Middle School Modern Literature

This year long course, covering classic literature from our Modern Age, will engage your middle school student to understand, enjoy and apply literary concepts to the classics he/she reads, with in-depth discussion guides culminating in a one-hour, live interactive discussion with an experienced literature instructor, Melissa Sweeney, MA Literature. Students should have their filled-out worksheets with them during class in order to participate. Any blanks they may have, due to not grasping the material yet, can be filled in during or after class. Students will receive a grade for discussion participation.
 
Works to be studied this year include:
Semester 1
9/8 Call of the Wild
9/29 War Horse
10/13 Anne of Green Gables
10/27 Poetry for Young People: Langston Hughes
11/10 The Phantom Tollbooth
12/1 Bud, Not Buddy
 
Semester 2
1/18 The Cay
2/15 My Side of the Mountain
3/9 Poetry for Young People: Robert Frost
4/6 A Wrinkle in Time
4/20 The Neverending Story
5/4 The Breadwinner
 
Required Text (in addition to the literature): The Literary Toolbox
 
These classic book literature courses are also offered al a carte for $30 upon request. You are welcome to register for individual books or only one semester. However, the concepts will build and grow in complexity by the second semester. Students who have taken my middle school level literature courses in the past should be able to jump in at any time. I do recommend students attend the end of the previous class meeting for the book they wish to study.
 
This class will meet Tuesdays 1:15-2:30PM PST/4:15-5:30PM EST for 75 minutes one or two times per month during the school year for a total of thirteen class meetings. Our new student orientation on 8/18 will be a shorter class, but new students won't want to miss it.
 
Discounts: Families with multiple students will receive a 50% discount on tuition for subsequent registered siblings. Also, a referral credit of $30 will be awarded to any family who refers another registered student/family.
 
Payments: This course can be paid in two semester payments of $150. Your first payment of $150 must be made by 8/17/2026.