Welcome to Our Great Books with Dr. Hake (Part Two) Homeschool Language Arts Course

Getting Started with Our Great Books with Dr. Hake (Part Two) Homeschool Language Arts Course

This Great Books with Dr. Hake homeschool language arts course was designed by Dr. Steven Hake, the Chair of the Department of Classical Liberal Arts and Director of the Literature major at Patrick Henry College in Purcellville, Virginia. In this second course studying The Great Books of the Western World (a fifty-four volume set published by Britannica), Dr. Hake supplies upper-level homeschool high school students with an advanced, thought-provoking literature study. During the semester, not every word of every volume is read, but many different authors are covered in enough depth and breadth to thoroughly acquaint homeschool high school students with their unique contributions to the great conversation that is western culture.

*Important note: access to specific volumes of the Great Books series is required for the first lessons. These books should be obtained from a library prior to beginning the class. Additional volumes may be required to complete later assignments. If the Great Books series is not available at the local library, go to Course Outline for a complete breakdown of what books are included in this series. Many are available to be read free online or may be available at the library individually.

Overview

•   18 weeks
•   Includes reading assignments, discussion questions, and writing assignments
•   Grades 11th-12th

Supplies Needed

Corresponding lessons on SchoolhouseTeachers.com, The Great Books of the Western World or internet access (See the Important Notes on the course download page.), journal for note-taking and research (Reader’s Response Notebook), dictionary and thesaurus.

What to Do

Go to Class Lessons and download the lesson plan, and Great Books Part Two. Follow the instructions each day on the lesson plans and mark them off when completed. Be sure to write any needed homework in your notebook.

More About Our Great Books with Dr. Hake (Part Two) Homeschool Language Arts Course

This is the second of two Great Books with Dr. Hake homeschool language arts courses that provide a thorough introduction to some of The Great Books of the Western World (a fifty four volume set published by Britannica). During these semesters, homeschool high school students do not read every word of every volume of these books, but teens do read many different authors in enough depth and breadth to be thoroughly acquainted with their unique contribution to the great conversation that is western culture. Dr. Hake’s goal is to launch students into a lifetime reading project that takes them through the entire set, and through special favorites several times.

The homeschool language arts lessons include discussion questions in the form of weekly written assignments for the student to complete, along with one-page journal entries, two short papers, and, at the conclusion of the course, a longer paper (ten to twelve pages).

It is important for high school students to remember that they are studying to the glory of God and not primarily for academic credit or even to fulfill homeschool course requirements mandated by the state in which they live. Even if teens are studying out of obedience to their parents, Dr. Hake is confident that parents would join him in this hope, that a teen’s desire to love God with their mind and learn for Him will grow stronger and stronger until it is deeply internal and clearly their own. The one desire is to be the absolute best that each student can be for Christ by His grace, to fully use the gifts He has given, and to fulfill the ministry He has in mind for each person.