CLASS IB OBJECTIVES
The period of a child’s life between his sixth and ninth year should be used to lay the basis of a liberal education, and the habit of reading for instruction. During these years the child should enter upon the domains of knowledge in a good many directions, in a reposeful, consecutive way.—C.M. Mason
Class 1B was the first year of formal education for students of Charlotte Mason, and began after the children were six years old. The following list of objectives for each subject is compiled and consolidated from vintage programs of the PNEU {no. 42-43, 90-94}. Those programs offer a marvelous glimpse of the freedom and discipline enjoyed by even Mason’s youngest students in a wide variety of subjects.
{BIBLE}
Read the Bible consecutively, both Old and New Testaments. {Teacher prepares passage beforehand, using a Bible commentary for children. Teacher reads the Bible passage once, gets children to narrate, then adds such comments ‘as will bring passage home to the children.’} Also used is a Bible atlas and a book of prayers for children.
Optional Sunday reading is suggested in the programs. {Examples of Sunday reading scheduled in Form I programs include Parables from Nature by Mrs. Gatty, The Child’s Book of Saints, Sidelights on the Bible by Eliza Brightwen, The Wonderful Prayer: The Lord’s Prayer and Its Teaching Explained by Gertrude Hollis.}
{WRITING}
Term I: A New Handwriting for Teachers, M.M. Bridges. Card 5, lines 1-2; card 3, line 5. One letter to be mastered each lesson. Be able to write, or print, letters and words from dictation as well as from copy. {Beginners: Card 4, left-hand side.}
Term II: A New Handwriting for Teachers, M.M. Bridges. Card 3, lines 1-2. One letter to be mastered each lesson. Be able to write, or print, letters and words from dictation as well as from copy. {Beginners: Card 4, right-hand side.}
Term III: A New Handwriting for Teachers, M.M. Bridges. Card 3, lines 3-4. One letter to be mastered each lesson. Be able to write, or print, letters and words from dictation as well as from copy.
{TALES}
Read each term three fairy tales by Anderson or Grimm, and three of Aesop’s fables. Read Just-So Stories by Rudyard Kipling.
{ENGLISH HISTORY}
Term I: Our Island Story, H.E. Marshall, Chapters 1-13.
Term II: Our Island Story, H.E. Marshall, Chapters 14-21.
Term III: Our Island Story, H.E. Marshall, Chapters 22-29.
{GEOGRAPHY}
Term I: Ambleside Geography Book, Book I, pages 1-11. Also, selected pages from a geography story book. Make in tray of sand islands, isthmuses, straits, mountains, lakes.
Term II: Ambleside Geography Book, Book I, pages 12-25. Also, selected pages from a geography story book. Make in tray of sand valleys, rivers, hills, villages.
Term I: Ambleside Geography Book, Book I, pages 26-40. Also, selected pages from a geography story book. Describe and tell the boundaries of three fields.
{NATURAL HISTORY}
Keep a nature notebook year-round. Make use of local guides, books, and scouting programs.
Term I: Find and describe six wild flowers. Watch, if possible, and describe ten birds and five other animals.
Term II: Find and describe six wild fruits. Watch, if possible, and describe ten birds and five other animals.
Term III: Find and describe six tree twigs. Watch, if possible, and describe ten birds and five other animals.
{PICTURE STUDY}
Each term study reproductions of six works by a single artist. {Examples of artists scheduled in Form I programs are Burne Jones, Rembrandt, J.F. Millet, G.F. Watts, Jan Steen, Gerard Douw, Corot, and Durer.}
{SUMS}
Work sums and tables with materials. Do rapid mental work. {Examples of arithmetic books scheduled in Form I programs include ABC Arithmetic by Sonnenschein and New Concrete Arithmetic by Pendlebury.}
{FRENCH}
Learn words orally with pictures and pantomime. Make new sentences with words learned. {Examples of books scheduled in Form I programs include French Series on the Gouin Method by François Thémoin and Illustrated French Primer by Henri Bué.}
{BRUSH DRAWING}
Children draw occasionally with brush or chalk from memory. Pencils should not be much used.
Term I: Reproduce six wild flowers {from memory}, six animals you have been able to watch, and pictures of people read about in Tales.
Term II: Reproduce six wild fruits {from memory}, six animals you have been able to watch, and pictures of people read about in Tales.
Term III: Reproduce six tree twigs {from memory}, six animals you have been able to watch, and pictures of people read about in Tales.
{RECITATIONS}
Each term, learn to recite beautifully and perfectly a poem, two hymns, a psalm, and two Scripture passages of six verses each.
{READING}
Children who have not learned to read are taught according to instructions in Home Education by Charlotte Mason, or are taught using ‘Part I’ of The Happy Reader by E.L. Young. Children who can read use ‘Part II’ of The Happy Reader or simple storybooks.
{MUSIC}
Practice piano. {Mason’s students used The Child Pianist by Annie Curwen.}
{MUSIC APPRECIATION}
Each term hear a program of music by a single composer. {Examples of composers scheduled in Form I programs include Grieg, Mozart, Beethoven, Schumann and Brahm.}
{SINGING}
Each term learn two French songs. Play traditional singing games.
{DRILL}
Each term work on various drills, dances and singing and rhythmic games. {Examples of types of drills scheduled in Form I programs include ball, dumb-bell, marching, musical, skipping and Swedish drills.}
{WORK}
Each term work on several handiwork skills.{Examples of work scheduled in Form I programs include clay-modeling, gardening, housework, knitting, latch-hook rugs, needlework, origami and sewing. A certain number of models were made from books, or certain skills were tested. Some items were given to charity at Christmastime.}
• detail from The Garden of Hesperides by Edmund Burne Jones •
December 17, 2013