Instructors:

Rowena Aldridge
rowenaaldridgeweb@gmail.com

Alyssa Hayes
alyssahayesweb@gmail.com

Required Materials:

  • Hard copies of the assigned texts (see Syllabus for list)
  • Writing tools:  pencils, sharpeners, erasers, and an ink pen with either blue or black ink
  • If using a library copy of the text:  sticky notes in at least four colors

Students will be annotating their texts.  Please purchase hard copies with this in mind (in other words, not collector's editions!)

 

Course Description:

Fall

In this course, we will spend the fall examining works by Newbery Award winning authors.  Our goal will be to examine the characters, settings, and themes of the books.  We will analyze writing style and genre.  We will also take a peek into the lives of these authors to find out what inspired their writings.  We will write journal entries, summaries, opinion pieces, and create other works in response to what we read.  We will practice citing the author’s work to support our opinions and responses. Our writing goal for the fall is to write strong paragraphs in preparation for a personal essay. 

Spring

In this course we will examine great works of classic literature, comparing them for their literary features and discerning their messages for relevance to our lives today.  Works under study will include novels, poetic forms, short stories, speeches, and plays. Learning activities will include the study of the historical and cultural backgrounds for the author, the text, and the original audience. Other analyses include classification of the literary devices present within the text and analysis of grammatical and syntactical features in the text itself.  Learning activities will include homework and periodic assessments.  Texts will be announced in November.

Click here for Fall Syllabus.

Click here for Spring Syllabus.