IEW offers many excellent programs for language arts. Among them are products dedicated to written expression, speaking, literature, spelling, and handwriting. In this blog post we take a closer look at our theme-based writing lessons and shine a spotlight on some of their features. It is our hope that this post will help you determine if using a theme-based book is a path you wish to explore for your students.
Who is the curriculum designed for?
The theme-based writing lessons are designed to be used by an instructor who has been through or is currently viewing the teacher training seminar, Teaching Writing: Structure and Style. Theme-based writing lessons are offered in four different levels—Levels P, A, B, and C. A listing of our current titles follows below.
Primary (Generally geared for students in Grades 1 or 2)
● Bible Heroes✝
● People and Places in Our Community
Level A (Generally geared for students in Grades 3 through 5)
● Adventures in Writing
● Fables, Myths, and Fairy Tales
● Discoveries in Writing
● Frontiers in Writing
Level B (Generally geared for students in Grades 6 through 8)
● Wonders of Science Writing Lessons
● Ancient History-Based Writing Lessons
● Medieval History-Based Writing Lessons
● U.S. History-Based Writing Lessons
● Canadian History-Based Writing Lessons
● Modern World History-Based Writing Lessons
● Following Narnia® Volume 1: The Lion’s Song✝
● Following Narnia® Volume 2: Aslan’s Country✝
Level C (Generally geared for students in high school)
● Bible-Based Writing Lessons✝
● Advanced U.S. History-Based Writing Lessons✝
● Classical Rhetoric through Structure and Style✝
✝ Contains distinctly Christian content
Narnia, The World of Narnia, The Witch and the Wardrobe, and Narnia.com are trademarks of C.S. Lewis Pte. Ltd. The Chronicles of Narnia is a U.S. Registered Trademark of C.S. Lewis Pte. Ltd.
What is the purpose and benefit of using theme-based writing lessons?
Theme-based writing lessons teach writing by moving the students through IEW’s various units. Students in Level P will only work through Units 1–5 and Unit 7. Depending upon which course is selected in Level A, students will either work through the first seven units or will work through all nine units. Levels B and C teach all nine units.
The theme-based books offer the benefit of not needing a device to stream content or play DVDs, which can provide greater flexibility. Also, teachers love that they can choose themes that go along with what they are studying in other areas or what their students are interested in.
How do theme-based writing lessons work if I have multiple children at different grades or levels?
All of the theme-based books are designed to work within a range of ages, which makes it easy for the instructor to teach students who may be in different grades. A teacher who is experienced with IEW’s methodology will also be able to use the EZ+1 approach to tailor a student’s checklist to make even further adjustments. Pair a theme-based book with IEW’s Checklist Generator (included with a Premium Membership), and you can customize checklists for your students with just a few keystrokes!
Does this work in different learning environments?
The theme-based writing lessons work well for multiple learning environments, whether in the home, at a co-op or hybrid school, or in a traditional school setting. Some theme-based books do include faith-based content. To double check whether a book you are interested in includes Christian elements, look for this indicator on the product page for the course: ✝ Contains distinctly Christian content.
How do you choose which book to use?
All of the theme-based writing lessons begin with Unit 1 and proceed sequentially. Instructors should pick a theme-based book at or below their students’ reading levels. For students who are already experienced with the nine units, some of the courses include Advanced Additions as a download to challenge older or experienced students.
What do you receive with the purchase of the Teacher/Student package?
Packages for the theme-based courses include one copy each of the Teacher’s Manual and Student Book. Also included in the materials are instructions to download pertinent supplementary resources, which can be found near the front of the books on a blue page. The Level P books will also include a free downloadable Teacher’s Manual. Teachers also need to have Teaching Writing: Structure and Style (TWSS) for their use. The theme-based books will instruct them when to view the pertinent sections of the TWSS course to most effectively teach the material.
What do you need for multiple students?
To teach the course, the instructor will need a copy of the Teacher’s Manual for whichever course is being taught. Students will also need to have a Student Book. IEW’s copyright policy allows families to use one book for multiple children within the immediate family.
If the course is being taught in a hybrid school, co-op, or other small group setting, a Student Book must be purchased for each participating student. In traditional classrooms, each student will need his or her own copy of the Student Book.
We hope this post has helped you understand more about our theme-based curriculum options. Of course, if you find you have additional questions, we would love for you to reach out to info@IEW.com to converse with our customer service team. If you are with a school, connect with your Educational Consultant. We are here to help you make the best curriculum choice for your students.
by Jennifer Mauser
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