Prairie and Pine Curriculum

The curriculum uses grade-appropriate complex texts including challenging high school literature like 1984, Brave New World, and The Great Gatsby. Some studies are marked 'Proceed with Caution' for mature content, indicating appropriately complex material.

High school texts include '1984; Fahrenheit 451; Into the Wild; I Am Malala; Brave New World; and The Great Gatsby' with some labeled 'Proceed with Caution' for mature themes, indicating complex, grade-appropriate literature

The curriculum includes explicit vocabulary instruction through multiple approaches. Students learn academic vocabulary, use reading logs for vocabulary development, and engage in vocabulary activities throughout each study.

Review mentions 'vocabulary activities,' students 'circle unknown words,' 'look for academic vocabulary...that they will write in a reading log,' and 'working extensively with vocabulary words'

The curriculum provides extensive structured writing instruction across multiple genres and purposes. Students complete literary analysis essays, research papers, argumentative essays, and various forms of creative and expository writing.

Review states students 'complete a culminating writing assignment, such as a literary analysis essay, a research paper, an argumentative essay, or an expository essay' and mentions 'journal prompts,' extensive writing requirements, and rubrics for evaluation

The curriculum is built around reading complete literary works rather than excerpts or passages. Each unit study centers on a full book like The Giver, 1984, The Great Gatsby, or Hatchet, with students reading the entire work over 8 weeks.

Review states 'Each Prairie and Pine course includes a parent guide and a student workbook. You need to obtain the literary works on your own' and lists specific complete books for each grade level

The curriculum includes some retrieval elements through reading logs and chapter questions, but systematic spaced review and retrieval practice are not evident. The focus is more on ongoing analysis than deliberate recall.

Review mentions 'answering questions both before and after reading each chapter' and 'reading logs' but no mention of systematic review or retrieval practice activities

The curriculum builds knowledge through interdisciplinary connections but focuses primarily on literary analysis rather than systematic domain knowledge building. Studies 'delve into other subject areas related to topics in each book' but this appears incidental to the literature rather than systematic.

Review mentions courses 'delve into other subject areas related to topics in each book' and students 'draw on their knowledge of other subject areas (sometimes through research)' but the primary focus is literary analysis

The curriculum includes detailed parent guides with background information and instructional support, but formal teacher training or professional development is not provided. Parents must familiarize themselves with the 30-page guides before beginning.

Review states 'Parents need to familiarize themselves with the guide (about 30 pages) before students begin a course' and guides include 'detailed explanations of course elements' but no mention of formal training programs

The curriculum provides some direct instruction through parent guides and instructional videos, but students are expected to work largely independently. The approach is more guided discovery than explicit teacher-led instruction.

Review states 'Students should be able to complete most lessons independently' and mentions 'Free videos teach students to use an annotation process' but emphasizes student autonomy in analysis and conclusions

No phonics instruction is included as this curriculum serves grades 4-12, well beyond the phonics instruction years. The curriculum assumes students already have decoding skills.

Curriculum serves 'grades 4-12' and focuses on 'literature, vocabulary, composition, and critical thinking' rather than foundational reading skills