LANGUAGE ARTS 2026 – 27

For Junior High & High School Students (Ages 12+)
This year-long course introduces students to the art of cinematic storytelling and guides them through the process of writing the rough first draft of their own feature-length screenplay. Designed for junior high and high school students (ages 12+), the class combines creative writing with professional storytelling techniques used in film and television.

Students will learn story structure through Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey, using Christopher Vogler’s The Writer’s Journey and The Wizard of Oz as a guide. They will also explore character archetypes using Victoria Lynn Schmidt’s 45 Master Characters, and study the emotional structure foundations of drama through Lajos Egri’s The Art of Dramatic Writing. In addition, students will learn storytelling insights from Pixar, examining how character, theme, and emotional arcs shape powerful stories.

Over two semesters, students will develop an original story idea, build compelling characters, learn screenplay format, and structure their story using proven storytelling frameworks.

Across two semesters, students will progress through the full writing process:

• Developing story ideas and themes

   

• Building compelling protagonists and antagonists

   

• Designing character arcs and emotional stakes

   

• Structuring a story using the Hero’s Journey

   

• Learning screenplay format and scene construction

   

• Writing dialogue and visual storytelling

   

• Outlining and drafting a full screenplay

By the end of the course, each student will complete a rough first draft of a feature-length screenplay, gaining valuable skills in creativity, storytelling, and writing.

COST:  $300 per Semester  + 2 Books

• The Writer’s Journey – 3rd Edition by Christopher Vogler: https://a.co/d/01So9UYM
• 45 Master Characters by Victoria Lynn Schmidt: https://a.co/d/0hTKQg7x

A reading, watching, and writing class for 7 grade & up

CLASS BEGINS:  September 10, 2026

 COURSE DURATION:  1 school year, from September 10 through May 2 

This course explores the art of storytelling by comparing classic literature with their modern film adaptations. Students will engage in close reading, cinematic analysis, and writing to understand how stories evolve across different media.

 Of course there will be PLENTY of discussions. Students will keep a simple journal/log of “Book vs Movie”, which would include topics such as “If you were the director, what is the one scene from the book you would REFUSE to cut, and why?”  Additionally, the class will analyze adaptations by evaluating how filmmakers use visual and auditory elements (cinematography, score, casting) to interpret written text.

 During the course students will learn to construct outlines, take notes, summarize stories/movies, write film reviews, compose comparative essays, and more. As a part of the writing process, students will learn about grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Although this is not an Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) course, students will learn some of IEWs structure and style method.

 The following is a list of books and short stories for this class:

• The Wizard of Oz
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
• “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”
• “The Veldt”
• The Giver
• Holes

COST: $275.00 per semester ($300 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.

REQUIRED MATERIALS: Students are expected to bring the following to class on the first day.

•  -Writing paper
• -Writing tool such as a pen or pencil
• –The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

Reading and dissecting dystopian novels. Grades 8 & up.

 CLASS BEGINS:  September 10, 2026

COURSE DURATION:  1 school year, from September 10 through May 27

Is a perfect world possible, or is the dream of utopia a trap? In this year-long exploration of dystopian literature, students will examine how authors across the 20th and 21st centuries have used fiction to sound the alarm on the fragility of freedom. By meeting once a week, we will deep-dive into the “Big Three” themes of the genre: the loss of individuality, the manipulation of truth, and the evolution of social control.

 Learning Objectives

1. Analyze Literary Devices: Identify the use of irony, allegory, and satire in social commentary.
2. Comparative Analysis: Compare how different authors approach the concept of “The State” and the “Rebel.”
3. Critical Media Literacy: Connect the themes of censorship and surveillance to contemporary issues in technology and social media.
4. Socratic Discussion: Engage in weekly high-level debates regarding the ethics of the “greater good” versus individual liberty.

 The following is a list of books and short stories for this class:

• Animal Farm
• Fahrenheit 451
• “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut
• The Hunger Games
• 1984
• Brave New World

COST: $275.00 per semester ($300 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.

REQUIRED MATERIALS: Students are expected to bring the following to class on the first day.

-Writing paper and a writing tool such as a pen or pencil

–Animal Farm

 Assessment: Grades are based on weekly discussion participation, three short analytical essays, and a final creative project where students design their own dystopian society.

TARGET: Grades 5-8

COURSE DURATION: 1 year (two, 13 week semesters – classes begin Sept 2, 2026)

DATES:

• Semester 1 runs Sept 2 -Dec 9 2026
• Semester 2 runs Jan 27-May 12 2027

COST PER SEMESTER : $296.00 (courtesy 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!

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Become the hero in a classroom R.P.G. (role-playing game that ventures through the Mushroom Kingdom. Adventurers will record key decisions in your adventure log, and leave it to the roll of the dice to determine your fate!  In this class you’ll be inspired by video game adventures, as you and your classmates take on a quest to rescue Princess Peach being held captive by Bowser, as Mario and Luigi are unable to come to her aid.

You and your classroom players will make team decisions for each of the 12 stages of The Hero’s Journey, write about some of your key choices, as you roll dice to determine the outcome of each challenge.

The Hero’s Journey is a literary theory popularized by American writer and professor Joseph Campbell, that identifies the framework of stories and legends across cultures. 

Experience the Hero’s Journey:

1.In the Ordinary World

2. The Call to Adventure
3. The Refusal of the Call
4. Meeting the Mentor
5. Crossing the threshold
6. Tests, Allies, and Enemies
7. The Approach
8. The Ordeal
9. The Reward
10. The Road back

• 11 The Resurrection

12. Return with the Elixir

Once the grand campaign is ended, you’ll have several weeks in our second semester, to craft and write your own epic action adventure story using the The Hero’s Journey you’ve just mastered as your guide.

REGISTRATION: Enrollment opens for new students on April 10th, 2026 – Simply complete the form for either private-payment or charter families here at  26/27 REGISTRATION Monrovia.Charter School students should follow up with a request for a P.O./Enrichment Certificate to be issued as soon as possible to complete your registration with us.

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

COURSE DURATION: 1 year (two, 13 week semesters – classes begin Sept 2, 2026)

DATES:

• Semester 1 runs Sept 2 -Dec 9 2026
• Semester 2 runs Jan 27-May 12 2027

COST PER SEMESTER : $296.00 (courtesy 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!

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Shipwrecked on a remote island, 1st-5th graders explore their exotic surroundings, scavenge for supplies, tame the wilderness, form a rescue plan, and band together for survival through perilous adventures — all the while journaling their epic story.

 Your weekly explorations will serve as the journal prompt or inspiration for your creative writing assignments.

“The eerie howling sound seemed to be coming from…”

“After tirelessly digging in the sand, it was a miracle that I found a…”

“Seeing that spectacular splash, I started to believe the mythical stories about…”

 Each student will be assigned special skills to contribute to the group’s success, and keep an inventory of valuable items they have salvaged or scrounged for in the search for more island resources.

 Some drawing, crafts, prize games, and other creative expressions will also be incorporated throughout the year to fit our Island theme. Mini lessons on writing techniques, literary devices, and poetry will be explored, while maintaining the goal of this class: to motivate students to put pen to paper with enthusiasm!  Journal writing is done during class time, and writing expectations can be varied to adapt to different learning levels and abilities.

 How will you survive this harrowing story? Will your party ever be rescued? Join the adventure!

 REGISTRATION: Enrollment opens for new students on April 10th, 2026 – Simply complete the form for either private-payment or charter families here at  26/27 REGISTRATION Monrovia.Charter School students should follow up with a request for a P.O./Enrichment Certificate to be issued as soon as possible to complete your registration with us.

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