Grades 1-3: IEW People and Places in Our Community - Semester One

Class Description
This course offers an immersive exploration of community roles while integrating foundational writing skills through the Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) Structure and Style method. The curriculum combines social studies and language arts, introducing learners to essential community professions such as firefighters, veterinarians, and police officers. Through engaging narratives, thematic storybooks, and hands-on activities, students will learn to craft structured paragraphs, narrative stories, and reports while developing stylistic techniques like varied sentence openers and descriptive language.

Class Experience
What Will Be Taught?
The course provides a dual focus on community studies and writing development. Students will:

Explore six IEW structural units, including summarizing, story sequences, and writing from outlines.
Apply stylistic techniques, such as strong verbs, quality adjectives, and adverbial clauses, to elevate their writing.
Build an understanding of community roles, emphasizing their importance in society.
Expand their vocabulary with terms relevant to weekly themes and professions.
What Topics Will You Cover?
Thematic lessons explore a variety of professions and their contributions to the community, such as:

First Responders: Firefighters and police officers.
Essential Services: Plumbers, dentists, and tow truck drivers.
Care Providers: Veterinarians and hairdressers.
Daily Life: Grocery store workers and community vocations.
How is the Class Structured?
This course is divided into weekly themes, with each session featuring:

A read-aloud storybook to introduce the topic.
Vocabulary activities to reinforce language skills.
Writing exercises, ranging from keyword outlines to full paragraphs.
Creative activities such as crafting, drawing, or games to deepen engagement with the material.
Students complete one to two lessons per week, with assignments designed to be manageable and developmentally appropriate.
How Will You Teach?
The teaching approach is interactive and multimodal, ensuring a dynamic learning environment. Lessons include:

Direct Instruction: Introducing new concepts through explanations and demonstrations.
Guided Practice: Step-by-step writing activities with real-time feedback.
Multimedia Integration: Videos, songs, and visual aids to reinforce grammar and stylistic concepts.
Collaborative Activities: Group discussions and peer-sharing to build community and confidence.
What's Your Teaching Style?
The teaching style emphasizes encouragement and incremental learning. By breaking writing into simple, achievable steps, even reluctant writers can experience success and build confidence. A mastery-based approach ensures students fully understand concepts before progressing, with personalized feedback provided to support individual needs.

How Much Will Learners Interact?
Interaction is a central feature of this course. Students engage with the instructor and peers through:

Live writing practice with immediate feedback.
Group discussions on weekly topics.
Interactive games and activities that reinforce vocabulary and grammar skills.