Watership Down ELA Novel Study
Students will read and analyze Watership Down by Richard Adams while exploring the fantasy genre; analyzing foreshadowing, irony, & character conflict; and write their own fantasy story with the Moving Beyond the Page(MBTP) literature unit.
Angelia Derrick (she/her)
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5.0
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What's included
12 live meetings
11 in-class hoursHomework
2-4 hours per week. Students will need to read and study the texts, do the weekly workbook activity pages, do short written responses outside of class, and research and write papers/essays.Assessment
Your Final Grade will be determined from your homework grades, project grades, and test grades. Projects grading rubrics will be provided with the assignment. Assignments, papers, projects, and tests will have due dates and late assignments will receive a deduction. Accommodations and extensions are given when asked for before the due date.Grading
includedClass Experience
US Grade 8 - 9
This class uses the Moving Beyond the Page Language Arts curriculum. As such learners will use literature to learn language arts, develop their critical thinking and creativity skills, and use the 6+1 traits of writing approach (Ideas, Organization, Voice, Word Choice, Sentence Fluency, Conventions, Presentations). A Summary of Skills will be provided when you enroll that tells you which state and national (US) standards that each unit covers for your own planning and any documentation requirements that you need to submit to your local authorities. Watership Down Unit - In a world where rabbits take center stage, members of one warren must flee their home in search of a new life. Follow their adventures as they cross paths with other rabbit groups, memorable animals, and humans. Learners will explore the fantasy genre while analyzing foreshadowing, irony, and character conflict. Learners will then then try their own hand at developing a fantasy story in the final project. Week 1 - Learners will begin reading Watership Down. They will learn about Richard Adams (the author), the research an author may do for a book (rabbits), maps of story locations, foreshadowing, and vocabulary words. Week 2 - Learners will continue reading Watership Down. They will learn how to find connections between a fictional story and their own life or the real world, fantasy genre, symbolism, Latin roots, and compare and contrast. Week 3 - Learners will continue reading Watership Down. They will learn about quotations, food webs, dramatic irony, Latin roots, fictional societies, and vocabulary words. Week 4 - Learners will continue reading Watership Down. They will learn about myths, legends, and folktales, and start planning their own fantasy story. Week 5 - Learners will continue reading Watership Down. They will learn about denotations and connotations, making characters for their fantasy story, and learn about the importance of setting. Week 6 - Learners will finish reading Watership Down. They will learn about plot and conflict, themes, word roots, take an end of unit test, and continue to write their own fantasy story. This book unit is also taught in my 8th Grade English Language Arts Through Literature - Semester B course - https://outschool.com/classes/8th-grade-english-language-arts-through-literature-semester-b-crL9PybT?usid=k5hGyGpE&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link
Other Details
Parental Guidance
Watership Down contains several fights among the rabbits, one character is shot, another character was tortured, several characters are injured in fights, and they are menaced by some other animals.
Students will research some topics online, read articles on websites, and occasional watch an informational YouTube video to complete homework assignments. The following Moving Beyond the Page Resource List will be provided to learners to help them complete homework assignments and projects - https://www.movingbeyondthepage.com/online/content/resource-list.aspx
Supply List
Students will need a word processor to write paper assignments, a journal/notebook/google doc is recommended for journaling thoughts and extra/non-workbook assignments, a printer to print up the workbook pages or pdf editor to do them on their computer, and a cell phone with a camera or scanner to turn in workbook pages. Families will need to purchase the Moving Beyond the Page student activity pages to download. Direct links to purchase the student activity pages will be provided after enrollment. MBTP Activity Pages - Watership Down - $4.99 The following text/book will be used throughout the class. Families may purchase (print, ebook, or audio) or borrow from their local library. Prices listed below were found on Amazon. Watership Down by Richard Adams - $13.89
1 file available upon enrollment
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Sources
This class uses the Moving Beyond the Page Ages 12-14 (8th/9th US) Language Arts curriculum.
Watership Down by Richard Adams
Joined May, 2020
5.0
170reviews
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Teacher expertise and credentials
2 Degrees
Master's Degree in Film/Cinema/Video Studies from California State University, Fullerton
Bachelor's Degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences from Charter Oak State College
I studied literature throughout my bachelor's program as part of the creative writing emphasis. I have been teaching middle and high school level students for several years how to analyze texts (movies and books), write essays, and creative writing.
Published writer in nonfiction (articles and books) and fiction (short stories, novellas, and novels).
Writing young adult fantasy and space opera under the pen name Angelia Almos.
Master of Fine Arts in Screenwriting
Bachelor of Arts in Applied Arts: Creative Writing
Certificates from Institute of Children's Literature
Certificates from Institute for WritersReviews
Live Group Class
$240
for 12 classes2x per week, 6 weeks
55 min
Completed by 3 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 12-14
3-9 learners per class
