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Description
Constitutional literacy (knowing and understanding the Constitution of the United States of America) has four parts: what the document says (i.e. words and phrases), what the words and phrases meant to the men who wrote them, what the Supreme Court has ruled on various phrases, and lastly, how Supreme Court interpretations have differed from the original meaning. Michael Farris, a Constitutional scholar and lawyer with the Home School Legal Defense Association, designed a course to teach his own daughters the principles of American liberty that are found in the Constitution. That course evolved - revised and expanded through a class of interns for HSLDA, to an online course for homeschool students, and finally as a required course for all students at Patrick Henry College. Now in this form - DVD lectures plus study workbook - it is accessible and doable for all Christian students and families.
The general format is straight-forward and simple: read a workbook chapter, then watch the DVD lecture with the workbook open, pausing to answer questions. Completing one of the 25 episodes each week while also completing one or more of the assignments/projects found at the end of each chapter means the course can be done in an academic school year.
The Workbook lessons have a consistent format and are designed to provide both understanding of the lecture material as well as a resource for remembering and reviewing that material. Lessons include these sections. Purpose - bulleted points that provide an overview. Parlance - a section on vocabulary - the special legal terminology used by legislators, jurists, attorneys, and constitutional scholars. Preamble - introduction of the chapter topic with historical background or in the context of everyday life. Ponder - digging deeper into the specific issues covered in the lecture. Payoff - a summary of the issues and arguments covered in the chapter. Probe - explore how the concepts relate to contemporary issues. Also included in the workbook are profiles of important people, cases, or topics. The author's answers to all questions are available online at the publisher's website. The complete text of the U.S. Constitution and a glossary of terms are included as appendices. 350 pgs, spiral bound
The five-disc set of DVDs provide over eight hours of lecture instruction. Although lectures by Michael Farris are the heart of the DVD content, PowerPoint informational overlays are utilized as well as other multimedia content ensuring the videos are engaging.
This is obviously a valuable course for our students (and parents, as well). ~ Janice
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Teaching Method
Traditional
Teacher-centered curriculum commonly used in classrooms that may include a text, teacher manual, tests, etc.
Charlotte Mason
A methodology based on the work of a 19th century educator who maintained that children learn best from literature (Living Books), not textbooks.
Classical
A methodology based on the Latin Trivium (three stages of learning), including the grammar stage (memorization and facts), logic stage (critical thinking), and rhetoric stage (developing/defending ideas).
Unit Study
A thematic or topical approach centered around one topic that integrates multiple subject areas.
Montessori (Discovery)
A methodology based on the work of a 20th century educator that emphasizes student and sensory-driven discovery learning and real-life applications.
Other
Other methodologies
Religious Content
Secular
Contains content contrary to common Christian beliefs (i.e. evolution).
Neutral
Avoids religious or theoretical topics or presents multiple viewpoints without preference.
Christian/Religious
Faith-based or including instructional religious content.
Learning Modality
Auditory
Learns through listening, talking out loud or reading out loud.
Visual
Learns through seeing, prefers written instructions and visual materials.
Kinesthetic/Tactile (Hands-On)
Learns through moving, doing and touching.
Multi-Sensory
Curriculum that employ a variety of activities/components.
Presentation
Sequential
Curriculum progresses through well-defined learning objectives. Emphasizes mastery before moving to the next topic.
Spiral
Topics and concepts are repeated from level to level, adding more depth at each pass and connecting with review.
Conceptual/Topical
Focus is on the “why,” often with a unifying concept as well as specific skills; coverage may be broader.
Teacher Involvement
Low Teacher Involvement
Student-led materials; parent acts as a facilitator.
Medium Teacher Involvement
A mix of teacher-led time and independent student work.
High Teacher Involvement
Teacher-led lessons; may utilize discussions, hands-on activities and working together.
Additional Materials Required
No other materials needed
Everything you need is included.
Other Materials Required
There are additional required resources that are a separate purchase.
Other Materials Optional
There are additional resources mentioned or recommended but are not absolutely necessary.
Consumable
Consumable
Designed to be written in; not reusable.
Non-Consumable
Not designed to be written in; reusable.