Art and Music

[Marsha]

Ok
I think almost everything figured out except art and music.
Is Artistic Pursuits and Themes to Remember or Classical Kids enough for a 6th grader?
Also, what levels of Artistic Pursuits would I need for a 2nd, 3rd, and 6th grader? Is there a supply list?
Thank you

[ELaurie]

Hi Marsha,

Here's a link to the Artistic Pursuits (http://www.artisticpursuits.com/) website.

You will find detailed information on teh website about which level will work best for your dc. I am currently using the K-3rd series with my K and 2nd grader, and find it works fine for both. However, your 6th grader might need something a little more challenging.

Some additional resource we enjoy are teh

Veritas Press Fine Art Primers - stories about artists and their lives -appropriate for your younger dc

and the

Usborne Internet Linked History of Art which will provide more detailed information for your 6th grader. (This book contains some nudity in the reproductions).

These books from Bird Cage Press (http://www.birdcagebooks.com/books.html) are nice resources as well, although I do not own them.

I also like:

Art Up Close: From Ancients to Modern
Masterpieces Up Close: Western Painting from the 14th to 20th Centuries

For music, you might want to add some additional biographies, and some full length recordings of various pieces featured in CM.

One resource we have is Meet the Great Composers, which would be appropriate for your 6th grader, and comes with a CD. There are two volumes available.

However, these are simply suggestions for you to consider. I also think you could use CM and AP as "spines" for art and music, and simply add library books and a few CDs to round out the picture ;) for your 6th grader.

Sometimes less is more. :)

PS. Please forgive me for not linking all of these for you - I have forgotten how to link a book from Amazon and need to ask on the "How to" forum.

However, you will find all of them there, with lower prices on most of them at RR. If you can only add one, the Usborne Internet Book of Art is quite nice. The Veritas Press series is easiest to find on the VP site. Please let me know if you need more info to find them.

[Kathy in MD]

In addition, you might add attending a few concerts, Fantasia and Fantasia 2000, and Beethovan's Wig (pure fun). My goal with these selections is to teach a familiarity and an appreciation for listening to classical music.

Only after an appreciation is established, would I consider something more indepth, such as Bernstein's Concerts for Young People.

I agree with the other poster. Sometimes less is more! :)

[one l michele]

We used AP this year and it was easy to transfer to our homeschooling paper work, do the next thing, and say we "did art" this year, but it wasn't what I had in mind. I want more instructional type lessons. Even my art loving ds is not fond of AP this year. For next year I pulled out 36 of the lessons from "How to Teach Art to Children by Evan Moor". The following year I'll likely go with Calvert's Art package.

I also looked at Themes to Remember, but wanted something covering a wider range of music skills. This year we used Calvert's Discoveries in Music, it was a lot of fun. Next year we will review portions since there is so much to it and add "classicsforkids.com". Then I have on my list Pianimals, learning to play the Ocarina, and Music Ace Deluxe to give you a few ideas.

Think about your goals in these subjects and go from there.

[Tina in WA]

Have you looked at Harmony Fine Arts (http://www.harmonyfinearts.com/)yet? It combines art and music together, or you can do them separately. It give you the option. I love options. There are 3 different options to choose from to use the curriculum and option 3 uses AP.