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Homeschool English Language Arts, Contemporary Classics 2A
Martha Jackson, English Language Arts and Writing
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Average rating:5.0Number of reviews:(503)
Over 8 weeks, middle and high school students will grow as critical and effective readers, thinkers, writers, and communicators. Literature selections include contemporary novels, short stories, and poetry. Discussion and project based.
Class experience
US Grade 7 - 9
Follows Teacher-Created Curriculum
Aligned with Common Core State Standards (CCSS)
Please note that although this is section three (of four), this class can be taken alone; sections one and two are not required prerequisites. This class can be taken as a stand-alone class, or combined with the other sections for a full year of ELA for grades 7, 8, or 9. These classes will be rigorous enough for high school credit for English 9 (or English 1) in most locations. Please contact me with any questions about meeting your state / province / county requirements. Links to other...
8 lessons//8 Weeks
Week 1Lesson 1Course intro, poetry discussiondiscussion of "Dreams" by Langston Huges, course overviewWeek 2Lesson 2"Brown Girl Dreaming" / This I Believe EssayDiscussion of BGD, overview of TIB essaysWeek 3Lesson 3"Brown Girl Dreaming" / This I Believe EssayDiscussion of BGD, expanding details in writingWeek 4Lesson 4"Brown Girl Dreaming" / This I Believe EssayDiscussion of BGD, revising and editing strategiesWeek 5Lesson 5Project presentations and short story discussionproject presentations and discussion of "Sometimes a Dream Needs a Little Push" by Walter Dean Meyers; summarizingWeek 6Lesson 6Code TalkerDiscussion of "Code Talker" and project overview (Literary Theme Park)Week 7Lesson 7Code TalkerDiscussion of "Code Talker", literary elementsWeek 8Lesson 8Project presentations and short story discussionProject presentations and Short Story discussion: "The Difficult Path" by Grace Lin
Students will grow in their ability to read, think critically about, and discuss literary works from a variety of contemporary authors. Students will grow in their ability to analyze how writers use literary elements in their writing. Students will be able to express their learning verbally and creatively in a variety of ways. Students will work through the writing process to complete a "This I Believe" essay.
I have a Bachelor of Arts in English, and held a Professional Teaching Certificate in Florida to teach English in grades 6-12. I taught middle and high school Language Arts in public schools in Florida, and for the past several years I have taught comprehensive Language Arts classes to homeschoolers, both in-person and online. I have several years of experience teaching novels that deal with the complex issues such as those present in the selections for this class at the high school and middle school level, including "The Giver," "Lord of the Flies," "Night," and "A Long Walk to Water" in various contexts, dealing with the inherent complex issues that arise with these topics. As we discuss challenging topics in this class, we will affirm the value of all humanity, regardless of country of origin, religion, economic status, gender, etc.
Homework Offered
Detailed weekly assignments will be given. Students will complete work individually at home and can be adapted by families depending on student's learning style and family's homeschool philosophies. Student work will include about 75-100 pages of reading (maximum) per week and will also include several different optional activities (including free-writing prompts). If families are using this as part of a complete homeschool curriculum, students should expect to spend 2-3 hours of work outside of class, however it will be possible to complete the work in as little as one to two hours per week for most students. Because student's abilities vary greatly, the amount of time it takes students to complete assigned work will vary greatly.2 - 4 hours per week outside of class
Assessments Offered
Students will be informally assessed through class discussion to ensure student understanding and so I, as the teacher, can adapt the class to student's needs. Projects and essays will have a grading rubric provided and parents have the option of using the rubric to provide a grade for their learner, or having me grade projects (or opting out of grading all together.) All students who complete projects will receive personalized video feedback on their work. For families using this class as part of their ELA curriculum, you will have several pieces of work from this class to include in a portfolio. Please don't hesitate to reach out if there are other elements you need to meet homeschool requirements in your state / province / country.Grades Offered
Students have the option of receiving formal grades for projects, as well as the class overall. For those who need work for a homeschool portfolio, there will be several pieces of work that can be used to that end. Please reach out with any questions.
This class is designed to support a variety of learning needs with scaffolded and adaptable assignments. Dyslexic, ADHD, and Autistic learners have had great success in this class. Please reach out if you have specific questions.
As this is a class geared toward students working at 7th, 8th, and 9th grade levels, students should have completed at least 6th grade ELA material in any program. For specific questions, please send me a message.
Students will need "Brown Girl Dreaming" by Jacqueline Woodson, "Code Talkers" by Joseph Bruchac, and "Flying Lessons and Other Stories" (short story anthology-- this book will be used for sections 2,3, and 4 of this series). Books can be purchased new, used, or borrowed from your local library. Listening to audiobooks is also an option. All other material will be common household and school supplies, or PDFs sent in the classroom.
The selections for this class are all commonly found on reading lists for learners ages 12-15. Because each family is different as to what is appropriate for their learners, please read this section. There is nothing graphic or explicit in any selections for this class. From Common Sense Media about "Brown Girl Dreaming," "Parents need to know that Jacqueline Woodson's Brown Girl Dreaming won the 2014 National Book Award for Young People's Literature, the 2015 Coretta Scott King Book Award and was named a 2015 Newbery Honor Book. It's a memoir in verse that addresses growing up in the segregated South, racism, Christianity, divorce, sickness, and the deaths of relatives. There's discussion of violent reactions to 1960s-era civil rights marchers and their fears about traveling in the South at night because of violence against African Americans. A woman becomes pregnant without mention of a husband or the child's father, and there are descriptions of adults having drinks at parties. Still, for the most part the people depicted in the book are multidimensional and positively portrayed." (https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/brown-girl-dreaming) Because "Code Talker" is a historical fiction novel about a Native American who spends his early years at a boarding school, there are descriptions of how native children were treated, especially with regard to their own heritage. "When Ned Begay is just six years old, he is taken more than 100 miles from his family home to the Rehoboth Mission boarding school in New Mexico, which he will attend through high school. Here, American Indian children are taught to abandon the ways of their tribes and embrace Anglo-American language and culture. Through often draconian measures, students are forced to assimilate; their hair is cut short and they are punished if they lapse back into their Navajo tongue. They are also given English names. It is in this way that protagonist Kii Yázhí becomes Ned Begay." (from Super Summary, https://www.supersummary.com/code-talker/summary/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=17311150304&utm_content=&utm_term=&gclid=Cj0KCQjw6_CYBhDjARIsABnuSzoHaNxIcrlckPkEWtHc-DMvZ3ePyPoYDEKONjLd_SSTdlJ0h_plM_0aAsi0EALw_wcB) As we discuss the works in class, we will affirm the value of all humanity, regardless of country of origin, religion, economic status, gender, etc. If you have questions, please don't hesitate to message me.
"Brown Girl Dreaming" by Jacqueline Woodson "Code Talkers" by Joseph Bruchac "Flying Lessons and Other Stories" edited by Ellen Oh
Star Educator
Popular
Average rating:5.0Number of reviews:(503)
Hi! My name is Martha Jackson. I mainly teach writing and literature, and I absolutely love it. My classes focus on breaking down complex ideas into bite-size pieces, giving students concrete tools to grow in specific areas (conducting research,...
Group Class
$136
for 8 classes1x per week, 8 weeks
50 min
Completed by 55 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 12-15
4-9 learners per class
