Paper, writing utensils, and access at least one form of a writing application (Google Docs or MS Word).

All worksheets, handouts, short stories, and poems, and/or links for this semester will be sent via the classroom page as needed.

Now about the books... 

As a homeschooling mom myself, I understand the importance of finding books that won't break the bank. That's why I made it a priority to choose books that have multiple options or discounted versions (usually e-reader). Some books may even be downloaded for free online via Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org/) or via the Internet Archive, a non-profit online library (https://archive.org/). Most of the books can be found at your local library. You can also reach out to your local librarian about setting up Libby or Overdrive to read free digital books on your e-reader.
Please make sure that you choose the version that is best for you and your child. With many versions and translations being made from the older works we will be covering there may be slight differences in the text but not in the overall theme or discussion. The goal isn't to create a library full of books that your child only reads once. Instead, it's more important that your child is able to ask questions, ponder new ideas, and form their own intelligent theories about the works that they read. With that said, if they do fall in love with a book be sure to get them a copy that they can read again and again.

In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Kahoot
Gimkit
Google Docs
Google Forms
Google Slides
Blooket
Edpuzzle

At this age, it is common for students to still need help and direction at home for writing. That's okay! In this class, I encourage parental guidance when students are working at home. Some students may struggle at the beginning with balancing the concepts of class and the physical act of writing. Please know that it is perfectly fine if your child wants to dictate to you as they learn. The goal at this age is to understand the concepts. Mastery comes with continuous practice and patience as each child moves at his/her own pace. If at any point during the class you feel that your child is falling behind or needs additional help, please feel free to reach out to me directly so we can work out a plan.

The books that we read in this course are analyzed critically using the five literary elements: conflict, plot, setting, character, and theme. Below are additional details regarding the books we will be reading in the second semester.

* Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/alices-adventures-in-wonderland
Review from Common Sense Media: Parents need to know that constantly changing predicaments, strange creatures, and the watercolors are very child-friendly. But difficult language, Carroll's nonsense poems, and adult humor will leave some children bored or confused. Still, it's a classic well worth the trouble and particularly fun as a read-aloud.

* Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card - https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/enders-game
Review from Common Sense Media: "Parents need to know that Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game is a gripping and emotional sci-fi novel, originally published in 1985, that will appeal to older tweens and teens. It's a dystopian novel about kids trained from age 6, mostly by playing computer games, to find a way to wipe out an entire species of alien invaders. The violence is at times quite brutal, as kids kill other kids. And main character Ender is admired for his ruthlessly efficient violence, though he himself is disturbed by it. Some bullying by an older brother is intense and disturbing, and the conclusion to the story is shocking."

* The Princess Bride by William Goldman - https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/the-princess-bride
Review from Common Sense Media: "Parents need to know that William Goldman's The Princess Bride is a sharp-edged fairy tale is geared to tweens and older. The cliffhangers are more intense and some scenes are scarier than in the film version. You'll find truly evil villains, murder, swordfights, knives, blood, poisoning, kidnapping, torture, giant carnivorous rats and eels, and similar scary stuff. One character goes on a drinking binge that reveals alcohol's destructive nature."

During our Shakespeare unit we will be reading multiple plays:
Macbeth - While it is a tragedy, I feel that this one has fewer sensitive topics than the others such as Hamlet or Romeo and Juliet. However, I understand each family’s level of comfort is different so I would like to offer some alternative readings of this story. Each one can be accessed via archive.org, which is a national library service that offers free lending online/digitally. These will be posted on the classroom page once we get to this unit.

Reading should be done regularly so that your child does not feel overwhelmed with having to read large amounts during one or two sittings. I will post the chapters to read in the classroom based on what I feel is a manageable amount for this age group. If your child struggles reading on his/her own or needs extra encouragement when reading, I suggest reading the books together or listening to an audiobook while following along.

This class uses Kahoot, Blooket, EdPuzzle, and Gimkit for gameplay as well as Google Suite tools such as Docs, Forms, and Slides. For gameplay, an account is not needed as learners will be given a code to play directly with the educator. Google Suite tools may require an email address, however, this information is not collected by the educator and meets Outschool's COPPA compliance requirements.