Course Outline and Objectives

Class:   Freshman English    

Tutor: Valerie Brandon

Primary Text: The Elements of Style, 3^rd edition by Strunk and White

Publisher: Macmillan                                         

ISBN#  0205191584

Cost: $2 used                                          

Where Available: half.com, Amazon.com

Other books/materials, etc. required for class:

How to Read a Book by Mortimer Adler and Charles Van Doren

The Roar on the Other Side by Suzanne U. Clark

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

White Fang by Jack London

The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare 9780743477574 (Barnes and Noble)

The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom

The Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien

The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde

***Parents are responsible for getting all texts and materials unless teacher specifies otherwise.

Yearly Tuition:       $288                          Copy/Lab Fees:  $15

With this tuition rate, I must have a minimum of           6    and maximum of  12               students.   

Overview of class: This class will include a survey of short stories, drama, autobiography, poetry, and the novel. We will focus on identifying and understanding literary elements in order to better appreciate the written word and prepare for high school literature classes. Vocabulary study connected to reading assignments and weekly composition or grammar mini-lessons will help students learn to effectively express personal written and verbal responses to literature.

Prerequisites for this class:  Grammar/Pre Comp and Jr. Lit. are highly recommended prior to sign up for this class. Please speak to the tutor if your student wishes to sign up without successful completion of either of these classes.

Recommended Grade Level(s) for this class: 9th

Estimated Difficulty Level of course for average student:   

Easy       average      above average XX                highly challenging

Average study time for this class will be approximately 5-10          hours per week. Time required will vary depending on the reading speed of the student. We will cover up to 200 pages of reading per week.

Tutor Expectations for Parents: Parents will be expected to grade weekly vocabulary lessons. The poetry unit requires parent partnering for 7 weeks of at-home discussion and grading.

Additional comments: Internet access is vital for students in this class. Students should read and outline How to Read a Book over summer break.