7/8 Grade Reading & Writing (Intermediate)

Sept 3-Nov 19, 2025 Once weekly/ 2 hours per week

This class is typically for students in 7th-8th grade, often ages 12-13.

After the loss of her grandfather, Kit Tyler moves from the lush tropical climate of Barbados to the vastly different atmosphere of Connecticut. Set in early American colonial times, Kit Tyler quickly discovers that the weather is not the only difference in her new home. She must learn to live in a Puritan community, which is made more challenging by a friendship with an outcast woman, who many accuse of being a witch. Themes of community, beliefs, family, and friendship pepper this Newbery Honor novel. Students will write multi-paragraph compositions, consider the topics of transformation, diligent work, and differing perspectives. They will also receive valuable feedback from the instructor to grow in the skills of middle school level reading and writing.

Skills Needed to Succeed in this Class

• Prerequisite: Intermediate Writing Foundations for ALL new students.

• Able to read more complex novels with challenging vocabulary and slightly mature content

• Has become comfortable with annotating the novel and charting literary content

• Has a degree of mastery writing an expanded paragraph (understands how to write “chunks”)

• Ready to transition to multi-paragraph essay writing

• Familiar with literary analysis writing, including weaving quotes from novel into composition

• Shows evidence of time management skills

• Able to complete 3-4 hours of homework weekly

Skilled Learned in this Class

• Continuing to practice TWJ writing steps and strategies: brainstorm, outline, rough draft, final draft

• Developing multi-paragraph essays by developing three body paragraphs

• Mastering a thesis and transitional sentences

• Providing specific examples from the novel to support assertions

• Explaining examples with insightful commentary, including being introduced writing “chunks” using concrete details and commentary sentences

• Improving sentence structure through mastery of stylistic elements
  
  

Other Class Details

12 weeks

Class meets for 2 hours per week. 

Maximum class size 15 students.

Supplies: pencil, paper, class novel (see Study Book), TWJ Writing Foundations Handbook

Gmail account to access Google Classroom and communicate with instructor

The Witch of blackbird pond

by Elizabeth George Speare

ISBN #: 978-0547550299

Click here to purchase directly from Amazon: https://amzn.to/3wJ9Xvc

After the loss of her grandfather, Kit Tyler moves from the lush tropical climate of Barbados to the vastly different atmosphere of Connecticut. Set in early American colonial times, Kit Tyler quickly discovers that the weather is not the only difference in her new home. She must learn to live in a Puritan community, which is made more challenging by a friendship with an outcast woman, who many accuse of being a witch. Themes of community, beliefs, family, and friendship pepper this Newbery Medal novel.

For families that pay out-of-pocket for homeschooling classes, The Write Journey, LLC offers a discount of 10% for those classes. Use code “PRIVATEPAY” during check out to apply discount. This offer cannot be combined with any other discounts. The reduced rates for private-pay individuals may be used by students enrolled in charter schools, but only if the family chooses to pay for the goods or services out-of-pocket.

Venmo, PayPal, or Check? Use code “PERSONAL” during check out to change the class cost to $0. After you complete the registration process, please send us your payment. Venmo @TheWriteJourney-Cordell PayPal (Friends & Family) – info@thewritejourney.net

Paying with Charter School Funds? Use code “CHARTER” during check out to change the class cost to $0. After completing the registration process, contact your charter school to order vouchers/purchase orders in three one-month payments. Contact us for assistance if you plan to use charter funds and do not find The Write Journey (or Writing with Kris or Kris Cordell) on your charter school’s vendor list.

To pay with a check, contact us at 916.696.1759.

Cancellation Policy:

Due to the administrative costs and preparations of The Write Journey team to prepare classes and offer reasonable class sizes of 8-16 students, we must charge a cancellation fee. Teachers typically begin communication 2 weeks before classes begin, and class schedules must be finalized in order to offer the correct number of spots open for families. 

A $25 cancellation fee will be charged up to 2 weeks prior to the start of the ordered class. Any time after 2 weeks prior to the start of class, the cancellation fee is one full month’s charge. For private pay families with more than 2 children, a flat rate of $50 will be charged.