I do see that the students does journal entries, annotates, etc, but I am curious if the formal writing within the composition portion of the guide is tied to the literature at all. Does that make sense? I am probably being clear as mud! 
Everything planned within this guide looks amazing, however I am just leary of having my dd go through another formal composition course. She knows the steps of writing for all those types of essays. I just want her to write... and particulary in response to the literature she reads. From what I have experienced with HOD, Carrie has a very good reason for everything she plans in a guide. I would just love a bit more info on how the lit/comp sections flesh out throughout the year.Thanks!
Katie
This is why it actually makes sense to do writing as a separate course from literature study to give kiddos exposure to the broader spectrum of writing (while also writing within the literature area and many other areas across the curriculum as well). If you ask yourself how much of your college writing, and now your lifetime writing, dealt/deals with literary response or timed essay situations, what would your response be? I know that mine would be, "Very little." While it is true that preparation in these areas is needed, it needs to balanced with future writing needs as well. So, in our HOD guides, we seek to prepare kiddos for a broader spectrum of writing requirements, so they are ready to write no matter what the task at hand may be.