This is a guide for 90 days of handwriting practise. Four sets of pages indicate which letters or letter combinations are to be practised each day (instructions and samples included). For each day, four different words are also listed – these are to be used (one each) in individual sentences composed by the student. This type of daily practise strengthens the student’s hand, reinforces the memorization of how letters are formed both alone and when joined with one another, and provides an opportunity to practise basic sentence-writing with the simple guideline of a prescribed word. Also included: A blank page of dotted lines for practise (print as many as you need) Tips and Instructions Samples of individual upper and lower case letters, and of letter combinations (how they join together in cursive script) Note: These exercises are suitable for students who already know how to write cursive letters. They are not suited to a rank beginner, who will find them too tiring.

This is one of many well-loved stories featuring the unlikely detective prowess of Father Brown, a British clergyman. Chesterton masterfully combines elements of Catholic theology and classic crime fiction to create a quirky, unique short story. Here the text is divided into 7 short sections, each followed by three challenging questions and a written assignment. The assignments will broaden any student’s understanding of literature and Western thought, and are not necessarily only appropriate for Catholic readers. This resource is suitable for ages 15 and up.

Here is the complete, original novel. Download for free to accompany ‘Reading Comprehension: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen’ from Canadian Winter Homeschool Materials.

Here is the complete, original novel. Download for free to accompany ‘Reading Comprehension: Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson’ from Canadian Winter Homeschool Materials.

Sometimes, a good laugh is all it takes to chase away a bad mood or the Homework Blues! Use your own notebook to make a ‘Journal of Funny Moments’. Choose a ‘Story Beginning’ to help you get started. Without trying too hard, describe a real or imaginary funny moment. Fill a page (or half of a page) with writing, in a simple conversational style. Share the ‘funny moment’ with others and have a good laugh! Cut out and paste images (included - or draw your own!) to decorate and label your notebook and stories. This is a short writing exercise that can work at any time during the school day!

Here is the complete, original novella. Download for free to accompany ‘Reading Comprehension: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson’ from Canadian Winter Homeschool Materials.

Who better to show the usefulness of a well-asked question - and the importance of a clear and concise answer - than Sherlock Holmes? In ‘The Adventure of the Red-Headed League’, Holmes and Watson are presented with an odd and seemingly innocent set of clues. Why was the pawn-broker hired by the Red-Headed League – and so suddenly dismissed? It could be that there is more to this mystery than at first meets the eye! In fact, the fortunes of two daring thieves, and a fortune in gold, are at stake. For young readers who are ready for their first Sherlock Holmes mystery (but who would rather not read about murders or ghosts), this is an excellent tale! Contents: • The full, original tale of ‘The Adventure of the Red-Headed League’, divided into ten short sections Following each section: o Five questions to be answered separately in a student’s notebook o Vocabulary, in alphabetical order, with definitions or synonyms (making the word comprehensible in the story’s context), from the chapter just read o A ‘looking up close’ page, exploring one main theme of the section just read, such as pipes, what a pawnbroker is, transportation in Holmes’ time, the Encyclopaedia Britannica, etc. (with pictures) Directions: • Read one section of the book at a time. Use the vocabulary list to help with understanding the story (and practise looking things up in alphabetical order). Answer the questions in a separate notebook. Read the ‘looking up close’ page for fun. Enjoy a good, old-fashioned, Sherlock Holmes mystery!

Who better to show the usefulness of a well-asked question - and the importance of a clear and concise answer - than Sherlock Holmes? In ‘A Scandal In Bohemia’, Holmes finds himself assisting none other than the king of Bohemia! The problem seems trivial until the lady involved, one ‘Irene Adler’, proves to possess unexpected cleverness and charm. Could the great Sherlock Holmes find himself outwitted - by a woman? For young readers who are ready for their first Sherlock Holmes mystery (but who would rather not read about murders or ghosts), this story will surely entertain! Contents: • The full, original tale of ‘A Scandal In Bohemia’, divided into ten short sections Following each section: o Five questions to be answered separately in a student’s notebook o Vocabulary, in alphabetical order, with definitions or synonyms (making the word comprehensible in the story’s context), from the chapter just read o A ‘looking up close’ page, exploring one main theme of the section just read, such as cabinet photographs, what a bijou villa is, a Victorian wedding, what iodoform and nitrate of silver are, etc. (with pictures) Directions: • Read one section of the book at a time. Use the vocabulary list to help with understanding the story (and practise looking things up in alphabetical order). Answer the questions in a separate notebook. Read the ‘looking up close’ page for fun. Enjoy a good, old-fashioned, Sherlock Holmes mystery! Bonus! Includes a set of notebooking pages that can be used to answer questions, write out vocabulary, or in any other way you see fit!

Art thou ready to read Shakespeare? But of course! Here you will finde instructions, assignments, definitions, explanations, and other sundry ‘stuff’ which will make reading ‘Julius Caesar’ a zephyr – that is, a breeze! This approach focuses on seeing the big picture, with only the most interesting of extra information included for thine own interest. Read the words of the beloved Bard aloud! Write some of your own! Explore the themes of ‘flattery’ and ‘honour’. . . draw three characters’ facial expressions . . . examine the text one more time, looking for details ‘divine and rare’ . . . memorize a few lines . . . and hark! It is done! Included here are the following: the complete play ‘Julius Caesar’; seven separate sections each containing assignments and information, and detailed Summaries of Acts and Scenes. This text is well-suited to homeschoolers who do not anticipate putting on the play, or doing other activities that involve collaboration with numerous other people. It is especially aimed at students who are not yet familiar with Shakespeare’s plays, and who will benefit from a light-hearted but meaningful approach to reading them. The sections and assignments are as follows: Hark! Methinks I’ll Read the Play (Read aloud and learn about the real Julius Caesar and Shakespeare’s historical plays.) Hark! What Do I Understand? (Copying, Lists, Translation and learn about the first edition, which was ‘qvite differente’.) Hark! Methinks I Hear A Voice! (Memorize and perform a speech, and learn about reading aloud effectively.) Hark! Methinks I’ll Look Again (Underline certain features, and look at a simple comparison between the class systems of ancient Rome and Shakespearean England.) Hark! Methinks I’ll Write Mine Own (Choose between writing a 5 paragraph essay on the topic of ‘flattery’ or a report on the topic of ‘honour’ within the play. Detailed guidelines are given. Write your own speech. Learn about men and women in Shakespeare’s theatre and Roman society.) Hark! Methinks I’ll Draw Awhile! (Add facial features to three prepared faces.) Stay, Good Friend - There’s More! (Brief and Ridiculous Comparative Biography of Shakespeare and Caesar, Detailed Summary of Acts and Scenes, List of Characters to keep nearby while reading the play) Note: ‘The Guide’ and ‘The Play’ are in two separate files - you may use your own edition of the play if you prefer, and only download ‘The Guide’.

This humorous book will give any student a thorough understanding of the three main types of subordinate clauses: adjectival, adverbial and noun clauses. In 35 pages of definitions and explanations, examples, exercises and assignments, you will learn about and practise using these clauses in your own writing. Also included is a 16 page answer key. (Exercises and assignments are to be completed in a separate notebook.) In this book you will: • Learn about main clauses and subordinate clauses • Learn to identify and write your own adjectival, adverbial and noun clauses • Complete 31 exercises and 20 assignments • Hone your skills with extra review exercises and assignments at the end of the book • Enjoy whimsical (and ridiculous) references to moose . . . In each section: • Adjectival Clauses: Learn to identify relative pronouns; know when to use ‘who’ and ‘whom’; determine whether the relative pronoun acts as a subject or direct object within the clause; learn when to use ‘which’ and ‘that’; learn when to use ‘who’ or ‘which/that’; learn about possessive adjectival clauses; understand the difference between a question and an adjectival clause; learn about relative pronouns preceded by prepositions • Adverbial Clauses: Learn about subordinating conjunctions; understand the difference between an adjectival and adverbial clause; learn to identify and use clauses of time, place, manner, condition, concession, and cause; learn to differentiate between clauses of various types; learn to identify sentences containing different types of clauses • Noun Clauses: learn to identify and use noun clauses; learn about noun clauses that behave as direct objects or complements; learn about noun clauses that behave as subjects; noun clauses in reported speech • Extra Review: combine all your new knowledge and skills in several exercises and assignments • Answer Key: contains answers for all exercises. Answers to assignments will be unique to each individual. Knowing how sentences can be constructed is an invaluable tool for any student or writer. Improve your English Grammar, and learn how to protect your wool socks from an intrepid moose, all in one book!

Here is a fully black and white version of the book, with a more mature format for older students. What is a participle? What is a gerund? It’s time to find out! Read about George, Nancy and a gaggle of Canada Geese while learning to identify and use important elements of English grammar. In 37 pages of definitions and explanations, examples, exercises and assignments, you will learn more about these verbals than you ever thought possible! (Answer key included.) In this book you will: • Identify present participles and gerunds in a variety of sentence structures • Use present participles as adjectives and adverbs in your own writing • Use gerunds as subjects, direct objects, etc. in your own writing • Read about Nancy, George and the always adorable Canada goose . . .

Art thou ready to read Shakespeare? But of course! Here you will finde assignments, definitions, explanations, and other sundry ‘stuff’ which will make reading ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ a zephyr – that is, a breeze! This approach focuses on seeing the big picture, with only the most interesting of extra information included for thine own interest. Read the words of the beloved Bard aloud! Write some of your own! Explore the theme of ‘dreams’ . . . draw a character . . . examine the text one more time, looking for details ‘divine and rare’ . . . memorize a few lines . . . and hark! It is done! Included here are the following: the complete play ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’; seven separate sections each containing assignments and information; a glossary of Weird Words, a Biography, and Summaries of Acts and Scenes. This text is well-suited to homeschoolers who do not anticipate putting on the play, or doing other activities that involve collaboration with numerous other people. It is especially aimed at students who are not yet familiar with Shakespeare’s plays, and who will benefit from a light-hearted but meaningful approach to reading them. The sections and assignments are as follows: Hark! Methinks I’ll Read the Play (read aloud and learn theatre terms) Hark! What Do I Understand? (copying, list, translation and learn about iambic pentameter) Hark! Methinks I Hear A Voice! (memorization, learn about ‘soliloquy’) Hark Methinks I’ll Look Again (underline certain features, learn more about Shakespeare’s quill and ink) Hark! Methinks I’ll Write Mine Own (Choose between a 5 paragraph essay or a report on the topic of ‘dreams’ within the play. Detailed guidelines are given. Learn about editing and copyright.) Hark! Methinks I’ll Draw Awhile! (Draw a main character, learn about costume and set design.) Stay, Good Friend - There’s More! (Glossary of Weird Words, Brief Biography, Summary of Acts and Scenes. Invent a word and define one from the play that you’ve never seen before.)

It seems perfectly natural to ‘agree with’ or ‘care about’ someone. But are you certain that you should be ‘comparing’ that book ‘with’ this one, or should you in fact be ‘comparing’ it ‘to’ this one? Likewise, are you different ‘from’ your friend, or different ‘than’ her? Are you annoyed ‘by’ the weather or annoyed ‘with’ it? In this text and workbook you will learn to use over 70 preposition/word combinations correctly. The explanations and exercises are divided into eight sections, each with several lessons followed by a review ‘test’. An answer key is included. In each lesson the student will: • Read examples out loud • Review ‘correct’ and ‘incorrect’ sentences • Compose sentences using the preposition/word combination just presented • Review the entire contents of that section in a final assignment Use this book to refresh or improve your knowledge of the English language. Knowing when and how to use prepositions correctly is necessary in order to speak and write well!

Your handwriting is a bit messy and your teacher suggests that you need a bit more practise – or is that ‘practice’? She would force you to copy out the phone book, however she dislikes afflicting pain on anyone – or is that ‘inflicting’? You assure her in amicable – or should that be ‘amiable’? - terms that you will try harder to write neatly. She sighs and declares that she hopes the extra effort will have a good effect – or is that ‘affect’? There are many similar-sounding words in the English language that are frequently mistaken for one another and used (or spelled) incorrectly. Here are worksheets which allow you to practise using 83 of these commonly-muddled terms properly. Samples, exercises and an answer key are included. Use this book to refresh or improve your knowledge of the English language. Knowing how and when to use potentially confusing words will help you to speak and write well!

This owl- and mouse-themed book will help students to obtain a thorough (and advanced) understanding of how to use past participles. In 56 pages of definitions and explanations, examples, exercises and assignments, you will learn about past participles and practise using them in your own writing. An answer key for each of the 16 assignments (and four extra review assignments) is included. Exercises and assignments are to be completed in a separate notebook. This version of the book is in colour - a few cheery images here and there might just help the information to stick! If you prefer, a black and white version of the same text is also available. In this book you will: • Learn to identify and use past participles as parts of main verbs, as adverbs or nouns, as adjectives or complements, and within phrases • Complete 12 exercises and 16 assignments • Hone your skills with 4 extra review assignments at the end of the book • Enjoy pleasant (and whimsical) references to owls, mice and Canadian winters . . . Note: Past participles as verbals can be explained and labeled in different ways. If you are preparing for a test, please make sure that you learn the correct technical terms and types of analysis for that specific test!

Here is a fully black and white version of the book, with a more mature format for older students. This owl- and mouse-themed book will help students to obtain a thorough (and advanced) understanding of how to use past participles. In 56 pages of definitions and explanations, examples, exercises and assignments, you will learn about past participles and practise using them in your own writing. An answer key for each of the 16 assignments (and four extra review assignments) is included. Exercises and assignments are to be completed in a separate notebook. In this book you will: • Learn to identify and use past participles as parts of main verbs, as adverbs or nouns, as adjectives or complements, and within phrases • Complete 12 exercises and 16 assignments • Hone your skills with 4 extra review assignments at the end of the book • Enjoy pleasant (and whimsical) references to owls, mice and Canadian winters . . . Note: Past participles as verbals can be explained and labeled in different ways. If you are preparing for a test, please make sure that you learn the correct technical terms and types of analysis for that specific test!

Do you have a student who loves bugs, and is ready to read more advanced English? This story will stretch a 9 to 10 year old’s English reading abilities while entertaining them with thoughtful insect stories by the famous creator of ‘Doctor Dolittle’. In thirteen chapters, read about a water beetle who travelled across the ocean on a duck’s foot, a wasp who decided the victory of a battle, and other curious anecdotes. Thomas Stubbins, the Doctor’s young assistant, describes how he and Doctor go about ‘listening’ to insects and learning from their very different lives. Young readers will expand their reading abilities while being introduced to such concepts as ‘intuitive’ knowledge. Hugh Lofting writes with both humour and thoughtfulness as he examines life from a bug’s point-of-view! Following each chapter are three reading comprehension questions to be answered in a separate notebook, in complete sentences. There is also a list of five words from the chapter: the student should copy them into the blank space provided, and learn to spell them. Finish up by colouring a simple insect drawing! (There is one drawing at the end of every chapter.)

Art thou ready to read Shakespeare? But of course! Here you will finde assignments, definitions, explanations, and other sundry ‘stuff’ which will make reading ‘Macbeth’ a zephyr – that is, a breeze! This approach focuses on seeing the big picture, with only the most interesting of extra information included for thine own interest. Read the words of the beloved Bard aloud! Write some of your own! Explore the themes of ‘time’ and ‘opposites’. . . learn about tragedy, witches in Shakespeare’s time, and a bit of Scottish history. . . examine the text one more time, looking for details ‘divine and rare’ . . . memorize a few lines . . . and hark! It is done! Included here are the following: the complete play ‘Macbeth’; seven separate sections each containing assignments and information; a detailed summary of Acts and Scenes, a Brief Biography of Shakespeare and his wife; and more! This book also includes a bonus section about Shakespeare’s witches. This text is well-suited to homeschoolers who do not anticipate putting on the play. It is especially aimed at students who are not that familiar with Shakespeare’s plays, and who will benefit from a light-hearted but meaningful approach to reading them. The sections and assignments are: Hark! Methinks I’ll Read the Play (Read the play aloud and learn about the origins of ‘Macbeth’, and about superstitions surrounding the play and the witches) Hark! What Do I Understand? (Copy out a few speeches. Make a few lists. Translate short sections into modern-day English. Learn more about the many layers of meaning within ‘Macbeth’) Hark! Methinks I Hear A Voice! (Memorize and perform a speech. Learn more about the relationship between thoughts, words and action in ‘Macbeth’; the difference between a castle and a palace.) Hark Methinks I’ll Look Again (Underline selected features within the play. Learn more about tragedy, ‘horror’, and what they may have eaten at the banquet.) Hark! Methinks I’ll Write Mine Own (Choose between a 5 paragraph essay about ‘opposites’ or a report on the topic of ‘time’ within the play. Detailed guidelines are given. Write a short speech from the point of view of a main character of your choice. Learn more about how actors ‘interpret’ a role, and examine one small speech in detail.) Hark! Methinks I’ll Draw Awhile! (Contemplate the possible outward appeareance of characters within the play. Learn more about Scottish clothing for men and women in the 11th century – no kilts yet!) Stay, Good Friend - There’s More! (A Brief Biography of Shakespeare and his Wife; A Detailed Summary of Acts and Scenes, a List of Characters indicating their relationships to one another; Bonus: More About the Witches) Note: Parents should be cautioned that the play contains elements of ‘horror’ that may not be suitable for students younger than 12.