Well-Trained Mind Press is having a Cyber Monday sale; today only, we're slashing prices on all downloadable products by 40%. That includes Story of the World student pages and audiobooks, all of Jim Weiss's audio stories, Writing With Ease, First Language Lessons, Grammar for the Well-Trained Mind, math resources from Kate Snow, how-to workshops by Susan Wise Bauer, and many more! Get started here.

Hi all, "Grammar for the Well-Trained Mind," the follow-up to "First Language Lessons," will be available on PDF in just a couple of weeks and in physical form by late September or early October. But we know that many of you are eager to get started, so we're giving away the first six weeks of the curriculum here. This grammar curriculum was formerly known as "Advanced Language Lessons," and you may have heard about it under that title. It consists of a Core Instructor Text (used for all four years), yearly Student Workbooks (the first one is being released now, and #2 is in development), yearly Answer Keys to explain all answers for the Student Workbook, and a Comprehensive Handbook of Rules (a handy reference guide for grammar, useful for all writers of whatever age). The free PDF includes: The first 6 weeks of the Core Instructor Text The first 6 weeks of the Student Workbook for Year 1 The first 6 weeks of the Answer Key for Year 1 (which gives all answers AND thorough explanations) The first part of the Comprehensive Handbook of Rules I'll be available to answer questions in this thread. We will also be releasing explanatory videos in the coming weeks. Follow us on Facebook for updates on that. To answer some possible questions: --Yes, this is good for middle-grade students, but could also be used with high-school students --Yes, it can be pre-ordered on Amazon (but their release dates aren't always accurate) --Yes, some of the sentences in the exercises are drawn from "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" and "The Princess Bride." --Yes, schools and co-ops can get bulk pricing. Contact us at 1.877.322.3445 or order@welltrainedmind.com Again, the first six weeks are available here. Here's a longer description of the curriculum: Grammar for the Well-Trained Mind takes middle-grade or high school students from basic definitions through advanced sentence structure and analysis—all the grammar skills needed to write and speak with eloquence and confidence. This innovative program, by experienced educator Susan Wise Bauer, combines the three essential elements of language learning: understanding and memorizing rules (prescriptive teaching), repeated exposure to examples of how those rules are used (descriptive instruction), and practice using those rules in exercises and in writing (practical experience). Scripted lessons make it possible for any parent or teacher to use the program effectively. Step-by-step instruction takes students from the most basic concepts through advanced grammatical concepts Extensive diagramming exercises reinforce the rules and help technical/visual learners to understand & use the English language effectively. All diagrams are thoroughly explained to the instructor/parent. Examples and exercises are drawn from great works of literature, as well as from well-written nonfiction texts. Regular review is built into each year of work. Core text is designed to be used effectively with students from fifth grade through high school, regardless of background. The program is easily customizable to each student’s strengths and weaknesses. Description of the Program Each year, parents and teachers go through the dialogue, rules, and examples in the Core Instructor Text; students follow along in the Student Workbook. This repetition solidifies the concepts, definitions, and examples in the student’s mind. The Core Instructor Text provides not only rules and examples, but scripted dialogue that makes it possible for any parent or teacher to use the program effectively, along with instructor notes that thoroughly explain ambiguities and difficulties. There will eventually be four Student Workbooks, one for each year (the Year 1 Workbook will be released first). Each Student Workbook contains the same rules and examples—but four completely different sets of exercises and assignments, allowing students to develop a wide-ranging knowledge of how the rules and examples are put to use in writing. Each Student Workbook has its own Key, providing not only answers, but also explanations for the parent/instructor, and guidance as to when the answers might be ambiguous (as, in English, they often are). All of the rules covered, along with the repeated examples for each, are assembled for ongoing reference in the Comprehensive Handbook of Rules. This will become the student’s indispensable guide to writing through high school, into college and beyond.

Hi forums folks...just wanted to let you know that we're running a big sale at Well-Trained Mind Press. We're discounting most of our history, grammar, writing, and math titles by up to 36%, and our Jim Weiss audio recordings are also 15% off or more. It's a great chance to stock up on books for next school year, or for summer learning. Want something for yourself? Susan Wise Bauer's books for grown-ups (Rethinking School; The History of Western Science, etc) are discounted by 25%. Sale ends on April 30th.

Hi all, The "Study and Teaching Guide" for Susan Wise Bauer's "History of the Renaissance World" is now available in paperback or downloadable PDF versions. This book turns SWB's history book into a one-year high-school-level course, with map exercises, critical thinking prompts, identification of important people, events, and concepts, and review questions. The front half includes answers for the instructor, and the student pages are perforated for easy removal. I can answer any questions you have about this product or our related products. Justin from Well-Trained Mind Press

Hi all, While supplies last, we're offering VERY LIGHTLY scratched/scuffed books from Well-Trained Mind Press for 60% off the cover price! We have The Story of the World (activity books, textbooks, and tests), First Language Lessons, Writing With Ease, Writing With Skill, The Creative Writer, Telling God's Story, and many more. These books (which, honestly, aren't very scratched, and just look like they'll look once your children have them for a few weeks anyway) are only available through our office, not our website, so call 1.877.322.3445 to find out what's available and to make your purchase. Justin from Well-Trained Mind Press

Hi all, While supplies last, we're offering VERY LIGHTLY scratched/scuffed books from Well-Trained Mind Press for 60% off the cover price! We have The Story of the World (activity books, textbooks, and tests), First Language Lessons, Writing With Ease, Writing With Skill, The Creative Writer, Telling God's Story, and many more. These books (which, honestly, aren't very scratched, and just look like they'll look once your children have them for a few weeks anyway) are only available through our office, not our website, so call 1.877.322.3445 to find out what's available and to make your purchase. Justin from Well-Trained Mind Press

Hi all, Just wanted to let you know that "Grammar for the Well-Trained Mind," our follow-up to "First Language Lessons," is now available in PDF on our website. The physical books are AT THE PRINTER NOW and if you don't think we POPPED CORKS when we sent them out the door then you are WRONG. They should be on our shelves in just a few weeks (6? 5?) and we will announce it here and elsewhere. They can also be preordered from Amazon. Also, SWB filmed three videos explaining and demonstrating this new grammar curriculum. See them on our YouTube channel. Thanks for your patience!

Hi all, The Study and Teaching Guide for the History of the Ancient World is now available for purchase on our site. Amazon should be shipping the book soon, too (it takes a bit longer to complete their warehouse process). Quick Description... Susan Wise Bauer's "The History of the Ancient World" is widely used in advanced high-school history classes, as well as by home educating parents. This Study and Teaching Guide, designed for use by both parents and teachers, provides a full curriculum with study questions and answers, critical thinking assignments, essay topics, instructor rubrics, and test forms. Explanations for answers and teaching tips are also included. Designed by historian and teacher Julia Kaziewicz, in cooperation with Susan Wise Bauer, makes "The History of the Ancient World" more accessible to parents & teachers. Note, since some folks had asked: The first half of the book is for the instructor. The student's pages, in the back half, are perforated. SAMPLES of the curriculum can be found on this page. Justin from Peace Hill Press

I'm signed up for the delayed option for SWB's Great Journey Narratives class through WEMA. I'm getting ready to start reading through The Epic of Gilgamesh so I'm done around the first class, Sept 21st. I need a bit of a headstart because I'm not the fastest reader in the world when it comes to classics. I admit to picking up the Kindle edition just today . . . Anyone else starting yet? (SWB's live class spots are sold out!!! It looks like Kate Snow's class still has a few seats left. American Identity & Human Origins could definitely use some takers.)

I know there are many questions that I won't answer here...but post them and I'll do my best to address them. So, we'll start here.... 1) AVAILABILITY OF LEVEL 1. Currently we are on schedule to have the entire, proofread, typeset, finished PDF ready for sale in October 2011; and the print book for sale December 2011. (If copies are ready sooner, we'll let you know.) In the meantime, the first seven weeks and the full table of contents are available as free PDF downloads from the Well-Trained Mind blog: http://www.welltrainedmind.com/resource-roundup/writing-with-skill-the-full-table-of-contents-and-first-seven-weeks/"]http://www.welltrainedmind.com/resource-roundup/writing-with-skill-the-full-table-of-contents-and-first-seven-weeks/ Further weeks, for those of you who intend to hold out for the print book, can be requested by emailing my assistant, Pattie Worth: executiveassistant@welltrainedmind.com. It has been incredibly helpful to me to get feedback early in the process from many of you. If you feel that you can't continue without the print book, I do understand, but I hope you'll consider sticking with it and sending comments/problems/suggestions/questions to me (via Pattie). The books will be available from Amazon about eight weeks after it is available directly from Peace Hill Press. 2) AVAILABILITY OF FUTURE LEVELS. I'm on schedule to finish one level per year. What this means is that future levels will be available in September of each succeeding year...as long as you're willing to work from manuscript/PDF copies that we send you by email until the printed books are finished. Again, this is an invaluable part of the process for me--getting feedback from parents before the final books are printed. I had originally intended to make WWS available starting in the fall of 2012, and the Feb. 2012 pub date was so that we'd have copies for the spring curriculum fairs. However, the beta testers were SO helpful that I'd like to continue to put the program out a year earlier for feedback. The more parents and kids who use this, the more effectively I can fine-tune it. Drawbacks: You get manuscript/PDF copies and they're not as pretty. And you have to print them yourself. Advantages: It's free. 3) INTENDED AGE/GRADE: Writing With Skill can be begun by any student who is writing at a fifth grade level or above. If you're coming out of Writing With Ease: Children who have finished Writing With Ease 3 and are working at about a fifth-grade level can usually skip Writing With Ease 4 and go straight into Writing With Skill. Writing With Ease 4 continues to develop skills in narration and composition and also exposes children to a wider range of prose styles--all of this helps younger students mature to the point where they're ready to begin Writing With Skill. WWS asks students to write about a wide range of topics and also demands a fair amount of self-direction and determination...which is often a matter of maturity, not skill. If you're not sure, simply ask the student to complete Week 1 of the free PDF download (Week One: Narrative Summaries). If the student can do this without too much struggle, you can move on ahead in WWS. Deer-in-the-headlights reaction = go back and work on WWE 4 for six months and then try again. Although this is labelled "Level 1," it is valuable as pre-rhetoric for any student who is not prepared to go directly into the rhetoric studies outlined in TWTM. Finishing the four levels of WWS will actually prepare most students to go into basic-level college composition. 3) SCOPE AND SEQUENCE. WWS is a spelled-out, detailed, week-by-week development of the writing skills that are expected of pre-rhetoric students in TWTM. a) Writing With Skill teaches explicit skills in outlining, narrative composition, and sentence style. b) It also teaches directly how to construct and write chronological narratives, descriptions, biographical sketches, and sequences, across the curriculum (assignments are in both humanities and sciences). c) WWS teaches explicitly how to write brief literary reactions to both short stories and prose. d) WWS teaches basic research skills, documentation, and definition/avoidance of plagiarism. e) WWS teaches students to combine the four elements of (b) into longer compositions. WWS does NOT teach grammar explicitly; our assumption is that you will use it with a separate grammar program. 4) HOW TO USE IT. WWS consists of two books, the Student Workbook and the Instructor Guide. You need both of them. (For some reason, Amazon has the Student Workbook listed as an alternate "format" for the Instructor Guide. We're trying to get this fixed, but they're not WAY responsive, in case you hadn't noticed.) The program is directed AT the student; by this point, students should be taking on more of the responsibility for their own writing (since, after all, writing is a self-directed activity). The Instructor Guide provides you with suggested answers and rubrics for each step, plus detailed guidance in how to teach the student skills that he or she may struggle with. Incidentally, if you want the print book before February you can call PHP and pre-order it now by calling the PHP office. Order before Dec. 1 and we'll give you a 10% discount plus free shipping on those two books. OK...questions? Another post about Advanced Language Lessons coming shortly. SWB

Hello all, We've just sent "The Study & Teaching Guide for the History of the Medieval World" to the printer, and it should be available in a month. But if you can't wait that long, you can purchase it right now as a downloadable PDF! This is our largest book ever (888 pages), filled with exercises to supplement your high school student's reading of Susan Wise Bauer's "The History of the Medieval World": ID questions, essay prompts, maps and map exercises, and more. Complete answers and explanations are provided, for the teacher, as well as suggestions for helping with essays and for grading the student's work. It's at a special introductory price for now, but that will only last for a few weeks, so check it out soon!

Throughout December, Peace Hill Press is rolling out a variety of sales...free items, low prices, and a partridge in a pear tree. Check out the dates and the savings at http://peacehillpress.com/current-offers/