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Language Arts Level 2

Academic Year Language Arts

The Level 2 course introduces students to problem-solving within language arts, while having AoPS-style fun along the way! Each week, students engage with complex texts, implement targeted writing tools, expand their vocabulary, and deepen their reading comprehension skills. Through class readings, discussions, and writing activities, students develop confidence in their ability to independently navigate the complexities of language, which will serve them in future courses across the academic spectrum.

Thematically, the course is divided into four quarters.

The first quarter introduces the concepts of visual literacy, reading comprehension, and the writing process through graphic novels and comic books.

The second quarter focuses on the comprehensive analysis of poetry through the examination of themes, structures, and language selection.

The third quarter uses short-story narrative structure to introduce the basics of computational thinking.

The final quarter centers literary analysis through the exploration and manipulation of the classic fairy tale structure.

In each quarter, students read, write, and receive feedback for their work within the designated genre.

What happens in class?

While each lesson introduces new concepts, every meeting will provide students with the opportunity to:

  • learn a new writing skill
  • apply that writing skill in challenging writing activities
  • learn and apply new vocabulary words
  • analyze and discuss in-class readings
Homework

Students should expect to spend 1-2 hours on homework every week by completing weekly reading assignments and packets at home. Homework includes a combination of reading comprehension questions, vocabulary activities, and writing assignments. The following week, the teacher will briefly check homework for completeness and hand out an answer key. Parents and students should use the answer key at home to check whether the student completed the homework correctly.

Teacher Feedback

Students will receive direct oral and written feedback from their teacher during class, especially during writing time. This in-person feedback is key in helping students revise and improve their writing. At the end of each quarter, students will submit a final draft of a piece of writing and receive evaluative written feedback from their teacher.

Exams

Students will take an exam during class at the end of each quarter, weeks: 9, 18, 27, and 36. Each exam will assess students on the reading, writing, grammar, and vocabulary covered that quarter.

Course Texts
  • Reflections on a Gift of Watermelon Pickle
  • Hello Ruby
  • The Hamster Princess

Syllabus


Schedule in 2022-23

All times Eastern.

Saturday
10:15 – Noon
Sep. 10, 2022 – June 10, 2023
ENROLL

My children have been students of AoPS Academy for several years now. The staff is very good at identifying and encouraging high achieving students to attain their fullest potential. The instructors engage kids to solve tough math problems, and push them to think logically and come up with unique solutions, instead of following a memorized formula. I have witnessed many classes where students are given the opportunity to suggest multiple ways of approaching the same problem. This has really helped my children develop independent learning skills and a stronger foundation in mathematics. The staff truly care for each and every student’s growth. Every child gets an abundance of individual attention. Programs such as the math competition classes, MATHCOUNTS Trainer Contest, and Short Story Contest really challenge the kids to reach up to the next level. The language arts classes like Debate & Public Speaking and College Essay Writing provide a much higher quality of education for their students. Thank you so much for being such a valuable resource for my children.

Usha D.