 Language is literature. Language is art. Language is revolutionary, scientific, poetic, moral, and more. Our goal with these amazing courses is to bring to life the wider range of what language is in our daily lives. We want students to fall in love with words, be mesmerized by a story, report a story, be in wonder of human thought. We believe in a constructivist approach to language that helps children acquire skill over broad uses. In our language arts courses you'll see children moving, painting, reading to themselves and each other and with the teacher, learning from pictures, and writing with purpose. Our approach is very different from what is found elsewhere. These QED™ designed courses are:
We want students to experience the wider range of language and to understand it as our most important tool of communication. | Level 1 (grades 1-2) Students focus on oral story-telling, movement stories, improvisation, visual storytelling, puppetry, creative play and writing, and word families. 2013-2014 Pictograph City Students will learn to access both reading and writing using pictographs both ancient and modern. They'll learn to create their own pictographs for their own stories and daily life, making their own classroom pictographic lexicon. Gilgamesh The Epic of Gilgamesh is an ancient Babylonian story of heroism, adversity, and drama and is considered to be the oldest known epic and piece of literature. Students will learn a modified version of this text combined with pictures and learn the ancient art of storytelling. "I" am Writing In this course students will explore their "I" voice. They will learn to incorporate live action into their written and verbal stories. This course will also incorporate methods of positive self-expression. 2014-2015 The ancient art of paper making comes from China. This is an exercise in combining both print, art, and typography into the workings of wood-blocking and paper-making. My Theatre My Theatre is a theatre course designed for grades 1-2 with plays specially written for this age. It combines a wide range of literary skills and traditions to help students gain a deeper understanding of language and how it is used. Dr. Seuss This course is a fantastic journey through the different stories of Dr. Seuss where students will learn not only a powerful set of core words, but will discover the art of language. Level 2 (grades 3-4) Voices come to us from across cultures and time. Students will experience language as a means of listening, seeing, performing, and writing. 2013-2014 Lyrical Poetry & Song This course is centered around a modification of Shijing - The Book of Songs, the first lyrical poetry believed to be written. The goal of this course is to help synthesize the art of lyrical poetry and voice. The Romance of King Arthur King Arthur stands as the most potent version of the romance story. In this course students will explore the story and how the story evolved throughout time to incorporate many of the finest traditions of the romance. The Graphic Novel Novels don't have to have just words. The graphic novel from the 20th Century represents a radical combination of both art and text in a dramatic and exciting form accessible by a wide range of students. 2014-2015 This course is based around Ancient Greek Theatre. Within these dramas are an incredible diversity of literary cornerstones of Western writing. Students will combine acting, set design, and their growing literary skills. Movable Type Movable Type is the story of the Gutenberg Printing Press and how it unlocked the vast potential of humanity through movable type. Students will combine typography and literary skill to create their own original printed works. Arabian Nights Arabian Nights powerfully combines the best of storytelling with fantasy and ethics. Students will explore this amazing world and will discover that even in great fantasy exists human truth. | Level 3 (grades 5-6) Students learn both the technical uses of language through some of the most seminal pieces of literature known. 2013-2014 The Epics of Homer stand as quintessential examples of the transition of the story to a cultural and literary centerpiece. Students will learn the nuances of combining mythology, history, and culture. Shakespeare in the Library Studying Shakespeare is studying modern language. Students will get to combine performance and the art of language from memorable Shakespearian scenes. Artistic Advertising The art of the advertisement. In this course students will combine artistry with typography with language and learn to communicate powerful ideas simply. 2014-2015 Galileo's writings help set the stage for the Age of Reason. In this course students will learn how the book can powerfully communicate not just story but scientific thought. Fantastical Realities Within each fantastical world there exists a core of truth that relates to our own selves. This course looks at the modern fantasy and helps students to connect with story and learn to write their own amazing stories. News Year Imagine a year in the past as current as today is. This course helps students understand the power of journalism as not just a medium for reporting information but for sharing humanities most defining moments. Level 4 (grades 7-8) These courses prepare students for college, not high school. Students will be synthesizing all of their acquired language skills to push their minds to new heights. 2013-2014 That's Debatable People have been debating since the dawn of time. This course explores that process through the lens of modern topics. Students will learn the techniques of oration that help present their ideas most powerfully. Decoding Rosetta The Rosetta Stone is a moment in our archaeological history where language was decoded. In this decoding students will learn some of the fundamental concepts of linguistics. End of the Enlightenment As the Enlightenment came to a close in the 19th Century, great works of literary art poured forth. In this expose of Poe, Thoreau, and Dickenson students will discover the roots of modern literary technique. 2014-2015 Benjamin Franklin explores not only his own life, but the moral foundations that one assumes to be core to their own existence. Students will write their own autobiography and may discover that they know far more of themselves than expected. Magna Carta The Magna Carta serves as one of the mighty pillars of fundamental rights and as an example of a codified law written by the people. Students will learn how this text relates to modern law. JD & Mark J.D. Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye" and Mark Twain's "Huckleberry Finn" both represent the modern literary movement to explore the self through powerful fiction. Students will learn to capture a moment in time through their own fiction. |
QC Language Arts
|