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Classic Literature Novel Study - FLEX

In this 6-week course, students will select classic literature novels to read and analyze through diagramming, literary analysis, short writing prompts, and close-text reading strategies through a personalized reading plan.
Kaitlyn Fischer: A Guided Reading Teacher
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Class Experience

Through this Flexible Schedule course, students will have the opportunity to choose a classic literature novel of their choice. Through the course, students will be asked to complete some interest-based information about themselves for the novel that they have chosen so that the teacher can personalize a reading activity set for the book. The course is set for six weeks because this tends to be a good length for most students to read the novels that they have chosen but resources will be available past the end of the flex schedule.

******* Please note that if you are in this class, I need to know the novel that you choose. Please send it as a comment or as a message to me in the classroom so that I can send your documents to you as soon as possible. It does take approximately 24 hours to post the first novel videos for week one because I need to know the novel you want to read before I can post the videos. But there will be Week One videos on the first day to help you get started with reading! Thank you! *******

Current or Recent Students are Reading
     - The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
     - To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
     - 1984 by George Orwell

Schedule:
Week One: Book Selection
     - Videos:
          - What is a Classic Novel? Elements of Classics
          - Introduction to Genres
          - Explanation of Skills and Expectations
          - How to Choose the Right Novel
          - Researching a Novel
          - Providing a Reading Plan for the Chosen Novel
     - Activities:
          - Interest Survey
          - Researching a Classic Literature Novel
     - Classroom Interaction:
          - Create a Slide (Google or PowerPoint) for Your Chosen Novel
Week Two: Exposition, Setting, Character, and Conflict
     - Videos:
          - Mini-Lessons for Exposition, Character, and Conflict
          - Introduction to a Plot Diagram
          - Example of a Completed Plot Diagram
     - Activities:
          - Starting a Plot Diagram
          - Miniature Summary of the Novel (So Far)
     - Classroom Interaction:
          - Share Your Plot Diagram and First Impressions of the Novel
          - Rate the Novel (Praise and Critiques)
Week Three: Plot Development and Character Development
     - Videos:
          - How does Plot Develop?
          - Introduction to STEAL Charts
          - Types of Character Developments and Examples
     - Activities:
          - STEAL Chart Analysis
          - Add to Your Plot Diagram
     - Classroom Interaction:
          - Share Your STEAL Chart and Comment on Another Student's
          - Rate the Novel (Praise and Critiques)
Week Four: Character Development and Symbols
     - Videos:
          - Types of Character Developments and Examples (Continued)
          - Critiquing a Character
          - Introduction to Symbolism and Examples
          - Finding Symbols (Tips and Tricks to Symbolism)
     - Activities:
          - Character Critique
          - Symbolism Analysis Activity
     - Classroom Interaction:
          - Character Critique
          - Symbolism Collage/Book Cover Art
          - Rate the Novel (Praise and Critiques)
Week Five: Climax and Conflict
     - Videos:
          - What is the Climax?
          - How do Conflict and Climax Play a Role in a Novel?
          - Examples from Literature (Books and Movies)
     - Activities:
          - Add to Your Plot Diagram
          - Identify the Climax if Possible (Depends on Reading Schedule)
          - Types of Conflict Activity
     - Classroom Interaction:
          - Choose One Conflict and Analyze It (Share in Classroom)
          - Rate the Novel (Praise and Critiques)
Week Six: Symbolism, Theme, and Resolution
     - Videos:
          - What is a Theme?
          - How does Symbolism Affect Theme?
          - What is the Resolution and Does My Novel have One?
     - Activities:
          - Finish the Plot Diagram
          - Connecting Symbolism to Theme Writing
     - Classroom Interaction:
          - Book Project of Choice
               - Choose from Many Options and Share a Mini-Video Book Review
          - Rate the Novel (Final Praise and Critiques)

This class is a great opportunity to have students get exposure to classic literature by choosing their own novels. To foster an interest and love, students have the chance to pick something that still meets the expectations and level of complexity that classic novels typically achieve while meeting the individual interests of the students.

Learning Goals

Students will be able to:
     - Define: Plot, Character, Symbolism, Theme, and More!
     - Identify: Elements of a Plot Diagram, Conflict, Symbolism, Theme, and More!
     - Analyze: A Novel's Elements and Critique those Elements
learning goal

Other Details

Parental Guidance
Some classic novels will require a parental guide. When your student chooses their novel, I will provide the parental guide to the students and parents and I will be able to send you a plan for addressing those comments for each individual novel.
Supply List
Students will be asked to purchase the novel of their choice so that they can participate in class. If you need help ordering it, I am happy to provide links to versions of the novel that I recommend. But below is the list of novels that have already been completed by students that I teach in classes that are similar to this one, just live taught. 

Novels Completed by Students:
Adams, Douglas - Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency: Mystery, Science Fiction, Comedy
Adams, Douglas - The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy: Science Fiction, Comedy x 6
Adams, Douglas - The Restaurant at the End of the Universe: Science Fiction, Comedy
Alcott, Louisa May - Little Women: Historical Fiction
Alighieri, Dante - Dante’s Divine Comedy: Inferno: Epic Poetry
Austen, Jane - Pride and Prejudice: Romance, Historical Fiction
Babbitt, Natalie - Tuck Everlasting: Fantasy, Romance
Barnhill, Kelly - The Girl Who Drank the Moon: Modern Fiction, Fantasy
Bradbury, Ray - Fahrenheit 451: Dystopian, Science Fiction x 5
Carroll, Lewis - Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland: Fantasy, Psychological
Carroll, Lewis - Through the Looking-Glass: Fantasy, Psychological x 2
Christie, Agatha: And Then There Were None: Mystery x 5
Christie, Agatha: Murder on the Orient Express: Mystery x 4
Cisneros, Sandra - The House on Mango Street: Vignette, Fiction x 2
Collins, Suzanne - The Hunger Games Series: Moder, Dystopian, Science Fiction x 3
Cooper, Susan - Over Sea and Under Stone: Fantasy
Cooper, Susan - The Dark is Rising: Fantasy
Dashner, James - The Maze Runner: Modern, Dystopian
Dickens, Charles - A Christmas Carol: Fiction, Ghost Story, Novella
Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan - Sherlock Holmes: A Study in Scarlet: Mystery x 6
Dumas, Alexander - The Count of Monte Cristo (Unabridged): Action/Adventure, Historical Fiction
Fitzgerald, F. Scott - The Great Gatsby: Historical Fiction x 3
Frank, Anne - The Diary of a Young Girl: The Diary of Anne Frank: Autobiography
Giff, Patricia Reilly - Lily's Crossing: Historical Fiction 
Golding, William - Lord of the Flies: Allegory, Fiction x 6
Gratz, Alan - Allies: Modern, War Fiction, Historical Fiction
Gruen, Sara - Water for Elephants: Modern, Romance, Historical Fiction 
Hawking, Stephen - My Brief History: Autobiography
Hawthorne, Nathaniel - The Scarlet Letter: Historical Fiction
Heller, Joseph - Catch-22: War Fiction, Satire, Historical Fiction
Hemingway, Ernest - The Old Man and the Sea: Tragedy, Allegory
Hiassen, Carl - Squirm: Modern Fiction, Mystery, Comedy
Hinton, S.E. - The Outsiders: Fiction x 2
Holm, Anne - I am David: Historical Fiction
Kesey, Ken - One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest: Psychological Thriller, Comedy, Fiction
King, Stephen - Carrie: Horror, Thriller
L’Engle, Madeleine - A Wrinkle in Time: Fantasy, Science Fiction x 2
Law, Ingrid - Savvy: Modern Fiction, Fantasy
Leblanc, Maurice - Arsène Lupin, Gentleman-Thief - Mystery, Fiction x 2
Le Guin, Ursula K. - A Wizard of Earthsea: Fantasy x 2
Lee, Harper - To Kill a Mockingbird: Fiction, Thriller x 3
Lewis, C.S. - The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe: Fantasy
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 5
Martel, Yann - Life of Pi: Action/Adventure
McCarthy, Cormac - The Road: Dystopian, Tragedy x 2
Miller, Arthur - The Crucible: Play, Tragedy
Montgomery, L.M. - Anne of Green Gables: Historical Fiction x 3
More, Thomas - Utopia: Dystopian, Satire x 2
O’Brien, Tim: The Things They Carried: War Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Historical Fiction
Orwell, George - 1984: Dystopian, Science Fiction x 7
Orwell, George - Animal Farm: Dystopian, Allegory, Dystopian x 2
Paterson, Katherine - Bridge to Terabithia: Fiction
Patterson, James - Word of Mouse: Modern Fiction
Pattillo Beals, Melba - Warriors Don’t Cry: Autobiography
Paulsen, Gary - Brian’s Winter: Action/Adventure, Fiction
Paulsen, Gary - Hatchet: Action/Adventure, Fiction x 4
Pullman, Philip - The Golden Compass: Fantasy, Action/Adventure
Shelley, Mary - Frankenstein: Science Fiction, Gothic Fiction, Horror
Sophocles - Antigone: Play, Tragedy
Sophocles - Oedipus at Colonus: Play, Tragedy
Sophocles - Oedipus Rex (Oedipus, the King): Play, Tragedy
Speare, Elizabeth George - The Witch of Blackbird Pond: Historical Fiction x 2
Steinbeck, John - Of Mice and Men: Historical Fiction, Novella x 3
Steinbeck, John - The Pearl: Historical Fiction, Novella
Stevenson, Robert Louis - Kidnapped: Action/Adventure
Stevenson, Robert Louis - The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: Science Fiction x 3
Stoker, Bram - Dracula: Fantasy, Horror, Gothic Fiction
Thomas, Angie - The Hate You Give: Modern Fiction
Tolkien, J.R.R. - The Hobbit: Fantasy, Epic x 5
Tolkien, J.R.R. - The Fellowship of the Ring: Fantasy, Epic x 2
Tolkien, J.R.R. - The Two Towers: Fantasy, Epic
Tolkien, J.R.R. - The Return of the King: Fantasy, Epic
Twain, Mark - The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Historical Fiction, Action/Adventure/Satire
Twain, Mark - The Adventures of Tom Sawyer: Historical Fiction, Action/Adventure/Satire x 2
Tzu, Sun - The Art of War: Self-Help, Military
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
Vonnegut, Kurt - Slaughterhouse-Five: Science Fiction, Satire, War Fiction
Weir, Andy - The Martian: Science Fiction
Wells, H.G. - The Time Machine: Science Fiction, Dystopian x 4
Wells, H.G. - The War of the Worlds: Science Fiction 
Wiesel, Elie - Night: Autobiography, Memoir, Personal Narrative x 2
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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Teacher expertise and credentials
Colorado Teaching Certificate in Secondary Education
Colorado Teaching Certificate in English/Language Arts
I have been teaching literature to students for more than 8 years now online through Outschool and in public classrooms in both Colorado and Missouri. For Outschool classes, here are the novel classes that I run that are very similar to this course but are taught live as opposed to in a flex format such as this one. If you have questions, please feel free to reach out!

High School:
https://outschool.com/classes/classic-literature-novel-study-V9NC71b3?usid=l0R3fRwf&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link

High School with Essay Writing:
https://outschool.com/classes/classic-literature-a-novel-study-with-essay-writing-XGq63J1S?usid=l0R3fRwf&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link

Middle School:
https://outschool.com/classes/classic-literature-a-novel-study-xkvxQwCz?usid=l0R3fRwf&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link

Middle School with Essay Writing: 
https://outschool.com/classes/classic-literature-a-novel-study-with-essay-writing-QQ6MmARX?usid=l0R3fRwf&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link

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Live Group Class
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$16

weekly

6 weeks
Completed by 4 learners
No live video meetings
Ages: 12-17

This class is no longer offered
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