Great American Short Stories

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.

"It’s just common sense!" Yes, everything about this program is common sense. Offering a literature-based language arts program for Kindergarten through High School, Learning Language Arts through Literature lays a foundation with phonics and reading skills, and then builds on them with spelling, vocabulary and grammar, composition skills, and literary studies and analysis. Handwriting is also taught at the elementary levels, while Higher Order Thinking skills are woven throughout. The books are designated by colors but correlate with skills taught at specific grade levels. Since some parents are unsure of where to begin their child in the series, we have placement tests for each Learning Language Arts through Literature level available. A biblical and Christian worldview is evident in all courses. Each Course provides one year of language arts and requires a Student Workbook, Teacher Guide, and either the phonics readers and student packet in the Blue and Red Levels, or the Student Workbook, Teacher Guide, and required chapter books for Yellow-Gold levels.

These courses include all the user-friendly features of the lower grade series, yet they are written as college prep courses integrating literature studies with composition while incorporating vocabulary and grammar review. Course books, which include novel summaries, are written to both teacher and student with teacher helps and answers located in the back. The 36 weekly lessons are arranged in units - four or five per course.

• The courses may be used in any order at any high school level, except for one. The American Literature course contains units on short story, novels, essay (expository, descriptive, & narrative), and poetry. The British Literature course features units on novel, poetry, essay (including a poetry interpretation essay), and book review. World Literature has units on literary periods: Early Literature, Epic Poetry, Medieval-Renaissance, and Enlightenment-Romanticism. Literary Criticism is serious college-prep study and only recommended for grades 11-12.
• While perhaps more fun in a group or even with a parent/teacher, these can be self-study for a student who is a strong reader and writer. Literary terms are heavily emphasized, which are then applied to the reading sample. Without discussion, this course could move very quickly. You may choose to remove the answers in this scenario. It does not assign a lot of essay writing, more paragraph-length responses.
• Notes, Tests, Answers is an optional supplement that provides just a bit more background literature support, such as author bios, as well as tests with answers. Designed to be used as study and review for the tests.
• E-book versions of the Course Books and Notes, Tests and Answers Books include all content from the hardcopy products as pdf files for download. Upon purchase, you will be sent an email with access information and will then have 14 days to download the material. Once downloaded, they never expire from the customer's computer and can be read and printed from any device.
• We offer convenient Book Packages with just the outside literature needed or a Complete Set with the Course Guide, Notes & Tests, and the required Literature.

The American Literature course contains units on short story, novels, essay (expository, descriptive, & narrative), and poetry.

The student will study a variety of genres, some excerpts and some full-length works. These include: The Mentor Book of American Poets, Great American Short Stories, The Pearl, The Old Man and the Sea, and The Red Badge of Courage. You can purchase the five books (3 novels plus 2 collections) as a package, buy them separately, or source them from a local library.

If you want the option to add assessments, consider the Course Notes, Tests and Test Answer Keys resource. This provides additional study notes and author background, as well as tests and test keys.