Literary Analysis Made Easy: Reading, Note-Taking, and Essay-Writing
In this 3-week analysis and essay class, I will give students easy step-by-step instructions and hands-on practice to enable them to analyze a short story and a poem, take important notes, and write an effective literary analysis essay.
Allyson Stanley
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:(303)
What's included
3 live meetings
2 hrs 30 mins in-class hoursHomework
1-2 hours per week. Students will have a short story to read between the first and second class. The reading should take approximately 30 minutes. The students will need to finish their literary analysis essays between the second and third class. Writing the essay should take approximately 45-90 minutes, depending on how much the student is able to complete in class and how in-depth the student goes with the analyzation.Assessment
Student will receive feedback and/or constructive criticism from me for their literary analysis essay.Class Experience
US Grade 8 - 10
In this class, I will walk students through the steps of analyzing and writing about a piece of literature. First of all, we will discuss how analyzations focus on an assertion and are very different from a summary. Then, I will show students what to look for while reading and how to take effective notes about what they read. Finally, I will show the students a writing plan and format for an analyzation essay. I will give students plenty of explanations, examples, and hands-on practice. We will spend time discussing a short story and poem in class so they thoroughly understand how to analyze each one. Students will practice what they've learned by writing a literary analysis essay about the short story they read. *This class works best if students leave their cameras on and actively participate in our discussions* Week One: I will introduce the literary analysis essay and go over what parts of a story (or other piece of literature) to focus on while reading. I will also give students tips and different examples of ways to annotate while reading. Students will complete some in-class practice of their own. Homework: Students will finish reading the short story "The Necklace," which is found online in the public domain. Week Two: We will discuss "The Necklace" and share our annotations. I will show students how I would put my own notes together for my literary analysis essay. We will discuss how to properly use direct quotes to support our assertions. Homework: Students will write a short literary analysis essay and submit it to me via private message or classroom post before our next meeting. I will provide thorough feedback and constructive criticism to help students improve their future essays. Week Three: I will share my literary analysis essay and explain how I put it together. Students will get more practice as we discuss and analyze two poems together. I will give the students some possible topics to write about when analyzing poetry. Optional Extra Practice: Students can write a second literary analysis essay or a paragraph on one of the poems we discuss in class and send it to me via private message or classroom post within a week after our class ends. I will provide thorough feedback and constructive criticism to help students improve their future essays.
Learning Goals
Students will be able to effectively analyze and write about a piece of literature.
Other Details
Supply List
Students will use the free website americanliterature.com to read the short story I assign. Students will also need a pencil and paper for each class. Sticky notes are a plus!
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Joined October, 2020
5.0
303reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
South Carolina Teaching Certificate in English/Language Arts
Hi! I teach a variety of English classes for elementary school through high school. I like to use multiple teaching strategies that appeal to all different learning styles in order to make learning fun and interesting. I like to laugh and have fun in class, but I also strive to inspire my students to think critically and write well. I love to talk, but I don't like to lecture. I want to hear from the learners! My classes are interactive and full of opportunities for learners to share their thoughts and ideas.
I am a certified English teacher with thirteen years of experience teaching secondary English. I graduated with honors from Lander University with a degree in English, and then I received my teaching degree from Coastal Carolina University three years later. My first job was at a public school in South Carolina, where I taught for seven years. During my time there, I received the Golden Apple Award from a local tv station after being nominated by one of my students.
Then, in 2012 my family and I moved to the Middle East where I taught high school English and fifth grade English at a private school in Kuwait. After 6 years in the Middle East, we moved to Taiwan, and I worked online with ESL students in order to help them improve their English grammar and writing skills. I have really enjoyed working with so many wonderful students from all over the world! While overseas, I continued my college courses in order to keep my teaching certificate updated and to explore new teaching ideas and strategies that I can apply to my current lessons.
We moved back to the US in 2020, and I went back to classroom teaching in 2022. I currently teach 10th, 11th, and 12th grade English classes at a local high school. However, I still enjoy teaching my Outschool classes, and I make sure to make time for my online students also. When I’m not teaching in some capacity or spending time with my family, I like trying new recipes, reading, and hiking. Fun fact about me: I LOVE to travel and experience different cultures. I have visited 17 countries so far and would love to add more to that list one day.Reviews
Live Group Class
$40
for 3 classes1x per week, 3 weeks
50 min
Completed by 69 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 13-16
3-6 learners per class
