Available courses

LIT0803 The Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers

LIT 0802 The Lord of The Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

This course introduces students to Book I of The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, beginning in the peaceful Shire and following Frodo Baggins as he is drawn into a dangerous quest far greater than himself. Students will study Tolkien’s world of hobbits, elves, wizards, Black Riders, ancient songs, hidden dangers, and heroic friendship while learning to read carefully, think deeply, and recognize the moral seriousness of fantasy literature.

Special attention will be given to the themes of courage, temptation, friendship, mercy, providence, sacrifice, and the call to adventure. Students will consider how Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin begin as ordinary hobbits but are gradually tested by fear, loyalty, and the burden of the Ring. The course will also explore how Tolkien uses setting, poetry, myth, and mystery to create a world where small choices matter and where even the weakest characters may be called to play a great role in the struggle against evil.

By the end of the course, students will have a stronger understanding of Tolkien’s storytelling, the beginning stages of the heroic journey, and the way The Lord of the Rings presents virtue, friendship, and perseverance as essential weapons against darkness.

Course work: 12 Chapter Quizzes, 3 Essay Responses, 1 Final Multiple Choice Assessment and 1 Final Written Assessment.

LIT 0801: The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

In this literature course, students journey through J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit as both an adventure story and a moral tale of growth, courage, and virtue. Following the pattern of the Hero’s Journey, students will trace Bilbo Baggins from the comfort of the Shire into danger, trial, temptation, and transformation. Along the way, they readers will examine themes of humility, friendship, loyalty, prudence, mercy, courage, greed, and true heroism.

Through close reading, written reflection, and literary analysis, students will consider how Bilbo becomes more than he imagined without becoming less himself. This course invites readers to see heroism not merely as strength in battle, but as the quiet courage to do what is right when fear, comfort, or treasure tempt the heart away from virtue.

Recommended Grade Band: 7th-10th grade

Course Load: 19 Chapter Quizzes, 5 essay responses, 1 final multiple choice exam and 1 final essay.

[LA0401] Reading Short Stories and Poems

This 12-week Language Arts course, built around the Free and Treadwell Fourth Reader, develops strong reading, writing, and thinking skills through classic literature. Students will explore myths, poems, and stories from authors such as Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Washington Irving.

Each week, students engage in guided reading, narration, vocabulary study, grammar practice, and short written compositions. Emphasis is placed on reading aloud, clear expression, and forming complete, thoughtful sentences.

Beyond academics, this course cultivates character by highlighting themes such as courage, humility, kindness, and responsibility. Students learn not only to understand what they read, but also to reflect on the moral lessons within each story.

By the end of the course, students will have grown in reading fluency, writing clarity, and their ability to think carefully about both literature and life.