Course Descriptions
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Beginning Creative Writing (A)- Fiction
8 weekly sessions, 1hr
Grades 2-3
$150
Course objectives: Write a fictional story that includes a beginning, middle and end, descriptive details, dialogue, transition words and other narrative techniques.
Sample course outline:
- Weeks 1-3: generate story ideas, introduce strong beginnings, outline sequence of events
- 4-6: writing the middle – including climax, action, and dialogue
- 7-8: endings, revise, and publish.
We’ll write from prompts and exercises, practice reading and responding, and learn a bit about crafting a story. Workshop guidelines and practices create a safe environment, and writers are encouraged to take risks and have fun. Creative writing is an enjoyable and low stress way to help young writers gain both confidence and skills.
Supplies: writing notebook with standard size paper, pencils, pens. All other material provided
Beginning Creative Writing (B) - Nonfiction
8 sessions, 1hrs
$150
Grades 2-3
8 week course
Objective: write a personal narrative using effective techniques, descriptive details, sequence of events.
Sample course outline:
- Weeks 1-3: generate story ideas, introduce strong beginnings, outline sequence of events
- 4-6: writing the middle – focus on descriptive details, dialogue, and transitions.
- 7-8: endings, revise, and publish.
We’ll write from prompts and exercises, practice reading and responding, and learn a bit about crafting a story. Workshop guidelines and practices create a safe environment, and writers are encouraged to take risks and have fun. Creative writing is an enjoyable and low stress way to help young writers gain both confidence and skills.
Writing: Paragraphs & Essays
Middle School
16 weekly sessions, 1.5hrs
$350
This class will help students add clarity, flow, and depth to their essays. Students will learn how to discover relationships between words, ideas and sentences, and how these relationships build coherent paragraphs. We’ll play with paragraph puzzles and practice revising and rewording paragraphs to increase clarity and flow. Students will use their own writing and work with models.
My teaching philosophy for this class developed from my post-grad studies in rhetoric & composition. Specifically, from: A Rhetoric for Writing Teachers, by Erika Lindemann.
Second half of course will focus on 2 types of academic essays: arguments, informative/explanatory (or another academic genre)
Thesis statements and the 5-paragraph essay format are covered extensively.
This course includes at home writing and reading assignments.
Supplies needed: writing notebook or journal, access to computer and word processing with ability to print, access to online classroom account.
Readings: copies provided, or available online or at local library
Creative Writing for Teens
16 sessions; 1.5hr
Grades 9 and up
$350
Objectives: write in a variety of genres including fiction, creative nonfiction,
and poetry. Publication of stories and an end of semester performance is included.
Course includes at home writing assignments and readings.
This is a generative workshop, and the bulk of our time together is spent creating and revising our stories. In addition to writing from prompts, writers will practice craft elements such as character development, dialogue, setting, and plot. Writers will also learn how to give helpful feedback on their classmates’ drafts. Workshop guidelines and practices create a safe environment, and writers are encouraged to take risks and explore their creativity. Optional final project includes publication and reading. No previous workshop experience required.
Materials needed: writing notebook or journal, access to computer and word processing with ability to print, access to our Google Classroom account. Readings: copies provided or available online.
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