Read with the Best & Write with the Best

Critical, informed reading doesn't come naturally. Read with the Best: American Literature Volume 1 1500-1860, a full year literature course, features excerpts from works of great American literature along with engaging activities that provide continual practice of critical thinking, reading, literary analysis, and writing skills, teaching students to truly think and thoughtfully engage with what they're reading.  Focusing on actual skills rather than abstract rules, grammar is taught in the context of writing as students follow in the footsteps of literary giants.

Each week features a new author: Columbus, Bradford, Winthrop, Bradstreet, Rowlandson, Mather, Edwards, Franklin, Adams, Paine, Jefferson, Wheatly, Irving, Emerson, Longfellow, Hawthorne, Poe, Dickenson, and other classic American authors each have a week's lessons that include five to six different areas: “Background Checks" author information; "Words to Know" vocabulary; "Literary Analysis" literary term instruction; "Critical Reading" questions; "Make it Real" practical application; and end-of-the-week "Culminating Activities" to help students master lessons. Writing assignments are given every two weeks and a research paper is assigned for the last half of the year. Word lists, tips for students with different learning styles, and other helps are included. Answer key and vocabulary tests are available in the sold-separately Read with the Best American Literature Volume 1 Teacher Edition. 240 pages, softcover. Grades 8-12.

Please Note that the following resources are required for this course: Write with the Best, Vol. 2 (Jill J. Dixon); The New American Heritage Dictionary and Thesaurus; Norton Anthology of American Literature, Shorter Seventh Edition; Writing a Research Paper: A Step-by-Step Approach, Third Edition (Sadlier Oxford Publishing); and The Scarlet Letter, Third Edition, Kaplan Test Prep edition (Nathaniel Hawthorne).

This teacher's guide accompanies the sold-separately Reading with the Best American Literature Volume 1 Student Workbook: 1 500-1860. Student pages are reproduced with the correct answers overlaid, and vocabulary tests with test answer keys are included. Vocab tests are multiple choice.

This teacher's guide accompanies the book "Read with the Best British Literature" by Jill Dixon. Student pages are reproduced with the correct answers overlaid, and vocabulary tests with test answer keys are included. Vocab tests are multiple choice. 203 pages, softcover, plus tests.

The Read with the Best: The Ancient World for the Middle Grades (4th-8th) Student Workbook is designed to introduce students to literary elements, advanced vocabulary, and critical thinking skills through 32 weeks of literature, grammar, critical reading, and vocabulary study. Questions, games, worksheets, and a number of hands-on activities will appeal to all learning styles. Vocabulary was chosen to help prepare students for the SAT and ACT. Grammar is taught through the literary analysis of descriptive writing.

Worksheets are organized by week and include directions on what students are supposed to read and the activities they're supposed to do. Students will identify the part of speech and list synonyms for vocabulary words, use new vocabulary in context, answer questions that cover reading comprehension and critical reading, and complete a variety of activities.

The book Time Rimes is sold-separately but recommended to teach critical history facts and learn about biographical figures through rhyme. The (sold-separately) teacher's guide includes supplemental worksheets that can be used as assessments.

Required Resources (not-included; all must be obtained separately):

• The Golden Goblet by Eloise Jarvis McGraw (ISBN: 9780140303353)
• Mara Daughter of the Nile by Eloise Jarvis McGraw (ISBN: 9780140319293)
• Tirzah by Lucille Travis (ISBN: 9780836135466)
• The Children's Homer by Padraic Colum (ISBN: 9780689868832)
• D'aulaire's Book of Greek Myths by Ingri D'aulaire (ISBN: 9780440406945)
• Detectives in Togas by Henry Winterfield (ISBN: 9780152162801)
• The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare (ISBN: 9780395137192)

Recommended Resources (also sold-separately) include: The Story of the World, Growing with Grammar, Saxon Grammar, Write with the Best Volumes 1 and 2.

91 pages (reproducible for immediate family use), softcover. Grades 4-8.

This teacher's edition is designed to be used with the Read with the Best: The Ancient World Student Workbook (not-included and sold-separately).

Student pages are reproduced with the correct answers overlaid. The appendices include literature and vocabulary games and supplemental graphic-organizer worksheets that can be used for assessments or additional activities. 81 pages, softcover plus appendices.

Good writers are made by reading good writing. This curriculum features excerpts from works of great literature, as well as fun activities that provide continual practice with proofreading, listening comprehension, genres, and how to tailor your writing to what you're writing. Focusing on actual skills rather than abstract rules, grammar is taught in the context of writing as students follow in the footsteps of literary giants. This is part of a two-book series (Volume 2 sold separately) that's designed to take 18 weeks per volume, with 2 weeks spent per unit. Lessons are organized by day with the number of objectives listed out and brief instructions on what they're to write. Word lists, tips for students with different learning styles, and other helps are included. 106 pages, softcover. Grades 3-12.

Good writers are made by reading good writing. This curriculum features excerpts from works of great literature, as well as fun activities that provide continual practice with writing poetry, business letters, taking notes, writing essays, and writing a literary critique. Focusing on actual skills rather than abstract rules, grammar is taught in the context of writing as students follow in the footsteps of literary giants. This is part of a two-book series (Volume 1 sold separately) that's designed to take 18 weeks per volume, with 2 weeks spent per unit. Lessons are organized by day with the number of objectives listed out and brief instructions on what they're to write. Word lists, tips for students with different learning styles, and other helps are included. 139 pages, softcover. Grades 6-12.

Help children learn to decode--and remember--vocabulary built from Latin and Greek roots! Start early, and you'll leave enough time for them to have mastered hundreds of vocabulary words in time for higher-level work and tests in high school. With roots for kindergarteners up through high school, start wherever it's appropriate for your children. Teaching tips and games are at the beginning, before moving on to alphabetical lists which include the root, the meaning, and a few vocabulary words that use it. 83 pages, softcover. Grades K-12.

This new edition includes a number of updates from the old edition! Over 120 new roots (now 797!) are included, over 700 new vocabulary words (now 2449), more highlighted SAT words, 12 new games and activities, and a brand new category of 16 daily worksheets are included.