Lightning Literature & Composition Shakespeare Tragedies and Sonnets Student Guide

Language arts programs listed in this section cover most areas of language arts (reading/literature, writing, grammar, spelling and handwriting) in one curriculum, although some skill areas may be covered with less intensity than a focused, stand-alone course.

"Reading should be fun, and writing should be satisfying." The author of this series believes this, and she has produced courses that try to keep that goal ever present. She WANTS students to enjoy themselves! Accordingly, reading assignments are comfortable - two novels, two non-fiction books, two short stories and several poems for the 7th grade course, for instance. Lessons are well-constructed and the excellent and thorough coverage includes vocabulary, comprehension, literary elements, composition, grammar, and mechanics.

The three components of this program are designed to be complementary and to be used together. The Student Workbook is the student's textual companion as they study the literature selections. This consumable book is the place for the student to "do" their work. It provides worktext space for all the essential exercises as well as some optional fun/reinforcement exercises.

The Teacher Guide is the "glue" that holds the whole program together providing a philosophical and methodical overview of the program and a weekly planning schedule (lesson plans) as well as chapter-by-chapter answers and teaching helps.

The last component is the excellent Literature Selections that are the heart of the program. Classics, familiar, non-familiar, poetry, and, occasionally, surprising choices all find their way onto the book lists for each grade level. While you may be able to locate some or all of the books at a library, we also offer Literature Packages for each guide that include the necessary books. You and your student are encouraged to read, enjoy, and profit from the year's literature studies. ~ Janice

Written directly to the student, well-organized, user-friendly (no teacher prep), and both traditional and diverse in the reading selections, these courses offer quality literary analysis coupled with step-by-step writing instruction. Assignments are thought-provoking and challenging.

Lessons follow a pattern: Introduction, (information about the reading) Selection, While You Read, Comprehension Questions, Literary Lessons, and Writing Exercises. Suggested activities enhance the studies: Vocabulary Notebook, Reading Journal, Biographies, Family Reading or Writing Nights, Oral Summaries, Writing Group, and (perhaps) Movies.

The Student Book includes instructional text, shorter works (i.e. poetry, excerpts), author background, discussion questions (comprehension, thought, literary), and writing exercises. The Teacher Guide provides answers, schedules, teaching/grading tips, rubrics, project suggestions/checklists, and grade-tracking records.

The twelve semester-long courses are listed in order of difficulty. Most students should start with one of the American Lit courses. There are required literature resources to use with each guide. While you may be able to locate some or all of the books at a library, we also offer Literature Packages for each course that include the Student Book, the Teacher Guide, and the necessary literature books.

Covering the Tragedy Plays and some Sonnets by Shakespeare. Plays covered include: Julius Caesar, Hamlet, Macbeth, and King Lear. Sonnets covered include: Sonnets 5, 6, 73, 97, 18, 29, 30, 18 and 65. Lessons include Shakespeare's life, Schools of Shakespearean criticism, Shakespeare's language (blank verse, irony, soliloquys, stage direction, alliteration, assonance, simile, metaphor, imagery, personification, repetition, puns, antithesis, oxymoron, and allusion).

The Student Guide includes information about the author, comprehension questions, writing exercises, discussion questions, ideas for additional projects, reviews of movies and video-taped theater productions of the plays, reading lists, semester and full-year schedules, and a bibliography. Historical context and modern schools of Shakespeare interpretation are also discussed. The Teacher's Guide is needed if you want the answers to the comprehension questions. It also provides a teaching schedule, teaching and grading aids, and a copy of the writing exercises and discussion questions for the teacher's convenience.

This book is most useful for upper level students who have completed at least two previous high school level Lightning Literature courses and who are interested in Renaissance history and Shakespeare. The two Shakespeare courses are more difficult than most of the Lightning Literature courses.