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$25

weekly
or $150 for 6 classes
Class

Creative Writing and Novel Study for Middle School: Historical Fiction

Completed by 10 learners
Ages 11-14
Live Group Course
In this six-week course, students will read the novel "The War that Saved My Life," write their own short story, and learn about setting in historical fiction.
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:
(412 reviews)

Live video meetings
1x per week, 6 weeks
3-6 learners per class
55 min

What's included

6 live meetings
5 hrs 30 mins in-class hours
Homework
2-4 hours per week. Homework is a very important part of this class. Students will be assigned both reading and writing homework each week. To understand and benefit from the class this must be done before class. Students will also spend 3 weeks creating a story, 1 week peer-editing, 1 week revising, and then present their stories to the class.

Class Experience

US Grade 5 - 8
Beginner Level
In this class, students will read and discuss the Newberry Honor Award novel “The War That Saved My Life" by Katherine Brubaker Bradley. She is one of the premier authors in middle-grade historical fiction.  As they read, students will be writing and editing their own pieces of historical fiction.

Each week we will read a section of the novel, discuss it, and then apply what we are learning about setting to our own stories. Students will write their own historical fiction story, workshop other students' work, and then revise and present their own.  As the instructor, I will read, edit, and offer feedback on every story.

This is the perfect class for students who enjoy creative writing and are ready to try historical fiction.

Students' stories will need to be "school" appropriate.  Stories with graphic language, sexual content, or graphic violence are not acceptable in the class.  In other words, all submitted stories need to be "pg." If you anticipate this being a problem, please contact me ahead of time. 

This is a discussion-intensive course that includes constructive criticism and editing of their peers. All students are expected to interact with respect and civility.  I understand that the topics and themes can be controversial and invite disagreement. However, kindness facilitates productive and persuasive conversation. 

If a student needs accommodations, I am more than willing to help. Learners will never be required to read aloud in class and are welcome to access the novel via audiobook. Please contact me before the semester begins to discuss your learner’s needs.

Learning Goals

Students will identify and appreciate the tools that authors use to develop setting and apply those to their own writing.

Syllabus

6 Lessons
over 6 Weeks
Lesson 1:
Historical Fiction and WW2 Background
 Exploring the genre of historical fiction and background information on Great Britain's entrance into WW2. 
55 mins online live lesson
Lesson 2:
Fiction Writing Conventions
 Reviewing the grammar and conventions of writing fiction including dialogue and paragraphs. 
55 mins online live lesson
Lesson 3:
Plot
 Exploring plot and different methods for modeling it. 
55 mins online live lesson
Lesson 4:
Setting
 Exploring the importance of setting in historical fiction and the work that setting can do in a story. 
55 mins online live lesson

Other Details

Parental Guidance
The novel "The War That Saved My LIfe" can be disturbing to sensitive learners. The protagonist is neglected and abused by her mother and there are scary moments that reflect her life in war-torn England. The book has enormous literary merit and I would be happy to discuss any questions about the book with parents. We will be using Google Docs for writing. I will set the settings to avoid sharing any personal information.
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Sources
“The War That Saved My Life" by Katherine Brubaker Bradley will need to be purchased ahead of the class or borrowed from a local library.

Meet the teacher

Joined September, 2019
5.0
412reviews
Profile
Teacher expertise and credentials
I am eager to have your learner join the students from 5-50 to whom I have taught English. Although my original BA is in Psychology, I have taught both ESL and English at three different Universities abroad.  I love students and I love literature. I have written a published non-fiction book, have another at the publisher, and have a completed novel in the editing process. I am eager to help North American students get a worldwide perspective on literature drawing from my own experiences as a reader and a traveler. 

Reviews

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