Our 2014/2015 School Year Folksong Selections

You can see our Youtube Playlist here 

but it doesn't include all of our choices this year.

Remember: participation, not perfection. -Lynn Bruce

We haven't ever followed the rotation at Ambleside Online for hymns, composer study, art study, or folksongs. But, really, why try to reinvent the wheel? Kwim? Actually, I wouldn't say we are following it exactly this year either; but closer than any other year!

This year we are focusing on folksongs. It won't be in place of composer or hymns; those will still be included in our days/weeks. We will be more diligent to include more folksongs. Why are we focusing on folksongs? (from Y11 note)

"From Wikipedia: The terminal state of the loss of folk music can be seen in the United States and a few similar societies, where except in isolated areas and among hobbyists, traditional folk music no longer survives. In the absence of folk music, many individuals do not sing. It is possible that non-singers feel intimidated by widespread exposure in recordings and broadcasting to the singing of skilled experts. Another possibility is that they simply cannot sing, because they did not sing when they were small children, when learning of skills takes place most naturally. Certainly it is very common for contemporary Americans to claim that they cannot sing.
There is anecdotal evidence that the loss of singing ability is continuing rapidly at the present time. As recently as the 1960s, audiences at American sporting events collectively sang the American national anthem before a game; the anthem is now generally assigned to a recording or to a soloist.
Inability to sing is apparently unusual in a traditional society, where the habit of singing folk song since early childhood gives everyone the practice needed to able to sing at least reasonably well." -emphasis mine

That and I personally cannot recall hardly any of the songs I was taught when I was younger. I think it's important to make a connection with culture- another way for the science of relations to be realized. 

Here are the folksongs we will be focusing on this year:

Term 1:
1688-1730 (Y9)
The Sky Boat Song- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ATL4Nfi5-A (lyrics: http://www.contemplator.com/scotland/skyboat.html)

The Ballad of the Green Mountaineers- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4KcJTP8nW8&feature=youtu.be (lyrics on the page)

WWI (Y11)
Over There- http://www.firstworldwar.com/audio/overthere.htm (lyrics on the page)

It’s a Long Way to Tipperary- http://www.firstworldwar.com/audio/itsalongwaytotipperary.htm (lyrics on the page)

There’s a Little Blue Star in the Window -http://www.archeophone.com/sounds/2001/2001-210.mp3 (can't find the lyrics to this one)
Or Danny Boy- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Jgma--0WYU 

AO Rotation
Barbara Allen- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPdbHfgM0h0&list=PLhdiN-Xw0oMw1sgnD6VQxIOqlBPlUxcZv

Term 2:
1730-1786 (Y9)
The Water is Wide- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opfEk_Yoksk

Johnny’s Gone for a Soldier- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCdo-KjiTlc lyrics on the page

WWII (Y11)
White Cliffs of Dover- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuHYnzWHS7o 

AO Rotation
Billy Boy- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKRJuLHU3Qo

Lord Randal- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMR55HoeSG4&index=6&list=PLhdiN-Xw0oMw1sgnD6VQxIOqlBPlUxcZv 

The Keeper Did A-Hunting Go- YT- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=racxiCMSClk&list=PLhdiN-Xw0oMw1sgnD6VQxIOqlBPlUxcZv&index=14

Term 3:
AO Rotation
Yellow Rose in Texas- YT- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZRisGHL7ow&index=17&list=PLhdiN-Xw0oMw1sgnD6VQxIOqlBPlUxcZv

Pick a Bale of Cotton- YT- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ILbUduwBkg

Vietnam/Civil Rights Era (Y11)
Where Have All the Flowers Gone?- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1tqtvxG8O4

Okie from Muskogee- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4AgZST_TG8

Looking Towards 2014-2015 School Year {YIKES!}

The 2013/2014 School Year still has over 2 months left and then there is about 2 more months before we really get rolling with the next year {2014/2015}. But maybe it's not too early to get started. Or too early to already have it all planned...?

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Most of the planning was super easy. Fox's 10th grade {gasp!} will be almost identical to Lee's 10th grade, but will follow even closer the schedule at AO. I'm switching a few of the books as well. I followed the schedule for the devotion The Christian Life by Sinclair Ferguson for Lee but will switch it for The Christian's Secret to a Happy Life by Hannah Whitall Smith for Fox. Also, Lee didn't read History of Rasselas, Prince of Abissinia by Samuel Johnson, but I think Fox will appreciate it more than the one I'd selected for Lee. 

Here are other subs/omissions:

Subbing: 

• Washington: The Indispensable Man by Flexner for Founding Father - Rediscovering George Washington by Richard Brookhiser OR Life of Washington by David Ramsay
• Undaunted Courage by Stephen Ambrose for Walking the Bible by Bruce Feiler

Omitting: 

• The English Constitution by Walter Bagehot
• Mere Christianity C.S. Lewis {he's already read it}
• Simond's Literature - Increase and Cotton Mather from Chapter 1 & 2
• Tale of a Tub by Jonathan Swift
• John Adams and the American Revolution by Catherine Drinker Bowen 
• Letters to His Son by Lord Chesterfield, selections 
• Land of Little Rain by Mary Austin OR 
• Natural History of Selbourne by Gilbert White OR The Life of the Fly by J. Henri Fabre 
• The God Who is There by Francis Schaeffer
• The Story of Painting by H.W. Janson (sections)
  
• Miracle at Philadelphia by Catherine Drinker Bowen
• The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence 
• Faust, Book I by Johann Wolfgang Goethe 
• The Problem of Pain by CS Lewis 
• Postmodern Times by Gene Edward Veith, Jr. 
• Reflections on the French Revolution by Edmund Burke

For science he will use various resources for biology, one being Ellen McHenry's Cells curriculum, and a biology coloring book*. I still need to find some living books to add in for his science. I have a board on Pinterest with science links so I'll be looking in there. But mostly, I'll be looking at the "Alternatives to Apologia" on the AO forum. I am considering CK12 Biology texts*, partially because they are free. Oh, yes, and I am adding in William Harvey and the Discovery of the Circulation of the Blood by Thomas Henry Huxley that was scheduled in the last term of Y8 for this year {I purposefully took it out of his schedule this year}. It'll be in Term 1. And he will still have nature study but I'm not sure I will schedule any books for this because he really doesn't seem to like any of them so far. It could simply be a case of poor disposition...ahem.

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Some other things will be 'added' in, such as Science Matters by Hazen and Trefil, which we are all reading together at Round Table. It won't last the entire year though. And The Attributes of God by Pink, also a Round Table read. I really want to get Plutarch back into the week. And we do composer study/music appreciation, artist study/art appreciation and drawing, and How to Read a Book for logic. But I think that is about it for Fox's planning. Oh yes, he chose Napoleon for Term 3 biography so I am still looking for a book for that. It's between A Life of Napoleon by Stendhal* or The Story of Napoleon by H.E. Marshall. The second is by far more interesting and an easier read but geared toward younger readers {but it's free online!}. 

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For Lee's senior year I combined AO's Y11Lite and Y12 to come up with a schedule. And since I made it myself, although utilizing AO's curriculum, I feel okay about sharing the link to the document I made of her full year schedule. {If any AOers have a look and feel it's wrong to share, let me know.} Since it's her senior year and I'm fairly sure she will have or want to have a job, I've left it 'light' for the year. Term 2 looks like it has more but that's mostly historical readings that aren't that long; there are just a few of them. 

You should be able to click on it to see it larger in a new window.

So, Lee's scheduling is done. I am pre-reading a book called Poemcrazy* to see if I'll add it to the schedule but as I'm going through it and thinking ahead at what her year might be like, I think it will go on the optional free reads. I don't honestly care for the book. To me, poetry is an art form. But when I read a poem, I want it to make sense. I don't need to necessarily understand what the poet is saying exactly but it should be sensible. It's much like abstract art. I border on loathing abstract art; the same with poetry that is simply made up words, or words just crammed together just because. Call me a hater if you want but I don't care for jabberwocky. But I realize that we are all different. Lee does well with poetry; I do not. She may appreciate the book more than I. 

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And I just bought three more books for next year {Napoleon, The Lives of a Cell*, and A World in a Drop of Water*}. I love planning and don't like it at all. When I'm doing my planning I buy a lot of books. Then sometimes the books don't work out and I still buy more books. I don't sell my books any where near as often...I am done for now with planning! I think I have it all figured out. 

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Until next week that is *wink*.