Informational Letter to Parents

Dear Parents and Students of High School Literature Class,

Welcome to our high school literature class, which will utilize Teaching the Classics; A Socratic Method for Literary Education by Adam & Missy Andrews & Windows to the World; An Introduction to Literary Analysis by Lesha Myers (IEW.com; WTW-S). After some research and talking with IEW experts over the summer it is best for the students to utilize both curriculums. We will follow a syllabus written by Jill Pike at IEW that combines both courses.  We will begin with Teaching the Classics and progress to Windows to the World.  All students will need WTW-S by November 12.

All students must read The Silver Chalice by Thomas B. Costain before classes start, Sept. 17, 2015. We will utilize this novel in our class discussions along with familiar stories to delve into the Socratic method.  In addition to this novel, the student’s will be using a children’s book of their choice for a fall project (we recommend you look at Appendix B for suggestions; Stories for Young Children).  Also for the fall semester the student’s will need the following novels:

Lit Class with Mrs. O’Brien for Fall Semester:

Otto of the Silver Hand by Howard Pyle Needed by 10/22/15

The Once and Future King by T.H.White  Needed by 9/17/15

Lit Class with Mrs. Czarnopis for Fall Semester:

Beowolf by Seamus Heaney                Needed by 10/22/15

The Once and Future King by T.H.White Needed by 9/17/15

For Spring Semester we plan to use the same books:

The Prince and The Pauper by Mark Twain Needed by 12/10/15

Men of Iron by Howard Pyle OR Joan of Arc by Mark Twain

More than likely we will not complete the curriculum due to our one-hour classes and total weeks at Holy Trinity, but we will get to the heart of the program.  Parents can choose to finish at home after we complete HT or possibly utilize next year for another literature class.   

We plan to incorporate essay writing into the Spring Semester. 

There will be a lot to cover each week so it is imperative that the students come prepared for class discussions, keep up with their reading assignments, and complete homework.

Mrs. Czarnopis has set up a blog for all our communications.  It is up to the students and parents to keep up with what is happening in the class. Read the Blog EACH week; it will be updated every Friday for the homework assignment.  

htliteratureclass.blogspot.com

We are looking forward to a great year! Please let us know if you have any questions.