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Write Worthy Classes

“For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth…”  Colossians 1:16a (NKJV)

At Write Worthy we approach the teaching of writing with hope and anticipation that children will succeed as they explore the Creator’s purposeful design of our language and patterns of communication.  We ignore myths that insist English is a hodge-podge of confusion and exceptions, and we take up the pursuit of discovering the awesome structure and consistencies that God has provided to guide our understanding of the language He created.

Here, children benefit by the team teaching approach – with structure, accountability, and motivation provided by Write Worthy classes blended with individual guidance provided by parents.  In addition, Write Worthy curriculum is unique.  By allowing children to go deep, spending an entire year on just one or two writing structures, we are able to set our expectations high, and children are able to achieve greater mastery along with the opportunity to reach a level where they can enjoy writing within a particular structure.  Our classes also provide the home school student a fun and positive experience with a structured classroom environment, with the benefits of group activities and instruction, writing evaluations, quarterly tests, and weekly assignments for home school lessons. 

Each class meets for two hours, once a week, for thirty sessions (mid-September through mid-May).  The small groups have about six to ten students per class, and meet in our teacher’s home classroom.  Throughout the year, students and families develop a network of friendships and enjoy activities together such as working on the yearbook, going on field trips, and participating in a big year-end student presentation.

See the Registration page for more information.

Class Descriptions

101:  Jumpstart for Writing • 1st-2nd grade
Give your child a jumpstart in language!  A strong foundation is established in spelling, penmanship, and sentences as kids and moms are guided through their first year using the highly successful Spell to Write and Read program.  This program takes a unique approach to phonics – teaching consistent rules to guide our spelling and encouraging children to look for reliable patterns that God has created in our language.  It accelerates kids into literacy, giving them quick success.  Throughout the year, beginning writers learn cursive, phonograms, and spelling words that take them from first through second grade level, and they begin to write sentences on their own.  This class helps prepare parents for teaching the program for years to come, while children enjoy action-packed classes with instruction, assessments, and hands-on activities. 
Ages 6-7.   Class time may be extended with an earlier start after Thanksgiving.  Prerequisites:  Student has motor skills to draw a circle the size of a dime and adequate attention span to benefit from class sessions.  This class includes two 3-hour parent training meetings (schedule TBA).   Materials: Spell to Write and Read Core Kit (from Back Home Industries).

101:  Jumpstart for Moms
NEW! A class for moms! This class trains and guides moms through their first few months of teaching the Spell to Write and Read program at home. It meets once every three weeks on Monday evenings, from late August through mid-December. (Contact Telisa for more information!)

102:  Joyful Writing • 2nd-3rd grade
A fun class of writing and crafts to spark children's interest and nurture their emerging writing skills.  Centered on Biblical themes, we begin the year with the Armor of God and composing strong sentences then continue with a festive unit on thankfulness to introduce basic paragraph structure.  Next is a fun adventure through the days of Creation, practicing descriptive paragraphs and making an impressive layer book that illustrates each Creation day.  With spring, children write poetry and enjoy craft activities with the Fruit of the Spirit.   
Ages 7-8.   Prerequisites:  Reading and spelling at or above beginning of 2nd grade level.

201:  Writing and Literature • 3rd-4th grade
Investigates character, setting, plot, and theme through craft activities and a myriad of picture books read aloud in class; develops writing skills in both paragraph and summary structures.  To start the year, we examine character and setting and students delve into writing descriptive three-point paragraphs.  Later, a look at plot structure opens the door to writing summaries.  At the end of the year, students bring it all together for a big and exciting book report project.  A fun-filled class with lots of crafts and read-alouds!   
Ages 8-9. Cursive by January. Four chapter books to purchase.

202:  Writing and Publishing Stories • 4th-6th grade
It’s an exciting year as kids sharpen their skills and write their own book!  This class strengthens writing and thinking skills as children learn to develop captivating stories with well-structured plots, interesting characters, and descriptive settings.  Mid-year, we establish a mock publishing company, “hiring" students as editors and art directors to assist classmates – as well as parents and siblings for positions of project manager, secretary, and project team members.  Illustration, page layout, and book binding – along with skills to manage a large project – are included as each child produces one of their stories in a high-quality, handmade, hardbound edition.  In all, students write several well-developed stories, and complete the course with a book of their own to treasure. 

301:  Writing about Northwest Heroes • 5th-7th grade
An essential class for building foundational writing and logical thinking skills to equip students for years to come.  Exploring achievements of heroes God used in Northwest history provides a fun springboard for class activities and writing content.  Students take paragraph writing to a whole new level as they seek to convey information effectively.  Discerning the best facts to prove a point, employing advanced paragraph structure to elaborate on relevant details, and keeping readers engaged and on track by effective use of transitions and other writing tools all contribute to composing informational paragraphs that are clear and interesting to read.  Assignments include reading biographies and students enjoy working together on fun class activities such as map making, a history timeline, and creative writing projects.  
Recommended for students who have basic skills in the mechanics of writing, and are ready for logical structure.  Several biographies to purchase.  Keyboarding skills by January.

302: True Stories • 6th-8th grade
NEW! An exciting class that teaches creative non-fiction!  True narratives are seen frequently in everyday life, so learning to write them well is one of those life-long skills.  While the flow of writing stories seems natural and comes easily, being mindful of the structure behind strong narratives and skillful with the literary devices that make them come alive are the marks of a great writer.  This class will explore and practice true stories, including personal narrative, historical narrative, biography, and journalism.  Conducting research, citing sources, and practicing the steps to good writing are included.  Projects such as journaling, book making, and contributing to a school newsletter are also part of this fun class. 
Special! Spring registration discount is extended until July 15 for this class.
Also, this class is open to 9th graders for 2010-11 only!

303:  Riveting Reports! • 7th-9th grade
Discover the allure of going deep with a fascinating topic!  Take informational writing a step further and create longer reports.  This class includes essay structure, research skills, note taking, citation of sources, and enrichment with visual aids.  Discover how patterns for communicating information in writing carry over to oral presentation, as we explore speech writing and practice presenting reports aloud.  Working toward independence with project management, the year begins with close guidance as students progress through the benchmarks of each project and by the end of the year students scope out and manage their own final project.  The class includes four reports that pertain to the Pacific Northwest – an animal, person, location, and one of the student’s choosing.
Prerequisite:  301.  Keyboarding skills.  Access to research online and at library. 

304:  Scientists and Inventors • 8th-10th grade
Writing skills soar to a new level as we focus on style and write advanced-level essays that convey information with powerful, captivating, effective prose. A fascinating study of science history provides writing content, as we look into the lives of scientists and inventors from Archimedes to Einstein and marvel at how God used their triumphs to shape progress in science.  Developing strong support for a thesis by strategically choosing paragraph format is an effective tool – and practice with process, example, comparison, and cause and effect formats equips students to approach various essays with ease.  Cultivating a strong writing style by practicing variety in sentence structure, vocabulary, and content strengthens the student’s compositions and helps their writing stand out for its excellence.  This is a key class, preparing students for writing in high school and beyond. Prerequisite: 303. Several biographies to purchase.  Email and keyboarding skills needed. 

401: Writing a Guidebook • 9th-12th grade
What a great project!  Explore an area of your own interest – and write a book on it – and, in the process, develop skills in technical writing and fluency with Microsoft Word!  Technical writing presents practical information in a way that is clear and easy to understand.  Your book will involve explaining processes, providing background information, and expanding with examples and anecdotes.  It will also include reference features such as: a table of contents, footnotes, suggested reading list, and index.  Lessons in Word include basic features as well as advanced-level functions for formatting and referencing.  While students are responsible for managing their book project and meeting benchmarks, their teacher, parents, and classmates will be available to assist along the way. As the project progresses, the class will explore options for publishing in both hard copy and e-book formats.  Solid writing skills, Microsoft Word 2010 at home, email access, and keyboarding skills needed.  Possible text to purchase (TBA).