What's included
Homework
1-2 hours per week. Students will read approximately three chapters a week on their own time. Each Sunday, students will have access to the new video and a corresponding one page worksheet with discussion questions and places for fill-in-the blank answers. Each week, I assign a short writing assignment focused around that week's discussion questions and ask the students to share their responses in the classroom. There are also daily activities each day like vocabulary words, an I Spy game, and a Kahoot! quiz to test their comprehension from the weekly chapters.Assessment
The more questions, comments, and posts that students share in the classroom, the more I can understand their knowledge and comprehension of the topics we are discussing.Class Experience
US Grade 3 - 6
Students will read approximately three chapters a week on their own time. Each week a new video will discuss the pages that the students have previously read. This class does not meet live. The prerecorded sessions will emphasize characters, their motivations, theme, story plausibility, and inferences about what might come next. Each Sunday, students will have access to a video that covers the important elements of the week's reading and a corresponding one page worksheet with discussion questions and places for fill-in-the blank answers. The worksheets will also address/remind the students of some of the important topics from each chapter. Each week, I assign a short writing assignment focused around that week's discussion questions and ask the students to share their responses in the classroom (so other students may view, comment, and interact as well). I also ask students to submit any vocabulary words the students didn't recognize or passages the students did not understand. The more questions the students ask, the more "discussion" we can have in the classroom after each chapter. Weekly breakdown: Sunday: Students will receive a worksheet and discussion questions for each weekly video. There is one weekly writing assignment to complete after the weekly readings. Monday: I post an I Spy challenge and ask the students to list one specific item they can "spy" from the week's reading. Students can also challenge other students (or myself!) to find other items as well. Tuesday through Fridays: I will post a vocabulary word for the students to use in a sentence that showcases their understanding of the definition. Saturday: I will post a link to a Baby-Sitters Club themed Kahoot! trivia quiz the students can fill out to further immerse themselves in this world. Students can share their scores or any questions/answers they didn't understand in the classroom to share their experience with their classmates.
Learning Goals
Week 1 Chapters 1-3
Week 2 Chapters 4-6
Week 3 Chapters 7-9
Week 4 Chapters 10-12
Week 5 Chapters 13-14
Other Details
Parental Guidance
According to Commonsensemedia.org: Parents need to know that, with its sincere explorations of the dynamics of friendships and changing family situations, the graphic novel version of The Baby-Sitters Club series stays true to Ann M. Martin’s original and is a great read. The first four books are illustrated by Raina Telgemeier (Smile, Sisters), and after that other illustrators take over. Each book focuses on one girl, telling the story from her perspective and delving into the details of her life. Covering heavy topics such as divorce and the death of a parent along with more everyday moments when a girl feels like she doesn’t fit in, this series captures the spirit of being a tween with heart and humor, with strong friendships at the center of it all. The illustrations are vibrant and colorful, and as graphic novels, they're a quick read with real depth.
Supply List
Students will need a copy of the graphic novel Kristy's Great Idea to read on their own. It can be borrowed from the library or even listened to as an audio book. The students will not need a physical copy of the story in class, although they may find it helpful to have while filling out their worksheets or working on their writing assignment.
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Teacher expertise and credentials
Master's Degree in Music or Theatre or Arts from Spalding University
I have an MFA in Creative Writing for Children and Young Adults. I was a substitute teacher for three years before teaching full-time on Outschool. I also teach English Composition as an adjunct university professor. I was blessed to read Ann M. Martin's books when I was a young girl. They taught me a lot about friendship and entrepreneurship. I'm so happy to be able to pass on that knowledge and confidence to a new generation through these graphic novels!
Reviews
Live Group Class
$8
weekly or $40 for 5 weeks5 weeks
Completed by 1 learner
No live video meetings
Ages: 8-13