American Literature & Composition: Semester 2 (High School Homeschool English)
During this 15-week high school English course, students will critically analyze and respond to various genres of literature from the Modern Period to the Contemporary Period, as well as develop and support arguments in an essay.
Valerie Stone, BA
Average rating:
4.9
Number of reviews:(101)
What's included
15 live meetings
12 hrs 30 mins in-class hoursHomework
2-4 hours per week. Weekly reading and response writing are required for students requesting a grade. The response writing is mostly in the form of question-and-answer. Response homework will be graded and marked with full credit if thoughtful answers are provided. After completing each novel, students will write a full essay. Writing organizers and rubrics will be provided in advance. Essays will be graded according to the provided rubric. In addition, students who participate via verbal response or Nearpod answers will receive credit for class participation. Modified essay assignments are available upon request.Letter Grade
All students will receive a completion report detailing the content covered during the semester. The report will include a final grade for those students who are requesting one. Students may choose instead to audit the course or partially complete the assignments.Grading
includedClass Experience
US Grade 9 - 12
Beginner Level
𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 & 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹: This is an early/intermediate level English course that covers a variety of classic and contemporary American literature. Students in 8th-12th grade have successfully completed this course, as each student's level of proficiency is different. 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁: This class will touch upon various pieces of American literature from the Modern Period to the Contemporary Period. Students will determine how time periods influence writers, understand literary devices and find them in the text, analyze text, synthesize ideas, complete active reading, use creative thinking and writing, develop supportive arguments, write extended responses, complete question/answer assignments, practice proper grammar, provide textual evidence to writing, and write three 5-Paragraph Essays. Essay requirements will increase in difficulty so as to challenge each student. Classroom interaction is expected via verbal response, nearpod answers, 𝗼𝗿 chat communication. Homework times will vary. Students have reported 2-5 hours per week. The 3 main essays will be written during weeks in which no reading is required, and modified essay assignments are available. Feel free to contact me to determine whether this class will meet your needs. ------anchor texts are listed in the supply list section------ <<𝗦𝗨𝗣𝗣𝗟𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗔𝗟 𝗧𝗘𝗫𝗧𝗦 (𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿)>> ------anchor texts are listed in the supply list section------ 1. "The Fox and the Lion" by Aesop 2. "Sonnet" by James Weldon Johnson 3. "The Cake That Made Maycomb Famous" by Tom McNamara 4. Excerpt from Biography in Sound with Ray Bradbury 5. Excerpt from 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘝𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘦 by William Shakespeare 6. Excerpt from 𝘑𝘶𝘭𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘊𝘢𝘦𝘴𝘢𝘳 by William Shakespeare 7. "The Tortoise and the Hare" by Aesop 8. Excerpt "Forging Bonds" by Kayla A. Campbell 9. "The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs" by Aesop 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁: English 2 Semester 1 literature includes Animal Farm, Frankenstein, and A Tale of Two Cities 𝘗𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 1 - - - American Lit & Comp Semester 1 2 - - - American Lit & Comp Semester 2 3 - - - English 2 - Lit & Comp Semester 1 4 - - - English 2 - Lit & Comp Semester 2 5 - - - British Lit & Comp Semester 1 6 - - - British Lit & Comp Semester 2
Learning Goals
This course will reinforce critical analysis of text, synthesize ideas, understand and locate literary devices, use creative thinking and writing, develop supportive arguments, reinforce grammar and language usage, & write short responses and full essays.
Syllabus
Curriculum
Follows Teacher-Created CurriculumStandards
Aligned with Common Core State Standards (CCSS)3 Units
15 Lessons
over 15 WeeksUnit 1: The Modern Period / Realism / Social Satire
Lesson 1:
The Great Depression, Comma Splice, & Paraphrasing and Summarizing Text
<<Anchor Text - Mockingbird / Supplemental Texts 1-3>>
-Discuss classroom and homework expectations
-Read an overview of the Great Depression and complete response writing
-Review historical context and biography of Nelle Harper Lee
-Preview elements of the novel
-Understand and avoid the comma splice
-Examine paraphrasing vs. summarizing text / complete a practical application
Homework: Read chapters 1-7, respond to comprehension questions, and complete grammar section 50 mins online live lesson
Lesson 2:
Themes, Apostrophes, and Sentence Openers
-Discuss TKAM chapters 1-7
-Determine the narrator’s point of view
-Locate themes in a text and identify a theme/central idea in a short passage
-Analyze and synthesize “Sonnet” by James Weldon Johnson
-Discover what is revealed by a character’s actions and/or words
-Review apostrophe usage / complete practical examples
-Introduce various sentence openers / rewrite a sentence with 3 different styles
Homework: Read chapters 8-14, respond to comprehension questions, and complete grammar section 50 mins online live lesson
Lesson 3:
Subject-Verb Agreement, Symbolism, Strong Verbs, and Active Voice
-Review subject-verb agreement rules and complete a practical application
-Discuss symbolism and symbols within the novel
-Discuss a character’s motivations & courage
-Emphasize writing with strong verbs
-Rewrite passive sentences to improve verbs
Homework: Read chapters 15-23, respond to comprehension questions, and complete grammar section 50 mins online live lesson
Lesson 4:
Pronoun Antecedent Agreement, Response Writing, & Courage
-Discuss “The Cake That Made Maycomb Famous”
-Review pronoun antecedent agreement rules and complete a practical application
-Choose a quote and complete response writing regarding point of view and societal significance
-Revisit courage and discuss courageous actions within the text
-Write a news report regarding the trial
Homework: Read chapters 24-31, respond to comprehension questions, and complete grammar section 50 mins online live lesson
Other Details
Parental Guidance
Please review the reading list to ensure suitability for your learner. There are various concepts in the novels that may be sensitive, such as racism, violence, suicide, and more.
All ages and abilities are welcome in this course. However, please be advised that some learners will need parental support.
Supply List
Book List: 1. To Kill a Mockingbird ISBN-10: 0060935464 / 13: 978-0060935467 *I have the Harper Perennial Modern Classics version* 2. Fahrenheit 451 ISBN: 978-1451673319 *I have the 60th anniversary edition, but I will also utilize an E-Text version* 3. The Princess Bride ISBN: 10: 0156035219 / ISBN 13: 9780156035217 *I have the Mariner Books version with the green cover showing Buttercup and The Masked Man* Pencil/pen and paper Computer for completing essays
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Joined September, 2018
4.9
101reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
Bachelor's Degree from University of Cincinnati
𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲
I am a home educator with 17 years of teaching experience (ages preschool to 12th grade). During the early years, I taught and tutored local homeschool students in various subject areas. Around 8 years ago, I concentrated on teaching middle school and high school English. Then, I expanded my circle to include virtual learners in early 2020.
Because I was a learner who found it difficult to understand the writing process, I am passionate about helping learners develop their writing skills. I have a proven track record of success in teaching writing to students of varying ages and abilities. I believe that even the most reluctant writers can learn to better express themselves with the right guidance and prompting.
My experiences with my own children have given me insight into the challenge of working with different learning styles, as I have a college junior on the autism spectrum, a college sophomore with ADHD, and a gifted 11th grader. Meeting the demands of each child required a deep understanding of their individual strengths and needs, along with an adaptable mindset regarding educational strategies.
𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲
-Successfully developed and implemented my own writing curriculum for middle and high school students
-Instructed students regarding a variety of literary genres, including novels, short stories, poetry, and drama
-Helped students develop critical thinking and writing skills through close reading, analysis, and discussion
-Worked with students on a 1:1 basis, as well as in a classroom setting, to help them overcome specific writing challenges, such as grammar errors, punctuation issues, and difficulty organzing their thoughts
-Provided feedback on student work and offered guidance on how to improve writing & critical thinking skills
-Mentored other home educators implement strategies to help struggling writers, as well as provided them with resources and support
Reviews
Live Group Course
$270
for 15 classes1x per week, 15 weeks
50 min
Completed by 93 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 12-16
7-13 learners per class
