Curriculum

Curriculum documents and more for the following grades can now be found in the Teacher Resource Portal.

• Grade 9 Humane Letters
• Grade 10 Humane Letters
• Grade 11 Humane Letters
• Grade 12 Humane Letters

Training

The following trainings and resources are available on the Teacher Resource Portal

6-12 ELA PD (click here to self-enroll)

• 6-12 ELA PD
  • 6-12 Writing – This module overviews the analytical 5-paragraph essay approach in addition to key topics in classical rhetoric.  Both areas are part of the 6-12 Writing Curriculum at Great Hearts.
  • Art of Imitation – This module introduces the pedagogical approach of writing by imitation.
  • Teaching Shakespeare – This module places Shakespeare within the Great Hearts curriculum, provides an overview of the different kinds of Shakespeare plays, as well as a summary of best practices for coaching and engaging students.
  • Building Better Readers – The purpose of this module is twofold: to describe the habits and virtues of the excellent reader—that is, what we hope our students will become – and to supply teachers will practical strategies to build better readers.
• 6-8 Lit/Comp PD
  • Lit/Comp Overview – An overview of the Lit/Comp courses’ unique features and their role as a bridge between K-5 ELA curriculum and 9-12 Humane Letters curriculum.
  • Well-Ordered Language (Grades 3-8)
  • Adverbial Clauses – Explore advanced understandings of phrases and clauses, with a focus on adverbial clauses, that students encounter in Grades 6-8.
  • Finding Hope in Dark Texts – Reflect on approaches that guide readers to search for hope amid dark themes and imagery, such as those found in the literature curriculum in Edgar Allen Poe’s stories and Lord of the Flies.
• 9-12 Humane Letters PD
  • Teaching Epic Poetry – Examine the nature of epic poetry and gain tools for teaching it well.
  • Elements of Tragedy – Explore the elements and essence of tragedy at an adult level before teaching it in the classroom.
  • Cultivating Seminar Culture – This module will provide teachers with a vision of a vibrant and hospitable seminar culture and supply teachers with practical tools and advice for nurturing their class community. Hear from several experienced, but different voices to demonstrate that a convivial seminar culture can be attained through various means and leadership personalities.
  • Speaking Well: Coaching Student Speaking and Presentation – Learn about the role of public speaking in the Great Hearts curriculum, reflect on elements that develop rhetorical power, and explore two kinds of forum lessons that develop specific kinds of skills in students.
  • Student Participation in Seminar – Examine a variety of ways for students to effectively participate in seminar and how to develop, track, and assess participation.