Youth Literature Series: The Westing Game

Lara Hincapie

10-17 years old

4 lessons

June 2 – August 18

Student First Name

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If your child has taken classes with us before, use the Canvas email they log in with. Each student must have a unique email (the parent email may be reused, but not shared between students).

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$60

This class is part of the Youth Literature Series

This series is intended for students at elementary and middle school reading levels.

These classes are offered sporadically and are not intended to be taken in any order.

Other classes in this series include:

Bridge to Terabithia

Holes

Hatchet

CLASS DESCRIPTION

In this youth literature series, each course will focus on one novel or novella. This particular course will focus on the 1979 novel written by author Ellen Raskin – The Westing Game.

This mystery novel centers around sixteen people who gather for the reading of the will of Samuel W. Westing – a game-loving millionaire. These unlikely strangers have a whirlwind experience as they play Westing’s game and try to figure out why he has chosen a stranger, and possible murderer, to inherit his fortune. Finally, the course will end with the comparison of the book to a film rendition of the story.

This 4-week course will focus heavily on reading, and a full copy of the novel will be provided in both pdf and audiobook format. Although, students are also encouraged to purchase their own copies or borrow one from their local library. Student may either read the full text before the class begins, or their will be weekly reading assignments during the course.

CLASS FORMAT

No live classes—view lessons on YOUR schedule. In general, expect 1.5-2.5 hours to work through the lesson plan each week, and an additional 2-5 hours working on assignments (it really depends what assignment your child chooses to do and how they manage their time). For classes with two levels, the material is the same for both—the depth of the assignments differs. Younger students should usually be placed in Level 1. Older students, or younger students who want more of a challenge, should be placed in Level 2.

Each lesson consists of a fully narrated PowerPoint presentation with images and videos to enhance the topics. Students will have access to our learning management system, Canvas, for viewing their lesson, printing worksheets, taking quizzes, viewing/submitting assignments, participating in discussions, and viewing grades/feedback.

Week 1

Week 1 will begin with a focus on biographical information on the writer’s life and career, and will discuss why this person has remained such a significant voice in classic literature. This week will also cover introductory information to the novel, discussing themes and characters, as well as Chapters 1-6.

Week 2

Week 2 will cover Chapters 7-15 We will further explore how themes are present in the story, discuss symbols, and explore other literary devices present so far in the first half of the story.

Week 3

Week 3 will cover Chapters 16-24. We will further explore how themes are present in the story, discuss character progression and dynamics, and explore other literary devices present so far in the story.

Week 4

Week 4 will cover the end of the novel, and we will further explore literary devices and the greater messages of the story. Finally, the course will end with the comparison of the book to a film rendition of the story.

In the lessons, I often reference specific page numbers from the novel. It does not matter which edition you use, but if you would like to be able to follow along with my page references, I recommend using the same edition.