7th 9th grades
Level I Prerequisite: none
10th 12th grades
Level I Prerequisite: none
8th -12th grades
Level II Prerequisite: One full year of Level One in
grades 7-9 or 10-12; (Students who have taken the
WFD Elementary programs must take WFD I 7th-9th
before moving to WFD II 8th-12th)
Overall Course Description for WRITING FOUNDATIONS I and II: Writing Foundations is a two year course designed to build a solid foundation of powerful writing skills for students in grades 7-9 and 10-12. In some ways, this program approaches writing as an art to be imitated and shaped by the author. In other ways, Writing Foundations reduces writing to simple building blocks that empower young writers to master written language where they may have struggled hopelessly before. Using pre-written models as inspiration, student will experience and practice the structure and style of quality written work. Although it is not a substitute for separate lessons, naturally and purposefully, participants will gain strength in basic skills such as handwriting, spelling, punctuation and grammar.
TWO LEVELS of Writing Foundations Classes
Students need as many years of writing practice as possible. They must start with small bites and gradually work to bigger bites after the small bites become easy. It takes time
to digest effective writing skills. Therefore, Writing
Foundations offers two levels: Level ONE for grades 7-9 and grades 10-12,
and Level TWO for grades 8-12. These courses provide ample time
for meaningful practice, skillful competence and significant refinement of individual style. Only students who have successfully - with independent competence - completed Level ONE should proceed to Level TWO. Students may
repeat Level ONE as often as desired before
moving on to Level TWO.
NOTE:
-
Pre-requisites: A student may take only fall semester of Level ONE, but
may not proceed to Level TWO without a full year of Level
ONE
- Regardless of past WFD
history, no mid-year entry is allowed. Students
must take Fall and Spring semesters of each level within the
same school year.
- Students should repeat
Level I until they are ready to take Level II. Taking
a break between levels is NOT recommended. It is best
to take WFD every year until the student has successfully
completed Levels I and II.
- ***Students who have
taken WFD I or II at the Elementary levels must start
anew with Level I grades 7-9.***
WRITING FOUNDATIONS I
Prerequisite: none.
Course content: vocabulary, note taking, editing and
grammar lessons, periodic quizzes and games, factual writing,
fables, narratives, summarizing, essays, timed essays and a personal
portfolio at the end of the year.
WRITING FOUNDATIONS II
Prerequisite: Satisfactory Completion of Writing Foundations
I during the previous school year.
Course content: vocabulary, note taking, editing and
grammar lessons, periodic quizzes and games, summarizing,
"read search" reports, citations and bibliographies,
narratives, essays, timed essays, and a personal portfolio at the end of the year.
Parental Involvement: Parents must function as "Narration Listener" and as "Personal
Editor" on a weekly basis for rough and revised drafts of various assignments. To better nurture,
reinforce and benefit from these skills, parents are enthusiastically encouraged to attend classes with their students.
TEXT: Level I and II: The Synonym Finder by J.I. Rodale, available through
www.Amazon.com or any
bookstore, or a quality dictionary. Level II must also purchase Cite It Right by
Fox, Johns & Keller (available from www.Amazon.com).
Tutor provided/compiled Materials include:
Portfolio cover, core notebook contents, weekly
course handouts.
Students must provide:
NOTE REVISED LIST posted on 8/07/08: 3-ring binder (1" minimum), 12 dividers, loose leaf paper (please avoid spiral bound notebooks), pens and
16 different colored fine tipped markers or
colored pencils: yellow, orange, red, maroon,
light pink, dark pink, light green, dark green,
teal, light blue, dark blue, light purple, dark
purple, light brown (tan), dark brown, black,
and grey (Or students may use a color printed
for printing colors from the computer. Go
to www.writingfoundations.com
to download color coding handouts and directions
for setting up dividers.)
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