Are you looking for a homeschool language arts curriculum that sparks a love for literature and hones your child’s writing skills? Look no further than Lightning Literature! In this must-read review, we’ll explore the key components of this program, its flexibility, and how it can be a fantastic addition to your homeschooling journey. Whether you have a young reader eager to dive into the world of books or a budding writer seeking to express their creativity, Lightning Literature (AKA: Lightening Lit) has something to offer for every grade level.
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What is Lightening Lit?
Lightning Literature is a fun and broad homeschool language arts curriculum designed to foster a love for reading and writing while providing in-depth instruction in literature, grammar, and composition.
Tailored for all grades, the program consists of three main components:
- literature selections,
- grammar and mechanics instruction, and
- composition activities.
Students are exposed to a diverse array of literary works, including:
- classic novels,
- poetry,
- historical fiction,
- multicultural literature, and more.
This helps enrich students’ reading intelligence and appreciation for literature.
The grammar and mechanics lessons cover various language arts concepts, progressively advancing in complexity as students move through the grades.
From sentence diagramming to self-editing, students develop their language skills with comprehensive grammar coverage.
The program’s flexibility enables parents and teachers to adapt lessons to individual student needs, making it suitable for diverse learning styles and abilities.
While the curriculum is secular in its approach, it avoids controversial or objectionable content, making it an inclusive option for most homeschooling families.
What is a Language Arts Curriculum Then?
A language arts curriculum teaches students:
- reading,
- writing,
- speaking, and
- listening skills.
It includes literature, grammar, vocabulary, and composition to improve language proficiency and communication abilities.
Pros and Cons of Lightening Literature
Lightening Literature has a lot of pros which explains why so many people love it.
It also has a few cons to be aware of.
Let’s take a closer look below.
Pros of Lightning Literature:
- Affordable: The curriculum is reasonably priced, offering a complete year’s program (excluding books) at a cost-effective rate.
- Gentle Approach: The program employs a step-by-step method, making complex grammar and writing tasks more accessible and less intimidating for students.
- Well-Organized Lessons: The lessons are well-structured, consistent, and easy to follow, enhancing the overall learning experience.
- Personalized Learning: Students have the option to choose from various writing assignments, allowing them to personalize their learning journey.
- Mix of Parent-led and Independent Learning: The program strikes a good balance between parent-led instruction and independent learning, promoting student independence and accountability.
- Literature-Based Learning: The curriculum’s strong focus on literature enhances students’ love for reading and deepens their understanding of literary elements. The program has an extensive list of interesting books.
- Open and Go Lessons: Lessons are designed to be easy to implement, requiring minimal preparation time for parents or teachers.
Cons of Lightning Literature:
- Not a Full ELA Program: The curriculum lacks spelling, handwriting, and phonics instruction, requiring additional resources for a comprehensive language arts program.
- Secular Approach: As a secular curriculum, it does not include specific religious content, which may not align with the preferences of some homeschooling families seeking faith-based materials.
- Extensive Book List: The variety of books used in the curriculum may require additional effort to source and keep track of for both parents and students. This may well add to the cost and make the curriculum more expensive.
- No Video Lessons: This may be considered a potential drawback for families seeking video-based instruction or a more multimedia approach to learning. The program primarily relies on printed Teacher’s Guides, Student Workbooks, and literature selections for reading.
- Not As Hands-On as Some: LL isn’t as hands-on as some other language learning programs like All About Learning Press.
What Grades Does Lightening Lit Offer?
Lightning Literature is available for grades one through twelve.
The curriculum offers a range of courses for each grade level, providing comprehensive language arts instruction tailored to the appropriate age and reading level of students in each grade.
See each grade level below.
Primary/Elementary School
Middle School
High School
- Grade 9-12 – see below
In the high school level of Lightning Literature, you will find a printed Teacher’s Guide, a reusable Student Workbook, and required readers.
These readers can be borrowed from the library or obtained by purchasing them, either new or used.
Unlike the lower grade levels, the high school levels do not include grammar or vocabulary instruction, focusing primarily on literature and advanced language arts concepts.
Lightening Literature and Composition Program
Many people want to know about LL’s Composition program.
The Lightning Literature and Composition program is a series of language arts courses for grades one through twelve, designed to make reading enjoyable and writing satisfying for students.
The curriculum focuses on a literature-based approach, with various literary selections, including
- classics,
- poetry,
- non-fiction, and more.
Each grade level typically includes a teacher’s guide and a student workbook, along with the required literature books list (which you have to acquire separately).
The program covers vocabulary, comprehension, literary elements, grammar, mechanics, and composition.
It offers well-structured lessons that can be easily implemented by parents or teachers, promoting both independent learning and interactive instruction.
Does Lightening Literature Include ALL Subjects?
The Lightning Literature and Composition series does not include
- handwriting,
- spelling, or
- phonics instruction as part of its curriculum.
While it serves as a comprehensive language arts program, parents may need to supplement the curriculum with separate resources for teaching these specific subjects.