Which writing book does my student use in Composition I (CM1-B)?

Composition I (CM1-B) is taught from one of two writing books, and the one your student uses follows his historical cycle. A student in the U.S. Studies I, B Track cycle uses Lori Verstegen’s U.S. History-Based Writing Lessons. A student in the European Studies I, B Track cycle uses her Medieval History-Based Writing Lessons. Both books teach the same writing course, and one STAA course plan serves them both.

The book follows the cycle

  • U.S. Studies I, B Track — U.S. History-Based Writing Lessons
  • European Studies I, B Track — Medieval History-Based Writing Lessons

Composition I and Composition II are shared courses. They appear in the U.S. Studies, B Track study guides and in the European Studies, B Track study guides, as does American Literature. Your advisor names the right book for your student on the course overview page of the Academic Packet.

Why the writing text matches the history

These are history-based writing lessons, so every model passage and every assignment draws on real historical material. Matching the book to the cycle means your student writes about the history he is already reading that semester. The two books run in parallel all year. Where the U.S. book has a student write about the Mayflower, the Medieval book gives him Justinian. Where one assigns the Louisiana Purchase, the other assigns the Battle of Hastings. The writing skill of the week is the same in both; only the historical subject changes.

That alignment is the whole point. Composition, history, and literature reinforce one another through the semester rather than pulling your student in three directions, and the writing assignment becomes another pass through material he already knows.

One course plan serves both books

Both books have thirty lessons, taught in the same order, teaching the same structures and stylistic techniques. The course plan therefore runs either one: the weekly reading, the pacing, the assignments, and the assignment directions are written for both. Week 01 of the study guide names both books outright. After that, the daily schedule calls the composition text the “HBWL Student Book,” which stands for whichever book your student owns. A student working Lesson 5 is on pace no matter which cover is on his desk.

Where we point this out

We say this in three places, because the book list is where a family is thinking about which books to purchase and we want the choice settled before anyone orders.

  • The Academic Packet — on the Composition I course overview page, printed in red.
  • The Planning Packet — the family’s full set of course overview pages, so the same note is in front of you during the planning appointment with your advisor (also printed in red).
  • The study guide — in the Course Overview at the front, again in the book list, and again in the weekly assignment schedule.

Red ink marks the one point we most want to catch the parent's eye while he or she looks over the booklist. It does not signal an error, a change, or a problem with your student’s plan.

Marking the gradebook and reporting the course

A student using the Medieval book adapts the printed gradebook in a few seconds per line: circle the lesson number, and write “Medieval” over the “U.S.” in the book title. When you report the course at the end of the semester, name Medieval History-Based Writing Lessons as the text used. That is the only place the choice affects your student’s record.

If you are not certain which book to order

Look at the Composition I course overview page in your Academic Packet, ask your advisor at your planning appointment, or open a support ticket and we will confirm it for you.  Another easy way to confirm which HBWL book to order is to look at your student's history plan:

  • If studying U.S. History & Geography I and II (US1-B and US2-B) this year, order U.S. History-based Writing Lessons.
  • If studying European History I and II B Track (EH1-B and EH2-B), order Medieval History-based Writing Lessons.


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