Social Studies Curriculum Plan Catholic Textbook Project

This is what we plan on using for Middle School and High School:

Grade 6:  From Sea to Shining Sea: The Story of America {chapters 1-10}

 

Grade 7:  From Sea to Shining Sea: The Story of America {chapters 11-20}

 

Grade 8:  All Ye Lands: World Cultures and Geography

 

Grade 9:  Light to the Nations, Part I: Development of Christian Civilization

 

 

Grade 10:  Light to the Nations, Part II: The Making of the Modern World

 

Grade 11:  One Nation, Under God: The American Achievement {still in production}

 

Grade 12:  {in production}

We've decided to stay and stick with Catholic Textbook Project (CTP) for several reasons:

1.  it's a Catholic publisher, Loyola Press
2. it incorporates history with Church history, so when you learn about what was going on in the US history wise, you also see what was going on with the Church in the US! {I just love this!}
3. it teaches Religion and SS all in one

Phase I of this project was started in 2002 and was supposed to be for grades 6-12 and then Phase II was supposed to start in 2008 for grades 1-5.  I can't wait to see the text for the little ones, that is so needed!  :)

CTP in the news:
April 19, 2004 - "Diocese of Peoria Textbook Review" (pdf)


September, 2003 - Religious Life interview with Michael van Hecke (pdf)


Aug 21, 2003 – Seeking Textbooks Fit for Catholic Schools - EWTN (link)

Aug 28, 2003 - Lou Dobbs Tonight story - transcript from CNN.com (pdf)

Aug 21, 2003 - Zenit interview - transcript (pdf)

Aug 21, 2003 - Zenit interview at EWTN (pdf)

September, 2002 - National Catholic Register Story (link)

April, 2002 - "Fresh Tools for Teaching Old Truths" Catholic Exchange (pdf)



  

 

I stand Corrected

Todd, my DH, was looking at some of the texts I like for the kids (mainly the two eldest) and mentioned that the Baltimore Catechism that I was referring to was the wrong one.  The NEW St. Joseph Baltimore Catechism was apparently written in the 70's and not the one we would like for our children to use.  BACK STORY:  My DH is a convert, celebrated his 15th year in the Church this Easter.  He was baptized in the Weslayan Church and converted at 24 years old (LOL, do the math).  I've noticed a pattern in people who convert, they tend to be very traditional in their faith; otherwise, it would look like the same old thing.

Anyway, back to the correct book.  The one we would like to use is the Baltimore Catechism No. 1 By: Third Plenary Council of Baltimore.  It is the original 1885 edition.  We are going ahead and getting No. 2 & 3 (the companion books) since the grade range is 4-7.  The set is relatively inexpensive and I found it here.

Curriculum: Some Peace of Mind

So in my quest for the right curriculum for my children, I have some sound peace of mind in two areas. One, writing and two, religion.

I'll start with writing. Of all the programs I used as a Language Arts teacher in both in

elementary and middle schools, the simplest and most versatile one I've seen is the Four Squares Writing Method. I love it because it can be used from Pre-K to Middle School and you can build it up as the years go by. It is also pretty cost effective as you can create a lot of the promp

ts/topics on your own as well as making the organizers (to brainstorm) either by hand or using a program like Publisher.

If you are interested in using this method, you would start with their basic book, The Four Square Writing Method. There is a book for grades 1-3, another for 4-6, and yet another for grades 7-9. I used the 7-9 in my sixth grade classroom. It worked just fine! In retrospect, I wish I would have been able to use this program solely in my classroom but I had to follow the grammar book in addition to teaching Writing so I could only use it as a supplement. For my home school, I will be using it as the curriculum. You can pick up a copy of this method on eBay or at your local teacher store (sometimes expensive).

Now for religion, my husband and I love the Baltimore Catechism so we will be using that for the kids as well. The Baltimore Catechism, used in most parochial schools until the 1

960's, was written in the 1800s. Come to think of it, while my son used the Loyola Press book in class at the Catholic school he attended, my husband and I supplemented with the Baltimore. So it is definitely a no brainer as to what we are using for Religion. My eldest would be doing first year Confirmation Prep-can't believe it!!! Didn't he just make his First Communion? I'm so in denial!

In addition to the Saint Joseph Baltimore Catechism we will be using the New Missal Latin Book 1 to learn the parts of the Extraordinary Mass as well as learning Latin. So it gives us a two in one. I know that others really recommend Prima Latina to teach Latin, I have to look into that one.