Dialectic Class Descriptions and Supply List

Dialectic

The Great Conversation II Secondary

In this course, Dialectic students will immerse themselves in the Great Conversations of the Medieval time period. Through readings of literature pertaining to the Middle Ages as well as through lively discussions, their minds will be enlightened, trained, and developed while their hearts are turned toward what is long-lasting and true. Students will be required to read several book selections from Veritas Press’s Omnibus II curriculum. 

In addition to the Great Conversation, students will also spend time perfecting their persuasive writing skills with the Lost Tools of Writing Level 1.

In Class Curriculum: Omnibus II Teacher Edition (which includes the Teacher’s Downloadable Resources), Omnibus II Secondary assigned books, Omnibus II Secondary  Self-Paced videos, LTW 1 Student Edition and Teacher Edition

At Home Requirements: In order to fully participate in class meetings, students will be required to complete weekly readings and assignments using the Omnibus II text as well as watch the Omnibus II Secondary Self-Paced videos pertaining to the assigned readings. 

 

Logic: Art of Argument

Middle and high school students will argue (and sometimes quarrel), but they won’t argue well without good training. The students will learn how to reason with clarity, relevance, and purpose. They will study 28 logical fallacies, which will provide an essential lifetime framework for filtering good and bad reasoning as well as writing and speaking effectively. 

In Class Curriculum: The Art of Argument Student Workbook and Teacher Edition

 At Home Requirements: Complete assigned activities from the book and come to class fully prepared to engage in class discussions.

Students will complete weekly reading assignments and writing assignments as well as come to class fully prepared to engage in class discussions. 

Shakespeare

To maximize the impact of this Shakespeare curriculum, it is essential to engage

students in each of its components. Begin each block by having students listen to a full audio

performance of the assigned play. This auditory exposure not only develops their listening skills

but also primes their imagination for the rhythm and tone of Shakespearean language. As the

block progresses, reading the play aloud in class helps reinforce comprehension and fluency,

while giving students the opportunity to embody the characters through speech and gesture.

Encouraging students to speak Shakespeare's lines aloud invites them into the rhetorical beauty

and expressive nuance of the text. The included extension activities—such as journaling, skit

creation, vocabulary challenges, and comedic reenactments—are designed to deepen

understanding through play, repetition, and joy. These practices align closely with the principles

of classical education: cultivating wonder (grammar stage), developing logical thinking (logic

stage), and practicing eloquence (rhetoric stage). Shakespeare’s works uniquely serve all three.

To fully experience the richness and transformative value of these texts, students must engage

with them in all three modes—listening, reading, and speaking. This multi-sensory approach not

only builds literacy and communication skills, but fosters lasting connections to great literature.

Dialectic Student Supply List