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Fine Arts It can be so easy to put off the fine arts, especially when the basics like math and literature seem more important.  However, learning to draw means learning to see beauty, and learning to perform and listen to music means learning to hear beauty.  How better to appreciate God's beautiful creation? Art Art History Music Music History Art Discovering Great Artists : Hands-On Art for Children in the Styles of the Great Masters by MaryAnn F. Kohl, et al (Paperback - May 1997) Average Customer Review: Doing Art Together : Discovering the Joys of Appreciating and Creating Art As Taught at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Famous Parent-Child Workshop by Muriel Silberstein-Storfer, et al. Paperback (April 1997) Draw Write Now! by Marie Hablitzel and Kim Stitzer These fun books have been inspirational for one of my sons.  We use it as a supplement.  They include step-by-step instructions for drawing that are easy enough for a 5 or 6 year old to follow on his own.  Each book in the series is a little more complex than the last.  In addition to a picture, each page has a sentence of two of writing for the children to copy.  We've really enjoyed these. On The Farm, Kids & Critters, Storybook Characters (Draw Write Now, Book 1) Christopher Columbus, Autumn Harvest, The Weather (Draw Write Now, Book 2) Native Americans, North America, The Pilgrims ((Draw Write Now, Book 3) TheThe Polar Regions, The Arctic, The Antarctic (Draw Write Now, Book 4) United States, From Sea to Sea, Moving Forward (Draw Write Now, Book 5) Animals & Habitats -- On Land, Ponds & Rivers, Oceans (Draw Write Now, Book 6) Animals of the World, Part 1: Tropical Forests, Northern Forests, Forests Down Under (Draw Write Now, Book 7) Animals of the World, Part 2: Savannas, Grasslands, Mountains and Deserts (Draw Write Now, Book 8) Draw Write Now: My Drawing and Handwriting Book (Draw Write Now) Drawing With Children by Mona Brookes. Paperback (June 1996) This wonderful book will inspire you to help your children create in a way that is far beyond what you (or at least I) previously thought possible. Mona Brookings uses examples from her own classes to show what children are capable of doing.  Inspirational! The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards (Paperback - September 1999) Average Customer Review: This is the second revision of this classic book on drawing. It is intended for adults, but quite applicable to teenagers too. Art History Art Smart! Ready-to-Use Slides & Activities for Teaching Art History & Appreciation by Susan, Rodriguez. Textbook Binding (January 28, 1988) An exciting way to teach art history, appreciation, and skills combines 40 full-color museum slides with 94 ready-to-use activities for grades 3-9. Each activity includes background information, style and techniques, materials needed, and directions . Here are more slides and activities to go with the above set: Art Smart!; Ready-to-Use Slides and Activities for Teaching Art History and Appreciation, Supplementary Slide Portfolio 1 ~ Art Smart : Supplementary Slide Portfolio II : Manet Impressionism to African Magical Sculpture How to Use Child Size Masterpieces ~ Aline Wolf / Paperback / Pub 1996 This set comes with the recommendation of Laura Berquist in Designing Your Own Classical Curriculum. Child Size Masterpieces of Steps 1, 2, 3 of Mommy, Its a Renoir Level 1 Easy Child Size Masterpieces for Steps 1, 2, 3 of Mommy, It's a Renoir Level 2--Intermediate Child-Size Masterpieces for Steps 1, 2, 3 of Mommy, It's a Renoir: Level 3--Advanced Child-Size Masterpieces for Step Four for Mommy, It's a Renoir : Names of Artists Masterpieces : Famous Paintings Music Ready-To-Use Music Reading Activities Kit : A Sequential Approach to Music Reading for Voices and Instruments by Loretta Mitchell. Paperback (January 1991) This spiral-bound kit includes 150 reproducible activities that use favorite children's songs to help master the basics of music reading. Organized into 14 sequential, skill-building sections for the elementary/middle school curriculum, the book is for grades one through eight. This kit has been featured and reviewed in prominent home schooling curriculum manuals. Specifically, it was recommended by Laura Berquist, who writes that it is thorough, easy to use, and does not require musical training on the part of the parent.  Berquist recommends this book for the 5th grade. Practical Theory Complete : A Self-Instruction Music Theory Course by Sandy Feldstein. Paperback (June 1982) This would be a good follow-up to Ready-To-Use... above. Adoremus Hymnal Hardcover (September 1998) Our Price:$12.95 This wonderful hymnal has many of the old hymns, including a good amount of Gregorian chant. What a great way to learn music. There is also a choir addition if you want four part harmony. One, Two, Three, Echo Me! : Ready to Use Songs, Games, and Activities to Help Children Sing in Tune by Loretta Mitchell. Paperback (November 1990) Chant Made Simple by Robert M. Fowells (Paperback - September 2000) Want to start a great family tradition? Try learning Gregorian Chant as a family! The Usborne Piano Course : Book One (Piano Course Series , 1) by Katie Elliot, Kathy Gemmell(Contributor). Paperback 1995 These colorful books work well at keeping the attention of a fairly young child, and include a lot of review from lesson to lesson. Usborne Piano Course : Book Two (Piano Course Series , No 2) by Katie Elliot, Kathy Gemmell(Contributor) (Paperback - March 1995) Practical Theory Complete : A Self-Instruction Music Theory Course by Sandy Feldstein. Paperback (June 1982) Easy Piano Classics (First Music) by Philip Hawthorn. Paperback (June 1991) First Book of the Recorder (1st Music Series) by Philip Hawthorn. Paperback (October 1997) If you just want your children to learn how music works, and you don't have a piano handy or want something a bit simpler, then the recorder is a great instrument to use for learning how to hear. Easy Recorder Tunes by Philip Hawthorn. Paperback (December 1990) Once your child has learned to play the recorder, this will help him remember. Essential Dictionary of Music Notation : The Most Practical and Concise Source for Music Notation ~ Tom Gerou, Linda Lusk / Paperback / Published 1996 The Family Car Songbook : Hundreds of Miles of Fun! ~ Usually ships in 24 hours Michael Gelen (Illustrator) / Hardcover / Published 1998 Music History Music Smart : Ready-To-Use Listening Tapes and Activities for Teaching Music Appreciation/Book and Cassette Gwen Hotchkiss / Hardcover / Published 1990 An instructional program to introduce K-8 students to 21 great works of music. Includes full-length cassettes, background on each composition and composer, teaching strategies for presentation, along with student activities, games, and worksheets. Teacher's manual and 3 cassettes in vinyl case. Meet the Orchestra ~ Usually ships in 24 hours Ann Hayes, Karmen Thompson (Illustrator) / Paperback / Published 1995 Ages 3-8 Descriptions of musical instruments are accompanied by watercolors of animals playing them. Opera 101 : A Complete Guide to Learning and Loving Opera by Fred Plotkin, et al. Paperback (December 1994) Who says all homeschooling books have to be textbooks? Though intended for adults, this book works well for teenagers too. Newcomers to opera receive a fine guide to learning about opera appreciation, written by a performance manager for the Metropolitan Opera. Eleven famous operas are reviewed in a step-by-step listener's guide which covers the basics of learning about the opera's form, style, and scene challenges. 100 Great Operas and Their Stories by Henry W. Simon. Paperback (May 1, 1989) I don't know whether to call this music appreciation or literature, but either way, this guide allows you to enjoy the opera instead of trying to figure out the plot when you are at the opera.

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