Students will travel the world and
the ages with this 30-lesson, theme-based writing curriculum. The course
provides engaging content that will spur writing assignments: from geography (the
history of maps to the Ring of Fire and the Dead Sea) to mythology (ancient
tales like Aesop’s Fables and the Minotaur) to famous cultural contributors (like
Vivaldi and Socrates). This curriculum assumes teachers have learned the
methodology of and have access to the IEW program, Teaching Writing:
Structure and Style, which will be referenced in each unit.
Students start the year by
practicing taking notes and outlining, then writing from these notes. Students
will retell narratives, summarizing single and multiple references, and write
from pictures. By lessons 20 and 21, students will practice inventive writing,
focusing on their favorite activity. Rather than use source texts, they’ll
develop their own content using the six investigative questions of who, what,
when, where, why, and how. In lessons 22 and 23, they’ll continue developing
inventive writing by focusing on their favorite season. Then students will move
to writing formal essays on the French Revolution, transportation (a two-part
lesson), and formal critiques on The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian
Anderson(another two-part lesson). The course ends with another formal
critique of After Twenty Years by O. Henry. These last two texts are
provided within the student material. However, if you’d like to make this a more complete language
arts program, additional literature is recommended by Hillsdale College,
including selections of Greek Mythology from Realms of Gold; The Children’s Homer; The Scarlet Pimpernel;
and The Count of
Monte Cristo. The reading level and content of these pieces
varies significantly. IEW recommends teachers read and review literature before
assigning to their student. Twenty-eight of the course’s lessons highlight
vocabulary words (such as catastrophic, infrastructure,
and cartographer), which are practiced regularly (with the intent
of incorporating these words in their writing assignments) and periodically
quizzed.
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Teaching Method
Traditional
Teacher-centered curriculum commonly used in classrooms that may include a text, teacher manual, tests, etc.
Charlotte Mason
A methodology based on the work of a 19th century educator who maintained that children learn best from literature (Living Books), not textbooks.
Classical
A methodology based on the Latin Trivium (three stages of learning), including the grammar stage (memorization and facts), logic stage (critical thinking), and rhetoric stage (developing/defending ideas).
Unit Study
A thematic or topical approach centered around one topic that integrates multiple subject areas.
Montessori (Discovery)
A methodology based on the work of a 20th century educator that emphasizes student and sensory-driven discovery learning and real-life applications.
Other
Other methodologies
Religious Content
Secular
Contains content contrary to common Christian beliefs (i.e. evolution).
Neutral
Avoids religious or theoretical topics or presents multiple viewpoints without preference.
Christian/Religious
Faith-based or including instructional religious content.
Learning Modality
Auditory
Learns through listening, talking out loud or reading out loud.
Visual
Learns through seeing, prefers written instructions and visual materials.
Kinesthetic/Tactile (Hands-On)
Learns through moving, doing and touching.
Multi-Sensory
Curriculum that employ a variety of activities/components.
Presentation
Sequential
Curriculum progresses through well-defined learning objectives. Emphasizes mastery before moving to the next topic.
Spiral
Topics and concepts are repeated from level to level, adding more depth at each pass and connecting with review.
Conceptual/Topical
Focus is on the “why,” often with a unifying concept as well as specific skills; coverage may be broader.
Teacher Involvement
Low Teacher Involvement
Student-led materials; parent acts as a facilitator.
Medium Teacher Involvement
A mix of teacher-led time and independent student work.
High Teacher Involvement
Teacher-led lessons; may utilize discussions, hands-on activities and working together.
Additional Materials Required
No other materials needed
Everything you need is included.
Other Materials Required
There are additional required resources that are a separate purchase.
Other Materials Optional
There are additional resources mentioned or recommended but are not absolutely necessary.
