Writing is a top priority here at A Stable Beginning. We have tried many writing programs over our last 4 years homeschooling some that have worked and some that did not quite fit the bill. The Lt. and I think that it is a skill that grows with you through daily use so I was delighted to try out another great program, The Power in Your Hands: Writing Non-Fiction in High School, when it was offered for review.
Sharon Watson, a veteran homeschooling mom of 18 years and co-op teacher, has written The Power in Your Hands: Writing Non-Fiction in High School with a Christian worldview. It is the perfect curriculum for beginner or experienced writers alike.
We received the student book and the teachers guide which covers all the major writing genres for high school through college, such as newspapers to traditional research paper writing. With 22 chapters and over 100 daily lessons your student will be guided through the following topics:
- before you write
- persuasion
- exposition
- description
- narration
- reference
The student text is written to the student with a clear concise conversational tone while the teachers text is more than just a copy of the student text with answers. The College-preparatory material presented in the student text includes lessons that build upon on another. Some chapters require a few days while others may take up to two weeks to complete the assignment.
The Teachers book is not just a copy of the student book with answers, which I love! It provides you the teacher with the skills to teach your child the writing they will need. The Teacher Guide includes an overview of the program with samples of real students writing. my favorite part is that it includes a grading rubric of what an A,B,C,D, or even F paper would be. Also included are short daily writing prompts to get the writing juices flowing.
I used this program primarily with Marie, my 10th grader over the course of the review period. I should mention we did not start from page one of the book because like I said earlier Marie has been exposed to many writing programs and right now our focus is on writing a research paper, so we started with this section. The lessons were easy enough for Marie to work independently through them in 20-30 minutes. She would complete the lesson portion and assignment,if any, and then follow up with me during our daily meeting time.
Marie's thoughts: I like this writing program and the flexibility it gives with the assignments being broken down into daily chunks. I could work ahead when needed and I always knew what was expected for the day.
I personally think this program is a keeper! It is a thorough program and you can be sure that your child will be able to write and convey what they mean on written paper. The price is nice too for all that you receive with this program. Economically priced at just $39.98 for the Student book and $14.98 for the teacher’s guide, this combo is sure to fit into everyone's budget.
I highly recommend that you check this out if you are looking for a strong writing curriculum for your high schoolers. It's easy on the pocketbook and it gets the job done! I think this book could easily be used by any student, homeschoolers or not. Be sure to check out what my CrewMates thought of this curriculum and the other writing program being offered, Writing Fiction [in High School], by clicking the banner below.
Company ~ Writing with Sharon Watson
Product ~ The Power of Writing in Your Hands: Writing Non-Fiction in High School
Price ~ Student book $39.98, teacher’s guide $14.98
Ages ~ 9th-12th, may be suitable for 8th graders
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