Memoria Press

The thought of teaching Latin to my kids is just a little bit intimidating. And by intimidating, I mean 'push-the-thought-into-the-far-recesses-of-my-mind-overwhelming'.

I am comfortable teaching the basics to my kids, and with proper help I might even venture into uncharted territory of other subjects that are unfamiliar. But Latin just seems overwhelming.

Memoria Press, a Classical Christian education company, sent me several of their products to review. After using and reviewing the materials I can honestly tell you that Memoria Press offers some wonderful resources for homeschooling families ~ and they will not disappoint! Their products are laid out in simple and easy-to-follow steps that help make Latin a less daunting subject to teach.

What is the big deal about Latin, you ask?

~ Over half of the English words come from Latin
~ Latin is an effective way to learn English grammar
~ Latin teaches you how to learn. It is a challenging subject that requires goals and review.
~ Latin words are abundant in specialized fields {doctors, lawyers and astronauts}

About Prima Latin

Prima Latin is an introductory Latin program designed for K-4th grade and includes 25 lessons to use over the course of the year. During that year, children learn over 125 words in Latin, 30 sayings, 4 complete prayers, while learning important English and Latin grammar concepts. The accompanying audio CD provides help with pronunciation for each lesson as well as several hymns. Some of the material covered in Prima includes:

The Prima Latin Set ($32.95) includes a teacher manual, student book, and a pronunciation CD. If you are unsure of how to teach Latin, you can also order the Prima Latin DVD set ($90.90) which includes the teacher manual, student text, pronunciation CD, three instructional DVDs, and flashcards.

I was very impressed with the audio CDs and the instructional DVDs. Cheryl Lowe, the teacher of Prima Latin, is very enjoyable to watch and makes the learning fun. The manual is very clearly laid out ~ and not overwhelming at all. The lessons can be taught in small, manageable increments. You can view the table of contents, a sample of the first lesson (which we worked on), and also a sample of the teacher manual on the Memoria Press site. Prima Latin was written to transition directly to Latina Christiana.

About Primary Manuscript Copybooks

Copybooks are learning activities where children copy Bible passages, poems, and more to practice handwriting, while also memorizing literature, learning grammar, and practicing spelling. The copybooks use passages from the KJV and also provide space for coloring and drawing to accompany the copywork. If you are not quite sure how to implement classical education in your school time, the copybooks are a great place to start.

CopyBook 1 ($14.95) is targeted to K-1st graders and models a traditional manuscript font. It begins with how to properly hold a pencil and also instruction on creating proper strokes. The book provides 30 lessons and each lesson can be taught over a 5 day period in 15 minute increments. The lessons include Bible verse copywork and poems that are copied one line at a time. You can view a sample of one lesson here.

CopyBook 2 ($14.95) moves on to slightly longer verses and entire passages from Psalms {one line at a time}. It also includes the Doxology, several poems, and a list of the apostles. Book 2 includes 30 weeks of lessons.

CopyBook 3 ($14.95) includes longer Bible passages, books of the Old Testament, and several longer poems as copywork. Book 3 also includes 30 weeks of lessons.

You can also order a set of the three copybooks for $39.95 or the cursive copy book ($14.95).

About Christian Studies

Christian Studies is a 3 year program that uses the The Golden Children's Bible as a basis to teach the importance of the Bible, Biblical history, and Scripture memory. Each book provides 30 lessons that include verse memorization, facts to know, vocabulary, and questions about the lesson studied. Throughout the book there are maps, timelines and other activities that apply to the various lessons.

Christian Studies goes through the Bible chronologically and each year works through one-third of the Bible.

Christian Studies I: Creation to Moses’ Last Words
Christian Studies II: Invasion of Canaan to Jonah; Vision of Days to Come
Christian Studies III: Zacharias; Angel Visits Mary; Birth of Jesus to Paul’s Final Years; Letters of Peter; Vision of John

The teacher's manuals shows completed student pages as well as information in the margins for teaching the lessons. The manual offers suggestions on what to teach as well as additional resources for the lessons.

Christian Studies can be purchased as a set that includes the three student books, teacher's manuals and the Golden Children's Bible for $119.95. You can also purchase the books separately: individual student books for $17.95 and teacher's manuals for $20.95.

If you'd like to learn more about classical education, Memoria Press has some great resources on their website including articles on classical education, a newsletter, and a catalog. Every course you order from Memoria Press also comes with a 60 day guarantee.

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