Thank you for your interest in my class! I'm so happy that you are here! This class is suitable for students aged 12-14 who wish to learn more advanced reading and writing strategies and techniques. Throughout the course, students will read short passages (fiction or nonfiction), complete writing activities, and answer analysis questions. This class moves students past recall (who, what, when, where) and encourages students to analyze, think critically, and support ideas with evidence. In doing so, students will explore how context and background information advances the plot of a story, how characters change and mature, how authors structure writing for specific purposes, and how types of evidence are used to persuade readers. Students will also be exposed to basic literary criticism (an important aspect of thorough reading). Students will also be provided with optional resources to practice. Most classes have reading assignments, so if your are a new learner, please email me to find our the reading assignment.

The best way to teach writing is by looking at good literature. Many of our writing activities are supported by mentor texts (short essays, poems, articles, and short stories). Students should find the class directly applicable to their middle school assignments. My class will help build the skills that high school teachers and college professors are looking for--critical analysis, independent thinking, and articulation and support of claims and evidence.

Note: Some classes may require short reading assignments prior to class. PDFs of these readings will be posted at least 4 days before class starts. Please make sure that your learner is able to read the text before enrolling in class. Email me if you need a copy of the text. I typically am very responsive.

Types of writing included in the course:
paragraph structure
breakdown of writing components (hooks, introductions, thesis statements, etc)
argumentative
persuasive
technical writing 
research 
narrative
descriptive
creative

Sample short stories that may be used:
“Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes
“Lamb to the Slaughter” by Roald Dahl
“Charles” by Shirley Jackson
“To Build a Fire” by Jack London
“The Scholarship Jacket” by Marta Salinas
“Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut
“Eleven” by Sandra Cisneros
"The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant
“The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst
“The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell
“The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas” by Ursula Le Guin
"The Lady, or the Tiger?" by Frank Stockton
"Ain't No Good Girl" by Sharon Flake
"Test" by Theodore Thomas
“The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allen Poe
“The Landlady” by Roald Dahl
"Royal Jelly" by Roald Dahl
"Genesis and Catastrophe" by Roald Dahl
"Black Cat" by Edgar Allen Poe
Various poetry and nonfiction

Skills taught:
poetry analysis
plot elements and structure
irony
figurative language
vocabulary in context
grammar
theme and writing thematic statements
comprehension and analysis
writing effectively for a purpose
"showing" instead of telling
using textual evidence effectively
inference
writing for different audiences
literary criticism 
annotating texts/active reading
editing strategies
testing skills 

Schedule: 
1. Test Prep Warmup
2. Vocab Practice Mini-lesson
3. Grammar Revisions
4. Mentor Text Analysis or Writing Skill
5. Closing, go over assignment 

JANUARY 2025
Unit 1: Considerations of Technology

Lesson 1: Notice and Note in Fiction, Intro to topic, exploring the considerations of technology today, writing prompt

Lesson 2: "The Brave Little Toaster"
Lesson 3: "The Automation Paradox" and "Heads Up, Humans"
Lesson 4: "Hallucination" Short Story and "There Will Come Soft Rains"
Lesson 5: "The Test" and "The Flying Machine"

Lessons 6-8: Writing an informational essay (citations, credible sources, objectivity)

Unit 2: The Fun of Fear
Stories:
"The Outsider" by H.P. Lovecraft, "The Monkey's Paw," "The Feather Pillow," "Born of Man and Woman"

Articles: "Scary Tales," "What is the Horror Genre?"

Writing: Creative Writing Story

Unit 3: The Places We call Home
Excerpt from "The Book of Unknown Americans," "Long Way Gone," "My Favorite Chaperone," "Golden Glass," and "Salmon Boy"

Unit 4: The Horrors of the Holocaust and the Legacy of Anne Frank

"Diary of Anne Frank" Excerpts
"After Auschwitz"
Speech from Elie Wiesel


MISSED CLASSES
If your student misses a class, a recording will always be accessible on the classroom page. The PowerPoint lesson and notes are always available as well. Do note that learners that leave and then come back (i.e. pausing a subscription) may not be able to see my posts if I posted anything while they are away. Reach out to see if you missed anything. Recordings are unfortunately unavailable for weeks that your learner does not attend AND if they have not been present for a live class (Outschool Policy).

REFUND POLICY 
If your student is not able to attend in person but stays enrolled, refunds will not be issued. This is because the student can still access the materials, recordings, and receive feedback for assignments. I do provide refunds for emergency situations. If you have a tech or Zoom issue, contact Support and mention the Happiness Guarantee.