Classic Literature - A Novel Study (Middle School)
In this 6-week course, students will meet with the teacher to select class literature novels together that they will read and discuss through Socratic Seminars.
Kaitlyn Fischer: Close-Reading Specialist
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What's included
6 live meetings
4 hrs 30 mins in-class hoursHomework
1 hour per week. Reading and watching films will be required outside of class time to ensure appropriate discussions during class.Class Experience
US Grade 5 - 8
Students will work otogether with the teacher to select classic literature novels to read and discuss in Socratic Seminars. The class (readings and activities) will be designed around the novels that students are interested in. The schedule will be discussed and set by the students and teacher to best meet students' needs and interests. Each week the reading schedule will be discussed and determined based on the discussion. Each novel will be stretched over a couple of weeks to determine the novel of choice and to dole out the agreed-upon pages to set up our Socratic Seminar. If there are specific times that you are interested in and would like to discuss/request, please let me know! :) Some sections have chosen to read a classic novel with a modern novel when the classic novel of choice is short. Modern classics are an option for reading as well! Current Sections are reading the following: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury! *** Please note that students will be reading the same novel. They will work together to choose the same novel to read and discuss. Students may choose more than one novel depending on what the class decides! *** Week One: Choose Our Novel Create a Reading Schedule Agree on Activities for Upcoming Weeks Classic Literature Included (But Not Limited To): To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling Number the Stars by Lois Lowry The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls Hatchet by Gary Paulsen Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle and More! Activities Included: Socratic Seminar Discussions Movie Watching and Discussions Scheduling and Interest Building Debates Wondering/Questioning Book Study/Novel Studies Weeks Two - Six: Work through our reading and activities Engage in Group Discussion of Novel Question/Debate the Novel Determine Next Novel for Course
Learning Goals
Students will be able to read and discuss classic literature during Socratic Seminars.
Students will be able to compare and contrast the original novel to its classic movie remake(s).
Other Details
Parental Guidance
Students will be allowed to select a modern novel AFTER a classic if they would like and if the classic novel will not need a full six weeks to read, discuss, and analyze. We will spend more time on the classic, however. The purpose behind this is to show kids that deep discussions and literary analysis can be done on modern novels as well. The same skills will be applied to the modern novel as the classic novel. Another reason for this decision is to provide students the opportunity to read, read, read! I am a firm believer that the more students read, the more comfortable they will be and the more they will learn to love reading. If they are reading more than one novel, how awesome is that! If you have any questions, please let me know!
Supply List
Classic Novels (Middle School) - Completed Adams, Douglas - The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy: Science Fiction, Comedy x 2 Alcott, Louisa May - Little Women: Historical Fiction Babbitt, Natalie - Tuck Everlasting: Fantasy, Romance Barnhill, Kelly - The Girl Who Drank the Moon: Modern Fiction, Fantasy Barrie, J.M. - Peter Pan: Action/Adventure, Fantasy Bradbury, Ray - Fahrenheit 451: Dystopian, Science Fiction x 2 Carroll, Lewis - Through the Looking Glass: Fantasy x 2 Christie, Agatha - And Then There Were None Christie, Agatha - Murder on the Orient Express: Mystery x 3 Cisneros, Sandra - The House on Mango Street: Vignette, Fiction Collins, Suzanne - The Hunger Games: Dystopian, Action/Adventure, Science Fiction Cooper, Susan - Over Sea and Under Stone: Fantasy Cooper, Susan - The Dark is Rising: Fantasy Dickens, Charles - A Christmas Carol: Fiction, Ghost Story, Novella Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan - Sherlock Holmes: A Study in Scarlet: Mystery x 4 Dumas, Alexander - The Count of Monte Cristo (Unabridged): Action/Adventure, Historical Fiction Frank, Anne - The Diary of a Young Girl: The Diary of Anne Frank: Autobiography Golding, William - Lord of the Flies: Allegory, Fiction x 2 Hawking, Stephen - My Brief History: Autobiography Hiassen, Carl - Squirm: Modern Fiction, Mystery, Comedy Holm, Anne - I am David: Historical Fiction Homer - The Iliad - Epic Poetry x 2 Homer - The Odyssey - Epic Poetry L’Engle, Madeleine - A Wrinkle in Time: Fantasy, Science Fiction x 3 Law, Ingrid - Savvy: Modern Fiction, Fantasy Leblanc, Maurice - Arsène Lupin, Gentleman-Thief: Mystery, Fiction LeGuin, Ursula K. - A Wizard of Earthsea: Fantasy Lewis, C.S. - The Magician's Nephew: Fantasy Lewis, C.S. - The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe: Fantasy x 2 Lofting, Hugh - The Story of Dr. Dolittle: Fiction, Fantasy London, Jack - The Call of the Wild: Action/Adventure x 2 Lowry, Lois - The Giver: Dystopian, Science Fiction x 4 Martel, Yann - Life of Pi: Action/Adventure Montgomery, L.M. - Anne of Green Gables: Historical Fiction x 2 Palacio, R. J. - Wonder: Fiction Paterson, Katherine - Bridge to Terabithia: Fiction Patterson, James - Word of Mouse: Modern Fiction Pattillo Beals, Melba - Warriors Don’t Cry: Autobiography Paulsen, Gary - Hatchet: Action/Adventure, Fiction x 4 Raskin, Ellen - The Westing Game: Mystery Speare, Elizabeth George - The Witch of Blackbird Pond: Historical Fiction x 2 Steinbeck, John - The Pearl: Historical Fiction, Novella Stevenson, Robert Louis - Kidnapped: Action/Adventure, Mystery x 2 Stevenson, Robert Louis - The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: Science Fiction Tolkien, J.R.R. - The Hobbit: Fantasy, Epic x 2 Tolkien, J.R.R. - The Fellowship of the Ring: Fantasy, Epic Twain, Mark - The Adventures of Tom Sawyer: Historical Fiction, Action/Adventure/Satire Tzu, Sun - The Art of War: Self-Help, Military x 2 Verne, Jules - 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Action/Adventure, Science Fiction x 2 Verne, Jules - Around the World in 80 Days: Action/Adventure, Historical Fiction x 2 Verne, Jules - Journey to the Center of the Earth: Science Fiction, Action/Adventure Weir, Andy - The Martian: Science Fiction Wells, H.G. - The Time Machine: Science Fiction, Dystopian x 3 Wells, H.G. - The War of the Worlds: Science Fiction Zusak, Markus - The Book Thief: Historical Fiction x 2
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined January, 2020
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967reviews
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Teacher expertise and credentials
Colorado Teaching Certificate in Secondary Education
I have taught many book studies in my professional career (including all of the novels listed above and more). I love taking part in discussions and ensuring that the students needs and interests are met as they read. I like to work with students to help me design and schedule the class! I also teach a version of this class with high school students that is quite popular and has good reviews! Please feel free to check it out via this link: https://outschool.com/classes/classic-literature-novel-study-V9NC71b3?usid=l0R3fRwf&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_linkReviews
Live Group Class
$17
weekly or $100 for 6 classes1x per week, 6 weeks
45 min
Completed by 146 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 10-13
2-6 learners per class
