This class is taught in English.

Students will learn the following:
 - How to write good topic sentences, concluding sentence, and thesis statements
 - How to back up an argument with evidence in their writing
 - How to express a compelling narrative
 - How to describe sensory details
 - Poetic concepts such as meter, rhyme scheme, stanzas, iambic pentameter, structure, prose vs verse, using repetition, and enhancing meaning and mood
 - The history of storytelling
 - Story plots and subplots
 - How to write a newspaper article, be factual, write in an authoritative tone, include details, interview, and write with credibility
 - Structure and tone of a speech
 - Structure of a play
 - Understanding and writing different types of stories, such as fables, mystery, science fiction, realistic fiction, historical fiction, and fantasy fiction
 - The 12 steps in a hero's journey
 - How to write blog posts
 - How to create a newsletter
 - How to develop characters for a story, write dialogue and monologue, and show their emotions
 - How to analyze a fictional story and write a book report based on that analysis
 - How to cite resources in MLA format
 - How to write a paragraph with an in-text citation for a research report

I love working with kids! I have 14 years of teaching experience, and I have taught in both traditional school settings and as a homeschool parent. I am passionate about helping kids at all levels of their reading and writing journey. It's so exciting when I see a student gain confidence as a reader/writer or when I can help a young aspiring writer achieve their dreams.

My writing experience includes writing copy for marketing materials, ghost writing for corporate executives, technical writing, writing newspaper articles, and writing instructions for digital technology applications. Managing a corporate internal newsletter was one of my favorite projects. I created the newsletter design, interviewed and wrote articles about team members, and managed the editing and submission process for all the contributors. As a hobby, I love to write short stories, poetry, and songs. I can't imagine my life without writing.

My education includes a BA in Communications and a Master of Science in Technical and Professional Communication (MSTPC). Because I have completed 2 years of my BA and all of my MS classes online, I am skilled with the various aspects of online learning. I love using what I have learned to help kids become better at reading and writing.

Homework Offered
Homework will vary depending on the topic of the week, but every week there will be a writing assignment.
1 - 2 hours per week outside of class
Assessments Offered
Students will receive weekly feedback on their writing. Feedback includes what they did well and how they can improve. 
Grades Offered

For the following lessons, students will need the sources listed:

Using Tables and Figures: students will find an online picture and cite it

Writing MLA Citations (hard copies of books, dictionaries, encyclopedias): 
     - "Mary Poppins Opens the Door" by P. L. Travers
     - Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 10th ed
     - The American Horticultural Society Illustrated Encyclopedia of Gardening: Cacti and Succulents
     - Students will bring a dictionary to class with them one of the days of this week's lessons

Writing MLA Citations (online sources)
     - www.britannica.com/place/Poland
     - https://www.merriam-webster.com/

Writing Paragraphs for a Research Report
     - https://www.tigers-world.com/siberian-tiger/