Wizard World Vs. Star Wars: A Literary Exploration
Explore literary themes found in both Star Wars and the Harry Potter books, along with other awesome novels that share these same themes. Great for fans, but no prior knowledge of these two fandoms is required to enjoy the class.
Lauren James
Average rating:
4.9
Number of reviews:(3,161)
What's included
4 pre-recorded lessons
4 weeks
of teacher support1 year access
to the contentMastery Evaluation
1 hour per week. Students can post their answers to any "Expand Your Knowledge" challenge to receive feedback from the teacher.Class Experience
US Grade 5 - 12
In this class, we'll discuss the plot elements and themes that the Wizard World and Star Wars have in common. Students will learn how to identify these themes and spot them in books they read in the future. Along the way, I'll recommend a variety of young adult novels (both classic and modern) that also fit these themes. This class is a great way to find your next favorite book! Due to the nature of the class, expect there to be spoilers both from Star Wars and from Harry Potter. This is a self-paced course; there is no live component. Each lesson contains a short recorded presentation (10-20 minutes each), plus extension activities to expand your learning beyond the recordings. All extension activities are optional and at the discretion of the parent. Need a discount? Sure thing! All of my self-paced courses are "pay what you can afford." To get the discount you need, sign up for the course first, then message me with the discount you would like, and I will apply a partial refund.
Learning Goals
By the end of the course, students should be able to:
♦ Recount the different types of fantasy literature.
♦ Explain the basic progression of The Hero's Journey and give examples.
♦ Describe why authors and readers alike find the Orphan Hero theme appealing.
♦ Explain the literary themes of Good vs. Evil and Death and Immortality, giving examples from classical literature.
♦ Find a myriad of new books to read that use the same themes as these two popular fandoms.
Syllabus
4 Lessons
over 4 WeeksLesson 1:
Types of Fantasy
The different types of fantasy literature - what fantasy categories do the two fandoms fit into? Lesson 2:
The Hero's Journey
The popular narrative pattern known as The Hero’s Journey - what are the steps of the Hero's Journey? How do Harry Potter and Star Wars fit into this popular literary format? Lesson 3:
The Orphan Hero
What is this literary theme? Why is it so popular? Lesson 4:
Immortality, Light vs. Dark
We'll talk about these themes in literature, in history, and of course, in Harry Potter and Star Wars. Other Details
Parental Guidance
This class does have a significant spoiler from the Goblet of Fire movie, and one from Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Supply List
Please download and print the handout found in the welcome post - it will help your student to follow along during the "Hero's Journey" part of class, and also provide a list of books that have the same themes discussed in class.
1 file available upon enrollment
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Outschool is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc., owner of the Harry Potter® mark and related Harry Potter marks.
Joined September, 2017
4.9
3161reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
Bachelor's Degree in Education from Brigham Young University
I am a certified science teacher in the state of Arizona, with more than a decade of experience teaching children. Reviews
Self-Paced Course
$3
weekly or $9 for all content4 pre-recorded lessons
4 weeks of teacher support
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1 year of access to the content
Completed by 186 learners
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Ages: 10-18
