* * Kindly ensure you read through the entire course description, INCLUDING section 6) below, which contains a thorough description of course expectations * * 

1) During this intensive literacy study, we will not only be targeting connection to all six beautifully written fiction pieces, but immersing ourselves in countless, intertwined lessons born from:

-- figurative language (i.e. imagery, simile, personification)
-- story elements (i.e. parts of a plot, cause/ effect, fantasy and realism)
-- notable vocabulary (i.e. story specific)
-- historical themes 
-- basic grammar (i.e. structuring sentences to make sense, synonyms/ antonyms)
-- various styles of writing (i.e. non-fiction, compare and contrast, letter, spins on narratives, notetaking)
-- personal expression (i.e. specific journaling, creative writing)

2) Novel study list (please feel free to access these titles as it is best for you: through your local library or through purchase):

-- When You Trap a Tiger (by Tae Keller)
-- Crenshaw (by Katherine Applegate)
-- The Silver Arrow (by Lev Grossman)
-- The Sheep, the Rooster, and the Duck (by Matt Phelan)
-- The Bicycle Spy (by Yona Z. McDonough)
-- The Puffin Keeper (by Michael Morpurgo)

3) Potential sensitive topics

-- When You Trap a Tiger (by Tae Keller) Illness and death of an ageing grandmother and the topic of paternal loss.
-- Crenshaw (by Katherine Applegate) Homelessness and poverty is a prevalent theme amongst Jackson's family.
-- The Silver Arrow (by Lev Grossman) Elements of peril woven throughout, notable in the final 'action' scene.
-- The Bicycle Spy (by Yona Z. McDonough) Set during World War 2, there are themes of wrongful discrimination and name calling against Jewish people (please see pertinent lesson themes in the course outline below). Danger and elements of peril.
-- The Puffin Keeper (by Michael Morpurgo) Danger at sea, enlistment and mentions of battle in World War 2.

4) For complete engagement, learners will need the following to accompany them to each class:

-- a three-ring binder with loose-leaf notebook paper specific for this course
-- a folder for teacher-made printables (i.e. book studies, homework, class activities)
-- pencils and/ or pens for writing

5) COURSE OUTLINE (*daily themes and project dates are subject to ebb and flow with change at times, based on what is best for the class)

WEEK of 1/10, 1/12: When You Trap a Tiger (by Tae Keller)
-- Tuesday: (No prior reading) Introduction to our book studies on fantasy and historical fiction, discussion on imagery, simile and personification (themes interwoven in When You Trap a Tiger)
-- Thursday: (Pages 1-52 read/completed) Notable vocabulary, first impressions of Lily, Sam and Joan's relationships with Halmoni, Unya and Eggi versus Sam and Lily, introduction to dream journals

WEEK of 1/17, 1/19: When You Trap a Tiger (by Tae Keller)

-- Tuesday: (Pages 53-105 read/completed) Story magic, Halmoni's physical illness versus stolen star sickness (symbolism), dream journals
-- Thursday: (Pages 106-143 read/completed) Notable vocabulary, discussion on bad luck, star jars and the definition of bravery, share dream journal writing excerpts

WEEK of 1/24, 1/26: When You Trap a Tiger (by Tae Keller)

-- Tuesday: (Pages 144-195 read/completed) Class 'Star Jar' story project introduction, brainstorming, discussing fantasy and realism weaving within writing (using the novel's first and second 'star jar' stories)
-- Thursday: (Pages 196-248 read/completed) Notable vocabulary, discussion on memories, 'checking in' on Lily's growth journey, Class 'Star Jar' story project

WEEK of 1/31, 2/2: When You Trap a Tiger (by Tae Keller)

-- Tuesday: (Pages 249-287 read/completed) Cause and effect of the shattered jar, discussion on Lily's true 'superpower', Class 'Star Jar' story project
-- Thursday: (No prior reading) Class 'Star Jar' story project share and finale (what would your story do for your audience?)

WEEK of 2/7, 2/9: Crenshaw (by Katherine Applegate)

-- Tuesday: (Pages 0-62 read/completed -- including the introduction and Part One pages) "A door is to open", facts versus imagination for Jackson, self-fact writing
-- Thursday: (Pages 63-104 read/completed) "The fabric of the universe has unraveled just a tad", Jackson's role in his family, notable vocabulary, continue self-fact writing

WEEK of 2/14, 2/16: Crenshaw (by Katherine Applegate)

-- Tuesday: (Pages 105-142 read/completed) The policeman and the $20 bill, 'thank you' versus 'think you', Jackson's dad, continue self-fact writing
-- Thursday: (Pages 143-206 read/completed) "The world is so you have something to stand on", open chat, share self-fact writing

WEEK OF 2/21, 2/23: NO LIVE CLASSES/ NO ASSIGNMENTS

WEEK of 2/28, 3/2: Crenshaw (by Katherine Applegate)/ The Silver Arrow (by Lev Grossman)

-- Tuesday: (Pages 207-245 read/completed) Symbolism of the Jackson's cave nightmare, notable vocabulary, parent 'facts'
-- Thursday: (No prior reading) Introduction to The Silver Arrow through notable vocabulary, simile and metaphor studies

WEEK of 3/7, 3/9: The Silver Arrow (by Lev Grossman)
--Tuesday: (Pages 1-52 read/ completed) Realistic, ordinary versus fantastical, notable vocabulary, open chat
--Thursday: (Pages 53-105 read/ completed) Introduction to train design project, revisiting/ job of a simile, Silver Arrow stops and settings

WEEK of 3/14, 3/16: The Silver Arrow (by Lev Grossman)
--Tuesday: (Pages 106-153 read/ completed) Train design project, Chapter 16: Trees
--Thursday: (Pages 154-189 read/ completed) Subway station symbolism, Chapter 18: The Wise Island, The Twilight Star, share train design project

WEEK of 3/21, 3/23: The Silver Arrow (by Lev Grossman)
--Tuesday: (No prior reading) Introduction, teacher modeling, discussion and active writing begins on Compare and Contrast research project
--Thursday: (Pages 190-226 read/ completed) Humans 'and' animals, SOMEDAY, the fishing cat and Kate

WEEK of 3/28, 3/30: The Silver Arrow (by Lev Grossman)
--Tuesday: (Pages 227-259 read/ completed) Meaningful contradictions, similes versus metaphors
--Thursday: (No prior reading) Bridge between fantasy and historical fiction, Historical Fiction Reading Companion (HFRC)

WEEK of 4/4, 4/6: The Sheep, the Rooster, and the Duck (by Matt Phelan)

--Tuesday: (Prologue graphics, Pages 1-61 read/ completed) Vibrant characters, notable vocabulary, cliches, clever storytelling, HFRC
--Thursday: (Pages 62-137 read/ completed) mayonnaise, action sequences: writing versus graphics, Emile/ unlikely main character, HFRC

WEEK OF 4/11, 4/13: NO LIVE CLASSES/ NO ASSIGNMENTS

WEEK of 4/18, 4/20: The Sheep, the Rooster, and the Duck (by Matt Phelan)

--Tuesday: (Pages 138-180 read/ completed) The Boulevard of Secret Societies, notable vocabulary, HRFC
--Thursday: (Pages 181-217, plus Author's Note, read/ completed) The author's use of wit, cause and effect, HRFC

WEEK of 4/25, 4/27: The Sheep, the Rooster, and the Duck (by Matt Phelan)/ The Bicycle Spy (by Yona Z. McDonough)

--Tuesday: (Reflection reading completed) Cause, effect and changing history writing prompt, introduction to Observation Journals (OJ)
--Thursday: (Pages 1-45 read/ completed) Wrongful targeting of the Jewish people (forefront), Tour de France (backdrop), OJ

WEEK of 5/2, 5/4: The Bicycle Spy (by Yona Z. McDonough)

--Tuesday: (Pages 46-80 read/ completed) Delphine Gallette/ Rachel Neumann, OJ
--Thursday: (Pages 81-119 read/ completed) Contradictions of frightened and courageous, dialogue interchanging between English and French, Marcel’s first journey and Port-Vendres, OJ

WEEK of 5/9, 5/11: The Bicycle Spy (by Yona Z. McDonough)

--Tuesday: (Pages 120-139 read/ completed) significance of Tour de France to Marcel’s story, dedication/ persistence/ strength of character, adieu and au revoir, OJ
--Thursday: (Pages 140-176 read/ completed) Mademoiselle Babineaux, Marcel and the Gestapo officers, differing beliefs, Delphine's 'gift' and letter, letter comes to life writing project, OJ

WEEK of 5/16, 5/18: The Bicycle Spy (by Yona Z. McDonough)

--Tuesday: (Brief History of World War 2, Timeline of World War 2 in France, Short History of the Tour de France, all located in the back of the book) Historical discussions, revisiting of significance of Tour de France to Marcel’s story, letter comes to life writing project, OJ
--Thursday: (No prior reading) Historical discussions, revisiting of significance of Tour de France to Marcel’s story, letter comes to life writing project shares, OJ

WEEK of 5/23, 5/25: The Puffin Keeper (by Michael Morpurgo)

--Tuesday: (Pages 1-45 read/ completed) Effect of frequent illustrations to the story, narrator's childhood journey interwoven with Benjamin
--Thursday: (Pages 46-71 read/ completed) The 'first visitor: the puffin, Ben and the narrator's reciprocal friendship

WEEK of 5/30, 6/1: The Puffin Keeper (by Michael Morpurgo)

-- Tuesday: (Pages 72-91 read/ completed) Narrator's experience with war, the passage of time, the Puffin Keeper and Allen
--Thursday: Project 'finale'

6) COURSE EXPECTATIONS

-- The course syllabus has clear, well-paced reading assignments that are required to be completed in preparation for each meeting; please ensure that you come into each class being up-to-date on your reading. Every meeting directly relates to the reading material.
-- Writing projects and assignments go hand-in-hand with class readings. Care, best effort and mindfulness of due dates is an important student skill within this class. In addition, I nurture the knowledge that ‘all good writers are rewriters’; rewriting, when necessary, is a key part of our expression and is expected to be completed as part of the given writing project as a whole.
material.
-- As you can expect and count on steady, consistent and nurturing communication from me (as seen in section 7) below), communication from my students is equally important. Whether we are working on something together, or I am communicating an area of one’s work that needs a revisit or rewrite, communication follow through is a student skill encouraged and expected within our time together.
-- As we are spending many weeks together, respectful voices and listening ears is paramount to connecting to our fantasy and historical fiction themed literature. 
-- While I do not require learners to be muted, I ask respectfully that if you are in a space with background noise/ conversation, etc., please mute yourself to allow the other learners to hear me (and each other) clearly. If your 'environmental' noise is challenging the group's ability to hear me or one another during a lesson, I will discreetly need to mute your microphone.

7) WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT OF ME . . .

-- I am a firm believer in communication. Each written assignment (both worked on in and outside of class) will have a completion due date and get extensive feedback/ encouragement/ celebration and, at times, possible revising from me. For any learners that need some assistance, brainstorming or further clarity on an assignment, ANY message sent to me will be replied to within 24 hours. I love questions and I love when learners check in; please always feel welcome to do so!
-- While my connection and nurturing of the literacy enthusiast focuses on the extensive feedback element, I can issue a letter grade, upon request, at the end of the course. Please feel free to message me on the parameters that would encompass a letter grade.
-- I find that (often) the most difficult part of any writing process is the 'revisiting/ revising' portion. In my class, revising our work is *never* a bad thing or indicative of a job not done well; it's actually quite the opposite! If I suggest some revisions or add-ons, it is because each learner's voice is unique, valuable and I only want to hear MORE!
-- I have a passion for connecting to literature; and while our classroom has a heavy discussion/ opinion element, I will *never* require a learner to share their words or written piece if that is not in their comfort zone. It is always my goal to build a classroom family dynamic, and respect for one another's feelings is key.