Reflecting Back on Middle School Home School

Dear friends,

This reflection is bittersweet for me since I officially retired from home schooling this year. I haven't posted on this blog in a few years, and I think this will be my last entry here. I do know that blog is still read, mainly via Google searches on literature studies, so I'm leaving it up as a resource.

I was just reminiscing back on home schooling during the middle school years. My first child started 6th grade in 1998 and my tenth (and last) child just finished 6th grade in May.  That's a lot of years with middle school students in the house.

My youngest started public school this month for 7th grade, and is making a good transition. I'm very relieved about that since this summer I went back to work part time (on a crisis and human services referral phone line). Next month I start seminary full time too, starting out with Church History, Christian Ethics, and Inductive Bible Study (much of which is literary analysis).  

(Edit to add in 2021: my "retirement" didn't last long. I brought my daughter home again before the end of that year of public school since it wasn't a good fit. We're about to start 10th grade at home, and I will also be teaching middle school and high school language arts in a homeschool hybrid program. In the meantime, I graduated from seminary and continued to work part-time.)

Anyway, I was just thinking about how so much of what I taught for middle school, I was actually teaching to myself as well. The lessons I learned then are vital to what I am doing now with work and school. Even some of the subjects I'm taking this first semester at seminary are ones I've touched on in my classrooms.

I've always said teaching middle school was my favorite, and I think that was especially true in the many years I taught at a home school co-op. The co-op class I taught was supposedly language arts, but I strongly believe in integrating subjects for maximum effect, so I, um, stretched that considerably. I threw history, music, and fine arts into the mix. I guess you could say it was more of a humanities class. While I had to teach grammar, it certainly wasn't my emphasis. I'm much more of an ideas and creativity teacher. Many of the posts on this blog are fruits of those co-op years.

Here are some of the methods and concepts I taught, along with related blog posts. Please note that these posts are just a sample of what we did. Also, most of them are several years old, so links and photos may not work or show up correctly. I don't have the time to fix all of them. Some of the links are also to some of my other blogs, like the one I used for class assignments.

Here we go!

Integrating Language Arts with Humanities

I integrated our literature, writing assignments, and art appreciation around whatever time period and geographic region they were studying in their history classes, which alternated each year between world history and American history

• "I Have a Dream" by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Video, Text, Study Questions and Writing Assignment)
• The Witch of Blackbird Pond Literature Study
• Johnny Tremain Study Guide
• Across Five Aprils Literature Study Questions and Related Poetry
• Caddie Woodlawn Literature Study Questions
• Medieval Legends and King Robert Bruce
• The Art of Albrecht Dürer

Ideas, Themes, and Character Qualities

We explored the deeper ideas and themes in literature - such as compassion, honesty, diligence, and courage - rather than just recalling facts - see above literature studies plus these posts: 

• Read, Reflect & Respond
• Honesty (A Mini-Unit Study)
• "With Literature and Justice for All" Workshop

Writing Skills and Formats

• Sentence Style Variety for Writing
• How to Write a How To!
• Christian Biography Report Questions
• The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Study Guide I wanted the students to think about their own unique personalities and values. For example, while studying The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis, I created two contrasting assignments based on the huge house of the professor and the tiny home of Tumnus: "Imagine that you could design a dream house that reflects your own interests. It can be as large or as small as you want. Where will it be? What will it look like on the outside? Describe each room in your house. What will they be used for? What will they contain?" And then, "Yesterday you wrote about a big house you would like to live in. Today, you are going to write about a small one. If you had an entire home to live in by yourself that was as small as Tumnus's cave room, what would it be like? Make a list of what would you need to live in your home and a few extra things that you would want. What are some practical ways you could “make do” in such a small space?"

Effective and Ineffective Communication

We learned how to spot logical fallacies, like false dichotomies (either-or), band wagon, generalizations, etc. I wish I had posted these lessons on the blog! I think I lost them forever!

We discussed how to discern communication styles as passive, aggressive, passive-aggressive, and/or assertive.

We often talked about the importance of credibility, clarity, and creativity in communication.

World Religions

I taught the vocabulary and concepts of major world religions and belief systems such as Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, animism, atheism/humanism, etc.

• Islam Vocabulary and Concepts
• Judaism Vocabulary and Concepts
• Holocaust Vocabulary and Concepts

Greek and Latin Word Roots

We learned important Greek and Latin word roots and the English vocabulary derived from them. This was based on English from the Roots Up by Joegil Lundquist.

Great American Communicators 

During our American history years, we learned about men and women who made significant contributions to communications in various areas and time periods. Here are a few of the many. I think there were more women than just Phillis Wheatley.

• Sequoyah
• Patrick Henry
• Benjamin Franklin
• Thomas Jefferson
• Phillis Wheatley

Bible and Theology

• The Bible as Literature
• Learning Vocabulary from the Bible
• The Life of Joseph in Genesis
• Art for the Book of Daniel
• Study Questions for the Book of Daniel
• Art for the Book of Esther
• Study Questions for the Book of Esther
• The Bronze Bow Literature Study
• Easter Assignment: Palm Sunday and Cleansing
• Easter Assignment: The Last Supper and Trial
• Easter Assignment: The Death of Christ
• Easter Assignment: The Resurrection
• The Apostles' Creed
• St. Francis of Assisi in History, Current Events, Literature, Writing, Art & Music

Christmas Studies

In December, we focused on Christmas carols, poems, stories, and art appreciation. We also usually had a Christmas program with each class presenting different pieces.

• Masterpieces of the Infant Jesus at the National Gallery of Art
• Yuletide and Christmas: St. Boniface and "The Holly and the Ivy"
• "Christmas Once is Christmas Still" by Phillips Brooks
• Obfuscated Christmas Carols Quiz

Poetry Appreciation and Writing

Most of our lessons included poetry, and I often had them try writing different styles of poetry. Some of the literature studies I already linked have poetry in them, but here are two additional poems.

• "If" by Rudyard Kipling
• "Truth Never Dies"

Teaching Character and Wisdom

These posts are not from the home school co-op teaching. Some are excerpts from one of my books, which are now out of print. I need to refresh myself on these concepts - they are just as needed when a child is in public school!

• Learn to Discern by Virginia Knowles
• Justice and Mercy by Virginia Knowles
• Preparing Our Children for the Storms of Life

One last thought about learning at any age...

"The entire object of true education is to make people
not merely to do the right things, but to enjoy them;
not merely industrious, but to love industry;
not merely learned, but to love knowledge;
not merely pure, but to love purity;
not merely just, but to hunger and thirst after justice."

John Ruskin, 1819-1900
English writer, art critic, professor, reformer

All the best to you in home schooling for middle school!

Virginia Knowles

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Study Guide, Part 1 with Web Links

Friends,

 In our home school co-op, the 5th-6th English class that I teach is reading The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe from the Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis.  We do about two chapters per week, and I am creating the study questions, writing assignments and activities as I go.  There are 17 chapters in the book, and so far I have finished up through chapter 8.  I'll post the other 9 chapters later on! (Edit to add - many years later, I never did!)

The study questions are a mix of simple recall and deeper reflection.  Occasionally, I refer to vocabulary words, grammar, punctuation, or literary devices.  Some of the writing assignments are geared for practical real life application, while others stimulate imagination and creativity.  If you have study questions or writing assignments to suggest, please add them in a comment!

At the bottom of this post, I have included several links to other on-line study guides for this book.  Some of them are suitable for older or younger children.  Quite the smorgasbord!  There is also a YouTube clip from the movie sound track.  You may want to watch the movie after reading the book and discuss how things are different or the same between them.

The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe

Study Questions and Writing Assignments

Part 1: Chapters 1-8

Chapter 1: Lucy Looks Into a Wardrobe

The main elements of a story are the characters, the setting (time and place), and the plot.

Characters

1. List all of the characters mentioned in this chapter.
2. Match the four children with these descriptions:

          ____________________ is sassy, grouchy and mocking.

          ____________________ is sentimental and nurturing.

          ____________________ is adventurous and intelligent leader.

          ____________________ is cautious but curious.

Settings

What is the historical time period? In 1940-1941, during World War 2, Nazi Germany bombed London and other British cities. Over 43,000 people died and 140,000 were injured. For their own safety, thousands children were sent to live in the country with relatives, friends, and even strangers. Author C.S. Lewis draws on his memories of hosting refugee children in his country home as he writes this book.

3. List the three settings in this chapter.
4. What are some of things that the children find in the rooms?

Writing Assignment

Imagine that you could design a dream house that reflects your own interests. It can be as large or as small as you want. Where will it be? What will it look like on the outside? Describe each room in your house. What will they be used for? What will they contain? 


Activity: Draw your dream house: what it looks like from the front, what one room looks like, a floor plan.  Download SketchUp for free and try designing a 3-D model of it.

Chapter 2: What Lucy Found There

1. Tumnus, the Faun, asks Lucy if she is a Daughter of Eve? What does he mean by that? Why is Lucy confused?
2. List the four different kinds of forest creatures who live in Narnia.
3. What was Tumnus plotting when he lured Lucy into his cave and lulled her to sleep with food, stories, and flute playing?
4. What could be the consequence if he did not carry through on his plan?
5. What are three ways we can tell that Tumnus is remorseful and repentant?

Writing Assignment

Yesterday you wrote about a big house you would like to live in. Today, you are going to write about a small one. If you had an entire home to live in by yourself that was as small as Tumnus's cave room, what would it be like? Make a list of what would you need to live in your home and a few extra things that you would want. What are some practical ways you could “make do” in such a small space?

Activity:

Plan to invite a friend over for a simple meal or dessert.  What will you serve? What activities will you do?  Think about what you can do to make your guest feel welcome and comfortable.

Chapter 3: Edmund and the Wardrobe

1. Lucy thinks she has been gone for “hours and hours” but her brothers and sister say they saw her only a few minutes ago. Why?
2. What do her brothers and sister think and do about what she has told them?
3. When Edmund apologizes to Lucy for not believing her, is he showing true remorse? How do we know?
4. A “sledge” is another word for sleigh, a vehicle that travels over the snow on runners. What kind of animals are pulling the sleigh, and who is driving it?

Creative Assignment

Draw a picture of the White Witch, also known as the Queen of Narnia. Or create your own villain or superhero and provide captions to describe what they can do.

Chapter 4: Turkish Delight

1. How are the White Witch's inward attitudes different from her outer actions? What do we call this?
2. How did the food and drink appear?
3. Why did Edmund want more and more Turkish Delight? How did this affect his ability to think about what he was doing and saying?
4. After flattering him by telling him how wonderful he is (when he actually isn't), what does the White Witch promise Edmund, and what must he do to get what is promised?
5. Why does the White Witch want Edmund to keep it a secret?

Writing Assignment

Write a paragraph about something that a person your age might want to do or have more than anything. Tell why this might become addictive (something they can't seem to give up, even if they try) and what the consequences might be if they continue to give in to this strong desire. How could they overcome it?

Activity:

Buy some Turkish Delight (which you might find at a Middle Eastern grocery store) and serve with a hot drink.

Chapter 5: Back on This Side of the Door

1. “Go on Edmund; tell them all about it.” A semi-colon is used to separate sections of the sentence. A semi-colon is stronger than a comma, but not as strong as a period. Write your own sentence with a semi-colon.
2. Edmund is acting really nasty in this chapter. What are some synonyms (similar meaning words) of nasty that are used in this chapter to describe Edmund and his actions? (P.S. A word to compare how nasty something is is nastier and someone who is the most nasty is called nastiest. One sentence also says that he gave a little snigger, which is a short mocking laugh.
3. Why did the Professor suggest that Lucy might actually be telling the truth? Give at least three reasons.
4. The Professor also suggests only three possibilities about what Lucy is aying: that she is lying, that she is mad, or that she is telling the truth. That may be true in this situation, but in general life, there is actually a fourth possibility. Someone can be sincerely mistaken after being given misleading, confusing, or false information. They may not be accurate, but they are not intentionally deceiving anyone or being crazy. Tell of a time when this happened to you or someone you know.
5. Why did all four children end up going into the wardrobe in this chapter?

Writing Assignment

The Professor suggests that Lucy is more credible (believable) than Edmund. If you want people to think that you are credible, what kind of character and actions do you need to have? Name a fairy tale or other commonly known story where someone lacked credibility? Why? What was the result?

Chapter 6: Into the Forest

1. What did the children discover at the Faun's home?
2. What is the “Queen's” first name?
3. What is Lucy's response when Susan says they should go home? What does this say about her character?
4. How did the children know which way to go to look for Tumnus?

Writing Assignment

In one paragraph, describe something that you have had to do that required risk or extra effort. What was the result?

Chapter 7: A Day with the Beavers

1. Anthropomorphism is when an animal, plant, or deity is given human characteristics, behavior and language. Anthro means human and morph means change. List all of the animals and plants that act like humans in this chapter, and tell what they can do. Be as complete and as specific as you can, thinking especially of things that humans can do that animals and plants can't.
2. List your three favorite animal characters that act like humans in other stories. Each one should be from a different story or series. (Disney movies are a good source for this!)
3. Body language is an important part of communication, sometimes even more important than the actual words that you say. What did Mr. Beaver communicate by his gestures?
4. What object did Mr. Beaver give to the four children to gain their trust?
5. 2 Corinthians 2:14-16a says, “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life.” Thinking about those verses, why do you think each of the children subconsciously reacted in a different way to the mention of Aslan's name? You may have to ponder this question a little bit, or ask a parent for help.
6. What do you think Edmund was thinking when he saw the two little hills?
7. List five things that the children ate or drank at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Beaver. Which of these would you most enjoy?

Writing Assignment:

The author compares the children's reaction to the mention of Alsan's name to being in the middle of a dream and not understanding the details but somehow still grasping the significance of it. Write about an interesting, funny, or confusing dream or a nightmare that you remember. Do you think there was any meaning to it? For example, had you been thinking or wishing or worrying about something, and then dreamed about it?

Activity:

Demonstrate body language with your gestures and facial expressions to show that you are angry, happy, sad, excited, confused, or that you want to be left alone.  Or play Charades!

Chapter 8: What Happened After Dinner

1. What does Mr. Beaver think happened to Tumnus the Faun, and what does he say is the only hope for rescuing him?
2. Copy the poem that Mr. Beaver quotes about Aslan.
3. How do Mrs. and Mr. Beaver each reply when Lucy asks if Aslan is safe?
4. Where will the children meet Aslan?
5. What is the prophecy about the Sons of Adam and the Daughters of Eve?
6. Why did Mr. Beaver think that Edmund had betrayed them to the White Witch?
7. What is the most immediate danger at the end of the chapter?

Writing Assignment:

Write a factual paragraph about beavers. Include an introduction sentence, one sentence each about what beavers look like, where they live, and what they eat, and then a concluding sentence.  

Activity:

Play the Statues game -- all you need is four players and some space to move around!

Links to other study guides for The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe:

• Spark Notes
• eNotes
• Grade Saver
• Scholastic
• Oxford Tutorials
• Shmoop
• United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
• Cowden-Herrick On-Line Interactive Activities

Islam Vocabulary and Concepts

Dear friends,

In my middle school English class at our (former) home school co-op last spring, I gave my students an assignment to read a missionary biography and write a report about it.  In conjunction with this, I taught a series on major religions and world views, explaining the vocabulary and concepts behind Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, atheism/secularism, communism/socialism, tribal religions and Judaism. You can find the Judaism list here: Judaism Vocabulary and Concepts.  

This is the vocabulary word list for Islam.  In addition to the following vocabulary words, I printed out current news reports related to Islam, plus an article about Samuel Zwemer, who was a missionary to Muslims.  We discussed all of this in class, as well as comparing Islam with the Christian Bible.  For more information on Islam from a Christian perspective, visit www.answering-islam.org/.

Islam Vocabulary Words

• Allah: name for God; they often say "Insha Allah" which means "if Allah is willing"
• Arabic: the language that the Qur'an is written in
• burqa: full coverage clothing worn by many Muslim women
• caliph: ruler of an Islamic Empire -- or a representative
• Crusades: the battles that the Catholic church waged against Islam in an attempt to capture the Holy Lands during the Middle Ages.
• fatwa: religious verdict/ruling; (in 1989, the Ayatollah Khomeini of Iran issued a fatwa that sentenced author Salman Rushdie to death for publishing an anti-Islamic book but the fatwa was lifted 1998)
• Five Pillars of Islam: the main duties of Muslims: shahada, salat, zakat, sawm, and hajj
• Gabriel: the angel who supposedly spoke to the Prophet Mohammad
• hajj: A pilgrimage to Mecca, the birthplace of Mohammad, is one of the five pillars of the Islamic faith.
• imam: a leader of Muslim religious services
• Islam: the name of the religion which worships Allah -- it means "submission to the will of Allah"
• jihad:“striving” or “holy war”
• minaret: a tower of the mosque where the muezzin issues the call to prayer
• Mohammad: prophet who founded Islam, also spelled Muhammad or Mohammed
• mosque: a Muslim place of worship
• muezzin: a man who calls others to pray five times a day, usually from a minaret
• mulla: a scholar or teacher of Islamic law
• Muslim: a member of the religion of Islam, also spelled Moslem
• Qur'an: the Muslim holy book, also spelled Koran
• Ramadan: the month of prayer and fasting (Arabic name for fasting is sawm; it is one of the five pillars of Islam); Ramadan ends in the festival of Eid al-Fitr
• salat: the Moslem ritual of praying five times a day after a handwashing ritual. It is one of the five pillars of Islamic faith
• Saudi Arabia: the country where the religion of Islam started
• shahada: the declaration of Muslim faith: "There is no god but Allah; Mohammad is the messenger of Allah." This is the first of the five pillars of Islam
• shari’ah: system of law imposed in Muslim countries -- many Muslims are trying to get shari'ah law into European countries
• Shi’ites: a strict Muslim sect which rejects the first three caliphs, insisting that Mohammad’s son-in-law ’Ah was Mohammad's rightful initial successor; they believe that imams are infallible (never make mistakes); 10% of Muslims (about 170 million) are Shi'ites, and they are predominant in Iran and Iraq
• Sufi: a small Muslim sect of Iranian (Persian) philosophical mystics who have adapted and reinterpreted Islam to make it a "heart religion" rather than a system of rules; they are often persecuted by other Muslims
• Sunni: The largest Muslim sect which acknowledges the first four caliphs as Mohammad’s rightful successors; 90% of Muslims (more than a billion!) are Sunni
• surah: a chapter of the Qur'an -- there are 114 surahs
• zakat: donations or charity; money given to provide education, keep up or build mosques or help the needy -- one of the five pillars of Islam

Islam Vocabulary Questions

1. What are the Five Pillars of Islam?

_____________________ (declaration)

_____________________ (prayer)

_____________________ (charity)

_____________________ (fasting)

_____________________ (pilgrimage)


2. Which three vocabulary words are names of sects of Islam?


__________________________ (biggest one)

__________________________ (strictest one)

__________________________ (mystical one)




3. Which vocabulary words are different kinds of individual people who lead in Islam?

______________________________

______________________________

______________________________


4. How many surahs are in the Qur'an? What language is it written in? What is another spelling for Qur'an?

Great American Communicators: Benjamin Franklin

This is another handout from my series on Great American Communicators that I taught to my students in the middle school English class in a large home school co-op.

Benjamin Franklin’s Contributions to Communications

• Benjamin Franklin was born in 1706, the 15th of the 20 Franklin children! There must have been a whole lot of communicating going on in his house when he was a kid!
• He stopped going to school when he was 10 (his parents couldn’t afford it) but he LOVED to read!
• He apprenticed as a printer -- but he hated working for his brother James and so he ran away.
• His pseudonym (false name) for writing letters to his brother’s paper was “Mrs. Silence Dogood”!
• At age 24 he started the Pennsylvania Gazette newspaper.
• He created the Poor Richard’s Almanack from 1732 to 1757. It was a yearly book with a calendar, list of events, advice, witty sayings, weather predictions, etc.
• He founded the first public library in Philadelphia.
• He established the postal system.
• He founded a college.
• He was elected to the Pennsylvania Assembly in 1751.
• He was sent to England several times to protest their treatment of the American colonies.
• He went as the ambassador to France to persuade them to support the colonies in the Revolutionary War.
• As a delegate to the Second Continental Congress, he helped write the Declaration of Independence.
• He was the only man to sign the Declaration of Independence, the Treaty of Paris AND the Constitution.
• He wrote essays against slavery.
• He tried to invent an easier alphabet, but it never caught on.
• He wrote an autobiography, The Life of Benjamin Franklin.
• I’m not even listing his scientific inventions – just the things that are about communications!

Can you unscramble these words and phrases that appear on this page? riptren, dusymepon, zegatet, clamkaan, clubip rilybar, lopast ystesm, bodarasams, easyss, tunconsittio, goubarthopyai, habalpet

Here are some of Benjamin Franklin's proverbs:  

• An empty bag cannot stand upright.
• Be always ashamed to catch thyself idle.
• The doors of wisdom are never shut.
• Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.
• God helps them that help themselves.
• Hunger never saw bad bread.
• If you'd have a servant that you like, serve your self.
• Keep thy shop and thy shop will keep thee.
• A lie stands on one leg, the truth on two.
• A man without a wife is but half a man.
• Nothing but money is sweeter than honey.
• One today is worth two tomorrows.
• Pay what you owe and you'll know what's your own.
• A quarrelsome man has no good neighbors.
• The rotten apple spoils his companion.
• Speak little, do much.
• Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.
• Up, sluggard, and waste not life; in the grave will be sleeping enough.
• Visits should be short, like a winter's day.
• Well done is better than well said.
• A good example is the best sermon.
• You may delay, but time will not.
• There are lazy minds as well as lazy bodies.
• Let thy child's first Lesson be obedience, and the second will be what thou wilt.
• Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time; for that's the stuff life is made of.
• A good conscience is a continual Christmas.
• God heals, and the doctor takes the fee.

What do these proverbs mean? Can you write some of them in your own words?

Put a star by the ones that talk about working hard and not being lazy.

P.S. Benjamin Franklin spent many years in Philadelphia, including a lot of time working in the building that is now known Independence Hall.  We visited historic Philadelphia this summer; you can see our pictures of the sites here: Historic Philadelphia.

Christian Biography Report Questions

Dear friends,

This spring in my English class at our home school co-op, I assigned for each of the students to read a full-length biography of someone who was a Christian missionary (such as Hudson Taylor, Gladys Aylward, William Carey or Mary Slessor), pastor (such as Charles Spurgeon), author (such as C.S. Lewis), hymn writer (such as Fanny Crosby), etc.  Most of these are from YWAM's Christian Heroes Then & Now series, which most of my students prefer, or the Heroes of the Faith series, which are more complete but not as kid-friendly.

The corresponding writing assignment is to summarize each chapter in at least one paragraph. As they proceed throughout the book, they are answering most of the following questions in their paragraphs, as appropriate for their subject.  Then they will compile their writing into a final report and oral presentation.


Questions for Christian Biography Reports

1. What is this person's name? Was it the same at birth as in adulthood?



2. Where and when was this person born, and under what kind of family circumstances?


3. Who were this person's parents and what were they like?


4. What was this person's childhood like?


5. What was this person's life like before he or she became a Christian?


6. What (and who) led to this person becoming a Christian?


7. Who were the mentors, coworkers, and close friends of this person? What quality of relationships did they have?


8. What were the main events of this person's life, including dates, places and other people?


9. What did this person look like as an adult? Did he or she have any physical handicaps?


10. Where did this person work? (What cities, countries, etc.)


11. What type of ministry and practical work did this person do (writing, preaching, medical, Bible translation, mercy, etc.)?


12. What was the impact of this work on his or her time period?


13. What was the focus of this person's public Christian message? Was there anything unusual or unorthodox?


14. What did this person think about the Bible, salvation, Christian growth, the Holy Spirit, baptism, music, and methods of ministry?


15. What were some notable quotes from this person? What circumstances surrounded each quote -- such as causes or reactions?


16. What personal weaknesses or temptations did this person face, how were these handled, and what kind of problems were caused?


17. What external opposition and dangers did this person face, and what was this person's response to it?


18. Who were this person's spouse(s) and children, what were they like? Was the family relationship strong or strained?


19. What organizations or trends were started based on this person's work?


20. What were the date, place, and circumstances of this person's death?


21. What is the lasting legacy of this person's work and witness?

~*~*~

Since many of them have been reading about foreign missionaries, I have also been giving them vocabulary and basic concepts for the major world religions and ideologies, such as Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, atheism/agnosticism, and Judaism. I will try to post some of this later.

Blessings,
Virginia Knowles

"I Have a Dream" Video, Text, Study Questions and Writing Assignment

Dear friends,

In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, my home school co-op English class is listening to his "I Have a Dream" speech and answering study questions on it.  I thought you might like to join us.  I have split the speech text into three sections to make it more manageable.   You will find a persuasive paragraph writing assignment at the end of this post.

For peace and justice,

Virginia Knowles

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
"I Have a Dream" Speech

August 28, 1963

(Section 1)


I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.


But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.


In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the "unalienable Rights" of "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds."


But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so, we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.


We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.


It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. And those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. And there will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.


(Section 2)


But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.


The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom.


We cannot walk alone.


And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead.


We cannot turn back.


There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. *We cannot be satisfied as long as the negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their self-hood and robbed of their dignity by a sign stating: "For Whites Only."* We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until "justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream."


I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. And some of you have come from areas where your quest -- quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Caontinue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive. Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.


Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.


And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.


I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."


I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.


I have a dream that one day even the Istate of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.


I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.


I have a dream today!


I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.


I have a dream today!


I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."


(Section 3)

This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.


With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.


And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning:


My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.
Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride,
From every mountainside, let freedom ring!


And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.


And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.


Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.


Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.


Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.


Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.


But not only that:


Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.


Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.


Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.


From every mountainside, let freedom ring.


And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:


Free at last! Free at last!
Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!

Study Questions

Section 1

1. Who is the “great American”? Related to that, where does this speech take place?
2. What does “five score years” mean? What one word is a synonym for this?
3. What metaphors are used to describe the problems that Negro Americans faced?
4. What three national documents are mentioned on this page, and why are they capitalized?
5. What is a promissory note, and what does it symbolize here?
6. What phrase (four words) is repeated in the paragraph which starts “We have also come...” What one word in the first line of that paragraph sums up this sentiment?

Section 2

1. That first section ended with a stern warning to those in power that they can’t put off change any longer. This next section starts with an admonition to those who have been oppressed. List at least 3 positive words to show what kind of protest King is encouraging, and at least 3 negative words to show what he wants to avoid.
2. “They have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom.” What to does “inextricably” mean?
3. List at least four specific injustices, listed in this speech, that Negroes faced then.
4. Copy the sentence on this page which refers to Amos 5:24.Copy the sentence in this section which is from the Declaration of Independence.
5. This is the section where the phrase “I have a dream” is repeated. How many times? Summarize what it is that King dreams.
6. What does King want his children to be judged for?
7. Copy the sentence in this section page which refers to Isaiah 40:4.

Section 3

1. What are two key words in the first paragraph of this section? Hint: Each one is repeated several times, and each one gives a clue to how King’s goals will come about.
2. Copy the sentence that refers to music. Why does King use this word picture?
3. King refers to geological features several times. List the proper nouns that refer to this, and then list the common nouns.
4. The phrase “Let freedom ring” is repeated for emphasis. What word, found in the quoted verse of the song “America”, is a synonym for freedom?
5. In the last lines of his speech, King quotes a Negro spiritual song, "Free at Last."

http://www.negrospirituals.com/news-song/free_at_last_from.htm

Free at last, free at last

I thank God I'm free at last

Free at last, free at last

I thank God I'm free at last

Way down yonder in the graveyard walk

I thank God I'm free at last

Me and my Jesus going to meet and talk

I thank God I'm free at last

On my knees when the light pass'd by

I thank God I'm free at last

Tho't my soul would rise and fly

I thank God I'm free at last

Some of these mornings, bright and fair

I thank God I'm free at last

Goin' meet King Jesus in the air

I thank God I'm free at last

WRITING ASSIGNMENT

PERSUASIVE PARAGRAPH ABOUT "I HAVE A DREAM" SPEECH

As you read the speech and write your own paragraph, think about the life behind the words. Dr. King made such a difference because he had passion for what he was saying, and his life backed it up. This man was willing to face hardship and opposition, going to jail, and eventually being assassinated because of the courage of his convictions.  What are you passionate about? What is the life behind your words?  

Your paragraph will be about one of the following topics:

1. What is your dream (life goal or cause) and why do you think people should join or support you in it?
2. Why do you think Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was able to make an impact on history and culture? (Look at the character qualities of the man behind the speech.)
3. Do you think Dr. King's dream has come true? Why or why not? (Look for evidences that history and culture have changed because of his legacy.)
4. What is something that you think people in this country should do to make sure everyone has equal rights?