Middle School Literature   

32 WEEK CLASS

Tutor Name: Tammy Erickson

Course Name: Middle School Literature

Required Text:

Instead of a textbook, we read ‘real books’, as well as poetry and short stories. I also utilize children’s books to teach a concept before asking a student to analyze the concept in a novel, so students will also be reading classic children’s literature (provided). I provide all poetry and short stories as well. 

  • THE BOXCAR CHILDREN by Gertrude Chandler Warner.

Book 1. 1950 ed. Table of Contents should start with “I. THE FOUR HUNGRY CHILDREN and end with XIII. A NEW HOME FOR THE BOXCAR”.

  • THE TWENTY-ONE BALLOONS by William Pene de Bois

ISBN 0140320970

  • THE DOOR IN THE WALL by Marguerite De Angeli

ISBN 0440227798

  • THE LION THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE by C.S. Lewis

ISBN 9780064404990

  • THE FAMILY UNDER THE BRIDGE by Natalie Savage Carlson

ISBN 0064402509

  • HOMER PRICE by Robert McCloskey

ISBN 0142404152

  • RED SAILS TO CAPRI by Ann Well

ISBN 0140328580

  • THE CRICKET IN TIMES SQUARE by George Selden

ISBN 0312380038

  • THE GREAT TURKEY WALK by Kathleen Karr

ISBN 0374427984

  • THE WHIPPING BOY by Sid Fleischman

ISBN 9780060521226

  • A GRAIN OF RICE by Helena Clare Pittman

ISBN 139780440413011

* If a student has reading challenges, please email Tammy for helpful tips on how to help your student succeed in this class.

Additional Comments: Used copies work fine. I recommend purchasing used at thriftbooks.com or Amazon.com. You may also utilize library copies.

Copy Fee: $30

Other Supplies Needed: 

  • 1 Composition Notebook;

  • Colored pencils or pens;

  • Scissors;

  • Glue

Minimum Number of Students:  10

Maximum Number of Students:  15

Course Description/Outline/Objectives:   
In the Literature class, students will be introduced to a variety of literary concepts, inspiring novels and poetry, and will begin to learn to analyze novels for those literary concepts. I utilize an interactive notebook to supplement the lessons to engage all learning styles and reinforce each literary concept. There is a strong vocabulary component to the class, as well as some writing. Together students will mine the hidden wealth of strong writing, and thereby learn to be better readers and writers themselves.

Expected Weekly Time Commitment for Homework:  2 hours

Prerequisites: None

Recommended Grade Level: 5th - 7th    

Rate for Additional Private Tutoring: $30/hour

More Courses by
Tammy Erickson

  • Middle School Grammar

  • Middle School Literature

  • Fallacy Detective

  • Middle School American History


BIO

Tammy Erickson holds bachelor’s degrees in both Marketing and Management, as well as a Minor in Music Business from Anderson University. She has taught Literature Analysis 1 & 2 at other tutorials, as well as World Lit and Grammar to her two amazing daughters. She has authored various works including a Biblically-based Etiquette curriculum, Bible studies, songs, press releases, and magazine articles. Her love of the written word further enabled her to serve as a book editor and editor for two nonprofit organizations. She loves to analyze great authors and find God’s message woven into their stories! And she loves to teach ‘how words come together’! She is a visual learner herself, so she endeavors to incorporate creativity into her lesson plans that will appeal to all three learning styles. Her passion for, and creative approach to, this class will fuel students’ love for literature.

When she isn’t developing new ways to analyze great books, she loves spending time with Jesus, studying and writing, leading worship, planning ministry events at the family’s barn, grabbing coffee with friends, hanging out talking with her two precious daughters, taking walks at the lake with her husband of 22 years, and cuddling her Bernese Mountain Dog puppy.