Finding Adventure in the Strangest Places

The Secret Garden, by Frances Hodgson Burnett:
When orphaned Mary Lennox comes to live at her uncle's great house on the Yorkshire Moors, she finds it full of secrets. The mansion has nearly one hundred rooms, and her uncle keeps himself locked up. And at night, she hears the sound of crying down one of the long corridors. The gardens surrounding the large property are Mary's only escape. Then, Mary discovers a secret garden, surrounded by walls and locked with a missing key. With the help of two unexpected companions, Mary discovers a way in—and becomes determined to bring the garden back to life.
 
Summer of the Monkeys, by Wilson Rawls:
The last thing fourteen-year-old Jay Berry Lee expects to find while trekking through the Ozark Mountains of Oklahoma is a tree full of monkeys. But then Jay learns from his grandpa that the monkeys have escaped from a traveling circus, and there’s a big reward for the person who finds and returns them. His family could really use the money, so Jay sets off, determined to catch them. But by the end of the summer, Jay will have learned a lot more than he bargained for—and not just about monkeys.
 
Learning Objectives:
Students will interpret, analyze, and evaluate what they read.
Students will participate in meaningful discussions, enabling them to speak clearly and effectively on numerous topics and themes found within the text.
Students will use knowledge of prefixes, root words, and suffixes to assist them in understanding vocabulary.
Students will have the opportunity to present on a theme, topic, character, setting, or idea presented in the text.
Students will identify and apply literary and informational elements to the text.
Students will analyze a text’s form of structure and comprehend word meaning and phrases.
Students will be able to evaluate a text using background information.
 
Recommended for: Ages 11+ / Grades 6-7  
Instructor: Mrs. Eve Babb
Day and Time: Wednesdays, 12:45 - 1:45 PM ET
Duration: 4 classes
Dates: November 8 - December 6, 2023 
Fall Break: November 20 - 24, 2023
Required Materials:
The Secret Garden, by Frances Hodgson Burnett 
Summer of the Monkeys, by Wilson Rawls 
 
Eve Babb's teaching style: hands-on activities, storytelling, problem-solving activities, group discussion, explore different cultures
 
Student & Parent Reviews:
Ms. Eve is so nice and I really like having class with her. I loved making a paper bunny and learning how to write my own story. —Johnny, student
I am so glad that my son had Mrs. Eve as a teacher. She does a wonderful job making sure all of her students get involved and she really helps her students understand the literary themes. —Evelyn, parent
She is a delightful teacher! I am so happy with everything my kid has learned from her. She does a great job making sure that every student is heard and participates. —Bethany, parent