What's included
30 live meetings
27 hrs 30 mins in-class hoursClass Experience
This is a course that is ongoing for 30 weeks. Feel free to drop in and out as you would like. We will be using our imaginations, creativity and writing skills to engage a reader. This will be a prompt driven class with a mini lesson and lots of time to grow into your writing style. The teacher will be creating and sharing too, while offering feedback and support as students demand it. You can share, you don't have to share. You can talk, laugh and engage other students for their ideas and feedback. Very low stress course. I teach within the common core standards and incorporate writing standards into my minilessons. I offer minilessons that make sense to our writing task. After the minilesson, students begin the writing process. They can choose to utilize my prompt or just write within the creative idea of the day. Teacher and students will write together. Students can actively engage with the teacher and ask for suggestions or read sections they are excited about. The class is very laid back where creativity is sure to flourish. If you are looking for grammar, spelling, sentence structure lessons I can incorporate my 1-1-tutoring to make the transition seamless. Week 1 Dive into vivid language Using only the sense of hearing, describe your surroundings. Week 2 Discuss point of view Write a paragraph from your shoes’ point of view. How do they view the world? What does a “day in the life of a shoe” look like? Week 3 Adjective, Specific nouns and more vivid language Imagine what the world will be like in 200 years. Describe it. Week 4 Develop Characterization skills. Make up an imaginary friend. What does he or she look like? What does he or she like to do? Week 5 Continue Character work. Focus on elements of character development. Create a story about a person you know. Use as many details as possible. Week 6 Elements of Plot. Personal narrative. Write a short story based on a true event in your life. Week 7 Learn elements of an antagonist and protagonist Rewrite a chapter of your favorite book from the antagonist’s point of view. Week 8 Learning past, present and future tense Write a letter to your future self. What do you want to make sure you remember? Week 9 Elements of Creativity Go on a five-senses scavenger hunt. Find three items for each sense. Create a story using the items you found. Week 10 Visualization through the senses. Create a story around an interesting picture. Week 11 Writing from background knowledge/Building background knowledge. Describe what school would be like if you lived on the moon. What would you be learning about? How would you be learning it? Week 12 Continue Writing from background knowledge/Building background knowledge. Sequence writing. Describe a day in the life of a famous person in history. Include both mundane and exciting details of things they may have experienced on a normal day. Week 13 Develop persuasive techniques. Pick up something on a bookshelf or end table nearby. Now write a commercial script for it to convince your audience that they absolutely must own this thing. Week 14 Bringing ideas to life through vivid language Plan a birthday party for your best friend. Describe the decorations, food, and everything else. Week 15 Developing perspective and POV Write a very short story about three siblings fighting over a toy. Now rewrite it twice, each time from a different character’s perspective. Week 16 Writing from an outside perspective, while building background knowledge. Tell a story from the point of view of a pigeon on a city street. Week 17 Elements of a scary story, with a fun twist. Have you ever had a nightmare? Write what happened but with a new ending where everything turns out okay (perhaps the monster was your dad in a costume, preparing to surprise you at your birthday party). Week 18 Understanding elements of News writing. Take an important event in your life or the life of someone in your family. Write one sentence answering each of the 6 journalistic questions: Who, What, When, Where, why, and how. Create a Newspaper article. Week 19 Build background or develop creativity while understanding sequence. Pick something you use often (a toothbrush, your desk, etc). Then tell the story of how it was invented. If you don’t know, make something up. Week 20 Understanding elements of fantasy writing Choose a princess or hero and write a one-page story about him or her traveling to a distant land. Week 21 Characteristics of a quality speech Pretend you are a tour guide for a local attraction. It can be a library, a park, or a museum, but it could also be a place that wouldn’t normally hold tours (such as an arcade). Write a speech about what you tell your tour group as you walk around the attraction. Week 22 Developing the senses in a funny way! Make a list of foods included in a dinner party catered by the world’s worst cook, describing how each course looks, smells, and tastes. Include your reactions while eating it. Week 23 Qualities of effective instructions. Write out your own version of instructions for playing your favorite game (board game, video game, sports or more!) Week 24 Developing your senses without utilizing sight (the most overused sense)! Pretend you’ve lost your sight for one night. Describe going out to eat at a restaurant, using smells, textures, and sounds to tell your story. Week 25 Develop persuasive techniques. List your 3 least favorite chores. Pick one and write a one paragraph detailing why you can’t possibly complete that chore ever again. Week 26 Qualities of journal writing and POV. Write an excerpt from your pet’s diary (pretend he keeps one). Week 27 Qualities of a movie script Write the script for a movie trailer—real or imagined. Week 28 Develop a scenario for a game utilizing vivid details Pretend you’re the master of a role-playing game, describing a sticky situation in which the other players now find themselves. Describe the scenario in writing. Week 29 Learn elements of humor and drama. Compose a funny or dramatic story for a photo. Week 30 Qualities of a political speech Write an election speech with ludicrous and impossible campaign promises. Let's have some fun!
Other Details
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Teacher expertise and credentials
Iowa Teaching Certificate in English/Language Arts
Master's Degree in Science from Drake University
I have a master's degree and have taught English for 22 years! Certified K-6 English/Reading 7-12 English. I am an avid writer and am so excited to engage in writing with you!
Reviews
Live Group Class
$15
weekly or $450 for 30 classes1x per week, 30 weeks
55 min
Completed by 1 learner
Live video meetings
Ages: 9-14
3-6 learners per class