Why This Class
Nothing shapes your student’s character like a great story. America has produced some of the world’s best storytellers—and you want your student to absorb the messages they shared. This course helps by exposing your student to the most influential works of early American literature.
With the guidance of a mentor, students in this course uncover the lessons and themes of the Colonial, Revolutionary, Romantic, Transcendental, and Realism genres of American writing. In the process, they get inside the hearts and minds of both authors and characters and debate the same issues they faced in dynamic class discussions. Students also hone their writing and reasoning skills as they develop thesis statements and identify elements such as setting and author-intent in literary analyses and persuasive essays.
By completing this course, students gain awareness of the power of story to shape both human lives and America itself. They feel inspired to follow the role models they discover in their readings and become more confident in their writing and storytelling skills.