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Paragraph Writing Essentials: Learn to Master Paragraphs and Express Your Ideas

Through proven strategies every week, students practice a new element or essential skill, including topic sentences, supporting details, and different types of paragraphs. Students will be able to write strong paragraphs with confidence.
Curious Together Arts and Humanities
Average rating:
4.9
Number of reviews:
(570)
Popular
Class

What's included

11 live meetings
10 hrs 5 mins in-class hours
Assessment
weekly written feedback each week on their writing assignments informal verbal feedback in class

Class Experience

US Grade 2 - 5
This class is intended for younger students who want to develop their fundamental writing skills. 

Students who know what they want to say but sometimes struggle to write it down will learn to express their ideas with confidence. 

Students will learn the fundamentals of paragraph writing, including topic sentences, supporting details, and conclusions. They will also develop their skills by learning to write for different purposes and with various intents. Upon completing this course, students will be able to compose effective and compelling paragraphs, building their confidence and empowering them with skills needed for written self-expression.

Each lesson, students will learn a new structural element or specific skill about writing paragraphs. We will either watch a short video, discuss a topic, or brainstorm ideas based on a prompt, and then write a paragraph.

Google Docs proficiency strongly preferred for optimal feedback; handwritten work is acceptable for verbal feedback.

Here is the schedule subject to change based on the needs of the students in a given section:

Week 1: The Hamburger Paragraph — Structural Fundamentals
Week 2: What Do I Write About? — Brainstorming & Collecting Your Thoughts
Week 3: Expressing Your Ideas — Supporting Sentences
Week 4: Wrapping It All Up — Conclusion Sentences
Week 5: I Want You to Know — Writing Informative Paragraphs
Week 6: I Want You to Feel — Writing Narrative Paragraphs
Week 7: I Want You to Agree — Writing Persuasive Paragraphs
Week 8: I Want You to Do — Writing Procedural Paragraphs
Week 9: Stay on Target — How to Keep Your Ideas On-Topic
Week 10: From One Idea to the Next — Linking Related Ideas Together
Week 11: All Ideas, Both Big & Small — Paragraph Variation



ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR:
📓 DERRICK HEISEY, Writer and Teacher: Since 2015, Derrick has taught every grade level from Kindergarten to 12th. He is a licensed Special Education teacher with a degree in English Creative Writing from the University of New Mexico and a minor in Philosophy. He's published short stories and poetry, and produces a podcast where he reads his original fiction. According to him, mastering the written word is one of the most empowering journeys a person can pursue, and nothing brings him as much joy as sharing that passion with students. Everyone has something important to say; they just need to find the right words, and Derrick can’t wait to help his students discover their voices. When he isn’t teaching, you can find him in his garden inspecting tomatoes, scribbling in a notebook, or reading a book with his dachshund Charlie Marlow curled up on his lap.
Learning Goals
Students will learn tips and techniques for writing compelling full paragraphs.
learning goal

Syllabus

Standards
Aligned with Common Core State Standards (CCSS)
11 Lessons
over 11 Weeks
Lesson 1:
The Hamburger Paragraph — Structural Fundamentals
55 mins online live lesson
Lesson 2:
What Do I Write About? — Brainstorming & Collecting Your Thoughts
55 mins online live lesson
Lesson 3:
Expressing Your Ideas — Supporting Sentences
55 mins online live lesson
Lesson 4:
Wrapping It All Up — Conclusion Sentences
55 mins online live lesson

Other Details

Supply List
-Google Docs proficiency strongly preferred for optimal feedback; handwritten work is acceptable for verbal feedback, in which case they would need pencil and paper.
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined December, 2020
4.9
570reviews
Popular
Profile
Teacher expertise and credentials
Massachusetts Teaching Certificate in Social Studies/History
Chris Hurley
Maryland Teaching Certificate
RJ Sterling
Washington Teaching Certificate in Special Education
Derrick Heisey
North Carolina Teaching Certificate in English/Language Arts
Daniel Grissom, M.A.
Master's Degree from University of Massachusetts
Chris Hurley
Master's Degree in English from University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Joanna Gallagher
Master's Degree in Education from Maryland Institute Collage of Art
RJ Sterling
Master's Degree in Education from Teachers College at Columbia University
Daniel Grissom, M.A.
Bachelor's Degree in History from Westfield State College
Chris Hurley
Bachelor's Degree in Music or Theatre or Arts from Rochester Institute of Technology
Maggie Wehler
Bachelor's Degree in Art and Design from Rowan University
Mike Jasorka, Comics Pro
Bachelor's Degree in History from Bryan College
Joanna Gallagher
Bachelor's Degree in English from Bryan College
Joanna Gallagher
Bachelor's Degree in Music or Theatre or Arts from San Francisco State University
Kevin Anthony Catalan
Bachelor's Degree in English Language and Literature from The University of New Mexico
Derrick Heisey
Bachelor's Degree in Music or Theatre or Arts from California State University, Fresno
Kaitlyn Sydelle, Anime Comic Artist
Bachelor's Degree in Fine/Studio Arts from UW-Whitewater
Jes Sudbrink
Bachelor's Degree from North Carolina State University
Daniel Grissom, M.A.
Bachelor's Degree in Foreign Language from North Carolina State University
Daniel Grissom, M.A.
📓 DERRICK HEISEY, Writer and Teacher: Since 2015, Derrick has taught every grade level from Kindergarten to 12th. He is a licensed Special Education teacher with a degree in English Creative Writing from the University of New Mexico and a minor in Philosophy. He's published short stories and poetry, and produces a podcast where he reads his original fiction. According to him, mastering the written word is one of the most empowering journeys a person can pursue, and nothing brings him as much joy as sharing that passion with students. Everyone has something important to say; they just need to find the right words, and Derrick can’t wait to help his students discover their voices. When he isn’t teaching, you can find him in his garden inspecting tomatoes, scribbling in a notebook, or reading a book with his dachshund Charlie Marlow curled up on his lap.

Reviews

Live Group Course
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$27

weekly or $297 for 11 classes
1x per week, 11 weeks
55 min

Completed by 68 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 7-11
1-4 learners per class

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