Narnia Book Club: 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe' by C. S. Lewis
In this eight week course, we will enjoy and appreciate one of the greatest and most popular works of fiction for young people.
Dr. Anthony Radice
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5.0
Number of reviews:(448)
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What's included
8 live meetings
7 hrs 20 mins in-class hoursHomework
1-2 hours per week. Chapters are set for reading between classes, and before the first class. Students can do this either by reading on their own, by listening to a parent read the novel, or by listening to an audiobook. I recommend the unabridged audiobook read by Michael York, which you can find on Audible here: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/The-Lion-the-Witch-and-the-Wardrobe-The-Chronicles-of-Narnia-Audiobook/B004EEZ27O (UK) https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Lion-the-Witch-and-the-Wardrobe-Audiobook/B002V1NHJ2 (USA) The homework reading schedule is as follows: Pre-course reading (before the first class): Chapters One and Two. Before the second class: Chapters Three and Four. Before the third class: Chapters Five and Six. Before the fourth class: Chapters Seven and Eight. Before the fifth class: Chapters Nine and Ten. Before the sixth class: Chapters Eleven and Twelve. Before the seventh class: Chapters Thirteen to Fifteen. Before the eighth class: Chapters Sixteen and Seventeen.Assessment
Students will have the option of submitting written work if they wish to receive feedback. Informal oral assessment will also take place in class.Class Experience
C. S. Lewis' enduring and perennially popular classic, 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe' has proven for generations that people still love fairy tales, by which I mean stories set in other worlds that have a deep significance for our own. The novel's enthralling storyline, with its great themes of courage and sacrifice, continues to inspire young people more than seventy years after it was published in 1950. In this eight-week course, we will enjoy and appreciate Lewis' exciting and inspiring storytelling skills through a mixture of class discussion and writing activities, as well as plenty of quick quizzes to help the knowledge stick and build confidence. Between classes, students will read a section of the novel, which will be reviewed in each class. We will then focus on key moments where we see how Edmund Pevensie develops as a character. Tracing the development of a key character in this way will provide a key to deeper appreciation of the novel, as we see how Edmund journeys through evil paths but ultimately finds redemption. The class schedule will be as follows: Week One: Chapters One and Two review and detailed focus on how Tumnus the faun repents of his treachery (introducing key ideas needed for understanding Edmund). Week Two: Chapters Three and Four review and detailed focus on how the White Witch tempts Edmund. Week Three: Chapters Five and Six review and detailed focus on how Edmund lets Lucy down. Week Four: Chapters Seven and Eight review and detailed focus on Edmund's treacherous thoughts. Week Five: Chapters Nine and Ten review and detailed focus on Edmund's treachery in action. Week Six: Chapters Eleven and Twelve review and detailed focus on how Edmund's cure begins. Week Seven: Chapters Thirteen to Fifteen review and detailed focus on how Edmund is threatened with punishment for his treachery. Week Eight: Chapters Sixteen and Seventeen review and detailed focus on Edmund's courage in the final battle of the novel.
Learning Goals
Students will gain an excellent overall understanding of the novel and a particularly detailed grasp of how Lewis deals with themes of treachery, justice and repentance through the character of Edmund Pevensie.
Syllabus
8 Lessons
over 8 WeeksLesson 1:
Chapters One and Two
Chapters One and Two review and detailed focus on how Tumnus the faun repents of his treachery (introducing key ideas needed for understanding Edmund). 55 mins online live lesson
Lesson 2:
Chapters Three and Four
Chapters Three and Four review and detailed focus on how the White Witch tempts Edmund. 55 mins online live lesson
Lesson 3:
Chapters Five and Six
Chapters Five and Six review and detailed focus on how Edmund lets Lucy down. 55 mins online live lesson
Lesson 4:
Chapters Seven and Eight
Chapters Seven and Eight review and detailed focus on Edmund's treacherous thoughts. 55 mins online live lesson
Other Details
Parental Guidance
There are some frightening and violent scenes in the novel. The children's lives are threatened on several occasions. There is a scene where Peter fights and slays a wolf who is trying to kill his sisters. Aslan's death on the Stone Table, surrounded by evil creatures, is a particularly frightening moment. There is a battle scene at the end. However, there is no detailed or gory description of the violence, as the novel is intended for young readers.
Note that, as with most classic literature, this text has a religious dimension, which needs to be explained as cultural context for the novel to be understood properly, just as it would be if one were studying Dickens or Shakespeare.
Supply List
Students are provided with a guide to the text, which includes extracts, writing activities and quiz questions. They should also purchase a copy of the text itself for their reading homework. Other than this, they only need pen and paper.
1 file available upon enrollment
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined August, 2021
5.0
448reviews
Popular
Teacher expertise and credentials
Non-US Teaching Certificate in English/Language Arts
3 Degrees
Doctoral Degree in English from University of Leeds
Master's Degree in English from University of Leeds
Bachelor's Degree in English from Manchester University
I have three university degrees in literature - that's why I get to call myself 'Doctor' Radice. I've also taught literature for more than thirteen years in schools, to classes ranging from age nine to eighteen.Reviews
Live Group Course
$128
for 8 classes1x per week, 8 weeks
55 min
Completed by 51 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 9-13
4-10 learners per class
