The Hickory Chair

Review:

By this point, the class should know every region of the USA except the Southeast. (Though many have probably learned those by now as well).

• Go through the states, together, section by section.
• Go through the regions, section by section.
• As you point to different regions, ask the class “do you remember anything significant about this region?” or “What is a unique landmark or city in this region?” “What is the geography / natural habitat of this region?” Etc.

Introduce the New Region: the Southeast

Tell the class we are beginning our last region, then go through the 12 Southeast states, one by one, saying each one out loud.

Ask the class: What do they know about this region in history? Depending on how much you want to share, Wikipedia has a great summary on the history of this region. Some noteworthy things you could quickly mention. (Because our co-op takes place in this area, we focused a little more on our home state)

• The Settlement of Jamestown, Virginia in 1607
• Plantations growing Tobacco, Cotton, Indigo, and Rice all became popular 1600-1800s. Slavery ongoing through this time
• Yorktown Virginia significant in the Revolutionary War (1776)
• More Presidents from Virginia than any other state (8; 4 of the first 5) – lots of early history, presidential houses, and areas.
• Civil War 1860s, post-war South filled with suffering. The civil war freed the slaves, but also crushed the economy in the south and left many with damaged homes and crops.
• Mississippi River useful for trade, exploration
• Louisiana Purchase of 1803, (acquired much more than Louisiana)

Introduce the New Story:

Actually, The Hickory Chair never says where or when it takes place. We have only a few hints – by observing the clothes they’re wearing and the houses they live in. It seems like we are in the south. We know from US History that black culture is stronger in the south. The large planks and open beams seem more like a typical older southern home. The “molasses voice” the author refers to also reminds of the deep southern accents, typically associated with black culture and the south. So we will assume this is somewhere in the south.

As you read, tell the class you are looking for DESCRIPTIVE WORDS (Adjectives). This becomes more important when they realize Louis is blind – but don’t tell them that yet. 🙂

Create a spot on the board for “Descriptive Words”, and start a list as you read and as the class picks out the words.

Further Discussion after Reading the Book:

• What was this family like? Did they like each other? How can you tell? (Funerals often stressful times, yet family is all together, kind, encouraging)
• Did the family treat Louis any differently because he was blind? Did Gran stream him any differently because he was blind? (No, recognized things he was good at – “blind sight”)
• What do you think about Gran’s nicknames? “My favorite …” Did she make anyone feel any more or less special (No, because they were specific to only that person)
• Why were the descriptive words especially important in the story? Who would be most benefited by the extra description? Why?

 

Homework Introduction / Class Lesson

Have the class open up their notebooks and look again at the copywork they completed at the beginning of class. What kind of descriptive words do they see within the copywork?

• What kinds of things did the descriptive words help us understand in the story?
• Why would these descriptions be helpful to someone like Louis?
• How can descriptions be helpful when we write a story?
• What do you call a descriptive word?

For this week’s homework, you are going to describe 2 or 3 (3 for older kiddos) common things from your house. (It shouldn’t be something so strange or specific that we can’t guess it). Without seeing, smelling, feeling, or touching your thing – we need to be able to guess what it is.

If you have any that aren’t able to write as many words as they need, encourage them just to try their best with writing and assure them they can tell the class orally next week.

A few rules:

• Don’t use a word that is in the name (or close to the name) of the object in your description. (If you were trying to describe a toothbrush, don’t use the words tooth, teeth, or brush in your description).
• Try not to be so obvious in your description. We should have to think at least a little :).
• When you have finished writing your descriptions, underline or highlight the adjectives (describing words).
• How many did you use? ___________

Example: I am two feet long and little more than one foot wide. Sometimes my insides are filled with soft, fluffy, feathers. Sometimes they are filled with squishy polyester. But almost always, I am a cozy place to lay your head. What am I?

 

 

Homework Review:

Ask the students to pull out their binders and homework from last week.

• Go around the room, asking each student to read aloud their paragraph of something they were afraid of.
• Let students take turns reading or reciting Deut 31:6 for the class.

Offer encouragement and praise, bring out well-done assignments to further emphasize concepts previously taught and use them for teachable moments.

Homework:

• Journal: “What Am I?” Descriptive Writing
• Journal: Southeast States Geography – Label / Glue the Southeast States, Choose 3 and find / write out 3 interesting or historical facts about the state.
• Learn the 12 Southeast States. Review the rest of the USA
  • Stack the States and US Map Quiz both have a great app. You can access a bunch of States and Capitals songs on the home page for this curriculum

Remind the class to be thinking over the books done through the year – next week we will review books and characters and select 1 of each to give a brief report about.

Extra Time?

Review the States with Laser Pointers

Class 2

Things I Need:

• The Hickory Chair Book
• All the books you have read to the co-op this year (if possible, you also could click through this site with the class real quick to show them the different books and refresh their memories)
• Map of the USA, especially showing the Southeast States
• Learning the USA through Lit Journal – Hickory Chair Add In Pages 2nd Class
• Scissors, Gluesticks, Pencils
• A sample “book report” if you are able to create one

Before the class: set out the new journal pages (there should be 5) with the Hickory Chair Bible verse copywork page on top of their desks as you are setting up the class. Have your class helper(s) help the kids punch their new journal pages and add them to their binders.

Homework:

• Journal: “Landmarks of the Southeast” Research and Writing
• Journal: Book Report Beginnings (2 week project) Begin work on their end of the year book report. Details in the journal.
• Memorize one or both of the verses (Proverbs 13:22 and 1 John 4:19)
• Learn the 12 Southeast States. Review the rest of the USA
  • Stack the States and US Map Quiz both have a great app. You can access a bunch of States and Capitals songs on the home page for this curriculum

Further Discussion from the Copywork:

Before you do this, it is helpful to look through the The Hickory Chair book with the class again. This is a book that you truly have to read several times to really appreciate. There are tiny little details, even within the illustrations, that truly add to the story.

A few really neat details that I didn’t notice until later readings: 

• The tiny paper that is pulled out at the end by a grandchild, is pulled from the same place that he pulled out the batting, many years earlier. What does this say about Gran? (must have had a great memory and care for her children to remember such details from their time together.)
• The Bible – not only does it mention her Bible is “tattered,” you also see it in several illustrations within the book. She often had her Bible with her. What does this say about Gran? What does this say about her family?
• In her death – the family is really not sad. They are sad, of course but you can tell they are also truly joyful. Why might this be? (Psalm 116, ‘precious is the death of the saints in the sight of the Lord’, Philippians 1, “for me to live is Christ and to die is gain …” 1 Thes 4, “for we are not as the rest who grieve with no hope…”) For a Christian who has truly trusted in the Lord Jesus – death is not a sad thing, it is a reunion with their Lord.

Have the class take out the copywork verses they just copied. Have two students take turns reading the verses. Do they have any ideas why these verses were selected?

We love because he first loved us ….

Gran’s love for her children is evident in her very detailed notes, care, and attention to detail in all the small things of their lives. Yet also, you frequently see Gran with her Bible in hand, and the author says her Bible is “tattered.” Discuss how Gran is able to love so deeply (because she seems to know the one who loved her so deeply).

You can share the famous quote from Charles Spurgeon,

“A bible that is falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn’t”

A good man stores up an inheritance for his children’s children …

This is one I hesitated to include (it’s not usually on the top on any Bible memory list 😉 – but really, this is exactly what she did. Because of her great love for her children and grandchildren, she left them all an inheritance. Was it big or great? No, it wasn’t. But it was from the heart. Given with love, and received with appreciation.

Many concepts that could be further discussed here: thankfulness, thoughtfulness, giving, caring for others, what is a good man

Homework Review:

Have the class take out their homework from last week. Go around the room and let each one share their “who am I?” descriptions. You can have the class close their eyes as each one reads for effect, or to encourage them to use their hearing sense more clearly.

Encourage the readers to use expression in their voice when describing their objects.

Consider using the class buzzers or hand-raising for guesses. Praise good use of description and adjectives. This should be a fun time.

After you finish the “who am I?” exercise, go around the room again to find out what was discovered about the Southeast area. Any interesting historical facts?

Introduce their Homework: The Book Report

This assignment is a 2-week assignment and basically a culmination of everything they’ve learned. Use the rest of the class to teach them what a book report is and how to present it.

The best way to do this of course, is to do one yourself. Consider pre-making a book report, complete with a cover, written report, extra things to add it. The skies the limit – but you do what them to produce a good, finished product.

If you have a student who doesn’t like to write so much, encourage them to create something. If you have someone who is very artistic, encourage them to draw one of the characters from the book.

But every book report should include

• a cover
• a one page summary of the book (think 5 W’s + why I liked it)
• a drawing/collage from one scene in the book
• a page for something extra (character sketch, poem, drawing, recipe the want to make, – their choice)

Go through all the homework pages, make sure the class understands this is a TWO WEEK assignment and that you want them to do THEIR BEST.

**In my experience with homeschoolers, many of them need an outlet to be able to prove themselves in a sense. Home doesn’t give enough “competition” to try my best at an assignment, or to get so creative with something. The point of this assignment is to help them really put forth the effort. To choose a book they care about, to get involved with it, and to create something they are really proud of.

That’s it for the week. Tell them even though they don’t need to hand in their reports next week, they still need to know what book they’re working on before next week and show you “progress”. They also still need their landmark’s sheet completed.

Homework:

• Journal: “Landmarks of the Southeast” Research and Writing
• Journal: Book Report Beginnings (2 week project) Begin work on their end of the year book report. Details in the journal.
• Memorize one or both of the verses (Proverbs 13:22 and 1 John 4:19)
• Learn the 12 Southeast States. Review the rest of the USA
  • Stack the States and US Map Quiz both have a great app. You can access a bunch of States and Capitals songs on the home page for this curriculum