Middle School English: A Full Semester for 8th Graders
In this four-month full curriculum virtual semester students will get the same experiences with me as they would in a brick-and-mortar classroom. Activities will include reading, writing, grammar, vocabulary, and so much more.
David Ginsberg
Average rating:
4.9
Number of reviews:(161)
What's included
64 live meetings
64 in-class hoursHomework
1-2 hours per week. Homework will be assigned each week. Most homework assignments will be to watch video resources and to read chapters of the assigned books.Assessment
I will provide grades as needed to satisfy homeschool requirements. Any grades provided will be formal letter grades such as A,B,C,D or F. Just as in public school an A is the highest passing grade, and an F is the lowest failing grade. Final evaluations of learning units will be project based rather than depending on written tests, this allows more creative freedom for learners to demonstrate skill mastery using a hands-on approach. All learners are required to participate in classroom discussions and activities. All learners must be respectful to each other and the teacher.Grading
includedClass Experience
US Grade 8
This semester long classroom experience is ideal for 8th grade students who are home schooling but all learners who would benefit from this class and my instruction are certainly welcome to attend. Throughout the semester we will be reading multiple books which I have personally selected for middle school learners. These books will include The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie, The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe, and The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor by Jay Bonansinga and Robert Kirkman Each learner will need a copy of these books for this class. The focus of this semester will emphasize both the hero’s journey and the villain’s journey. Part Time Indian demonstrates the struggles of overcoming racism, poverty, and rising above personal hardships. While it tells the story of a Native American biased and the author is Native American the book is racially biased in favor of Native Americans. When reading this book, we will be exploring it as a literary analysis of the book from multiple perspectives. We will look at articles and reviews from other sources. The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor is rated 16 + by Common Sense Media. Our goal is not to glorify violence by reading this book but to understand why an ordinary man becomes a villain. There are some scenes with violence with humans killing zombies. If need be, some chapters may be skipped depending on the comfort level of some learners. It is important to remember this piece of literature is fictional and does not represent any real people or their actions. Both of these books represent both the heroes and the villain’s journeys because in everyday life we are tempted by negative influences such as our environments, peer pressures, societal expectations, etc. By understanding this we can either rise to become heroes or fall into villainy. Each of these books have been used as teaching tools in public schools across America. In my opinion they are all exceptional for helping middle school students to further develop their critical thinking skills. I will offer school vacations just like we would have in a public school. We will have two weeks off in November for Thanksgiving and two weeks off in December for Christmas/ New Years. The semester will come back for the conclusion in January. Learning packets will be sent via Outschool message to all learners who enroll. Each week questions from the packet should be answered for the assigned chapters. Certain questions will ask for specific answers such as what did one character say to another? Other questions will ask for your opinion. Grades will be provided as needed to satisfy home schooling requirements. The first day of class will serve as an introduction. I will go over expectations and procedures. We will get to know each other, and I will also offer students an outline of what the semester will look like. We will meet every week live on Zoom. Class will be held on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Wednesday will serve as a catch-up day for any missing homework assignments and for watching videos assigned as homework. On Thursdays we will discuss the video assignments from Wednesday's homework. I will find as many free videos on YouTube as possible to offer students additional resources. YouTube has a seemingly limitless virtual library of free documentaries. An example schedule is listed below. The schedule has been broken down into month long units. Month 1 August: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian unit and activities. Week 1: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian packet questions and video assignment. Week 2: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian packet questions and video assignment. Week 3: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian packet questions and video assignment. Week 4: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian packet questions and video assignment. Month 2 September: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (continued). Week 1: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian packet questions and video assignment. Week 2: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian packet questions and video assignment. Week 3: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian packet questions and video assignment. Week 4: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian packet questions and video assignment. Month 3 October: The Cask of Amontillado unit and activities. Week 1: The Cask of Amontillado packet questions and video assignment. Week 2: The Cask of Amontillado packet questions and video assignment. Week 3: The Cask of Amontillado packet questions and video assignment. Week 4: The Cask of Amontillado packet questions and video assignment. Month 4 November: The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor unit and activities. Week 1: The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor packet questions and video assignment. Week 2: The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor packet questions and video assignment. Week 3: The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor packet questions and video assignment. Thanksgiving Break Week 4: The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor packet questions and video assignment. Month 5 December: Finishing The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor unit and activities and ending the semester. Week 1: The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor packet questions and video assignment. Week 2: The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor packet questions and video assignment. Christmas/ New Year’s Break Week 3: The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor packet questions and video assignment. Week 4: The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor packet questions and video assignment.
Learning Goals
Our learning goal should be to create classroom culture and community. We should be developing our critical thinking skills while honing our reading and writing abilities. These skills will be essential for all learners to one day go on to college, the military, and or the work force.
Other Details
Parental Guidance
Each book and story I have selected for our semester of learning has been used in public middle schools across America. Some are also included in the common core. These stories do include some mature themes that not all parents are comfortable with their children being exposed to. If you are not comfortable with these themes this might not be the right class for your children. If you are comfortable with your children learning about these themes, then it will be my pleasure to work with them in furthering their education.
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie is about a Native American teenager who attends an all-white high school. The protagonist struggles with his racial identity as a Native American and life on an Indian reservation while trying to socially fit in at an all-white school. This book heavily focuses on racism and poverty which are very real issues still existing in America today.
Part Time Indian has been used as a teaching tool in public schools across America, it is also on the banned books list. The author Sherman Alexie is a Native American man, and he wrote the book based off of his own life experiences having grown on a reservation himself. Part Time Indian has also been placed on the banned books list. The book has received mixed reviews. Some critics praise the book for the protagonist’s ability to overcome hardship. Other critics discredit the book by saying that Sherman Alexie’s writing does not give enough of an in depth indigenous perspective, or his writing is one sided and doesn’t explore all perspectives of issues. Sherman Alexie has also been accused of and has admitted to multiple counts of sexual harassment. When reading his book, it is important to understand that by reading his book we are not justifying or condoning his actions.
We can talk about racism in our society in order to properly prevent it. We must be mindful of racism by acknowledging that it does exist. We want to make sure in reading Part Time Indian that we are not making generalizations about Native Americans. We want to make sure we are not labeling nay marginalized groups and that we are not contributing to stereotypes.
We will look at multiple perspectives when using Part Time Indian as a teaching tool. We will examine Native American history from a historical lens. We will look at primary sources such as court documents, newspaper articles, and if possible, we will have guest speakers to address the harmful effects of marginalization. All conversations should be open minded and not broad.
Banned books can be powerful teaching tools. The messages within them can be inspiring. We do not have to condone Sherman Alexie committing sexual harassment or any other criminal activities. We should not condone this. We can still learn from the greater concept of perseverance which is the message this books conveys.
In my own lived experience, I have had to overcome very similar struggles to the protagonist of Part Time Indian. This book was a part of my own experience in public education and was a very inspirational story for me overall. I welcome your learner to join me in an unbiased analysis of this book in an educational and nonharmful way.
The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe is about a man who plots the murder of a friend out of revenge over an insult.
The Rise of The Governor is inspired by The Walking Dead comic books and television series. The story takes place in a zombie apocalypse. The Rise of The Governor follows the psychological journey of family man Phillip Blake who becomes a murderer in a post-apocalyptic world without law and order.
The focus of this semester will emphasize both the hero’s journey and the villain’s journey. Part Time Indian demonstrates the struggles of overcoming racism, poverty, and rising above personal hardships. While it tells the story of a Native American biased and the author is Native American the book is racially biased in favor of Native Americans. When reading this book, we will be exploring it as a literary analysis of the book from multiple perspectives. We will look at articles and reviews from other sources.
The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor is rated 16 + by Common Sense Media. Our goal is not to glorify violence by reading this book but to understand why an ordinary man becomes a villain. There are some scenes with violence with humans killing zombies. If need be, some chapters may be skipped depending on the comfort level of some learners. It is important to remember this piece of literature is fictional and does not represent any real people or their actions. Our focus when reading this book should be on the Psychological journey the character experiences.
Both of these books represent both the heroes and the villain’s journeys because in everyday life we are tempted by negative influences such as our environments, peer pressures, societal expectations, etc. By understanding this we can either rise to become heroes or fall into villainy.
Supply List
All learners should also bring a paper and pencil to class. All learners should have access to the required books prior to class. The books can be purchased on the internet. All learners should also bring a paper and pencil to class. All Learners should have internet access. Some video watching assignments will take place on YouTube, Disney Plus, or Hulu.
Language of Instruction
English
Joined May, 2020
4.9
161reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
I have 5 + years teaching experience. I have a lifelong membership with the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. At the associate’s level at Southern Maine Community College, I studied Criminal Justice and Psychology, this included learning to professionally diagnose a patient with a mental disorder. I have a bachelor's degree in Educational Studies from Grand Canyon University, and a masters degree in history also from Grand Canyon University. I also have more than 20 credits in English.Reviews
Live Group Class
$640
for 64 classes4x per week, 16 weeks
60 min
Completed by 2 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 13-14
2-18 learners per class
