Enrichment Year Ideas 2

Here is one way to combine the various Family Enrichment studies. Use these ideas as is or as a starting point. Add your selected history time period books and grade-level math, science, and language arts to complete your year’s plan.

Scripture Memory: Verse Pack 3

The memory verses packs, which contain about fifty verses each, are designed to be learned and recited together as a family. Our Scripture Memory System gives tips on how to easily memorize and review any verses you want to use. We also have the verse packs available in a free download of printable verse cards.

Literature: Book Group 2

Select one level to read aloud: younger, middle, or older. Use the links below to view all the books in a group in the CM Bookfinder for easy scheduling in our CM Organizer. You can also see our suggestions for where to find the books.

Younger Students (Grades 1–4) (View on the CM Bookfinder)

• Stuart Little by E. B. White
• Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher
• Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
• A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
• Five Children and It by E. Nesbit
• The Borrowers by Mary Norton
• Along Came a Dog by Meindert DeJong
• Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White
• Black Beauty by Anna Sewell

Middle Students (Grades 5–8) (View on the CM Bookfinder)

• Little Britches by Ralph Moody
• Man of the Family by Ralph Moody
• The Home Ranch by Ralph Moody
• Mary Emma and Company by Ralph Moody
• The Fields of Home by Ralph Moody
• Shaking the Nickel Bush by Ralph Moody
• The Dry Divide by Ralph Moody
• Horse of a Different Color by Ralph Moody

Older Students (Grades 9–12) (View on the CM Bookfinder)

• Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott
• The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle
• David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
• Watership Down by Richard Adams

Poetry: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Read Longfellow’s poems for several weeks (six at least). If possible, read a short, interesting biography about him as well. During the other weeks of the year, simply read a variety of poems and enjoy them together.

Picture Study: Millet, Michelangelo, Turner

Our Picture Study Portfolios make it simple to get to know these new friends.

• Term 1: Millet
• Term 2: Michelangelo
• Term 3: Turner

Handicrafts & Art: Sculpture, Knitting, Watercolor

Our Handicrafts Made Simple video series is a good resource to help your children (and you) learn a new-to-you handicraft. Creating a Masterpiece teaches several different media (pastel, pencil drawing, ink, sculpture, watercolor, acrylic painting) on several levels.

• Term 1: Creating a Masterpiece: Sculpture
• Term 2: Handicrafts Made Simple: Knitting
• Term 3: Creating a Masterpiece: Watercolor

Music Study: Haydn, Mendelssohn, Schubert

Listen to pieces by the composer for several weeks until the children become familiar with that composer’s style. If possible, read or listen to a short biography about that composer sometime during your study of his work. Our Music Study with the Masters portfolios make it simple to get to know these great composers.

• Term 1: Haydn
• Term 2: Mendelssohn
• Term 3: Schubert

Hymn Study: Hymn Group 2

Sing the hymn together until all of the family members have learned every stanza. If you learn one hymn every six weeks or so, you will be able to cover six in a school year. Singing the Great Hymns includes all of these hymns, along with audio recordings, to make hymn study simple.

• How Firm a Foundation
• Holy, Holy, Holy
• Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven
• O God, Our Help in Ages Past
• Fairest Lord Jesus
• Joy to the World

Shakespeare: As You Like It

It’s easy to do Shakespeare with a simple three-step approach. Our Shakespeare in Three Steps series gives you lesson plans to make studying Shakespeare a delight.

Personal Development: Laying Down the Rails

Laying Down the Rails: A Charlotte Mason Habits Handbook and Laying Down the Rails for Children: A Habit-Training Companion will help your whole family focus on cultivating good habits one at a time.

Foreign Language: Speaking [Spanish] with Miss Mason and Francois

Each volume from Cherrydale Press is designed to last several years. Work as a family at your own pace with your language of choice.

Sample Schedule

Here is one way to spread the feast throughout a week, including your selected History/Geography/Bible study and math, science, and language arts for individual students. Click any subject below for more details.

Lesson Plans

Our Enrichment Studies, Volume 2, lesson plans will give you day-by-day lessons using the resources above.