Illuminating Literature

The curriculum builds domain knowledge through thematic organization and contextual background information. Watson provides historical and cultural context for each book, such as connecting The War of the Worlds to European experiences in the 1940s.

Watson 'sets the scene with background information about the book itself' and connects literature to historical events like what 'many people experienced in Europe in the 1940s'

The curriculum uses grade-appropriate complex texts including challenging classics like A Tale of Two Cities, Fahrenheit 451, and The Screwtape Letters. These represent appropriately complex literature for high school students.

The book list includes sophisticated works like 'Pudd'nhead Wilson, The War of the Worlds, A Tale of Two Cities, Fahrenheit 451, and The Screwtape Letters'

The curriculum appears to use direct instruction with explicit teaching of literary devices, genres, and analysis techniques. Watson provides clear explanations and structured lessons rather than discovery-based learning.

Students 'learn about genres and settings as well as point of view, mood, tone, symbols, motifs, euphemisms, hyperbole, and other literary devices' through structured lessons

The curriculum provides structured writing instruction through 'Imitate!' sections that teach literary devices and writing techniques. Students complete creative writing assignments in their Novel Notebook and choose from various writing projects.

'Imitate!' sections ask students to write in a way that imitates the author or plays with literary devices, students maintain a Novel Notebook with creative writing assignments, and end-of-unit activities include essay writing and creative projects

This curriculum centers entirely on complete, full-length books rather than excerpts or passages. Students read eight whole novels including classics like A Tale of Two Cities, Fahrenheit 451, and The War of the Worlds.

The review explicitly states students 'read eight, full-length books' and that the course 'dedicates a unit for each book to be read'

The curriculum includes a comprehensive teacher's guide with objectives, discussion suggestions, answer keys, and teaching strategies. However, formal professional development or training materials are not mentioned.

The teacher's guide includes 'objectives, discussion suggestions, answers to vocabulary exercises, and suggested responses to questions, as well as other suggestions for those teaching a group class'

The curriculum includes quizzes to check reading comprehension and literary terms knowledge, providing some retrieval practice. However, the extent of spaced review and systematic retrieval practice is unclear.

Students take quizzes that check 'to make sure students have actually read the book' and 'quiz them on literary terms' with online quiz access provided

Not applicable for this high school-level curriculum. Phonics instruction is designed for early elementary grades, not grades 9-12.

This is a grades 9-12 literature curriculum focusing on novel analysis and literary devices

The curriculum includes vocabulary instruction through 'Vocabulary Quizzolas' that help students master vocabulary words from each book. However, the depth and systematicity of vocabulary instruction is unclear from the review.

'Vocabulary Quizzolas' helps students master some of the vocabulary words used in each book' and there are vocabulary exercises with answers provided