British Composition & Literature Semester 2 (High School Homeschool English)
In this 15-week English class, your learner will develop critical thinking & writing skills while exploring timeless themes of tragedy, social expectations, and the dangers of technology from influential and imaginative British writers.
Valerie Stone, BA
Average rating:
4.9
Number of reviews:(113)
What's included
15 live meetings
12 hrs 30 mins in-class hoursHomework
2-4 hours per week. Homework types may include (but are not limited to) structured paragraphs, structured extended responses, active reading responses, creative writing, annotations, question/answer worksheets, character analysis worksheets, a storyboard, and a five-paragraph essay.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 10 - 12
Intermediate Level
British Literature & Composition Level: This is intermediate level English course that covers a variety of British literature. Students in 9th-12th grade have successfully completed this course, as each student's level of proficiency is different. This class will touch upon various pieces of British literature from the Renaissance to the Modern Period. During this semester, this course will reinforce critical analysis of text, synthesize ideas, reinforce literary devices, determine how time periods influence writers, complete active reading, use creative thinking and writing, develop supportive arguments, write structured extended responses (1-page minimum), write two 5 paragraph essays with two full proofs, and reinforce conventions of grammar and language usage. Classroom interaction is expected. Students may send responses through the classroom chat; however, cameras should be on (unless otherwise arranged). Homework times will vary. Students have reported 2-5 hours per week. 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)>> 1. “The Tyger” and “The Chimney Sweeper” by William Blake 2. “Kubla Khan” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge 3. “She Walks in Beauty” by Lord Byron 4. “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” by William Wordsworth 5. “Ozymandias” by Percy Bysshe Shelley 6. Excerpt from A Vindication of the Rights of a Woman by Mary Wollstonecraft 7. “Advice to the Newly Married Lady” by Samuel K. Jennings 8. “Men of England” by Percy Bysshe Shelley 9. Excerpt from “He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven” by William Butler Yeats 10. Excerpt from “A Coat” by William Butler Yeats 11. Excerpt from “The Second Coming” by William Butler Yeats 12. Excerpt by Virginia Woolf 13. Excerpt from Ulysses excerpt by James Joyce 14. Excerpt from “The Waste Land” by T.S. Eliot 15. “Travel” by Robert Louis StevensonE 16. “The Machine Stops” E.M. Forster 17. “The Cone” by H.G. Wells 18. “Of Revenge” by Sir Francis Bacon 19. “The Open Window” by Saki (H.H. Munro) 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, & complete response writing and essays.
Syllabus
Curriculum
Follows Teacher-Created CurriculumStandards
Aligned with Common Core State Standards (CCSS)4 Units
15 Lessons
over 15 WeeksUnit 1: The Renaissance Period / Humanism / Tragedies
Lesson 1:
Historical Context, Shakespeare / Common Shakespearean Words and Phrases
<<Anchor Text - Macbeth / Supplemental Texts 1-6>>
-Discuss classroom, homework, & writing expectations
-Review historical context and elements of the literary period
-Introduce William Shakespeare
-Review common Shakespearean words and guess the meaning of phrases from Macbeth
-Read and discuss parts of Act 1
Homework: Finish reading Act 1 / complete mini-research project about Shakespeare 50 mins online live lesson
Lesson 2:
Lady Macbeth vs. Macbeth, Shakespearean In-text Citations, Soliloquoies
-Contribute 2 findings from the research homework
-Answer Act 1 questions
-Read part of Act 2
-Discuss Lady Macbeth vs. Macbeth
-Review Shakespearean in-text citations
-Examine Soliquoies as a literary device
Homework: Finish Act 2 / Watch the Dagger Soliloquy performed by Patrick Stewart / Complete the Dagger Soliloquy response writing / Create a storyboard of 15-20 pictures or drawings that illustrate moods, words, or phrases from Macbeth’s famous soliloquy 50 mins online live lesson
Lesson 3:
Soliloquoies, Supernatural vs. Natural, Macbeth's Turning Point
-Review storyboards
-Review Macbeth Act 2, Scenes 1-2
-Analyze Banquo’s Soliloquy
-Read and discuss Act 3, Scenes 1-2
-Analyze Macbeth’s Soliloquy
-Read and discuss Act 3, Scenes 3-6
-Demonstrate Shakespeare’s use of supernatural and natural elements
-Discuss the turning point for Macbeth
Homework: Read Act 4, characterize Macbeth, write 3 paragraphs regarding Macbeth's moral shift 50 mins online live lesson
Lesson 4:
Ruthless Tyrant, Fruitless Crown, How a Literary Device Highlights a Theme
-Review Act 4
-Read most or all of Act 5 ~ students take parts
-Analyze the “Ruthless Tyrant” soliloquy
-Read and discuss Act 5
-Identify literary devices in the tragedy
-Analyze the “Fruitless Crown” soliloquy
-Choose a theme and locate an example that exemplifies that theme in Act 5
Homework: Using at least one literary device to highlight a theme within Macbeth, write a thematic analysis essay. 50 mins online live lesson
Other Details
Parental Guidance
Please review the reading list to ensure suitability for your learner.
All ages and abilities are welcome in this course. However, please be advised that some learners will need parental support.
Supply List
Pride and Prejudice ~ ISBN 978-0141439518 (Penguin Classics) Optional: No Fear Shakespeare - Macbeth ~ ISBN 978-1411479678 (I have this version, but any "No Fear Shakespeare" version will work) *Please note when purchasing on Amazon...When you click on various formats of the book, the ISBN number can change and you may get a slightly different copy than I have. Public Domain Literature Macbeth Poems in the Poetry Foundation Pride and Prejudice A Vindication of the Rights of Woman Advice to the Newly Married LAdy The Machine Stops The Open Window Other Resources Used (Online)
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Joined September, 2018
4.9
113reviews
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 40 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 13-18
7-12 learners per class
