hope that whoever is reading this is similarly blessed.
Thank you!
