Language Arts

This is the seventh of a seven book series (K-6th grade) providing instruction in italic handwriting. We recommend Book G for students in the sixth grade and beyond (although older students might prefer our more comprehensive book for adults "Write Now"). The final book in the series contains practice paragraphs acquainting the student with a brief history of the origins of our letters, from cave paintings to copperplate.

This is the sixth of a seven book series (K-6th grade) providing instruction in basic italic handwriting. We recommend Book F for students in the fifth grade. Designed to help older students learn how the English language works.

This is the third of a seven book series (K-6th grade) providing instruction in basic italic handwriting. Book C is designed for students in the second grade. 

"Caution: Writing In This Book Might Be Fun!" (Girls version) was written by my daughter and my daughter-in-law. My daughter, Monica, loves to write and desires to pass her sense of enjoyment on to other students. My daughter-in-law, though she doesn't profess to "love" writing, is a wonderful writer. She is, however, one of the most talented, feminine, delightful young ladies you'd ever want to meet. Monica and Rachel teamed up to create a book full of wonderful, girly ideas to write about. Your daughter might actually enjoy creative writing! 

Mention "creative writing" to most typical boys, and they'll run screaming from the house, or play sick, or try to flush their creative writing book down the toilet. However, "Caution: Writing In This Book Might Be Fun!" was written by a boy who really hates creative writing. Stephen, my son, sympathizes with your son's writing struggles and tries to give your son ideas of zany-boy things to write about. Full of bright colors and obnoxious color schemes, writing examples to get the proverbial ball rolling, and crazy ideas (with a few cautionary comments from Mom Kemmerer - er, me), your son might actually enjoy creative writing! 

This groundbreaking new writing series combines time-tested classical techniques—the imitation and analysis of great writers—with original composition exercises in history, science, biography, and literature.

Susan Wise Bauer wrote Writing with Skill for students to begin to work through independently, and the text is written directly to the student. Organized by days, each "step" progressively moves students through the workbook as they move from one day to the next. Covering the basics of composition, outlining, sentence skills, beginning literary criticism of poetry and prose, writing narratives and descriptions, and researching and documenting sources, the course culminates with a final project. Using extensive literary models and step-by-step instructions on the lesson concepts, students will gain the tools needed to write with clarify and confidence.

What a fun way to learn sentence diagramming! Designed for grades 5-12, the Grammar Slammer provides easy instruction for a complicated subject (at least complicated to ME!). Karen Newell, author of Write On! (one of my favorite creative writing programs - see link below),  is a gifted teacher. Your students will find her approach interesting, non-threatening, and friendly. Skills are reinforced with a game (instructions and "cards" included) for one or more students.

This is a wonderful, college-prep literature course designed for high school students. Each book in this series starts with a mini-course in worldview philosophy. This is an important concept, because your child will be taught to analyze literature according to the world view of the author and to compare it to the Christian world view! Brilliant!

This is a wonderful, college-prep literature course designed for high school students. Each book in this series starts with a mini-course in worldview philosophy. This is an important concept, because your child will be taught to analyze literature according to the world view of the author and to compare it to the Christian world view! Brilliant!

This is one of the most logical, well-written, user-friendly high school level writing courses I have yet found. It is designed to gently and thoroughly develop your student's writing skills. Two things you need to know about Sharon Watson: she herself is an amazing writer, so her course is fun and interesting rather than textbookish; and she's incredibly encouraging. In fact her objectives for the course are two-fold: to gain in competence/skill AND to impact the student's attitude toward writing through encouragement and success.

This teacher's guide provides much more than just answers; it also includes an assignment checklist; objectives for the course; evaluation forms/rubrics; advice on grading, including extensive information on how to earn an "A, B, C," etc.; how to help students self-edit; guidelines; methods; monthly 14-minute "power surge" exercises; and other helpful teaching information. Answers are provided, and arranged by lesson and practice number. They're line-listed with the questions provided, and the answers in italics.