College Preparation Writing--Analyzing and Comparing Literature
In this twelve-week course, students will use their favorite novels to learn how to analyze literature and produce a comparative literary analysis paper--all from a college professor!
Molly McGill, M.A.
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4.9
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What's included
12 live meetings
10 in-class hoursHomework
2-4 hours per week. Students are expected to participate in weekly assignments that will be submitted to the instructor and feedback will be given for each and every assignment. Each assignment is submitted to the instructor and feedback is personalized based on the student's strengths and weaknesses. Each week students will get suggestions on how to further improve and be told what they are doing well. Parents can request grades at any time. Additionally, due to the nature of the course, students will be expected to read their selected novels on their own. Reading 30-70 pages per week may be necessary depending on the novel selected.Assessment
At the end of the course, parents are welcome to request a full assessment of the student's progress over the twelve weeks if they would like. Further, grades are optional but available. Students will be assessed based on how they have grown as writers in the course and assessments will include what they have done well with end areas that need improving. For those receiving grades, a rubric will be distributed to parents so they can see where all of the points are coming from in the final grade.Grading
Final grade reports available upon requestClass Experience
US Grade 8 - 11
Beginner - Intermediate Level
Welcome to Literary Analysis and Comparison! In this class, students will learn how to unpack a work of literature using analytical devices and compare works of literature to each other. The goal of this class is to prepare students for writing about narrative works beyond just a book report list of plot points and encourage students to think more deeply about what they are reading. Throughout the twelve-week course, students will be expected to read two books, analyzing each, to prepare for the development of a comparative literature analysis paper of 4-5 pages. A list of classic authors and book selections will be provided for students to choose from, but I am happy to take recommendations or requests from parents. Classes are capped at eight students to ensure ample time for sharing and questions. The full class description and unit descriptions can be found in the syllabus section!
Learning Goals
--How to compare literary elements--Thesis statement development
Syllabus
Curriculum
Follows Teacher-Created CurriculumStandards
Aligned with Common Core State Standards (CCSS)12 Lessons
over 12 WeeksLesson 1:
Introductions and Book Selections for the Class
Students will be introduced to the expectations for the course, going over classroom rules, the course schedule, and assignments before having an opportunity to introduce themselves. In this class, the main focus will be going over the larger assignments and selecting books for their analysis over the twelve weeks. I will go through the list of selections with students in class. It will be up to the students to make a selection and acquire at least one of their chosen books after this first week 50 mins online live lesson
Lesson 2:
Character Types and Motivations, Analyzing the Setting
students will start reading their first selection and decoding what is being presented to them. First, we will discuss common character types and how they influence the narrative, including protagonist, antagonist, static, and dynamic. We will further discuss in class ways to consider the setting of a piece, examining the surrounding environment, background, historical place in time, and geographic location. 50 mins online live lesson
Lesson 3:
Point of View, Tone, and Tracking the Plot
Students will discuss points of view and tone to unpack more about the narrative and messaging of a piece. We will discuss strategies for analyzing tones, such as read-aloud, language use, and literary structure. Further, we will spend the bulk of the class discussing how to efficiently track the plot of a narrative and how to identify major plot points and eliminate excessive detail. Students will cover effective summarization strategies and note-taking for literary works. 50 mins online live lesson
Lesson 4:
Figurative Language
Week 4 focuses entirely on the use of figurative language, with much in-class practice identifying and using this style of language. Language covered includes simile vs. metaphor, hyperbole, personification, onomatopoeia, allusions, idioms, symbolism, alliteration, irony, sarcasm, and more. 50 mins online live lesson
Other Details
Parental Guidance
Students will be provided a list of books/authors to select from for the paper project. If you are concerned about content, I recommend going through the list with them after our first class to select a set of novels appropriate for your learner. In addition, I would be happy to incorporate novels at parent's request for individual learners. Students are expected to participate in activities in class. While I do not require cameras, students will be expected to use their microphones to participate vocally in class several times. If this is an issue for your student, please do not hesitate to reach out so we can make other arrangements!
Supply List
Students will be expected to acquire their own copies of their selected novels for their paper project after our first meeting.
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Joined September, 2018
4.9
875reviews
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Teacher expertise and credentials
Master's Degree in History from University of Colorado at Boulder
I have been teaching at the university level for nearly four years, and have graded and edited hundreds of papers from college freshmen in those years. I hope to help develop writing skills in high school-aged children in this class to prevent many of the common errors I see in university papers!
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Live Group Course
$25
weekly or $300 for 12 classes1x per week, 12 weeks
50 min
Completed by 22 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 13-18
5-8 learners per class
