Course Description:

Starting with the Foundational Literary Period and ending in the Postmodern Era, this class covers all the major writers and poets in American literature. Students will read novels, a play, short stories, essays, and poetry that reflect the ideas, struggles, and achievements of the last 400 years. Students will be expected to write several essays and take semester tests. (Familiarity with writing academic essays MLA format is helpful. If your student is in 9th grade, we recommend taking our High School English/Literature and Composition course first.)

Prerequisites:

Strong understanding of basic writing mechanics; familiarity with a word processing program (Google Docs or Microsoft Word); working knowledge of MLA Format and the basics of essay structure; commitment to avoiding plagiarism and use of generative AI

Book List: 

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (ISBN: 978-07432-7356-5)
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (ISBN: 978-1-4516-7331-9)
The Crucible by Arthur Miller (ISBN: 978-0-14-048138-9)
Kindred by Octavia Butler (ISBN: 978-0-8070-8369-7)
Poetry, Short Stories, and essays provided

**Links to resources may be affiliate links. You don’t pay anything more but we make a small percentage of each sale.

Instructor: Jennie Miller  (jennie@jenniecreates.com)

For: Grade 10-12

Hours: 4-5 hours each week

Credit Hours: 1 High School Credit (on completion of both semesters)

Syllabus: Click here to read an overview of what’s expected for both semesters

Fall Dates: August 17 – Dec 11 (with a week’s break over Thanksgiving)

Spring Dates: January 4 – April 30  (any week in March can be taken for Spring break)

Minimum Class Size: 4

View One Module Here

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Course Description:

Starting in Anglo-Saxon England, this course will reach back in time to some of our earliest literature and study how the written word has been used to convey cultural shifts and political and religious ideas. Students will read novels, a play, short stories, essays, and poetry by the prominent writers of British literature. Students will be expected to write several essays and take semester tests. (Familiarity with writing academic essays MLA format is helpful. If your student is in 9th grade, we recommend taking our High School English/Literature and Composition course first.)

Prerequisites:

Strong understanding of basic writing mechanics; familiarity with a word processing program (Google Docs or Microsoft Word); working knowledge of MLA Format and the basics of essay structure; commitment to avoiding plagiarism and use of generative AI

Book List: 

Beowulf translated by Seamus Haney (ISBN: 0-393-32097-9)
Macbeth by Shakespeare (No Fear Shakespeare) (ISBN: 978-1586638467)
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (ISBN: 0-141-43947-5)
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (ISBN: 978-0-345-39180-3)
Poetry, Short Stories, and Essays provided

**Links to resources may be affiliate links. You don’t pay anything more but we make a small percentage of each sale.

Instructor: Jennie Miller  (jennie@jenniecreates.com)

For: Grade 10-12

Hours: 4-5 hours each week

Credit Hours: 1 High School Credit (on completion of both semesters)

Syllabus: Click here to read a broad overview of what to expect in both semesters

Fall Dates: August 17 – Dec 11 (with a week’s break over Thanksgiving)

Spring Dates: January 4 – April 30  (any week in March can be taken for Spring break)

Minimum Class Size: 4

View One Module Here

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Independent Honors English

Please note: Both fall and spring semesters must be completed to obtain a full credit. This class can not be started in the spring.

Course Description: This class is ideal for the self-motivated, capable Junior or Senior who needs an English credit and cannot attend a class in person. This class focuses on the impact of storytelling through the lens of semiotics and the experiences of others, both real and fictional. Students will be pressed to think critically about what they read as well as reflect on how these stories impact them. We will read a variety of works focused around storytelling, which is a foundation of every culture in the world. From reading myths and fables to contemporary novels and memoirs, students will be exposed to a variety of voices and genres, as well as lessons learned from centuries of lived experiences. We’ll look at how new stories are built from old ones and consider why there is nothing new under the sun when it comes to exploring the human condition.

Note: This class does not function like a traditional virtual classroom where students interact with one another or participate in group activities. Rather, Jennie works one-on-one with each student to nudge critical thinking and improve his/her writing skills.

Prerequisites: Students should be able to do the following things without help: 1) write a basic essay in MLA format, 2) extract main ideas from a novel, 3) identify common literary elements and devices being used in the text, 4) complete homework assignments without prompting, and 5) be able to use Google Docs.

Expectations: Students will self-pace their work within certain time frames, so time management is key. Additionally, students should be familiar with common literary elements and a general understanding of how plot, characterization, and conflict unfold in a traditional narrative. MLA format is required for all essays.

Book List:

Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer (ISBN: 0-385-48680-4)
The Help by Kathryn Stockett (ISBN: 978-0-425-23220-0)
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon (ISBN: 978-1-4000-3271-6)
Big Fish by Daniel Wallace (ISBN: 978-1-61620-164-7)
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness (978-0-7636-606509)
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch (ISBN: 978-1-4013-2325-7)
Life of Pi by Yann Martel (ISBN: 0-15-603020-9)
Origin Stories: Last unit on Myths, Tales, etc. provided

**Links to resources may be affiliate links. You don’t pay anything more but we make a small percentage of each sale.

Instructor: Jennie Miller  (jennie@jenniecreates.com)

For: Grades 11 -12

Max Students: 7

Hours: 4-5 hours each week

Credit Hours: 1 High School Credit (on completion of both semesters)

Syllabus: Click here to view a broad overview of what’s expected both semesters.

Fall Dates: August 18 – Dec 11  (with a week’s break over Thanksgiving)

Spring Dates: January 5 – May 1  (any week in March can be taken for Spring break)

Minimum Class Size: 4

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Instructor: Meryl van der Merwe (Meryl@fundafunda.com)

For: Grades 9 -12

Hours: 4 – 5 hours each week

Credit Hours: 1/2 High School Credit

Syllabus: Syllabus available here

Required Materials: Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, and Persuasion (any versions)

** The above links for books are affiliate links. You won’t pay any extra, but we make a small commission off of your order. You are not required to purchase through these links and can purchase from wherever you would like for your books.**

Bride and Prejudice film

Persuasion film (1997 version)

Fall Dates: August 17 – Dec 11 (with a week’s break over Thanksgiving)

Spring Dates: January 4 – April 30  (any week in March can be taken for Spring break)

View One Module Here

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Please note: Both fall and spring semesters must be completed to obtain a full credit. This class can not be started in the spring.

Course Description:

This class is designed for 9th grade students and prioritizes learning the basics of writing academic essays, an introduction to MLA format, and a comprehensive array of literary elements, genres, and subjects. It is an overall introduction to high school English so students are better prepared for higher level classes. 

Prerequisites:

Strong understanding of basic writing mechanics; familiarity with a word processing program (Google Docs or Microsoft Word); commitment to avoiding plagiarism and use of generative AI

Book List: 

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (ISBN: 978-0-446-31078-9)
Iphigeneia at Aulis by Euripides (ISBN: 978-0-19-507709-4) — Please get this exact copy! 
Animal Farm by George Orwell (ISBN: 978-0-15-101026-4)
Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn (ISBN: 978-0-385-72243-8)
A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Shakespeare (No Fear Shakespeare) (ISBN: 978-1411404373)
Poetry and Short Stories provided

**Links to resources may be affiliate links. You don’t pay anything more but we make a small percentage of each sale.

Instructor: Jennie Miller  (jennie@jenniecreates.com)

For: Grade 9

Hours: 4-5 hours each week

Credit Hours: 1 High School Credit (on completion of both semesters)

Syllabus: Click here to see a broad overview of what’s expected for both semesters

Fall Dates: August 17 – Dec 11 (with a week’s break over Thanksgiving)

Spring Dates: January 4 – April 30  (any week in March can be taken for Spring break)

Minimum Class Size: 4

View One Module Here

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Students will not receive a grade – but will receive feedback. They will also receive points for work completed if their classmates love what they write. Students can exchange the points for real prizes (they will be able to select what they want).

Hours per week: 1 – 2

Note: Students can start this class in the spring semester. Fall and spring semesters are different but it is not necessary to complete fall before taking the spring semester.

Teachers: Meryl van der Merwe and Elithe Carnes                

Syllabus: Available here

Fall Dates: August 17 – Dec 11 (with a week’s break over Thanksgiving)

Spring Dates: January 4 – April 30  (any week in March can be taken for Spring break)

View One Module Here

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The class will cover punctuation, grammar, vocabulary, and proofreading using a variety of online, self-grading resources. (For the resources that require paid subscriptions, this will be included as part of the cost – you don’t need to pay anything more). It also includes instruction relating to literary devices so that students have the knowledge they need to write analytical essays.

Students will learn to write the following 4 types of essays:

• Personal
• Comparative
• Persuasive
• Analytical

Students will learn to peer review each other’s essays, make improvements and then be graded by a teacher.

Instructor: Meryl van der Merwe (Meryl@fundafunda.com)

For: Grades 8 -9

Hours: 4 – 5 hours each week

Credit Hours: 1 High School Credit

Syllabus: Available here

Fall Dates: August 17 – Dec 11 (with a week’s break over Thanksgiving)

Spring Dates: January 4 – April 30  (any week in March can be taken for Spring break)

View One Module Here

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Just as you might read a novel and follow the story but then go to your English class and discover you missed some really important parts to fully understand the book, you can also look at an image and only partially understand it.

This course intends to give you the tools to notice more of the images in your daily life and learn how to critically engage with them. Over the 16 weeks, we will watch movies, television shows, YouTube channels, music videos and look at photos, advertisements, artwork, graphic novels, and websites. By the end of this class, you should be better equipped to move through life as a more thoughtful consumer and a more engaged, responsible citizen.

This class can be an elective credit OR it can be taken as part of an English credit. It is intended for students who enjoy challenging material and are ready to think, discuss and grow in their understanding of today’s visual culture.

To turn this into a full English credit, your student could take our Jane Austen class or this Intro to Shakespeare class in the second semester, or you could supplement it with grammar, vocabulary, other literature studies etc. A virtual book club or literature study from Literary Adventures for Kids is another option.

We would be happy to help you with ideas.

Instructor: Dr. Rachel van der Merwe – rachel@fundafunda.com

For: Grades 9-12

Hours: Approximately 4-5 hours a week

Credit Hours: one semester (1/2 credit – see suggestions above to use it as an English credit)

Self-paced: This course may be started at any point in the year as a self-paced course – it will be graded and feedback provided

Syllabus: Available here

Required Materials: Check your library before buying!

Persepolis Vol 1
The Medium is the Massage
How to Read a Film by Monaco (Please note: some pages of this book contain photos you may not approve of. None are referenced in the class. Our suggestion is that you remove those pages if they are a problem. There aren’t many.)
Students will also need to rent 3 or 4 movies

Fall and Spring Dates: This class is self-paced, so start and end when you wish.

View One Module Here

**Links to resources may be affiliate links. You don’t pay anything more but we make a small percentage of each sale.

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