At Wilson Hill Academy, literature is integrated with grammar and writing in our language arts classes in the grammar school and the school of logic. Wilson Hill Academy’s first goal in the reading of great literature with young people is delight. That delight, though, comes in various forms. With young students, WHA avoids critical analysis or lists of questions that can detract from the enjoyment of the story. Students demonstrate comprehension through narration and discussion. The curriculum draws upon the literature to increase vocabulary and cultivate an appreciation for the style and voice of multiple authors. Most importantly, though, literature offers the opportunity to reveal what it means to be human: made in the image of God yet fallen with the hope of redemption. Through this revelation, students learn about their Creator. Students also practice careful reading as they are called upon to use specifics to defend ideas.
More than anything else, this course is designed to encourage the love of great books and great stories as an essential preparation for future courses in the language arts (Language Arts 1-4 and The Great Conversation). The primary purpose of the course is to give 4th and 5th grade students the opportunity to explore ideas […]
This course introduces students to great works of children’s literature and provides an integrated approach to grammar and writing instruction. Using WHA instructor-developed materials that correspond to the literary selections, students will work through grammatical concepts such as parsing & classifying sentences, identifying parts of speech and using them correctly, and utilizing correct punctuation and […]
This course introduces students to great works of children’s literature and provides an integrated approach to grammar and writing instruction. Using instructor-provided materials corresponding to the literary selections, students will work through grammatical concepts such as parsing and diagramming sentences, classifying sentences, identifying parts of speech and utilizing correct punctuation and capitalization rules. Students will […]
Language Arts 3 consists of engaging literature, comprehensive grammar, and essential composition skills, each part reinforcing the others. The course is designed to prepare students for upper-level coursework. LA3 students will read short stories, novels, and poetry, exploring fundamental literary elements in the process. By digging into these works, students will learn how to understand […]
Language Arts 4 emphasizes both literature and composition by focusing on the first three canons of classical rhetoric: invention, arrangement, and elocution. The thoughtful discussions about literary works help LA4 students develop habits of questioning and an appreciation for the art of writing. Students use these skills to write reflective essays that present a logical […]
Students engage the Great Conversation at its beginning by learning some of the earliest and most beautiful stories ever written, along with the major events and ideas of ancient Mesopotamia, Israel, Greece and Rome. Along with several Bible books, students will study the work of Homer, Herodotus, Livy, Virgil and others. The course also includes […]
Students encounter The Great Conversation as it unfolded during the Middle Ages through a study of some the most influential works of the medieval times and some works inspired by this period. The course covers the period from the fall of Rome to the death of Elizabeth I and focusses on medieval England due to […]
Students study some of the most influential writings and events that shaped the modern world, beginning with the Protestant Reformation. Students will continue to develop their ability to both thoughtfully read a great book and to discuss its main ideas and questions with others. Aimed at School of Rhetoric students, class discussions and writing assignments […]
This course is designed for students who begin The Great Conversation courses in ninth or tenth grade and can benefit from a survey of ancient works before moving on to the upper levels of The Great Conversation. As a combination of levels 1 and 4, TGC 1+4 will examine key works of the ancient world […]
Covering the same time period as The Great Conversation 1, level 4 takes the student deeper into the works of many of the same authors. Homer, Plato, Livy and Virgil are some of the thinkers whose works are explored on a new level. Taught alongside several books of the Bible, the primary source writings demand […]
Students encounter The Great Conversation as it unfolded during the Middle Ages through a study of some of the most influential works of the medieval times. The course covers the period from the fall of Rome to the death of Elizabeth I and focuses on medieval Europe. Students will continue to see how, in works […]
Covering the same period as The Great Conversation 3, this course is designed for upper level School of Rhetoric students and challenges them to discuss how the people, ideas, and books from the Modern Era have brought us to our present day. Using various works of theology, philosophy, and literature, students will consider how the […]
Have you ever wrestled with the tough questions of life? How can there be a good God if there is so much evil in the world? What does Christianity have to do with my culture? What is the relationship between science and religion? What is at the heart of faith in Christ? Join me as […]
Having worshiped at the altar of unaided Reason in the 18th century, Western Man drifted toward a more subjective, emotionally-driven philosophy of progress and optimism in the 19th century. But a radical shift took place in the 20th century that extinguished the unbridled idealism of the 1800s. At the same time, the West experienced a […]
J.R.R. Tolkien has been hailed in some quarters as the “Author of the Century.” The readership of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit continues to swell well into the 21st century. Students who quickly discover that Tolkien was a first-class storyteller are then pleasantly surprised to find out that he was a first-class […]