LANGUAGE ARTS 2024 – 25

CLASS BEGINS:  September 5, 2024

COURSE DURATION:  1 school year, from September 2024 through May 2025

 Students will read eight biographies and autobiographies, they will gain an understanding and appreciation for these fascinating men, women, and families from various walks of life. Students will learn about the background of each person, cultural and historical contexts, and the internal and external challenges each faced. They will be given the opportunity for a great deal of discussion. We might watch a biography or an autobiography to compare the type of information presented in a book versus a film. Writing assignments will include summaries, mini-biographies, historical approach papers, and more. Additionally, students will be provided with tools to strengthen their writing skills. The class will be meeting in person at EIE. We will have a couple of amazing parties that students will remember, with a smile, well into adulthood.

Required Books:

• Fierce: How Competing for Myself Changed Everything – Aly Raisman
• Farewell to Manzanar by Houston and Houston
• Cheaper by the Dozen – Gilbreth and Gilbreth Carey
• The Story of My Life – Helen Keller
• The Diary of a Young Girl – Anne Frank
• Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination – Neal Gabler
• Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words – Michael Pack and Mark Paoletta
• Maverick: A Biography of Thomas Sowell- Jason L. Riley

This above book list is a minimum goal. Yes, some of the books are easier to read than others. Not everything need be difficult and just because a work is not difficult, does not mean that it is not worth reading.

Fees: $250.00 per semester ($275 if a charter student) plus books.

Miss Lilli is a vendor for: Sky Mountain, ILEAD, Excel Academy, Sage Oaks, Golden Valley, Gorman, Inspire, and more.

For questions and/or registration forms please contact Lilli Witczak by text at (626) 232-7932 or email at lilli.witczak@gmail.com

This full-year English and Literature course is for grades 6 – 8 and is designed to develop the essential English skills needed for high school. Together, we will explore and discuss various genres of literature including allegory, parables, short stories, and poetry. Students will build vocabulary, learn annotation, practice grammar and mechanics, and review literary devices such as figurative language, point-of-view, irony, symbolism, and more. Writing activities will be incorporated throughout the course and will include creative writing, literary analysis, and original poetry. Students will take part in class discussions as well as games and activities that will be used for review. As a bonus, I offer homework support throughout the week and I am always available to my students to answer questions. I’m excited to help students improve their skills and confidence in English!

Required Books:

The Pearl by John Steinbeck

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

Animal Farm by George Orwell

 For a more detailed course outline, please visit my website – https://stacirossell.weebly.com/

With questions or to register, please, contact me at – mrsrossellsclass@gmail.com

PHONE CONTACT:  (323) 839-3400

Parent Review

“As someone who benefits from Staci’s expertise, I can say that she really helped my 8^th grade daughter find her potential in literature and writing. Staci provided writing prompts, literature, and poems tailored to my daughter’s interests. Her level of attention and enthusiasm helped my daughter expand her range of genres and appreciation for classic literature. My daughter also tested at a 10^th grade level for reading thanks to the level of work Staci has been doing with her. Forever grateful to have Staci in our lives.” – Julie Darrell, homeschool mom

 About Me

Hello! My name is Staci Rossell. I’m a credentialed teacher with nearly 30 years of experience teaching and working with youth. I was a public school teacher, homeschooled my two children, taught in-person homeschool classes, and have spent the last 3 years teaching homeschool classes remotely.

My teaching style is professional, organized, and encouraging. I offer a structured course with support for each student to excel. I love to help students develop their skills and I’m very invested in the well-being and success of my students.

In my spare time, I enjoy antique shopping, photography, and volunteering as a docent in a botanical rose garden.

$325.00 per semester ($20 registration fee)

A total of 34 classes

Semester One – September 10 – January 21

Semester Two – January 28 – May 27

TARGET: Grades 1st-5th

START DATE: Begins Sept 11th

COURSE LENGTH: This class is TWO semesters long (13 weeks each, Sept – Dec then Jan-May)

ABOUT PAYMENTS: Although you enroll for one semester at a time to make payment easier, please plan for a full year (Sept-May) unless you have extraordinary circumstances come about.  Semester 2 payment will be requested and due following winter break.

COST PER SEMESTER

$288.00 (discount given to those who pay for class in full on day of registration).

We are an approved vendor for most area Charter schools. If not, we’ll contact you to start the vendor process for your school!

Upon registration, you will be provided with a simple materials list of some basic school and household supplies that will be needed for class.

 Students become “neighbors” in a delightful Medieval Town they help create, where they will experience many events through the year including historic celebrations, festivals, traditional crafting, medieval games, natural disasters, and unbelievable mishaps!  As each town event effects the residents, it will serve as the journal prompt for a creative writing assignment for the week.

 “Swarms of bees overtook the town, and I…“

“The highlight of the festival was one daring performer who…“

“The wagon unhitched sending us barreling into the…”

Town residents will start by deciding what to name their town and decorating their own home and property. Each student will choose a historic job that will produce weekly earnings. They can use their income to save and upgrade their home, or buy or barter for additions to the property from the marketplace.  Each student will get a chance to be crowned “Royal of the Day” , and Town residents will talk about and compare stories about the events of the week.  Some drawing, crafts, prize games, and other creative expressions will also be incorporated throughout the year to fit our Medieval theme.

 While the class will have some mini lessons on writing techniques, literary devices, figurative language, and poetry, our focus is not on the formal fundamentals of writing.  The main goal of this class is to motivate kids to put pen to paper to write with enthusiasm and express their ideas in written form.    Journal writing is done during class time, and journal expectations can be varied to adapt to different learning levels and abilities.

 REGISTRATION INFORMATION

PRIVATE PAY REGISTRATION: Starting April 30th at 8pm, complete the private payment registration form available here.

 Questions? Call (626)482-8963 or email WeSparkLearning@yahoo.com

THE ULTIMATE COLLEGE PREP WRITING CLASS

Online classroom is always open. 
Open enrollment during semester.

COST: 

• $350 per semester for Charter students.
• $300 for non charter school students.
  
  This class is offered online as well as in a classroom setting. 

This course covers advanced English communications for students of any age who can handle college preparatory material and is designed to prepare students for university studies and for SAT, ACT and TOEFL exams. Emphasis is placed upon innate language acquisition through immersion and emulation as well as an understanding of grammatical principles.

Writing and speaking skills and techniques are covered and works of the masters of spoken and written English arestudied. The list is flexible depending upon class enthusiasm but has in the past included Shakespeare, Swift, Dickens, Austen, J.S. Mill, Wilde, Shaw, Grahame, Wodehouse, Franklin, Jefferson, Paine, Lincoln, Twain, Fitzgerald, Churchill, King, Buckley, Baldwin and many other surpassingly brilliant but less well known writers and orators. (It is worth noting that one finds among these greats a disproportionately large percentage of homeschoolers.) All works are provided or linked to in the online classroom. College prep skills practiced will include note-taking, research and report writing, advanced vocabulary, language usage, comprehension and grammar. Students will write college admission essays, persuasive essays, SAT essays and reports and will prepare and deliver lectures and persuasive speeches. The class uses the one-room schoolhouse paradigm (See Advantages of the one-room schoolhouse approach to teaching). Please see our Writing Skills Playsheets for a taste of class content and style. Course includes personal instructor attention, traditional classroom/online video sessions, online text, extensive resources, graded compositions, moderated discussion forums and chatrooms.

Online text: SAT, ACT, TOEFL, College Prep English Practice by K. Titchenell.
Many text, audio, and video recording resources will be used and provided free of charge.

CONTACT: K. Titchenell (323) 432-7128
or email: eieclass@abacus-es.com