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I have read and understand Carrie's reasons for not including an "answer key" or answer guide to discussion questions posed throughout the guides. However, I am struggling to move through some of the levels without any help or guidance. Specifically, we are in Rev to Rev this year, and the Worthy Words and Poetry boxes have both posed challenges. Even after reading the source text or poetry myself, I still am not sure how to answer many of the questions. If I don't even know, how do I guide my son? Do we just move through the box resigned that we can't answer that question? How does everyone handle this? I'm concerned that it will only get harder and I don't have enough help.

I'd be glad to help! I've enjoyed Revival to Revolution three different times through the years with my own sons, so I will happily share my experience of the benefits of these portions of the plans. Both of these boxes of plans are intended to be more inspirational, and as such do not have answer keys, so this is intentional. Knowing the primary purpose of each part of the plans helps so much. The Introduction of the guide gives a good overview of the Worthy Words purpose... The main goal of the Worthy Words assignment is simply "reading the primary source and thinking about its place in history. The Introduction also says... Guided questions are provided to help students better understand the primary source, the sentiments of the writer, and the reason for the document being written. Carrie gives guidance to the thought process of thinking about its place in history by the way she asks the questions. The questions also almost always go in sequential order with the reading of the primary source document. The "Key Idea" provided in the Worthy Words box is also helpful. This assignment is marked "I" for "Independent," so it is not a planned discussion between parent and student.

I let my sons complete Worthy Words independently by reading it themselves and thinking about the provided questions themselves. Then, right before meeting with them to go over their work, I read the Worthy Words primary source document to myself and thought about the questions as well. I then had my sons share their thoughts in regard to the reading and the questions they'd pondered. I shared some of my thoughts too. We then moved on! If you approach the Worthy Words assignment as having the main goal of "reading the primary source and thinking about its place in history" and as a first introduction to primary source documents, I think you will enjoy this portion of the plans as much as we did! Keep in mind the entire left "Learning Through History" side of the guide's plans works together beautifully to teach the history theme, so Worthy Words does not need to be more than it is intended to be.

As far as Poetry, this is an inspirational subject (as Charlotte Mason would say). It is also only completed once-a-week as part of the bigger weekly history theme on the entire left side of the plans. The Introduction of the guide gives a good overview of the Poetry box of plan's purpose... These poems match the history readings in each unit and add a new dimension to the history study by delving more deeply into the emotions, events, and people of the time period.

It is important to note that this Poetry is not chosen to teach literature or poetic devices, etc. Drawn into the Heart of Reading and R & S English teach literature and poetic devices, which is why they are on the right "Learning the Basics" side of the plans in the "Language Arts" box.

According to the Introduction of RevtoRev... The following activities are linked to the poetry: thought-provoking questions related to the meaning of the poem, copywork of selected stanzas, links to the historical time period/events/people, and pertinent background about some of the poets. Just looking at this list of activities, you can see the purpose of the box is not like a worksheet format with certain/exact answers.

The Poetry box is "I" independent, so it is not a joint assignment for parent/student to do together. I let my sons independently read the poem and read the guiding plans in the RevtoRev guide's poetry box. Then, right before meeting with them to go over their work, I skimmed the poem and the box of plans. I informally asked their thoughts about what they read, about the guiding questions, about the comments shared linking it to history and telling about the poet's life, etc. Then I often read aloud the Key Idea. We enjoyed the poetry together this way, and then I moved on to correct the copywork assigned, editing it for any errors and having them fix it accordingly. This worked beautifully!

I'd encourage you not to make more of the plans than are intended, but rather to enjoy each 'box' within the broader history theme being taught! Each box of plans is not intended to be 'disciplinary,' with one right answer or thought. Rather, Poetry and Worthy Words are inspirational, and as such are to be enjoyed.

I have two graduated sons in college who did HOD PreK through 12th grade. They both have tested out of ample CLEP and DSST college courses on English literature, history, religion, composition, etc., so this kind of learning works! Just keep in mind each part of the plan's purpose and know they all work together in a balanced way. The Introduction, key ideas, and the boxes of plans themselves provide excellent guidance in the purpose of each. I hope you can enjoy Revival to Revolution as much as we did.

In Christ,
Julie

Thanks so much for your time and response! We have been doing those two boxes much as you have described doing them yourself. So if in the discussion of the guiding questions my son's response is, "I have no idea," should we just move on having read and enjoyed the poem/text for what it was?

Amanda,

I realize this is an older post, but I have been away from the board for a time due to being busy writing new products. Our son, Greyson, has continued with quite a few health challenges this past while as well, so I've had less time to devote to the board than I'd like. My apologies!

Julie did a terrific job of answering your questions! In response to your last question, with my own boys I just told them I wouldn't accept the "I have no idea" response. So, my boys knew they had to come up with some kind of answer that showed they tried before we moved on. To help them, I would guide as much as I could. So, if it were a Worthy Words assignment, if they were stumped, I would skim the source with them to find the answer. I would point to the area where the answer might be. If they still weren't going in the right direction, I would use a leading sentence like, "I would say in looking at this document that the answer is found here...". Modeling how to find answers by skimming is a powerful tool, and one that many kiddos aren't good at doing. Anytime you can model "how" to find an answer is a worthwhile teaching moment!

Using primary source documents is a very challenging exercise, however it pays big dividends in preparing kiddos for the higher level thinking coming in high school! Having the parent help find the answers is modeling "Socratic discussion," which helps kids learn how to find the answer. This is a very different exercise than just correcting the assignment with an answer key and no discussion.

Blessings,
Carrie