Western expansion in U.S. history, slavery, the growth of suburbs, women's role in the workforce, and the future of America can all be considered through the lens of mail!

That's exactly what Linda Barrett Osborne does (and more!) in Who's Got Mail?, a nonfiction text that explores how mail shaped (and continues to shape) American culture.

We'll read the book in its entirety, gaining note-taking and discussion skills. We'll also write two multi-draft papers themed around the text to practice academic writing skills.

Gain Key Academic Writing and Reading Foundations

Students will learn foundational academic writing and reading skills including careful reading, note-taking, crafting narratives, and exploring word choice.

Meet Live Weekly

This is a live class, which means we meet weekly to discuss the reading and explore writing tips. Learners can also interact with each other and the instructor between class meetings on our class discussion boards.

Provided materials include reading guides and activities to help with vocabulary and comprehension as well as writing tips to apply to short, informal writing assignments.

Practice Writing as a Process

Most importantly, students will compose two multi-draft papers with individual video feedback on rough drafts and the opportunity to revise a final draft.

Class Details

Age Range: 11-14

Class Size: 3-10 learners

Schedule:

Class runs from March 18-May 12, 2024

We’ll meet via Zoom for a live discussion session each Tuesday at 2-2:45pm Eastern/1-1:45pm Central/12-12:45pm Mountain/11-11:45am Pacific

Supplies

To participate successfully in class, learners will need the following:

• A copy of Who's Got Mail? by Linda Barrett Osborne (ISBN 9781419758966) (used copies are fine; borrowed/library copies are acceptable but it’s preferable for learners to have their own copy so they can take notes in it)
• Microphone and camera for in-class participation
• PDF Reader
• Zoom (free account)
• Learners will submit work through Google Drive (a Google (Gmail) account can be acquired for free)

Is this the right fit for your learner?

This class is the mid-level option for my Middle School level classes (Middle School Writing Level 2). It’s designed for learners who have a basic introduction to writing but not much experience with formal academic writing assignments. Learners will do best if they have the following skills: 

• Can write about 300 words (about 1 page double spaced) on a single topic
• Confidently reads texts at or above 700L on the Lexile rating
• Has practiced discussing reading material
• Has practiced writing about reading material (even if informally)

This class is a good fit for middle school readers who want to explore the connection between reading and writing in a supportive environment that will address their individual writing needs through personal feedback.  

Skills Gained

The class is set up so that students choose which writing prompts they’d like to complete for both of the two primary assignments. This means that students of varying ability levels and familiarity with academic writing conventions can find an assignment appropriate for their level.

All students will learn about the following:

• Developing reading comprehension and note-taking strategies
• Finding their own writing process
• Working on a complete draft in stages that focus on revision
• Reflecting on what works to build strong writing habits

Depending on which assignments they choose to complete, students will focus specifically on the following:

• Crafting strong thesis statements
• Crafting narratives
• Writing creatively
• Finding similarities when making comparisons
• Creating multimodal projects to communicate ideas
• Incorporating sources into writing with appropriate citations

Common Core Standards Alignment

For those who are using Common Core standards, this course meets the following: 

All Learners:

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.1, 7.1, and 8.1 (citing textual evidence)
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.2, 7.2, and 8.2 (identifying central ideas)
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.3, 7.3, and 8.3 (analyzing details in informational texts)
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.4, 7.4, and 8.4 (determining word meaning in context)

Depending on Paper Prompt Chosen:

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.1, 7.1, and 8.1 (write arguments with reason and evidence)
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.2, 7.2, and 8.2 (write informative texts to examine a topic)
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.3, 7.3, and 8.3 (write narratives with details)
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.4, 7.4, and 8.4 (write appropriately to audience)
• CCS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.5, 7.5, and 8.5 (plan, revise, edit and rewrite)
• CCS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.8, 7.8, and 8.8 (gather information from credible sources)
• CCS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.9, 7.9, and 8.9 (draw textual evidence to support analysis and research)
• CCS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.10, 7.10, and 8.10 (write routinely over extended time frames)

Upon successful completion of class, instructor provides detailed exit letter suitable for inclusion in portfolio. Families may request numerical grade at beginning of class for a detailed course grade summary, but it is optional. 

Individual Support

All students will receive individualized video feedback on all rough drafts that specifically addresses their rough draft submissions.

My teaching philosophy very much focuses on starting with students’ strengths to build confidence and using them to work on improvements over time.

Feedback is tailored to each student’s individual needs and goals. I also encourage a lot of self-reflection and provide opportunities for students to directly communicate their challenges so that facing them with strategies becomes a normal part of the writing process.