Learn the methods
Students learn and practice the core ways to read, annotate, analyze, and support an answer.
Advanced Reading Course · ARC II · Grades 5–8
Build Mastery Across Genres
Apply the reading methods learned in ARC I to scientific, argumentative, biographical, and paired passages.
8 WeeksOne live online 60-minute lesson per weekARC I completion required
New to ARC? Explore ARC I COURSE CREATOR & INSTRUCTOR
David Marrufo, MAB.A. English, Highest Honors | UC BerkeleyM.A. Philosophy | San Francisco State University
20+YEARS TEACHING
Who ARC II Is For
Ready for More Demanding Reading
ARC II is for students in Grades 5–8 who have completed ARC I and are ready, based on my recommendation, to use its methods with more demanding texts.
It offers a next step for families seeking stronger nonfiction reading, deeper analysis, more precise comparisons between texts, and greater independence. We can discuss the right placement in one general Advanced Reading Course consultation.
Prerequisites
Build on What You Learned in ARC I
ARC I teaches the reading and annotation methods used throughout ARC II. Students arrive with practice tracking a text’s structure, identifying facts, analyzing perspectives, and supporting answers with textual evidence.
I review each student’s ARC I progress and recommend either ARC II or another round of ARC I with new passages when further practice would help.
The Course Pathway
The Same Core Skills. New Reading Demands.
Apply them across genres
Students use those methods with scientific, argumentative, biographical, and paired texts.
Compare across passages
Students move from explaining an answer within one passage to comparing explanations, arguments, and evidence across texts.
What Students Learn
A Clear Approach to Every New Genre
Navigate scientific passages
Find central ideas, work through difficult explanations, and read charts, graphs, diagrams, and other text features alongside the prose.
Evaluate arguments
Identify a writer’s claims, reasons, assumptions, and the evidence offered to support them.
Interpret biographies
Examine how an author selects and organizes events to show why a person’s life matters.
Compare paired passages
Track where two texts agree, where they differ, and what evidence each author uses.
Explain answers precisely
Apply ARC I methods to demanding questions and support conclusions with strong textual evidence.
Eight-Week Curriculum
Eight Weeks of Reading Across Genres
Each week adds a new reading demand while students continue using the methods they learned in ARC I.
- Week01
Fiction
Apply ARC I methods to a more demanding story.
- Week02
Scientific Passages I
Transfer the ARC I approach to scientific texts and work through difficult explanations.
- Week03
Scientific Passages II
Interpret graphs, charts, diagrams, captions, and other features of scientific texts.
- Week04
Paired Scientific Passages
Compare explanations and evidence across two texts.
- Week05
Argumentative Passages
Identify claims, reasoning, and supporting evidence.
- Week06
Paired Argumentative Passages
Compare how two authors build their arguments.
- Week07
Biographical Passages
Analyze how an author presents a life, events, and significance.
- Week08
Paired Biographical Passages
Compare two accounts of a person or historical subject.
How Lessons Work
Read, Discuss, Refine
Each live lesson combines direct instruction, guided reading, discussion of answers and evidence, and immediate feedback. Students can explain their reasoning, ask questions, and revise their thinking while the passage is still in front of them.
Lessons take place online once per week for 60 minutes over eight weeks.
About the Teacher
From Core Methods to More Demanding Texts
David Marrufo, M.A.
I earned a B.A. in English with Highest Honors from UC Berkeley and an M.A. in Philosophy from San Francisco State University.
I developed ARC I to give students a clear way to read, annotate, and support their answers. In ARC II, I help them use those same methods with scientific explanations, arguments, biographies, and paired passages.
As we read together, I listen to how each student explains an answer, identify where their reasoning needs support, and give immediate feedback. The goal is for students to use what they learned in ARC I with greater independence across unfamiliar texts.
20+ Years
Teaching reading, English, comprehension, and tutoring
- UC Berkeley
B.A. in English
Highest Honors
- San Francisco State University
M.A. in Philosophy
Grades 5–8
ARC II instruction across genres and paired passages
Enrollment
One Conversation About the Right Next Step
Book a general Advanced Reading Course consultation to discuss your child’s ARC I experience and goals. I’ll recommend ARC II or more ARC I practice based on the student’s progress. You do not need to choose a level before we talk.
Book a ConsultationFrequently Asked Questions
Questions About ARC II
Must my child complete ARC I first?
Yes. ARC II builds on the reading and annotation methods taught in ARC I.
How do you decide when a student is ready for ARC II?
I consider the student’s work and progress in ARC I, then recommend ARC II or more practice in ARC I. Parents do not need to determine the level themselves.
Can my child take another round of ARC I?
Yes. Another round with new passages can give a student more time to use the methods independently before moving to ARC II.
What are paired passages?
They are two texts read together so students can compare their explanations, arguments, perspectives, and evidence.
Will students learn to read charts and graphs?
Yes. Scientific reading includes practice connecting charts, graphs, diagrams, and captions to the surrounding text.
Is ARC II an SAT or ACT test-preparation course?
No. ARC II develops transferable reading skills for increasingly demanding schoolwork; it does not teach a specific exam or promise test-score gains.
How are lessons taught?
Students meet live online for one 60-minute lesson each week for eight weeks. Lessons combine direct instruction, guided reading, discussion, and immediate feedback.
Advanced Reading Course
Discuss Your Child’s Next Step
Tell me about your child’s ARC I experience and reading goals. I’ll recommend ARC II or further ARC I practice.