- Thumbnail
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- Course name
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The Phantom Tollbooth Adventure: A Journey of Curiosity, Courage, and Cleverness
- Category
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Literature
- Grade
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Grade School
- Semester
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Fall 2026
- Starts
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Sep 18, 2026
- Days
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Fri
- Summary
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Ignite your child’s love of reading while nurturing curiosity, problem-solving, and virtue in this 8-week course. Following Milo’s fantastical adventures, students will explore courage, responsibility, and perseverance through engaging reading, thoughtful discussion, and creative activities. Each 30-minute session strengthens both literacy skills and character formation, making this a meaningful and memorable experience for 3rd–6th graders.
Course Description: Join Milo on a magical journey through the whimsical world of The Phantom Tollbooth! Over 8 weeks, students will read exciting chapters, discuss Milo’s adventures, and complete creative activities that encourage thinking, reflection, and imagination. This course emphasizes virtues like curiosity, courage, responsibility, and cleverness while building reading comprehension and critical thinking skills.
Course Objectives:
Encourage critical thinking and problem-solving through literary analysis
Explore moral and intellectual lessons from Milo’s adventures
Connect story themes to virtues such as courage, responsibility, curiosity, and perseverance
Inspire creativity through reflection and imaginative activities
Instructor: Jennifer Mullen
Links to blog articles/videos relevant to this course: https://homeschoolconnections.com/catholic-homeschool-storytelling/
Interest Level: Most 3rd–6th graders will enjoy the story, especially those who love humor, clever wordplay, and imaginative adventures.
Reading Considerations: The book includes puns, wordplay, and some abstract ideas that may challenge younger students. With guidance, read-alouds, or discussion, it is accessible and a lot of fun.
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster | ISBN-10: 0394820371 | ISBN-13: 978-0394820378
Notebook & pen/pencil — for jotting your “pun-derful” thoughts and ideas
Coloring or art supplies — to bring imagination to life, one doodle at a time
- Course name
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The Phantom Tollbooth Adventure: A Journey of Curiosity, Courage, and Cleverness
- Instructor
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Jennifer Mullen
- Semester
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Fall 2026
- Meeting days
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Friday
- Category
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Literature
- Grade levels
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Grade School
- Monitor
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Christine Hamilton
- Start time
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September 18th, 2026 at 11:30 AM ET
- Course type
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Live
- Price
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$127
- Seats available
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25 seats available
- Seats remaining
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16 seats remaining
- Relative due dates
- Enhanced quiz security
- Enhanced assignment security
- This material is only to be used for its intended purpose by active subscribers of Homeschool Connections or purchasers of the course. Any other use without explicit permission is in violation of the seventh commandment, and in violation of US and International copyright laws.
- You may print or download to your own storage extracts for your personal homeschool and non-commercial use only. Use for homeschool co-ops is permitted after contacting customer support and receiving written permission from Homeschool Connections.
- Upon completion of the course, you must delete all copies of course materials from any storage on which you saved permissible extracts.
Special notes
Special Notes:
Note to Parents: Due to the young ages of grade school students, we expect that you will accompany your child at all times while he or she is online, which includes attending live classes alongside your student. This will also help you assist your student with homework, where necessary or help your student contact the teacher with questions. If you miss a live class, make sure to watch the recording with your student as well. Thank you for your support!
Total classes
Class dates
Starting time
Duration
Prerequisites
None
Suggested grade level
Suggested credit
Outline
Course Outline:
Class 1 – Introduction & Entering the Tollbooth
Reading: Chapters 1–2 | Virtue Focus: Curiosity & openness to learning
Class 2 – Welcome to Dictionopolis
Reading: Chapters 3–5 | Virtue Focus: Responsibility & wise communication
Class 3 – The Story of Rhyme and Reason
Reading: Chapters 6–8 | Virtue Focus: Justice & discernment
Class 4 – New Ways of Seeing and Listening
Reading: Chapters 9–10 | Virtue Focus: Wonder & attentiveness
Class 5 – Sound, Silence & Conclusions
Reading: Chapters 11–13 | Virtue Focus: Thoughtfulness & perseverance
Class 6 – The Road Through Digitopolis
Reading: Chapters 14–16 | Virtue Focus: Intellectual curiosity & humility
Class 7 – The Rescue of Rhyme and Reason
Reading: Chapters 17–20 | Virtue Focus: Courage, teamwork, & selflessness
Class 8 – Final Reflections & Creative Showcase
Virtue Focus: Gratitude, personal growth, & lifelong curiosity
Materials
Homework
Students should expect 1.5–2 hours per week for reading, note-taking, and creative activities. Each page is a new opportunity to explore, reflect, and enjoy a pun-derful adventure!
Fees
Fee: For all 8 classes: $107 if you register on or before July 15; $127 if you register after July 15. (Registration closes one week before the first day of class. After that date, registrations are not guaranteed. There is a $25 surcharge for late enrollments after the course is closed.)
Jennifer Mullen
jmullen@homeschoolconnections.com
Catholic Architect of Curiosity & Learning Adventures! For over 14 years, Jennifer has been igniting young minds with a passion for discovery. Armed with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing, she transforms learning into an adventure, crafting immersive programs that turn ordinary moments into sparks of curiosity and exploration. Jennifer inspires students to excel in reading, speaking, and listening, giving them the confidence to express themselves and connect with the world. Beyond academics, she ignites curiosity through vibrant extracurricular programs, including a summer Lego programming club for kids aged 7 and up—proving that learning is a lifelong adventure. Guided by her Catholic faith, she fosters a love of knowledge, integrity, and compassion in her students.
When she’s not crafting lesson plans or dreaming up the next big student initiative, Jennifer loves spending time with her husband, five kids, and daughter-in-law. She enjoys camping, traveling, and seeking out new hands-on educational adventures—always embracing the joy of learning, both in and outside the classroom.
Christine Hamilton
About Christine Hamilton
Christine Hamilton is a graduate of Ohio University, with a BS in Biomedical Engineering and MS in Healthcare Administration. She is VIRTUS trained in Protecting God’s Children and taught third grade PSR for her parish. Christine Hamilton is also a homeschooling mother of two.
© 2026 Homeschool Connections; Jennifer Mullen. All Rights Reserved.
Violation of the above copyright policies may result in expulsion without any refund and/or legal action.