This is a Self-Paced class, No live meetings. What this means is that the materials needed for class are posted to the classroom once a week. (videos, worksheets).

A fun way to help your kids learn to read and comprehend what they read, is to give them interesting subjects to read about at every level. In this class, students will read 3 fun short stories that have different topics from science and history topics. This provides students a subject matter that keeps their interest and helps them learn to love reading, all the while they are practicing their reading. The student will read each story and then answer 5 comprehension questions on kahoot.com in an activity the teacher will provide a link to in the classroom. 

Each week the teacher will post a video giving instructions and a brief summary of the weeks story topics. Then a PDF copy of each story will be provided as well for the student to read. Then the worksheet/digital document will be provided for the student to use for the writing portion of the class. This students can either print out the PDF and write out the writing, then submit with either a scan or or picture of the writing for feedback from the teacher.
A video will be posted with description of how to do this as well.

*Weekly videos plus worksheets and stories posted weekly to the classroom.
*No live classes on Self-Paced version outschool classes.


After the story is read and questions answered, the students will pick one of the three stories read that was their favorite and write one-2 paragraphs answering the essay question at the end of the story they picked. Students can either write this answer out on paper with pencil, or they can type up their answer. If students choose to write with pencil and paper, they can take a picture of their writing, and load it into the classroom using the paperclip icon for the teacher to give feedback. If students choose to type up the answer, they can use the provided google document link to type up their answer. This option is preferred so the teacher can offer real time feedback on their writing with grammar, punctuation, and spelling corrections. 
There are 15 weeks of stories at this level, every 15 weeks we will repeat the stories. Students will be provided a copy of the story and questions in class to print out if they wish to practice this story on their own after class. Different topics to be offered in the stories are: 

Week 1:
How were the Finger Lakes formed? 
Can people grow back arms or legs? 
How did two political parties get their animal symbols? 
Week 2: 
What makes a helicopter fly? 
Where did jazz come from? 
Why does a deer grow and shed antlers? 
Week 3:
Was Dracula a real person? 
Where can you see a coyote? 
What are the Dead Sea Scrolls? 
Week 4: 
Why is a moth attracted to light? 
What was the Trojan horse? 
Why do animals play? 
Week 5: 
Who was Amelia Earhart? 
How can water flow up a tree? 
Who was Rosa Parks? 
Week 6:
What are the facts about mushrooms? 
What language do deaf people use? 
How does an IMAX movie work? 
Week 7:
Is the Atlantic Ocean getting smaller? 
What is alchemy? 
Who was Alexander Graham Bell? 
Week 8: 
Why aren’t animals on electric power lines electrocuted? 
Who is Spike Lee? 
How did teddy bears get their name? 
Week 9:
Who first learned how to make glass? 
How do you grade a stone? 
Who were the Neanderthals? 
Week 10:
Why doesn’t the sun burn up? 
Did Atlantis really exist? 
Can ants live in trees? 
Week 11:
Are birds really descended from dinosaurs? 
What is the legend of the phoenix? 
Week 12: 
What is the Mariana Trench? 
What is the Iditarod? 
What causes avalanches? 
Week 13: 
What is amber? 
What was Lake Missoula? 
Week 14:
Do llamas live only in South America? 
What was Manzanar? 
What is the truth about piranhas? 
Week 15: 
What is a coelacanth? 
Do old songs hold secret codes? 
Can dogs smell cancer? 

Kahoot.com is a free site that does not require an email address. The teacher will provide a link to join the online game to answer the comprehension questions.
Parents need to ensure their students complete both the comprehension questions and writing assignments each week.