This is our catalog of courses. We will occasionally adjust the course listing to reflect the addition of new courses and the retirement of others.
Living History Through Literature is a project-based course series. These courses weave the study of literature into a meaningful and engaging encounter with a specific era of history. In LHTL: American History 1, we meet Kat Walter, a nine-year-old shoemaker’s daughter from Emmitsburg, Maryland. Kat thinks that life is one big chore until she meets the lively Kitty Seton, Mother Seton’s daughter.
Total classes: 6
Prerequisite: No class prerequisite. Your student will need Word 2007 or later version or the ability to convert a document to a Word-compatible file.
Suggested grade level: 5th to 9th
Suggested credit: 1/2 semester History or Literature
Description
Living History Through Literature is a project-based course series. These courses weave the study of literature into a meaningful and engaging encounter with a specific era of history. In LHTL: American History 1, we meet Kat Walter, a nine-year-old shoemaker’s daughter from Emmitsburg, Maryland. Kat thinks that life is one big chore until she meets the lively Kitty Seton, Mother Seton’s daughter. Kat’s life will never be the same again! When Mother Seton brings her family and new order of nuns to the mountainous village of Emmitsburg, Maryland in 1809, it not only changes Kitty’s life, but her whole family. Students will study the historical context of the novel and participate in engaging literature discussions. In this project-based course, students will engage in short quizzes and in projects of their choice. Project options will include fiction writing, preparing period-specific food and/or costumes, creating lapbooks, recreating scenes from the novel (Legos, clay, K’nex, digital drawing, hand-drawing, etc.), building a timeline, mapping, and more.
Outline
Class 1: Overview of Historical Context and Novel Introduction
Class 2: Literature Discussion; Project Introduction
Class 3: Literature Discussion; Cultural Overview
Class 4: Literature Discussion; Fiction Writing Tips
Class 5: Literature Discussion; Final Project Instructions
Class 6: Literature Analysis and Historical Connections; Student Project Showcase
Materials and Homework
Course Materials: Kat Finds a Friend, A St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Story by Joan Stromberg, (https://www.beholdpublications.com)
Homework: Weekly quizzes and reading assignments. Each week, students will work on one project-based assignment that will culminate in a final novel project submission (due at the end of week 6). Homework (including novel reading) will take 1.5-3 hours per week. Parents are encouraged to support younger students by reading texts aloud and helping with project planning and execution.
