Asian Heritage Month Book Stack
Asian immigration to Canada can be traced back to the mid-19th century when Chinese workers arrived on the west coast to work on the Canadian Pacific Railway. May is Asian Heritage Month in Canada and we’ve gathered a stack of books to help you and your family learn about the heritage of our Asian community. Use the links to find complete descriptions of each book. Anno’s China The Five Chinese Brothers Ruby’s Wish Water Buffalo Days Chu Ju’s House The Story About Ping Tikki Tikki Tembo The Tale of the Mandarin Ducks The Story of Little Babaji Where the Mountain Meets the Moon Inside Out and Back Again Rikki Tikki Tavi El Chino Ming Lo Moves the Mountain The Lotus Seed Something Beautiful for God Crow Boy Once A Mouse Grandfather’s Journey Taste of Asia by Adrianne Curwen Adrianne is a wife to a public-school educator/administrator and a homeschooling Mama to seven children, ranging in age from 7 to 23. She believes that we have a unique opportunity as homeschoolers to design individualized education that suits giftings, interests, and passions. She and her husband have used a blend of registered homeschooling, enrolment with independent DL schools, and participation in public trade school programs to design individualized programs for their children. She is passionate about using as many read-alouds, picture books, novels, and conversations to educate her children but also gets excited by the amazing homeschool-designed curriculum that’s out there. Adrianne is thrilled by her new role as Communication Specialist for Classical Education Books and is grateful to have an opportunity to learn something new. She is grateful, every day, for her saviour, Jesus Christ, and has no greater joy than when she sees her most important missions field walk with Him.
Curriculum Spotlight – Artistic Pursuits
Artistic Pursuits The Artistic Pursuits program is an excellent integration of art appreciation and practice. It must start with Volume 1, Art for Children: Building a Visual Vocabulary. As the foundational text for this curriculum, it teaches the various styles used by artists and instructs the child how to replicate the style. The lessons focus on the artistic process of imagining, observing and communicating, while also teaching the practical details of working with varied materials to produce the art. The students will use chalk, paper, and oils and their objects will be nature, household items, and famous paintings. Once a student has completed Volume 1, they will understand the terms necessary to complete any of the following 7 Volumes. These volumes take the student through a chronological history of art using the techniques that they learned in Volume 1. They will study the various masterpieces of each era, including cave art, sculpting, mosaics, portraits, abstract and so much more. They will replicate the art using the techniques and materials that they learned about in level one although there will be several variations taught throughout the program. Volumes 2-8 are an excellent art study to accompany a history program for any classroom or home. Each text includes a DVD with lessons to help the student understand what they need to learn. Not every lesson has a video to accompany it. The video will start with a concept that is worked out over a few lessons, and then either added onto or changed in the next video. In The Artistic Pursuits program, the books begin with a list of materials needed to complete the volume. The lists contain art materials specific to a lesson, household items, and a list of items to buy that will create an art library that you can use throughout the course. The more volumes you complete, the larger your art library will become meaning you will not have to buy new supplies for each volume. The books are written clearly, with illustrations to help communicate the concept and aid the student in communicating their own version of art. They can be done by an older, self-motivated student, or used to instruct younger students. Where relevant, there is instruction on how to teach the lesson to a class of students. Each book has 18 lessons. They could be done on a bi-weekly basis covering a year, or one book could be completed per semester. Depending on your needs, this program is flexible in when the lessons are taught. Its simplicity does not require any prior knowledge of art to teach it. Whether you do one or eight books, the Artistic Pursuits program is sure to encourage observation in your child, and a portfolio of work that they can look on with joy as they see themselves improving over time. Quick facts: Must start with Volume 1. Can use any Volume afterward. Books contain lists of items needed to complete the course. It has a DVD with a teacher to help with concepts. Accompanies a history program very well. Volume 1 – Art for Children Volume 2 – Art of the Ancients Volume 3 – Art of the Middle Ages Volume 4 – Artists that Shaped the Italian Renaissance Volume 5 – Art of the Northern Countries Volume 6 – Art of the Impressionists Volume 7 – Art of the Modern Age Volume 8 – Art in America by Hester VanBraeden Hester is a second-generation home-educating parent who is keenly aware that her own education is not complete, and comfortable that it probably never will be. She has many years of experience with children, books, and curriculum. She loves to travel to worlds and times beyond the present with her children through many books. Hester and her husband have four children and live in the lower mainland of BC.
