English
Animal Farm - A Charlotte Mason Style Literature and Writing Course
Students will develop reading comprehension and writing composition skills while reading Animal Farm by George Orwell.
There are no upcoming classes.
11-14
year olds
4-9
learners per class
Charged upfront
Meets 1x per week
Over 6 weeks
50 minutes per class
There are no open spots for this class.
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Description
Class Experience
The teacher has a California Teaching Certificate and taught Literature and Writing in a public school for 3 years. She currently writes for a weekly newspaper while homeschooling her four children. She has been homeschooling using the Charlotte Mason method for 7 years.
Each week, students will be expected to finish reading two chapters of Animal Farm. (Use of audiobook is encouraged, and a link to a free audio reading will be provided.) Students will also add details to their reading journal, including illustrations of characters, notes about the storyline, etc. Finally, students will complete a written narration (short essay/composition) retelling the chapter, as well as responding to the chapter with their own opinions about the development of the story. These assignments can be posted to the classroom during the week or shared on Google docs for easy sharing during class.
1 file available upon enrollmentAn unabridged copy of Animal Farm, by George Orwell (or access to an audiobook) A digital copy of the Journal will be provided one week before the start of class. Students should have access to basic writing and drawing implements.
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
No formal assessment will be administered or grades given unless requested by the parent before week 6 of the course.
50 minutes per week in class, and an estimated 1 - 2 hours per week outside of class.
Common Sense Media says, "Parents need to know that Animal Farm is a biting satire of totalitarianism, written in the wake of World War II and published amid the rise of Soviet Russia. Although it tells a fairly simple story of barnyard animals trying to manage themselves after rebelling against their masters, the novel demonstrates how easily good intentions can be subverted into tyranny." Class discussion will not be politically-centered and the teacher will not share personal political opinions. Instead, the students will be encouraged to reflect on the text as written, and discuss personal political opinions with their families privately. Additionally, regarding violence, Common Sense Media says, "The animals rebel against their human master and chase him from the farm. When Farmer Jones returns with his neighbors, the animals attack the intruders and inflict various bites and cuts on them. Later, the pigs use their guard dogs to keep order on the farm. Some animals are executed for crimes for which they have supposedly confessed. The violence in the novel is not described in detail, but its emotional implications might be upsetting to some readers." Finally, the animals in the story participate in drinking alcohol. The teacher will directly discourage children from consuming alcohol.
Animal Farm, by George Orwell