Basic Grammar Skills

Nouns, verbs, adjective, adverbs, prepositional phrases, and more!

Grammar can be fun!

This course is for 5th – 8th graders who need a review of basic grammar skills.

Materials needed: Winston Grammar Basic Student Workbook
Winston Basic Grammar Basic Card Set.
Available at Christian book stores or online.

 

Introduction to English 1

PURPOSE

English 1 will refine the students’ understanding of basic grammar and challenge them to write longer, more detailed compositions. The objective of this summer course is to introduce the eight parts of speech and make it easier for students to put words to paper.

PROCESS

To raise kids who love to write, we must first show them that words are fun… and big words are big fun. Not only will students feel the thrill of the Big Word Challenge every week in class, but they will also gain confidence in using new words through their vocabulary assignments. This includes:

 

• Charts to be filled out on each list, involving definitions and parts of speech

• Dictation exercises to improve retention and comprehension

• Word games like scrambled words, alphabetizing words, word searches, and spelling “checks”

 

The most important step in writing is establishing the “comfort zone.” Students need to feel at ease conveying their thoughts onto paper. If critique comes too intensely in this early stage, students may doubt their abilities and feel discouraged. Therefore, our Writing Sparks compositions are:

 

• Designed to be enjoyable, allowing students to be creative and expressive

• Usually one or two paragraphs long

• A prime opportunity for the teacher to highlight strengths, offer encouragement and suggestions, and impart a sense of accomplishment

• A prime opportunity for students to employ the rules of correct grammar they learn in class

 

CURRICULUM & TEXTS

• Fast Track to English 1 Course Workbook, available at www.pahlowsenglish.com 

• Easy Grammar Grade 5 Workbook, ISBN 978-0-936981-45-1 

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Introduction to English 2

PURPOSE

English 2 will draw heavily upon the students’ knowledge of basic grammar in order to mature their writing. To prepare for this, students must be able to master the eight parts of speech as well as their functions in a sentence.

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PROCESS

The first step in writing is establishing the "comfort zone." Students need to feel at ease conveying their thoughts onto paper. If critique comes too intensely in this early writing process, students may doubt their abilities and feel discouraged. Therefore, these compositions are:

• Designed to be enjoyable, allowing the student to be creative and expressive

• Usually three paragraphs long, typewritten, and double-spaced

• A prime opportunity for the teacher to highlight strengths, offer encouragement and suggestions, and impart a sense of accomplishment

• A prime opportunity for the student to employ the rules of correct grammar, capitalization, spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure they learn in class

 

Next we will strengthen their vocabulary. Vocabulary is like weight training. To build a strong muscle (vocabulary), one gradually increases both the weight (the difficulty of the words) and the repetitions (how many times the words are used) while keeping a consistent practice schedule (a list of twelve words a week). This weekly vocabulary program features:

• Charts to be filled out on each list, involving definitions and synonyms

• The students’ own original, descriptive sentences using their new words

• Spelling tests administered by the parent-teacher

 

CURRICULUM & TEXTS

• Fast Track to English 2 Course Workbook, available at www.pahlowsenglish.com 

• Easy Grammar Grade 6 Workbook, ISBN 978-0-936981-46-8 

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Introduction to English 3

PURPOSE

English 3 will call upon students to incorporate certain style techniques into nine new types of paragraphs. This summer course introduces these elements of style one-by-one, giving students the opportunity to learn and practice them to mastery. Instruction will include:

• Six basic stylistic techniques that govern powerful word choice and organization

• Six ways to ensure that a paragraph will contain varied and well-structured sentences

• Accomplishing the purpose of a paragraph

• Utilizing a style rubric for each writing assignment

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PROCESS

This course emphasizes:

• Note-taking and key word outlines

• Summaries from reference material

 

This summer, our vocabulary gets exciting. Our new words will be grouped according to their common English roots. This way, students not only learn to recognize the roots in these new sets of words, but they are also trained to recognize these roots in any other words they come across. This particular practice is highly recommended by PSAT and SAT to improve performance on these exams. The program includes:

• Weekly charts will be filled out, involving definitions, roots, synonyms, and antonyms

• The students’ own original, descriptive sentences using their new words

• Spelling tests administered by the parent-teacher

 

CURRICULUM & TEXTS

• Fast Track to English 3 Course Workbook, available at  

• A paperback, dictionary-style thesaurus to be brought to class each week

 

Introduction to English 4

PURPOSE

English 4 will focus primarily on writing five-paragraph essays, leading to a research paper. This summer class prepares the student for this challenge by:

• Reviewing advanced style techniques for mature word choice and sentence structure

• Introducing six of the most common types of paragraphs and how to write them effectively

• Teaching transition techniques to make paragraphs seamless

 

PROCESS

The course centers on:

• Three-paragraph compositions

• Literary analysis, covering theme and literary devices in classic short stories

• Original narratives, inspired by the themes discussed in class

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We will continue our fascinating study of vocabulary through common English roots. Students learn to recognize the roots not only in these new sets of words, but also in any other words they come across. While this practice is highly recommended by PSAT and SAT to improve performance on their exams, our prime objective is to raise the caliber of word choice in their own writing. The vocabulary program features:

• Charts to be filled out on each list, involving definitions, roots, prefixes, suffixes, synonyms, and antonyms

• The students’ own original, descriptive sentences using their new words

• Spelling tests administered by the parent-teacher

 

CURRICULUM & TEXTS

• Fast Track to English 4 Course Workbook, available at www.pahlowsenglish.com 

• A Writer’s Guide to Transitional Words & Expressions, ISBN 0-945045-02-6

• A paperback, dictionary-style thesaurus to be brought to class each week

 

Creative Writing Workshop

SUGGESTED AGE

High school workshop, 14-17

Middle school workshop, 10-13

 

PREREQUISITE

Students should have a basic understanding of sentence structure and proper use of grammar and punctuation.

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PURPOSE/PROCESS

In this 9 week workshop, students will gain experience in writing 3 different genres: poetry, short stories, and screenplays. The course will be divided into 3-week sections and each section will focus on one genre. Students will learn how to construct an engaging story, create compelling characters, and express thoughts, struggles, and desires in new ways. They can expect to be challenged and grow in using their imaginations and communicating their vision to others through storytelling.

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CURRICULUM & TEXTS

• Bible (preferably ESV translation) - online versions are acceptable

• A journal, notebook, or binder with blank paper

While not required, students are encouraged to have one hard copy screenplay of a movie they enjoy. Many are available for purchase on Amazon, including The Dark Knight Trilogy, Good Will Hunting, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Revenge of the Sith, and more.

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20th Century Literature

This summer we are going to explore the works of some of the literary visionaries of the twentieth-century. Weaving together the author’s lives, the history surrounding each novel, and then discussing the novel itself, twentieth-century literature will come alive. Virginia Woolf profoundly observed that the twentieth-century introduced a new way of understanding who we are and what is our place in the world. Students will feel that sense of angst and alienation as the modern world unhinged itself from Judeo-Christian beliefs.

 

WORKS WE WILL READ (This is a partial list):

• The Call of the Wild by Jack London

• Night by Elie Wiesel (World War II concentration camp survivor)

• The Wall by Jean-Paul Sartre (Existentialism)

• One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzhenitsyn (Stalin’s Gulag)

• A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah (Memoir of a former child soldier in Africa)

• Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer (Christian classic)

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Dynamic Writing – Middle School

The fear of writing will be replaced with a new-found zeal when students are equipped with these techniques that immediately add style and confidence to their work. All levels of writers are welcome 

 

Dynamic Writing – High School

Find writing too abstract? Wish there was a way to really know how to write well? Here is a chance to see writing as more of an artful science. Students will use proven “elements” of language to help them enjoy freedom, consistency, and excellent results in their writing experience. 

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Writing the Persuasive Essay

Suggested Ages

14-18

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Prerequisite

None, but students should be proficient in writing paragraphs and some longer papers.

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PURPOSE

This course is designed to teach persuasive essay writing in only eight weeks. Students will learn to assert an opinion and support it with reason and rhetoric.

 

PROCESS

The course will combine logic with writing and ask students to examine both sides of their thesis for stronger argumentation. Students will learn to write:

• Clear, concise thesis statements

• Captivating opening and closing paragraphs

• Body paragraphs with evidential support

• Clear and logical transitions between paragraphs

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Students should expect the spend three hours per week outside of class. We will discuss new concepts from the text and practice those concepts together in class. Then students will be given a writing assignment to complete at home each week.

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Curriculum

Lively Art of Writing by Lucille Vaughan Payne You can usually purchase a used copy of this paperback for less than $5 online.

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