Classical Composition I - Fable Set (Review)

Today's review item is Classical Composition I -Fable Set from Memoria Press.   For this review, we received the Teacher Guide, Student Book and the Instructional DVD's.  There are a total of 20 lessons in this composition curriculum.  This product can be used for students grades 3 - 12.

The teacher book offers teaching guidelines, a rubric, an introduction to the fable stage, definition of terms and very specific (scripted) lesson plans for each lesson.   The appendix offers an introduction to progymnasmata and figures of description with examples such as : 

Astrothesia (as-tro-the'-si-a):  A vivid description of stars (could include sun, moon and planets).
"The small, cold sun seemed to hang motionless but it was climbing." - Laura Ingalls Wilder, The Long Winter

The student book includes the introduction to the fable stage, the definition of terms and the same appendix as the teacher book.  The pages that accompany the 20 lessons include the fable that the student is to read, questions and ample space for the student to writer their answers and ultimately to rewrite the fable.

The instructional DVD's (there are 4 total) each includes 5 lessons presented by Brett Vaden.   Vaden is an instructor at Highlands Latin School and the Memoria Press Online Academy.  The instruction time per lesson is roughly 30 minutes, however this does not include how long the student works during the "hit pause and write" segments of the DVD instruction.  

With each lesson, you have a short fable to read.   Vaden reads it aloud on the DVD, and the student also reads separately.    You then move to the three plot components for the fable, followed by Variations Part I that includes listing synonyms for words used in the fable,  a brief written summary of the fable followed by paraphrases, narration and then rewriting by reduction.   Variations Part II covers more synonyms,  followed by the students final draft.

Each student will have varying times per lesson based on how in depth they are with their assignments.   My oldest, who is 15, took a little over an hour per lesson start to finish.   Of course, the good thing is that you can start and stop the DVD whenever you want so don't get worked up thinking each lesson will be an non-stop 60 minute ordeal.   You can spread one lesson out over several days if that best suits your schedule.

What we typically did was watch the instructional DVD, pause to do the notebook work and then go on to the next section, completing one lesson in a day.   However, keep in mind this is at the end of our academic year, and we've finished most of our regular subjects.   Had we still been carrying a full 6 course high school load, we'd have broken the lesson out over several days.

I really like how this curriculum is laid out.  It isn't time intensive on my part, and is set up in such a way that younger and older children can work independently with success.   I also really like that narration is built in.   My 15 year old really benefits from having to verbalize her work before putting it on paper.    The DVD format also helps her to get used to a lecture style teaching experience.

I also love the rubric.  In addition to the typical things, it also lists optional grammar requirements per grade from 3rd through 6th grade.   While I don't have students in that age group, I did assign some of those items as well.   For example 3rd grade has simple things like compound nouns, mental action verbs and abstract nouns.  4th grade students can also be required to use complementary infinitives and emphatic verbs.  This is a very thorough, yet not intimidating writing curriculum.

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