Audio Curriculum

Poetry, in many ways, defies definition. Any restrictions would disqualify some works that are, nevertheless, poetry. The only statement about poetry that we can make with absolute certainty is that good poetry uses what is known as "compressed language." That means that it says a lot but uses few words to do so. Every word is very valuable; the poets make their choices only after much deliberation, and we must understand each word to grasp the meanings of the poems. This word compression is the primary reason that most students claim not to understand poetry. Students who are accustomed to skimming over their lessons once and dashing off correct answers in record time will find that poetry asks much more of us than this. It invites us to calm down, sit still, and think. Speed and accuracy are invaluable in mathematical computation but useless in poetry appreciation. You must not be frustrated or feel like a failure when (not if) you find it necessary to read a poem several times. This repetitive activity is standard operating procedure for the study of any art. This guide takes a topical approach to the study of poetry, rather than a historical approach. It focuses on the elements of poetry and selected forms. As you study an element, you will consider specific poems that are particularly good examples of that element. However, almost all poems will contain most of the elements that you study. Therefore, after completing a portion of the guide on a particular element, such as sound devices, you should be able to identify and discuss that element in relation to the poems you study subsequently. Some poetry study guides approach the study of poetry from a historical perspective. They will begin with the early epic poems like Beowulf, The Iliad, and The Odyssey, then move forward through Shakespeare's time and those following him. To compensate for dropping this historical approach, we have provided a timeline on pages 12 and 13 for you to use in the course of your study. Every time you read a new poem, make a notation on the timeline. Include the poet's name, the approximate date of the poem (or use the middle of the poet's life), and the type of poem. The first poem we will consider, "Abou Ben Adhem," has been added as your example. Finally, poetry is primarily an auditory experience. From earliest history, poetry was transferred to subsequent generations through oral presentation. You, too, should read aloud the poems studied here. They will yield their meanings more readily that way, and you will enjoy them more. Interactive CD-rom

With these upbeat rhythms, cool melodies, and enough practice, kids will be addition experts in no time! Learn the Doubles Plus One strategy, the two-more-than strategy, and facts 0-18. Through 13 informative and entertaining songs, children will learn that strategies, consistent practice and determination will help them succeed in school and sports!

Intriguing adventure in ancient Britain and Rome (62 AD) as Beric, a dashing young British chieftain must fight for liberty, from the forests of his homeland, where he defies legendary Roman Legions, to the Roman Colosseum, where he must employ Gladiatorial skills to defend a persecuted maiden. Takes place in 62 AD and is told in eight CD's to total over ten hours of listening time.

During World War II, four children, Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy, are sent to stay at the country home of an old professor. During a game of hide-and-seek, Lucy steps into a wardrobe, only there seems to be no end to it. Just when she thinks she's found the back she steps out into a wintry forest - and the land of Narnia! There she meets a Faun named Tumnus who tells her how the White Witch has used her magic to make it always winter in Narnia, but never Christmas. She returns home to tell the rest of the children about Narnia, but when they check out her story, the magic wardrobe appears to be normal. Later, attempting to hide from the housekeeper, all four children enter the wardrobe - and find themselves in Narnia. There they learn that the White Witch has arrested Tumnus because of his kindness to Lucy. They also learn that the Witch seeks to capture the four children, whose presence in Narnia, according to an old Narnian prophecy, signals the end of her reign. While the Witch races to capture the children, the children hurry to meet Aslan, the rightful ruler of Narnia. Aslan has returned to release Narnia from the Witch's magical winter. Though Aslan's victory seems certain, the Witch has a few tricks up her sleeve, and the price of saving Narnia from total destruction is beyond what the children can imagine. Interactive CD-rom.

Shipwrecked and cast ashore on an uninhabited island, Robinson Crusoe ingeniously carves out a solitary, primitive existence for twenty-four years. Eventually, he meets a young native whom he saves from death at the hands of cannibals. He calls him Friday and makes him his companion and servant. Crusoe and Friday share in a variety of adventures, including a fierce battle with cannibals that culminates in the heroes recapturing a mutinous ship and returning to England. Based partly on the real-life experiences of Scottish sailor Alexander Selkirk, Defoe's novel of human endurance in an exotic, faraway land exerts a timeless appeal and has taken its rightful place among the great works of Western civilization.