Junior High / Early Secondary (approx. ages 11-13)
Normally this course will be taken over two school years:
Grades 6 and 7 in the US and Years 7 and 8 in the UK.
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General Instructions
*Key curriculum – those books considered to be key parts of the curriculum are shown in bold type and marked with an asterisk.
Highly Recommended books are shown in bold. These should be included if possible, but are not essential.
Optional extras – optional books and suggestions are shown in italics
+ Indicates subjects we consider to be essential at this level. Other subjects should be included if at all possible to give a broad Charlotte Mason style education.
(N) Denotes books intended for narration
Books listed in red are alternatives for home educators in the U.K.
History Cycle for Australian students [provided by Ruth Marshall]
The curriculum is designed to fit into thirty-six weeks, with many subjects broken down into three blocks of twelve weeks (terms).
At this level most lessons should last around 30 – 40 minutes.
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+RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
The main focus of religious education for these two years will be Bible study.
(1) New Testament (Weekly)
(N) Read one entire Gospel each year.
Choose from * Matthew, Mark or Luke to tie in with Liturgical Year A, B or C as appropriate.
(2) Old Testament (Twice Weekly; not during Lent and Easter)
(N) * Bible History by Ignatius Schuster (First Part)
Year 1: Ch.1 (Creation of the World) to Ch.44 (Parting Advice of Moses – His Death)
Year 2: Ch.45 (Entrance of the Israelites into the Promised Land) to Ch.86 (The Last Times Before Christ)
(3) Catechism (Weekly)
(N) * Faith and Life Series
Read, narrate and discuss one lesson each week.
Year 1: * Faith and Life 6: Following Christ
- Term 1: Chapters 1 to 11
- Term 2: Chapters 12 to 21
- Term 3: Chapters 22 to 31
Year 2: * Faith and Life 7: The Life of Grace
- Term 1: Chapters 1 to 10
- Term 2: Chapters 11 to 20
- Term 3: Chapters 21 to 30
Optional Extras:
Faith and Life Activity Books 6 and 7.
(4) Apologetics (Weekly)
Year 1: * Friendly Defenders Catholic Flash Cards
Year 2: * Friendly Defenders 2: Catholic Flash Cards
(4) Saints (Free time reading)
Choose one saint’s biography each term from the Vision Books series (or any other saint biography of your choice). Where possible these should tie in with the history studies for the term.
(5) Lent and Easter Reading (Twice weekly)
Lent (6 weeks)
Year 1 :* Little Flowers of St.Francis
also available free online
Year 2 :* Story of a Soul by St.Therese of Lisieux
Easter (6 weeks)
Year 1: * Saint Athanasius by Francis Forbes
Year 2:* Our Lady’s Feasts by Sister Mary Jean Dorcy
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+ MATHEMATICS (Daily)
Continue with your preferred maths program
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+ ENGLISH
(1) Grammar and Composition (Four lessons weekly)
* Lingua Mater by Margot Davidson
Year 1:
- Term 1: Weeks 1 to 6
- Term 2: Weeks 7 to 12
- Term 3: Weeks 12 to 18
Year 2:
- Term 1: Weeks 19 to 24
- Term 2: Weeks 25 to 30
- Term 3: Weeks 31 to 36
As the course is being spread over two years, only two days lessons need be completed each week. The book makes additional lesson suggestions for those using the book over two years. These can be used if desired, but our preference would be to stick to the shorter lesson plan as your child will also be doing written narrations.
Composition work is also to include regular written narrations from books set for history, religion, geography, literature and science.
UK Alternative
Year 1:
* Grammar Skills 5 (available late 2005)
Year 2:
* Grammar Skills 6 (available late 2005)
or * English Grammar for Students (Textbook and Workbook), to be used over two years.
All published by Learners Publishing, Singapore and available from Halfmoon Books. These books use British English.
(2) Copywork (10 minutes daily)
Copy daily from favorite poems, prayers, Bible passages or the Shakespeare play being studied.
Recommended Resources:
The Harp and Laurel Wreath by Laura Berquist
Shakespeare Quotations
(3) Studied Dictation (Twice weekly)
Paragraphs or passages to be dictated from a section (two or three paragraphs) of a history, literature, geography or religion book that has been studied in advance.
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+ LITERATURE
(1) Classic Literature
Year 1:
- Term 1: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, or Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
- Term 2: Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne
- Term 3: Ivanhoe by Walter Scott
Year 2:
- Term 1: Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
- Term 2: The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy
- Term 3: Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens or other classic literature of your choice
(2) Shakespeare Suggested plays (others of your choice can be substituted):
Year 1:
- Term 1: Merchant of Venice
- Term 2: Hamlet
- Term 3: Richard III
Year 2:
- Term 1: TBA
- Term 2: TBA
- Term 3: TBA
Recommended Resources:
Re-tellings of Shakespeare plays.
Choose from:
Shakespeare Stories by Leon Garfield
Enchanted Island: Stories from Shakespeare by Ian Serraillier
Background reading:
Starting Shakespeare by Eric Boagey
See our Shakespeare pages for notes on selected plays
(3) Poetry
* The Harp and Laurel Wreath by Laura Berquist: Logic Stage
plus an individual poet to be studied each term
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+ NATIONAL HISTORY (twice weekly; additional book as free reading)
Option1: American History
(N) * From Sea to Shining Sea: the Story of America (to be studied over two years)
[Catholic Textbook Project - ISBN-13: 978-0898709612]
Year 1:
- Term 1: Chapters 1 to 3 (Discovery to California Missions)
- Term 2: Chapters 4 to 7 (New France to 1770s)
- Term 3: Chapters 8 to 10 (Independence)
Year 2:
- Term 1: Chapters 11 to 14 (Frontier Church to Mexican War)
- Term 2: Chapters 15 to 17 (Gold Rush to Civil War)
- Term 3: Chapters 18 to 20 (Late 19th Century)
Optional Resource
From Sea to Shining Sea – Teachers Manual
Choose at least one additional book each term from our recommended reading list (Free time reading)
Option 2: British History
(N) * Young Oxford History of Britain and Ireland
Also available in five separate volumes An Ancient Land, Medieval Kingdoms, Crown and People, Empire and Industry and A Century of Change (only the first four are used at Level 3)
Year 1:
- * Young Oxford History Ch.1 to 14 (Prehistory to 1500)
or An Ancient Land and Medieval Kingdoms - * Our Lady’s Dowry (Kathryn Faulkner) [history of Catholic England, currently being written. Draft chapters are being made available to Mater Amabilis users through the Mater Amabilis Teacher Training Forum]
Recommended Further Resources:
Caesar in Gaul and Britain (Heinemann History Eyewitness Series)
The Battle of Hastings (Scholastic Double Take Series)
Magna Charta (James Daugherty)
The Pastons in Medieval Britain (Heinemann History Eyewitness Series)
Year 2:
- * Young Oxford History Ch.15 to 28 (1500 to 1900)
or Crown and People and Empire and Industry - * Our Lady’s Dowry (Kathryn Faulkner) [history of Catholic England, currently being written. Draft chapters are being made available to Mater Amabilis users through the Mater Amabilis Teacher Training Forum]
Recommended Further Resources:
Rivals for the Crown (Scholastic Double Take Series)
Edmund Ludlow and the English Civil War (Heinemann History Eyewitness Series)
Queen Victoria (Noel Streatfeild, Landmark History Series) [Note: Alternative Title All About Queen Victoria]
Choose at least one additional reading book each term from our recommended reading list (Free time reading)
Option 3: History Cycle for Australian Students
See Australian history outline. Study of British history (see Option 2) recommended for this Level.
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+ WORLD HISTORY (twice weekly)
(N) * The Story of Mankind by Van Loon
Year 1:
- Term 1: Ch.1 to 18 (Prehistory to Ancient Greece)
- Term 2: Ch.19 to 30 (Ancient Greece to Vikings)
- Term 3: Ch.31 to 40 (Knights and Chivalry to Renaissance)
Year 2:
- Term 1: Ch.41 to 46 (Exploration to 17th Century)
- Term 2: Ch.47 to 55 (17th Century to early 19th Century)
- Term 3: Ch.56 to 63 (19th Century)
Recommended Reading
Choose at least one additional book each term from our recommended reading list (Free time reading)
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+ GEOGRAPHY AND EARTH STUDIES (twice weekly)
Geography study at Level 3 has a historical perspective and takes the form of two world tours. The first follows the expansion of the known world with a history of exploration; the second visits the great sites of the world
(1) Exploration (Weekly)
(N) * The Book of Discovery by M.B.Synge
Year 1:
- Term 1: Chapter 1 (A Little Old World) to Chapter 14 (The Vikings Sail the Northern Seas)
- Term 2: Chapter 15 (Arab Wayfarers) to Chapter 28 (Cortes Explores and Conquers Mexico))
- Term 3: Chapter 29 (Explorers in South America) to Chapter 42 (Tasman finds Tasmania)
Year 2:
- Term 1: Chapter 43 (Dampier Discovers His Straits) to Chapter 55 (The Search for Timbuktu)
- Term 2: Chapter 56 (Richard and John Lander) to Chapter 67 (Livingstone’ Last Journey)
- Term 3: Chapter 68 (Through the Dark Continent) to Chapter 79 (Space)
Note: This schedule is based on the 1962 edition of the book which was updated with additional chapters. If you have an earlier edition (or a reprint of an earlier edition) then read one chapter per week.
(2) Travel (Weekly)
(N) * Complete Book of Marvels by Richard Halliburton.
Note: Unfortunately this book is out of print. We have broken our rule about only using books that are in print as used copies are widely available and there is nothing else comparable. The book is also available in two separate volumes, one of which is studied each year. Purchasing them separately may be a cheaper option.
Year 1:
Book of Marvels: The Occident [UK Title: Marvels of the West]
- Term 1: A Marvellous Bridge to Popocatepetl
- Term 2: The Rain God’s City to the Ornament and the Honor of France
- Term 3: The Tiger of the Alps to The Mother of Churches
Year 2:
Book of Marvels: The Orient [UK Title: Marvels of the East]
- Term 1: The Travels of Demetrius to Allah’s Children
- Term 2: The Enchanted Temple to Wonderland
- Term 3: My Hindu Princess to The Magic Mountain
(3) Map work (Weekly)
Locate places mentioned in the week’s reading and places in the news.
(4) Geology – TBA (Weekly: Year 2 only)
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+ NATURE STUDY
- Take at least one nature walk each week.
- Keep a nature journal
Recommended Resources:
Keeping a Nature Journal by Claire Walker Leslie and Charles E.Roth
Wild Days: Creating Discovery Journals by Karen Rackliffe
Introduction to Nature Study by MacBeth Derham (website)
Optional Nature Reading:
Insect Adventures by J.Henri Fabre
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+ SCIENCE (twice weekly)
At this level students will undertake a two year science study following the chronology of scientific discovery. Science topics are studied alongside the history of science
Year 1:
Secrets of the Universe (Paul Fleisher) (out of print)
OR ** Objects in Motion: Principles of Classical Mechanics (Paul Fleisher)
and ** Liquids and Gases: Principles of Fluid Mechanics (Paul Fleisher)
OR *** Alternative (UK; Australia): Inventing the Future by Mary and John Gribbin
Our Universe: A Guide to What’s Out There (Russell Stannard)
Note: This book is out of print, but used copies are cheaply and easily available
Copernicus, Galileo and the Catholic Sponsorship of Science (Jane Meyerhofer), available from Ye Hedge School
Exploring the Sky: 100 Projects for Beginning Astronomers (Richard Moeschl)
TBA – book on classification
World of Plants (Usborne Internet-Linked Library of Science)
Year 2:
Secrets of the Universe (Paul Fleisher) (out of print)
OR ** Matter and Energy: Principles of Matter and Thermodynamics (Paul Fleisher)
and ** Waves: Principles of Light, Electricity and Magnetism (Paul Fleisher)
OR *** Alternative (UK; Australia): Inventing the Future by Mary and John Gribbin
The Mystery of the Periodic Table (Ben Wiker)
TOPS Science #10: Analysis
TOPS Science #11: Oxidation
TOPS Science #32: Electricity
** These four books (together with a fifth which will be used at Level 4) were originally published as a single volume, Secrets of the Universe. This single volume is now out of print and hard to find used. The individual volumes are still in print, but at a rather high price – we recommend trying your library first.
*** If the Fleisher books are too difficult or expensive to obtain (especially likely to be the case outside the USA), Inventing the Future would be a suitable alternative. This tells the story of science through brief biographies of scientists. It is a secular book, simpler than the Fleisher books, and written in a chatty style with extra information in the margins. It would also be an alternative for slightly younger children, or for children who struggle with scientific concepts.
Schedule for Secrets of the Universe (or separate Fleisher books)
Alternative schedule for Inventing the Future
Recommended Reference Book:
Kingfisher Science Encyclopedia
Recommended Extra Resources:
Year 1: Lyrical Life Science Vol.1
Year 2: Lyrical Life Science Vol.2
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FOREIGN LANGUAGE (two or three times weekly)
Option 1: Spanish
Spanish program of your choice
Recommended Resource:
Living Spanish by R.P. Littlewood (available from Amazon UK) provides additional grammar coverage.
Both courses are to be used simultaneously over four or five years.
Option 2: French
Skoldo French Book 3
or
First Start French
Recommended Resource:
Living French by T.W.Knight (available from Amazon UK) provides additional grammar coverage.
Both courses are to be used simultaneously over four or five years.
Living German and Living Italian books are also available.
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LATIN (twice weekly)
Option 1: Intensive Approach
Henle Latin I
Year 1: Units 3-5
Year 2: Units 6-10
Option 2: Gentler Approach
Year 1: Latina Christiana II
Year 2: Henle Latin 1: Units 1 and 2
or if starting Latin for the first time:
Year 1: Latina Christiana I
Year 2: Latina Christiana II
Recommended Additional Resource:
Lingua Angelica
Christian Latin Reading Course By Cheryl Lowe & Paul O’Brien
British Alternative
Option 1: Intensive Approach
The Approach to Latin, First Part by J.Paterson and E.Macnaughton
Year 1: pp.59-143 (about 28 pages a term)
Year 2: pp.144-239 (about 32 pages a term)
Note: This is the schedule used by the Parents’ Union Schools in the 1960s. O Level Latin was taken at the end of Approach to Latin Part 2. The standard achieved was roughly equivalent to the current A level standard. This option is recommended for academically oriented children requiring a challenge and will enable children to read Latin texts in the original. It requires a teacher familiar with Latin, or who is prepared to commit time and effort to master the material alongside the child.
Option 2: Gentler Approach
Year 1: Latina Christiana II
Year 2: The Approach to Latin, First Part, pp.4-58 (about 18 pages a term)
or if starting Latin for the first time:
Year 1: Latina Christiana I
Year 2: Latina Christiana II
Note: This approach would complete The Approach to Latin, First Part by age 15 or 16. This should easily enable a child to take the current Latin GCSE.
Recommended Additional Resource:
Lingua Angelica
Christian Latin Reading Course By Cheryl Lowe & Paul O’Brien
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PICTURE STUDY (once weekly)
See notes on picture study for instructions for picture study. (Suggested pictures and reading TBA)
Year 1: Realism
- Term 1: John-Francois Millet
- Term 2: James McNeill Whistler
- Term 3: John Singer Sargent
Alternative: American Artists:
Replace Millet with Mary Cassatt
Year 2: Baroque Art
- Term 1: Peter Paul Rubens
- Term 2: Rembrandt van Rijn
- Term 3: Diego Velazquez
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MUSIC APPRECIATION (once weekly)
* Music Masters Set 3 (Handel, Beethoven, Wagner, Dvorak, Haydn, Vivaldi/Corelli). CDs can also be bought separately as The Story of Brahms etc. Study one composer each term.
Follow up each Music Masters CD by listening to complete works by the featured composer.
Note: Other Music Masters CDs can be substituted so that all children in a family can study the same composer.
Recommended Resource:
Masters of Classical Music, Vols.1-10 (Box Set) - economical set of 10 CDs, each featuring works by a different composer. Ideal as follow up listening to the Music Masters CDs (includes Beethoven, Wagner and Vivaldi).
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ART (Twice weekly)
Year 1:Â Artistic Pursuits, Grades 4-6:Book 2, Color and Composition
Year 2: Artistic Pursuits, the Element of Art Composition:Junior High Book 1 – The Elements of Art and Composition
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MUSIC
- Continue (or start) studying a musical instrument.
- Regular opportunities for singing should be provided.
- Learn traditional Catholic hymns, including at least three in Latin
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PRACTICAL WORK
- Help in house and yard (garden).
- Work on learning a practical craft or skill of your choice.
