Founders Classical Academy of Fort Worth
Week of October 5 - 11
"One touch of nature makes the whole world kin."
— William Shakespeare
IMPORTANT DATES
OCTOBER 8th = End of Quarter Novel Test (Grade 6)
OCTOBER 10th = Staff Development Day (No School)
OCTOBER 13th - 17th = Fall Break (No School)
Week in Review
This week, our sixth graders encountered an exciting and unexpected plot twist in The Prince and the Pauper. Prince Edward was kidnapped by a hermit, a moment that highlighted the dangers of his precarious position outside of the palace. Students discussed how Twain builds suspense in this scene and what it reveals about Edward’s resilience and courage. They also reflected on how identity and circumstance affect the way characters treat one another.
Seventh graders reached a milestone by completing their journey with The Call of the Wild. They finished polishing their essay drafts, demonstrating how much their critical reading and writing skills have grown. With this novel concluded, we turned to our new book: Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451. Students were introduced to the futuristic and unsettling world Bradbury creates, where books are outlawed and independent thinking is dangerous. We began analyzing the major themes, including censorship, conformity, and the role of literature in preserving truth. This transition allowed students to see connections between the natural struggles of Buck’s world and the technological struggles of Bradbury’s dystopia. It was an exciting shift that sparked rich classroom discussion and thoughtful observations.
Next Week
6th Grade:
Next week, we will continue reading The Prince and the Pauper, working through Chapters 23–27. In these chapters, Edward faces new trials as he continues to struggle to reclaim his rightful throne. We will see how Twain uses humor and irony to highlight the misunderstandings that arise from mistaken identity. Students will be encouraged to reflect on the growing contrast between Tom’s life in the palace and Edward’s trials in the outside world. These chapters will push us to think deeply about justice, fairness, and true leadership.
7th Grade:
For seventh grade, we will dive further into Fahrenheit 451 as we continue to explore its central themes. Students will discuss Bradbury’s warnings about technology, censorship, and the dangers of a distracted society. We will practice identifying symbols, such as fire and books, and examine how they shape the meaning of the story. By the end of the week, students will begin to form their own arguments about Bradbury’s purpose in writing the novel.
Words of the Week
Hermit (noun) – a person who lives in solitude, often for religious reasons (directly tied to Edward’s kidnapping scene). (The Prince and the Pauper)
Censorship (noun) – the suppression of speech, ideas, or writing considered harmful or objectionable. (Fahrenheit 451)
Did You Know?
Ray Bradbury wrote Fahrenheit 451 on a typewriter he rented in the basement of a library. He had to pay ten cents for every half hour of typing time, and the entire novel cost him about $9.80 in dimes to write!
Poem of the Week
By William Woodsworth
Up! up! my Friend, and quit your books;
Or surely you'll grow double:
Up! up! my Friend, and clear your looks;
Why all this toil and trouble?
The sun above the mountain's head,
A freshening lustre mellow
Through all the long green fields has spread,
His first sweet evening yellow.
Books! 'tis a dull and endless strife:
Come, hear the woodland linnet,
How sweet his music! on my life,
There's more of wisdom in it.
And hark! how blithe the throstle sings!
He, too, is no mean preacher:
Come forth into the light of things,
Let Nature be your teacher.
She has a world of ready wealth,
Our minds and hearts to bless—
Spontaneous wisdom breathed by health,
Truth breathed by cheerfulness.
One impulse from a vernal wood
May teach you more of man,
Of moral evil and of good,
Than all the sages can.
Sweet is the lore which Nature brings;
Our meddling intellect
Mis-shapes the beauteous forms of things:—
We murder to dissect.
Enough of Science and of Art;
Close up those barren leaves;
Come forth, and bring with you a heart
That watches and receives.
Resources for Parents
Here are a few excellent, free sites to help students build reading comprehension skills at home:
ReadTheory – adaptive online reading practice with comprehension quizzes:
https://readtheory.org/
CommonLit – free texts with guided questions and assessments:
https://www.commonlit.org/
Newsela – leveled nonfiction articles to strengthen reading comprehension and critical thinking:
https://newsela.com/
Also, for our sixth graders, here is an audiobook version of our novel, "The Prince and the Pauper."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4_wkukogXQ
About Mr. Laurence
Mr. Ethan Laurence-Gauglitz earned his Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from the University of North Texas, also studying a semester at Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universität in Hannover, Germany. After graduation, he served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Kosovo, working as a grant writer for the local municipal government and teaching English in local schools. These experiences deepened his appreciation for cultural exchange, global perspectives, and the power of language to connect people.
Most recently, Mr. Laurence was the Academic Coordinator and Lead English Instructor at Excel Academy in Henderson, Nevada, where he developed curriculum, supported teachers, and helped students reach their full potential. He brings to the classroom a love for languages, literature, and learning, and is excited to share these passions with his students this year.