This class is part of a Classic and Modern series, and can be taken alone or as part of a full year curriculum. Sections 1, 3, and 4 work with this class for a full year of high school English Credit and are linked at the end of this description. They will be offered on the same days / times for scheduling convenience. There is an option to make this an Honors level course (for all sections). 
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This English 1 or 2 class is a great addition to your homeschooling experience for grades 9-10.  Students are provided with opportunities to engage in deep discussion about what they read, learn key elements of literature, and complete creative projects, all while growing their abilities to think critically.  The literary focus of this class is "Classic and Modern." In this series, students will be exposed to more traditional literary works, as well as contemporary writings with excellent literary merit. 

Each week during class students will discuss the reading assignments from the past week using Bloom's Taxonomy question starters, with student-created questions.  As a teacher, I am always amazed at the depth of questions students ask and engage in!  Students are welcome to participate in class discussions out loud or in the chat, and they are also welcome to just listen. The rest of class time will focus on what is needed to complete the outside work-- walking through writing a narrative essay or the HOW and WHY literary elements are used (not simply what elements are used by an author) to complete the creative project. 

Because this is a homeschool class, much of the work is done outside of class.  Students will be given weekly assignments that cover reading, writing, and reinforcement of literary concepts.  Assignments are not broken down by day so they can be adapted to each family's learning style and schedule.  Weekly checklists are providers for learners to grow in their ability to track their own progress and be responsible for their academic work.  Work is clearly marked so students and parents know what is required to be able to fully participate in the next class, and what is up to the parent's discretion. Because this class can be used for High School credit, the general expectation is that assignments will be completed in their entirety, but there is also opportunity to adapt based on student abilities and needs as well as each family's local homeschooling requirements.  For students seeking an Honors credit, additional work will be provided. Parents can choose to have learners submit work to me for feedback and grades. This is truly a homeschool language arts class that you can customize to your learner's needs. 

Topics below are the main reading selections and lessons that will be discussed during each week's class. 

Week 1: Poetry Discussion, "I Have a Time Machine" by Brenda Shaughnessy, course overview, introduce narrative essays and topic selection

Week 2: "It's Trevor Noah," discuss part 1, thesis statements and outlines (narrative essays)
 
Week 3:"It's Trevor Noah," discuss part 2, explode the moment, show don't tell, vivid descriptions (narrative essays)

Week 4: "It's Trevor Noah," discuss part 3, revising and editing strategies (narrative essays)

Week 5: Essay presentations (optional), discussion of "Geraldo No Last Name" by Sandra Cisneros

Week 6: Discuss "A Christmas Carol" Stave 1-2, Project Introduction (Food Truck or Clothing Line), Character Analysis

Week 7:Discuss "A Christmas Carol" Stave 3-5, Character Analysis

Week 8:Project Presentations: Food Truck or Clothing Line, discuss "The Summer Day" by Mary Oliver (poem)



WRITING CONCEPTS covered include (but are not limited to): planning, thesis statements, outlines, rough drafts, using descriptive writing, revising and editing, publishing / final drafts. LITERARY CONCEPTS and skills that will be covered include (but are not limited to): analyzing how characters change and develop, allusions, theme, plot elements (rising action, falling action, climax, etc), types of conflict, symbolism, figurative language (including connotation and denotation), setting, and genre.

Who would do well in this class?  Because this course is aimed at students in grades 9-10, students should have completed grade 8 Language Arts (any curriculum or course of study, homeschool, public, or private school).  If your family does not use a traditional curriculum, feel free to send me a message if you aren't sure if your learner would be successful in this class. Students reading and writing at or above grade level should be able to work on this class independently.  Students reading and writing below grade level can be successful in this class if they have support at home to be able to help with weekly assignments.  Reading and writing levels should not affect student's abilities to participate during weekly class meetings.  Additional assignments will be provided for students seeking Honors credit for this series. 

Completing all four sections of this series meets most state / provincial standards for English 1 or 2 high school credit (grades 9 or 10). If you need to keep a portfolio, these classes will have ample assignments / projects / writing to include. I also offer (optional) grades for projects and the class as a whole. If you are using these classes for formal credits and are unsure if they will meet requirements of your area, please reach out. I am happy to help you figure out if this class will work for your needs. 

Additional sections in this series are linked below (section 4 will be linked when it is listed):

Classic and Modern, Section 1
https://outschool.com/classes/classic-and-modern-section-1-shakespeares-julius-caesar-english-1-or-2-kRKZET4f

Classic and Modern, Section 3
https://outschool.com/classes/classic-and-modern-section-3-homeschool-high-school-english-1-or-2-C1Vazx3p

Classic and Modern, Section 4
https://outschool.com/classes/classic-and-modern-section-4-homeschool-high-school-english-1-or-2-rX4RtwCj

REFUND POLICY: I understand that booking in advance is appealing to guarantee a spot in the class, but I also realize that plans can change. Please know that if you need to withdraw your learner for any reason up to ten days before the start date of this class, I will be happy to issue a full refund. Please contact me if this is the case.