October Apprentice

Weekly Habits:

-SARS or other time planning tool 

-Poem a day  to Ned Braddock

-Memory Work: Poem of your own choosing

-Summary Sheet

Study (Know):

Do all of the following to increase you knowledge:
As you study, ask yourself, "How do the different people gain the strength they need to overcome their weaknesses or improve their strengths?"

(Caution: parents may want to preview Michelangelo's work before your youth see it).

 Read:

1. Read Ether 12:27-28 and decide what it means to you

2.  The Scarlet Stockings by Alcott

3.  The Veldt by Bradbury 

4.  Stories of Great Artists: Michael Angelo

5.  Pick at least 3 of Michelangelo’s works to read about in Homebook of Great Paintings (to page 94) At least one should be a sculpture and another from the Sistine Chapel.

6. Read or watch Elder Scott's talk from the last conference.

Email: 

Your favorite painting or sculpture by Michelangelo and email it to Isaiah or Megan by Monday night.  Be prepared to share why you like it with the class. 

Watch: 

One or more of the videos about Michelangelo's paintings on Khan Academy

Write: 

Fill out your summary sheet - include a favorite thought, quote or question from the reading and do a word study from Proverbs 31 or on weaknesses, faith, strength or another word you found interesting in your study (if you are not already doing one for Journeyman or master).

Teach (Understand):

EVERYONE: 

Consider this: How is faith like spiritual muscles? How can you develop these spiritual muscles and what will they help you do?  Write your thoughts in your journal or reflection book.

AND

Choose one of the following to increase your understanding and come prepared to teach others:

-Decide for yourself what lesson/principle you got from the readings and concepts, practice that principle in your life and come prepared to teach it to teach to the class. 

-Read Proverbs 31:10-31 What does it have to do with The Scarlet Stockings? List some characteristics of the woman described in Proverbs 31 and compare them to what you learned about Belle Morgan. How did these characteristics help her lead others to do right?  Then pick a characteristic that you want to develop in yourself from Proverbs 31 or from Belle Morgan.  Find how you can develop the strength to have this characteristic. Practice doing so with your family and friends. See teaching ideas for how to present your thoughts.

-In The Scarlet Stockings, why and how did Harry develop the strength to overcome his laziness and rise to his potential and improve his character? How can you do the same? Practice what you learn and come prepared to teach the class.

-Read Mosiah 3:19 - The Veldt  could be seen as a story about the struggle between the natural man (the wild African wilderness) and the discipline to yield to the enticings of the Holy Spirit.  What choices did the parents make that taught their children to follow the impulses of the“natural man”? What choices did the children make in order to stay on that path?  What could either have done to get off that path? Prayerfully consider what you can do to better “put off the natural man” and yield to the enticings of the Holy Spirit and practice doing so this week. See teaching ideas for how to present what you learned.

-Watch a tutorial on sculpting marble.  How does this process relate to the way God works in your life as you rely on Him to be your sculptor and letting Him make your weaknesses into strengths. What is your role?  Choose a way to teach what you learned to the class (a poem, an essay, object lesson, etc.)

-Michelangelo had great self-discipline in working hard to learn in order to accomplish his mission to create beauty. Later, he used that self-discipline to make beautiful sculptures and paint the entire ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.  Recreate one of Michelangelo’s paintings or sculptures in your own way or make your own painting or sculpture in Michelangelo’s style. Use self-discipline and patience as you do your best work on this project.

Decide how you can use this self-discipline to improve your studies so you can accomplish your missions here on earth. Practice doing it this week. Bring your art work to class and teach us what you learned.

Serve   (Become)::

--On your summary sheet, write what you did this week to practice the principle you learned form your reading and inspirement.

October Journeyman

Study (Know):

Do all of the following to increase your knowledge:

Read:  this list of musical terms.  Learn as many as you can.  It may help to print it and have it near by while you watch the following talk.

Watch: Don't Know Much about Classical Music?  (53 minutes)

Read: Rachmaninoff Symphony 2 program notes

Listen: Listen to Rachmaninoff Symphony #2 with the notes above and take your own notes on the above notes (about how you feel about the different movements). Remember, Music communicates feelings.  When listening to music, it helps not to ask, "What was the composer thinking about when he wrote this?" but "What feeling does he communicate to my heart?"  (59 minutes) If you have a hard time identifying feelings, it may help to have this list of feelings to look at while you listen.

I. Largo — Allegro moderato 0:10
II. Allegro molto 19:30
III. Adagio 29:19
IV. Allegro vivace 45:03

Read and Listen: Pilgrim’s Progress to when Christian reaches the valley of Humility (after he leaves the palace Beautiful). (about 1 hour)

Word Study: On one or more of the names of the people or places that Christian encounters  be sure to post your name on the blog so that no one else takes it. Remember, word studies, drawings and graphic summaries include an application to your life in your personal definition. Come prepared to class to represent that person or place (dress like they might dress, hold a prop that that represents them or the place, etc).

Needed:

1. Christian

Six Graphic Summaries or drawings (you will be explaining yours to Christian as if you were Interpreter):
2. Goodly Pastor - Look up scriptures: Mal.2:4-7, 1 Cor 4:15, Gal 4:19, 1 Thess 2:7, Prov. 14:12
3. Dusty Room - Look up words: Law, Gospel, what does the dust represent? how is the heart made clean?
4. Room with two children - Look up words: Patience and Passion, scriptures: II Cor 4:18, Gal. 5:16
5. Stately Palace - Look up Scriptures: Ezek 9:1-11, Matt 11:12, Acts 14:22; Word study: Courage
6. Man in Iron Cage: Look up: Rebellion, Apostate, Hardheartedness choose one for a word study
7. Trembling Man: Look up: Mal 4:1, Luke 3:17; Word study: Procrastination

8. One painting or Drawing of the Place of Deliverance - Look up: Salvation, Burden

Three Shining Ones
9.  First: Research: How do we attain forgiveness by God?
10. Second: Look up: Isa 61:10, Zech. 3:4-5, Phil 3:9 Word: Garment
11: Third: Look up: Ezek 9:1-7, Rev 9:1-6 and 22:4. Research: What is the mark on the forehead? Or What may the scroll represent?

Untroubled Sleeping Pilgrims
12:Simple: Word Study
13: Sloth: Word Study
14: Presumption: Word Study

Irregular Pilgrims:
15: Formalist: Word study
16: Hypocrisy: Word Study

17. Drawing or representation: Hill Difficulty with paths.  Look up: Difficulty, Danger, and Destruction. Choose one for a word study
18. Drawing or representation: Arbor.  Word Study: Arbor or Rest

Returning Pilgrims:
19. Timorous: Word study
20. Mistrust: Word Study

Write: A favorite quote, thought, or question to share with the class from any of your studies

 Teach (Understand):

Everyone:  

Consider what music does for your spirit. Write your thoughts in your reflection book or journal.


Then Choose one of the following to increase your understanding and come prepared to teach others:

Teach us whatever you are inspired to teach us from your study (see teaching ideas) and give us a challenge to apply it to our lives (it is always good if you have taken the challenge yourself before you challenge others).

Take a principle from your readings in Pilgrim's Progress and practice this principle in your life. Teach us what you learned in your own way (whiteboard, graphic summary, object lesson, etc)

Start a musical library and tell us about your plans in how to build it and about how you have chosen the songs in it so far.

Memorize all of the musical terms on your sheet.  This site can help you learn them and it also has fun games on the top right corner to quiz yourself: http://quizlet.com/675432/learn Teach us what you gained from this experience.

Read (or review) Haydn on Spiritual lives of the Great Composers and then learn about Haydn's Cello Concerto no. 1 and teach us what you found interesting about what you learned (see teaching ideas) 

Teach us how you were changed from your detailed learning and listening to Rachmaninoff's Symphony #2

Practice playing a song by Rachmaninoff or Haydn and play it for us in class

Serve   (Become):

-On your summary sheet, write what you did this week to practice the principle you learned form your reading and inspirement.

October Master Class

See: http://vanguardmasterclass.blogspot.com/

September Apprentice

Study (Know)

Do all of the following to increase your knowledge:

Read: 2 Timothy 2:3-5 and decide what it means to you.

Read: The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis

Choose: A favorite quote, thought or question from the book to share with the class.

Read: American History in Verse to The Word of God to Leyden Came

Word Study: If you are not doing a word study in journeyman or master class this week, do a word study on “soldier”, “strive” or another interesting word from your readings.

Memorize: A favorite poem or excerpt from a poem from American History in Verse

Teach (Understand):

Choose one of the following to increase your understanding:

(See teaching ideas for presenting your thoughts)

-Think of your own way to teach something you learned from The Last Battle.  Remember, understanding requires action so knowledge can sink into your heart.  Have a parent, or mentor, approve your inspirement.

-We are living in the Last Days and taking part in the “Last Battle” before the end of the world. Make a list of some of the enemy’s tactics in the book and see if you can find some ways how you see them around you today. Also, list some of the tactics used by those on Aslan’s side and how you might use some of them today. Teach us what you learned.

-Show how the Scripture in Timothy applies to the message in the book.  Present your thoughts.

-Pick your favorite scene in the book and represent it in some way (a skit, a picture, a poem, etc). Teach us why you liked that scene and what you learned from it.

-There were several leaders in this book such as: Shift, Trinian, Tash, Aslan, Rishda Tarkaan, any of the Queens and Kings of Narnia, and others.  Pick two leaders and compare their leadership methods. It helps to ask yourself: “How did they get people to follow them?” Share what you learned in your own way.

-Make a Character Study T-Chart of your favorite character or of you least favorite character. Also, write down some of the consequences of their actions. What does this teach you about a trait you want to develop? Present what you learned to teach the class.00

-Things became more “real” as the characters went “further up and further in”.   Have you ever seen this pattern in your life? Write about, or present in some way (Prezi, whiteboard, poster board, speech, etc), how this might apply to our lives today.

-How does the stable in the book compare to the stable in Bethlehem? Present your thoughts in a way of your choosing.

-Why could the dwarves not see what everyone else could see?  Have you ever felt like this or know someone who acts like this? What can you do to help yourself or others in this situation? Or what must happen for them to want to see? Present your thoughts.

Serve  (Become):

Choose one of the following to apply what you have learned:

-Choose an action from your thoughts or writings about The Last Battle or about Raphael to work on this week.

- Teach your family what you learned from “The Last Battle” in a family lesson.  Give them a challenge and take the challenge yourself. 

-Choose a weapon or tactic of the Spirit that you want to become an expert in using to bless others.  Set a goal on how you will practice. Follow through (you may want to ask someone to check on you or write it somewhere where you’ll remember to check on yourself).

-Pray and ask for guidance in how you can become a better soldier for the Lord.  Write down and act on your prompting.

-Choose a “Serve” from Journeyman or Master readings

September Journeyman

I want to go see this cave some day!
Here is a description of this video:
"This Overture, written by the 20 years old Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, was inspired by his visit to Fingal's Cave when he was touring Scotland. He sent a letter to his sister Fanny describing his impression of the cave and along with it an autograph of the first several bars of the overture written on 2 staves. The first section explores the cave's darkness/emptiness/echoes etc.. The following section where the orchestra plays in full tutti gives the impression of a raging ocean (The cave was located on a small island as seen in the pictures). The development section introduces a new theme which is very lyrical and in cantabile (singing) style. The recapitulation reintroduces the original theme with some variations and new orchestral colors and the use of a marcato rhythm and is finally followed by a great climax which is well prepared for in advance and very anticipated. The climax is played tutti in a raging fortissimo with many lines going in different directions but nonetheless balanced perfectly in terms of tone and harmony. Such a dramatic climax calls for a quiet ending where the strings continue to play a couple of pizzicato notes after the rest of the orchestra goes silent."

JOURNEYMAN 

Study   Know 

Do all of the following to increase your knowledge: 

Read: Spiritual Lives of the Great Composers – Felix Medelssohn and pick something you admire about him.

Listen: Listen to at least 5 songs by Medelssohn and pick a favorite – bring the name to class.

Read and Listen: Pilgrim’s Progress to when Christian come to the house of the Interpreter (right after he leaves Goodwill)

Choose: A favorite quote, thought, or question to share with the class

Read: Stories of Great Artists: Raphael

Choose and Read: Pick at least 3 of Raphael’s paintings to read about in Homebook of Great Paintings

http://archive.org/stream/homebookofgreatp00hurl#page/n217/mode/2up

Watch: One or more of the videos about Raphael’s paintings on Khan Academy

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/H_Guv2Mk1E0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Choose: your favorite painting by Raphael and email it to Isaiah (young men) or Megan (ladies). Be prepared to share why you liked it with the class.

Teach Understand  

Choose one of the following to increase your understanding:

-Pick one of the following characters or settings:

Christian, Evangelist, Wicket Gate (place), Obstinate, Pliable, Despond (Slough), Help, Mister Worldly Wiseman, Carnal Policy (Town), Morality (Village), Legality, Civility, Mount Sinai (Mountain), or Goodwill then do a word study on that word. Come prepared to class to represent that place or person in an impromptu rendition of the story (which we will film).  Think of what they may have worn or held and of their mannerisms and tone. If you pick a place, come prepared with a prop (or yourself dressed up) that represents that place. Post your pick on the comments on the Imaginative Arts Blog so we can make sure that all of the characters get represented.

-Research John Bunyan (he has a fascinating story) and come prepared to present his story to the class and how he came to write the book Pilgrim’s Progress.  You may want to dress up like he may have dressed so that you can introduce him in the film.

-Optional (but awesome): Learn to play or sing a song by Medelssohn to share with the class or make a presentation about him.

Serve  (Become):

Choose one of the following to apply what you have learned:

-Choose an action from your thoughts or writings about Pilgrim’s Progress or Medelssohn that will bless someone to work on this week.

-Think of any obstacles in your journey right now.  Plan how to overcome one of them, write it down and act on it.

-Choose a “Serve” from the Apprentice or Master readings

April Memorization

Life is not a path of coincidence, happenstance, and luck,

But rather an unexplainable, meticulously charter course
For one to touch the lives of others

And make a difference in the world

-Barbara Dillingham