High School Literature: Classics and Film Adaptations 2 (Guided-Fall

NOTE: High School Literature: Classics and Film Adaptations 1 is NOT a prerequisite for this class. They simply cover different texts.

The literary “canon” is a subject of much debate — and it should be. What we decide to elevate to “must-read” status in order to be considered “educated” tells us a lot about the values we place on our society as well as which perspectives we privilege.

Join us in this class that takes canonical works and places them alongside contemporary film versions to open up conversations about the messages they send and their staying power in our pop culture.

Read Three Classic Works

In this class, we’re going to read three classic canonical works of literature — Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand, Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, and Emma by Jane Austen. We will also view their contemporary film adaptations — The Half of It, Romeo and Juliet, and Clueless.

We’ll focus on a different literary device as we write a paper for each set of texts.

Dig Deep and Gain Analysis Skills

During class discussion, we will not only examine the stories told in these works but also talk about how the idea of the canon has been disrupted and challenged in recent years.

In this way, students will both get familiarity with canonical works while questioning the assumptions used to create a canon in the first place. In addition, they’ll learn key literary analysis skills that will be translatable to a wide range of reading situations as well as learning to “read” film as literary text.

Ages: 14-18

Class Size: 3-10 Learners

Class is weekly from August 26 through December 8, 2024. There are no live meetings, but assignments open each week with a weekly due date.

There are a total of 13 weeks of content with the week of October 7 off for Fall Break and the week of November 25 off for Thanksgiving.)

Supplies

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

Copies of the following books:
Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare (I recommend the No Fear Shakespeare version)
Emma by Jane Austen

(Note: There are many, many editions of these books. Any reputable publisher's version is fine.)

Access to the following movies:
The Half of It (2020) (Currently streaming on Netflix)
Romeo and Juliet (1996) (available for rent on many platforms)
Clueless (1995) (Streaming on HBO Max or available for rent)

(Note: You don't need access to the films for the entire duration of class, so you can rent or borrow them from the library for the times we need them.)

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)

Select a pricing plan and sign up

$406

Market Rate +25%

This class uses a sliding fee scale for pricing options in order to build more equitable access to these educational opportunities. You can read more about the plan and its goals here, but all options give access to the same classroom experience. This option allows us to build a more accessible and equitable community of learners by offering discounted pricing options.

$358

Market Rate +10%

This class uses a sliding fee scale for pricing options in order to build more equitable access to these educational opportunities. You can read more about the plan and its goals here, but all options give access to the same classroom experience. This option allows us to build a more accessible and equitable community of learners by offering discounted pricing options.

$325

Market Rate

This class uses a sliding fee scale for pricing options in order to build more equitable access to these educational opportunities. You can read more about the plan and its goals here, but all options give access to the same classroom experience.

$260

Market Rate -20%

This class uses a sliding fee scale for pricing options in order to build more equitable access to these educational opportunities. You can read more about the plan and its goals here, but all options give access to the same classroom experience.

$162

Market Rate -50%

This class uses a sliding fee scale for pricing options in order to build more equitable access to these educational opportunities. You can read more about the plan and its goals here, but all options give access to the same classroom experience.

Meet Dr. Michelle Parrinello-Cason

Dr. Michelle Parrinello-Cason is the founder of Dayla Learning. She has a PhD in rhetoric and composition, a passion for helping students find their writing voice, and two homeschooling children of her own.

Michelle has taught in a wide variety of settings including six years as a full-time college professor. She has been teaching virtual and in-person homeschool writing and humanities classes for more than five years.

Michelle believes in meeting students where they are and — as any of her previous students will tell you — believes deeply that there is no such thing as a bad rough draft!

Is this the right fit for your learner?

This is an advanced high school class. Learners will do best if they have the following skills:

Can write about 1500 words (6 pages) on a single topic confidently
Can integrate direct quotes and paraphrases smoothly into writing
Can locate and evaluate sources for credibility and relevance
Confidently reads texts at or above ~1100L on the Lexile rating

This class is a good fit for high schoolers who are confident in constructing essays over multiple drafts and have a solid writing process.

Finding the Right Challenge

Writers who have not had much experience writing academic essays would likely benefit from a High School Writing class before taking this one.

Skills Gained

We will practice in-depth research and critical thinking skills as well as constructing a range of written and multimodal projects.

Students will gain the following skills:

Analyzing pieces of canonical literature for meaning, theme, motif, symbolism, and other literary devices
Drawing comparisons across media, time periods, and perspectives
Crafting projects (written and multimodal) in response to readings
Discussing topics respectfully and meaningfully with peers

Content Note

Both the books and the films we'll read for this class contain mature themes including murder, suicide, sexual reference, racism, and violence. These topics will be discussed in the context of literary commentary.

Families are encouraged to pre-screen texts and films to make sure they're an appropriate fit for their learners.

Choose a Pricing Option

$406

Market Rate +25%

This class uses a sliding fee scale for pricing options in order to build more equitable access to these educational opportunities. You can read more about the plan and its goals here, but all options give access to the same classroom experience. This option allows us to build a more accessible and equitable community of learners by offering discounted pricing options.

$358

Market Rate +10%

This class uses a sliding fee scale for pricing options in order to build more equitable access to these educational opportunities. You can read more about the plan and its goals here, but all options give access to the same classroom experience. This option allows us to build a more accessible and equitable community of learners by offering discounted pricing options.

$325

Market Rate

This class uses a sliding fee scale for pricing options in order to build more equitable access to these educational opportunities. You can read more about the plan and its goals here, but all options give access to the same classroom experience.

$260

Market Rate -20%

This class uses a sliding fee scale for pricing options in order to build more equitable access to these educational opportunities. You can read more about the plan and its goals here, but all options give access to the same classroom experience.

$162

Market Rate -50%

This class uses a sliding fee scale for pricing options in order to build more equitable access to these educational opportunities. You can read more about the plan and its goals here, but all options give access to the same classroom experience.