In this 6-week online course, students will read and discuss the novel "The Mysterious Benedict Society" by Trenton Lee Stewart. Each week, the students will read an assigned portion of the book before coming to class and be ready to discuss it with their peers. Live meetings will begin with a summary of the assigned chapters and a time for students to ask any questions they may have before a more in-depth discussion takes place. This will be followed by questions about the book which require a deeper understanding of the material and more critical thinking on the part of the student. These questions will be open ended and may not have one correct answer. The teacher will have discussion questions prepared for this part of class, but students will also be encouraged to devise their own questions based on their thoughts about the assigned reading. Each live meeting will culminate in a ten question quiz as a final check for understanding. 

In addition to readings and class discussions, students will be asked to complete 2 project assignments throughout the course. They will have a number of options to choose from including drawing a comic strip of part of the story, writing a first-person journal entry as one of the characters, creating a movie poster for the book, completing a formal book report, and more. These projects will be discussed in class and will be due during weeks 3 and 6. 

Course outline:
Week 1: Intro and chapters 1-6 
Students will spend a few minutes getting to know one another before diving into the book. They will also learn a bit about the author and the other works in the series. Chapters 1-6 will be discussed. Project assignments will be introduced. 

Week 2: Chapters 7-13
Students will read and discuss the next 7 chapters in the book. They will be reminded about their projects and have an opportunity to ask any questions pertaining to them.

Week 3: Chapters 14-19
Students will discuss these chapters and turn in their completed projects. 

Week 4: Chapters 20-26 
Students will read and discuss chapters 20-26 and be encouraged to start on their final projects. 

Week 5: Chapters 27-33
Students will discuss these chapters and will review major points in the book in preparation for the final class.

Week 6: Chapters 34-39 
Students will finish reading and discussing the book. Final projects will be submitted. Class will conclude by giving students a chance to share their opinions about the book as a whole and an invitation to enjoy the rest of the series.