Writing Essays Class (New Essay Each Week)
In this ongoing class, students meet 3 times a week to plan, outline, and write an essay. Kids learn about writing good hooks, thesis statements, and paragraphs. I send written feedback on grammar, spelling, and essay format.
Lisa Rohloff
Average rating:
4.8
Number of reviews:(350)
What's included
3 live meetings
2 hrs 15 mins in-class hours per weekHomework
1-2 hours per week. Each week, students will have an essay to write. Some weeks there will be more homework than others, depending on the type of essay we are working on. For example, the week we do an expository essay, students will need to do some research on a topic, so this might take them a littler longer than essays where no research is needed. There will be a short (about 15-minute) grammar lesson on the third day of the week. There may be a small amount of homework from this if kids don't finish in class. This lesson is designed to be short and with minimal homework (up to 15-minutes of homework).Grading
After students turn their essay in to me, I will send them written feedback that includes what they did well and any suggestions I have for improvement or other classes that might benefit them. I am happy to provide letter grades and other types of assessments upon request.Class Experience
US Grade 5 - 8
Intermediate Level
In this ongoing class, kids will meet 3 times a week and write a different type of essay each week. As they write their essays, they will be coached on the structure of an essay, outlining, researching, writing good sentences and paragraphs, grammar, punctuation, and editing. On the third day of class each week, kids will have an opportunity to read what they have written (optional) and we will do a short grammar lesson. Learners will be able to write an essay every week for as long as they stay enrolled, or they can drop in on any given week for some extra writing practice. Here is a breakdown of what to expect each day of the week for this class: Day 1: Learn about the type of essay, read an example, and start planning (often with the use of planning or graphic organizer worksheets made available in the classroom) Day 2: Continue planning and begin handwriting a rough draft, which is due on day 3 Day 3: Opportunity to read rough draft to the class (optional), create an editing checklist to use when writing/typing the rough draft, and do a short grammar lesson (worksheets available in the classroom). Some weeks there will not be a grammar lesson. It depends on how much time we have. Week of April 14, 2025: Definition Essay/Grammar lesson on Using Commas Correctly Part 1 This week kids will choose a single word to write about. Their essay will include writing their own definition for the term, explaining examples of the term, and describing other words that are similar. Week of April 21, 2025: Descriptive Essay/Grammar lesson will be on Using Commas Correctly Part 2 This week, kids will learn about the structure of a 5-paragraph essay focusing on using sensory detail words to describe. Week of May 5: For and Against Essay/Grammar lesson on Using Commas Correctly Part 3 This week, kids will choose a topic, list arguments for and against it, and write an essay that presents both sides. They will also find sources to support the arguments for and against the topic. Week of May 12: Problem and Solution Essay/Grammar lesson on Using Italics Kids will plan and write a problem and solution essay that examines a problem and offers solutions. Proper essay format will be a focus. Week of May 19: Observational Essay/ Grammar Lesson on Writing Plural Forms of Nouns This week kids will choose a topic to observe, take notes on their observations, and then write about it in a proper essay format. The grammar lesson will be on Using Abbreviations Week of May 26: Process Essay/Grammar lesson on Using the Hyphen, Em Dash, and En Dash Kids will learn how to write an essay that describes a process. The focus is on writing clear, detailed steps and using transition words to move from one step to the next. The grammar lesson will be on Using Dashes. Week of May June 2: 5-Paragraph Essay - Topic of Kids Choice/Using Single Quotation Marks This week kids will write a 5-paragraph essay on a topic of their choice. Focus will be on the basic structure of a 5-paragraph essay (hook, thesis statement, topic sentences, concluding sentences, conclusion paragraph). Week of June 9: Proposal Essay/no grammar lesson Kids will propose a specific action or plan and write an essay to convince the reader to accept and support the proposal. Week of June 16: Personal Statement Essay/Grammar Lesson on Using Slashes and Quotation Marks Kids will get valuable practice for writing future essays for college or school applications. They will focus on personal development, experiences, and aspirations. Note: For these lessons, we will refer to some actual student personal statement essays on the following website: https://admitreport.com/blog/personal-statement-examples Week of June 23: Comparison and Contrast Essay/Grammar lesson on Writing Abbreviations Kids will write an essay that describes the similarities and differences between to topics. Analytical skills are a focus. Week of June 30, 2025: Historical Essay/No grammar lesson because we will focus on citing sources Kids will examine an historical event, figure, or period and its significance or impact. They will do research and interpret the historical data they collect. Week of July 7, 2025: Analytical Essay/no grammar lesson because we'll focus on citing sources Kids will analyze a topic and present their argument/claim. Then they will defend that claim with evidence. This week kids will need to do some research on their topic to prove their argument/claim. Week of July 14, 2025: Narrative Essay Using Figures of Speech/ Using Adjectives and Adverbs Kids will write a narrative essay and incorporate figures of speech. Week of July 21: Opinion Essay/ Mechanics of Writing Dialogue Grammar Lesson Kids will write an essay expressing their personal opinion on a topic. Week of February 3rd: Writing a Persuasive Impromptu Essay/No grammar lesson Kids will learn ways to be persuasive using logos, ethos, and pathos. They will also learn how to quickly plan a persuasive impromptu essay such as writing a syllogism and brainstorming methods. Week of Feb 10: Rhetorical Analysis Essay of the Gettysburg Address/No grammar lesson this week because this essay will review many grammar concepts such as literary tools, author viewpoint, and writing style of author Students will examine the Gettysburg Address. We will discuss the different literary tools that were used in the address. We'll also talk about how to examine opposing viewpoints and consider them when writing. Then kids will write an essay that rhetorically analyzes this speech. Week of Feb 17: Cause and Effect Essay/Grammar Lesson on Using Pronouns Kids will write an essay that describes how one event or action causes another. This week's grammar lesson will be on The Mechanics of Writing Dialogue and Monologue. It will mainly focus on the mechanics (proper format and punctuation usage). Week of Feb 24: Personal Response Essay/Grammar lesson on active vs passive voice This week kids will examine a work of art and write an essay that describes how that art made them feel and what the artist was trying to convey. Kids will pick from 4 different paintings by famous artists. I will provide them with the options, and they can pick whichever one they choose. Grammar lesson: Using Acronyms Week of March 3, 2025: Genres of Fiction Essay/Grammar lesson on Using Acronyms This week kids will write an essay describing a fictional story they have already read. This is similar to a book report but will be in an essay format. Since this is s shorter week due to Labor Day (classes are on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday) there will be no grammar lesson. Week of March 10, 20252: Synthesis Essay/Grammar lesson on Avoiding Fragmented Sentences This week kids will gather a variety of evidence from different sources, and they will combine the ideas/incorporate views from multiple sources and present it to the reader in one essay. This is a great way for kids to learn to synthesize information from different sources. This week there is no grammar lesson because this type of essay is more complex. Week of March 17, 2025: Reflective Essay /Grammar lesson on Parentheses vs Dashes Kids will reflect on an experience, perspective, or idea and write an essay about it. Week of March 24, 2025: Expository Essay/Grammar lesson on Using a Variety of Types of Sentences Kids will write an expository essay. Focus will be on writing in 3rd person and using academic voice and tone. Week of March 31, 2025: Impromptu Essay/Grammar lesson on Using Colons Kids will be given a topic and will plan and write a 5-paragraph essay on that topic. Week of April 7, 2025: Narrative Essay/ Grammar lesson on Run-on Sentences Students will learn about the structure of a narrative essay focusing on how to write a hook and thesis statement. NOTE: When we get to the bottom of this list, we'll circle back to the top of the list. I'll continue to update the dates on the lessons as we go through the year.
Learning Goals
Students will learn about the structure of an essay, outlining, researching, writing good sentences and paragraphs, grammar, punctuation, and editing. They will also gain confidence in their own ability to write and share their work with others (which is always optional).
Other Details
Learning Needs
Class is designed to work well for all kids, including those with unique learning needs.
Parental Guidance
Students can use any of the following to write their essays:
Microsoft Word
Google Docs
Apple Pages
Handwritten
During some weeks, kids 13 and older will need to find an online or hard copy source to support the points in their essay. Kids under 13 will be provided with approved sources.
Pre-Requisites
Students should be able to read and write English at a 5th grade level or higher to be successful in this class.
Supply List
Pencil and paper, Word, Google Docs, or Apple Pages can be use to write the essays. Students only need one of these word processing tools (or they can handwrite). Occasionally, I'll add worksheets to the Outschool classroom. Worksheets can be printed out, filled out electronically, or opened on the screen and answers written/typed on a separate page. Kids may need paper and pencil/pen for some lessons.
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Sources
Students will need to do some research on certain weeks, so they'll need to find resources to support their topic. During some weeks there will be worksheets and these will be posted in Outschool prior to the start of class.
Joined April, 2020
4.8
350reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
2 Degrees
Master's Degree from University of Wisconsin-Stout
Bachelor's Degree from Ashford University
I love working with kids! I have 15 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 Master of Science in Technical and Professional Communication (MSTPC) and a BA in Communications. 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.Reviews
Live Group Class
$25
weekly ($9 per class)3x per week
45 min
Completed by 282 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 10-14
3-11 learners per class
