A few weeks ago, someone posted a question asking what people's ideal language arts lineup would look like. Well, I liked the idea of writing out the ideal for, well, everything, but I started with English/language arts. You'll notice it loses specificity around eighth grade; someday I'll come back and flesh it out when I've played with actual upper level materials. :)
Because I feel that literature is best devoured and analyzed in a non-curricular format, I'm leaving literature and its study out of this plan. I also want to remark that, as always, there is no perfect plan for all students, but this is the plan I would most want to use, and wish my students would be ever so helpful as to adapt to its use. ;)
Ages Birth Through Five
• Pre-reading preparation as detailed in The Well-Trained Mind and The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading.
• Pre-writing preparation as detailed in The Well-Trained Mind.
• Kumon workbooks for tracing, cutting, and other motor skills.
• Handwriting Without Tears' prekindergarten materials and accompanying book, Get Set for School, as well as the kindergarten book, Letters and Numbers for Me.
• Phonics study using The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading as a spine.
• Beginning poetry memorization, using Level One of IEW's Linguistic Development Through Poetry Memorization.
Kindergarten
• Conclude phonics study using The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading.
• Handwriting Without Tears' first grade materials and book, My Printing Book, as well as continued copywork.
• Beginning spelling study using Spelling Workout A.
• Beginning grammar study using First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind Level 1
• Beginning composition skills using Writing With Ease Level 1.
• Cross-curricular composition through oral narrations of fiction and nonfiction picture books.
• Continued poetry memorization.
First Grade
• Handwriting Without Tears' second grade materials and book, Printing Power, as well as continued copywork.
• Continuing spelling study, using Spelling Workout B and Spelling Workout C.
• Continuing grammar study, using First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind Level 2.
• Continuing composition skills using Writing With Ease Level 2.
• Cross-curricular narrations.
• Continued poetry memorization.
Second Grade
• Cursive penmanship study.
• Spelling Workout C and Spelling Workout D.
• First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind Level 3.
• Writing With Ease Level 3.
• Cross-curricular narrations.
• Continued poetry memorization.
Third Grade
• Cursive penmanship study and practice.
• Spelling Workout E and Spelling Workout F.
• First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind Level 4.
• Writing With Ease Level 4.
• Cross-curricular narrations.
• Grammar Island, The Music of the Hemispheres, Practice Island, Building Language, and Sentence Island.
• Continued poetry memorization.
Fourth Grade
• Cursive penmanship copywork, perhaps moving into a study of calligraphy and beautiful penmanship.
• Beginning to learn to type on a keyboard or typewriter.
• Spelling Workout F and Spelling Workout G.
• Cross-curricular narrations and beginning outlining.
• Continued poetry memorization.
• Grammar Town, Building Poems, Caesar's English I, Paragraph Town, and Practice Town.
Fifth Grade
• Typing mastery.
• Study of calligraphy and beautiful penmanship.
• Spelling Workout H.
• Cross-curricular narrations and outlining.
• Continued poetry memorization.
• Grammar Voyage, A World of Poetry, Caesar's English II, Essay Voyage, and Practice Voyage.
Sixth Grade
• Continued typing practice to improve wpm.
• Cross-curricular outlines and compositions.
• Continued poetry memorization.
• Magic Lens I, Word Within the Word I, Poetry and Humanity, Academic Writing 1, and 4Practice 1.
Seventh Grade
• Continued typing practice to improve wpm.
• Cross-curricular outlines and compositions.
• Continued poetry memorization.
• Magic Lens II, Word Within the Word II, Poetry, Plato, and the Problem of Beauty, Academic Writing II, and 4Practice 2.
Eighth Grade
• Cross-curricular compositions.
• Beginning study of rhetoric.
• Continued poetry memorization.
• Magic Lens III, Word Within the Word III, Poetry, Plato, and the Problem of Truth, Academic Writing III, and 4Practice 3.
Ninth Grade
• Cross-curricular compositions.
• Continuing study of rhetoric.
• Continued poetry memorization.
• Participation in debate.
• Systematic grammar, usage, and mechanics review.
Tenth Grade
• Cross-curricular compositions.
• Continuing study of rhetoric.
• Continued poetry memorization.
• Participation in debate.
• Systematic grammar, usage, and mechanics review.
Eleventh Grade
• Cross-curricular compositions.
• Concluding study of rhetoric.
• Continued poetry memorization.
• Systematic grammar, usage, and mechanics review.
Twelfth Grade
• Cross-curricular compositions.
• Continued poetry memorization.
• Systematic grammar, usage, and mechanics review.
Showing posts with label homeschool: language arts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label homeschool: language arts. Show all posts
8.2.10
"Too Expensive," or A Tale of Language Art Curriculums
Language arts includes many components: spelling, vocabulary, grammar, poetry, composition, and literature. I'm deliberately excluding reference works (anthologies, dictionaries, thesauri), literature, and spelling from the following comparisons. This is specifically focused on two years of language arts materials, for fifth and sixth grades.
The Well-Trained Mind Recommended Line Up
Rod & Staff English 5 "Following the Plan" Set: $45.10
Rod & Staff English 6 "Progressing with Courage" Set: $46.20
Vocabulary from Classical Roots A: $9.50
Vocabulary from Classical Roots A Single Test: $3.75
Vocabulary from Classical Roots B: $9.50
Vocabulary from Classical Roots B Single Test: $3.75
Vocabulary from Classical Roots C: $9.50
Vocabulary from Classical Roots C Single Test: $3.75
Writing Strands 5: $20.00 and Writing Strands 6: $20.00
or
Wordsmith Apprentice: $16.00 and Wordsmith: $16.00 and Wordsmith Teacher's Guide: $7.00
poetry appears to be folded into literature study; it should be noted that WTM does recommend both IEW and Classical Writing as possible writing programs (not comprehensive language arts programs) in addition to the two options listed above
Total Cost for Two Years' Language Arts Instruction: $171.05 or $170.05
Classical Writing Line Up
Homer: $37.95
Poetry for Beginners: $34.95
Harvey's Elementary Grammar and Composition: $11.99
Harvey's Elementary Grammar and Composition Teacher's Answer Key: $5.99
Harvey's Elementary Grammar Student Workbook Part I: $15.95
Harvey's Elementary Grammar Answer Key Part I: $13.95
Homer Student Workbook A: $29.95
Homer Instructor's Guide A: $18.95
Poetry for Beginners Student Workbook A: $21.95
Poetry for Beginners Instructor's Guide A: $17.95
Homer Student Workbook B: $29.95
Homer Instructor's Guide B: $18.95
Poetry for Beginners Student Workbook B: $21.95
Poetry for Beginners Instructor's Guide B: $17.95
Total Cost for Two Years' Language Arts Instruction: $298.38
Michael Clay Thompson Line Up
Level 2 Complete Homeschool Package: $170.00 or Level 2 Basic Homeschool Package: $105.00
Level 3 Complete Homeschool Package: $170.00 or Level 3 Basic Homeschool Package: $105.00
Total Cost for Two Years' Language Arts Instruction: $340 or $210
IEW
Fix It! Grammar and Editing Made Easy with the Classics: $30.00
The Grammar of Poetry Student Text: $20.00
The Grammar of Poetry Teacher's Key: $10.00
Teaching Writing: Structure and Style/Student Writing Intensive Combo Pack Level A: $239.00 plus Student Writing Intensive Level B: $99.00
OR
Teaching Writing: Structure and Style: $169.00 plus Ancient History-Based Writing Lessons (Teacher/Student Combo): $49.00 plus Medieval History-Based Writing Lessons (Teacher/Student Combo): $49.00
some vocabulary is in the history-based writing lessons, but there is no separate level-appropriate vocabulary resource or text; most will find it necessary to add additional grammar instruction. I fully admit I don't know as much about IEW overall as I do the other two; if I've made any sort of error here, please let me know!
Total Cost for Two Years' Language Arts Instruction (minus vocabulary): $398 OR $327
If the cheapest options are chosen, then, the order would be as follows: $170.05 WTM-Recommended; $210.00 MCT; $298.38 Classical Writing; $327.00 IEW. If the most expensive options are chosen, the order changes only slightly: $171.05 WTM-Recommended; $298.38 Classical Writing; $340.00 MCT; $398.00 IEW. There are a lot of variables to this, and I don't purport for this to be an exact science. I was, however, trying to make a point. There are a lot of people who are claiming MCT is "too expensive" to even consider, yet they keep other options on their metaphorical table, options which are just as or more expensive. These were the most common or easily called to mind of comprehensive language arts curriculums; if any reader has another suggestion of one to add, please comment and let me know! I'd love to edit the post and include new ones.
The Well-Trained Mind Recommended Line Up
Rod & Staff English 5 "Following the Plan" Set: $45.10
Rod & Staff English 6 "Progressing with Courage" Set: $46.20
Vocabulary from Classical Roots A: $9.50
Vocabulary from Classical Roots A Single Test: $3.75
Vocabulary from Classical Roots B: $9.50
Vocabulary from Classical Roots B Single Test: $3.75
Vocabulary from Classical Roots C: $9.50
Vocabulary from Classical Roots C Single Test: $3.75
Writing Strands 5: $20.00 and Writing Strands 6: $20.00
or
Wordsmith Apprentice: $16.00 and Wordsmith: $16.00 and Wordsmith Teacher's Guide: $7.00
poetry appears to be folded into literature study; it should be noted that WTM does recommend both IEW and Classical Writing as possible writing programs (not comprehensive language arts programs) in addition to the two options listed above
Total Cost for Two Years' Language Arts Instruction: $171.05 or $170.05
Classical Writing Line Up
Homer: $37.95
Poetry for Beginners: $34.95
Harvey's Elementary Grammar and Composition: $11.99
Harvey's Elementary Grammar and Composition Teacher's Answer Key: $5.99
Harvey's Elementary Grammar Student Workbook Part I: $15.95
Harvey's Elementary Grammar Answer Key Part I: $13.95
Homer Student Workbook A: $29.95
Homer Instructor's Guide A: $18.95
Poetry for Beginners Student Workbook A: $21.95
Poetry for Beginners Instructor's Guide A: $17.95
Homer Student Workbook B: $29.95
Homer Instructor's Guide B: $18.95
Poetry for Beginners Student Workbook B: $21.95
Poetry for Beginners Instructor's Guide B: $17.95
Total Cost for Two Years' Language Arts Instruction: $298.38
Michael Clay Thompson Line Up
Level 2 Complete Homeschool Package: $170.00 or Level 2 Basic Homeschool Package: $105.00
Level 3 Complete Homeschool Package: $170.00 or Level 3 Basic Homeschool Package: $105.00
Total Cost for Two Years' Language Arts Instruction: $340 or $210
IEW
Fix It! Grammar and Editing Made Easy with the Classics: $30.00
The Grammar of Poetry Student Text: $20.00
The Grammar of Poetry Teacher's Key: $10.00
Teaching Writing: Structure and Style/Student Writing Intensive Combo Pack Level A: $239.00 plus Student Writing Intensive Level B: $99.00
OR
Teaching Writing: Structure and Style: $169.00 plus Ancient History-Based Writing Lessons (Teacher/Student Combo): $49.00 plus Medieval History-Based Writing Lessons (Teacher/Student Combo): $49.00
some vocabulary is in the history-based writing lessons, but there is no separate level-appropriate vocabulary resource or text; most will find it necessary to add additional grammar instruction. I fully admit I don't know as much about IEW overall as I do the other two; if I've made any sort of error here, please let me know!
Total Cost for Two Years' Language Arts Instruction (minus vocabulary): $398 OR $327
If the cheapest options are chosen, then, the order would be as follows: $170.05 WTM-Recommended; $210.00 MCT; $298.38 Classical Writing; $327.00 IEW. If the most expensive options are chosen, the order changes only slightly: $171.05 WTM-Recommended; $298.38 Classical Writing; $340.00 MCT; $398.00 IEW. There are a lot of variables to this, and I don't purport for this to be an exact science. I was, however, trying to make a point. There are a lot of people who are claiming MCT is "too expensive" to even consider, yet they keep other options on their metaphorical table, options which are just as or more expensive. These were the most common or easily called to mind of comprehensive language arts curriculums; if any reader has another suggestion of one to add, please comment and let me know! I'd love to edit the post and include new ones.
