US History

Teacher: Jennifer Boland Date/Time: Wednesday - 10:40 AM to 12:10 PM Recommended Grades: 8th Departments: Language Arts, Middle School Core Classes Grade Level: Middle School (6th-8th) Maximum Enrollment: 15

Who is this class for?

This class is perfect for students who are ready to build on foundational skills to prepare them for high school-level academic writing. Students will be challenged to work towards writing independence (I’ll be right there if they need me!), grow comfortable writing longer compositions, and recognize the importance of revisions and mistakes during the process.

This class will also use part of the time to learn more about U.S. History through America the beautiful.

This class may be used as a full-year language arts and U.S. history course, depending on homeschool requirements.

 — 2 classes in 1: Grammar/Composition & History —

Writing

Overview:

Students will focus on weekly writing assignments as the core of their learning, so please consider this carefully when registering. IEW (Institute for Excellence in Writing) is a rigorous academic writing curriculum that uses theme-based learning to teach students strong writing skills.

Please note that because skills build on previous skills each week, the class is structured as a yearlong course.

During each meeting, we will have a history-based writing lesson focusing on stories of the past. This includes a lesson in:

• A specific subject and structure.
• Stylistic techniques to enhance your writing.
• An introduction to new vocabulary words
• Writing practice in class and at home.
• Sentence diagramming

Expectations and Requirements:

• For the writing portion of class, students are required to purchase the U.S. History-Based Writing Lessons (Sample) . 
• Please note that we will be using Fix It! Grammar. The level will be determined after the class has been assessed for basic skills.
• Please prepare for at least two to four hours (thirty minutes to one hour per day) of reading and writing each week.
• Homework assignments are typed and submitted through IEW Gradebook weekly. Students should be comfortable typing or using voice-to-text on a computer at home.
• Each lesson will be assessed for structure, style, and mechanics (MLA format, spelling, grammar, etc.), and each student will receive personalized feedback to strengthen their writing to become confident, competent writers.

US History

Overview: We will be using America the Beautiful textbook to build on the history portion of IEW. We will do hands on activities and have discussions about history that will keep the students engaged and excited about learning. Please purchase just part one of America the Beautiful.

We may also do a class read aloud at times to bring in living history and discussion.

Expectations and Requirements:

• In addition to reading, students will create and maintain a dedicated binder notebook system to explore historical timelines, people, places (geography), and events thoroughly.
• Students will be assessed by participating in weekly discussions, occasional class presentations, and/or class tests and projects.

This class will not be successful without the help of parents at home, ensuring that students stay on top of their reading and use their weekly IEW checklists before submitting papers.

Tuition: $350/semester + IEW Workbooks + America the Beautiful.