Classical Rhetoric Courses offered by the LLC

Introducing affordable new courses
for Tapestry of Grace students!
Just $175 for the entire school year!

We now offer a full range of rhetoric-level Tapestry of Grace courses for all year plans. At just $175 for the entire school year, these new budget-friendly bi-weekly courses are an affordable addition for your family:
Rhetoric Worldview
Rhetoric Fine Arts
Rhetoric Philosophy
Rhetoric Government

NOTE: all book lists are tentative. Finalized book lists will be provided to registered students in May.

YEAR 1: The Ancient World

YEAR 1 RHETORIC HISTORY

This is a hybrid class for both rhetoric and honors history students. Each week, assignments for both rhetoric and honors students will be posted, and students simply complete the appropriate assignments before coming together to discuss their work. Honors students read all Tapestry core and in-depth reading assignments each week, while rhetoric students read a pared-down selection.

Students explore the Ancient World from Creation to the Fall of Rome. This Socratic discussion course, based on the Tapestry of Grace Year 1 History curriculum, may include review games, student presentations, geography, debates, quizzes, forum participation, etc.

Age: Minimum age 14. Recommended for 9th graders - 12th graders.

Required Resources:
Tapestry of Grace Year 1 or Tapestry of Grace Year 1 Rhetoric History Spool
Recommended Book List for rhetoric students HERE and honors students HERE

Optional Resources:
Year 1 Map Aids

YEAR 1 RHETORIC LITERATURE

Year 1 Rhetoric Literature is a hybrid class for rhetoric and honors students that explores ancient literature from Creation to the Fall of Rome. This Socratic discussion course is based on the Tapestry of Grace Year 1 literature curriculum and also may include review games, student presentations, quizzes, forum participation, etc. Rhetoric and honors students will complete the same assignments each week and discuss the work together. In addition to weekly assignments, honors students also will analyze and present three additional works.

Age: Minimum age 14. Recommended for 9th - 12th graders.

Prerequisite for Honors Students: Strong reader or one year of rhetoric literature.

Required Resources for rhetoric and honors students:
Tapestry of Grace Year 1 or Tapestry of Grace Year 1 Rhetoric Literature Spool
Recommended Book List HERE

YEAR 1 RHETORIC WRITING

Students will study elements of style, rhythm, mechanics, structure, and content in a variety of genres. For each genre covered, students will receive instruction, collaborate with classmates online, submit drafts to their instructor, and receive personalized feedback on ways to improve their writing.

Because students will be required to use assigned writing prompts with topics from the Tapestry history component, students are required to either be enrolled in one of our Year 1 History classes or be studying Tapestry Year 1 History at home in order to participate in this writing class.

Typical genres covered in this course include: Expository Essay, Analytical Essay, Descriptive Essay, Persuasive Essay, Compare/Contrast Essay, Narrative Essay, Personal Profile, Essay Tests, Research Paper, Playwriting, Multi-Media Presentation.

Note: Assignments for this course are typically due Thursday 5:00 PM ET.

Age: Minimum age 14.

Prerequisite: Students should be able to write a strong paragraph, comprised of rich, cohesive sentences, be able to combine those paragraphs into a unified report, and be ready to handle the depth of analysis and synthesis required for high school-level essay writing.

Required Resources:
Writing Aids

YEAR 1 RHETORIC FINE ARTS

Students explore the fine arts of the Ancient World from Creation to the Fall of Rome. This Socratic discussion course, based on Tapestry of Grace Year 1, meets bi-weekly for 45 minutes during weeks when Tapestry of Grace assigns work. Work may include review games, student presentations, debates, forum participation, quizzes, tests, etc.

Age: Minimum age 14. Recommended for 9th graders - 12th graders.

Required Resources:

Tapestry of Grace Year 1 or Tapestry of Grace Year 1 Rhetoric Fine Arts Spool
Art: A World History, by Elke Linda Buchholz
The Story of Architecture, by Jonathan Glancey

YEAR 1 RHETORIC WORLDVIEW

Students covers a survey of the Bible, religions of ancient cultures, and early church history of the Ancient World from Creation to the Fall of Rome. This Socratic discussion course, based on Tapestry of Grace Year 1, meets bi-weekly for 45 minutes during weeks when Tapestry of Grace assigns work. Work may include review games, student presentations, debates, quizzes, tests, etc.

Age: Minimum age 14. Recommended for 9th graders - 12th graders.

Required Resources:

Tapestry of Grace Year 1 or Tapestry of Grace Year 1 Rhetoric Worldviews Spool
What the Bible Is All About, by Henrietta Mears
World Religions, by John Bowker (optional)
Church History in Plain Language, by Bruce Shelley (used only 2 weeks)

YEAR 1 RHETORIC PHILOSOPHY

Students use a unique skit approach to explore the philosophers of the ancient world. This Socratic discussion course, based on Tapestry of Grace Year 1, meets bi-weekly for 45 minutes during weeks when Tapestry of Grace assigns work. Work may include review games, student presentations, debates, quizzes, tests, etc.

Age: Minimum age 14. Recommended for 9th graders - 12th graders.

Required Resources:

Tapestry of Grace Year 1 or Tapestry of Grace Year 1 Rhetoric Philosophy Spool
The Philosophy Book, by Will Buckingham et al.

YEAR 1 RHETORIC GOVERNMENT

Students explore foundational questions such as: "What is a government?" "Why do people form governments?" "What are different types of governments?" Then, they investigate the governments of the ancient world. This Socratic discussion course, based on Tapestry of Grace Year 1, meets bi-weekly for 45 minutes during weeks when Tapestry of Grace assigns work. Work may include review games, student presentations, debates, quizzes, tests, etc.

Age: Minimum age 14. Recommended for 9th graders - 12th graders.

Required Resources:

Tapestry of Grace Year 1 or Tapestry of Grace Year 1 Rhetoric Government Spool.
Key Documents in Government Studies 1, by Lampstand Press (most of these documents are available free online if you search them out)
Plato: Republic, translated by G.M.A. Grube
The Bible
Analects, by Confucius, edited by Thomas Crofts (or any available version)

YEAR 2: Medieval to Modern

YEAR 2 RHETORIC HISTORY

Year 2 Rhetoric History is a hybrid class for rhetoric and honors students that explores the Middle Ages from Byzantium to the New World. Each week, assignments for both rhetoric and honors students will be posted, and students simply complete the appropriate assignments before coming together to discuss their work. Honors students read all Tapestry core and in-depth reading assignments each week, while rhetoric students read a pared-down selection.

This Socratic discussion course is based on the Tapestry of Grace Year 2 History curriculum but also may include review games, student presentations, geography, debates, quizzes, forum participation, etc.

Age: Minimum age 14. Recommended for 9th - 12th graders.

Required Resources:
Tapestry of Grace Year 2 or Tapestry of Grace Year 2 Rhetoric History Spool
Recommended Book List for rhetoric students HERE and for honors students HERE.

Optional Resources:
Year 2 Map Aids

YEAR 2 RHETORIC LITERATURE

The Year 2 Rhetoric Literature is a hybrid class for rhetoric and honors students that explores literature from the Middle Ages to the New World. This Socratic discussion course is based on the Tapestry of Grace Year 2 literature curriculum and also may include review games, student presentations, debates, quizzes, forum participation, etc. Rhetoric and honors students will complete the same assignments each week and discuss the work together. In addition to weekly assignments, honors students also will analyze and present three additional works.

Age: Minimum age 14. Recommended for mature 9th - 12th graders.

Prerequisite for Honors Students: Strong reader or one year of rhetoric literature.

Required Resources:
Tapestry of Grace Year 2 or Tapestry of Grace Year 2 Rhetoric Literature Spool
Recommended Book List HERE

YEAR 2 RHETORIC WRITING

Students will study elements of style, rhythm, mechanics, structure, and content in a variety of genres. For each genre covered, students will receive instruction, collaborate with classmates online, submit drafts to their instructor, and receive personalized feedback on ways to improve their writing.

Because students will be required to use assigned writing prompts with topics from the Tapestry history component, students are required to either be enrolled in one of our Year 2 History classes, or studying Year 2 Tapestry History at home in order to participate in this writing class.

Typical genres covered in this course include: Expository Essay, Analytical Essay, Persuasive Essay, Compare/Contrast Essay, Narrative Essay, Essay Tests, Biography Research Paper, Poetry, Multi-Media Presentation, Websites

Note: Assignments for this class are typically due Thursday 5:00 PM ET.

Age: Minimum age 14.

Prerequisite: Students should be able to write a strong paragraph, comprised of rich, cohesive sentences, be able to combine those paragraphs into a unified report, and be ready to handle the depth of analysis and synthesis required for high school-level essay writing.

Required Resources
Writing Aids

YEAR 2 RHETORIC FINE ART

Students explore the fine arts of the Ancient World from Creation to the Fall of Rome. This Socratic discussion course, based on Tapestry of Grace Year 2, meets bi-weekly for 45 minutes during weeks when Tapestry of Grace assigns work. Work may include review games, student presentations, debates, forum participation, quizzes, tests, etc.

Age: Minimum age 14. Recommended for 9th graders - 12th graders.

Required Resources:

Tapestry of Grace Year 2 or Tapestry of Grace Year 2 Rhetoric Fine Arts Spool
The Vintage Guide to Classical Music, by Jan Swafford
Art: A World History, by Elke Linda Buchholz
The Story of Architecture, by Jonathan Glancey

YEAR 2 RHETORIC WORLDVIEW

Students cover the history of the church and world religions of the Middle Ages from Byzantium to the New World. This Socratic discussion course, based on Tapestry of Grace Year 2, meets bi-weekly for 45 minutes during weeks when Tapestry of Grace assigns work. Work may include review games, student presentations, debates, quizzes, tests, etc.

Age: Minimum age 14. Recommended for 9th graders - 12th graders.

Required Resources:

Tapestry of Grace Year 2 or Tapestry of Grace Year 2 Rhetoric Worldviews Spool
Church History in Plain Language, by Bruce Shelley (used many weeks)
World Religions, by John Bowker (used only 3 weeks, may research online)
Foxe's book of Martyrs, by John Foxe (used 6 weeks)
Worldly Saints, by Leland Ryken (used 3 weeks)
Praying With John Wesley, David deSilva (used 1 week)

YEAR 2 RHETORIC PHILOSOPHY

Students use a unique skit approach to explore the philosophers and philosophical thought of the Middle Ages from Byzantium to the New World. This Socratic discussion course, based on Tapestry of Grace Year 2, meets bi-weekly for 45 minutes during weeks when Tapestry of Grace assigns work. Work may include review games, student presentations, debates, quizzes, tests, etc.

Age: Minimum age 14. Recommended for 9th graders - 12th graders.

Required Resources:

Tapestry of Grace Year 2 or Tapestry of Grace Year 2 Rhetoric Philosophy Spool
The Philosophy Book, by Will Buckingham et al.

YEAR 2 RHETORIC GOVERNMENT

Students investigate the governments of the Middle Ages from Byzantium to the New World. This Socratic discussion course, based on Tapestry of Grace Year 2, meets bi-weekly for 45 minutes during weeks when Tapestry of Grace assigns work. Work may include review games, student presentations, debates, quizzes, tests, etc.

Age: Minimum age 14. Recommended for 9th graders - 12th graders.

Required Resources:

Tapestry of Grace Year 2 or Tapestry of Grace Year 2 Rhetoric Government Spool.
Key Documents in Government Studies 2, by Lampstand Press (most of these documents are available free online if you search them out)
The Theme Is Freedom, by M. Stanton Evans
On the Medieval Origins of the Modern State, Joseph Strayer, Princeton Classics

YEAR 3: The Nineteenth Century

YEAR 3 RHETORIC HISTORY

Year 3 Rhetoric History is a hybrid class for rhetoric and honors students that explores the nineteenth Century from Napoleon to Teddy Roosevelt. Each week, assignments for both rhetoric and honors students will be posted, and students simply complete the appropriate assignments before coming together to discuss their work. Honors students read all Tapestry core and in-depth reading assignments each week, while rhetoric students read a pared-down selection.

This Socratic discussion course is based on the Tapestry of Grace Year 3 History curriculum and also may include review games, student presentations, geography, debates, quizzes, forum participation, etc.

Age: Minimum age 14. Recommended for 9th graders - 12th graders.

Required Resources:
Tapestry of Grace Year 3 or Tapestry of Grace Year 3 Rhetoric History Spool
Recommended Book List for rhetoric students HERE and for honors students HERE.

Optional Resources:
Year 3 Map Aids

YEAR 3 RHETORIC LITERATURE

The Year 3 Rhetoric Literature course is a hybrid class for rhetoric and honors students that explores nineteenth-century literature in both America and Europe. This Socratic discussion course is based on the Tapestry of Grace Year 3 literature curriculum, and also may include review games, student presentations, geography, debates, quizzes, weekly forum participation, etc. Rhetoric and honors students will complete the same assignments each week and discuss the work together. In addition to weekly assignments, honors students also will analyze and present three additional works.

Age: Minimum age 14. Recommended for 9th – 12th graders.

Prerequisite for Honors Students: Strong reader or one year of rhetoric literature.

Required Resources
Tapestry of Grace Year 3 or Tapestry of Grace Year 3 Rhetoric Literature Spool
Recommended Book List HERE

YEAR 3 RHETORIC WRITING

Students will study elements of style, rhythm, mechanics, structure, and content in a variety of genres. For each genre covered, students will receive instruction, collaborate with classmates online, submit drafts to their instructor, and receive personalized feedback on ways to improve their writing.

Because students will be required to use assigned writing prompts with topics from the Tapestry history component, students are required to either be enrolled in one of our Year 3 History classes, or studying Year 3 Tapestry History at home in order to participate in this writing class.

Typical genres covered in this course include: Expository Essay, Analytical Essay, Descriptive Essay, Persuasive Essay, Compare/Contrast Essay, Narrative Essay, Personal Profile, Essay Tests, Research Paper, Playwriting, Multi-Media Presentation.

Note: Assignments for this class are typically due Thursday at 5:00 PM ET.

Age: Minimum age 14.

Prerequisite: Students should be able to write a strong paragraph, comprised of rich, cohesive sentences, be able to combine those paragraphs into a unified report, and be ready to handle the depth of analysis and synthesis required for high school-level essay writing.

Required Resources
Writing Aids

YEAR 3 RHETORIC FINE ARTS

Students explore the fine arts of the nineteenth Century from Napoleon to Teddy Roosevelt. This Socratic discussion course, based on Tapestry of Grace Year 3, meets bi-weekly for 45 minutes during weeks when Tapestry of Grace assigns work. Work may include review games, student presentations, debates, forum participation, quizzes, tests, etc.

Age: Minimum age 14. Recommended for 9th graders - 12th graders.

Required Resources:

Tapestry of Grace Year 3 or Tapestry of Grace Year 3 Rhetoric Fine Arts Spool
The Vintage Guide to Classical Music, by Jan Swafford
Art: A World History, by Elke Linda Buchholz
The Story of Architecture, by Jonathan Glancey

YEAR 3 RHETORIC WORLDVIEW

Students cover the history of the church and world religions of the nineteenth Century from Napoleon to Teddy Roosevelt. This Socratic discussion course, based on Tapestry of Grace Year 3, meets bi-weekly for 45 minutes during weeks when Tapestry of Grace assigns work. Work may include review games, student presentations, debates, quizzes, tests, etc.

Age: Minimum age 14. Recommended for 9th graders - 12th graders.

Required Resources:

Tapestry of Grace Year 3 or Tapestry of Grace Year 3 Rhetoric Worldviews Spool
Adoniram Judson: Danger on the Streets of Gold, by Irene Howat (used 3 weeks)
Amazin Grace in the Life of WilliamWilberforce, by Jonathan Aitken (used 2 weeks)
The Civil War as a Theological Crisis, by Mark Noll (used 4 weeks)
David Livingstone: African Explorer, by John Tiner (used 2 weeks)
Hudson Taylor: Gospel Pioneer to China, by Vance Christie (used 3 weeks)
Church History in Plain Language, by Bruce Shelley (used 3 weeks)
Forgotten Spurgeon, by Iain Murray (used 3 weeks)
Mary Slessor Servant to the Slave, by (used 3 weeks)
Modern Revivalism, by William McLoughlin (used 5 weeks)
Mormonism Unmasked, by Philip Roberts (used 3 weeks)

YEAR 3 RHETORIC PHILOSOPHY

Students use a unique skit approach to explore the philosophers of the nineteenth Century from Napoleon to Teddy Roosevelt. This Socratic discussion course, based on Tapestry of Grace Year 3, meets bi-weekly for 45 minutes during weeks when Tapestry of Grace assigns work. Work may include review games, student presentations, debates, quizzes, tests, etc.

Age: Minimum age 14. Recommended for 9th graders - 12th graders.

Required Resources:

Tapestry of Grace Year 3 or Tapestry of Grace Year 3 Rhetoric Philosophy Spool
The Philosophy Book, by Will Buckingham et al.
The Universe Next Door, by James Sire (used 3 weeks)

YEAR 3 RHETORIC GOVERNMENT

Students investigate the governments of the nineteenth Century from Napoleon to Teddy Roosevelt. This Socratic discussion course, based on Tapestry of Grace Year 3, meets bi-weekly for 45 minutes during weeks when Tapestry of Grace assigns work. Work may include review games, student presentations, debates, quizzes, tests, etc.

Age: Minimum age 14. Recommended for 9th graders - 12th graders.

Required Resources:

Tapestry of Grace Year 3 or Tapestry of Grace Year 3 Rhetoric Government Spool.
Key Documents in Government Studies 3, by Lampstand Press (most of these documents are available free online if you search them out)
Democracy in America, by Alexis de Tocqueville

YEAR 4: The Twentieth Century & Beyond

YEAR 4 RHETORIC HISTORY

Year 4 Rhetoric History is a hybrid class for rhetoric and honors students that explores the twentieth century, from the turn of the century to the present day. Each week, assignments for both rhetoric and honors students will be posted, and students simply complete the appropriate assignments before coming together to discuss their work. Honors students read all Tapestry core and in-depth reading assignments each week, while rhetoric students read a pared-down selection.

This Socratic discussion course is based on the Tapestry of Grace Year 4 History curriculum and also may include review games, student presentations, geography, debates, quizzes, forum participation, etc.

Age: Minimum age 14. Recommended for 9th - 12th graders.

Required Resources
Tapestry of Grace Year 4 or Tapestry of Grace Year 4 Rhetoric History Spool
Recommended Book List for rhetoric students HERE and for honors students HERE

Optional Resources
Year 4 May Aids

YEAR 4 RHETORIC LITERATURE

Year 4 Rhetoric Literature is a hybrid class for rhetoric and honors students that explores twentieth century literature, primarily in America. This Socratic discussion course is based on the Tapestry of Grace Year 4 literature curriculum and also may include review games, student presentations, debates, quizzes, weekly forum participation, etc. Rhetoric and honors students will complete the same assignments each week and discuss the work together. In addition to weekly assignments, honors students also will analyze and present three additional works.

Age: Minimum age 14. Recommended for 9th - 12th graders.

Prerequisite for Honors Students: Strong reader or one year of rhetoric literature.

Required Resources
Tapestry of Grace Year 4 or Tapestry of Grace Year 4 Rhetoric Literature Spool
Recommended Book List HERE.

YEAR 4 RHETORIC WRITING

Students will study elements of style, rhythm, mechanics, structure, and content in a variety of genres. For each genre covered, students will receive instruction, collaborate with classmates online, submit drafts to their instructor, and receive personalized feedback on ways to improve their writing.

Because students will be required to use assigned writing prompts with topics from the Tapestry history component, students are required to either be enrolled in one of our Year 2 History classes, or studying Year 4 Tapestry History at home in order to participate in this writing class.

Typical genres covered in this course include: Expository Essay, Analytical Essay, Persuasive Essay, Compare/Contrast Essay, Narrative Essay, Essay Tests, Biography Research Paper, Poetry, Multi-Media Presentation, Website.

Note: Assignments for this class are typically due Thursday 5:00 PM ET.

Prerequisite: Students should be able to write a strong paragraph, comprised of rich, cohesive sentences, be able to combine those paragraphs into a unified report, and be ready to handle the depth of analysis and synthesis required for high school-level essay writing.

Age: Minimum age 14.

Required Resources:
Writing Aids

YEAR 4 RHETORIC FINE ARTS

Students explore the fine arts of the twentieth century, from the turn of the century to the present day. This Socratic discussion course, based on Tapestry of Grace Year 4, meets bi-weekly for 45 minutes during weeks when Tapestry of Grace assigns work. Work may include review games, student presentations, debates, forum participation, quizzes, tests, etc.

Age: Minimum age 14. Recommended for 9th graders - 12th graders.

Required Resources:

Tapestry of Grace Year 4 or Tapestry of Grace Year 4 Rhetoric Fine Arts Spool
The Vintage Guide to Classical Music, by Jan Swafford
Art: A World History, by Elke Linda Buchholz
The Story of Architecture, by Jonathan Glancey
Norman Rockwell; Storyteller with a Brush, by Beverly Gherman

YEAR 4 RHETORIC WORLDVIEW

Students cover the history of the church and world religions of the twentieth century, from the turn of the century to the present day. This Socratic discussion course, based on Tapestry of Grace Year 4, meets bi-weekly for 45 minutes during weeks when Tapestry of Grace assigns work. Work may include review games, student presentations, debates, quizzes, tests, etc.

Age: Minimum age 14. Recommended for 9th graders - 12th graders.

Required Resources:

Tapestry of Grace Year 4 or Tapestry of Grace Year 4 Rhetoric Worldviews Spool
Church History in Plain Language, by Bruce Shelley (used many weeks)
Modern Revivalism, by William McLoughlin (used many weeks)
The Screwtape Letters, by C.S. Lewis (used 3 weeks)
Dietrich Bonhoeffer: A Spoke in the Wheel, by Renate Wind (used 3 weeks)
The Hiding Place, by Corrie Ten Boom (used 4 weeks)
God's Smuggler, by Brother Andrew (used 3 weeks)
The Normal Christian Life, by Watchman Nee (used 5 weeks)
Light Force, by Brother Andrew (used many weeks)

YEAR 4 RHETORIC PHILOSOPHY

Students use a unique skit approach to explore the philosophers of the twentieth century, from the turn of the century to the present day. This Socratic discussion course, based on Tapestry of Grace Year 4, meets bi-weekly for 45 minutes during weeks when Tapestry of Grace assigns work. Work may include review games, student presentations, debates, quizzes, tests, etc.

Age: Minimum age 14. Recommended for 9th graders - 12th graders.

Required Resources:

Tapestry of Grace Year 4 or Tapestry of Grace Year 4 Rhetoric Philosophy Spool.
The Philosophy Book, by Will Buckingham et al.
The Universe Next Door, by James Sire

YEAR 4 RHETORIC GOVERNMENT

Students investigate the governments of the twentieth century, from the turn of the century to the present day. This Socratic discussion course, based on Tapestry of Grace Year 4, meets bi-weekly for 45 minutes during weeks when Tapestry of Grace assigns work. Work may include review games, student presentations, debates, quizzes, tests, etc.

Age: Minimum age 14. Recommended for 9th graders - 12th graders.

Required Resources:

Tapestry of Grace Year 4 or Tapestry of Grace Year 4 Rhetoric Government Spool
Key Documents in Government Studies 4, by Lampstand Press (most of these documents are available free online if you search them out)

Save Money on
Living Books

We help you manage the expense of getting the wonderful living books that our discussion courses use by providing you with a recommended book lists that identifies which weeks the books are used, so you will know which books you should purchase and which books you might be able to borrow from your library system.

To save time and money, visit Bookshelf Central to purchase all the recommended books at a discounted price.