English with American History Bundle

From: $110.00 / month for 8 months

Grades: 7th–8th

Class (His/Eng):  Mon and  Thu 2:00–3:00 p.m. ET (meets twice/week)

Dates:  Aug 21–May 3

Price:  $799

Instructor:  Beverly Graybill

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Enrollment in this class is currently closed.

Course Description

This bundle option is designed for middle school students who want to take both courses, the literature-based history class, American History Through Literature, that meets on Mondays at 2:00-3:00 p.m. ET, and the English Through American History course that meets on Thursdays at 2:00–3:00 p.m. ET.

View History Syllabus     View English Syllabus

American History

This literature-based American history class integrates engaging historical fiction, biographies, and/or nonfiction “real” books with a basic American history text or informational book (choice).

Students will:

  • Learn the people and events important in American history including the American Revolution, War of 1812, Civil War, Westward Expansion, World War I, the Great Depression, World War II (with solely an American focus), the Cold War including the Korean and Vietnam wars, and the Civil Rights Movement.
  • Learn new words in context related to history and geography.
  • View US geography changing as America grows and states are added.

Course Structure

Students will have readings each week as well as activities posted in Canvas to review the material. Our live class time will include Mrs. G’s lesson on the same material as well as review games, mini-projects the students share, or reader’s theater plays.

Course Assignments will include:

  • Readings from either United States History (Holt McDougal) or The Making of America (National Geographic) and review questions in Canvas
  • Supplemental worksheet activities posted in Canvas
  • Read 9 to 14 historical fiction or biographies related to the topics being studied, sharing new facts learned with classmates; complete questions about each book read in Canvas
  • Research mini-projects, sharing facts with classmates
  • Complete two major projects, one each semester, including reading one nonfiction book for each.

English Through American History

Course Structure

Students will

  • Improve formal writing with a focus on how to revise and edit.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of English grammar including: parts of speech, sentence structure, punctuation, and common sentence errors.
  • Identify the elements of fiction through novels read as well as common techniques of literature such as irony, symbolism, flashback, and figurative language.
  • Read poetry related to people, places, and events studied and write poems.

Course Assignments

  • Read at least 9 books (historical fiction or biography); students enrolled in either of Mrs. Graybill’s American history course will have suggestions provided. I’m happy to share this list with those enrolled in this course as well.
  • Write seven multi-paragraph essays (descriptive essay, biographical narrative, explaining a political process, cause/effect essay, compare/contrast, persuasive, & analyzing a primary source).
  • Write and give an informative speech with presentation slides.
  • Write a creative story.
  • Write poems related to historical topics.
  • Complete projects related to the elements of fiction.
  • Complete grammar exercises.

Who should enroll?

This class is for 7th – 8th graders, others by permission from the instructor.

Technology Requirements

  • High speed, broadband Internet
  • Headset and microphone (for live sessions)
  • Streaming video capabilities to watch recorded lectures
  • Microsoft Word and Power Point are very helpful. If a different word processing program is used, students will need to save or export documents to a pdf.

Evaluation and Feedback

All exercises in Canvas will be graded and averaged for a final grade. Tests will be assigned. Essays will receive detailed feedback. Projects will receive additional feedback so that improvements can be made along the way.

Communication

Parents are welcome to contact me with any questions before registering their student. Once I know a student has registered, the family will receive a welcome packet with additional information about the course. I will contact parents if there is a concern with students not keeping up with the work or frequently turning in late assignments.

Required Texts

History Books Needed:

Download Book List

Text Book options

  • United States History written by William Deverell & Deborah Gray White; Holt McDougal, 2012 ISBN: 978-0547484280  OR for a non-textbook approach
  • The Making of America: The History of America from 1492 to the Present by Robert D. Johnston; National Geographic, 2010 ISBN: 978-1426306631

Other required books:

  • My Brother Sam Is Dead by James and Christopher Collier
  • Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt
  • Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of WWII by Joseph Bruchac

Additional novels can be chosen from my suggested reading lists which will be emailed once a family registers. It is up to the parent to decide how many books he/she would like for your student to read; I prefer a minimum of 9 (the 3 required plus 6 more of choice), but this is negotiable.

Students will also need two nonfiction books on the topic of each semester project.

The three required novels, the six suggested novels, and the two nonfiction books can all be gotten from your local library, if you prefer.

English book list coming soon.

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Instructor Bio

Bev Graybill

Bev has known since she was in elementary school she’d become a teacher, having taught her one-year-younger brother everything she knew! After attending Millersville University and earning a B.S. in Special Education, a M.S. in Elementary Education, and a Reading Certificate, she taught for several years in both public and private schools and then left the world of teaching to start her own family.  From there, she discovered the amazing world of home schooling, teaching all of her four children for at least some of their years of school and teaching for more than 20 years at several different co-ops.  She currently also serves as a home school evaluator in Pennsylvania.  With a goal of visiting all 50 of the states, she and her husband have just a few more to go!   She also looks forward to becoming a grandma some day, but for now, her only “grandchild” is a pet pig!

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Email: bgraybill[at]aimacademy.online