weekly
or for 6 classes
Creative Writing and Novel Study for Middle School : Mystery
Completed by 7 learners
Ages 11-14
Live Group Course
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 hoursHomework
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 “Three Times Lucky” by Sheila Turnage. She is one of the premier authors in middle-grade mystery. As they read, students will be writing and editing their own short mysteries. Each week we will read a section of the novel, discuss it, and then apply what we are learning to the plotting of our own stories. Students will also write their own mystery story, workshop the other students' work, and then revise and present their own. As the instructor, I will read, edit, and offer feedback on every story. Students and parents should understand that the teacher considers plagiarism as well as the use of generative AI in composition to be unacceptable. Parents will be contacted if such a problem is suspected and no grade or feedback will be given. This is the perfect class for students who enjoy creative writing and are ready for an introduction to how to write it. 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 learn how to identify, analyze, and write stronger examples of conflict, characterization, and humor.
Syllabus
6 Lessons
over 6 WeeksLesson 1:
Mystery-The Genre
Exploring the elements that make mystery an intriguing genre from a writer's perspective
55 mins online live lesson
Lesson 2:
Conflict
Exploring chapters 1-7 of "Three Times Lucky," conflict and character arcs
55 mins online live lesson
Lesson 3:
Characterization
Exploring chapters 8-14, characterization and character flaws
55 mins online live lesson
Lesson 4:
Humor
Exploring chapters 15-21, humor and not using humor to hurt
55 mins online live lesson
Other Details
Parental Guidance
The novel "Three Times Lucky" can be scary to sensitive learners. The protagonist's parent figures are kidnapped. At another point in the story, she confronts her friend's violent drunken father. 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
"Three Times Lucky" by Sheila Turnage will need to be purchased ahead of the class or borrowed from a local library.
Meet the teacher
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.
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