Complimentary Product Received
English Language Arts or ELA, strikes fear into the hearts of every teacher, parent, and homeschooler. There is SO much to learn, in so little time, and the importance of this subject follows the student throughout their academic career. Even if the “E” is instead for a language besides English, the need to communicate effectively via the written and spoken word is a universal concern. So what do you do when faced with your own ELA challenges with your student? You turn to an expert.
Lightning Literature and Composition by Hewitt Learning, takes all of the guesswork out of ELA. Using a Literature based approached to teach learners about Reading, Phonics, Grammar, and Writing, they use classic and contemporary books as the educational foundation. I was fortunate enough to share their Grade 1 curriculum with my son, as well as use their PASS (Personalized Achievement Summary System) standardized test.
First, let’s talk about Lightning Lit. I received two very hefty books for our ELA – one was a Teacher’s Guide and the other was the Student Workbook. Before anyone asks – yes, you need both. The very first page of the Teacher’s Guide gives you a 36 week outline of the books that will be covered and where to find their corresponding lesson notes in the book. You cover one book per week BUT don’t be surprised to find many of these books already on your bookshelves! I saw quite a few of my childhood favorites on the list along with some I’d seen around in the library and bookstores but hadn’t read yet. Finding the books needed for the Curriculum will be very easy.
You are given in the Teacher’s Guide the highlights of the lesson, talking points, and ways to extend and deepen the lesson. It’s quick reading – just take a look at it on a Sunday evening and you’re covered for the entire week. On your first day of class, have your student read the story and any accompanying pieces (for us it was Aesop’s Fables) and dive into their Workbook. Our very first week with Harold and the Purple Crayon covered Sentence structure, Inference, composition of their own story from a picture, parts of a story, narration, optional dictionary pages, and journaling!
A huge concern for anyone looking to add a new curriculum to their school day is time. My learner is reading fluidly above grade level, but is a struggling writer even for first grade standards. From start to finish, we averaged 30-45 minutes. I really enjoyed how quickly he was able to settle in to the writing aspect of the curriculum. If you have a creative, imaginative child, I think this will quickly become their favorite part as well. They are encouraged to compose their own stories and little minds will race with ideas after being fed from great literature.
Even though I reviewed only one grade level, I will let you in on something – The Lightning Lit Series takes your student from Grade 1 through their high school years.
As a homeschool mama and Learning at Home reviewer, I think that Hewitt Learning’s Lightning Literature and Composition is an excellent curriculum that is worth you looking into. I would highly recommend them to anyone who is Learning at Home with their child whether you are new to homeschooling or a seasoned veteran. Hewitt Learning has been a force in education for more than 30 years and their superior educational products prove it.
I’d like to Thank Hewitt Learning and the Melanated Gold Review Squad for allowing me the chance to feature this product.
Want to learn more about Hewitt Learning (www.HewittLearning.org) and their educational products? Take a look at other reviews from the Melanated Gold Review Squad here:
https://melanatedgoldhomeschool.org/lightning-literature/
Fin.
@Mamasweetbaby 
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