Scope and Sequence of Literature
Perspectives in Literature
Vocabulary
Vocabulary review; Meaning from context; synonyms; antonyms; analogies; Greek roots; parts of speech
Comprehension
Literal and higher-order levels; Sequence; classify; compare and contrast; cause and effect; problem and solution; Connections: text to world, text to text, text to self; Make inferences; draw conclusions; predict outcomes; evaluate; summarize; analyze; Self-monitor; preview text; facts/opinions; main idea and supporting details; historical context; Biblical discernment; author’s worldview; cultural awareness
Literature
Various genres: allegory, autobiography, Bible account, biblical epistle, biography, fable, fantasy, folktale, historical fiction, humorous essay, humorous fiction, informational text, legend, memoir, mystery, myth, narrative nonfiction, oral history, poetry, realistic fiction, science fiction, social novel, speech, tall tale; Main character; character emotions, motives, responses, traits; developing/static characters; compare and contrast characters; Setting; plot; internal/external conflict; point of view; foreshadowing; moral; mood; tone; suspense; resolution; theme; symbolism; wordplay; thesis statement; rhetorical questions; Author and illustrator biographies; Newbery awards; Idiom; personification; exaggeration; hyperbole; allusion; imagery; understatement; irony; satire; extended metaphor; dialect; Poetry: biblical poetry, hymns, free verse, haiku, narrative poems, rhyme, rhythm
Study Skills
Glossary; Bible study; nonprint media; primary sources; graphic organizers; Skimming; scanning; text structure; annotating; summarizing; topic sentence; listening strategies; close reading; Maps; diagrams; graphs; charts; timelines; tables
Fluency
Silent reading: for information, entertainment, understanding, spiritual growth, author’s message, biblical truth; Oral reading: communicating author’s message; communicating mood, motive, meaning, emotion; interpreting dialect; choral reading; voice expression
Book Reports
Writing process used to prepare and present written and oral book reports
Composition
Use the writing process for explanatory essay, personal application essay, friendly letter, argumentative essay, motivational video script; Personal narrative, poem, journal entry, response paragraph
Exploring Themes in Literature
Approach
Thematic
Organization
Six themes: love, community, transformation, justice, perseverance, purpose
Content
Genres represented: autobiography, biblical narrative, biography, comic strip, coming-of-age story, drama, dramatic dialogue, essay (humorous, persuasive), fantasy, folktale (fairy tale, fable, myth, tall tale), historical fiction, hymn, informational text, interview, legend, letter, memoir, narrative nonfiction, nonsense literature, novel excerpt (includes verse novel excerpt), opinion piece, poetry (includes free verse and narrative), science fiction, short story, speech; Cultures represented: Caucasian American, Hispanic American, African American, Native American, Chinese, British, Russian, Vietnamese
Features
This book is arranged by thematic units. Each unit opener contains an illustration, a unit theme, and a unit Essential Question. Selections within each unit require reading with discernment, a goal toward which all literature teachers hope to direct their students. Each unit also contains writing opportunities.
A Before Reading page precedes each selection and introduces students to a Big Question, the genre of the text selection, and two reading tasks: analyzing a work for its technical features (Author’s Craft) and employing a reading comprehension strategy (Reader’s Craft). The Big Question provides an opportunity for biblical worldview shaping. The two tasks help students develop writing skills and critical-thinking skills.
During Reading questions, which appear throughout each selection in the margin, guide students through the two reading tasks.
On an After Reading page, students answer Think & Discuss questions, many of which require them to demonstrate a high level of understanding of the concepts traced throughout their reading and the lesson. These pages also include short biographical sketches of individual authors.
Unit Review pages ask questions about key terms and concepts.
Making Connections in Literature
Approach
Thematic
Organization
Five themes: maturity, wisdom, generosity, freedom, nature
Content
Genres represented: biblical narrative, biography, drama, epistle, essay, fantasy, folktale (fable, fairy tale, myth), graphic novel, historical fiction, hymn, informational text, legend, letter, memoir, narrative nonfiction, novel adaptation, novel excerpt (includes fantasy novel excerpt, historical novel excerpt, and verse novel excerpt), poetry, science fiction, short story, speech
Cultures Represented
Australian (indigenous), African American, Caucasian American, Chinese American, Hispanic American, Native American, Burmese, Chinese, Cuban, British, French, German, Irish, Ugandan, Yiddish, Japanese, Jewish European
Features
This book is arranged by thematic units. Each unit opener contains an illustration, a unit theme, and a unit Essential Question. Selections within each unit require reading with discernment, a goal toward which all literature teachers hope to direct their students.
A Before Reading page precedes each selection and introduces students to a Big Question, the genre of the text selection, and two reading tasks: analyzing a work for its technical features (Author’s Craft) and employing a reading comprehension strategy (Reader’s Craft). The two tasks help students develop writing skills and critical-thinking skills. The Big Question provides an opportunity for biblical worldview shaping.
During Reading questions, which appear throughout each selection in the margin, guide students through the two reading tasks.
After reading, students answer Think & Discuss questions, many of which require them to demonstrate a high level of understanding of the concepts traced throughout their reading and the lesson.
Unit Review pages ask questions about key terms and concepts. The text also includes short biographical sketches of individual authors as well as writing opportunities.
The teacher edition includes lesson plans for the novel Across Five Aprils.
Fundamentals of Literature
Approach
Critical
Organization
Six unit divisions: conflict, theme, character, structure, point of view, moral tone
Content
Range of selections: classic to contemporary; Genres represented: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, drama; Cultures represented: American, English, French, Russian, Swedish, Japanese; Supplementary material: Cyrano de Bergerac (video)
Features
The introductory essays focus on six basic elements of literature. These elements lay the foundation for the student's understanding of interpretative literature and prepare him for the more detailed literary analysis in the tenth-grade text. In addition, the text uses Scripture passages to illustrate and clarify literary concepts. The unit introduction, as well as the headnotes and end questions for each story, encourages the student to use the information gleaned from reading to find meaning in light of Scripture, and to apply the lessons of life.
Elements of Literature
Approach
Critical
Organization
Eight units divided into two parts: marks and modes of literature and genres of literature
Content
Marks and modes of literature: imaginative comparison, sound and syntax, allusion and symbol, irony; Genres of Literature: folktale and epic, essay and short story, poetry, drama
Features
This textbook builds on the critical foundation provided in the ninth-grade text. Having mastered the six fundamental components of literature, students are ready to focus on those literary elements that define and distinguish lasting artistic literature. Introductory essays, "Thinking Zones" and critical thinking questions deepen students' understanding of key elements of style and expression as well as major forms important to past and present literature. A firm grasp of these details will aid in developing essential skills in literary analysis and appreciation, skills that can be profitably applied to a study of Scripture. In addition, careful evaluation of worldview as expressed in an author's writing trains students to exercise biblically based moral discernment.
American Literature
Approach
Historical survey emphasizing close reading skills
Organization
Five major literary divisions: early American literature, American romanticism, American realism and naturalism, modern American literature, contemporary American literature
Content
Early American literature: settlement, religious experience, revolution; American romanticism: minor romantics (Knickerbockers, New England School), major romantics (transcendental optimists, transcendental pessimists), voices of conflict; American realism and naturalism: regionalists, realists and naturalists; Modern American literature: modern poetry, modern prose and drama; Contemporary American literature: contemporary poetry, contemporary prose
Features
The units are arranged according to major literary periods. Timelines, unit and chapter introductions, author biographies, and brief headnotes help students build necessary background knowledge of the historical and cultural context from which a literary work arises.
A before-reading page precedes each selection and introduces students to three reading tasks: analyzing a work for its technical features, employing a reading strategy to aid comprehension, and evaluating a work’s ideas from a biblical worldview. These three tasks help students develop critical-thinking skills and a deep understanding of the ideas and writings of literary and historical figures.
During-reading questions, which appear throughout each selection in the margin, guide students through the three reading tasks.
Discussion questions, which students answer after reading, require them to demonstrate a high level of understanding of the work’s literary concepts and themes.
British Literature
Approach
Historical survey emphasizing close reading skills
Organization
Five major literary divisions: the Middle Ages, the English Renaissance, Civil War to Enlightenment, Romanticism to Victorianism, Modern and Contemporary Literature
Content
This historical approach to a survey of British literature is organized according to five major units:
The Middle Ages—Part 1: Heroes of Old; Part 2: Literature and Community; and Part 3: Changing Society
The English Renaissance—Part 1: Renaissance Humanism; Part 2: Reformation and National Identity; Part 3: Lyric and Metaphysical Poetry; and Part 4: Renaissance Drama
Civil War to Enlightenment—Part 1: Civil War and Restoration; Part 2: Early Neoclassical Writers; Part 3: Age of Johnson; and Part 4: Voices from the Outside
Romanticism to Victorianism—Part 1: Signs of Change; Part 2: The Major Romantics; Part 3: Early Victorians; and Part 4: Late Victorians
Modern and Contemporary Literature—Part 1: Modern Literature and Part 2: Postwar and Commonwealth Literature
Features
The units are arranged according to major literary periods. Timelines, unit and part introductions, author biographies, and brief headnotes help students build necessary background knowledge of the historical and cultural context from which a literary work arises.
A before-reading page precedes each selection and introduces students to three reading tasks: analyzing a work for its technical features, employing a reading strategy to aid comprehension, and either evaluating a work’s ideas from a biblical worldview or creating a new work using the selection as a model. These tasks help students develop writing skills, critical-thinking skills, and a deep understanding of the ideas of important literary and historical figures.
During-reading questions, which appear throughout each selection in the margin, guide students through the three reading tasks.
Discussion questions, which students answer after reading, require them to demonstrate a high level of understanding of the work’s literary concepts and themes.