"Intellectual distinction is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for election to a Rhodes Scholarship. Selection committees are charged to seek excellence in qualities of mind and in qualities of person which, in combination, offer the promise of effective service to the world in the decades ahead. The Rhodes Scholarships, in short, are investments in individuals rather than in project proposals..."

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Great Big List of Book Clubs for this year!

Book clubs are the a big part of our TJEd model. Following the model the Demilles and Diann Jepson use in their Home Companion Book, I have fashioned 4 book clubs this year!

First off, a group of us is trying to replicate a Face to Face with Greatness/5 Pillars model for adults in their scholar phase. We're covering the topics included in the first set of each of those:
Reading - Jane Eyre, The Chosen, Laddie, Little Britches, Walking Drum, and Taming of the Shrew
Discussion - How to Read a Book; 3 Types of Education and 7 Keys of Great Teaching; The Phases of Learning; How to Inspire Math, Art and Science through the Classics

Next, I have my Liberty Girls group. Sadly, this may be my last Liberty Girls group for awhile. My daughter is still Love of Learning phase, but she is quickly moving into much more interesting and difficult classics. This semester they are doing the Felicity Series. Here's their club:


Felicity Program Outline
Month 1 Book: Meet Felicity & Felicity Learns a Lesson
  • Program overview for the girls
  • Narration sign up
  • Historical introduction and manners game
  • Craft – Commonplace book, Quill, Ink and Signet
  • Snack – Apple cider and apple crisp
  • Play and Talent DESIGNATIONS (Play parts will be assigned by picking names out of a hat)
Month 2 Book: Felicity’s Surprise & Happy Birthday, Felicity
  • 3 Narrations
  • History and virtue discussion
  • Craft – Fan & embroidered handkerchief
  • Snack – Tea and Shrewsbury cakes
  • Play practice & Dance practice
Month 3 Book: Felicity Saves the Day & Changes for Felicity
  • 3 Narrations
  • History and virtue discussion
  • Craft – Fancy Flower Straw Bonnets & Tussie Mussies
  • Snack – Hot Chocolate and shortbread
  • Play practice
Final Meeting - Play and Tea
  • 3 Narrations
  • Snack – Tea and croquembouche
  • Play Tea for Felicity









The other girls program I run is intended for older girls as it looks at moving into scholar phase and taking on more responsibility within the household. In this case, we're talking about helping with developing Catholic Traditions in our homes. Here's the outline:


Anne Pellowski (Catholic Traditions Girl's Club) Program Outline
Reading: We’ll use the “Polish American Girls” series, by Anne Pellowski. Published by St. Mary’s Press, all in paperback. Titles in this series are:
Each meeting has been designed to correspond to the books for that month and a virtue or Catholic holy day, celebration or tradition. All members are required to read the book before the meeting. This is a LESS crafty, more virtue based program than the Liberty Girls. There will be no production. They will receive a packet of information and activities they will have completed at each meeting. They will take home a butter lamb after the last meeting to be used for Easter.

Meeting 1 – Book: First Farm in the Valley: Anna’s Story
· Program overview for the girls
· Casebook sign up
· Michaelmas and Feast of the Guardian Angels
· Snack: Dragon cake & Heavenly punch
· Planning Nameday Celebrations
Meeting 2 – Book: Winding Valley Farm: Annie’s Story
· 2 Apologetics Casebooks
· All Saints and All Souls
· Advent
· Celebrating Martinmas
· Snack: Soul Cakes and hot apple cider
Meeting 3– Book: Stairstep Farm: Anna Rose’s Story
· 2 Apologetics Casebooks
· Feast days of our Lady
· Catholic Baptism
· Ordinary Time
· Snack: Hot Cross Buns and juice
Meeting 4 – Book: Willow Wind Farm: Betsy’s Story
· 2 Apologetics Casebooks
· Feast days of St. Joseph
· Catholic Marriage Ceremony
· Lenten Traditions
· Snack: Bread pretzels and water
Meeting 5 – Book: Betsy’s Up-and-Down Year
· 2 Apologetics Casebooks
· Easter Traditions
· Catholic Funeral Mass
· Making Butter Lambs for Easter (A Polish Catholic Tradition)
· Snack: Bread pretzels and water
Lastly, for the Knights of Freedom, we are doing Lapbooks on the Chronicals of Narnia. We're focusing on the moral and biblical components as well as the story and characters. There will be eight meetings - seven to do each book and one to watch a movie for fun!

Boy's Narnia Lapbook Club

Lapbooks are fun, graphical, multisensory projects based on the books. The boys read the book. We work through study guides and make mini-books, and other little projects to go inside a specially folded file folder. See In the Hands of a Child for more information on their products. They only have the three projects done. I have created a curriculum for the remaining books.
I have created lapbooks for:
A Horse and His Boy
Voyages of the Dawn Treader
Silver Chair
The Last Battle