What to use before Windows to the World?

[RootAnn]

I'm trying to "work backwards" as I'm planning my oldest's 7th grade year. I think I'd like to use some of Excellence in Literature's stuff in high school. I was planning on doing Windows to the World in 8th.

 

So, what should I use next year to get her ready for WttW?

 

I have looked at Lightning Lit 7 and briefly thought about using Figuratively Speaking. (These are still possibilities.)

She'll either be continuing with Classical Writing (Homer B/Diogenes) or doing Writing With Skill 1 next year. Does WWS teach enough lit analysis to get her ready to write the stuff necessary in WttW? This is my reluctant writer.

[Chez J]

I'm pretty sure IEW says The Elegant Essay is a pre-req.

[Crimson Wife]

:bigear: My DD has finished Figuratively Speaking and will complete WWS1 (and probably WWS2 when that comes out) prior to WttW. Possibly MCT's Essay Voyage as well but I'm still debating on that.

[BFamily]

My DS11 will be doing the Teaching the Classics/Windows to the World combo next year with Excellence in Literature being our goal for the following year. He is currently working through WWS and Figuratively speaking right now. I know I read somewhere that before beginning EiL it is recommended that the student complete WttW and The Elegant Essay. However, I found The Lively Art of Writing at CBD for $5.99, and it teaches essay writing just like Elegant Essay, but it is so much cheaper. We are completing LAoW in addition to WWS at 1/2 pace through the end of the summer to make sure he is prepared - and with these two writing programs, I'm positive he will be ready.

[RootAnn]

Thanks to everyone who responded. (BFamily - I looked at LAoW & it looks really DENSE. Is it hard to get through?)

 

Chez J - I haven't ever seen where Elegant Essay is a Requirement for WttW. Is that in WttW itself? I know she needs to know how to do a literary essay before starting WttW (or that it would be really helpful if she did) even though WttW says it is "an introduction" to literary analysis. That's one of the reasons I was asking this question. :)

 

Perhaps I should cross-post to the high school board? :bigear:

[BFamily]

Thanks to everyone who responded. (BFamily - I looked at LAoW & it looks really DENSE. Is it hard to get through?)

It is dense and teacher-intensive, but it is well worth it to me. DS and I read slowly through the chapter together. At the end of each chapter are questions that he answers orally. Following the questions, there are assignments that put the topics from the chapter into practice. I model the assignment first while thinking out loud, and he observes me from my initial thought processes to putting the assignment down on paper. Then we do the assignment together with input from both of us. Finally, he does the assignment completely on his own. For each phase, we change the topic out, so we're not re-writing the same thing over and over and over. After completing each assignment through these three phases (modelling, working together and independently), he has developed a firm grasp on the concepts. There is also a vocabulary section for him to complete after he has done the writing assignments. It is a slow-going and involved process, but he has learned quite a bit from the first three chapters (we're only at the beginning of chapter four so far), and we are both enjoying the book.