Budding Writers: Writing Your First Essay
An introductory course to the essay structure that can be used to develop essays for the three main genres of writing: expository, opinion, and narrative.
Tegan Bombard, Homeschooling Parent and Educator
Average rating:
4.8
Number of reviews:(454)
What's included
5 live meetings
4 hrs 35 mins in-class hoursClass Experience
Students will engage in an online learning platform as they learn the basic components of writing an essay. Within the live classes, students will receive visual aids, graphic organizers, and interactive instruction for each of the skills that are being taught. Families will have the opportunity to submit their work to Mrs. Bombard for objective grading and/or feedback. This course will provide instruction for the basic essay format. This course will focus on the overall structure of a 5 paragraph essay. Due to the introductory nature of the instruction, specifics such as referencing a text, paraphrasing, or using quotes will not be addressed. Students will have a weekly focus as they learn to develop the basic components of an essay. Week 1: Planning an essay Week 2: Writing the introductory paragraph Week 3: Writing the conclusion paragraph Week 4: Writing body paragraphs Week 5: Putting it all together (Writer Showcase) To be successful in this class students must be able to construct sentences. Knowledge of paragraph or essay writing is helpful, but not necessary as these are skills that we will be working on throughout the weeks. Students must also have a desire to improve their writing and time to dedicate to this. Class format: Each week we will open with a live lesson that highlights the week's focus. These lessons will be interactive lessons with students engaging in and "I do, we do, you do" format. Following this live lesson, which is available as a recorded lesson for students unable to attend live, students will be provided with practice assignments to continue developing and practicing the skill that was learned. Essay writing is something that requires practice and it is the goal of this class to provide that practice. Each week's practice will consist of 4-5 activities that students may complete at their leisure. Students may review the recording of the weekly live lesson if needed as they practice the new skill. Students may complete the activities at their own pace throughout the week, but all lessons should be submitted to Mrs. Bombard by 24 hours prior to the next class meeting. This will allow Mrs. Bombard to review all submissions and provide feedback before the following week's live lesson begins. Each student enrolled in the class will receive personalized feedback from Mrs. Bombard reviewing their activities. *Please note that the minimum class size for this class is 3 learners.
Learning Goals
Learners will be able to:
-organize their thoughts into a written plan
-utilize their plan to develop a 4-5 paragraph essay that includes a clear introduction, body, and conclusion
-apply proper essay-writing features (indenting, paragraph spacing, etc.)
-maintain focus and organization throughout their writing
-write in a formal voice
Other Details
Supply List
All learning materials will be provided by the teacher. Students should have access to highlighters and writing materials (pencil/paper or technology). Students will need to submit activities to the teacher so that personalized feedback can be provided. This will require students to type their responses, although they may write by hand as well if they have the capability to photograph and upload their assignments.
Language of Instruction
English
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined June, 2017
4.8
454reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
Florida Teaching Certificate in Elementary Education
Writing is, potentially, one of the most important skills that we learn. All jobs require some form of writing, as does entry into many programs (including college). By embedding essay-writing in your learner's knowledge toolbox, they are being provided with a solid foundation that will allow for an incredibly strong future construction of knowledge. Reviews
Live Group Class
$75
for 5 classes1x per week, 5 weeks
55 min
Completed by 336 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 8-12
3-12 learners per class
