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Sneak Peek #7: New US2 History Guide

Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2016 2:23 pm
by Carrie
Ladies,

I am very excited to share today's sneak peek with you! :D This is because today's sneak peek deals with an topic that I dearly love and that I spend much time throughout the year preparing!! If you haven't guessed already, today's sneak peek deals with the area of literature... British Literature to be exact. :D

First, before sharing our selections, I wanted to recap our journey toward the literature plan that we've come up for the new U.S. History II guide. I shared much of this journey when we introduced our high school literature plan for the World History Guide and U.S. History I guide, but I will share it again below to set the stage for our literature plan for the new U.S. History II guide. :D

With our oldest son (who graduated two years ago), we did a variety of things for his high school literature study. We did all of Smarr's Intro. to Lit, did a meshing of Smarr and LLATL Gold for British Lit, did BJU with novels for American Lit., and during his senior year did more of the approach we are taking with our high school guides for literature. While each program definitely had its merits, our son far and away enjoyed his final year of literature the most! :D

The question then becomes, "Why is this true?" From my perspective, it is true because for his senior year my son was able to read and enjoy the book without as much forced interpretation (from me)! He was able to linger with a book a bit more, allowing himself to take time to think on those parts of the book that struck him. This is because he had the responsibility for making the connections, instead of waiting for the quiz show question approach coming right after his reading to tell him what to notice. The question, question, question approach often tells the child that he/she only needs to pay attention to the answers to the questions; rather than forcing the student to really think for himself/herself. :D

We had our older son do both Common Place Book entries and annotate as he read and both went well! The Common Place Book entries kept him looking for quotable lines as he read. It also made sure that he didn't miss beautiful descriptive passages, significant quotes, or subtle nuances that may otherwise be glossed over in a rush to get done reading. In essence, it allowed him to stop and take note (because that was the goal of the assignment). The annotating was a personal way that connected our son with the reading, and it helped him note what stood out to him. Both of these exercises placed emphasis on the reading, rather than the follow-up. That is as it should be! :D

We've also discovered that a brief introduction of something to watch for or note in the day's reading was helpful. That set the stage a bit for the reader, focusing him/her on the story keeping the student from just jumping in and reading without thinking. This combined with Common Place Book entries and annotating made the reading purposeful. :) We will be providing these brief introductions as appropriate for the student.

We've also found that some guidance in reflection after reading was good, but it was better if the guidance really directed the child to reflect (rather than guiding the child to answer a question that required one right answer). Since reflection is often personal, journaling the response was a great way to reflect upon the day's reading. :D We'll be guiding the reflection within our plans.

Last, we met with our son after the book ended and discussed the story elements, but more importantly we discussed the book's theme and how that theme compared to what God tells us in His Word. We left these discussions pretty open to our oldest son and found that with his maturity (being a senior) this worked well. :D This type of discussion works best after the book is all done, as it allows for fully developed themes and plots to have revealed themselves and allows opportunity for more sifting and sorting through the entirety of the story to find the meaning. :D

As you can see, the plan above focuses on the book first and the analysis last. It doesn't interrupt the book with constant questioning or with continual essay-writing projects. It still gives you as the teacher a system of checks and balances, and makes it harder for the student to zone out of the reading by just finding the answers. :wink: After the year of testing this type of literature program with our oldest son, and now with our second oldest son through the U.S. History I guide's literature, we are thrilled with the results. We pray you will be too as you embark on this study of literature along with us in the U.S. History II guide. :D

If you think about it, this type of literature program would be very difficult to circumvent through the use of Cliff Notes or Spark Notes (which are so often used in placed of actually reading the literary work). The continual reflection, annotation, and Common Place Book entries would not be easy to do unless you really read the book. Both oral narrations and written narrations would also be tough to pull off without reading the book. The discussion at the end of the book would be hard to participate in very much, if you hadn't really read the whole work either, as much of it will be interpretation. So, through this type of program, the child is being encouraged to pay attention, read purposefully, linger, select, reflect, draw conclusions, infer, synthesize, evaluate, and interpret. :D

In the end, the final reason we chose to do literature this way, was because as we looked at all the literature programs available and contemplated their use, we discovered many barriers. Often the program drew the reading of the book out too long, or (on the other hand) read the books much too quickly. Other programs asked way too many questions, or required a huge amount of essay-writing and written work (de-emphasizing the reading to the point of the writing taking over). Some programs didn't use full-length literature, or emphasized way too much poetry or contained purely excerpts and short stories. Still other programs were very focused on vocabulary exercises and one-right answer questions, leaving the students with little to reflect upon. Selecting a pre-made literature program also required me to use books that I would not really choose to use with my own children, and this did not sit well with me either!

I finally realized that to do any other literature program meant that the program would drive the book choices. Instead, we wanted the book choices to drive the program. This meant that in true Charlotte Mason style, the booklist should come first and be of the utmost important. So, this is how we arrived at the plan we have now. :D

While it is important that students gain practice in reading more difficult literature, it is a worthy goal for students to still being able to enjoy the experience as much as possible. High school level literature can often contain many adult themes that may leave a student feeling hopeless, depressed, and/or searching for meaning. So, in our book selections, we realized it is important to temper that without totally running from it. This means that we need to allow students to grapple with more difficult, adult themes without allowing the themes to become so heavy that they overtake the story until the child is weighted down in the reading. With this in mind, some books (in my opinion) are just better read as a mature adult.

For the literature portion of the new U.S. History II guide we are using a combination of novels, plays, poetry, short stories, and allegory that often fall under the literature category. Since this particular guide will focus on British literature, it is important that students be exposed to a variety of British authors. Selections for British Literature (in the new U.S. History II guide): - marching forward in loose chronological order are as follows: :D

The War for Mansoul: A John Bunyan Classic told by Ethel Barrett (an allegory)
Hamlet by Shakespeare (with study guide and audio) (a play)
The Hawk and the Dove by Penelope Wilcock (vignettes)
Murder in the Cathedral by T.S. Eliot (a play)
The Devotional Poetry of Donne, Herbert, and Milton (with study guide)
The Moonfleet byJohn Meade Falkner
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (with option of DVD)
The Elusive Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (with corresponding DVD)
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The Prisoner of Zenda by Anthony Hope
The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie

A huge amount of time, prayer, and effort has gone into our book selections for literature. Each selection has a definite role to play and themes that are relevant today. :D I realize that we are using two selections that were previously a part of other guides (Pride and Prejudice and A Christmas Carol). We will be replacing these selections in the other guides so that we are able to use these two titles here where they fit very well for British literature instead.

Blessings,
Carrie

Re: Sneak Peek #7: New US2 History Guide

Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2016 4:10 pm
by Nealewill
Love the book choices - I used to love to watch old movies with my grandparents. They had the movie the Prisoner of Zenda on VHS years ago. It was so good. After we watched that movie, my grandma bought me the book and the sequel, Rupert of Hentzau for Christmas when I was a teenager. Both were excellent books. I am excited that my kiddos will be reading at least the first book for school!

Re: Sneak Peek #7: New US2 History Guide

Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2016 4:13 pm
by Carrie
Ladies,

To help you a bit more, the publisher descriptions of the books/short stories/plays follow:

The War for Mansoul: A John Bunyan Classic by Ethel Barrett
Long ago the mighty king named Shaddai built for himself a country called Universe with enough planets and galaxies to boggle the mind. Shaddai populated it with many thousands of angels, placing over them one wiser and more beautiful than the rest. This angel was Lucifer. This perfect arrangement had one problem - Lucifer. Lucifer wanted to be as powerful as Shaddai, and he persuaded many angels to rebel. Shaddai brought judgment upon Lucifer and his followers, casting them out of heaven. Lucifer was renamed Diabolus. The story might have ended there except Shaddai had built himself a town on earth called Mansoul. Mansoul was Shaddai's delight. What sweeter revenge than to take Mansoul for myself? Diabolus thought. Besides being a fascinating reading adventure, this John Bunyan classic is a stirring allegory of man's fall and redemption. The War for Mansoul describes our spiritual struggles, failures, and victories. It helps us understand better the enemy that we face. And it moves us to praise and worship our great King and Saviour.

Hamlet by William Shakespeare: (with study guide and audio - see description below)
"To be, or not to be: that is the question." There is arguably no work of fiction quoted as often as William Shakespeare's Hamlet. This haunting tragedy of a troubled Danish prince devoted to avenging his father's death has captivated audiences for centuries. This play is presented with Shakespeare's original lines on each left-hand page, and a modern, easy-to-understand "translation" on the facing right-hand page. The drama is complete, with every original Shakespearian line, and a full-length modern rendition of the text.

Christian Guides to the Classics: Shakespeare's Hamlet:
Popular professor, author, and literary expert Leland Ryken takes you through some of the greatest literature in history while answering your questions along the way. Each study guide includes an introduction to the author and work, explains the cultural context, incorporates published criticism, contains discussion questions at the end of each unit of the text, defines key literary terms, and evaluates the classic text from a Christian worldview. This volume guides readers through Shakespeare’s greatest tragedy, Hamlet, exploring the play’s historical context, key themes, and overarching message.

Hamlet: A Fully Dramatized Recording
Shakespeare's most famous play is one of the greatest stories in the literature of the world. This production of Hamlet, produced exclusively for the Arkangel Shakespeare audio collection, is a gem worthy of repeated listening. The Complete Arkangel Shakespeare is a notable series of unabridged audio drama presentations of all 38 plays of William Shakespeare, released from 1998 onwards CD. The production company features nearly 400 actors, almost all past or present members of the Royal Shakespeare Company.

The Hawk and the Dove by Penelope Wilcock:
In 14th-century Yorkshire, at the time of Chaucer, Father Peregrine is appointed Abbot of St. Alcuin’s Benedictine abbey. An arrogant, impatient man, a hawk trying hard to be a dove ― his religious name is “Columba." He is respected, but not loved. Then, a sudden, shocking act of violence changes everything. As the story unfolds, this community of monks, serious about their calling but as flawed and human as we are, come to love their ascetic but now vulnerable leader. They lived six centuries ago, but their struggles are our own: finding our niche; coping with failure; living with impossible people; and discovering that we are the impossible ones. Modern readers will easily identify with each character in Wilcock's timeless human drama.

Murder in the Cathedral by T.S. Eliot:
(T. S. Eliot's verse dramatization of the murder of Thomas Becket at Canterbury, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature)
The Archbishop Thomas Becket speaks fatal words before he is martyred in T. S. Eliot's best-known drama, based on the murder of the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1170. Praised for its poetically masterful handling of issues of faith, politics, and the common good, T. S. Eliot's play bolstered his reputation as the most significant poet of his time.

The Devotional Poetry of Donne, Herbert, and Milton:
This guide to selected devotional poems by three seventeenth-century English poets appears in a series of guides to the classics by popular professor, author, and literary expert Leland Ryken. Lyric poems possess unique qualities that make them a complement to the novels and plays that we most customarily think of as classics. Devotional poetry of the seventeenth-century is poetry of the very highest standard, packed with meaning and artistry. It takes Christian experience and doctrine as its subject matter. That subject matter is then handled within the poem in such a way as to lead to a deeper understanding of God and his truth and a richer feeling toward it. This volume leads readers through the devotional poetry of three seventeenth-century poetic geniuses: John Donne, George Herbert, and John Milton. Poems are preceded by tips for reading, such as a summary of the content core of the poem and its structure. A partial explication of the poetic texture follows each poem. Marginal notes define difficult or archaic words in the poem. There is also a section for "Reflection or Discussion" for each poem. Introductory pages are devoted to each of the three poets at the beginning of their sections.

Moonfleet by John Meade Falkner:
A thrilling Victorian adventure story of smuggling, cursed treasure, code-cracking, injustice, revenge, and friendship...
beginning as a mystery and an adventure story, this tale of smuggling is set among the cliffs, caves, and downs of Dorset. What will be the outcome of the conflict between smugglers and revenue men? How can the hero, John Trenchard, discover the secret of Colonel John Mohune's treasure? As the book progresses these two interwoven themes resolve themselves into a third and richer one, with the friendship and suffering of both John Trenchard and the craggy, taciturn Elzevir Block. Falkner's feeling for history and for the landscape of his Dorset setting combine with his gift for storytelling to turn this ripping yarn into a historical novel of moving intensity.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte: (with option of DVD)
One of the most sweeping and enduring novels in English literature, Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre has become a beloved classic and a must-read for fans of period romance. Filled with memorable characters, witty dialogue, emotional scenes, social commentary, and intriguing twists, Bronte's novel, written in 1847, still has much to teach writers about crafting exceptional stories. Orphaned, cast off by her hardened aunt Mrs. Reed, and maltreated at Lowood School, Jane Eyre did not begin life with good prospects, but what she lacked in physical and material comforts, she made up for with a fervent and vigorous spirit, self-respect, and a will to make a life of her own. When she finds herself working for Mr. Rochester as the governess of his ward, Adele, it seems chance has meted "a measure of happiness" at last: only to have it seemingly all snatched away as mysteries surface and figures from the past reappear. Charlotte Bronte's classic tale of love, betrayal, and forgiveness stands apart in Victorian literature. The brooding master, "small and plain" Jane, and the love that binds them across the miles of moors is crafted with Gothic intensity that has installed it as many a reader's favorite novel.

The Elusive Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy:
In this, the sequel toThe Scarlet Pimpernel, French agent and chief spy-catcher Chauvelin is as crafty as ever, but Sir Percy Blakeney is more than a match for his arch-enemy. Meanwhile the beautiful Marguerite remains wholly devoted to Sir Percy, her husband. Cue more swashbuckling adventures as Sir Percy attempts to smuggle French aristocrats out of the country to safety.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: (with option of DVD)
"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife." Thus memorably begins Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, one of the world's most popular novels. This is the story of fiercely independent Elizabeth Bennet, one of five sisters who must marry rich, as she confounds the arrogant, wealthy Mr. Darcy. What ensues is one of the most delightful and engrossingly readable courtships known to literature, written by a precocious Austen when she was just twenty-one years old. Humorous and profound, and filled with highly entertaining dialogue, this witty comedy of manners dips and turns through drawing-rooms and plots to reach an immensely satisfying finale. In the words of Eudora Welty, This is as 'irresistible and as nearly flawless as any fiction could be.'

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens:
The tale begins on Christmas Eve seven years after the death of Ebenezer Scrooge's business partner Jacob Marley. Scrooge is established within the first chapter as a greedy and stingy businessman who has no place in his life for kindness, compassion, charity, or benevolence. After being warned by Marley's ghost to change his ways, Scrooge is visited by three additional ghosts "each in its turn" who accompany him to various scenes with the hope of achieving his transformation. The first of the spirits, the Ghost of Christmas Past, takes Scrooge to the scenes of his boyhood and youth which stir the old miser's gentle and tender side by reminding him of a time when he was more innocent. The second spirit, the Ghost of Christmas Present, takes Scrooge to several radically differing scenes in order to evince from the miser a sense of responsibility for his fellow man. The third spirit, the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, harrows Scrooge with dire visions of the future if he does not learn and act upon what he has witnessed. As their journey concludes, Scrooge is reminded of what it means to have love in his heart, and what the true spirit of Christmas is all about. The truths revealed through Scrooge, Marley, and his three ghosts are timeless and touch the hearts of everyone treated to their sincerity.

The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle:
At Baskerville Hall on the grim moors of Devonshire, a legendary curse has apparently claimed one more victim. Sir Charles Baskerville has been found dead. There are no signs of violence, but his face is distorted with terror. Years earlier, a hound-like beast with blazing eyes and dripping jaws was reported to have killed Hugo Baskerville. Has the spectral destroyer struck again? More important, is Sir Henry Baskerville, younger heir to the estate, now in danger? Enter Sherlock Holmes, summoned to protect Sir Henry from the fate that has threatened the Baskerville family. As Holmes and Watson begin to investigate, a blood-chilling howl from the fog-shrouded edges of the great Grimpen Mire signals that the legendary hound of the Baskervilles is poised for yet another attack. The Hound of the Baskerville first appeared as a serial in The Strand Magazine in 1901. By the time of its publication in book form eight months later, this brilliantly plotted, richly atmospheric detective story had already achieved the status of a classic. It has often been called he best detective story ever written. It remains a thrilling tale of suspense, must reading for every lover of detective fiction.

Prisoner of Zenda by Anthony Hope:
Anthony Hope's swashbuckling romance transports his English gentleman hero, Rudolf Rassendyll, from a comfortable life in London to fast-moving adventures in Ruritania, a mythical land steeped in political intrigue. Rassendyll bears a striking resemblance to Rudolf Elphberg who is about to be crowned King of Ruritania. When the rival to throne, Black Michael of Strelsau, attempts to seize power by imprisoning Elphberg in the Castle of Zenda, Rassendyll is obliged to impersonate the King to uphold the rightful sovereignty and ensure political stability. Rassendyll endures a trial of strength in his encounters with the notorious Rupert of Hentzau, and a test of a different sort as he grows to love the Princess Flavia. Five times filmed, The Prisioner of Zenda has been deservedly popular as a classic of romance and adventure since its publication in 1894.

The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie:
Christie’s first novel to feature the sleuthing duo of Tommy and Tuppence Beresford, The Secret Adversary finds the penniless pair launching a new business venture, Young Adventurers Ltd., and plunged soon after into the heart of an insidious and quite deadly political conspiracy. Home from the War, flat-broke and unemployed, our twenty-something heroes embark on a daring business scheme: ‘The Young Adventurers Limited’… willing to go anywhere, willing to do anything. But their first assignment plunges them into more danger than they ever imagined and they quickly find themselves sucked into a perilous world of intrigue, conspiracy, death, and mayhem.

Blessings,
Carrie

Re: Sneak Peek #7: New US2 History Guide

Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2016 4:55 pm
by Allison TX
Carrie,

This looks fantastic! The literature sneak peek is always one of my favorites. :D Do you have any suggestions for students using the guide this year that have already read A Christmas Carol and/or Pride & Prejudice in previous guides? Thank you!!!!

Re: Sneak Peek #7: New US2 History Guide

Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2016 5:28 pm
by Carrie
My thoughts would be that classics such as Pride and Prejudice and A Christmas Carol bear re-reading. My own boys listen to a fully dramatized audio of A Christmas Carol every Christmas as they set up the Christmas tree. They never tire of it and look forward to hearing the story each Christmas no matter what their age! :D As far as Pride and Prejudice goes, there are entire book clubs devoted to being a fan of Jane Austen and a chronic reader of her works! Many in the clubs can recite her work verbatim from so many re-reads. :D

In looking at these books from a Heart of Dakota perspective, we originally scheduled A Christmas Carol in a DITHR book set that the students would have read 5 years ago, and we originally scheduled Pride and Prejudice as a girl option for the ladies to read three years ago. So, with years like that in between the readings, I would think there would be much to gain by a reread of such well-known classics as these. :D Additionally, reading the books along with the daily plans that we will have in U.S. History II will draw things out of the reading that the students may have missed even if they have read them before. :D

Of course, should you desire to replace the books with your own selections, you could easily do so. We definitely weighed the options when making book selections for British Literature and felt the balance of the selections that we ended up with was best for students overall. Books like A Christmas Carol and Pride and Prejudice are just too important as classic works to be missed. :D

Blessings,
Carrie

Re: Sneak Peek #7: New US2 History Guide

Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2016 7:06 pm
by Allison TX
Thank you, Carrie. :)

I like your idea of rereading A Christmas Carol- it's been a while since he read it, and he didn't read Pride and Prejudice (since it was a girl option), so I'm glad he'll have a chance to. I'm curious to see what he thinks of it.

I really appreciate that you chose some books that aren't as commonly found on most high school reading lists. We have found some favorites among your lit choices that we may never had read otherwise. :)

We're really looking forward to this guide! (although it's a little bittersweet because it's the last one)

Re: Sneak Peek #7: New US2 History Guide

Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2016 7:45 pm
by LynnH
Thank you Carrie for all the thought and prayer that goes into these picks. I love that there are some that I haven't heard of. I have found some favorites in each year that were not the typical literature books. I look forward to reading these also.

Re: Sneak Peek #7: New US2 History Guide

Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2016 2:27 pm
by Tiffini
I'm so excited to see these, Carrie! This is my favorite sneak peak every year. It will be kinda sad not to have a sneak peek next year. Well, sad for us - not for you, I'm sure!! :D Thank you again so much for all of your hard work and devotion to making HOD the very best curriculum out there! We appreciate you!!!! :D

Re: Sneak Peek #7: New US2 History Guide

Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2016 7:09 am
by my3sons
I am so excited for Wyatt to be able to read all of these amazing literature selections, Carrie! :D I know the immense amount of time you've spent selecting these, and I truly appreciate it!!! If I were to begin to try to choose literature titles for my senior in high school on my own, I think it would be the same experience as the one I have when I am Christmas shopping for free reading books for our sons. I enter Barnes and Noble, or a public library, or look online for quality literature... YIKES! Head in my hands as I'm reading a book I think is wonderful and then getting to a part that in no way I want my sons to read and shelving it! The fact that ALL of my children do HOD and still in the summers off have their heads constantly in a book (usually your extension packages they hadn't read before, or the rest of an author's books in which you scheduled 1 and I found more by that author for free reading, the rest of a series, or books you suggested when I - your younger sis - called you in a panic for some more free reading ideas or series for the boys)! It is a talent God has given you that I'm thankful for each and every day. Good work - and upward and onward we go to 12th grade in this lovely HOD journey through school!

Love in Christ,
Julie

Re: Sneak Peek #7: New US2 History Guide

Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2016 2:15 pm
by funkmomma71
Will you be re-doing the literature for the WG to line up with this new model or leaving it alone? My daughter will be doing it next year and I'd love to know what to plan for.

I completely feel where you are coming from in regards to all the various literature programs out there, they all leave me feeling like they are missing the point of readin great literature, the connection you make with it. I honestly don't remember much of what read in my "english" classes over the years, the books I remember are the ones I could make my own and not feel under the gun to answer a bunch of comprehension, vocab, or multiple-choice questions.

Thank-you for all the incredible work you do in putting together Heart of Dakota for all the rest of us.

Re: Sneak Peek #7: New US2 History Guide

Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2016 3:44 pm
by Carrie
Thanks ladies for the encouragement! It is a breath of fresh air to my soul! :D

In answer to the questions, we will be replacing both A Christmas Carol and Pride and Prejudice eventually. I am not sure of the timing on when those changes will take place, as I will have to read to select new books for those spots which I don't have time to do right now. Currently, I am knee-deep in looking for Living Library books for the new US2 guide. :D

For now, we will continue on as written for the fall. Once I get a chance to select replacement titles, we will definitely provide a replacement schedule for the changes along with offering the books on our site as well. :D

Blessings,
Carrie

Re: Sneak Peek #7: New US2 History Guide

Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2016 6:09 pm
by Carrie
Ladies,

I realized that I forgot to clearly share the composition/grammar portion of this credit, so I am going to remedy that now by posting how that portion of the credit is handled in the US2 guide. I will begin by saying that the English credit in high school is typically comprised of literature, grammar, composition, and vocabulary. These areas can be covered in any combination of ways, however usually they are all represented somehow within the credit. The combined English credit often leans toward 150 hours or more in a year for a credit. :D With this in mind, the piece I am sharing today has to do with the composition and grammar portion of the English credit. :D

Our plan for the new US2 guide is to schedule the last half of Rod and Staff English 8 twice weekly to alternate with the speech half-credit. :D Typically, we will plan for the time slot that these two alternating subjects share to take approximately 35-40 min. each day. Since students will already have completed the first half of Rod and Staff 8 in the first American History Guide, they will complete the last half of English 8 in the new US2 guide. Of course, students who are new to HOD (or who came to Rod and Staff late) may be on a different Rod and Staff sequence, however I just wanted to share our "ideal". :D

In the US2 guide, the combination of the daily "Literature Journal" assignments + weekly oral/written narrations that are a part of the British Literature box paired with the last half of English 8 results in a strong composition and grammar combination. The last half of English 8 covers narrative, persuasive, expository, and descriptive writing; poetry; outlining; summarizing; writing compositions; proofreading; researching; note-taking; and developing oral reports.

Table of Contents of Rod and Staff Preparing for Usefulness: English 8 (last 6 chapters): :D
Chapter 6 - Verb Usage - Writing Stories
58. The Theme of a Story
59. Characterization in Story Writing
60. Subject-Verb Agreement
61. Using Problem Verbs
62. More Problem Verbs
63. Effective Style in a Story
64. The Opening of a Story
65. Writing a Story
66. Active and Passive Voice
67. Proofreading and Rewriting a Story
68. Chapter 6 Review

Chapter 7 - Pronouns - Writing Effective Sentences
69. Personal Pronouns
70. Using Personal Pronouns Correctly
71. Writing Effective Sentences: Unity and Coherence
72. Compound Personal Pronouns and Demonstrative Pronouns
73. Writing Effective Sentences: Conciseness and Parallelism
74. Indefinite Pronouns
75. Writing Effective Sentences: Action
76. Writing Effective Sentences: Emphasis
77. Interrogative and Relative Pronouns
78. Writing Effective Sentences: Variety
79. Chapter 7 Review

Chapter 8 - Adjectives - Studying Poetry
80. Recognizing Adjectives
81. Rhyme in Poetry
82. Rhythm in Poetry
83. Forms of Comparison for Adjectives
84. Verbals and Phrases Used as Adjectives
85. Repetition and Parallelism in Poetry
86. Descriptive Language in Poetry
87. Adjective Clauses
88. Using Adjectives Correctly
89. Writing Poetry
90. Appreciating Poetry
91. Chapter 8 Review

Chapter 9 - Adverbs - Writing Persuasive Argument
92. Recognizing Adverbs
93. Forms of Comparison for Adverbs
94. Verbals and Phrases Used as Adverbs
95. Taking Notes From a Sermon
96. Adverb Clauses
97. Distinguishing Between Adjectives and Adverbs
98. Using Adverbs Correctly
99. Understanding Persuasive Argument
100. Planning a Persuasive Argument
101. Writing a Persuasive Argument
102. Chapter 9 Review

Chapter 10 - Prepositions, Conjunctions, and Interjections - Writing Directions and Descriptions
103. Prepositions and Their Objects
104. Using Prepositions Correctly
105. Writing Directions to Place
106. Coordinating Conjunctions
107. Subordinating Conjunctions
108. Descriptive Writing
109. Interjections
110. Review of the Parts of Speech
111. Planning a Descriptive Composition
112. Writing a Descriptive Composition
113. Chapter 10 Review

Chapter 11 - Reference Sources - Giving Summaries and Book Reports
114. Using a Dictionary
115. Using a Thesaurus
116. Writing a Summary
117. Using Encyclopedias and Atlases
118. Using Concordances, Bible Dictionaries, and Topical Bibles
119. Using a Public Library
120. Using a Card Catalog
121. Give an Oral Book Report
122. Chapter 11 Review

Blessings,
Carrie