A Full Year of English Language Arts for Middle School Students (grades 6-8)
The World Literature series introduces middle school students to engaging, high-quality literature from around the globe—including novels, short stories, and poetry by diverse authors across cultures. These texts offer compelling narratives, rich language, and meaningful themes that inspire empathy, critical thinking, and a deeper understanding of the world. Through discussion, creative projects, and writing, students explore literature while building essential academic skills.
This four-part series forms a full year of middle school English Language Arts and is ideal for students in grades 6–8. In the fall semester, students take Section 1 alongside a dedicated writing class matched to their level. In the spring semester, they complete Sections 3 and 4. Each class is a standalone course, so students can begin with any section, in any order.
Classes meet online once a week on Outschool for 50 minutes of discussion and instruction. Assignments are flexible and designed to support a range of homeschooling styles, with optional formal grading available for families who want documentation or added accountability. This globally minded, literature-rich series offers both structure and adaptability—an excellent fit for homeschool families looking to confidently outsource ELA.
In this section of World Literature, students explore powerful stories of resilience, identity, and the inherent value of every human being through I, Juan de Pareja and Inside Out and Back Again. These novels invite meaningful conversations about freedom, self-worth, and what it means to begin again in unfamiliar places and circumstances.
Weekly live discussions encourage thoughtful engagement, while creative projects—like historical fiction newspapers and one-pagers—allow students to respond personally and imaginatively to the texts. Assignments are flexible and adaptable to different homeschool approaches, offering the right balance of support and challenge for students in grades 6–8.
In this section of World Literature, students explore stories of courage and resistance, set against the backdrop of war and political oppression. Through The Boys Who Challenged Hitler and Breaking Stalin’s Nose, learners examine the choices young protagonists face when standing up to injustice—connecting deeply with themes of moral conviction, truth, and personal responsibility.
Live classes include student-led discussions, interactive lessons, and creative projects like blackout poetry and six-word memoirs. Students also complete a compare/contrast essay with writing paths tailored to different experience levels, making this class accessible to a wide range of learners.
Assignments are adaptable to many homeschool styles, offering clarity and flexibility. Designed for grades 6–8, this course can be taken on its own or as part of the full World Literature series.
In this final section of World Literature, students explore themes of justice, courage, and survival through The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle and A Long Walk to Water. From life at sea to civil war in Sudan, these global narratives invite students to consider how ordinary individuals respond to extraordinary challenges—while examining how authors craft character, conflict, and theme.
Class time includes student-led discussions, and focused lessons so that students develop a stronger understanding of how and why literary elements are used—not just what they are. Creative projects like writing new story endings or designing comic strips deepen engagement with the texts.
Assignments are clear, flexible, and designed to support a variety of homeschool styles and writing levels, setting middle school students from a variety of educational backgrounds up for success.
These writing classes can be paired with Section 1 for a full fall semester, and tailored to your child's specific writing abilities and needs. They can also be taken at other times. While these are the most popular options, please let me know if your learner would benefit from something more basic or more advanced, or if you have any other questions.
This weekly class focuses on writing style, in the context of paragraphs. For students with an ability to write basic paragraphs independently, but who need to work on improving the quality of their writing, this class is a great option. Each week includes a specific lesson in how to improve writing, and students send completed work to me to receive personalized video feedback. Click on the button below for more details.
This six week course walks students through how to write an informative research essay in a step by step format. Students will gain skills relating to research, outlining, writing thesis statements, captivating introductions, revising and editing strategies, MLA citation of sources, and more! Students receive direct feedback from me as they write their own essay on any essay of their choosing.