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Holly Van Houten

Students will receive instruction from Holly Van Houten, who has decades of experience preparing young writers with the skills they need to succeed. In addition to teaching Literature and Writing at The Huckleberry Center for Creative Learning, in Valencia, California since 2009, Holly taught in the USC Freshman Writing Department for 10 years, while completing her Ph.D. coursework in English and American Literature. Holly has also taught in the English departments at Pepperdine University, California State University, Northridge, and California State University, Long Beach. She has helped young scholars become confident writers for over 30 years and has successfully prepared students of all abilities for college-level writing.

High School American Literature

This class will cover a variety of American literature, including novels, plays, poems, short
stories, essays, and speeches, as we explore the ideas and ideals that have defined our country.
Students will have a chance to explore wonderful works of literature with their peers. They will
have an opportunity to exchange ideas and exercise their critical thinking skills, while enjoying
imaginative literature that will stay with them forever!

Fall:
During the Fall quarter, we will focus on the theme of “Defining an American Identity.” One of
the first undertakings of American Literature was differentiating itself from Europe. With each of
the short stories, poems, novels, plays and speeches we analyze, students will be challenged to
think critically about the following questions: What makes American Literature “American?”
How is an “American” identity created? Why have people come to America, and why do they
continue to come to America? The literature we will be reading offers diverse perspectives on
these questions. We will begin with a close look at the “Declaration of Independence,” to
provide a foundation for our inquiries, and then move on to the classic story of “Rip Van
Winkle,” by Washington Irving, which traces the dramatic changes wrought by the American
Revolution. Our novel for this quarter will be Betty Smith’s A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, which is
always a favorite with students! This novel traces life in the early 20 th Century New York City,
for an Irish immigrant family. Our poetry study will center around Walt Whitman’s iconic “I
Hear America Singing,” but will include other pieces by Whitman, Emily Dickinson, Ralph
Waldo Emerson, Langston Hughes, and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, all focused on what it
means to be an “American.” As we read Our Town, by Thornton Wilder, we will explore the
extraordinary communities Americans have created and the bonds that tie us together as a
society. We will conclude this quarter with a look at speeches by Theodore Roosevelt and John
F. Kennedy, as students consider different ways of defining what it means to be an American.

Winter:

During the Winter quarter, we will focus on the theme of “Civil Disobedience” With each of
the short stories, poems, novels, plays and speeches we analyze, students will be challenged to
think critically about the following questions: How has the concept of civil disobedience
influenced America and its Literature? Under what circumstances should conscience outweigh
the law? How do we reconcile the pressure to conform with desire for individual freedom? The
literature we will be reading offers diverse perspectives on these questions. We will begin with a
close look at Henry David Thoreau’s essay, “Civil Disobedience,” to provide a foundation for
our inquiries, and then move on to classic stories by Kurt Vonnegut and Herman Melville. Our
novel for this quarter will be Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn, in which Huck wrestles with his
conscience about helping his friend, Jim, escape from slavery. Our poetry study will center
around Robert Frost’s “The Mending-Wall,” but will include poems by Claude McKay, Frances
E.W. Harper, Charlotte Perkins Gillman, Langston Hughes, Maya Angelou, and Bob Dylan. As
we read A Raisin in the Sun, by Lorraine Hansberry, we will explore the plight of those fighting
for equal rights. We will conclude this quarter with a study of one of the great American Essays:
“Letter from Birmingham Jail,” by Martin Luther King, Jr., which provides a fantastic model for
argumentative writing.

Spring:
During the Spring quarter, we will focus on the theme of “The American Dream” With each of
the short stories, poems, novels, plays and speeches we analyze, students will be challenged to
think critically about the following questions: How is the American Dream defined by different
people and at different times? What values does it reflect? To what extent is it achievable by all?
Who or what defines the American voice? The literature we will be reading offers diverse
perspectives on these questions. We will begin with a close look at Martin Luther King’s
speech, “I Have a Dream,” to provide a foundation for our inquiries, and then move on to classic
short stories by Sherwood Anderson and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Our novel for this quarter will be F.
Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, which highlights some of the unseen costs of attaining
material wealth. We will then read All My Sons, a play by Arthur Miller, which will allow us to
explore the societal and personal costs of “success by any means.” We will conclude this quarter
with a look at speeches that define “The American Dream.”

The Writing Process will also be a central focus in this course, as students apply their creative
and analytical thinking to these marvelous works of literature. Students will not only have an
opportunity to express their ideas, argue their opinions and demonstrate their understanding in
our class discussions, but they will also organize, develop, and argue those ideas in their writing.
In addition to longer, academic essays, students will participate in weekly Online Discussion
Forums and develop their own critical discussion questions to help them organize their responses
to the literature we read. Through oral presentations, in-class essays, short reader-responses, and
speeches, students will have many opportunities to hone and practice their communication skills.
Students will also learn research techniques and MLA documentation as they develop their
persuasive, analytical, expository, and descriptive writing skills. As students practice their
writing skills, they will simultaneously build their understanding of vocabulary, grammar,
syntax, punctuation, and the conventions of formal writing.

In this class, we will be implementing technology to help us work on the Writing Process. Our
classes will take place each week through live, interactive, and engaging online sessions, and we
will utilize a variety of tools to enhance our classroom discussions and encourage collaboration
(breakout rooms, polls/quizzes, Online Discussion Forum questions, video access, and screen
sharing for our intensive essay revision sessions). The Zoom video platform will allow us to meet
like a regular classroom for lecture and discussion purposes as we immerse ourselves in
wonderful literature and the process of writing literary analysis essays. The class will also utilize
Google Classroom for assignments, Online Discussion Forums, and work-sharing both during
class sessions and outside of class. Taking advantage of the incredible, collaborative power of
Google Docs will allow us to share ideas and revision techniques far more efficiently. This class
will be a great opportunity to enjoy some wonderful literature and practice essential literary
analysis and writing skills.

This course meets A-G Course Requirements as outlined by the UC system. We aim to cover the
course standards and UC requirements for A-G credit per the requirements of multiple California
Charter School Guides. However, it is the responsibility of the family & student to compare our
syllabi with their charter school’s outlines to determine if there is any additional learning that
should be done. All work should be shared with the charter school for their review. Please
remember that your charter school is ultimately responsible for assigning grades, although we are
always happy to provide suggested grades for work done in our classes.

NOTE: There are no Materials Fees for this class, but parents must purchase the required books
for their students. Holly will provide Amazon Purchase Links for the chosen edition of each.

Contact

Holly Van Houten

hollyvanh@gmail.com