Let's write through ancient scientific discoveries together! I will use the methods taught in Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) to teach students how to write outlines and organized, engaging essays. They will write fiction and non-fiction papers that are between 1 and 5 paragraphs. I will read all essays and give feedback on a checklist every week. (This checklist could become a grade as the parent chooses.) We will cover IEW units 4-8 and all the dress-ups and sentence openers as we explore scientific discoveries of the ancient world. (Students don't need prior experience with IEW.)

 Classes will include teaching and student collaboration. Each class will begin with a text about an ancient scientist. We will read the text together, and I will teach or review how to outline and write a report for the type of text we are using. Students will collaborate to write the outline together. Additionally, students will brainstorm the dress-ups and sentence openers we will add to the paper. Collaborating together, students will be able to build upon the wide and varied experiences and knowledge of other students. Each class will also have homework assignments which I will discuss in class and on the classroom page. By the end of this class, students will have written five paragraphs or essays after learning valuable outlining and writing skills and much student collaboration.

Students that have a 3rd grade reading level or higher and the ability to write or type will have the most opportunity for success in this class. They do not need any prior experience with the IEW program or prior knowledge of the ancient civilizations. You do not need to purchase any materials. I will provide all the necessary handouts.

Schedule
Week 1: Democritus and Atoms KWO, introduce the subject sentence opener, quality adjective, and strong verb (homework-Democritus paragraph)
Week 2: Astronomy article 1 KWO (homework-Astronomy articles 2 and 3 KWO)
Week 3: Astronomy paragraph, introductory statement, final clincher, introduce the prepositional sentence opener, ly word, because clause (homework-write the 2 paragraphs using the KWO from last week's homework)
Week 4: Write from a picture KWO (Archimedes) (homework-KWO for other 2 pictures)
Week 5: Write paragraph from last week's KWO, introduce ly opener, clausal opener, and who/which (homework-write the paragraphs from the outlines from last week's homework)
Week 6: Persuasive KWO and paragraph (Hippocrates), introduce ing opener and VSS (homework-write a KWO and paragraph using the Hippocrates prompt)
Week 7: Descriptive KWO (Aristotle-zoology) (homework-write 3 paragraph KWO using Aristotle prompt)
Week 8: Introduction and conclusion paragraphs, begin writing the essay (homework-write introduction and conclusion KWO, begin writing your essay from your 5 paragraph KWO)
Week 9: Introduce advanced dress-ups, write the essay (homework-write the 5-paragraph descriptive essay, choose essay to bring to next class)
Week 10: Present your favorite essay that you have written.