Historical Fiction: Early 20th C. America (Middle Grades Series)

The course "Exploring American History through Literature" is an interdisciplinary online program designed for middle school students, offering a unique blend of American history and literary analysis. The course explores various historical events, trends, and topics through the lens of five carefully selected award-winning novels, aiming to make history engaging and accessible to reluctant historians and hesitant literature enthusiasts alike. Students will delve into themes such as immigration, major historical events, labor unions, and social issues, all while developing literary analysis skills and engaging in critical thinking and creative responses.

Learning activities include regular written discussions, multimedia resources, web 2.0 tools for concept illustration, and weekly live webinars. The course requires minimal writing skills and covers diverse topics including setting, plot, characterization, and fiction vs. reality. It is designed to complement the 'History of US' series and can be taken in conjunction with other Lightning Lit or Historical Fiction classes. However, sensitive readers should be cautious, as some historical topics and fictional accounts may be emotionally challenging.