February IA

Apprentice

Study/learn

The History of Ballet

Click here to get a brief history of ballet.

And watch this TED video here to see how ballet evolved.

Here's a couple of ballets you can watch, I'm sure you can find more if you're not interested in these:

Swan Lake
The Nutcracker

Write a summary of the history of ballet in you CPB.
Obviously ballet was a lot different back in the 17-1800's compared to what it is now.  It makes you wonder how it'll change in the future.

The history of other styles of dance all root back to ballet and the elites elaborate parties.  Ballroom dance came from the social side of dancing, and modern styles of dancing came from branching off of ballet.  Since ballet was so strict in it's movements, contemporary dance broke those rules.  Modern dance today now takes on more of a story or message that they want to convey.

Look here for a good example of modern contemporary.
Here's another fun one.


Add these to your CPB or make notecards:

Requiem
Scala, La
Sonata
Soprano
Stradivarius
Symphony
Tenor
Unison
Vivaldi, Antonio
Water Music

Composers

Listen to Beethoven while you read about him.

Read "The Spiritual Lives of the Great Composers" under the chapter Beethoven.
Here's another take on his life here.

Write in your CPB a brief history of Beethoven, and Mozart.  (I forgot to have you do Mozart's last month, oops!) Remember to glue their pictures into your summaries of them.

I'm amazed that he was still writing music even though he couldn't hear it!

Another thing that I thought was interesting was that these composers were alive around the same time Napoleon was alive!  I had never connected that before.

Know/understand

Answer these questions in your CPB:
What do you think about dance?  Do you think it could be a vehicle for good?  Like music, do you think that it can bring us closer to God?
Obviously music and dance go hand in hand.  Do you think that dance along with the music can be even more moving than without it? We'll discuss these things in class.




Become/serve

Keep listening to the composers we've been studying!  And make sure you sing your hymns in church.

Also keep vigilant on what you watch, read, and listen to.  Music, dance, and reading all can be beautiful things when used the way Heavenly Father wants us to use them. But Satan has easily made these things for great evil. 



Journeyman

Study/learn


This month we're studying artist Rembrandt.

Click here for a brief history of him.

Take a look at his history here and write a summary of his life in your CPB.  Add at least 3 facts about him, and make sure to glue of picture of him in also. 

Define these words:

The Last Supper
Leonardo da Vinci
Louvre
Michelangelo
montage
mosaic
mural
naturalism
Pieta
Raphael



Know/understand

Do you notice the depth and shadows he has in his paintings? 
Some of his portraits are amazing! 

This picture to left is really realistic!  It almost looks like a photo.  Back in the 1600's that would've been absolutely amazing.


It's interesting that he was born into a rich family but died poor?  I keep noticing the artist/musicians that we're studying aren't good with money.  Do you think there is a connection to that?

I LOVE this one to the right.  I want to hang that in my house.  It's called "The Storm on the Sea of Galilee"


If you want to see these paintings better click here and click on the paintings and they will be bigger.






Become/serve

Now we're going to continue to sketch.  Keep drawing your eyes, nose, and mouth. 

Here's another way to draw an eye here
Nose here
Mouth here
Hair here

There're a ton of videos on art, so if these don't seem to be your style; with your parent, take a look at more videos on youtube.

Now come to class with a portrait, or with parts of a face i.e eyes, nose, mouth, hair!  Those of you that are artists we want to see your portrait art!  Come prepared to hang up what you've drawn!

Also if you do decide to do a portrait, make sure to use a photo of someone or yourself.  It's helps a ton, instead of just making a random picture out of your head.



Master

Jane Austen

Study/learn

This week read any Jane Austen book that you'd like.

Take a look at her biography here.  Write a summary of her life in your CPB, and make sure to glue her picture in with it. 

Know/understand

I feel so bad that she couldn't get married because of social ideals!  Whenever I read books about that day and age I can't help feeling bad that marriage wasn't meant the same as it is today.  People marry for love a lot more nowadays than they ever did back then!  

Why do you think she never married again?  

Become/serve

Bring a treat, and come prepared to discuss!

 

(Another note; next month we're reading "The Count of Monte Cristo"  It's a big book so start reading/listening now! )

January IA

Apprentice

Study/learn

The Symphony Orchestra

Have you ever wondered what instruments makes the full sound of a symphony?  Or maybe you've asked, "How has it changed since it's inception?"

This week for Imaginative Arts:

We're studying the history of the symphony, and do a little ear training to learn what each instrument sounds like.

Study composer, Mozart.

Write these terms on your notecards or in your CPB:

maestro
The Magic Flute
The Marriage of Figaro
Messiah
Moonlight Sonata
movement
Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Ninth Symphony
opera
orchestra
overture
quartet



Below is a video of the same person that we saw last month.  I really like her videos and how she briefly explains things, so we're going to use her videos again. It comes in two parts, but I found out that the second video was taken off because of a copyright problem, but she does have it on her blog for you to read, and it's not that long.

pianotvpart1
blogpostpart2

Some of her videos that she posted didn't work for me.  If they don't for you, you can look up what she's talking about.  Below are the ones that I needed to look up.


Beethovens5th
Shostakovich7th


Beethoven's 5th, I'm sure you've heard some of.  Shostakovich's 7th is one that's new to me.  It's really good, and you should listen to at least 20 minutes of it.  So while you're listening to this music, I want you to give a brief summary of what the symphony is.  Also write or print out a diagram of what a symphony is, i.e where the woodwinds, brass, string instruments sit.  You can print out the picture to the side.  Make sure to size it to fit into your CPB.



Mozart

Read: "Spiritual Lives of the Great Composers," the chapter entitled Mozart.

Listen to Mozart

I'm always astounded at how much these composers were devoted to God.  Even though he wasn't perfect (like we all are) he had a huge foundation in Christ.


Know/understand

Answer all of these questions in you CPB:

Do you think that listening to Mozart (and other classical music) bring us closer to God just like they were when they wrote it?

Watch this video:  Here

When you listen to your favorite music why do you like it?  What is it about it that makes you love it?

What is your favorite classical music to listen to, and why?  Journal about it in your book.

Here's an article on the effects music has on our spirits.  click here
Take a minute and review your music that you listen to, and take out what you know could be destructive to your spirit.  We're going to have a discussion on the effects that music has in our personal space.


Become/serve

Over this week and next month try everyday to listen to some classical music.  Even if it's for just a song/movement or two.

Also, at church make sure you get out that hymnbook and sing with the congregation. Click on the link here and scroll down to verse 12.

Learning about the great composers of the past and how they affected the world shapes who we are.  What I've learned since we started is that these wonderful composers were hugely inspired men, and that music has the potential to take you to great spiritual heights, or it can go the wrong way and push the Spirit away.  We'll discuss this in class.

I'm so thankful for music!  I'm so thankful that Heavenly Father inspired people to make instruments and make beautiful sounds!  Can you imagine watching a movie without music?  It would be totally boring.  Or even church; church wouldn't be the same without the beautiful hymns we get to sing.  Or the children songs we learn in primary.  Can you imagine if we never knew those beautiful songs?  Music connects our emotions with truth that we've been taught.  You might not remember the lessons you were taught by your teacher, but you do remember the songs and the emotions that went with them; which in turn, enforced the lessons they taught.   Again, I'm so thankful for music.


Journeyman

This month we're going to study the artist Raphael.

Study/learn

Here's a video about Raphael here.

Glue his picture in your CPB.

Also take a look at the Wikipedia biography here.  Skim through it and write down a summary of his life, and at least 3 interesting facts about him.
Raphael liked to do realistic art like Michelangelo and da Vinci.



Know/understand

The more I look at the art of Raphael, Michelangelo, and Leonardo da Vinci I am amazed at the detail of their work.  It's beautiful!!

The detail that they put into their work for that time was hugely innovative.  Notice the depth, shadows, the folds in the clothing.  All of those minute details make their art beautiful and amazing. 

Here's an explanation of what materials they used back in the Renaissance.  Click here.




Since starting this course, my appreciation for these wonderful artists, and anyone that does art has grown leaps and bounds. 


Raphael's work is really beautiful.  His detail is really impressive.






Become/serve

We're going to try to make some 3D art.  Take a look at this video.   Now get a glass/cup and try to sketch it as 3D as you can get it.  Come to class prepared to share your work!

If you have any other art that you've been working on over the break, bring it.  Has anyone ever done art similar to Raphael?  If you have we'd love to hear about it, and see it if you have it!





Master

Study/learn

Read "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Bronte.

Take a look at these biography's of her here: #1 and #2.  

Know/understand

Glue or tape her picture into your CPB, and write up a summary of her life, and any interesting facts that you'd like to add.  

I feel so bad that she never found someone to love and marry!  What do you think?

Become/serve

Here're some discussion questions that we can talk about in class:

Why does Brontë juxtapose Jane’s musings about women’s social restraints with the mysterious laugh that Jane attributes to Grace Poole (p. 125-26)?

Rochester tells Jane, “if you are cast in a different mould to the majority, it is no merit of yours; Nature did it” (p. 153-54). Are we intended to agree or disagree with this statement?

After Mason’s visit to Thornfield, Jane asks herself, “What crime was this, that lived incarnate in this sequestered mansion, and could neither be expelled nor subdued by the owner?” (p. 237). What crime does Bertha represent? Why does Rochester keep her at Thornfield?

Does Rochester ever actually intend to marry Blanche Ingram? If so, when does he change his mind? If not, why does he go to such lengths to make Jane believe he does?

Rochester’s disastrous marriage to Bertha was based on passion, while St. John refuses to marry Rosamund because of his passion for her. What is Brontë saying about the role passion should play in marriage?

What does St. John feel for Jane? Why does Jane end her story with his prayer?

Jane asserts her equality to Rochester (p. 284), and St. John (p. 452). What does Jane mean by equality, and why is it so important to her?

When Jane first appears at Moor House, Hannah assumes she is a prostitute, but St. John and his sisters do not. What distinguishes the characters who misjudge Jane from those who recognize her true nature?

When Jane hears Rochester’s voice calling while he is miles away, she says the phenomenon “is the work of nature” (p. 467). What does she mean by this? What are we intended to conclude about the meaning of this experience?

Brontë populates the novel with many female characters roughly the same age as Jane—Georgiana and Eliza Reed, Helen Burns, Blanche Ingram, Mary and Diana Rivers, and Rosamund Oliver. How do comparisons with these characters shape the reader’s understanding of Jane’s character?

What is the balance of power between Jane and Rochester when they marry? Does this balance change from the beginning of the marriage to the time ten years later that Jane describes at the end of the novel (p. 500-501)?

Also bring a snack to share while we discuss! 

November IA

Apprentice

Study/learn

Get your Cultural Literacy Book out and write these onto notecards or in your CPB:

Don Giovanni
french horn
Gregorian chant
Hallelujah Chorus
Handel, George Frederick
harmony
Haydn, Franz Josef
key

Opera

Take a look at this video, here.  It's a pretty good overview of how opera came to be and how it evolved.  It comes in two parts so make sure to watch both.  (The second video that goes with it is here.  Just in case you can't find it.)  She talks a lot about what operas to view.  I went to her website hoping there were links to click on, but there wasn't.  I'm not really sure which ones are appropriate but I know there're some parents that know some good ones.  If you have suggestions please share!  This is an area where I'm learning just as much as our youth.

View at least one opera.   

Make a note in your CPB of what you saw and your opinion on it.  We're going to discuss our opinions in class.

In your CPB, write down a quick overview of the history of opera, putting in facts as you see fit.

Handel

Read "Spiritual Lives of the Great Composers."  Pages 13-34, which contains the Preface, Bach, and Handel.


Here's a link to watch Messiah here.  It's super long, so I don't expect you to watch the whole thing, but if you do you'll think it was worth your time.  It's beautiful.

Write your opinion of Messiah, and Handel.  Do you think he was inspired to write Messiah?



Know/understand

Here're a couple of awesome videos to look at just for fun:

2 Cellos

Jenny Oaks Baker

TPG and Lindsey Sterling

TPG

Pretty much anything by The Piano Guys is amazing!  I have too many favorites to post here, so just look them up.

Also keep listening to all of the classical music that I had posted on Octobers post.  This class is all about listening and seeing beautiful music and amazing artists perform.

How many hours do you think it takes to become the amazing artists these people are?

Write in you CPB, about what you've heard and seen since starting this class.



Become/serve

This week I want you to share something that you've discovered while studying music this week.  It could be anything that you feel like you want to share.

Two examples are: A video that you found that you love to listen/see that you want to share, or something that you've come to realize while learning and studying music.






Journeyman

Journeyman will be presented in two parts.  One is the study of an artist, and the other is our work on sketching.


Study/learn

Learn about Leonardo da Vinci here.

Now that we've learned about him, here's a link with a list of facts. Right here. What a fascinating man!

Glue his picture into your CPB and write a summary of his life, and facts about him as you see fit.   (If you don't have his picture go to the October post and print it from the google doc I provided.)

Sketching

I know that some of you have really good skills in drawing, and I know that some of you have just started out.  The videos below I think will help with all of us no matter the skill level.

Here's one on how to get the proportions right- here.
Here's a do's and don'ts on drawing a face- here.

Draw a face!  You can draw it from a picture (that's what I'm going to do) or not but draw a face. Don't expect it to be perfect.  We have to sit up before we can walk.  It goes the same for drawing. Just do your best!  The more faces you draw and incorporate the techniques from the videos, the better you'll get.

If you're still into drawing eyes (I am!)  Here's another really good video here.

Also, another thing about art; if you're not really interested in drawing faces or eyes, then draw whatever you're interested in.
The sketching I'm having you do is to stretch you're skills and add more depth to your drawings. Mainly what I've found out about art is it's hard to do anything you're not interested, so take the skills that your learn here, and add them to whatever you like to do.  


Know/understand

Obviously Leonardo was a lot more than just an artist, but we're going to focus on his art.  The two most famous paintings of his are the Mona Lisa, and The Last Supper.

Take a close look at these and really study them.  We'll have a discussion about them in class.

Sketching

It's amazing the brain power and skill that it takes to make a beautiful picture.  Take a moment to journal in your CPB about what your experience has been learning to sketch a face.



Become/serve

Come prepared to present your drawings!

Also, come prepared to discuss Leonardo da Vinci, and his paintings.

Sis. Millington is going to teach us to do a Mona Lisa with torn paper.  Fun!!




Master

Study/learn

Read: "The Scarlet Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Learn about Nathaniel Hawthorne here.

Copy and paste the image of him and print it off to put into your CPB.



Know/understand

Write a mini biography about his life under his picture.

Talk to your parents, friends, whoever about what you've read. Make notes and/or write questions down in your CPB to use in our discussion.

Become/serve

In class we're going to have a discussion about what we learned.  Be ready to take notes during our discussion.

Come to Vanguard wearing "The Scarlet Letter" to class.

Bring a snack to share!

October IA

New year 2017-18  Welcome my friends!

Since we're studying the Renaissance this year we're going to put our focus on music and art history.   And then we're going to take it even further and see/hear some of these great works.  There's also some other things we're going to study to get well rounded on, but I'm entirely excited to see/hear and study some of this stuff!!



Apprentice

The first thing we're going to do is an overview.  But for fun look at this first.

Joshua Bell, Yankee Doodle

Isn't he so good?!  I love it!

Here's another good one.

Carrot clarinet

Go to this google doc here, and print off the Periods of music, and the pictures of the composers.
Cut out and glue the periods of music into your Commonplace book, making space for notes that we might take in class.

Below is the order of the composers we're studying this year.  Some more than others. The first link is a video, but the rest is music.  I don't expect you to listen to all of it, but get familiar with it because we're going to play a game in class to see if you remember what composer goes with what music.


Timeline

Middle Ages 500-1400
Guido of Arezzo- Do Re Mi

Renaissance 1400-1600
Desprez- Humble beginnings
Palestrina- Can you picture sitting in a catholic church listening to the monks?

Baroque 1600-1750
Monteverdi- This was revolutionary for his time.
Couperin- Definitely more evolved since the 1400's.
Vivaldi- Oh so this is who wrote this music!
Bach- I've been told some of his music is extremely hard to play.
Handel- In addition to this, he wrote "Messiah."

Classical 1750-1820
Haydn- Interesting hearing how the music evolves.
Mozart- You've probably heard some of this.
Beethoven- Everyone has heard of him.
Schubert- He loved Beethoven's music.
Mendelssohn- Very famous for his violin concertos.

Try to listen to at least 10 minutes of each recording.

Cut out each picture and look up three interesting facts about Guido, Desprez, and Palestrina and write them down in your commonplace book. Save the rest of the pictures for the year.


Get your Cultural Literacy book out and look up these words and record them into your commonplace book:


a cappella
alto
Bach, Johann Sebastian
ballad
baritone
baroque
bass
Beethoven, Ludwig van
chamber music
concerto

My suggestion to you is while you're studying this week, listen to the music.  It's great stuff for studying!


One last thing!!  Take a look at this here.  If you already know how to do it great, if not practice and we'll do it together during class!  Sorry parents for the noise. Haha!




Journeyman

If you've made it this far you're awesome!
For Journeyman this year we're going to study famous artists and some of their art.

First thing I want you to do is start drawing, painting, whatever!  If you have an art book to draw in then use it.  Or if you don't, just get some paper or anything and just start drawing whatever inspires you.

Here's a timeline to print here.  Before you print it, make sure you shrink it down so that it'll fit into your commonplace books.  I shrunk mine down to 60%.  Then you can either just tape each page into your book, or tape them together to make an accordion.

Go to this google doc here and print off the artists we're going to study this year.  Cut them out and glue Michelangelo into your commonplace book.  Save the other pictures of artists for later.

Go to this website here.  Click on Michelangelo and read about his life and work.
Note to parents:  Some of Michelangelo's art and sculptures on this page have male anatomy so be aware if you're not comfortable having your kids see these images.
Write down three interesting facts about him under his picture in your commonplace book.

Michelangelo was really into realistic art, and the anatomy of the body.  So take look at these examples of realistic art today.

Realistic eye
ipad art
Photo editing
Charcoal drawing

We have some amazing artists today that have been inspired by the greats of the past!

Look up these words in your cultural literacy book and record them into your commonplace book:

abstract art
bas- relief
expressionism
Giotto
Greco, El

Now take a look at this video here.  I want you to draw a picture of an eye, and make it as realistic as you can. Bring it to class to share your work.



We're going to work on drawing and painting a portrait in class.  If you have your own paints and brushes, feel free to bring them to class.












Master

Now that we've learned about music, and art; I want you to write down your thoughts and opinions on everything that we've learned this far.  Did you like listening to the music?  How did it make you feel?  Do you think it's important to know about this stuff?  What about the art and artists, did you like learning about it and them? Was drawing fun, or something that you just did to just get it done? Has doing all this work changed your perspective?  Write down anything that comes to you, even if it's negative.  We're going to have a discussion on all the work we've done.




Also this month we're reading "Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde" by Robert Louis Stevenson.

Click here to learn more about the author.  Copy a small picture of him and glue it into your commonplace book, and then write down some interesting facts about him that you want to remember.  We'll discuss him during our discussion of his book.

Imaginative Arts- Judaism

Can you believe this is the last week of Vanguard??? What a fun year we have had.  I am so glad you have all chosen to be a Vanguardian!

This week we will only be having Apprentice class.  Everyone will be staying all day.   In the morning will do our regular Vanguard stuff. Then weather permitting, we will head to the Springville Reservoir for some fun kayaking.  Please have clothes you can get wet (no swimming suits) but also a sweatshirt or warm clothes to put on if you do get wet and cold.  Bring a sack lunch!

Here is what you need to do to be prepared...

Read The Bronze Bow.  Come ready to discuss.  I want everyone participating in this discussion!

Watch the movie Ben Hur. The old one with Charlton Heston. 1959 version not the new one.

Watch the movie Fiddler on the Roof.

Study your notecards.  We will be racing and this may or may not include bubblegum.  You have been warned;)

Journal in your commonplace book about the movies and what you have learned this month about Judaism.  Focus on traditions and/or forgiveness vs revenge.

Optional:
Finish reading Fishers of Men or the whole series.

Study for the Constitution Bee.  This will be held on Thursday morning.

Good Luck! I hope you can handle 2 movies in one week!

March Journeyman

Sorry this is up late.

Read the next 20 pages in "Put a Cherry on Top"

Do the next chapter in the "Drawing Textbook"

Bring your sweet drawing skills to class for a fun and hilarious drawing game!

Apprentice- Asia

Read the book A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park.  This is our Apprentice book of the month. Come ready to discuss.  I realize the blog was not updated for the monthly book so this reading will be your work for Apprentice class.

Use this time to get reading Fishers of Men by Gerald Lund.  I hope you take on this challenge.  It is well worth it and the prizes will be good also;)

Spend time with your notecards and BRING THEM! We will be playing games with them.

You will have a little more time to work in your cultural groups in class.  Then it will be time to present!  Remember this should be a presentation and should be engaging.  Do not bore me!  I expect more than just describing the artifact.  I want a presentation about the culture.  You might have holes that you need to guess but please be respectful of the work people put into their artifacts.

Everyone will be staying until 2. Pack a lunch and let your ride know.  We will be presenting the cultures after lunch. 

We will have Journeyman Class but no Master Class this week. Journeyman will start at 2.