This one volume, written especially for homeschooled high schoolers, provides study questions to reflect on while reading the Greek classics. The study questions are simple and aid in comprehension. If you read the questions before reading the related passage, they give you a sense of what to look for, thus helping you stay focused on challenging subject matter. They're also helpful in discussions with an adult afterwards to help make sure that the student has comprehended the book and as starting points for further discussion on important ideas contained in the book. I was grateful to discover that the author has skillfully avoided the all-too-common problem of questions that pre-digest the story for the student or take on a condescending tone. Study materials are included for: Homer's Iliad Homer's Odyssey selections from the Histories of Herodotus History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides Anabasis: A History of My Times by Xenophon The Oresteian Trilogy by Aeschylus Three Theban Plays by Sophocles The Clouds by Aristophanes Plato's Republic Detailed study questions are included for each segment of each work, and include line numbers to relate easily back and forth between the book and the study guide. There are "Questions for Further Thought" that emphasize certain parts of each book or summarize at the end. These could be starting points for writing assignments as well as fodder for discussion. Answers are included, as are timelines and a pronunciation guide. This resource was written by a very experienced Catholic homeschool mom who has designed the program for ease of use by parents, even those with little knowledge of the classics. The questions reflect an understanding of the concepts and values that make these works worthwhile to Catholic homeschool students of the 21st century.
About the Author: Fran Rutherford was the primary educator of her children for 16 years, during which time she taught the Classics using a couple of the programs available to homeschool parents. When she began, the curricula available did not flesh out the readings or provide an analysis of the works studied. Deciding to read the books before the children, Fran began to write questions which would help the children to focus on the main ideas put forth, and the result is three study guides, covering the readings of most classical curricula for high school students. Those study guides are now available in both Student Guides and Teacher Guides. They are: Greek Classics, Ancient Rome, and Old World Europe. They have proven to be very helpful for both students and their teachers in understanding the works which form the foundation of Western Civilization. Fran has been a speaker at various homeschooling conferences and gatherings and encourages parents to educate their children through the high school years. She is available to speak on topics relating to classical curricula, as well as the "how-to" of actually doing it. Her latest talk "Beauty and the Beast" explored the notion of beauty and how the classics help incorporate it into our lives. Fran can be reached through her blog or at Classicstudyguides.com with any questions relative to Questions for the Thinker Study Guides(c) or Questions for the Thinker Ebook Study Guides(c), as well as to schedule talks.