In Scriptorium Writing Level One, students will learn how to write – not formulaically – but through hearing and imitating authors like Plutarch, Kipling, or Arnold Lobel, as is fitting to their age. Prior to every reading, the tropes, figures, and vocabulary within will be studied. After verbally narrating ('telling back') these well-crafted stories, the student will both a) make the tale their "own" in the process of narrating, and b) have a feel for the style and language. The last step of the 90-minute process is practicing writing a similar story, with descriptive feedback from the teacher and ongoing editing versus a finished product.

Scriptorium Level I utilizes Benjamin Lydda's curriculum – a rare resource that makes the pithy progymnasmata intelligible to children, while still using accessible English terms. Students will need their own Level I "workbook," which will be used as the source material for both in class work and assignments. All exercises and assignments will be introduced or started in class, and the remainder of writing will be done at home. Students will spend approximately 1-2 hours outside of class writing, depending on speed, and will read aloud in class or submit their work, depending on the assignment.

Course Objectives

1. Learn vocabulary and literary devices (imagery, simile, metaphor, alliteration, and onomatopoeia) through pictures & stories.
2. Learn English grammar, tropes, and figures by seeing them used in the context of beautiful literature.
3. Learn to persuasively imitate classic authors through the exercises of narration, fable, description, anecdote, and proverb.
4. Learn the language of virtues and vices, and understand the topics of thesis, definition, opposite, and appeal.

“...The academic essay is not developmentally appropriate for younger students who ought to be learning to enjoy writing in all its varieties. The solution, rather, is teaching narration and then the progymnasmata through eighth grade. ​ The primary exercises in the following pages train children in topics of invention, the critical though forgotten tools useful for helping answer the perennial question, “What do I write?” Once mastered, the skills acquired through Scriptorium Writing will better prepare students for writing in high school and beyond.
We become what we behold. If we ask our children to spend hours looking at images or words, we want to be certain that those images and words are worth their time. We want them to learn to love the best things and conform their heart to things worthy of their care. ​ Therefore, the Scriptorium Writing program includes images of art created by the masters, instead of cartoons or thoughtless illustrations. Occasionally, students are asked to interact with the paintings, but most of the art herein is present simply because it is beautiful. In addition, stories, poems, essays, and excerpts have been selected, not only for their relevance to the lesson, but also for their authors’ winsome use of words.”

– Benjamin Lydda