Ranger's Apprentice: The Ruins of Gorlan Socratic-Style Class

This is the first book from the Ranger’s Apprentice series by John Flanagan. It is a fantasy story. I love this series! It is filled with adventure. 
	"They have always scared him in the past- the Rangers with their dark cloaks and mysterious ways.  Folks in the village claim that Rangers have the power to become invisible at will.  A skill Will would now dearly love to have.
		Will’s heart had been set on Battleschool, on becoming a hero to the kingdom.  But Will is small for his fifteen years, too small to be a warrior.  He possesses other skills, though- a Ranger’s skills.  He can move silent as a shadow.  He can climb.  And he is brave.
		He will need all these skills and more.  For Morgarath, Lord of the Mountains of Rain and Night, is gathering his forces.  A battle for the kingdom is destined to begin.  A battle the likes of which Will cannot even imagine."

	This description does not do the series justice.  The plot in this (and the following books) is intriguing, interesting, and engrossing.  As the saga about Will, the Ranger, continues in each new story line, so does the development of the characters.  Each new story brings another adventure in and around the Araluen Kingdom.  
     This will be a Socratic-style class. Each student will be encouraged to voice their opinions while using evidence from the text. This class will be primarily focused on character development. There are many characters within this book that are complex and intriguing. Students will learn to analyze the words and actions of the characters to truly understand why they behave and interact the way they do throughout the story. 
     As we progress through the story, we will discuss the implications of cause and effect relationships in regards to the story line and characters. We will analyze the conflicts that occur. We will target the development of each main character during each class. Different themes will be discussed in every lesson.
If you need graded assignments, please let me know. I will be happy to include quizzes and tests. 

This is a 4-week class. 
Week 1:Character Development
 I will read chapters 1-2 during the first class. 
Homework: Read chapters 3-11

Week 2: Hero's Journey
We will discuss chapters 3-11
Homework: Read chapters 12-24

Week 3: Skills: conflicts
We will discuss chapters 12-24
Homework: Read chapters 25- Epilogue

Week 4: Skills: Themes
We will discuss chapters 25- Epilogue



** All classes will begin on time as long as there is at least one learner in the classroom. If there are no students in the class 10 minutes after the class start time, the teacher will exit the classroom. This class cannot be taught with zero students. No recording will be available for classes with zero attendance. 
***This is a Socratic-style class. That means it is a discussion based class. I will need at least three learners enrolled for the class to take place.