Students LOVE writing about horses in this class! 

Note: Learners can join at any time (as it is on-going). Some knowledge of horses is an asset in this class.

This small group learning environment pairs students' interest in horses with developing writing skills. I have combined my nearly 20 years of teaching experience in a classroom with my passion for writing and my experience as a former riding coach and horse owner to design this engaging class.

This class aims to:
-Develop students' creative writing skills and foster a love for writing
-Teach students about different types of literary devices (figurative language) to create strong writing
-Improve students' written expression (specifically work on clarity of expression)
-Encourage students to think carefully about word choice to create unique writing
-Develop students' understanding of the writing process
-Provide a place for students to talk about horses and be social

Each class will include the following activities:

1. Greetings and Introductions.

2. Find the Best Descriptor Activity: Students create a list of strong/unique descriptive words for an object (connected to the final image) bases on word lists that describe elements of an object like colour, texture, shape and sound. (For example, does the 'MIST' 'glide, swirl, float, hover, creep, slither...' around the horse? 

3. The Descriptive Challenge: Using the list of descriptive words from the previous exercise, students will use a countdown clock to create a short description of their object within an assigned time. (Students will think about describing the object to someone who doesn't know anything about it.) Students are always impressed with how great these sound!

3. Figurative Language Mini-Lesson: Students learn about imagery and another type of figurative language. They will create an example of it as a class and attempt to include it (as well as imagery) in their final writing exercise. Examples of figurative language: metaphor, imagery, simile, onomatopoeia, personification, hyperbole and alliteration.

4. Final Writing Exercise: Students select an image that includes the object from the earlier exercises and then work through planning and then writing a descriptive piece about it. Students will aim to write shorter, quality descriptions using their learning from the previous activities.

5. Sharing and Feedback: Students are encouraged to share part or all of their final writing piece and will receive positive feedback about their work. Students enjoy hearing how other students interpret the images!

I am a very positive and encouraging teacher, and I use a variety of methods that appeal to both visual and linguistic learners. This class will use many approaches for learning including discussion, slides and sometimes video or audio clips. Students will receive lots of verbal feedback, and there are many opportunities for students to participate throughout the class. I love talking about horses and watching students achieve success in their writing.

Students taking this class are strongly encouraged to have their cameras on as it develops students' intrapersonal skills and I can more effectively teach and respond to students' non-verbal cues. Students will need lined paper and a pen or pencil and/or a device for typing.

Requests for other times, days or groupings (private one-on-one class) are welcome.

Parents are sent a short email after EACH class (by the end of the day) to communicate class content and provide some learner feedback...which many homeschooling parents find helpful.

Tentative Schedule for Writing Topics:

Week of April 21  – Sleeping Horses
Week of April 28  – Horses & Cherry Blossoms
Week of May 5 – Leaping Horses
Week of May 12  – Horses & Dandelions
Week of May 19  – Horses in the Mist
Week of May 26  – Paint Horses
Week of June 2  – Galloping Horses
Week of June 9 – No Class
Week of June 16 – No Class
Week of June 23 – Horses in Tall Grass
Weeks of June 30 – No Class
Week of July 7  – Horses and Fireworks
Week of July 14  – Horses & Dandelion Seeds
Week of July 21  – Horses & Clouds
Week of July 28  – Horses & Fireflies
Week of August 4 – Horses & Sunsets
Week of August 11  – No Class 
Week of August 18 – Horses & Butterflies
Week of August 25 – Horses in the Rain
Week of September 1 – Horses & Clouds
Week of September 8 – Black Stallions
Week of September 15 –  Horses & Harvest Moon
Week of September 22 – Horses & Dogs
Week of September 29 – Long Manes
Week of October 6 – Horses & Waves
Week of October 13 – Horse Silhouettes
Week of October 20 – Thundering Hooves
Week of October 27 – Horses & Spooky Trees
Week of November 3  – no class  
Week of November 10 – Thundering Hooves

Classes will continue weekly with varied topics.