Course Outline and Objectives

Class: Freshman English

Teacher: 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:

              Painless Poetry, Mary Elizabeth  0-7641-1614-2

              Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury

                Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte 

White Fang, Jack London

                The Taming of the Shrew, William Shakespeare  9780743477574  $5.99 Barnes & Noble

God’s Smuggler, Brother Andrew, Elizabeth & John Sherrill  0800793013  $5 used

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

The Matchmaker, Thornton Wilder

Tutor will provide copies of poems and short stories.

***Parents are responsible for getting all texts and materials   

Yearly Tuition: $288                                   Copy/Lab Fees:  $20

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 literary analysis and appreciation using an understanding of literary elements to deepen our understanding of literature’s themes and the relationship to our lives today. 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 signing 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: 9

Estimated Difficulty Level of course for average student:   

Easy          average           above average            XX      highly challenging

Average study time for this class will be approximately  ?   hours per week. The time required will depend on the reading speed of the individual student. We will cover up to 200 pages of reading per week

Additional comments: Internet access is vital for students in this class.

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

This is not a quick read, so I suggest you set a personal goal such as reading 2 or 3 chapters per week to gain the greatest benefit.  If you understand this book, you will better grasp required reading for all your areas of study—not just literature.  Think of it as a summer vitamin boost for your brain.  As you read, outline the important points you learn in each chapter.  This collection of notes will be turned in on the first day of class.