Preparing for High School: Literature, Writing, Rhetoric, & Critical Thinking

Semester 2 starts January 8th with Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird!

1/8: Intro and Background to TKAM 
1/15: Discuss Chapter 1-3
1/22: Discuss Chapters 4-6
1/29: Discuss Chapters 7-8
2/5: Discuss Chapters 9-12
2/12: Discuss Chapters 13-14
2/19: No class
2/26: Discuss Chapters 15-16
3/4: Discuss Chapters 17-19
3/11: Discuss Chapters 20-23
3/18: Discuss Chapters 24-26
3/25: Discuss Chapters 27-29

ABOUT THE  CLASS
This course is designed for students that would like preparation for high school writing standards and commonly taught literature. Students who are currently in 8th grade and want high school-level preparation are encouraged to enroll. In addition, students who are current high school freshmen may also benefit from the course. If your student needs more support or has learning gaps, this course is also appropriate. I am a current public educator in the state of Indiana, however, most schools across the USA teach similar texts in 9th grade. The literature includes a mix of classics in the literary canon as well as more modern texts. Do note that this class has a strict age range of 12-15. Older high school students may benefit from my other classes (i.e. SAT prep).

In all of my classes, students have freedom of thought and expression of ideas. The coursework in this class is designed to prepare students for high school work and gain the ability to think, write, and read critically. All work is graded on the analysis of the content and fulfillment of the assignment, not on personal opinions. Students are free and encouraged to respectfully disagree or agree with other students and the author and are not pressured or made to feel like their opinions are invalid. However, students must remain respectful and use professional language (no swearing, vulgarity, derogatory terms, or insults to other classmates). It is expected that students abide by this. Any unkind language or threats to other students will be reported to safety.

IMPORTANT: Students will read about 30 pages of a text per week (a bit less for a text that is denser). This allows us to dive deeper into literary analysis and have more in-depth discussions. ****Students can jump in and out throughout as desired as long as they have read the text from the current point. For example: if we are on chapter 8 of a book, the student should have read or know the summary of chapters 1-12 before enrolling in order to best participate in the discussions.***** 

This class is reading and writing heavy. Expect 30-45 minutes of outside reading and writing work per hour of class. Some weeks are more writing heavy and other weeks are more reading-heavy. Students are expected to discuss the text in class and participate.  I don't require cameras to be on, but I do require students to speak and participate since a large portion of the class is discussion-heavy. Students will not complete "busy work" comprehension sheets, but instead, use writing and discussion to become better readers, writers, and critical thinkers. Please let me know if your student needs certain accommodations or modifications in order to be successful in my class. I am happy to assist. 

To be successful in this course, students should be able to read at an 8th-grade reading level, write coherently (formulate paragraphs and short essays), and be able to independently read for 20-30 minutes. Audio versions of all texts are available to students who comprehend better this way. We will be reading books, selected short stories, excerpts, poems, nonfiction articles, historical documents, and essays. Students do not need a copy of any of the books (unless you prefer a hard copy). I will provide all copies of the text and excerpts. 

Note that grammar is not directly taught in the class. I give grammar feedback in their writing, however, I do have specific grammar courses if students want more help with this.

REQUIRED MATERIALS
Students should have a notebook for this course and a writing utensil. There are optional activities and required activities each week.

PARTICIPATION: 
Students may choose to keep cameras on or off as long as they briefly verify themselves with me at the beginning of the class (per Outschool policy). I do expect participation in this class. We cover quite a bit of material and it is essential that students discuss and understand the material. Being active participants helps them do so. If a student is not participating, I may ask them a low-stakes question such as "Do you have thoughts on ...?" rather than a question that only has a correct/incorrect answer. If I should NOT do this for your student (i.e. high anxiety), please let me know. I am happy to accommodate.

MISSED CLASSES
If your student misses a class, a recording will always be accessible on the classroom page. The PowerPoint lesson, assignments, and notes are always available as well.

REFUND POLICY 
If your student is not able to attend in person but stays enrolled, refunds will not be issued. This is because the student can still access the materials, recordings, and receive feedback for assignments. I do provide refunds for emergency situations.

QUICK QUIZZES
During most classes, students will have a quick quiz (3 multiple-choice questions) over the previous reading. This is to measure their own progress and keep them accountable. 

GRADES
Tests and writing assignments are graded. I provide grades for every test and keep track of student grades. If parents want to use this class for credit, I can send grades. Please let me know if you would like this when you enroll your child. I am a certified English educator, but some states have different requirements, so parents should make sure that the class fulfills all of the requirements. 

Homework will be a 30-40 minute reading and a short writing reflection (2 paragraphs or less) OR no reading and a major writing assignment (4-5 paragraphs). There are also optional enrichment activities as well.

COURSE SCHEDULE

Unit 1: MLA Format and Writing (3 weeks): 
Students will learn about parenthetical citations, embedding quotations, setting up a paper in MLA format, and creating works cited entries. Students will read two short essays and will practice these skills with these essays. 
Essays: "Beauty and the Beast" by Dave Barry and "Let Them Eat Dog" by Foer"
(the first essay will center around questions of beauty, body image, and diet culture)

Unit 2: Good and Evil in Literature: Short Stories (5 weeks) 
We will read a variety of short stories outside of class. Students will answer predictive, comprehension, and analytical questions pertaining to the stories. We will identify the characteristics that distinguish literary forms, explain the relationship between and among elements of literature, look for literary devices, analyze conflict, and explore human nature. We will also learn about and analyze the Standford Prison Experiment, the Shopping Cart Theory, moral dilemmas, and other examples throughout literature to answer the following question: are humans innately good or innately evil?
Texts used: 
1. Shirley Jackson's "The Possibility of Evil"
2. Frank Stockton's "The Lady or the Tiger"
3. Stephen King's "Quitter's Inc."
4. Edgar Allan Poe's "Black Cat"

Unit 3: An Analytical Study of the American Dream (central text: Of Mice and Men) by John Steinbeck: 
Of Mice and Men has deep themes that are relevant to our lives and culture today. During this study, we will explore "othering" and the importance of treating all creatures with respect. We will consider how capitalism and The American Dream help us or hold us back. Socratic discussion, engaging conversations, and writing assignments that incorporate art, poetry, and a few other surprises will complete this unit. We will also look at the American Dream. Does it exist? How can you achieve your dream? Students will write a literary analysis essay on the American Dream.


Unit 4: TKAM by Harper Lee
Lesson 1: Pre-Reading Activity and intro to the text
Lesson 2: Discuss Chapters 1-3: The Character of Boo Radley and the Concept of the Outsider
- Examines Boo Radley through quotations from the text
-Examines what it means to be “the other” or an outsider
- Examines the character of Boo Radley
-Origins of urban legends

Lesson 3: Chapters 4-6 Exploring Bird Allusions in TKAM 
-Examine symbols and allusions in TKAM
-Poem: Maya Angelou, “I know why the caged bird sings”
-Direct and Indirect Characterization

Lesson 4: Chapters 7-8 An Investigation of Masculinity and Femininity in TKAM
-Explore the concept of manhood as it relates to the novel
-Readings: Sojourner Truth, “Ain’t I a Woman”
-8 Honorific Titles
-Character list and titles
-Help! Is it Dr., Mrs., or Ms.? – By Cynthia Grosso, from
http://www.charlestonschoolofprotocol.com/newsdetail.asp?ID=95

Lesson 5: Chapters 9-11 Tom Robinson and Emmett Till – A Comparison
-Historical significance of Tom Robinson’s character
-Jim Crow South
-Video: “The Murder of Emmett Till”
-Tom Robinson – The Zeitgeist of the Times
-Examine the typical attitudes and beliefs in the Jim Crow South
- Look Magazine article “The shocking story of approved killing in
Mississippi” from
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/till/sfeature/sf_look_letters.html

More Lessons TBA

Other Units Include:
Unit 5: Romeo and Juliet
Unit 6: Rhetorical Analysis and Argument Writing
Unit 7: Speak Novel Study
Unit 8: Research Writing
Unit 9: Speech and Debate
Unit 10: Fahrenheit 451