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Visual Literature: Draw Your Way Through Middle School English and Language Arts

Completed by 387 learners
Ages 11-15
Live Group Class
Students will meet each week to read deeply, think critically, and build confidence in writing and grammar skills. This learner-led class is taught by a 15 year veteran ELA teacher skilled in helping students grow linguistically.
Average rating:
4.9
Number of reviews:
(4,600 reviews)
Star Educator
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Live video meetings
1x per week
3-12 learners per class
50 min

What's included

1 live meeting
50 mins in-class hours per week
Homework
1 hour per week. Although ongoing classes are not supposed to build on previous weeks, topics are often tied to related articles. Learners are encouraged to read these articles in the context of what they have learned in the class meeting.

Class Experience

US Grade 5 - 8
Welcome to Visual Lit: Middle School ELA! This Language Arts course covers grammar, literary 
analysis, and discussion skills as outlined by Common Core, NCTE, and International Reading 
Association standards. Each Standard listed below is covered in a stand-alone lesson; lessons do not build off 
each other week after week. 

This course uses sketchnoting to draw/ analyze/ access texts. Sketchnoting is a form of note-taking, 
hence the “noting” part of it, but as you might guess it involves bringing more visuals into the process 
compared to typical note-taking, hence the “sketch” part. 

This class begins with a different warm-up activity each time that can include anything from VISUAL GRAMMAR 
 and sentence diagramming to thought- provoking discussion questions. There is no homework or pre-reading required. Stories and poems are accessed during class with guided reading and socratic discussion. 

Each class we will dive deeply into texts and examine literary elements such as tone, plot structure, 
symbolism, and character development. We draw our ideas during our examinations so students will 
have artifacts to remember each text by. 

The goal for each class is to help students gain confidence in their analysis and discussion abilities in a 
supportive group setting. All texts are available in the public domain online and are listed below:

CURRICULUM: JOIN ANY TIME!! (This class has no end date) 


******TEXTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE DUE TO STUDENT INTEREST/ SUGGESTIONS*********


WEEK OF NOVEMBER 4: Standards: RL4; RL6; RL7; RL9; NCTE 9; CC 4; CC 5; CC 6; Text: “There Will Come Soft Rains” by Ray Bradbury: https://www.chino.k12.ca.us/cms/lib/CA01902308/Centricity/Domain/4327/Soft%20Rains%20Bradbury%20Text.pdf

WEEK OF NOVEMBER 11: Standards: RL1; RL2; RL6; RL3; RL8; NCTE 9; CC 1; CC 2; Text: “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker: https://harpers.org/archive/1973/04/everyday-use/

WEEK OF NOVEMBER 18: Standards: RL3; RL5; RL7; RL4; NCTE 4; CC 1; CC 4; CC 7; CC 3; NCTE 6, 1 & 7 Texts: (Poetry focus): “Growing Down,” “The Clockman” ~Shel Silverstein & "Sonnet 116" Shakespeare, “The Road Not Taken” ~Robert Frost https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/growing-down ; https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/the-clock-man ; https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45090/sonnet-29-when-in-disgrace-with-fortune-and-mens-eyes; https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44272/the-road-not-taken

WEEK OF NOVEMBER 25: THERE WILL BE NO CLASSES FROM NOVEMBER 27TH TO NOVEMBER 30TH FOR THANKSGIVING HOLIDAYS 
For class on November 26: Standards: ELA RL..1; ELA RL.2; ELA RL.6; RL..10; ELA RL5; ELA L.1; ELA L.0.2; Common Core Writing Standard 1, W.9-10.6“The Lady of the Tiger?” by Frank R Stockton https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/396/pg396-images.html 


WEEK OF DECEMBER 2: Standards: RL3; RL4; RL6; RL7; RL8; CC 1; CC 2; Text: “The Interlopers” by Saki https://www.edco.ie/_fileupload/The%20Interlopers%20-%20A%20short%20story%20by%20Saki.pdf

WEEK OF DECEMBER 9: Standards: RL1; RL2; RL3; RL5; RL7; CC10; NCTE 1; NCTE 2; Text: “AUDIO ONLY The Snowman - 1986 Audiobook - Read by John Baddeley (Tempo 9516) AUDIOBOOK: https://youtu.be/pKO826q34r0    

WEEK OF DECEMBER 16: Standards: RL3; RL5; RL8; RL4; NCTE 3; CC 4; CC 5; CC 6; Text: “The Veldt” by Ray Bradbury 
https://repositorio.ufsc.br/bitstream/handle/123456789/163728/The%20Veldt%20-%20Ray%20Bradbury.pdf

WEEK OF DECEMBER 23: THERE WILL BE NO CLASSES FROM DECEMBER 23RD TO DECEMBER 29 DUE TO WINTER HOLIDAY

WEEK OF DECEMBER 30: Standards: RL1; RL2; RL6; RL8; NCTE 9; NCTE 4; CC 4; CC 5; CC 6; Text: “The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst http://jjett.pbworks.com/w/file/fetch/97072218/The_Scarlet_Ibis.pdf

WEEK OF JANUARY 6: Standards: RL1, RL2, RL6, RL8; NCTE 9, NCTE 4; CC 4, CC 5 Text:  “Icarus and Daedalus” - Josephine Preston Peabody;   PDF FOUND HERE: https://www.ontarioteacher.org/reading7/index_htm_files/Icarus%20and%20Daedalus%20Myth.pdf & Musée des Beaux Arts BY W H Auden found here: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/159364/musee-des-beaux-arts-63a1efde036cd 

WEEK OF JANUARY 14: Standards: RL3; RL5; RL6; RL7; RL8; CC 1; CC 2; Text: “Through the Tunnel” by Doris Lessing https://jerrywbrown.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Through-the-Tunnel-Lessing-Doris.pdf

WEEK OF JANUARY 20: Standards: RL2; RL4; RL7; RL8; NCTE 1 & 7; NCTE 6; CC 1; CC 4; CC 7; Text: “A Sound of Thunder” by Ray Bradbury http://www.astro.sunysb.edu/fwalter/AST389/ASoundofThunder.pdf

WEEK OF JANUARY 27: Standards: RL3; RL5; RL6; RL7; CC 4; CC 5; CC 6; NCTE 3; Text: “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson https://www.cusd200.org/cms/lib/IL01001538/Centricity/Domain/361/jackson_lottery.pdf

******TEXTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE DUE TO STUDENT INTEREST/ SUGGESTIONS*********

WEEK OF FEB 3:  Standards: RL4; RL6; RL7: NCTE 9; CC 4; CC 5; CC 6; Text: “The Friday Everything Changed” - Anne Hart https://shortfictioncollingwood.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/the-friday-everything-changed.pdf

WEEK OF FEB 10:  Standards RL1; RL2; RL3;  RL5; RL7 CC 1; CC 4; CC 7; NCTE 1 & 7  “Axolotl” by Julio Cortázar found here https://ambystoma.uky.edu/teachers_materials/axolitbook/AxolotlByJulioCortazar.html and “”The Fish” by Elizabeth Bishop found here: https://poets.org/poem/fish-2 
 

WEEK OF FEB 17:  Standards: RL2; RL4; RL5; RL8: CC10 ; NCTE 1; NCTE 2: Text: “Secret Life of Walter Mitty” James Thurber : https://www.sphstigers.org/ourpages/users/jasher/SSBootCampWebsite/SecretLifeWalterMitty.pdf  

WEEK OF FEB 24:  Standards: RL3; RL4; RL5; RL7: CC 1; CC 2; Text “”All Summer in a Day” Ray Bradbury : https://www.mukilteoschools.org/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=183&dataid=731&FileName=6-All-Summer-in-a-Day-by-Ray-Bradbury.pdf

WEEK OF MARCH 3:  Standards: RL4; RL6; RL7 NCTE 1 NCTE 2 CC 7 CC 10“Hey You Down There" by Harold Roseblath: https://www.mrbroviak.com/uploads/3/7/4/5/37450073/hey_you_down_there_1.pdf 

WEEK OF MARCH 10:  Standards: : RL1; RL2; RL3: CC 3 ; NCTE 6; “Rikki Tikki Tavi” Rudyard Kipling https://www.vma.is/static/files/enska/Bokmenntir/Short%20Stories/RikkiTikkiTavi_Kipling.pdf 

WEEK OF MARCH 17:  Standards: RL2; RL4; RL5; RL8: NCTE 9; CC 4; CC 5; CC 6; Text:  "The Elevator" by William Sleator
https://cdn5-ss16.sharpschool.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_27050581/File/Staff%20Websites/Harris/Literature%20&%20Non-Fiction/The_Elevator.pdf 

WEEK OF MARCH 24:  Standards: Standards: RL4; RL6; RL7; NCTE 9; CC 4; CC 5; CC 6  “The Circuit” by https://www.wrschool.net/cms/lib/AZ02214740/Centricity/Domain/1614/The%20Circuit%20Text.pdf

WEEK OF MARCH 31:  Standards: : CC 1; CC 3; CC 6; NCTE 1, 7, 3, 10  "The Hitchhiker" by Roald Dahl found here: http://www.rodtaylorsite.com/media/dahl_hitch-hiker.pdf  

WEEK OF APRIL 7 (POETRY MONTH!):  Standards: RL1; RL3; RL5: CC 1; CC 2; Text:  The Stolen Party by Liliana Heker  ( http://christian_fuller.myteachersite.org/teacher/files/documents/the_stolen_party1.pdf ) and poem: ‘Monuments for a Friendly Girl at a Tenth Grade Party’ by William Stafford   (https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/monuments-for-a-friendly-girl-at-a-tenth-grade-party/ ) 

WEEK OF APRIL 14 (POETRY MONTH!):  RL 1; RL5; RL6; RL7; RL 8;  : Standards: CC 1; CC 2; NCTE  4; Text: “The Chaser” by Jon Collier & “Sonnet 18” by William Shakespeare:  https://f01.justanswer.com/VaIxepPC/the_chaser-collier.pdf & https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45087/sonnet-18-shall-i-compare-thee-to-a-summers-day 

WEEK OF APRIL 21 (POETRY MONTH!):  PRT 1 Standards: RL 1; RL5; RL6; RL7; RL 8CC 1; CC 4; CC 7; CC 3 ; NCTE 6, 1 & 7  Texts: (Poetry focus): “The Cremation of Sam McGee” by Robert W Service ; “Casey at the Bat” by Ernest Lawrence Thayer and “O Captain! My Captain” and “A Noiseless Patient Spider both by Walt Whitman 
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45081/the-cremation-of-sam-mcgee ; https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45474/o-captain-my-captain ; https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45473/a-noiseless-patient-spider https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45398/casey-at-the-bat 

WEEK OF APRIL 28 (POETRY MONTH!):  Standards: PRT 2 Standards: RL 1; RL5; RL6; RL7; RL 8CC 1; CC 4; CC 7; CC 3 ; NCTE 6, 1 & 7  Texts: (Poetry focus): “The Cremation of Sam McGee” by Robert W Service ; “Casey at the Bat” by Ernest Lawrence Thayer and “O Captain! My Captain” and “A Noiseless Patient Spider both by Walt Whitman 
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45081/the-cremation-of-sam-mcgee ; https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45474/o-captain-my-captain ; https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45473/a-noiseless-patient-spider https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45398/casey-at-the-bat 
--END QUARTER 3---

Other Details

Parental Guidance
This course incorporates many short, free texts available in the public domain. Some of these stories may involve analyzing emotionally difficult scenes or sensitive historical events and having socratic discussion on these topics. Teacher Jordan has years of experience as both classroom teacher and debate coach ensuring all voices are heard while protecting learners from abusive or aggressive language. Bullying will never be tolerated in the classroom setting, and may result in removal from the class and referral to Outschool's Trust and Safety team.
Supply List
- Something to Draw With
- Something to Draw On
 1 file available upon enrollment
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Sources
Visual Lit features numerous texts from the Public Domain. These texts have been selected to feature diverse perspectives from around the world, including those of traditionally marginalized groups. - “The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant https://faculty.ksu.edu.sa/sites/default/files/the_diamond_necklace.pdf & ILLUSTRATION https://americanliterature.com/author/guy-de-maupassant/short-story/the-diamond- necklace - Alice Walker https://harpers.org/archive/1973/04/everyday-use/ -“The Interlopers” by Saki https://www.edco.ie/_fileupload/The%20Interlopers%20-%20A%20short%20story%20by %20Saki.pdf - “The Veldt” by Ray Bradbury https://repositorio.ufsc.br/bitstream/handle/123456789/163728/The%20Veldt%20- %20Ray%20Bradbury.pdf - “The Landlady” by Roald Dahl http://juliestanaway.weebly.com/uploads/9/6/3/1/963190/landlady.pdf?fbclid=IwAR3DSR- 3AzeEYe2YVLZUpXmAVKnxDS3ajZzPdq9vSNS1YJ-hBYn7ztZZ74M - “Rules of the Game” Amy Tan https://jg019.k12.sd.us/eng1/Assignment%20Documents/Rules%20of%20the %20Game.pdf & Amy Tan biographical text

Offered by

4.9
4600reviews
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Profile
Teacher expertise and credentials
Georgia Teaching Certificate in English/Language Arts
Jordan Kohanim
Non-US Teaching Certificate in Social Studies/History
Cameron Shaw
Georgia Teaching Certificate in Special Education
Maria Thorne
North Carolina Teaching Certificate in Secondary Education
Allie Baker
Doctoral Degree in Music or Theatre or Arts from University of Arts in Belgrade
Natalija Stojanovic
Master's Degree in Music or Theatre or Arts from University of Arts in Belgrade
Natalija Stojanovic
Master's Degree in Education from University of Georgia
Whitney Panetta
Master's Degree in Education from Georgia College and State University
Maria Thorne
Master's Degree in Education from Georgia State University
Benjamin Corey
Bachelor's Degree in English from Kennesaw State University
Jordan Kohanim
Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Science from Vassar College
Cameron Shaw
Bachelor's Degree in Education from Georgia Southern University
Maria Thorne
Bachelor's Degree in Communications from Ramapo College of New Jersey
Jessica Rinzuello
Bachelor's Degree in Music or Theatre or Arts from University of Georgia
Whitney Panetta
Bachelor's Degree in Education from UNCP
Allie Baker
Bachelor's Degree in Science from Oglethorpe University
Benjamin Corey
Bachelor's Degree in Science from Hampshire College
Peter Burke
Bachelor's Degree in History from Georgia State University
James Bostick
Teacher Jordan is a nationally recognized English and Language Arts educator with over 15 years of experience teaching in public schools in the Atlanta area. She is certified in the state of Georgia. She has twice been recognized as Teacher of the Year, and is a beloved debate and public speaking coach as well. 

Reviews

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