Believe It or Not, Reading and Writing Are Fun!!! Ages 11-14
An 18 session Engish/Language Arts course for middle schoolers
Beth Lanthier
Average rating:
4.9
Number of reviews:(84)
What's included
18 live meetings
15 in-class hoursHomework
2-4 hours per week. Students will be responsible for acquiring the books that we will study. I believe in annotating (writing in the books), but students may also borrow from the library or read them in an online form. We will read and discuss 1 book every two weeks (approximately 15 pages per day or less). If we decide that we are studying too many books, we will cut back on the number of books that we read. Students will also brainstorm (prewrite), draft, revise, and edit at home if not completed in class.Assessment
Discussion questions will be provided, and rubrics for the writing assignments will also be used for assessment.Class Experience
US Grade 5 - 8
This class is perfect for homeschoolers who need Reading, Writing, and English. This class is geared towards middle school and is aligned to common core standards. We will read some of the top books for grades 6-8 and discuss them in book club form. Annotating and reader's response journaling will be used as reading strategies. Walk Two Moons (Sharon Creech) and Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (Mildred Taylor) Reading strategies will also be taught and practiced as we read. Our writing will coincide with the books' themes and prompts. We will use the 6 Traits of Writing: Ideas, Organization, Voice, Word Choice, Sentence Fluency, and Conventions (Grammar/Spelling) Our writing will be in the form of narrative, opinion, persuasive, informational, and expository. The writing will also consist of writing formal paragraphs, and 5 paragraph essays. We will also follow the writing process of pre-writing, drafting, revising, and editing As we go along, we will also pinpoint grammar, punctuation, and spelling areas for improvement. When we have areas to work on, I will provide grammar instruction and practice. My classes are very interactive. I prefer students to discuss books together and to discuss writing prompts. I am extremely hands-on as an instructor and encourage a lot of participation. I have always had great reviews when it comes to guiding students, encouraging them, and helping them enjoy reading and writing. In my 35 years of teaching, I taught multiple levels from Grade 2 - 8. My Master's Degree is in Reading and Language Arts. Along with my teaching of writing and book clubs on Outschool, I also teach Reading, Writing, and English at the college level. I encourage my students to complete some assignments in class, but there will be outside reading of the novels and drafting, revising, and editing of the writing assignments. Students will need to submit drafts to a Google Classroom or the Outschool Classroom. I will then send comments and helpful hints back, and also discuss drafts in class. Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry (Mildred Taylor) compare and contrast, informational writing, and gender and racial bias, conventions, Voice Walk Two Moons (Sharon Creech) Native Americans and racial profiling
Learning Goals
Students will read some classic and current novels in class and participate in book club discussions. Students will improve their understanding of the novels as they write about the books. We will use our critical and creative thinking as we discuss and write.
Many of our writing assignments will be fun! I know that we can learn how to write and have a great time as we learn! Grammar, Punctuation, and Spelling will also be mastered as we work on the writing process.
Other Details
Parental Guidance
Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry is a book about racism and injustice in the South. The topics will be discussed carefully. I have taught this book many times throughout the years. Most of the other books are about survival. The Diary of a Young Girl is also a book that we discuss very carefully. I have taught this book for many years, and also lead a book club for the novel, Number the Stars. The terrible tragedy of the Holocaust is something that I have researched very carefully also. My students have always learned a great deal of compassion as we discuss the Holocaust.
Supply List
Materials will be provided via Google Classroom. It is recommended that the students have a personal copy of each novel to allow annotation. If this is not possible, copies from the library or online books are acceptable. 3-ring binder with tabs (eight) notebook paper
Language of Instruction
English
Joined January, 2021
4.9
84reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
In my many years of teaching, I have taught all of the books listed for this class. I am very sensitive to my students and their needs and reactions. I have taught Roll of thunder, Hear My Cry and Walk Two Moons many times. We will be especially sensitive to the topics of -racism and racial profiling. We will learn about African-American culture and Native American culture.Reviews
Live Group Class
$252
for 18 classes1x per week, 18 weeks
50 min
Completed by 2 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 11-14
1-7 learners per class
