LANGUAGE ARTS, WRITING & LITERATURE

You will find the classes are color-coded by the recommended grade level.
GREEN (younger/middle elementary)
BLUE (elementary/Jr High)
RED (Jr High/ High School)

Mrs. Carolyn Byrne wanted to be a teacher and a mother from the time she was in the first grade. God has graciously granted her both. Mrs. Byrne taught Pre-K before earning her Elementary Teaching Credential at CSULB. She taught in HBUSD for 5 years until her first child was born. She has been homeschooling for over 20 years now. She has graduated 4 of her 7 children thus far. She is blessed with 9 grandchildren. Since none of them live in the state, Mrs. Byrne is excited to have the opportunity to work with young ones again at HSFM. She likes to garden and enjoys walks along the beach in her spare time.

Mrs. LaNita Lyle received her early childhood education certification from OCC seven years before the birth of her first child, which was the moment God began to grow her desire to become a home educator. She started this life-changing endeavor soon after, and served the Lord in this capacity for over 20 years. In the early days of homeschooling, she quickly discovered that one of her greatest enjoyments was cultivating a love of both reading and writing, and this passion took root and thrived strongly in both her children, the last of which graduated in 2017. Her son went on to teach as an English instructor at a reading and writing institute. Her daughter is on track to graduate this year with a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Health Care Management while also continuing her work as an EMT and Ocean Rescue Lifeguard. Now after completing her homeschooling journey, Mrs. Lyle desires to support other homeschooling mothers and their children in cultivating the joy of reading through a strong phonics and language arts foundation. HSFM is blessed to have Mrs. Lyle join alongside the phonics team, teaching and encouraging young learners.

Phonics, Spelling, & Grammar Levels 1-4 (PreK-G4)

OVERVIEW HSFM PHONICS
Children begin to decode the English language as they learn to recognize sound-symbol relationships, beginning with phonological awareness (sounds) of the alphabet.  As gradual mastery develops, children learn and practice more complex phonemes and their corresponding graphemes (letter combinations) that are used to spell whole words.  These classes are designed to help children advance according to their developmental levels when they repeatedly encounter phonemic patterns in direct, explicit, systematic, & multisensory activities.
The HSFM phonics pathway includes a total of five Levels: Levels 1.0, 1.5, and Levels 2.0 & 2.5.  Level 3.0 takes students further with additional spelling rules and practice with orthographic mapping.

HOMEWORK PACKETS ~ Each week, students receive a homework packet at their level containing a variety of 12-20+ activity pages with coloring, tracing, mazes, find & dot, word sorts, cut & paste, color by pattern/rule, word searches, and more.  Weekly packets also contain students’ own reusable sorting activities, dice games, speed drills, and other activities that provide fun and interactive hands-on daily practice at home.  Spiral review worksheets that are included in L1.5 packets and above include a variety of language arts skills in addition to spelling, and are useful in preparing students for standardized tests in ELA.  Students feel a sense of accomplishment each semester as they watch their notebooks fill with their weekly activity pages.  With a variety of pages each week, students are sure to find favorites, and parents can adjust the workload according to the child’s readiness.

PACKET LEVELS 1.0 & 1.5 ~ Children beginning with Level 1.0 will learn the alphabet letters and sounds, one letter each week, with cumulative weekly review of letters previously learned.   Level 1.5 students will not only focus on a “Letter of the Week”, but will practice blending within word families (cat, hat, mat).  One vowel will be highlighted each week, so the 5 vowels cycle every 5 weeks.  At any five-week interval, children in Level 1 who become developmentally ready to blend consonants & vowels, can begin using Level 1.5 packets.  Children who are mastering one letter at a time but not ready to blend consonants with vowels will continue with L1.0 packets and focus primarily on the “Letter of the Week”.

PACKET LEVELS 2.0 & 2.5 ~ Students with phonetic awareness of the alphabet who are already blending consonant and vowels (c-a-t) are ready for Level 2.  Students will practice cvc words for each of the five vowels in five-week intervals.  Level 2.0 also includes consonant blends and digraphs (th, sh, ch), and practice silent-e & y as a vowel as they become ready to differentiate between short and long vowel sounds.  Level 2.5 moves more quickly in adding consonant blends, digraphs, & silent-e and also advances to long vowel pairs (ai, ea, oa, etc.) and r-controlled vowels.  Spelling rules for open and closed syllables are also introduced.  Level 2 students who are eagerly progressing can begin using the Level 2.5 packets at one of the five-week intervals.

Mrs. Lyle - G1-3
Level 2.0 at 10:20
Level 2.5 at 9:10
Mrs. Lyle's Phonics & Language Arts class time provides opportunity for students to receive direction and instruction for practicing and reinforcing the phonics rules at their level.
Instruction and activities are divided into 4 segments:

Phonetic Concepts are taught with a creative and interactive lesson at the beginning of each class. Instruction is given to aid in the application and mastering of the phonics concept of the week. The weekly lessons are progressively customized to the students’ level as the weeks progress.
Activities provide students the opportunity to participate in group hands-on activities and games that reinforce the current and previous phonics skills that have been learned. A variety of manipulatives are used such as laminated word sorts & sentence mats, dice & board games, I-Have-Who-Has, and many other visual and hands-on activities ranging in complexity from CVC word families and simple blending to more complex rules as concepts are introduced (see packet descriptions above for Levels 2.0 & 2.5)
Story Time engages the children and helps cultivate a love for reading as they are also sharpening their listening and comprehension skills. A variety of age-appropriate readers and/or chapter books are chosen throughout the year that incorporate many of the concepts covered in the phonics lessons.
Penmanship practice reinforces the name, sound, and formation of the “Letter of the Week”. The goals for writing letters include: Legibility which helps children understand that their writing must communicate with other people; Accuracy so the formation of the letters is correct and avoids confusion with other letters. Consistency so letters are formed the same each time. This is an exercise in character and discipline. Individual style can develop when students are older and have mastered basic manuscript writing. The handwriting practice papers are added to the student’s personalized notebook in a tabbed section which will highlight their penmanship progression of all 26 letters by the end of the year. Regardless of each child’s current fine motor skills, children can improve week by week at his/her ability with explicit training, guidance, and encouragement.

Mrs. Byrne – PreK-1 (Levels 1.0, 1.5)
Level 1.0 at 10:20
Level 1.5 at 9:10
Mrs. Byrne’s Phonics class time will focus on the alphabet letters and corresponding sounds, which will be taught using stories, crafts, movement, music and games.  Children are engaged as she reads aloud a story that complements the letter of the week, and their imaginations and love for reading is fostered.  Each week, the children also make a collage craft that highlights the "letter of the week" that is then placed in the student's personalized notebook along with their weekly homework packets (either Level 1.0 or 1.5).  Based on each child’s readiness, appropriate instruction and class activities will progress to include review of all letters and sounds.  Consonant-Vowel blends and word families (ma, sa, etc.) are also practiced for children who are working at Level 1.5.
Registration Fee:  $300/year (26-week schedule)
Material Fee:  $75/year includes:

Levels 1.0 & 1.5 include notebook & supply pouch, collage crafts, weekly packet with activity pages, and use of HSFM class manipulatives & teaching resources.
Levels 2.0 & 2.5 include notebook & supply pouch, weekly activity packet with activity pages, penmanship inserts

Recommended Text or Supplies:
Weekly lessons and homework are included with the material fee, and can be used as the student's phonics or spelling curriculum or as a supplement to other grade level curriculum at home. Reading children's books at home is highly recommended, and adds a valuable component to a child’s language arts and literacy development.

Mrs. Valerie Helms is a seasoned homeschool mom and teacher. Her journey with the Lord began at age 5 and was developed more fully with monthly trips to an orphanage in Mexico. In 1985, she earned a certificate from Cerritos College in Early Childhood Education. She has spent the last 30 years as a Sunday School teacher and the last 16 years teaching co-op classes for most grade levels and nearly every subject. She has a wonderful supportive husband who has helped facilitate their homeschool journey. They have hosted students from 4 countries for 12 years, as well as homeschooled their own two children that are now in college. She recalls one of her experiences in their journey where they constructed chicken coups when studying life cycles. At one point, they had 32 animals. Mrs. Helms is in leadership at a local Christian academy and thoroughly enjoys mentoring mothers and nurturing children. She loves the homeschool journey.

Spelling Level 3.0 G2-5

LEVEL 3.0 ~This abbreviated 40-min skills lab provides tangible instruction, practice, and encouragement for G2-5 students who need direct and explicit instruction to improve spelling. Level 3.0 includes complex phonemes (sounds) and their corresponding graphemes (letter combinations) that are used to spell whole words.  This class incorporates the Orton-Gillingham approach to spelling that has been used effectively since the 1930’s, and continues to be a proven approach for helping struggling learners and those with dyslexia.  Children are taught explicitly the connections between sounds and their corresponding letter groupings (graphemes); and they practice orthographic mapping to solidify and retain the phoneme/graphemes that are learned each week.

Students who comfortably differentiate between short and long vowel sounds with silent-e, and have some familiarity with long vowel pairs (such as oa, ea, etc.) are ready for Level 3.0 where they will expand their understanding and usage of additional phonemes/graphemes for spelling rules that include long vowel teams, diphthongs (oi, oy, au, aw, etc.), r-controlled vowels, welded sounds, schwa, tenses, plurals, and prefixes/suffixes. Level 3 packet also includes identifying open and closed syllable types for recognizing spelling patterns for multisyllable words. In addition to spelling rules, the student/parent friendly weekly packets include daily spiral grammar review pages that includes, but not limited to, capitalization, punctuation, word roots, sentence types, tenses, plural, possessive, and parts of speech, and help to prepare students for standardized tests in ELA (English Language Arts).  Level 3.0 follows 2.5, but can also be used as a supplement to other curricula used by older students who need a solid foundation for recognizing phonemes and corresponding graphemes in order to become good spellers.
Registration Fee:  $210/year (26-week schedule)
Material Fee:  $40/year includes:

Instructional materials and class resources.
Weekly homework packets with 10-20 activity pages
Daily Spiral Grammar Review pages are included in the homework packets.

Recommended Text or Supplies:
Weekly lessons and homework are included with the material fee, and can be used as the student's phonics or spelling curriculum or as a supplement to other grade level curriculum at home. Reading children's books at home is highly recommended to complete the student's language arts experience at his/her grade or developmental level.

Mrs. Karen Massa is a veteran teacher who began her journey in education at John Brown University where she obtained a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education. As her journey continued, she received a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from Concordia University, Irvine. Mrs. Massa has taught in private Christian schools for 13 years grades 1-3. She is happily married and continues to teach (but in a more private setting at home) her two amazing daughters.

Language Arts w/IEW Bible Heroes - G2-4

Plumbers, pilots and vets…oh my! Institute for Excellence in Writing's People and Places in Our Community curriculum is an excellent way to introduce younger students to the writing process and improve writing skills in gentle, incremental steps. Students become better acquainted with the people that keep a community operating efficiently, as they work through six of IEW's units. This writing approach is not intimidating or overwhelming because students are not challenged to originate their own content and ideas. Instead, they are provided with interesting stories about emergency responders, transportation workers, and more, as they learn to write key word outlines to help them rewrite the stories in their own words. Elements of style and structure are introduced to help strengthen a child’s writing confidence. In addition to weekly homework assignments, students will receive a Daily Spiral Grammar Review worksheet.  With just a few minutes each day, students practice grammar, punctuation, and word study concepts. Spiral reviews present topics throughout the school year for reinforcement and are gradually presented in increasing complexity, and necessary language arts skills remain fresh all year long.  Parental help will is needed for younger students, including transcribing as the child dictates sentences from their key word outlines and assisting the child as IEW’s elements of style are included in their paragraphs. This is a wonderful class for "phonics graduates''. With consistent review and fun games that reinforce writing skills, each child’s writing can flourish. Grammar instruction along with grammar packets will be provided by the instructor.
In addition to weekly writing assignments, students receive a Daily Spiral Grammar Review worksheet. With just a few minutes each day, students practice grammar, punctuation, and word study concepts. Spiral reviews present topics throughout the school year for reinforcement and are gradually presented in increasing complexity, and necessary language arts skills remain fresh all year long.    Assignments will be grade appropriate.
Registration Fee:  $300/year (26-week schedule)
Material Fee: $50/year includes:

Student Workbook – “Bible Heroes” by IEW
Additional class resources as needed

Required Text or Supplies:
Student workbook and course supplements provided with material fee.

Writing w/IEW Discoveries - G4-6

In this theme-based writing program, students write about exciting topics such as the Bayeux Tapestry, tsunamis, Jerusalem and the Crusades, and other interesting subjects while they learn to write with the Structure and Style® writing method. In this writing class for G3-5 this year, HSFM students will use the basic Structure and Style method with dress-ups such as because clause, who/which clause, www.asia, -ly adverb opener, #2 prepositional opener, and #3 vss opener. This builds upon previous knowledge from the G1-3 IEW classes and reinforces G4-6 to be better prepared for IEW G6-9 Students' confidence and writing skills will be strengthened through this dynamic writing process. Discover a wide variety of fascinating subjects in Discoveries in Writing! This is an exciting new theme that IEW produced this year, 2024. It provides Literary Suggestions, vocabulary and is a full year’s instruction in writing.
Registration Fee: $310/year (26-week schedule)
Material Fee: $50/year includes:

Student Workbook – “Discoveries in Writing” by IEW included

Grammar & Spelling Review Packets & Supplements

Required Text or Supplies:
Student workbook and course supplements provided with material fee.

Mrs. Sarah Woodson

Mrs. Sarah Woodson graduated from The Master’s University with a BA in Liberal Studies: Teacher Education and has a CA Multiple Subject Teaching Credential. She began homeschooling her two children in 2012. Church and AWANA have provided many opportunities to engage children in her favorite subject: learning to love, imitate, and serve Jesus Christ. To improve her skills, Sarah is slowly working towards certification in Biblical Counseling. Her free time is devoted to family, reading, and browsing at Costco.

Language Arts with Greek & Latin Roots - G4-8

"Get to the Root of It” is a curriculum with Book 1 and Book 2 options (provided with material fee) and alternate every-other-year on the schedule. The two-year curriculum is not sequential so students can begin in either year and take the class for one or both years. The English language is derived from Greek and Latin roots. Students who recognize these roots are especially equipped to decode unfamiliar words they encounter in science, literature, and math. Each week, students are introduced to three Greek or Latin roots and ten related vocabulary words by means of a power point presentation and a weekly homework packet with engaging sketch/doodle pages that help the students retain meanings. Class activities reinforce the meaning and usage of the roots and words introduced. Word sorts, Bingo, Go Fish, sketch pages, and a variety of group and hands-on activities provide fun and engaging practice. In addition to teaching Greek and Latin Roots, this course includes daily "Five-a-Day" packets which provide practice in grammar, parts of speech, and word usage with analogies. The "Five-a-Day" review curriculum was written to teach, review, and prepare students for standardized tests in ELA (English Language Arts). Acquiring meaningful vocabulary based on roots and gaining confidence in proper grammar are essential skills that prepare students for writing success, and enhanced reading comprehension in other subjects as well.
Registration Fee: $310/year (26-week schedule)
Material Fee: $40/year includes:

"Get to the Root of It" curriculum with weekly homework packets (incl. sketch pages)
"Five-a-Day" weekly ELA review packets
Instructional materials and class supplies

Recommended Text or Supplies:
A set of colored pencils, watercolor crayons, oil pastels, or chalk pastels to complete the weekly "sketch/doodle" pages.

Dr. Rhonda Gordon has been home educating her three children since 2002. One daughter has graduated from Liberty University and another son has just graduated from homeschooling K-12th grade with plans to attend college in the fall of 2024. Her youngest son, a high schooler is enjoying and thriving at HSFM. She believes that once you teach how to learn, the sky's the limit in what you can accomplish. She has shared this love for learning in her teaching for various co-ops and homeschool programs throughout the years. After being in ministry for 20 years with her husband, she returned back to school to complete a doctorate in psychology. She believes IEW played a definite role in helping her write papers, including a 150-page dissertation that is published on Proquest and can be found on Google Scholar. Other writing projects include articles published in New York News Day, Old Schoolhouse Magazine, Practical Homeschooling Magazine, and more. She published a book, Matched by Messiah, which is her and her husband’s testimony about how they, having been raised Jewish, saw the truth about Jesus. She has shared her testimony at 100s of churches nationwide and several TV and radio stations. In addition to homeschooling, she also works as a part-time therapist. Her favorite pastime is lying on a blanket outdoors and reading a book with her children or playing on a mat with her grand baby. She has cherished this time with her own children, and is now looking forward to teaching HSFM students writing skills that will be beneficial for years to come.

Writing w/IEW
Modern World History-based Writing- G6-9

Students will learn to improve their writing skills with IEW’s Modern World History theme-based curriculum. The writing assignments include all 9 Units of Teaching Writing Structure and Style and include: Note making and outlines, retelling narrative stories, summarizing reference, writing from pictures, summarizing multiple references, inventive writing, formal essay models, formal critique, and writing about literature. Grammar skills are built into the IEW program as stylistic techniques are covered and implemented in weekly assignment. Class instruction and assignments teach students how to write strong, well-crafted essays. The instructor will evaluate students’ papers and provide helpful feedback. Meeting each student at his or her level of writing proficiency to develop skills at the student’s pace is fundamental. The primary goal of the course is to increase mastery of writing structure and style for writing paragraphs and essay compositions as presented in the IEW curriculum. Sparking each student’s interest and adding understanding of significant events and people throughout modern world history is an added feature of IEW’s history-based writing curriculum. This class complements the Art-history class, which is also covering modern world history topics this year.
Registration Fee: $325/year (29-week schedule)
Material Fee: $60/year includes:

IEW Modern History-based Writing workbook (included with material feel)
IEW’s Student Resource Notebook

Required Text or Supplies:
IEW workbook and handouts included with material fee.

Mrs. Stephanie Olin holds a Ryan Single Subject K-12 teaching credential. She majored in Physical Education and minored in Biology at CSULB, then became the assistant director of the employee health and fitness center for the school district. She also taught elementary PE and Jr. High Science & Health for seven years. In previous years, Mrs. Olin has taught high school biology lab, high school Anatomy, and AIG's God's Design for Life and AIG's Heaven & Earth Science. HSFM families have appreciated her heart for the Lord and her desire to see each student love learning. She homeschooled her son and daughter from 2006 to 2015 and is an avid gardener and outdoor athlete who enjoys biking, hiking, kayaking, photography, jewelry design, and metalsmithing.

Write Shop 1 - G7-10

WriteShop's incremental writing program contains step-by-step assignments that give students the opportunity to practice descriptive, informative, and narrative writing assignments. No prior writing course is required and students who have taken other writing courses will benefit from additional instruction on the writing process with concrete “skill building” exercises and straightforward writing assignments that help students master the types of writing covered in WriteShop 1. Students will practice grammar skills, apply them to their current writing project, and edit and revise their compositions. Evaluation checklists for each assignment are completed by both the student and teacher and provide the means for weekly improvement. The publisher recommends that students begin with Write Shop 1, unless they have previously established a solid foundation in writing paragraphs with descriptive, informative, and narrative writing. Write Shop 2 progresses much more quickly than Write Shop 1, with an emphasis on persuasion and essays, and it is more appropriately suited for students who have already taken WriteShop 1 or other comprehensive writing program. Students G11-12 with academic discipline and the aptitude to quickly grasp the WriteShop editing process, and who are committed to completing weekly assignments on time, may consider taking WriteShop 2 in order to receive instruction in persuasion and the 5-paragraph essay needed before graduation. Please note that most students will need some parental oversight and management in submitting rough drafts and/or final copies each week. The workload is realistic and doable each week as long as students keep with the schedule and do not fall behind. Mrs. Olin will help each student succeed, and requires that students are committed to completing and submitting assignments on time. This is a very rewarding class and enables faithful students to excel in their writing abilities. Additional information about the curriculum can be viewed on the Write Shop website: www.writeshop.com
Registration Fee: $340/year (29-week schedule)
Material Fee: $60/year includes:

Write Shop 1 notebook and instructional materials.

Recommended text or supplies:
Included with material fees.

Write Shop 2 - G8-12

WriteShop's incremental writing program contains step-by-step assignments that give students the opportunity to develop a solid foundation in the writing process that will prepare students for high school level writing as well as standardized and SAT testing. According to the authors, “Writeshop 2 offers more challenging assignments than WriteShop 1 such as descriptive narration, point of view, narrative voice, persuasion, and introduction to 5-paragraph essays (including timed essays). The publisher recommends that students begin with Write Shop 1, unless they have a previous foundation in descriptive, informative, and narrative writing. Write Shop 2 progresses more quickly than Write Shop 1 and can be challenging for students who are not adequately prepared. This course is more appropriately suited for students who have previously taken WriteShop 1 or other comprehensive writing program, or who are G11-12 with academic discipline and aptitude to quickly grasp the WriteShop editing methods. Both WriteShop 1 & 2 focus on the writing process with concrete “skill building” exercises and straight forward writing assignments. Students will practice grammar skills and apply them to their current writing project, and will edit and revise their compositions. Evaluation check lists for each assignment are completed by both the student and teacher and provide the means for weekly improvement. Please note that most students will need parental oversight and management in turning in various rough drafts and final copies each week. The workload is realistic and feasible each week as long as students keep with the schedule and do not fall behind. Mrs. Olin will help each student succeed, and requires that students are committed to completing assignments on time with parental supervision as needed. This is a very rewarding class and enables faithful students to excel in their writing abilities. Students who have not taken WriteShop1 previously will need to be approved by the instructor to ensure the student is prepared to succeed in WriteShop 2. Additional information about the curriculum can be viewed on the Write Shop website: www.writeshop.com
Registration Fee: $350/year (29-week schedule)
Material Fee: $60/year includes:

Write Shop 2 notebook and instructional material.

Recommended text or supplies:
Included with material fee.

World Literature - HS

The World Literature class includes a selection of whole books with themes and topics that complement the study of world history, and consists of four major components: reading, class discussion, response essays, and various other assignments. Of necessity, this course places great emphasis on independent reading and assignments that aid the student in literary analysis. Accordingly, class-time must be very focused and productive. Students are provided with questions, engagements, and topics to keep in mind while completing the reading assignments and preparing for class discussions. Instructional materials and study guides help students analyze literature and identify literary devices used in each story. Students are expected to complete the assigned reading and work prior to class and be prepared to contribute to class discussions. Participation in class prepares students to write essays in response to the literature they read. Throughout the year, students are given constructive feedback and are directed to revise their essays accordingly. Instruction in the writing process related to the literature may include descriptive, informative, narrative, character analysis, compare and contrast, and persuasive essays. Students wishing to cover corresponding world history lessons and assignments will benefit from enrolling in the World History class (see World History high school course description). While students are not required to take both courses simultaneously, concurrent enrollment will ensure that both history and literature are adequately covered for transcript purposes. The reading for World Literature illustrates pivotal moments in Ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman history, and also more modern periods in Russian and German history. The literature selections also provide insight into African, Indian, English, and Canadian cultures. The reading list includes (but not limited to): The Cat of Bubastes by G.A. Henty; Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare; The Children's Homer by Padraic Colum; A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens; Jungle Books by Rudyard Kipling; Animal Farm by George Orwell; Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan; The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom; The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba; or other assigned selections. Instructions or links for purchasing the books will be provided, so families can place orders through Amazon or other distributors; and in some cases, options to be included on group orders may become available.
Registration Fee: $340/year (29-week schedule)
Material Fee: $60/year Includes:

Various study guides, worksheets and instructional resources including but not limited to Progeny Press.
HSFM Literature Notebook with worksheets, outline templates, writing resources, and guidelines for Literary Analysis ($10 credit for students re-using their notebook from a previous HSFM HS Literature class)

Recommended Text or Supplies:

Students will need to purchase or borrow literature books according to the course outline which will be provided by the instructor.

Mrs. Christine Sheppard received her B.S. degree in marketing in 1991 from the University of Maryland and later received her M.A. in Spiritual Psychology, and PsyD in Counseling. Mrs. Sheppard did not know the Lord in her youth, but accepted Jesus in her late twenties. Since that time, she has been grateful for opportunities to grow in God’s grace along with her husband, and to be homeschooling their son so he too can become grounded in God’s Word and his faith in Jesus. She currently serves as a group leader for CCPSP and spends time as a team leader for youth camps through Calvary Baptist, our host church. Since 1995 she has worked as a business and training consultant. She enjoys working with adults and teens and has coached both ages in triathlon and endurance sports, having completed multiple triathlons, including iron distance races. During her time as an HSFM mother, she has been a class helper for various classes, experienced the different teaching styles on campus, and is welcoming the opportunity to teach our high school students this year.

American Literature - HS

The American Literature class will include the reading of classic and award-winning literature by American authors, and will guide students in thinking analytically for the writing process. Although not required, students studying American literature are encouraged to also enroll in the American history class using the text, Exploring American History by Notgrass. The publisher describes the curriculum as “an American history high school curriculum combining American history, American literature, and Bible”. However, HSFM history and literature classes are offered separately for high school transcript credits. As the students read various selections from American literature, they will not only learn how to analyze the material, but will also develop critical thinking skills. Through literary analysis worksheets, they will become increasingly familiar with genre, setting, major and minor themes, tone, point of view, and the elements of the plot such as exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. The students will learn to identify literary devices such as motifs, symbols, metaphor, simile, foreshadowing, suspense, imagery, irony, humor, and more. The construction of five-paragraph literary analysis essays will be taught and students will learn to express their understanding and opinions of the books. In order to foster confidence in writing, each student will be met at their writing level and receive positive reinforcement of their work while being shown step-by-step how to improve. The students will learn how to recognize the world view of the author, and how it serves to evidence itself within the literary work. Students will read approximately 5-8 literary classics such as (but not limited to): Up from Slavery, Tom Sawyer, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Great Gatsby, The Giver, Fahrenheit 451, and selected classic American poems and short stories. Of course, there will be thought provoking class discussions, and we will always use the literature to point toward our glorious God. Instructions or links for purchasing the books will be provided so families can place orders through Amazon or other distributors; and in some cases, options to be included on group orders may become available.
Registration Fee: $340/year (29-week schedule)
Material Fee: $60/year Includes:

Various study guides, worksheets and instructional resources including but not limited to Progeny Press.
HSFM Literature Notebook with worksheets, outline templates, writing resources, and guidelines for Literary Analysis ($10 credit for students re-using their notebook from a previous HSFM HS Literature class)

Recommended Text or Supplies:

Students will need to purchase or borrow literature books according to the course outline which will be provided by the instructor.

Mrs. Gina Morrison taught British Literature for twenty years in the same school and classroom for Pomona Unified School District. As a dedicated credentialed teacher she loves to share her understanding of English Language Arts with others.She has always been fascinated with written expression and it has been her focus in her teaching career. Mrs. Morrison completed her BA in English Literature at Cal State Fullerton and received her Master’s Degree at UC Irvine. Gina and her husband also share the love of worshiping God by visiting senior citizen care facilities to sing for them. They also serve and lead in the food ministry at their local church preparing meals for events, military, Firefighters for Christ and serving the community.

British Literature - HS

While reading selections from each of the literary periods in British history, students will not only gain a better understanding as to why the literary piece is relevant but how the culture and literature has impacted civilization. They will learn how to analyze the material, while developing critical thinking skills. Literary analysis worksheets will serve to help the students become increasingly familiar with genre, setting, major and minor themes, tone, point of view, and the elements of the plot such as exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. The students will identify literary devices such as motifs, symbols, metaphor, simile, foreshadowing, suspense, imagery, irony, humor, and more. Essays in the form of a five-paragraph literary analysis will be assigned in which the students will express their understanding and opinions of the books. In order to foster confidence in writing, each student will be met at their writing level and receive positive reinforcement of their work while being shown step-by-step how to improve. The students will learn how to recognize the world view of the author, and how it serves to evidence itself within the literary work. Students will read literary classics such as (but not limited to): Beowulf, The Canterbury Tales, Macbeth, Frankenstein, A Study in Scarlet, Jane Eyre, Oliver Twist, and The Screwtape Letters, along with selected poems and essays. Of course, there will be thought provoking class discussions, and the literature will always be used to point toward our glorious God. Instructions or links for purchasing the books will be provided so families can place their own orders through Amazon or other distributors; and in some cases, options to be included on group orders may become available.
Registration Fee: $340/year (29-week schedule)
Material Fee: $60/year Includes:

Various study guides, worksheets and instructional resources including but not limited to Progeny Press.
HSFM Literature Notebook with worksheets, outline templates, writing resources, and guidelines for Literary Analysis ($10 credit for students re-using their notebook from a previous HSFM HS Literature class)

Recommended Text or Supplies:

Students will need to purchase or borrow literature books according to the course outline which will be provided by the instructor.