COURSE OVERVIEW
Designed as part of U.S. Studies I. This is the first semester of a two semester course plan studying U.S. History-Based Writing Lessons (2019, 2nd Edition). Be sure your student internalizes the checklist before the end of this course. (If your student has already completed U.S. History-Based Writing Lessons or is studying World or European History, use Medieval History-Based Writing Lessons
instead.)
This course is a survey of written composition, teaching a broad variety of college preparatory writing formats, and easy-to-use, step-by-step stylistic and organizational techniques. Written for Grades 4 through 10, it is very teachable! The most important aspects of this program are (1) memorizing the per-assignment checklist (do oral quizzing–often) and
(2) requiring the student to consistently use the techniques in that checklist for any and all written composition–forever!
Composition, being one of the core independent learning skills, needs close attention by the teaching-parent: spend quality time here with your student. Enjoy!
LESSON PLAN AND MATERIALS
- Semester 1: U.S. Studies IB Study Guide, St. Thomas Aquinas Academy. Softcover coil-bound workbook.
- U.S. History-Based Writing Lessons (2019, 2nd Edition) set: Teacher's Manual and Student Book, Lori Verstegen. Institute for Excellence in Writing, 2019. Print.
- Jensen’s Grammar (Textbook, Tests and Answers), Frode Jensen. Master Books, 2017. Print.
- Jensen's Punctuation: A Complete Guide to All Your Punctuation Needs, Frode Jensen. Master Books, 2016. Print Workbook.
- Optional. Fall Live Class: Composition IB, St. Thomas Aquinas Academy. Online Class.
ORDERING INFORMATION
Basic information about the books and materials for this course follows; see your Academic Packet or STAA Study Guide for full ordering details and commentary about each resource.
A portion of every purchase made on Amazon after following the links here goes to help support St. Thomas Aquinas Academy's work. Thank you so very much for thinking of STAA when placing your book and general Amazon orders.
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Semester 1: U.S. Studies IB Study Guide
Student study guides and course plans for the first semester of the U.S. Studies, B Track cycle. Designed to work in conjunction with STAA advisor support, our live classes, or the "Independent Study with Online Support" option, the STAA Study Guides include weekly reading plans, assignment directions, reflection topics, and gradebooks for the semester and help prepare students for the weekly, graded online quizzes. This guide includes
multiple subjects. To further personalize your student's plan, single-subject study guides are available at www.shop.staahomeschool.com.
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U.S. History-Based Writing Lessons (2019, 2nd Edition) set: Teacher's Manual and Student Book
This combination package includes the Teacher's Manual and Student Book, both spiral-bound. 30 lessons; appendices; front matter detailing how to access free PDF downloads to save to your computer and print as need within your family. Each student will need his own Student Book.
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Jensen’s Grammar (Textbook, Tests and Answers)
352 pages; 75 lessons; worksheet format; 5 student charts. Entire workbook completed over the course of six semesters.
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Jensen's Punctuation: A Complete Guide to All Your Punctuation Needs
234 pages; worksheets, spiral reviews and final exams; answer key included in text; Grades 6-12.
The page numbers, not the content, changed between the 2000 and 2016 editions of "Jensen's Punctuation." The 2000 edition page numbers are listed in the STAA Study Guide followed by brackets with the 2016 edition page numbers.
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General Punctuation Rules Reference (GPR)
Print and keep handy the "General Punctuation Rules Reference (GPR)." This reference is based on the punctuation rules from "Jensen's Punctuation" that we study and memorize throughout high school. This resource is available in the APPENDIX OF FORMS and is linked to at the top of every Language Arts course page on the STAA Student Zone.
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OPTIONAL RESOURCE
Medieval History-Based Writing Lessons Teacher & Student Set
30 lessons. [Teacher/Student Combo]. Use "Medieval History-based Writing Lessons" if your advisor recommended the EUROPEAN STUDIES I, B TRACK plan.
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OPTIONAL RESOURCE
Hardcover, 592 pages. Originally published by Loyola University Press in 1953, and now by Lepanto Press, this is a reference manual to accompany the practice of grammar, punctuation, composition, and essay writing. Topics include parts of speech, syntax, punctuation, spelling rules, diagraming, sentences, paragraphs, expository writing, and much more. This is a decidedly Catholic text, with a delightful section dedicated to explaining the
capitalization rules for religious terms such as the names of God, the Blessed Virgin, and papacy as well as religious, military, and social titles. St. Thomas Aquinas Academy looks to "Writing Handbook" as the in-house writing style handbook. "Warriner's English Grammar and Composition" by John Warriner or "A Writer's Reference with MLA Update" by Diana Hacker are also fine manuals for grammar and writing style.
"Writing Handbook" is a non-consumable manual, one copy per household is sufficient. Order the Lepanto Press reprint from Our Lady of Victory School or look on Amazon for a used copy of any printing from 1953 to the last Loyola University Press printing which is, we believe, 1991.
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OPTIONAL RESOURCE
376 pages. This is our favorite desktop thesaurus but any large, collegiate-level thesaurus will do.
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OPTIONAL RESOURCE
Fall Live Class: Composition IB
Small-group, advisor-led live online class for students in Grades 8 through 12 that meets every academic week of the first semester. Advisor grading of writing assignments and English Mechanics exercises included for all students for students registered for this live class.
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OPTIONAL RESOURCE
U.S. History-Based Writing Lessons (2019, 2nd Edition), Student Book
Be sure the Student Book and Teacher's Manual are the same edition.
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