In my classes, I strive to make learning fun and build on the strengths of the students. Students will progressively learn and develop different skills related to vocabulary, fluency, and reading comprehension. At this level, children begin to read more fluently and write various text forms using simple and more complex sentences. Phonics and phonemic awareness as well as handwriting will be a part of the learning process but not explicitly taught. I have different classes that focus on how to read and how to write.  This course is open to any learner and can be appropriate for older students who are at a second/third-grade academic level - meaning students may be outside the stated age range. 

The year is divided into three sessions. Session 1 is typically held in the fall (September-November), Session 2 in the winter (December-February), and Session 3 in the spring (March-May). The following details the content for the three sessions. 

Session 1: 
Topic  1: 
Journeys ebook: Animal Traits: vocabulary, sequence of events, infer/predict, realistic fiction, information text
Journeys Reader's notebook: short vowels a/i, subjects, predicates, ideas adding detail, cvc words, alphabetical order, proofread for spelling, articles, sentence fluency
Topic 2:
Journeys ebook: Family Tree: vocabulary, compare and contrast, questions, information text, poetry, narrative writing
Journeys Reader's notebook: short vowels o/u/e, sentence, word order, author's voice, using a glossary, 
Topic 3:
Journeys ebook: Animal Traits: Author's purpose, analyze/evaluate, information text, narrative writing
Journeys Reader's notebook: statements and questions, long vowels a/i, commands, sense words, exclamations, multiple-meaning words, sentence fluency
Topic 4:
Journeys ebook: Getting Along with Others: vocabulary, cause and effect, summarize, humorous fiction, fable, narrative writing
Journeys Reader's notebook:  long vowels o/u/e, nouns, main idea, hard and soft /g/, context clues, statements and questions, word choice
Topic 5:
Journeys ebook: Places around Town: vocabulary, story structure, visualize, realistic fiction, information text, narrative writing
Journeys Reader's notebook: consonant blends r/l/s, plural nouns, time order words, word endings -ed, -ing, command and exclamations, conventions, common final blends nd, ng, nk, nt, ft, xt, mp, add -es to nouns 
Topic 6:
Journeys ebook: Animal Homes: vocabulary, text and graphic features, questions, information text, informative writing
Journeys Reader's notebook: collective nouns, prefixes un- and re-, parts of a sentence, fluency
Topic 7:
Journeys ebook: Agriculture: conclusions, analyze/evaluate, realistic fiction, information text, informative writing
Journeys Reader's notebook: double consonants and ck, nouns, order, cvc, proper nouns, homophones, 

Session 2:
Topic 1: 
Journeys ebook: Weather: vocabulary, main idea and details, visualize, information text, poetry, informative writing
Journeys Reader's notebook: words with th, sh, wh, ch, tch, ph, action verbs, subjects, base words -s, -ed, -ing, poem
Topic 2:
Journeys ebook: Traditional Tales: vocabulary, understanding characters, summarize, folktale, traditional tales, informative writing
Journeys Reader's notebook: base words, adding -s, CV syllables, synonyms, nouns
Topic 3: 
Journeys ebook: Ocean Life: vocabulary, fact and opinion, Monitor/clarify, information text, informative writing
Journeys Reader's notebook: contractions, past tense verbs, future tense, word choice, suffixes -er, -est
Topic 4: 
Journeys ebook: Animal and Human Interactions: vocabulary, conclusions, infer/predict, humorous fiction, informational text, opinion writing
Journeys Reader's notebook: base words, compound sentences, making a cartoon, prefixes pre- and mis-, plural nouns 
Topic 5: 
Journeys ebook: Music: vocabulary, text and graphic features, questions, information text, song, opinion writing
Journeys Reader's notebook: words with ai/ay, compound sentences, author's voice - feelings, idioms, 
Topic 6:
Journeys ebook: School Differences: vocabulary, main idea and details, analyze/evaluate, information text, opinion writing
Journeys Reader's notebook: words with ee, ea, using quotation marks, using a dictionary, action verbs, conventions
Topic 7:
Journeys ebook: Special ways to communicate: vocabulary, author's purpose, summarize, biography, information text, opinion writing
Journeys Reader's notebook: long o (o, oa, ow), days of the week, months of the year/holidays, facts and opinions, book titles, suffix -ly, present and future time, proper nouns

Session 3:
Topic 1:
Journeys ebook: Personal Safety: vocabulary, cause and effect, monitor/clarify, humorous fiction, reader's theatre, opinion writing
Journeys Reader's notebook: compound words, titles, abbreviations, topic sentences, schwa vowel sound, root words
Topic 2:
JJourneys ebook: Helping Others: vocabulary, story structure, infer/predict, realistic fiction, information text, narrative writing
Journeys Reader's notebook: base words, pronouns, details, homographs, kinds of sentences
Topic 3:
Journeys ebook: Never Give Up: vocabulary, sequence of events, visualize, realistic fiction, information text, narrative writing
Journeys Reader's notebook: Long i (i, igh, ie, y), subjects and verbs, using dialogue, antonyms
Topic 4:
Journeys ebook: Reading and Writing: vocabulary, understanding characters, analyze/evaluate, biography, poetry, narrative writing
Journeys Reader's notebook: long e for sound y, using am, is, are, using sense words, changing y to i, using being verbs, suffixes -y and -ful, writing quotations
Topic 5:
Journeys ebook: Signs: vocabulary, text and graphic features, questions, humorous fiction, play, narrative writing
Journeys Reader's notebook: words with -ar, commas in dates, place names, organization of stories, shades of meaning, proper nouns, 
Topic 6:
Journeys ebook: What Heroes Do: vocabulary, compare and contrast, monitor/clarify, fantasy, information text, narrative writing
Journeys Reader's notebook: words with or/ore, comma in a series, writing beginnings, prefix over-
Topic 7:
Journeys ebook: Narrative Writing
Journeys Reader's notebook: words with -er, how things taste and smell, word choice, words ir/ur/er, how things feel and sound, dictionary entry, reflexive pronouns, sentence fluency, homophones

How is your class structured?
I create a learning atmosphere by starting with a check-in and review of what we have learned.  I will use slides, activities, games, and songs to reinforce the topics. Each student will have an opportunity to practice in class and I will provide some activities for home use. 

Students will get free access to Brainzy, a game-centered learning experience offered by Education.com to practice concepts. There may be handouts to print at home before each unit begins. These will be in the classroom at least one week prior to the unit start. 

Each unit will have an assessment built into the lesson. This can be separated for those who wish for a test with a grade for a homeschooling portfolio. 

Daily homework activities are available and can be evaluated weekly as requested. 

I ask that each student have a primary composition notebook, pencils, colored pencils, or crayons. A whiteboard with a marker might also be helpful.  I expect all learners to have their video/audio on (see below). Students may be asked to read aloud with the option to pass.  There may be opportunities to present one's work as well.  Students may choose to respond verbally, through chat, through writing, or by drawing.

This course is open to any learner and can be appropriate for older students who are at a second or third-grade academic level.