This class introduces poetry in its most basic components – including rhyme, meter, literary devices, and theme – across varying styles and eras of poetry. Students will become acquainted with a number of well-known poets including A.A. Milne, Shel Silverstein, Christina Rossetti, Mary Ann Hoberman, Ogden Nash, Robert Louis Stevenson, Robert Frost, and William Blake. Student must be comfortable writing paragraphs to enroll in this class. 

While reading C.S Lewis' classic The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, students will gain an appreciation for the history and experience leading up to Narnia and be encouraged to use their own ideas to foster creative worlds and characters of their own. In addition, students will engage directly with the text to study character development and the use of several literary devices, Weekly vocabulary lists will be included with each lesson for study or spelling practice. Students must have their own copy of the text for this class. Student must be capable of writing compositions of at least three paragraphs to enroll in this class.

Throughout this class, students engage directly with George Selden's 1960, Newbery Honor-winning book, The Cricket in Times Square. While reading the entire text, students will study Selden's use of description and practice their own descriptive responses alongside unexpected but fun characters – Chester Cricket, Tucker Mouse, and Harry Cat. Weekly vocabulary lists will be included with each lesson for study or spelling practice. Students must have their own copy of the text for this class. (Please see syllabus for notes about this particular book!) Student must be capable of writing compositions of at least three paragraphs to enroll in this class.