WORLD Magazine, known by many to be the foremost conservative
Christian news magazine, both online and in print, is branching out! They have
taken what they do best—write—and have built upon it in a brand new curriculum
aptly titled, Write with WORLD.
Designed for middle school students, grades 6-9, this full year
curriculum set comes with a teacher book and a student book. The HomeschoolCrew reviewed the pilot program that only included the books, but come September,
all future programs will include Learn with WORLD website access.
Howard Brinkman, Publisher of God’s World News (a wonderful publication
for students in all age ranges) shares what will be included with the website
access:
There will be three primary content sections:
- It will complement and
freshen the curriculum by providing additional writing subjects/prompts,
particularly subjects found in current events or essays published in God's
World News or WORLD Magazine during the school year. This goes
with the curriculum's goal to train not just writing skills but critical
thinking and discernment in reading as well. (A user does not have to be a subscriber
to any of their other publications to use this service. They will provide
any excerpts needed for the student.)
- It will also be the
place where selected student writing will be published based on
submissions we receive during the year. We'll provide instructions on the
website for how to submit student writing for review.
- And, it will provide a
forum for homeschoolers and teachers using the curriculum so they'll have
a place to network and discuss, as well as a means to provide feedback to
us.
And that is all without the books! Let’s talk about those.
I opened up the student book and showed it to my not-so-enthusiastic-about-writing-middle-schooler
and it actually drew him in! This was the first “plus” to me. I thought, hmmm,
we might have something here…
Written in a Unit/Lesson/Capsule format, we begin with Unit
1, Lesson 1, Capsule 1. There are multiple Lessons within each Unit and
multiple Capsules within each Lesson. My student completes a capsule each time
he writes. Unit 1 starts the student off
with a focus on images. Our society is pretty inundated with images and this
entire unit helps the student to evaluate them and think through what they are
seeing--in written format. This is one of the goals of this curriculum—helping students think
about what they see, read, and in turn,
what they write.
The distinctives of this curriculum are several:
* Students belong to a community of writers and have an audience.
* Students see the curriculum as a living, up-to-date conversation.
* Students have access to multiple assignments to choose from in many lessons.
* Students who learn to read with critical eyes are more likely to become strong writers.
* Students will examine models—both strong and weak—to improve their writing.
* Students learn style in the context of their own writing.
* Students learn to write with a worldview.
* Writing teachers need ideas and support.
Each of these distinctives are fleshed out in the teacher book. Along with a full copy of the student book, there are notes to the teacher and suggestions for expanding the capsule in use. This Table of Contents gives you a breakdown of the Unit/Lessons, but does not include individual Capsule titles:
Each of these distinctives are fleshed out in the teacher book. Along with a full copy of the student book, there are notes to the teacher and suggestions for expanding the capsule in use. This Table of Contents gives you a breakdown of the Unit/Lessons, but does not include individual Capsule titles:
UNIT #1: DEVELOPING CRITICAL READERS
Lesson 1: Reading Images and Advertisements
Lesson 2: Comparative Reading: Sentences
Lesson 3: Comparative and Critical Reading: Paragraphs
Lesson 4: Critical Reading: Essays
UNIT#2: DEVELOPING WRITERS: BUILDING BLOCKS AND BIOGRAPHY
Lesson 1: The Paragraph
Lesson 2: Composing and Linking Sentences
Lesson 3: Creating Focus and Arranging Ideas
Lesson 4: Linking Paragraphs: Transitions and Logic
UNIT #3: WRITING AUTOBIOGRAPHY
Lesson 1: Reporting Facts
Lesson 2: Creating Character
Lesson 3: Developing Ideas with Specificity
Lesson 4: Writing Autobiography
UNIT #4: CRAFTING NARRATIVES
Lesson 1: Developing a Point of View
Lesson 2: Showing vs. Telling
Lesson 3: Narrative with a Purpose
Lesson 4: Writing a Fictional Narrative
By using a journaling method, your student will build upon
what they are learning slowly, so writing is not a scary thing to those
students that might have a fear or distaste of it. It is a fascinating and
profitable way to learn. My son is not hesitant to write (well, any more than a normal 13 year-old boy is anyway!) and his
sentences have more form and style. He is not doubtful of his own ability as the expectations of the assignments are clearly indicated. He actually said he would recommend this curriculum to his friends.
Writing can be
an intimidating thing and Write with WORLD makes it much less so. Created by “…nationally recognized journalists and writers,
award-winning college professors, and the resources of God’s World News and
WORLD Magazine…” this is a prime curriculum for homeschool families that want to
give their student access to these kinds of people to help their child learn to
write.
The price for a student book, teacher book, and annual web access is $95 per year or $165 if you purchase both year one and two together. This would be four books and two years of web access.
I encourage you to check out their website. Look at the sample
lessons online, and see if this sounds like it would work for your students. I am thrilled it is working for mine! You can also see
what the other members of the TOS Homeschool Crew had to say about it here.
Disclaimer: As a member of the TOS Crew, I received this product, at no cost to me, in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are mine.
2 comments:
Hey, Kate!!!! This is Dana Adams! I am now following your blog! Love ya! Oh...BTW, I LOVEDDDD reading your review!
Thanks, Dana! I follow yours too. I appreciate the kind compliment! :)
I sure appreciate you!
Warmly,
Kate
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