The Upper Level Program at Co-op
Grades 7-12
After children spend time in the Grammar Stage absorbing memorized information, they naturally progress to the Dialectic (or Logic) Stage (Grades 7-8). During this time, a dialectic-age child begins to question and grapple with concepts they wish to delve deeper into. They learn about what is truly good and cling to it. After learning the true and debating the good, the Rhetoric Stage (Grades 9-12) is focused on the third piece of the Trivium, beauty. Rhetoric students learn to present eloquently in both spoken and written word.
Our Co-op uses the Traditio Nostra self-paced courses in three cycles. Students will work with material in an online suite and hard copy books or print-outs, as well as having access to video lessons and available audiobooks (all included with the co-op's subscription), and then students will attend Co-op to participate in Socratic discussion, art projects, science instruction and labs.
Upper Level Parents are required to purchase the IEW (Institute for Excellence in Writing) Ancient History-Based Lessons Student book, $35, for their Dialectic-age (Grades 7-8) children (NOTE: Parents may wish to purchase the Teacher+Student set, $55, in order to help their children at home), along with the Novare Earth Science book. Parents of Rhetoric 1 & 2 students (Grades 9-12) will need to purchase the Lost Tools of Writing Level One Student Workbook (unless they already have a copy) along with the Novare General Biology or Novare General Chemistry student text and a solutions manual. Rhetoric 1 students also need a copy of Traditional Logic student text and workbook from Memoria Press.
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Parents may desire to buy any hard copy novel of books assigned in Dialectic or Rhetoric 1 or 2 if their child wishes to have hard copy versions. Digital versions and audio versions ARE included in the Great Books course on Traditio Nostra. Furthermore, each Traditio Nostra course has accompanying Traditio Nostra texts that can be printed weekly from the Online Suite OR purchased in bound printed form for an additional cost.
Upper Level Subjects for the 2025-2026 School Year
WRITING
60 minutes
Dialectic-age (Grade 7-8) students will be instructed in writing mechanics and grammar basics utilizing the Institute for Excellence in Writing curriculum. For the 2026-2027 year, they will be using IEW's Ancient History-Based Lessons.
Rhetoric (Grade 9-12) students will be instructed in formulating their thoughts and writing eloquently using Lost Tools of Writing curriculum.
Rhetoric 1 students will use the Lost Tools of Writing (Level One) Student Workbook.
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Rhetoric 2 Students will use Lost Tools of Writing: The Comparison Essay in the Fall Semester; and in the Spring Semester, they will participate in Mrs. V's "LTW: The Research Paper."
Students need to have taken LTW Level One before the Comparison Essay and Research paper courses. If we happen to have new students coming into co-op at the Rhetoric 2 level who have not taken LTW I, then they would need to enroll in the Rhetoric 1 LTW. Also, any of our current students moving up to 11th grade might consider taking another year of LTW 1. Level One teaches foundational skills for all writing and thinking. Students really internalize these skills during their second time through. Of course, this is up to those students and parents.
For The Research Paper class, students will be expected to be proficient in writing the full persuasive essay learned in LTW 1. There will not be direct instruction on how to sort the ANI, how to form the Exordium, Division, Refutation, Amplification, etc., or how to form the outline. Students will have their past year's LTW 1 workbook and handouts (from the 2025-2026 year) for reference and review, but there will not be step-by-step instructions for what they should already know. The focus will be on the research aspect of the writing and refining the parts of the essay.
SCIENCE
60 minutes
Upper Level students will study the sciences corresponding to their age and ability. During Cycle 1, these courses will be offered:
Dialectic-age students will study Novare Earth Science;
Rhetoric 1 students will study Novare General Biology;
Rhetoric 2 students will study Novare General Chemistry.
Students will meet in Co-op for instruction and labs; then at home, they will complete coursework and will have access to lesson plans, online lectures, and quizzes from Traditio Nostra self-paced courses. Parents will be able to choose the appropriate science course for their child(ren) and are not limited to the grade levels suggested above.
GREAT BOOKS
45 minutes
Great Books refers to the best of what has been written or thought. Students will read excerpts from the Great Books of Western Civilization, take notes at home, and then come to Co-op bringing these grand ideas to Socratic discussion with their peers. These courses combine philosophy, literature, and theology—all with an emphasis and focus on history. The courses will be split according to grade levels as follows:
Dialectic (Grades 7-8): Great Books 1* (Ancient & Classical Times)
Rhetoric 1 (Grades 9-10): Great Books 3** (Modern Times)
Rhetoric 2 (Grades 11-12): Great Books 4** (American Idea/Govt.)
*If we have enough new incoming Dialectic students register, we will offer Great Books Primer for new students and Great Books 1 for returning Dialectic students.
**We recommend that new and returning students going into 11th grade register for the Great Books 3 course; returning students going into 12th grade would register for Great Books 4. New 12th grade students can register for either as they desire.
HISTORY // LOGIC (SPEECH & DEBATE)​
45 minutes
New this year, students will a History/Logic class period. The class period will be split pretty evenly between these two subjects (some weeks might give more time to History or to Logic as needed). That being said, students in Rhetoric 2 taking History 4 will NOT have an accompanying Logic course. Traditio Nostra calls their Logic courses T-P-T (Trivium-Philosophy-Theology). In Lux Christi, we cover the first three of these courses during Dialectic and Rhetoric 1 years. Your children will have access to the other more advanced courses and may take them as electives at home.
In Dialectic, students begin with understanding the basics of logic with a primer course, then Traditional Logic (Logic 1), then Advanced Logic & Rhetoric (also called Material Logic). Each of the TPT courses at Lux Christi will include built-in speech and debate.
The courses will be split according to grade levels as follows:
Dialectic: TPT Logic Primer / History 1
Rhetoric 1: TPT 1: Logic (Traditional Logic) / History 3
Rhetoric 2: History 4
(NOTE: TPT Advanced Logic & Rhetoric will not be taught this year)
Parents of new Rhetoric 2 students can opt to enroll their children in either Rhetoric 1 or 2 course option, depending on their experience and previous courses taken.
OPTIONAL
+PLUS COURSES
after lunch and recess
For Grades 7-8 and 9-10, the +PLUS book discussion will be every week. The first week of the month will be an introduction to the book; the following week will cover the first half of the book; and the final week will cover the last half of book. Art will be integrated into the +PLUS class by having students draw, sketch, or even paint during the discussion. No formal art course will be taught, though students may take the Studio Art III Drawing/Painting with Color Course through TN at home. There will be NO ART HOMEWORK.
A Commonplace Book will be given to both Dialectic and Rhetoric students to keep notes throughout their +PLUS courses over time. There will also be a place for quiet work but not idleness.
See the 7-8 Booklist and the 9-12 Booklist on our "Shop the Blog" page.
Students in Grades 11-12 taking Great Books 4, which doubles as a complete government course, will have a substantially more involved reading list, so they may wish to sit in the Rhetoric 9-10 literature class and draw alongside their peers. They will not necessarily have read all the books (unless they are just excited to read them!), but they are welcome for the discussion. There will also be a place for quiet work but not idleness.