Frequently Asked Questions

We recognize that Claritas will not be a fit for everyone and are happy to accept returns if materials are in pristine, "sell-able" condition, and have not been used or written in.  When the returned materials are received, they will be reviewed and, if acceptable, we will issue a refund for the returned items, less shipping costs incurred, and a free return mailing label.  Start your return here.

We do not charge fees - no sign up fees, no registration fees for the co-op you are starting, no per student fees. We are thrilled you've found us and find our materials beneficial - thank you! - and we know that you have your own ideas and plans on how this material can best serve your family or community.

We do ask that you help preserve and protect our rights by not borrowing material from a friend without paying for it; by not copying material for or from a friend; by purchasing a Memory Work Guide for your family to use (new from us or used from a friend) or by purchasing the appropriate subscription from CrossSeven.org; by not sharing (online or otherwise) materials you've created for your own family's use without first asking Claritas Publishing to see if this would break copyright laws. Thank you!

You may! Claritas Publishing does not regulate, oversee, or otherwise govern the groups, co-ops, or schools that choose to use our material. We do not charge fees. We do, however, require that those using our material purchase (own) our material, either by purchasing a Claritas Memory Work Guide or by subscribing to the relevant cycle on CrossSeven.org.

If you would like to find a group near you — please view this Google map.

Absolutely. Please contact us.

Our memory work spends one week on the Greek/Roman gods because those names are fully intertwined within our Western culture. We also memorize facts surrounding major world religions such as Islam and Buddhism but we do not spend time learning the tenets of these false religions. For example, here are the 2 relevant sentences: 1) Tell me about Buddhism: In India, Monks followed Buddha, and are remembered for their beautifully decorated monasteries carved out of the cliffs. 2) Tell me about Islam: Mohammed, the founder of Islam, fled persecution in Mecca and moved to Medina. His teachings formed Islam’s religious text, the Koran.

 Claritas does not take a position on these potentially heated topics. Within our own Claritas community we have families who love Jesus, believe the Bible to be the inerrant Word of GOD, and who hold to some version of each of these beliefs surrounding creation. This topic is ripe for years of potential discussion, reading, and learning and to that we say a hearty, AMEN!

In Cycle 2, Claritas does learn the terminology regarding geologic eras. We feel that these are terms that students and virtually all educated people will come in contact with at some point in their lifetime and that learning these terms in no way connotes that Claritas believes or does not believe the science behind these terms.

 This is a frequent question with a myriad of answers. There is no set formula or age for ordering particular books. If your child is in 2nd-4th grade and has had no formal grammar training, the Fundamental Grammar Workbook for the Lower Grammar Stage, LEVEL 1 would likely be the place to begin. A younger student could then proceed to the Fundamental Grammar Workbook for the Lower Grammar Stage, LEVEL 2; however, it is conceivable that a bright 4th grader who has mastered the Level 1 workbook could then move to the Fundamental Grammar Guide and the corresponding workbooks (for whatever historical cycle you are in). If you have a 4th grader or even a 5th grader who has not completed a formal grammar program, you may want to begin with the Fundamental Grammar Workbook for the Lower Grammar Stage, LEVEL 2 before beginning the Fundamental Grammar Guide (and corresponding workbooks). Conversely, a bright 4th grader with older siblings and veteran homeschool mom may jump into the FGG program, with mom alongside to ensure that concepts are grasped. Truly a myriad of answers!

Possible ordering scenario 1: I have a 3rd grader, 5th grader, and 7th grader and we are in Cycle 2 - What English Grammar materials do I order? 

• (1) Fundamental Grammar Workbook for the Lower Grammar Stage, LEVEL 1 (for the 3rd grader); 

• (1) Fundamental Grammar Guide (for the 5th & 7th graders (& MOM!));

• (2) Cycle 2 Fundamental Grammar Workbooks, Units I & II (for the 5th & 7th graders; consumable)); 

• (1) Cycle 2 Fundamental Grammar Workbook, Unit III (non-consumable).

Possible ordering scenario 2: We will be in Cycle 4 and my children are K, 2nd, 4th, 6th, and 8th grades. My 4th grader has had some grammar instruction; my 6th and 8th graders have had consistent grammar instruction. Help?!

• (1) Fundamental Grammar Workbook for the Lower Grammar Stage, LEVEL 1 (2nd grader);

• (1) Fundamental Grammar Workbook for the Lower Grammar Stage, LEVEL 2 (4th grader) - the student may move quickly through this workbook but it will likely serve as a good introduction to the FGG program.

• (1) Fundamental Grammar Guide (for the 6th & 8th graders (& MOM!));

• (2) Cycle 4 Fundamental Grammar Workbooks, Units I & II (6th & 8th graders - consumable);

• (1) Cycle 4 Fundamental Grammar Workbook, Unit III (non-consumable)

 NO. The product descriptions indicate that the workbooks accompany, correspond with, or correlate with the FGG, but these workbooks are purchased separately - the Units 1 & 2 workbook corresponds to FGG lessons 1-13 and the Unit 3 workbook corresponds to lessons 14-28.

The workbooks change with every cycle so that the student does not have to see the same sentences and material every year. The Unit 1 & 2 workbook is consumable (so, 1/student), is meant for 5th grade and up (but see earlier Q re: FGG curriculum), and tracks with Lessons 1-13 of the FGG. The Unit 3 Workbook is NON-consumable (so, 1/family) and tracks with Lessons 14-28 of the FGG.

Claritas has made a significant investment in creating this memory work. At this time, our policy is that a family must own a Memory Work Guide (for their chosen cycle) or they must purchase a corresponding subscription to CrossSeven.org. Either of these constitutes "owning" the memory work. If you have inherited a MWG or purchased a used MWG, you now own a MWG and may purchase audio, hand-writing sheets, etc. 

The CDs and audio download contain all subjects of our memory work set to music by the fabulous Beth Fox. The audio is arranged by week (3 CDs) and by subject, with the exception of the Timeline, which is chanted. The CDs and download do not contain any of the similarly fabulous visuals that Laura Murfin has created for the CrossSeven website.

We used the 2009 edition, but you could certainly purchase the updated encyclopedia and use the index in the back if the page numbers don’t line up exactly. Typically, the edits between editions are and some families prefer to use an updated edition whenever possible.

At Claritas Classical Academy, we use Phenomenon of Language (4th/5th) and love it. POL is straightforward and approachable - even a non-Latin educated parent can teach it as long as they are working through the lessons alongside the student. In 6th and up we use Ecce Romani. Our community meets 2 days/week and our Latin teacher has been teaching Latin, and specifically Ecce, for more than 20 years. We do NOT recommend using Ecce if the teacher is not incredibly strong in Latin (or English Grammar). We used Ecce years ago meeting once a week with a less experienced teacher/parent and it was not successful. Some families in our community have used and had success with Latin for Children and Latin Alive - both are great resources for homeschoolers. There are certainly other wonderful Latin curricula out there.

As for pronunciation: When our Latin memory work refers to Scripture or Church creeds we use Ecclesiastical pronunciation; when we are learning Latin conjugations, declensions, etc. we use the Classical pronunciation. This may seem odd but we appreciate exposing students to both pronunciations and they are not confused by it. So, on our audio CDs you will hear both forms of pronunciation depending upon the subject matter.

YES! Our Memory Work Guides align with the four historical cycles of SOTW. Please see the descriptions on the pages of the specific Memory Work Guides for more information.

To download a document that connects SOTW chapters and our weekly memory work, please click here.

When you purchase the audio download, you will receive an email with a link to a PDF. You should be able to click the link embedded in the PDF which will take you to Dropbox where you will see a long list of audio files. You must download these files to your computer, phone, or tablet. If you use a cloud service like iTunes, if you have iTunes sharing activated, you can create a playlist for your download and the audio should propagate to your various devices if iTunes sharing is turned on everywhere.

To place an international order, please fill out our contact form with the subject "International Orders". Once submitted, we will promptly get in touch with you to provide specific information and assistance tailored to your international shipping needs.