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.
In this course we enter the throes of the French Revolution, specifically the “Reign of Terror”, when thousands of French citizens were being executed. Enter the “Scarlet Pimpernel”, a mysterious character who uses disguises and trickery to rescue French royalists before they are marched off to the guillotine. In this project-based course, students will engage in short quizzes and in projects of their choice.
Total classes: 6
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 5th to 8th
Suggested credit: 1/2 semester Literature or History (Register for “The Sea Tiger: The Story of Pedro Menéndez: Living History Through Literature” for one full semester)
Description
Living History Through Literature is a project-based course series offered to 5th through 8th grade students. These courses will weave the study of literature into a meaningful and engaging encounter with a specific era of history. In this course we enter the throes of the French Revolution, specifically the “Reign of Terror”, when thousands of French citizens were being executed. Enter the “Scarlet Pimpernel”, a mysterious character who uses disguises and trickery to rescue French royalists before they are marched off to the guillotine. 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 lap books, 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: The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy, ISBN-10:1420955438; ISBN-13: 978-1420955439 (https://amzn.to/3f83w9V) or any unabridged version. Your student will use PowerPoint or Google Slides (free online) to create a final project.
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.
