Welcome to Signum Academy
We believe education should be accessible, dynamic, and affordable. That’s why Signum Academy is bringing you the best of our live, interactive discussions of classic stories.
Whether for stand-alone book study or to tie-in with an existing reading program, for individual or small group enrichment, we offer:
- Live discussions and engaging activities for J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia, J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, and Madeleine L’Engle’s Time Quintet
- Curated Bits and Bites from our reading camp materials
- Templates for a choose-your-own-adventure game to structure your learning, with individual and group options for character creation and collaborative storytelling
- Self-contained Blizzard Bags focused on shorter works, perfect for a snow day or other break from the routine
- Language and Literature Tutorials for advanced students – rigorous, fee-based materials geared towards college-level writing and inquiry
As always, feel free to draw upon our past library of resources. You’ll find video discussions presented by our enthusiastic staff, as well as our program packets full of activity ideas to bring the story to life.
You can follow these steps to set up a streamlined version of our classic summer camps, or pull from our rich stock of games and activities to accompany your own and your kids’ reading of these wonderful stories.
Contact us with any questions or comments!
Signum Academy on Twitch
Signum Academy is now streaming on the Signum Twitch channel on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of every month at 7:30pm Eastern Time. Come join us for discussions of favorite books – all ages are welcome!
Our schedule for the first half of 2020 is as follows:
- January: Introduction to Signum Academy programs and resources
- February: Introduction to The Fellowship of the Ring and some of Tolkien’s Old English fan-fiction
- March: C.S. Lewis’ Prince Caspian and the great Narnia reading order debate
- April: Madeleine L’Engle’s allusions and structure of A Wrinkle in Time
- May: J.K. Rowling and how her books grow up with the reader
- June: Adaptation and fan community discussions
- July–August: Summer of Storytelling. From Roverandom to The Ickabog, we’ll look at how storytelling and writing have changed in recent times, and how they’ve stayed the same.
Starting in July and beyond, we will once again facilitate Summer Reading Camps and other activities. Watch for more information!
Signum Academy Program Materials
Bits and Bites
Selected highlights from our camp videos and activities. Perfect for teachers and students looking for ideas for lessons and projects, and for fans of the books interested in a way to play with the ideas and take them further.
Signum Academy Live
Following up on the books we’ve already featured, we’ll continue to release new material on J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia, J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, and Madeleine L’Engle’s Time Quintet. Like the Bits and Bites, these short episodes will have a thematic focus, dealing with selected passages from the text. They can stand alone, or provide the invitation to a more extended investigation with your group or class.
Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Games
Selected highlights from our camp videos and activities. Perfect for teachers and students looking for ideas for lessons and projects, and for fans of the books interested in a way to play with the ideas and take them further.
Blizzard Bags
Entirely self-contained one-off sessions you can have on hand to stave off cabin fever! These are read-alouds and activities focused on shorter works, perfect for a snow day or other break from the routine.
Language and Literature Tutorials
Beginning with an introduction to the Inklings’ twin wellsprings of inspiration – mythopoesis and philology – students will elect to pursue either a Germanic or Romance Language focus and design their own curriculum with the guidance of an advisor on the Signum Academy staff. Upon completion, they will receive a certificate and have the option of recording a final discussion or project presentation. This would be great to include on a college application, as part of a creative portfolio, or just to launch you on your own writing (and maybe podcasting) endeavors.
Recommended for advanced students, these rigorous, fee-based individual or small-group sessions are geared towards practicing college-level writing and inquiry. Meeting times are scheduled by parent/guardian request. Scholarships may be available. For writing tutoring, visit our Writer’s Forge.
About Signum University
Signum University is an online institution devoted to making high-quality education accessible and affordable, while connecting a vibrant community of academics and literature enthusiasts. We offer Master’s coursework and many free programs exploring works of imaginative literature (science fiction, fantasy, fairy tales, etc.).
Signum runs a wide array of public education programs through its Mythgard Institute, which specializes in innovative online teaching on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, as well as other fantasy and science fiction stories. Now, Signum is expanding our programming to kids through Signum Academy’s Reading Camp program.