January - April 2023 Section will be reading 'Revolution is not a Dinner Party' and 'I am Malala (Young Reader's Edition)'. We will spend 5 weeks on each novel and write an essay for each novel. 

This course will expose young readers to three novels with coming of age themes. The novels are suited for both lower and upper Middle School, but the higher the students grade level the more they will be expected to delve into the deeper meaning of the stories. The chosen texts have historical background that is suitable for students to research in depth for their final project of each novel. The chosen text for this course will rotate seasonally: 
"Everything Sad is Untrue" by Daniel Nayeri 
"A Long Walk to Water" by Linda Sue Park
'The Tiger Rising' by Kate DiCamillo 
"The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind" by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer
"Fish in a Tree" by Lynda Hunt
'The Endless Steppe' by Esther Herzog 
"Wonder" by R.J. Palacio
"I Am Malala" by Malala Yousafzai
"Fever 1793" by Laurie Halse Anderson
"Esperanza Rising" by Pam Munoz Ryan 
"Lord of the Flies" by William Golding
"Refugee" by Alan Gratz 
"Revolution is Not a Dinner Party" by Ying Chang Compestine 

Students will have 4 weeks time during the course to read each text. The teacher will provide a complete study guide with comprehension questions and higher level thinking discussion questions that will require the learner to make personal connections with the text. We will practice writing short response questions during live meetings. My focus is to assist learners with using textual evidence to support their views. After registering for the course, students will have access to the class page and be able to view the first study guide. Students are encouraged to read 25% of the first novel before the class meets live. The comprehension study guide will include questions about basic literary elements, inferencing aspects of the plot, and vocabulary terms. Questions will also require learners to do some outside research on topics that come up in the readings.   The complete guide will also have research idea topics for students to ponder while reading the novel in order to spark interest in specific themes that surround the novel. 

The fifth live meeting of each class will allow students time to work on a literary analysis paragraph or essay. I will also work with students on the skills necessary to write a summary paragraph or essay.