Archive for the ‘Boomerang’ Category

2017 Fall Class Registration is OPEN

Registration is OPEN for Brave Writer Online Classes

Brave Writer Online Classes provide a safe space for writing risks.

Fall Class Registration is OPEN

Today is our biggest online class registration event of the year. Our Arrow and Boomerang Book Clubs are open for registration as well. Spots fill quickly so don’t wait to sign up!

New to our online class registration day? I’ve got tips for you!

You will receive two email confirmations (one of payment and one showing your classes)

Charter School payments are collected later. Select “charter school” at the payment window to complete your registration. You will receive ONE receipt.

We’ve created an FAQ you can read too.

If you get stuck, contact us:

  • Use the live chat box on the website
  • Or email us at [email protected] (Put a clear subject line: “Payment didn’t go through” or “I can’t get past the ‘add a child’ page”)
  • We’ll get back to you as quickly as possible!

Register for Fall Writing Classes HERE

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The Winners of our Big Book Giveaway!

2017-18 Big Book Winners

We wanted you to have the books to go with your Arrow or Boomerang purchase so we held a BIG BOOK GIVEAWAY for the 2017-18 book collections!

Here are the 5 lucky winners:

  • Betsy Frodermann
  • Deanna Niles McConnell
  • Emily Anderson
  • Sandy Foutz
  • Vincent Casey Lee

Congratulations! You’ll be contacted soon and your set of Arrow or Boomerang titles (your pick!) will be on its way (international winners will receive a $100 Amazon gift card to buy the books).

2017-18 Arrow and Boomerang Books

The Arrow (3rd-6th) and the Boomerang (7th-10th) are Brave Writer’s language arts tools (digital magazines) that teach

  • grammar,
  • spelling,
  • punctuation,
  • and literary elements using living literature (a la Charlotte Mason)

They include

  • four passages for copywork and dictation,
  • parent-friendly notes to help you teach the mechanics of writing,
  • nine discussion questions,
  • and a sheet of themed-party suggestions.

Each issue publishes on the 1st of the month and will be available for download from a private folder on our Brave Writer Website.

One caveat: We are offering Arrow and Boomerang book clubs for ALL 20 titles (registration opens in July). If you decide you want your kids to be in our book discussion clubs, know that the issues of the Arrow and Boomerang are included for the price of the club.

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Science-Themed Language Arts

Science-Themed Language Arts

Brave Writer’s mechanics and literature guides are digital products that feature copywork and dictation passages from specific read aloud novels. The guides are indispensable tools for parents who want to teach language arts in a natural, literature-bathed context.

Science-Themed

Dart (ages 8-10)

Nim’s Island

A girl. An iguana. An island. And e-mail. Meet Nim–a modern-day Robinson Crusoe! She can chop down bananas with a machete, climb tall palm trees, and start a fire with a piece of glass. So she’s not afraid when her scientist dad sails off to study plankton for three days, leaving her alone on their island. Besides, it’s not as if no one’s looking after her–she’s got a sea lion to mother her and an iguana for comic relief. She also has an interesting new e-mail pal. But when her father’s cell-phone calls stop coming and disaster seems near, Nim has to be stronger and braver than she’s ever been before. —Amazon

Arrow (ages 11-12)

Carry On, Mr. Bowditch

Readers today are still fascinated by “Nat,” an eighteenth-century nautical wonder and mathematical wizard. Nathaniel Bowditch grew up in a sailor’s world—Salem in the early days, when tall-masted ships from foreign ports crowded the wharves. But Nat didn’t promise to have the makings of a sailor; he was too physically small. Nat may have been slight of build, but no one guessed that he had the persistence and determination to master sea navigation in the days when men sailed only by “log, lead, and lookout.” —Amazon

Galen and the History of Medicine

When Endemus recovered, suddenly people all over Rome wanted Galen to be their doctor…Galen gave lectures to explain his ideas…In one demonstration, Galen wanted to prove that speech came from the brain, not the heart, even though sound seems to come from the chest. —From the book

Science Verse

What if a boring lesson about the food chain becomes a sing-aloud celebration about predators and prey? A twinkle-twinkle little star transforms into a twinkle-less, sunshine-eating-and rhyming Black Hole? What if amoebas, combustion, metamorphosis, viruses, the creation of the universe are all irresistible, laugh-out-loud poetry? Well, you’re thinking in science verse, that’s what. And if you can’t stop the rhymes . . . the atomic joke is on you. Only the amazing talents of Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith, the team who created Math Curse, could make science so much fun. —Amazon

Nature Study

Brave Writer Online Class: Skip into Science

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How We Select Boomerang Books

How We Select Boomerang Books

The Boomerang is Brave Writer’s monthly digital product that features a classic work of fiction each month. These novels are used to teach the mechanics of writing (grammar, spelling, punctuation, and literary elements) to students, usually 8th grade and above.

Sometimes Boomerang book selections contain mature language or themes, and parents have asked why we chose them. We share below how we select all the books on our list.

[This post contains an Amazon affiliate link. When you click on the link to make a purchase,
Brave Writer receives compensation at no extra cost to you. Thank you!]

We pick books because we love them.

For instance, I’ve read The Thing About Jellyfish (and sobbed my little heart out at the end – such a tearjerker of mother’s love!). The novel is the story of a middle school aged girl struggling to process her grief at the loss of her best friend from childhood (death by possible drowning). The writing is gorgeous and the attention to detail, astonishing.

The books also represent the following criteria:

Quality literature (good writing).

For example, the 2017-18 books include Newbery Medal winners and National Book Award finalists.

Diverse authorship.

  • male/female
  • various viewpoints
  • diverse ethnicity
  • diverse time period
  • classics and modern

Both male and female protagonists.

Variety of genres.

  • poetry
  • prose
  • first person narrative
  • third person narrative
  • fantasy
  • historical fiction, etc.

That’s how books make it to our list.

What I often say to parents is this: select books that both feel right for your family (your values) and those that stretch you to include viewpoints you aren’t familiar with. Even when you disagree with something, it is worth it to read and discover how others see the world and to appreciate how their point of view feels to them. Reading a book is not the same as agreeing with a viewpoint.

That said, we encourage parents to make their own judgments. The Boomerang will address the writing. That’s our focus.

Brave Writer Boomerang Book ClubBoomerang Book Club

Teens are invited to join our virtual book club! Rather than reading in isolation, without the benefit of examining the writing and the layers of meaning novelists intend, The Boomerang Book Club provides a forum for that opportunity.

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Arrow/Boomerang SALE + Giveaway!

2017-18 Arrow/Boomerang Sale + Giveaway

A Big Book Bonanza just for you!

1. Big Book Giveaway

You could win ALL 10 of the Arrow or Boomerang books to go with your Arrow or Boomerang purchase in June. Details for the Giveaway are below.

2. A Sale in June

Brave Writer is pleased to announce that the 2017-2018 Arrow and Boomerang Collections are on sale for the entire month of June.

Arrow: $69.00 (regular price: $79.00)

Boomerang $89.00 (regular price: $99.00)

We’ve added a new feature to BOTH sets of guides: A list of Book Club activities and ideas to host your own Arrow and Boomerang parties!

Our brand new staff member, Mary Wilson (from the popular blog “Not Before 7“) is our party planner.

Mary Wilson

Mary will share her amazing tips and ideas for bringing these books to life AND she’ll be hosting a special Facebook Group for subscribers to both the Arrow and Boomerang.

PLUS the Arrow is being written this year by the incredible Melissa Wiley, children’s novelist!

Melissa Wiley

10 Issue Bundle Sale Runs June 1-30!

The Arrow (3rd-6th) and the Boomerang (7th-10th) are Brave Writer’s language arts tools (digital magazines) that teach

  • grammar,
  • spelling,
  • punctuation,
  • nine discussion questions,
  • a sheet of themed-party suggestions,
  • and literary elements using living literature (a la Charlotte Mason)

We pick books for you to read that represent a diversity of perspectives and writing genres to expand the horizons of your young charges. From those books, we select four passages for copywork and dictation, paired with easy to understand notes written in a conversational and engaging style.

Each issue publishes on the 1st of the month and will be available for download from a private folder on our Brave Writer Website.

One caveat: We are offering Arrow and Boomerang book clubs for ALL 20 titles (registration opens in July). If you decide you want your kids to be in our book discussion clubs, know that the issues of the Arrow and Boomerang are included for the price of the club.

We’re giving away 5 sets of 10 books!

Here’s your chance to win either the Arrow or Boomerang Book Collection for 2017-2018! We want you to have the books to go with your Arrow or Boomerang purchase.

To enter, simply fill out our form. For additional entries, share the contest with friends. So easy!

International Brave Writer fans can play too (if you win, we’ll send you a $100 Amazon gift card so you can buy the books yourself). No purchase necessary to play. Ends June 30, 2017. Winners will be announced July 3rd.

Enter the Giveaway

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