Course Description
This class is primarily for students in 6th-8th grade. The purpose of this class is to prepare students of a younger age group for the more intensive reading and critical thinking assignments of high school. It will introduce the students to novels that have a deeper subtext, that are applicable to transitioning into their teenage years and in some cases an awareness to social structures in the world at large. In addition to the aforementioned overarching concepts of the novel, there will be a focus on reading for details as well. Students are essentially being taught to be literary detectives - seeking out general plot themes and picking apart the minutiae of character, narrative and historical background.
Course Website: The Thought Plickens: Learning to Think Critically
Instructor: Alexandra Dascalu Nelson
Starts: September 7, 2020
Ends: June 4, 2021
Tuesday 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM ET
Tuition: $500.00
Recommended background
Grade 6 (age 12) level reading ability.
Teacher's notes:
Attaining the reading material from your local library is highly encouraged! Class schedules are flexible and can be altered from what is posted. Please do not hesitate to contact the instructor to arrange class time. Course reading list will be made up of partially required reading and then filled out with books tailored to the students reading and comprehension level.
Textbooks and Materials
This item is required:
Anne of Green Gables , Authors: L.M. Montgomery Publisher: Bantam Doubleday DellISBN: 055321313X
Best sources: Any edition from your local bookstore or library will do. Option for online search: thrift books, abebooks, powell's, better world bookstore, etc.
Other information: If possible there will be an online or PDF version available as well and posted to the website. If you are having trouble finding the edition, please contact me.
This item is required:
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer , Authors: Mark Twain Publisher: Penguin ClassicsISBN: 014310733X
Best sources: Any edition from your local bookstore or library will do. Option for online search: thrift books, abebooks, powell's, better world bookstore, etc.
Other information: If possible there will be an online or PDF version available as well and posted to the website. If you are having trouble finding the edition, please contact me.
This item is required:
The Illustrated Man , Authors: Ray BradburyISBN: 9781451678185
Publisher's website: The Illustrated Man
Best sources: Any local bookstore or library should have this book. However the chapter configurations does change depending on the publication, so please use the amazon link to determine the required stories.
Other information: If possible a PDF version will be provided.
This item is required:
The Jungle Books , Authors: Rudyard Kipling Publisher: Oxford World ClassicsISBN: 0199536457
Publisher's website: The Jungle Books
Best sources: Any edition from your local bookstore or library will do. Options for online search: thrift books, abebooks, powell's, better world bookstore, etc.
Other information: If possible there will be an online or PDF version available as well and posted to the website. If you are having trouble finding the edition, please contact me.
This item is required:
Treasure Island , Authors: Robert Louis Stevenson Publisher: Modern Library ClassicsISBN: 0375756825
Best sources: Any edition from your local bookstore or library will do. Option for online search: thrift books, abebooks, powell's, better world bookstore, etc.
Other information: If possible there will be an online or PDF version available as well and posted to the website. If you are having trouble finding the edition, please contact me.
This item is recommended but not required and its use is optional:
Ender's Game , Authors: Orson Scott CardISBN: 9780812550702
Publisher's website: Ender's Game
Best sources: Any edition from your local bookstore or library will do. Option for online search: thrift books, abebooks, powell's, better world bookstore, etc.
Other information: This book will be assigned based on the students reading level and age.
This item is recommended but not required and its use is optional:
The Witch of Blackbird Pond , Authors: Elizabeth George Speare Publisher: Houghton MifflinISBN: 0547550294
Best sources: Any edition from your local bookstore or library will do. Options for online search: thrift books, abebooks, powell's, better world bookstore, etc.
Other information: If possible there will be an online or PDF version available as well and posted to the website. If you are having trouble finding the edition, please contact me.
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