This year has been our first time using: The treasure Trove of Literature. And it has been the perfect program for my 11-year-old son, who is a kinesthetic learner. In other words, he processes and retains information much better through movement.
I have had the experience to teach my older girls a more classical approach in the past. Since they excelled throughout the years, I intended to continue the same program with him, but I was far from imagining that it would be rather a struggle from the very start. For example, reading a whole book took a very long time to finish, and comprehension questions were dragging him down and confusing him even further. He dreaded to find new words in the dictionary or even discuss what he liked about the book. He definitely was in need of a new approach, a more hands-on and breakdown type of program.
Luckily, my favorite curriculum, Catholic Heritage Curricula introduced: The Treasure Trove of Literature program, I urgently needed to give it a try, so here we are. And, oh! what a blessing it has been! Our Literature classes have turned 180 degrees!
Let me tell you what I have loved about this program:
The breakdown of chapters per lesson: Each chapter begins with a review of vocabulary in context with the book. This particular feature has helped my son understand the readings and expand his vocabulary.
The Literary Devices overviewed as the story unravels: At the end of each chapter there is a lesson of literary elements (setting, characters, plot, and theme) in context with the story, as well as figures of speech (alliteration, simile, and personification) used by the author. I personally like to see how the program encourages the child to analyze the tools writers have to craft a story and helps them determine their voice and intention behind a particular event.
The Discussion, Review, and Supplemental Activities: Every five chapters there is a review of the story at a glance and supplemental activities. This hands-on approach is absolutely essential to keep kids engaged and in context with the development of the story. Here my son has been able to take a break from the story and absorb the details, analyze the characters in-depth, and identify the literary devices as they appear. However, the most exciting section for him has been the supplemental activities such as crafts, games, and research projects, where he can grasp the plot and immerse with the characters of the story in a very tangible way, letting all his creativity take over and enrich his experience even further. Absolutely fantastic!
Illustrating the chapter: Visual aids always allow creative minds to center their thoughts and perceive an abstract reality in a concrete way. I am convinced that this section has given my son the opportunity to express the heart of the story without reservations or expectations, just by sketching the relevant events of the chapter. I like this approach, now that it takes a break from writing and composing. My son drags with writing, so drawing is a refreshing way to analyze the book without the burnout. It works wonders for him.
Virtuous Character Analysis: As a Catholic-based homeschool we search for a curriculum that reinforces Christian values and deep discussion of morals in every subject if possible. The weekly presentation of the characters allows my son to critically determine the trait of the protagonists and events of the story, diving deep into the heart of any of the books we studied. Also, we were able to analyze from the eyes of our faith the turn of events and or virtues that embodied the plot of the story.
Final Project for each book: Having a final project for each book was an amazing way to summarize all the insights and comprehension from the reading of the story. It imprinted on my son a sense of closure and appreciation for the journey of the characters and theme. It allowed him to celebrate in a creative way all the things he liked about it, along with a keepsake or experience hard to forget.
I am very pleased, even more, overjoyed to have used this program in our homeschool. it has expanded our resources and creativity in the approach of literature; making it an unforgettable and enjoyable experience. I can confidently say, we will continue to use the following 3 levels, not only for my son but as a complementary activity for my older daughters, who are now interested in the titles ahead.
Now that I have your attention about the program, let me invite you to follow along our journey with the first Title: "Minn of the Mississippi".
Written in the year 1958, by American Author: Holling Clancy, a writer, illustrator, and naturalist, Minn of the Mississippi is the story about a snapping turtle that lives along the Mississippi River, The book features delicate and detailed penciled illustrations. Along the margins, the author adds historical, geological, and geographical annotations covering as well, the life cycle of turtles and their habitat.
This book was an absolute favorite! To be honest, I have never seen a book of this kind before. It was a very detailed and informational piece. Nevertheless, a fascinating tale to read. Thankfully, the Treasure Trove program allowed us to break it down chapter by chapter, because, without it, I would consider it dense for a child.
As you have seen throughout this post, my son supplemented his reading comprehension activities with the prototype of a steamboat featured in this book, to be exact, the stern wheel packet model. He loves to sketch, create with cardboard and make origami. Once he saw the steamboats section, he knew what he could do, and so he did it his way! It came out fantastic!
The materials he used were:
Origami turtle HERE
Cardboard
Toothpicks
Coin wrappers
Hot glue and masking tape to secure,
That's all! He designs as he goes, there were no blueprints more than the illustrations in the book. As I mentioned before, he is a kinestethic learner; he is always in motion, so creating with his hands is what he does best! I am so proud of this milestone on his educational journey. After so many difficulties he is now shining bright!
Lastly, I must add, thanks to Minn of the Mississippi, my son is interested more than ever in the engineering behind the dams, bridges, and steamboats; he even found in his origami set a couple of turtles that match perfectly our little Minn!
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