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)

Levels 1.0-2.5 are offered at both the 9:10 & 10:20 periods
Level 3.0 with Orthographic Mapping is offered at 9:10 (and possibly 1:20 session)

Levels 1.0 & 1.5 students are encouraged to enroll at 10:20 if possible.
Levels 2.0 & 2.5 students are encouraged to enroll at 9:10 if possible.
Level 3.0 is offered as a 40-min skills lab at 9:30 to help students improve reading fluency and proficient spelling through orthographic mapping (see description).

HSFM Phonics Program Overview
Children begin to decode the English language as they learn to recognize sound-symbol relationships, beginning with phonological awareness of the alphabet.  As gradual mastery develops, children learn and practice more complex phonemes that are used to spell whole words.  Instruction and multisensory activities are provided in small groups, and the weekly packets provide a variety of convenient resources for families to use throughout the week.  Children advance in literacy according to their unique developmental level when they repeatedly encounter phonemic patterns in direct, explicit, systematic, & multisensory activities.  These classes have been designed to foster mastery and confidence in students' reading & spelling skills (grammar usage is incorporated with spiral reviews that are included in the weekly packets beginning with level 1.5).
The HSFM phonics pathway includes a total of five Levels:  Level 1, Level 2, & Level 3, with Levels 1.5, 2.5 bridging the gap for students to “jump” ahead as they are developmentally ready to move at a more rapid pace and receive more challenging worksheets in their weekly packets.  The 1.5 and 2.5 levels also serve to provide additional levels for students who, from one year to the next, might only be ready to advance a half level.  Level 3.0 takes students further with additional spelling rules for practice with orthographic mapping for reading fluency and spelling success.
Each of the HSFM Phonics Levels have been designed to allow children to succeed according to the child’s developmental abilities without the pressure to master concepts that are not yet within the child’s reach.  Working through the packets that are filled with a variety of activities provides daily practice and helps build reading fluency & confidence.

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 re-usable sorting activities, dice games, speed drills, and other activities that provide fun and interactive hands-on daily practice at home.  Students feel a sense of accomplishment each semester as they watch their notebooks fill with their weekly activity pages and collage crafts.  With a variety of pages each week, students are sure to find favorite, and parents can adjust the workload according to the child’s readiness.

CLASS TIME ~ Class time is divided into two sections for Levels 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, & 2.5 ~
Story and Craft with Mrs. Bryne engages the children as she reads aloud a story that complements the letter of the week and fosters the child's imagination and love for books.  Children in all levels have been captivated during Mrs. Byrne's craft and story time.  Age-appropriate picture and/or short chapter books are selected according to the levels of each group.  Each week, the children make a collage craft that highlights the "letter of the week" that is then placed in the student's personalized notebook.  The Phonics Skill Building time provides opportunity for students to work in small groups with direction and instruction for practicing and reinforcing the phonics rules at their level.  A variety of colorful and engaging manipulatives are used, such as laminated find-and-dot mats, word sorts, matching cards, mazes, clip cards, I-Have-Who-Has, dice & board games, and many other visual and hands-on activities ranging in complexity from individual letter recognition and simple blending for Levels 1 & 1.5 to more complex spelling rules for Levels 2.0, 2.5, and 3.0.

LEVEL 1.0 & Level 1.5 ~ Children will learn the alphabet letters and sounds, one letter each week with cumulative weekly review of letters previously learned.  At any five-week interval, Level 1.0 children who become developmentally ready to blend consonants & vowels, can advance to Level 1.5 where they 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.  Children who are mastering one letter at a time but not ready to blend consonants with vowels will continue in L1.0 and focus primarily on the “Letter of the Week”.  Level 1.5 students who are quickly mastering phonetic awareness and are blending consonant & vowels with ease, can transition to Level 2.0 at one of the five-week intervals. Weekly packets for Level 1.5 and above also include a daily spiral grammar review that is appropriate for each level; and depending on the level may include review of letter sounds, spelling rules, capitalization, punctuation, syllables, nouns, verbs, opposites, rhyming, and sentences in a very simple and friendly format.  These review pages are student/parent friendly and are written to prepare students for standardized tests in ELA (English Language Arts).

LEVEL 2.0 & Level 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 includes consonant blends and phonemes in addition to the 26 letters of the alphabet (such as th, sh, etc.).  Later in the year, silent-e is introduced for students who are ready to differentiate between short and long vowel sounds for each vowel.  Level 2.5 moves more quickly in adding consonant blends, digraphs, & silent-e and also advances to long vowel pairs (such as - ai, ea, oa) and r-controlled words.  Spelling rules for open and closed syllables are also introduced.  Level 2 students who are eagerly progressing can advance to Level 2.5 at one of the five-week intervals.  Likewise, parents who feel their Level 2.5 student is quickly mastering concepts contained in the 2.5 packet have the option to advance to Level 3.0 at one of the five-week intervals so they can move forward with learning additional long vowel pairs and the more challenging sounds of diphthongs (such as oi, oy, aw, etc.). Weekly packets for Level 1.5 and above also include a daily spiral grammar review that is appropriate for each level; and depending on the level may include review of letter sounds, spelling rules, capitalization, punctuation, syllables, nouns, verbs, opposites, rhyming, and sentences in a very simple and friendly format.  These review pages are student/parent friendly and are written to prepare students for standardized tests in ELA (English Language Arts).
Registration Fee:  $290/year (26-week schedule)
Material Fee:  $75/year includes:

Instructional materials with use of HSFM class manipulatives & and teaching resources.
Includes collage crafts, notebook, weekly activity pages, & worksheets.
Includes Daily Language Review packet.

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 study at his/her grade level.

Mrs. Lesie Blankshain's love for children has been life-long, always wanting to follow in her mother's footsteps as a full-time mother. As a child she aspired to be a teacher, but instead obtained a bachelor’s degree in nursing and worked as a registered nurse in newborn, neonatal, and pediatric intensive care units, which further grounded her desire to work with children and their families. She and her husband began home schooling in 1995, and together graduated each of their four children, completing their home school journey in 2016. HSFM played a significant role in providing educational, mentoring, and social experiences for their children, which helped them continue their educations in business, nursing, mechanical engineering, and communications. Now having completed the homeschool journey, Mrs. Blankshain (aka Lesie) enjoys teaching and developing courses that assist and encourage families to continue their unique homeschooling experience. Besides working within the homeschool community, she continues in deaf ministry with ASL interpreting at church and evangelistic outreaches, and spending time with family and grandbabies.

Spelling Level 3.0 G2-5

LEVEL 3.0 ~This abbreviated period provides tangible instruction, practice, and encouragement for G2-5 students who need direct and explicit instruction and practice with phonemes/graphemes used in orthographic mapping.  Orthographic mapping is the basis of the Orton-Gillingham approach (since 1930’s) which helps struggling readers by explicitly teaching the connections between letters and sounds and is included in many reading programs today to increase reading fluency and spelling success.  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, Level 3.0 weekly packets include a daily spiral grammar review page that includes, but not limited to, capitalization, punctuation, word roots, sentence types, tenses, plural, possessive, and parts of speech.  Level 3.0 is provided as a level to follow 2.5, but can also be used as a supplement for other language arts classes such as IEW.
Registration Fee:  $190/year (26-week schedule)
Material Fee:  $40/year includes:

Instructional materials and class supplies including HSFM's laminated resources.
Includes Daily Language Review packet.

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. Helm is in leadership at a local Christian academy and thoroughly enjoys mentoring mothers and nurturing children. She loves the homeschool journey.

Language Arts w/IEW G2-4
People and Places in Our Community

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:  $290/year (26-week schedule)
Material Fee: $50/year includes:

Student Workbook – “People and Places in Our Community” by IEW
Grammar & Spelling Review Packets & Supplements

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

Mrs. Erin Elliott received her MA degree from CSUF in 1997 and pursued her career in the senior living field, both as a social worker and executive director. In 2003 she became a stay-at-home mom and began homeschooling her sons in 2012. Facilitating various classes with the classical education model, she found much joy and fulfillment in learning any subject matter, helping her boys, and also blessing many other families with her thoughtful teaching style. She first received the Lord as a young child, later rededicated her life to Jesus, and has since been fully passionate in serving her family, the church body in women’s ministry, and the homeschool community where she has dedicated her time and efforts. She and her husband, Bob, have been married for over 30 years, and the Lord continues to bless their family as they transition from being young homeschool parents to parents of talented and caring young men. Mrs. Elliott comes to HSFM having traveled the homeschool journey with her sons while also working with many students and families in the homeschool community. She desires to inspire high school students to love learning by helping them through their study of high school chemistry; and for elementary students she is looking forward to sharing her success and expertise in using IEW’s friendly and effective writing method with HSFM families.

Writing w/IEW - G4-7
Wonders of Science

NOTE: The 10:20 class is FULL with a waitlist. There is an overflow class available at 12:10.
Students’ existing writing skills will be strengthened using the “Wonders of Science” IEW workbook, which covers units 1-9 of IEW’s “Structure and Style” program. Topics include insects, inventions, and famous scientists while students learn to take notes, summarize narrative stories, summarize references, write from pictures, compose essays, and more.  write from pictures, write a mini research report, and compose creative essays.

*Students G4 who need to build greater confidence and ease with basic writing skills as taught in Bible Heroes can repeat G2-4 curriculum with “People and Places”.

*Students G4-5 who gained confidence with IEW’s G2-4 Bible Heroes (or other comparable writing curriculum) may be ready for greater challenge with IEW’s G4-7 curriculum and enjoy writing about various science topics.

*Students G4-5 who are comfortable with their grade level writing skills as taught in the G3-5 “All Things Fun and Fascinating (AFF)” curriculum will likely find “Wonders of Science” to be a comfortable challenge before taking G6-8 history-based classes.

*Students G6-7 who are not quite ready for the G6-8 history-based curriculum will benefit by taking a year with “Wonders of Science” which covers units 1-9 of IEW’s “Structure and Style”.

The Student Book includes assignments, blank outlines, source texts, checklists, and grammar helps.  Using a theme or literature-based writing curriculum in the early grades captivates young writers and provides thoughtful content and “keywords” that make the writing process approachable, even for reluctant writers who would otherwise have a “blank page” on which to write. The IEW writing approach by Andrew Pudewa is based on “key word outlines” that the student builds from literary selections. The words are then used to reconstruct the information or story into paragraphs.  Grammar is learned and applied by requiring students to add “dress-ups” to the paragraphs they have written, such as quality adjectives, strong verbs, -ly adverbs, who/which and because clauses. Students also learn different styles for sentence openers. Using the IEW approach, students overcome the fear of writing and acquire very concrete tools for writing with structure and style. 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.
Registration Fee:  $300/year (26-week schedule)
Material Fee: $50/year includes:

Student Workbook – “Wonders of Science” by IEW included with material fee

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 powerpoint presentation and a weekly homework packet. 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: $300/year (26-week schedule)
Material Fee: $50/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" pages.

Dr. Rhonda Gordon has been home educating her three children since 2002. One now attends Liberty University and another is attending Masters University’s dual enrollment. Her youngest is excited to join 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 through 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. Other writing projects include articles published in New York News Day, Old Schoolhouse Magazine, Practical Homeschooling Magazine, and others. She also 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. 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
Medieval History-based Writing- G6-9

Students will learn to improve their writing skills with IEW’s Medieval theme-based curriculum while writing about Anglo-Saxons, the Renaissance, chivalrous knights, Genghis Khan, and much more. The writing assignments will include all 9 Units of Teaching Writing Structure and Style. This history-based writing class complements the G4-8 Ancient History class, but is enriching for all students who need to develop writing skills and learn the essay format. 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. 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 to complement the writing curriculum. These Spiral Grammar Review worksheets 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. 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 during the medieval period of history is an added feature of IEW’s history-based writing curriculum.
Registration Fee: $315/year (29-week schedule)
Material Fee: $60/year includes:

IEW Medieval History-based Writing workbook.
Printed copies of valuable resources from IEW’s Student Resource Notebook

(might omit) Daily Spiral Review worksheet for language arts and grammar review

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: $330/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: $330/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 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 work. 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 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: $330/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. Dana McGlothlin, having successfully home schooled her four children, has shared her passion and talents for helping students gain confidence in the writing process in various HSFM literature and writing classes since 2009. Although her classes are now offered remotely since her move out of state, she continues to provide exceptional lectures, discussions, and individual attention to her students via online platforms, and HSFM staff continues to support and facilitate class needs for providing printed study guides and resources.
Maintaining a 4.0 through college, she has always valued academic excellence. After college, she worked as a behavioral specialist for elementary and teenage children. As the Director of Public Relations for a community mental health agency, she also managed the volunteer department and community programs offered by this agency. While raising her children, she served as the administrator of a parent participation preschool, president and vice president of a Christian preschool and Elementary School, taught Sunday school, and co-founded Alethia Christian Theater. Active in ministry, she has co-lead Bible studies and facilitated discipleship programs. Her heart is to help students establish a Biblical worldview through reading carefully selected literature that is thought provoking, wholesome, and helps students critically analyze Christian and worldly values. She loves teaching and delights in meeting students at their academic level in order to help them digest material in ways that are meaningful which serves to foster academic excellence.

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 develop critical thinking skills as well. 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 in which the 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 their own orders through Amazon or other distributors; and in some cases, options to be included on group orders may become available.
Registration Fee: $330/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.

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: $330/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.