About The Book ‘The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ is the creepy tale of a man whose inner battle between good and evil becomes manifest in a most dramatic and surreal manner. It is considered a classic horror story, though the descriptions of violence in it are minimal - it is primarily the tragic end and the macabre language used that place it in this category. This is a classic novella which has become so well-known that it is common to refer to a person with two dramatically differing sides to their personality as a case of ‘Jekyll and Hyde’. Contents & Instructions Here the novella has been divided into eight sections of similar length. Following each section are reading comprehension assignments that focus on language and style. The student is asked: - to ‘translate’ two short passages into more contemporary language, showing that they have grasped the meaning of the language and can express the same thing as the author using their own words (These passages are underlined in the main body of the text.) - to familiarise themselves with a list of several words or phrases. These should be looked up or discussed with a teacher to be sure the student fully grasps their meaning. If you wish, you may write down a short definition of each. - to explain, in one or two sentences, a short passage from the text that includes some form of figurative language - to write a substantial paragraph in which the student observes the deliberate choice of language made by the author. A specific topic is given for each section.

About The Book ‘The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ is the creepy tale of a man whose inner battle between good and evil becomes manifest in a most dramatic and surreal manner. It is considered a classic horror story, though the descriptions of violence in it are minimal - it is primarily the tragic end and the macabre language used that place it in this category. This is a classic novella which has become so well-known that it is common to refer to a person with two dramatically differing sides to their personality as a case of ‘Jekyll and Hyde’. Contents & Instructions For the purpose of this book, the novella will be read in eight sections of similar length. The novella is not included here - simply refer to the chapter headings to know what to read before completing the assignments. Following each section are reading comprehension assignments that focus on language and style. The student is asked: • to ‘translate’ two short passages into more contemporary language, showing that they have grasped the meaning of the language and can express the same thing as the author using their own words (These passages are underlined in the main body of the text.) • to familiarise themselves with a list of several words or phrases. These should be looked up or discussed with a teacher to be sure the student fully grasps their meaning. If you wish, you may write down a short definition of each. • to explain, in one or two sentences, a short passage from the text that includes some form of figurative language • to write a substantial paragraph in which the student observes the deliberate choice of language made by the author. A specific topic is given for each section.

Read and Reflect! This assignment will take at least one week to complete. The student will read a thoughtful and informative piece of writing by Henry David Thoreau on the subject of ‘Wild Apples’, in which various themes are addressed, including history, myth, literature, philosophy and first-hand observations and reflections by the author. Several topics for essays are suggested. The student will treat the Thoreau text as a source for research purposes, and write an essay to show that they have familiarized themselves with the contents of the source, and have also thought about the contents. About The Text Thoreau is known for his unique and pensive style of writing. He spent considerable time in the wilderness and shared his reflections about nature and its relationship to mankind in his works. Here Thoreau ponders upon a marvelous fruit that has been important to humans since ancient times. He organises his musings according to the following themes: the History of the Apple Tree; the Wild Apple; the Crab-Apple; How the Wild Apple Grows; The Fruit and its Flavour; Their Beauty; the Naming of Them; the Last Gleaning; the ‘Frozen-Thawed’ Apple. Younger students often delve into season-related schoolwork in autumn – here is a text that will allow older students to do the same, and perhaps encourage appreciation of our natural surroundings, a gift at any age.

Here are six pieces of writing about ‘The Moon’, and six different writing assignments to go with them! Topics include: an ancient Japanese fairy tale (monogatari), scientific speculation regarding how the Moon formed, a renowned old epic poem about a knight who loses his wits (which are later found on the Moon), Chinese poetry about gazing at the Moon, science fiction about creatures on the Moon, and an ancient Greek dialogue about what the Earth and its human inhabitants might look like from the Moon. Writing assignments vary – from rewriting a small portion of a story, to summarizing information, to writing a dialogue in the style of ‘rhetoric’, to describing being led about by an inhabitant of the Moon. A photograph of the Moon, taken through a telescope, is included (both in colour and in black and white) to be used as decoration on the student’s notebook. Literature & Composition collections are suitable for students who are ready to read and study different types of literature in small quantities. For example, instead of an entire novel or scholarly work, a small sample of each (which can stand on its own) will be presented. This way, the intermediate student has an opportunity to stretch their reading abilities without being discouraged. Each book contains six different writing samples that share a common theme. The writing assignments vary in length and are intended to inspire the student to try writing in different forms and styles.

Depuis le départ du premier consul pour la campagne de Marengo, où je le suivis, jusqu'au départ de Fontainebleau, où je fus obligé de quitter l'empereur, je n'ai fait que deux absences, l'une de trois fois vingt-quatre heures, l'autre de sept ou huit jours. Hors ces congés fort courts, dont le dernier m'était nécessaire pour rétablir ma santé, je n'ai pas plus quitté l'empereur que son ombre. MÉMOIRES DE CONSTANT, Introduction. About The Author Louis Constant Wairy was a personal servant of Joséphine Bonaparte, and later Napoléon Bonaparte. As Napoléon’s ‘premier valet de chambre’, he was at the emperor’s side for fifteen years. Incredibly, he wrote an account of his experiences, offering the curious reader interesting insights about the famous couple’s personalities and habits, and also relating anecdotes and offering descriptions that bring the time and places of Napoléon’s rule to life. Whether you admire the self-proclaimed emperor – or not – you are sure to find this selection of texts entertaining, for the descriptions of historical events, fashions, battles, palaces, daily life and people. Contents & Instructions Here are 27 excerpts from the diaries of Constant, suitable for advanced students who are ready to improve their French through a generous amount of reading. Each text is two to three pages long. The student should begin by reading the excerpt. Unfamiliar vocabulary should be copied into the blank list provided for each section (or a separate notebook), and translated with the help of a dictionary. If it is easier for the student to make notes in the margins of the text they may do so. Large margins have been provided for this purpose. Having read the excerpt, the student must now exercise their research and writing skills. Choose what type of essay you will write before your begin reading the excerpts (or have a teacher choose for you). Refer to the ‘Essay Writing’ section and follow the instructions to write either a snythèse de texte, commentaire de texte, or dissertation.

This collection of French texts contains fourteen selections on the subject of ‘cats’, taken from Champfleury’s ‘Les Chats – Histoires, Mœurs, Observations, Anecdotes’ published in 1869. (Please note that although it dates from a previous century, the language remains appropriate for French written style.) Each two-page piece of writing addresses a specific topic in a thoughtful manner. Following each selection are: four reading comprehension questions, a dictée, phrases to translate, room for a vocabulary list and a place to write a ‘résumé’ of the text. The selections may be completed in any order – each one is unique and an effort has been made to avoid any repetition of vocabulary in the lists of phrases, so that a student may use this entire collection and continue to learn with each new topic.

Here are six pieces of writing about Trees, and six different writing assignments to go with them! Topics include: two contrasting poems about well-loved trees, a description of the beauty of the fallen leaves of beech trees, a first-hand account of traipsing through a tropical forest, a portion of the oldest known poem about Robin Hood in which he happily returns to the ‘grene wode’, a comparison of Pine and Fir trees, and a renowned Japanese fairy tale about the sound of the wind in the trees. Writing assignments vary – from describing a special moment linked to a tree to contemplating the beauty of trees’ levas in a descriptive paragraph, to writing in Middle English (or translating a bit of Middle English into today’s English) to writing a short story that includes a character who uses some part of a tree for clothing. An image of two Pine Trees (Anonymous) is included to be used as decoration on the student’s notebook. Literature & Composition collections are suitable for students who are ready to read and study different types of literature in small quantities. For example, instead of an entire novel or scholarly work, a small sample of each (which can stand on its own) will be presented. This way, the intermediate student has an opportunity to stretch their reading abilities without being discouraged. Each book contains six different writing samples that share a common theme. The writing assignments vary in length and are intended to inspire the student to try writing in different forms and styles.

Here are six pieces of writing about Water, and six different writing assignments to go with them! Topics include: a rich description of ocean water, a Robert Frost poem about fetching water from a brook, a sudden river flood in the mountains, a philosophical comparison of someone’s personality to water, a first-hand account of remarkable bodies of water near ancient Rome, and a 19th century traveler’s diary entry about the value of water in the desert. Writing assignments vary – from writing a description of different bodies of water, to summarizing information in a letter, to using water for comparison to describing a powerful and frightening phenomenon involving water. An image of ‘Minnehaha Falls’ by Albert Bierstadt (1830-1902) is included to be used as decoration on the student’s notebook. Literature & Composition collections are suitable for students who are ready to read and study different types of literature in small quantities. For example, instead of an entire novel or scholarly work, a small sample of each (which can stand on its own) will be presented. This way, the intermediate student has an opportunity to stretch their reading abilities without being discouraged. Each book contains six different writing samples that share a common theme. The writing assignments vary in length and are intended to inspire the student to try writing in different forms and styles.

Here are six pieces of writing about Winter, and six different writing assignments to go with them! Topics include: a narrow escape on an icy bridge, skating alone on a winter’s night, descriptive poetry in four-beat verse, the drama of inadequate winter clothing, a place in the mountains where it is always winter, and a ridiculous winter ‘tall’ tale. Writing assignments vary – from summarizing events in the third person, to writing a poem in four-beat verse, to describing a winter rescue, to writing a deliberately absurd story involving melting snow. An image of a photograph entitled Ice One is included to be used as decoration on the student’s notebook. Literature & Composition collections are suitable for students who are ready to read and study different types of literature in small quantities. For example, instead of an entire novel or scholarly work, a small sample of each (which can stand on its own) will be presented. This way, the intermediate student has an opportunity to stretch their reading abilities without being discouraged. Each book contains six different writing samples that share a common theme. The writing assignments vary in length and are intended to inspire the student to try writing in different forms and styles.

Make your empty Kleenex boxes into a pretty craft! Instructions, tips, four small templates and four large templates are included here. This is a fun way to re-use thin coloured cardboard from common household packaging! Larger cardboard mosaics can be completed by younger children, and smaller ones by older children, teens or adults. Use your completed mosaic to decorate the cover of a notebook, make a card, as a wall hanging, or give it as a gift! Cardboard Mosaics and other similar crafts (such as cut and paste puzzles) are excellent tools for developing fine motor skills. This in turn can improve a student’s performance in other areas such as playing a musical instrument, writing neatly, attention to detail, patience, and the ability to concentrate for longer periods of time. Go slowly and be generous with your praise – fine work takes practise and perseverance!

Here are six pieces of writing about ‘Travel’, and six different writing assignments to go with them! Topics include: lyric poetry about travellers, describing the oldest known map of London, a traveller in Italy who is happy to arrive at her final destination, travel by sea from America to Europe, mixed feelings about a destination (by Nathanial Hawthorne), and travel by troika (sleigh) in a Russian winter. Writing assignments vary – from comparing and contrasting two poems, to writing a first-hand account of travel, to describing a map (included), to answering challenging questions about a text. An image of a pile of well-used suitcases is included (both in colour and in black and white) to be used as decoration on the student’s notebook. Literature & Composition collections are suitable for students who are ready to read and study different types of literature in small quantities. For example, instead of an entire novel or scholarly work, a small sample of each (which can stand on its own) will be presented. This way, the intermediate student has an opportunity to stretch their reading abilities without being discouraged. Each book contains six different writing samples that share a common theme. The writing assignments vary in length and are intended to inspire the student to try writing in different forms and styles.

Here are six pieces of writing about the Sun, and six different writing assignments to go with them! Topics include: the Sun in space, ‘Son of the Sun’ by Jack London, an Aesop’s fable, Inuit elders observe changes in the Sun, a poem in free verse by Vladimir Mayakovksy, and a Blackfoot legend about Old Man and the Sun. Writing assignments vary – from writing a description of someone who has been in the Sun a great deal, to writing a poem in free verse, to making ‘comments’ on an article, to inventing a story with a moral. An image of an old-fashioned drawing of the Sun is included to be used as decoration on the student’s notebook. Literature & Composition collections are suitable for students who are ready to read and study different types of literature in small quantities. For example, instead of an entire novel or scholarly work, a small sample of each (which can stand on its own) will be presented. This way, the intermediate student has an opportunity to stretch their reading abilities without being discouraged. Each book contains six different writing samples that share a common theme. The writing assignments vary in length and are intended to inspire the student to try writing in different forms and styles.

Here are six pieces of writing about Chinese Dragons, and six different writing assignments to go with them! Themes include: Dramatic Dragons, Foolish Dragons, Dragons in Mythical Tales, Dragons and the Seasons, and Dragons & Treasure! Writing assignments vary – from writing a clear summary to letting your imagination run wild, from describing dragon treasure to trying to imagine how a dragon could ‘fit in’ with your own cultural traditions. A traditional Chinese paper cutting of a dragon is included to be used as decoration on the student’s notebook. Stories are taken from anthologies of Chinese folktales. Literature & Composition collections are suitable for students who are ready to read and study different types of literature in small quantities. For example, instead of an entire novel or scholarly work, a small sample of each (which can stand on its own) will be presented. This way, the intermediate student has an opportunity to stretch their reading abilities without being discouraged. Each book contains six different writing samples which share a common theme. The writing assignments vary in length and are intended to inspire the student to try writing in different forms and styles.

Here are six pieces of writing about Irish Fairies, and six different writing assignments to go with them! Themes include: an authentic Irish fairy-tale, different kinds of fairies (not all friendly), a first-hand account of seeing leprechauns, official research about fairies, and a fairy poem! Writing assignments vary – from writing a story with specific requirements, to telling a tale with a unique accent, from summarizing scholarly research to writing a poem. An image of a Celtic knot is included (use it for advanced colouring, or print it in green) to be used as decoration on the student’s notebook. Stories are taken from official Fairy books by W.B. Yeats and Thomas Keightley. Literature & Composition collections are suitable for students who are ready to read and study different types of literature in small quantities. For example, instead of an entire novel or scholarly work, a small sample of each (which can stand on its own) will be presented. This way, the intermediate student has an opportunity to stretch their reading abilities without being discouraged. Each book contains six different writing samples that share a common theme. The writing assignments vary in length and are intended to inspire the student to try writing in different forms and styles.

This collection contains 27 stories and poems on the theme of ‘Autumn’ (including some selections suitable for Thanksgiving and Hallowe’en), and a handful of ‘Trees’ colouring pages from Medieval woodcuts. Following each selection is a ‘Topic of Discussion’: a question which requires the student to think about one element of the text they just read, to form an opinion about it, and to express and defend that opinion. Younger students will benefit from the effort spent reading (either in their head or out loud) and then speaking with a parent/teacher or in a classroom setting about the Topic of Discussion, in a free style. Older students can benefit from using the Topic of Discussion as a starting point for a written assignment. I recommend that the older student state clearly what their point of view is, and defend it in one or two paragraphs. This will be good practise in defending an argument, a skill which becomes useful for essay-writing assignments in upper grades. The exercise of writing clearly and stating a coherent defense will prove a worthy challenge, even for pieces of writing which have simpler themes. Note: These selections are suitable for students in elementary or middle school, but are not presented in any specific order. Different texts may be better suited to older or younger students: a parent or teacher should always preview each individual piece of writing to make sure it is appropriate for a specific age group.