BJU Press Fundamentals of Literature Grade 9 Teacher’s Edition (3rd Edition)

Description

The BJU Press Fundamentals of Literature Grade 9 Teacher’s Edition (3rd Edition) serves as the cornerstone for introducing high school students to rigorous literary analysis through a distinctly Christian worldview. This comprehensive two-volume teacher resource equips homeschooling parents with everything needed to guide their ninth-graders through the foundational elements of literature while building critical thinking skills that will serve them throughout their academic journey.

Building upon BJU Press’s reputation for academically excellent Christian curriculum, this teacher’s edition transforms literature study from passive reading into active engagement with timeless themes and enduring truths. The curriculum systematically introduces students to six essential literary elements: conflict, character, theme, point of view, structure, and tone. Each unit pairs these elements with meaningful themes including endurance, discernment, hope, influence, identity, and confronting mortality, creating natural opportunities for biblical worldview discussions that resonate with Christian homeschooling families.

The anthology features carefully selected works spanning multiple genres and time periods, including excerpts from American, British, and Russian literature. Students encounter classic works such as Homer’s The Odyssey, Augustine’s Confessions, O. Henry’s “The Gift of the Magi,” Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield, and Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. The curriculum also incorporates contemporary voices and diverse perspectives while maintaining its commitment to evaluating all literature through the lens of Scripture. This balanced approach helps students develop discernment skills essential for navigating today’s literary landscape.

What sets this teacher’s edition apart is its practical design for busy homeschooling parents. The two-volume format provides full-sized student text pages alongside detailed teaching notes, eliminating the need to flip between multiple resources. Each lesson includes background information, biblical worldview shaping discussions, engagement activities, instructional guidance, literary analysis helps, and enrichment activities. The margins feature highlighted analysis notes that help parents who may lack formal literary training feel confident teaching sophisticated concepts.

The curriculum includes comprehensive study materials for Edmond Rostand’s classic drama Cyrano de Bergerac, provided in English translation. This full-length work allows students to analyze character development, theme, and dramatic structure in depth while exploring timeless questions about honor, love, and self-perception that align beautifully with Christian values of inner character over outward appearance.

Assessment tools are thoughtfully integrated throughout, with unit reviews featuring multiple-choice, matching, short answer, true/false, and essay questions. The “Thinking Zone” highlights provide ongoing review and reinforcement of literary terms and concepts, ensuring students master vocabulary essential for advanced literary study. The curriculum also includes ESL support materials, making it accessible for diverse learning needs within the homeschool community.

Beyond traditional literary analysis, the curriculum emphasizes the development of moral reasoning and biblical discernment. Students learn to evaluate authors’ worldviews, identify underlying philosophical assumptions, and apply scriptural principles to literary interpretation. This approach prepares students not merely to analyze literature technically, but to engage thoughtfully with ideas that will challenge and shape their faith throughout life.

The teaching strategies accommodate various learning styles and include small group discussions, visual analysis opportunities, engaging video clips, and interactive before, during, and after-reading activities. This multi-modal approach ensures that visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners can all engage meaningfully with the material while developing sophisticated analytical skills.

For homeschooling families committed to college preparation, this curriculum provides the rigorous foundation students need for advanced placement courses and college-level literary study. The systematic approach to literary criticism, combined with extensive writing opportunities and vocabulary development, positions students for academic success while reinforcing the Christian principles that guide their educational journey.