Essentials In Literature

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

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