chessrascal Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 Hello - I've got an upcoming 9th grader and am wondering what to do with Language Arts. He has a pretty heavy schedule without it, so I don't want to make it a burden. I'm understanding that LA in HS is Vocab., writing, grammar, & literature. He has a high level of reading - he's read Homer, The Illiad, etc. Many of the programs seem to use small, fictional Newberry books. I'm not opposed to that, depending on the course. Any ideas? I hate to do 4 separate courses for these sub-subjects. Thanks for any help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle in AL Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 We used Vocabulary for the High School Student and writing that correlated with whichever book we were reading, we did Omnibus 1. Some programs that use the great books: Omnibus from Veritas Press (writing included) Hewitt's Lightning Literature (writing included) Great Book guides (Lori D. uses them I believe) The Well Educated Mind For writing, Cliff Notes has some great essay questions. You can also search the web for lesson plans for each book. Online courses: Scholars Online for intense classes Veritas Press Academy Potter's School Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faithr Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Are saying you don't know what lit to do with your 9th grader? I like to incorporate lit into history (as many do) so for my rising 9th grader he'll be reading the actual Iliad, etc (well, the translation of it!) as we study Ancient history. But since your son has already read those classics, you are looking for something else? My son will be using Learn to Write the Novel Way for writing. This just touches on grammar, but I'm not really focusing on grammar so much in 9th grade because 1)he's already got a pretty good handle on it and 2)he's taking an intensive Latin class that teaches English grammar right alongside the Latin grammar. I'm also not focused on vocabulary for him because 1)he's got a good vocabulary anyway (and I'd think if your son has already read the Iliad, etc he probably has a good vocab too) and 2)the Latin class again! The teacher teaches derivatives along with the new Latin vocabulary he are learning. So for next year we are just focusing on reading Ancient Lit and writing using the aforementioned curriculum. And that in combination with the Latin class seems to me in our situation to cover all the bases. I would think since your son is a bit advanced, you could just focus on what he needs as opposed to getting a canned curriculum that assumes he needs work in all areas. Life is too short for busy work! (In mho). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 We do language arts TWTM way, using TWEM and great books for literature. I did it for my older son and it was wonderful. You get to pick the books. TWEM has general questions and a procedure for studying each genre of book. It combines with history so it is efficient. I used a variety of writing programs because my son struggled with writing, but if your son already writes well, you can just have him write for great books. We did vocabulary 9th grade and then ignored it after that. My youngest probably won't do it at all. Mine get plenty of grammar during foreign language study. They have enough already, anyway, from doing Latin in middle school, that we can discuss how to punctuate their papers. We just use the Latin terms. I can't emphasize enough how well TWTM great books worked for us. My children also had read some of the classics earlier. TWTM offers guidance picking books but there is no reason you can't pick your own. TWTM method works for any book. We used it with things like The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, as well as Shakespeare plays, Canterbury Tales, Plutarch, and The Republic (to name a few). After awhile, my son began to look at anything he was exposed in TWTM fashion, even a movie seen with a friend. He would come home and in the process of telling me about it, give me a nice summary of the plot and then tell me whether the movie "worked", what the flaws were, how the casting had enhanced or hurt its believability, what the implications were, whether he agreed with the point, and so forth, all without me saying anything but really? and oh. TWTM allows you to pick your own books and go as deeply into them as you wish. It sounds like it might suit your son. -Nan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chessrascal Posted June 7, 2009 Author Share Posted June 7, 2009 Thank you ladies - you have all helped in one way or another. I appreciate all the comments and I'm going to check out some of the suggestions. Thank you Michelle for the websites and Nan for encouraging the TWTM - I was just looking at that and considering it. Thank you also to Faithr for freeing me up from the credit expectations. You're right - he does have many of those skills and shouldn't have to do busy work. He's very analytical and hates illogical busy work. Thank again Ladies!! Janet M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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