Christian Studies for 9-12th grade
I have just read through "The Latin Centered Curriculum" and am trying to quick, fast and in a hurry put the curriculum suggestions to use with my 9th grade daughter. The book suggests a thorough study of the book of Job for 9th grade. The sample schedule has 2 hours slotted for Christian Studies. How do you suggest I go about this over the course of the year? Should she read it in its entirety first and then go back and read through, chapter by chapter each week? Looking for lots of suggestions that will spread this over the year, and fill up that 2 hours. (Study guide suggestions,
course outline, etc would be appreciated)
Nota Bene: I really really really like this book!!!
Ideas
First, I'd talk to your pastor (assuming you have one) about a commentary that is in line with your church's doctrine. Then, I'd make sure that I had an amplified Bible on hand, as well as at least two translations. Make sure one translation is KJV, and the other I'd use whatever your dd is used to studying. Also, make sure you have a copy of Strong's Concordance, so you can look up ambiguous words and get their Hebrew meaning. This is how I was taught to do an indepth study when I was a teen:
If you want, you can do a survey first (read it through). After that, take a chapter or two a week. Read through the chapter. Then go through verse by verse, looking up any references in the amplified Bible to see what other verses have similar themes or use the same phrases. Take notes on anything that seems to have bearing on the topic at hand. Look up any large or unusual words (or words that don't seem to make sense) in Strongs and write out the definitions in your notes. Look at the way the chapter was translated in both Bibles. What literary nuances seem to be present? Then read through the commentary. Do you agree or disagree with what it says? What insight does it provide? How would you comment differently on the section? Finally, pick a verse for memory work. It can either be a verse from the chapter you are reading or one of the verses you looked up.
Another thing that would be helpful (and is not something I was taught to do) is to get an idea of the date we believe the book was written, and the date we believe it entered oral history. Do a short study on the history of those times. Also, look at the history of the time when the KJV was written and how the English language has changed during this time. This will help you better understand the context of the book and the anachronisms that may be present because the author and translators are attempting to present the information in a context understandable to their audience. It will help you understand why certain phrases were chosen in different translations and when things are meant literally or metaphorically.
This will easily take 2 hours a week, and likely all of the year. If you still have time left over at the end of the year, you could have her write a short essay about the book. It could be historical, a commentary, what she has learned from it, or whatever. If, after all this, you still have time left over, you could work on committing as much of the book as you have time for to memory. Or you could get commentaries from other denominational groups, or commentaries by the early Church fathers, and compare them to what you have learned.
HTH,
Heather
Mama to Mary (9), Ian (5), and Alistair (3.5)