Essentials in Literature Level 12 Combo (Textbook, Resource Book, Novel, and Online Video Access)

This program emphasizes connecting literature with authors, characters, events, and places. Each level highlights 4 different genres. Grades 7-9 span fiction, nonfiction, a specific novel, and poetry. Grades 10-12 study fiction, drama, a specific novel, and poetry. All grades utilize video teaching, assignments, optional extended activities, and assessments.

Occasionally literary selections are edgy, such as the 8th grade coverage of Night by Elie Wiesel (an autobiography of a young Jew who was in Auschwitz). The content is always handled with discernment and discretion, and the Resource Booklet gives the parent advance notice of anything that might be considered problematic in content. A list of all the shorter literature needed is included inside the Resource Book. Selections are typically public domain.

Lessons in Fiction focus on short stories and cover elements such as plot, conflict, mood, tone, setting, theme/symbol, characters, point of view, foreshadowing, and flashback, as well as author/story background and figurative language (onomatopoeia, simile, imagery, personification). You’ll need to resource any required shorter works through public domain. Each level includes a list of these shorter pieces inside the Resource Book. We also have free pdfs of each piece available on our website. Each of the four units have summative assessments. Some units will add culminating activities. Lessons in Nonfiction (such as biographies/autobiographies, informative texts, propaganda techniques, and narrative nonfiction) cover concepts such as bias, tone, purpose, types of nonfiction, research, letters, informative articles, book reviews, taking notes, perspective, and structure. Novel Unit lessons cover character development, skimming/scanning, setting/mood, internal/external conflict, making inferences, problem/solutions, foreshadowing, making predictions, and theme. Lessons in the Poetry Unit cover elements of poetry: structure, sound devices, figurative language, metaphor, mood/tone, dialect, simile, rhythm, symbolism, voice, rhyme scheme, hyperbole, personification, diction, and imagery. The upper grade Drama Units teach main dramatic elements such as conflict, plot, character analysis, and mood while examining in depth one play (such as Our Town or Macbeth).

All lessons follow a pattern, typically a 5-day pattern. There are Before You Read lessons (meet the author, analyzing literature lectures, vocabulary, story background). As you read, lessons will help students focus on the reading. After You Read lessons cover analyzing literary elements, comprehension checks, vocabulary, and analyzing figurative language. Independent Practice activities summarize the instructional emphasis from the lessons and give the student literary composition practice.

Bundle sets include the spiral-bound Student Workbook, a Teacher Resource Booklet, the online subscription teaching videos, and a print copy of the course novel. The Student Book contains both the instructional text for the course and analytical worksheets (particularly in lower grades) for completing some of the assignments. The instructional information is thorough and comprehensive, reflecting the content from the teaching videos. The Resource Booklet is packed with materials needed. There is a general overview of the course, some instructions for handling content (for particularly difficult or questionable content), a course syllabus, and a detailed answer key. Lessons are detailed in the Resource Booklet and clearly marked as daily lessons in the student books, which include video cues and all needed student worksheets. The digital instructional videos are a required component and are very well done. Please note, if you purchase a set with Online Video, you will receive the print components of the course in your shipment and a separate email from Essentials in Writing with information on accessing the online video. Video access lasts one year from activation. ~ Ruth

Please note it may take 1-3 business days for an online profile to be set up once Essentials in Writing receives your email request.

Over four units, this course focuses on developing effective literary analysis of a diverse genre of literature. Typically, each daily lesson follows a pattern: read the day’s lesson, view the video, complete the assignment, and preview the next lesson. While studying fiction, extended activities provide opportunities to tie literature concepts with other subjects such as art, botany, and additional reading. The literature list includes short stories and poems such as “Brownies,” Rappaccini’s Daughter, and The Faerie Queene. Note: none of the shorter works are provided and must be sourced—these are typically easy to find with an Internet search. The larger works assigned are the novel Lord of the Flies and Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Students practice critical thinking and engaging with the readings by using various reading strategies, analyzing literary elements and character archetypes, using Freytag’s pyramid to evaluate plot, and more. Lessons pull out special vocabulary, connect the literature to critical thinking, and process students’ learning via writing assignments. Each section ends with a summative assessment. Two culminating activities guide students to explore what they’ve learned and then take a step further. They’ll pitch a reimagining of Macbeth by writing and performing a soliloquy and creating an advertisement. In addition, they’ll create their own society (spurred by reading Lord of the Flies), select this society’s values, and then present their creation in creative visual formats and in a speech.

The Resource Book includes reproducibles for student use, grading rubrics, some literature explanations, short story summaries, and answers, when applicable. You’ll have the parent tools you’ll need: notes regarding questionable literary content, short summaries of each of the 6 short stories, and an additional study focusing on the production of Hamilton. A 34-week schedule (including breaks) also incorporates Essentials in Writing Level 12. These 2 EIW courses are conveniently bundled (Essentials in Writing 12) for a complete high school credit. Alternatively, add your own choice of composition program to complete a high school credit.

To use the complete course, you’ll want the Literature Bundle (which includes the student consumable book, the teacher resource booklet, No Fear Shakespeare Macbeth, Lord of the Flies, the 12-month online video instruction access, online student book, and resource book). Additional Resource Books for teachers and Student Consumable Books are available for a second student.

The 1-year access to lesson-by-lesson online video instruction is included in the Bundles only. Activation emails are sent directly from Essentials in Writing within 72 hours of purchasing. This access also includes an online Student Textbook/Workbook and teacher support with alternative instructional strategies for struggling students. ~ Ruth