8th/9th Literature & IEW Writing: English Language Arts (1st Semester)
During this 16-week semester-long course, learners will study of the basics of literary analysis through pre-selected, age-appropriate literature while building upon the writing methods of IEW's "Structure and Style".
Melissa L. - Registered IEW Instructor
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What's included
32 live meetings
26 hrs 40 mins in-class hoursHomework
2-4 hours per week. Because this is a semester-long course, students will have homework every week. This could include reading and/or writing practice. Worksheets, handouts, and links to outside programs (such as Kahoots or Quizlet) for homework will be posted on the classroom page.Assessment
*Assessments will be given in the form of feedback, review games, and comprehension checks throughout the semester. *Writing will be assessed throughout the course through submitted homework. *Reading comprehension will be assessed weekly based on the student's participation and comprehension of the week's literary analysis topics. There may also be homework assigned for our literature study (varies depending on the reading for the week).Grading
includedClass Experience
US Grade 7 - 10
It's finally here...year three of literature and composition! 🎉I CANNOT wait to dive into this year's books and writing projects. It's going to be another a-maz-ing year! If you're new to my page, welcome to my ELA class! My name is Melissa and I am so happy that you are considering joining me to explore amazing literary masterpieces in the upcoming year. Curious to learn how it works? Read on! Each week, twice a week, we will split the class into two parts. In the first half of each class, we will focus on the literary element that we are learning for that day. This may include a Socratic discussion, breakout rooms for teamwork, or even games to expand our knowledge of the reading. During the second half of each class, we will work on the day's writing work following IEW's "Structure and Style". At the end of each class, learners will be given follow-up homework to reinforce new ideas and work toward mastery. This is not a lecture-based course! While there are times when lecturing is appropriate, the success of this course depends on class participation. Yes, even in writing. Fall Class Schedule & Topics *Please note that the first semester covers IEW Units 1-4. Units 5-7 will be continued in the spring (2nd semester). *There are also two weeks when we will not be attending class: the week of 9/23/2024 and the week of 11/25/2024 (Thanksgiving week). Booklist for Year 3: ***Please note that the first two books are retellings. We're using these versions because they offer an easy-to-understand, straightforward retelling of classic stories without losing the "good stuff."*** Book 1: The Wanderings of Odysseus (Homer's Odyssey retold by Rosemary Sutcliff) Book 2: Beowulf (retold by Rosemary Sutcliff) Book 3: Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare (An age-appropriate version of the play will be supplied to all learners during this part of the course.) Book 4: Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift *Students are expected to come to class prepared with the reading completed before the discussion. *Writing methodology taught using the Institute for Excellence in Writing’s Style and Structure Writing Method. I am a registered instructor with IEW. (Link for verification: https://iew.com/events-classes/instructors/find-accredited-instructor/330449) *Please note that there are 32 classes in total (16 weeks, 2 classes per week). Each class = $15 per meeting. *This course is not graded unless specifically requested by a parent/guardian.
Learning Goals
Writing Goals:
*IEW Units 1 & 2 - Students will learn how to create "keyword outlines" and develop this skill into creating their own outlines. From there, students will be able to take their outlines and begin creating paragraphs.
*IEW Unit 3 - Students will be able to organize a story through one, two, and three-paragraph essays. During the essay writing process, students will be introduced to multiple "dress-ups" (who/which, quality adjectives, strong verbs, "-ly" words, because, wwwasia) that will strengthen their writing skills and make them better writers. We will be using fiction for this section of the class.
*IEW Unit 4 - Students will learn how to create a report using a single source. During this part of the course, we will be focusing on nonfiction information. This could include an author's background, the time period, or a major event from one of our books.
*IEW Unit 5 - Students will learn how to write paragraphs using pictures as their guide. Being able to look at an image and then describe what they "think" is happening in story form trains students in the art of event description. This helps significantly increase their ability to write narratives, research papers, essays, and journalism.
*IEW Unit 6 - Students will be able to organize their work into easy-to-understand outlines from multiple types of texts. (We will be using our fictional novels for this unit.) This semester we will be focusing on one, two, and three-paragraph references and outlines.
Reading Goals:
*Create a love, or at least an appreciation, for reading literature.
*Students should be able to recognize, analyze, and understand the five basic elements of a story: conflict, plot, setting, character, and theme.
*Students will be able to present and communicate their ideas regarding the books they've read and share their opinions in a Socratic seminar.
Syllabus
Curriculum
Follows Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) Curriculum32 Lessons
over 16 WeeksLesson 1:
IEW Writing & Literature
(Writing) IEW: Review w/Dress-ups + (Literature): The Five Elements of Literature Review 50 mins online live lesson
Lesson 2:
IEW Writing & Literature
(Writing) IEW: Review w/Sentence Openers + (Literature): Blast from the Past: The 8 Literary Periods 50 mins online live lesson
Lesson 3:
IEW Writing & Literature
(Writing) IEW: Unit 1 KWO + (Literature): Introduction to the Classical Period 50 mins online live lesson
Lesson 4:
IEW Writing & Literature
(Writing) IEW: Unit 1 KWO + (Literature): Background of The Iliad story/The ten-year gap 50 mins online live lesson
Other Details
Parental Guidance
At this age, it is common for students to still need help and direction at home for writing. That's okay! In this class, I encourage parental guidance when students are working at home. Some students may struggle at the beginning with balancing the concepts of class and the physical act of writing. Please know that it is perfectly fine if your child wants to dictate to you as they learn. The goal at this age is to understand the concepts. Mastery comes with continuous practice and patience as each child moves at his/her own pace. If at any point during the class, you feel that your child is falling behind or needs additional help, please feel free to reach out to me directly so we can work out a plan.
Reading should be done regularly so that your child does not feel overwhelmed with having to read large amounts during one or two sittings. I will post the chapters to read in the classroom based on what I feel is a manageable amount for this age group. If your child struggles reading on his/her own or needs extra encouragement when reading, I suggest reading the books together or listening to an audiobook while following along.
Please note that this class does incorporate games (Kahoot, Gimkit, Blooket) on external links as well as documents sent via Google Docs/Slides and videos via CourseHero/YouTube. Learners do not need accounts to access these items. Also, slides for this course will be shown on the screen in presentation mode.
Supply List
Paper, writing utensils, and access at least one form of a writing application (Google Docs or MS Word). All worksheets, handouts, short stories, poems, and/or links for this semester will be sent via the classroom page as needed. Now about the books... As a homeschooling mom myself, I understand the importance of finding books that won't break the bank. That's why I made it a priority to choose books that have multiple options or discounted versions (usually e-reader). Some books may even be downloaded for free online via Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org/) or via the Internet Archive, a non-profit online library (https://archive.org/). Most of the books can be found at your local library. You can also reach out to your local librarian about setting up Libby or Overdrive to read free digital books on your e-reader. Please make sure that you choose the version that is best for you and your child. With many versions and translations being made from the older works we will be covering there may be slight differences in the text but not in the overall theme or discussion. The goal isn't to create a library full of books that your child only reads once. Instead, it's more important that your child is able to ask questions, ponder new ideas, and form their own intelligent theories about the works that they read. With that said, if they do fall in love with a book be sure to get them a copy that they can read again and again. Book 1: The Wanderings of Odysseus (Homer's Odyssey retold by Rosemary Sutcliff) Book 2: Beowulf (retold by Rosemary Sutcliff) Book 3: Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare (An age-appropriate version of the play will be supplied to all learners during this part of the course.) Book 4: Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Joined January, 2020
5.0
330reviews
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Teacher expertise and credentials
Bachelor's Degree in English from University of Tennessee - Knoxville
As a lifelong learner, I too am always striving for growth. After years of using the IEW curriculum, I decided I wanted to share what I had learned with others and became a registered instructor with IEW. (Link for verification: https://iew.com/events-classes/instructors/find-accredited-instructor/330449) I have also been a tutor (teacher) for a local classical co-op, studied through literature seminars, and attended practicums to enhance my own reading and writing knowledge.
I am also a certified TESOL/TEFL/EYL teacher, professional writer, beta reader, proofreader, editor, and homeschool mom. I have a love for the English language (I have a BA in English to prove it), the smell of new books, and transferring ideas from mind to paper. My goal is to promote a love of learning while offering a safe and fun environment. I truly have a passion for reading and writing and would love to share my knowledge and experience with your children. Reviews
Live Group Course
$480
for 32 classes2x per week, 16 weeks
50 min
Completed by 11 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 12-16
3-16 learners per class
