English with Ancient History Bundle

Ancient and Medieval History Thru Literature

Students will:

• Learn about famous people, places, and events during ancient times: Fertile Crescent; Ancient Egypt; Ancient India; Ancient China; Ancient Greece; Ancient Rome; the Islamic World; Ancient Africa; China and Japan; and the early Americas.
• Learn about famous people, places, and events during the Middle Ages including the Dark Ages, the Crusades, nobility, Feudalism, cities, castles, life in the Middle Ages, and the Renaissance and Reformation.
• Learn new words in context related to history and geography.
• Compare/contrast the various civilizations studied during ancient times.
• Identify ancient civilizations and medieval countries on a map.

Course Structure

Students will have readings in the text and activities posted in Canvas each week to review the material, including a review “quiz” at the end of each week. During class, review games will reinforce the material studied and students will teach mini-lessons as well. Other live class activities include readers’ theater plays.

Course Assignments will include:

• Readings in the text including review questions; history reviews in Canvas.
• Various worksheet type activities posted in Canvas.
• Optional: read historical fiction or biographies related to the topics being studied, sharing new facts learned with classmates.
• Research mini-topics, sharing facts with classmates.
• Two major projects, one each semester, on one ancient civilization and the Middle Ages.

English Through World History

This class follows a two-year rotation, so students can take it twice (in consecutive years) as the writing assignments and grammar exercises will vary. The 2023-24 school year will be Year B (see the Year B syllabus and book list).

Course Structure

Students will have compositions, poems, literature projects, and grammar exercises assigned in Canvas with teaching on all topics covered in the live class first. As time allows, students can work in pairs to help revise/edit each other’s compositions.

Course Goals

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 8 books (historical fiction or biography); students enrolled in either of Mrs. Graybill’s history courses may use those books.
• Write six multi-paragraph essays (persuasive, narrative, literary, and three expository essays)
• Informative or persuasive speech
• Research paper (Year A) or Creative story (Year B)
• Poems
• Projects related to the elements of fiction
• Grammar exercises

Who should enroll?

These classes are 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. Optional tests will be assigned. 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.