homeschool creative writing

Our Top Homeschool Writing Curriculum Picks

Hi friends! Today I’m sharing our top homeschool curriculum picks for writing !

The curriculum I’m mentioning today are all things that we have used in the past and enjoyed. Hopefully they will help you get started when researching the best curriculum for your family.

Watch my Top Homeschool Writing Curriculum Picks video here!

Here are links to some of my favorite Science resources:

IEW Writing
IEW Writing REVIEW
WriteShop Writing
WriteShop REVIEW

Want more info? Stop by my Writing Curriculum Forum where I shared some of my favorite resources and my community piped in with their favorites too!

And don’t forget to check out our COAH Community where we all share and discuss our favorite curriculum too!

Need help getting started homeschooling?

Make sure to check out my Homeschooling 101 book available now! Homeschooling 101 is a step by step practical guide that will help you to get started, and continue on in your homeschooling journey. It is designed to help guide you through all of the steps to getting started, choosing and gathering curriculum, creating effective lesson plans, scheduling your day, organizing your home, staying the course and more! It even includes helpful homeschooling forms!

I love IEW sources!

Thank you! My son comes up with great stories with a ton of detail, but he really struggles with getting them from his brain onto the paper so he hates writing. He’s in a rough place because he’s 6 so just finishing Kindergarten, he’s reading at a 3rd grade level but definitely writing at a Kindergarten level. Most writing programs are tied to reading so they feel really trivial to him and he gets frustrated by that.

Thank you so much for sharing the list!

Thank you for sharing this Erica! I think homeschooling is becoming more popular and in some ways more important these days. Also, great science resources, especially the BJU Press link – lots of helpful info there too.

Writing Doesn't Have to be a Struggle

Lessons break down writing into bite-sized pieces so students confidently move step-by-step to complete their writing assignments.
Repetition of the basics reinforces the concepts until they are learned.

The proven writing program gives you the tools to teach your students how to effectively plan and write a quality essay from scratch, by equipping them with the writing skills needed to easily write a variety of paper and essays.

ORDER NOW: Complete Curriculum Packages (includes 1 set of Student Worksheets)

Need extra set(s) of worksheets? Need just a set of Student Worksheets for a class? ORDER NOW: Student Worksheets Only

This is a writing program I believe any parent could comfortably teach-even those who call themselves “non-writing” parents. Rebecca is a customer service dream, readily and efficiently responding to any questions I’ve had via email or phone.

Heather Sanders, The Pioneer Woman Homeschool Blog

TWF Curriculum Descriptions: Click Here to Order Now

The Write Foundation has 5 levels available. Each level can be completed in 1 or 2 years depending on your schedule and your student’s maturity and ability level.

Jr. High and High School Level Courses

Does your student struggle to easily write a well-written paragraph?
Can your student take any topic and develop into a well-written paragraph?
Your student may be able to write fairly decent paragraphs, but does his or her writing meet at least high school if not college level formal writing standards?
Well-written papers are logical and easily developed when students are equipped with the right writing tools.

Level 1: Sentence to Paragraph : (Ages 12 - 14, 6th-9th Grade) Students creatively develop descriptive and more complex sentences. They quickly move to writing basic 1-paragraph and then 2-paragraph compositions using the writing process with a variety of brainstorming techniques and outlines. Samples / Assessment Test / Order Now

Level 2: Paragraph Writing : (Ages 13 - 16, 7th-10th Grade) Students improve and develop their paragraph writing skills, while being challenged to quickly grasp more complex pieces of the writing puzzle, and advancing to a basic 5-paragraph college-level essay. Samples / Assessment Test / Order Now

Level 3: Essay Writing (Ages 14 - 18, 9th-12th Grade) Can your student take any topic and independently write a college-level essay easily and successfully? Students gain a solid foundation of the writing process and writing structure so they can take a complicated subject and make it easy to understand through a well-written essay. Essay Writing gives them the skills to confidently write to please any professor. Samples / Assessment Test / Order Now

Elementary Level Courses

Entry level i & ii: well written paragraphs have well written sentences..

Each lesson uses engaging writing activities and games, which develop and advance students' creative writing abilities and other writing skills.

Does your student struggle to write a basic simple sentence? Does your student need to improve his or her sentence writing skills? Entry Level I: Prepare to Write : (Ages 8 – 10, Grades 2-4) Students begin by writing complete basic sentences and quickly develop their basic sentences into creative, more complex sentences using the 9 foundational parts of speech. Samples / Assessment Test / Order Now

Does your student write simple sentences? Does he or she need to begin developing higher level sentence writing skills? Entry Level II: Creating Sentences : (Ages 9 – 11, Grades 3-5) Students continue developing descriptive, informative sentences from basic sentences using grammar and figures of speech. Students learn to avoid common errors people make when casually and formally writing for school and work. Samples / Assessment Test / Order Now

Eight (8) free lessons, a syllabus for each level, free consultations, articles and curriculum information videos are available on this website.

View the syllabus and try free lessons for each level. Print and use the sample writing lessons with detailed lesson plans if you want to try this writing curriculum before you buy it.

ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION TESTS: Determine the right level for your student(s).

Placement/assessment tests are available to help you determine the right level for your student. /assessment
Rebecca Celsor is available for free email (rebecca@thewritefoundation.org) consultation to help you determine which level is right for your student(s).
Get hands-on writing practice using our writing method before you make your purchase. Two (2) free sample writing lessons per level (8 lessons) with student worksheets, teaching instructions with teacher presentation information included, separate teacher presentation pages, and daily schedules are available on this website.
A syllabus for each of the 4 levels is also available on this website. The syllabi lay out lesson by lesson the writing skills as they are taught, so you can see what types of writing, grammar and figures of speech are covered in each level.
Articles are also available on this website to help you determine what levels would be appropriate for your children. /age-levels/

New Interactive Digital Format : You type on the Teacher Presentation as your students write on their worksheets. Now a part of each curriculum package in the Additional Resources.

Intimidated about grading? The Write Foundation offers Online Grading .

I am very happy with the results I am seeing. There is noticeable improvement in my son's writing from week to week. To date, this is the most effective writing curriculum I have used in our 13+ years of homeschooling. If you are looking for simple, hands-off writing lessons, this product is not for you. If you want a curriculum that will produce students skilled in all areas of writing, you need The Write Foundation.

Lorie D., The Midlife Housewife

View, Print, and Practice the Sample Lessons

(We're here to help you teach!)

Now Available!

Free Reading Lists Get your copy today!

Have a struggling writer? Maybe he hates writing? Does your student just need to learn how to write? Long for teacher-friendly lesson plans you can quickly prepare and teach? Desire a writing curriculum your children will enjoy while learning creatively?

Complete Lesson Plans
Free Assessment Tests
Free Reading Lists
Organization for Writing
Checklists & Guidelines
Brainstorm & Outline Forms

Open doors to writing success!

Contact Rebecca . Rebecca Celsor will answer your questions regarding how to easily teach your child to write.

" The girls enjoyed our “writing class time” and were intrigued by the more formal writing style being taught. They enjoyed setting up the required class notebook and loved using the different colored highlighters to dissect both essays and outlines. We noted that the practice sentences expressed strong opinions and the entire curriculum was written from a Christian perspective. The girls especially "

Course Selection Assistance
Suggested Age Levels for Homeschool Writing
Entry Level I - Prepare to Write
Entry Level II - Creating Sentences
Level 1 - Sentence to Paragraph
Level 2 - Paragraph
Level 3 - Essay
Free Curriculum Writing Samples
Example Teaching Videos
Online Grading Service
Writing Skills Reference Folder
How to Present a Lesson
Grading Writing
Key Points for Grading Writing
MindBenders®
Order Curriculum Packages
Order Worksheets Only
Refund/Return Policy
Selecting Home School Curriculum
Writing Preparation
Writing Development
High School and Beyond
Homeschool Co-ops
Homeschool How To
The Story Behind TWF
Why Another Writing Curriculum?
Copyright Information

He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock . Luke 6:48

Dedicated to equipping God's children with the ability to communicate His Truth to the world.

Teaching Tools
Curriculum Ordering
homeschool writing curriculum
home school writing samples
Mind Benders®
Online Grading

web site design - evolvethebrand.com

Skip to secondary menu
Skip to main content
Skip to primary sidebar
Skip to footer

Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

dy•nam•ic constant change, progress, activity

How to Rock Homeschool Creative Writing (when you don’t feel like THAT creative mom)

June 26, 2023 | 8 Comments This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy .

Share This!

Today, I have tips for homeschool creative writing. Also, you’ll love the tips on my post Which One is Really the Best Homeschool Writing Curriculum (a comparison).

Have you ever fumbled your way through teaching a homeschool subject?

Then realize later that you gave your children an amazing start?

It’s not a teaching method I tout because blunders don’t always turn out so productive.

However, teaching is partly influenced by what we were taught growing up.

And homeschool creative writing was a painful process for me.

How to Rock Homeschool Creative Writing (when you don’t feel like THAT creative mom)

In middle school, I wasn’t given a specific and detailed explanation of what is creative writing.

For example, I was told to write creatively.

But as a child I thrived with details, planning and wanted specificity.

My teacher was naturally creative and it was almost a lethal combination for me.

My middle school teacher thought I couldn’t relax and let thoughts flow or so it seemed.

And I thought my teacher didn’t know how to teach because she was unclear in her assignment and didn’t mind the details or so I thought.

How to Rock Creative Writing When Homeschooling (and when you don't feel like THAT creative mom) @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Until I started homeschooling my own children, I didn’t really grasp what my teacher was excited about.

Hoping to bridge the difference between exceptional homeschool teachers who are naturally creative and those who can be when they clearly understand the assignment, look at three things I learned the hard way.

Table of Contents

Freedom from the Homeschool Curriculum Box

That is powerful if you think about it.

It is about emotions, thoughts, and self-expression. It’s about you and who doesn’t like talking (or writing) about their self.

In explaining creative writing to my boys, I used the example of a group photo taken by one of their friends.

When my boys’ friends show them the photo, can you guess what my boys look at first? Yep. They look for themselves first in the picture.

We can’t help it, it’s natural. We want to see how we look.

What is Homeschool Creative Writing

Creative writing is like finding yourself in that photo.

Naturally creative teachers know that putting thoughts on paper is the outside of what is brimming on the inside of an individual.

Once explained to a child, he can bring comical thoughts, deep emotions and even fears to the surface for writing topics.

Digging up those thoughts in a child’s mind may require effort on the part of a teacher.

Though I didn’t fully understand all the benefits of reading aloud when I started homeschooling, I reaped the benefits of doing it each day.

When I turned my boys loose, my sons could write pages and pages of stories based on their wild imagination that was stimulated by excellent literature.

After they would write pages and pages, I failed again. I switched to teacher mode. Correcting grammar and errors is what I thought writing was all about.

That wasn’t working because I almost created a resistant writer with my first son because I had stifled his creativity.

Thinking that my oldest son had to make a point to the endless stories he was penning was the second mistake I made.

Being a product of my schooling, I had been taught to be clear, concise and brief in my speech and writing.

Those qualities are important as I learned, but not to the extent that they diminish my son’s love for words and expressing emotions through artfully contrived words.

Being part of the solution is to let your child write without fear of being overly corrected, mechanical or trying to make their writing fit your boxed curriculum.

More Homeschool Creative Writing Tips

Which One is Really the Best Homeschool Writing Curriculum (a comparison)
5 Creative Ways to Boost Handwriting in Older Kids
Cursive Matters; Handwriting Style Doesn’t + Free Resources
Teaching Handwriting When Homeschooling the Early Years Part 3

From my childhood and experience teaching my first child who was similar to my learning style, I knew that if told him that creative writing was like painting with no rules, he would add his flair to his writing. And he did.

Also, I learned to not bring my teacher mode to the table and start correcting his paper or in other words smother an ember before it becomes a flame.

And I always added in a good dose of reading aloud each day to help all my boys find their style for writing.

Adding creative writing to your curriculum can be challenging but having confident writers years later has been worth every effort.

But I learned a few more things too.

I learned to use my teaching strengths as a spring board to creative writing ideas. And I learned how to help my kids create and brainstorm for writing topics.

Writing and Composition Resources For All Ages

Whether you’re teaching handwriting, composition, or creative writing solid tips comes from having an abundance of composition and materials to choose from.

Aesop for Children: Story and D'Nealian Copybook Volume I (Aesop for Children Story and Copybook)

The Aesop for Children Story and D'Nealian Copywork Book, Volume I, includes seventy-three original unabridged fables illustrated by Milo Winter. Also included are copywork selections using the moral of each fable in D'Nealian style manuscript with adequate space for students to copy the included examples in their best handwriting. How to Teach Copywork:Copywork can seem simplistic. Give your child a sentence or two and have them copy it. It can also seem like busy work, but the benefits are great! Copywork is a simple introduction to handwriting, spelling, and composition. Have children copy only the best authors, with the best writing, and ideas to fill their growing minds. When to begin copywork:Once a child learns how to write their letters comfortably, they are ready to start simple copywork. Start with very short sentences and have them copy it, always in their best handwriting.

Writing Strands: Beginning 1

Learn basic communication skills with this updated Writing Strands curriculum for a new generation!

This Beginning 1 course was created for students learning to write sentences and paragraphs on their own. The assignments gently guide students through their work each day, helping them master basic writing with unique exercises on dialogue, reporting, interviews, role playing, persuasion, story writing, and organizing and grouping ideas.

Writing with Ease: Level 1 Workbook (The Complete Writer)

In Writing with Ease, Susan Wise Bauer lays out an alternative plan for teaching writing, one that combines the best elements of old-fashioned writing instruction with innovative new educational methods. The Complete Writer workbooks (each sold separately) complement this plan with lessons, student worksheets, and teacher instructions for every day of writing instruction. Each covers one year of study. Used along with Writing with Ease, The Complete Writer, Level One (first in a four-volume set) complete the elementary-grade writing curriculum.

Jump In, 2nd Edition: Middle School Composition

ump In, 2nd Edition retains the step-by-step features of the first edition and its conversational style, along with some humor to ease the fright of writing! Students master the art of writing paragraphs, different types of paragraphs, topic sentences, and main ideas (thesis statements). They also practice writing nine types of essays and one research report. Proofreading lessons are included, along with suggested writing schedules and specific student checklists for each essay assignment.Let student-directed Jump In, 2nd Edition teach composition for you. A suggested writing schedule and checklist come with every essay assignment.Teachers will enjoy the new grading grids for each essay in the Teacher’s Guide, making grading much easier.Middle school. Two semesters. 98 daily lessons.

The Power in Your Hands: Writing Nonfiction in High School, 2nd Edition

Finally, your teens will write without dread! Have they almost given up on writing? Do they reach for the tissue box when you say, "Write an essay"? Do you worry they won't be ready for high school or college writing? Do they say they think of things to write but can't write them down? With THE POWER IN YOUR HANDS: WRITING NONFICTION IN HIGH SCHOOL, 2ND EDITION, they'll learn essay writing in a relaxed, nonthreatening atmosphere with a little humor thrown in. This 2ND EDITION includes proofreading marks and exercises, a new chapter on common grammar mistakes, and numbered lessons to easily keep track of daily lessons. This course teaches your teens what they need to know for high school and will be prepare them for college writing: persuasion, compare-and-contrast essays, literary analysis, a research paper with MLA documentation, and much more. In addition, students will learn how to write description and narration essays. Beginning writers will feel safe, and advanced writers will enjoy Digging Deeper lessons.

Writing Rockstars

The Art of Poetry

If you have ever felt mystified by, or unable to enjoy the significance of poetry, this book will lead you step by step to understanding and love of this branch of literature, guided by a gifted poet and teacher. The Art of Poetry is an excellent middle school or high school curriculum; it will teach the practice of reading a poem slowly and carefully, introduce students to the elements of poetry (such as imagery and metaphor) and the many forms that can make a poem, from sonnet to open verse. In the belief that practice is the best way to learn, this book is rich with explications, exercises, and activities. A biography of each poet is also included, and we are providing audio files of many of the poems.

Cover Story Set

Curriculum is a creative one-year writing curriculum for middle school students

Later I realized that I don’t have to give up details, planning or specificity when writing. I will share specific details in an upcoming post about how I used my strengths to make creative writing flourish.

What about you? Are you afraid to step out of the box and teach creative writing?

You can do it!

Reader Interactions

June 14, 2015 at 9:33 pm

Hey Tina! From one writer to another: I loved this. I love creative writing and, just like you say, enjoy putting my own expression into writing. How to teach it to my children…I never thought about that. But with this helpful post, it’s given me ideas. I’m featuring this post this week at the Laugh & Learn. Thank you for linking up with us!

June 16, 2015 at 7:18 pm

Lindsey, love the things you share and yes, add your own personality and guess what? The writing will have personality because you help your child develop his style. Oh well, LOVE to write for sure. Thanks for hosting Laugh & Learn and THANK YOU for the feature!! BTW, I couldn’t get your link party or Selena’s either one to come up, maybe it’s just on my mind.

June 10, 2015 at 10:36 am

These are so great!!! Thank you! I’ll be pinning these as well! I just love your online space!

June 12, 2015 at 9:27 pm

Thank you Sarah! Thanks for scooting by and thank you for hosting for sure!!

Appreciate the share!

Cover Story: A Homeschool Creative Writing Curriculum That is So Much Fun

Post author: Sharon
Post published: July 5, 2022
Post category: Curriculum and Resources / Language Arts
Post comments: 3 Comments

Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew .

I was so excited to have the chance to review Cover Story Cloud Set by Clear Water Press for the Homeschool Review Crew. My daughter is a writer, and we have been eyeing Clear Water Press courses for a couple of years now. So, when this review came up, we jumped on the opportunity to review this homeschool creative writing curriculum.

Cover story cloud set- homeschool creative writing curriculum, the teacher’s guide for this homeschool creative writing curriculum, videos and student book, the remarkable journal of professor von steuben, who would like cover story, who might not prefer this homeschool creative writing curriculum, my daughter’s thoughts on this creative writing curriculum.

So, what exactly is Cover Story?

Cover Story Cloud Set is a homeschool creative writing curriculum for grades 6-9 . Students work on language arts skills by creating their own magazines. That is why it is called Cover Story!

Through a wide range of writing assignments, kids create a magazine on a topic of interest. Kids create short stories, poems, reviews, editorials, and more.

When the year is over, kids have a completed magazine!

It is a very clever way to work on writing and grammar that is engaging for kids.

For the review, we received physical copies of a Student Book, Teacher’s Guide, and The Remarkable Journal of Professor Gunther von Steuben.

Student book, journal, and teacher book for this creative writing curriculum, 10th grade curriculum

We received 12 months of online instructional videos along with the soft-covered books. However, if, for some reason, you don’t finish it in 12 months, you can purchase an extension to the cloud videos. Because we all know that life happens, and we might need extra time.

The course is taught by Daniel Schwabauer, a published author, and editor for Crosswind Comics. Plus, he has been involved in many areas of writing, from stage plays to non-fiction ghostwriting. So he has a depth of knowledge and a whole lot of enthusiasm. Also another cool thing is that Mr. S created this program for homeschoolers!

A Look Inside Cover Story

So, that was a quick overview of what you get with Cover Story. Now, let’s look at this homeschool creative writing curriculum a little more closely.

When I received Cover Story, the first thing I did was look through the Teacher’s Guide. I wanted to see the details of this program.

Teacher's Guide for this homeschool creative writing program

Boy, I was VERY impressed with the teacher book . The instructions are very well laid out and detailed!

The teacher’s guide provides:

Brief description of the program.
How to teach the course: video lessons with workbook assignments 3 days a week and work in journal 5 days a week.
One section gives you a heads up on things you will need to do to prepare for specific lessons.
Suggestions for grading assignments, journal entries, tests, and optional grammar lessons.
Run time on the videos.
An outline of all the coursework.
Weekly lesson guides.
The reading materials for the Assigned Reading for the course.
Answer key for lesson activities, unit tests, and grammar work.
Super helpful sheets to keep track of student grades to help tally up their score at the end of the course.

homeschool writing curriculum lesson grades score sheet

I can’t express how valuable this teacher’s guide is for planning and grading your student. I was not intimidated by this homeschool creative writing curriculum. It is so well laid out that it makes it simple to assign work and let the videos and student book do all the work!

Videos, Student Book, and Journal:

Now, let’s look at the heart of the program: the videos, student book, and journal.

The course is laid out as follows :

Unit 1- Works on grammar and the foundations of good writing. It also helps kids pick a theme for their magazine and begin writing things like reviews.
Unit 2- This unit covers poetry, interviewing, and perspective.
Unit 3- Students will work on editorials and short stories.
Unit 4- Discusses the Four layers of meaning, writing personal experiences, humorous pieces, and chronological narratives.
Unit 5- Works on an advice column and more work on short stories.
Unit 6- Finishes with more poetry work and completing the magazine with layout and publishing.

With each assignment, students watch the online video (most are 6 to 16 minutes long), complete that day’s Student Book assignment, and then do work in the journal.

Some of the assignments have assigned readings. These readings are found in the student’s book and teacher’s book, which is very convenient.

The best part of this creative writing curriculum is the online videos. The videos are engaging for kids. Mr. S truly speaks to the kids and explains things well.

Each video starts with a skit. The skits are pretty entertaining. After the skit, there is a recap explaining how it ties into the topic for the day. Lastly, the video then gets into the lesson.

After each video lesson, the kids work in their Student Book. These assignments reinforce what was taught, and kids will work on writing assignments for their magazine.

At the end of the core creative writing curriculum is a set of 12 grammar lessons. These are optional, though I find them very helpful for making this a complete language arts program.

The instructor does an excellent job explaining grammar. His focus on grammar is on the practical use of grammar in writing and how it works. He doesn’t want kids to get hung up on specific names of grammar terms.

The lessons do a great job of making sure kids don’t feel intimidated by grammar. In the end, Mr. Schwabauer wants kids to learn how to find answers for grammar, so they can communicate clearly. By making grammar less intimidating, it makes grammar fun and easy.

For example, the video teaches a whole class on sentences in one grammar lesson. The instructor explains the formal names for the types of sentences but breaks them down into common terms for kids. Then, he uses a story to explain why these terms have such formal names, making it more fun and exciting.

One of my daughter’s favorite parts of this writing curriculum is the journal. The Remarkable Journal of Professor von Steuben is a journal on this fictional character. Through his journal entries, students receive writing prompts that help them work on writing techniques in a unique and meaningful way. In addition, students write in this journal from the Professor’s perspective, allowing them to create their own story of who this man is and how his story will end.

The journal entries are short assignments. For example, in the first unit, kids write questions 5 days a week. Through this exercise, students are learning to ask good questions, meaningful questions.

Sample page within the journal of this creative writing curriculum.

Later, kids will write paragraphs, dialogue, and more.

Again, this is a clever way to engage kids in writing and thinking about writing.

At the end of each unit, kids take a basic multiple-choice question test. They are a quick check-in with their understanding of the material covered. For example, in Unit Test Six, one of the questions is as follows:

To keep your audience engaged, give them story events that produce

A. expectation and surprise. B. surprise and shock. C. relevance and shock. D. exaggeration and timing.

The questions are simple and to the point.

So, who would like Cover Story?

Busy Moms – With Cover Story, you have little prep work, and the videos teach writing for you. As a parent, you only need to spend some time every four weeks grading work.
Reluctant Writers – If you have kids that are reluctant writers, this program might get them engaged in writing. There is a purpose to writing: creating their own magazine. The videos may engage them, and the laid-back approach to grammar may be appealing.
Independent Learners – This program is perfect for kids that like to work independently or to use with kids you want to start teaching to work independently.
Kids that love creative writing – As I have found with my daughter, this is a lot of fun for kids that love creative writing.
Enjoy a variety of writing styles – Because kids are creating a magazine, they are learning various writing techniques and styles. Therefore, they work on more than just telling a story.

Is this program for everyone?

No program is for everyone.

However, Cover Story might not be for your family if:

You like to be very involved in teaching writing . Of course, you could watch and discuss the videos with your kiddos, but this program does lend itself to more independent learning.
Kids that have no interest in creating a magazine will probably not like this .
If kids don’t like journaling, they may not like this program . However, there are ways you could modify this.

homeschool creative writing curriculum pin showing screenshot from program and books

Thoughts on This Homeschool Creative Writing Curriculum

As you can probably tell, we like this creative writing curriculum. This is a great way to teach writing in a meaningful and engaging way. I love finding authentic learning opportunities, and Cover Story does an excellent job creating this for middle school kiddos.

One thing I love about the program is how easy it is to use. My daughter could easily work on this independently. It has an easy schedule to follow and great tools to help with grading your kids. Plus, I REALLY appreciate the workbook pages to record grades on. Record keeping is a weakness for me, so the pages help a lot.

I also like that Mr. Schwabauer recommends grading at the end of a unit. It might sound strange initially, but since this is a creative writing program, he feels kids might become discouraged. Also, as he mentions, if kids see red marks all over their work, it may stifle their creativity on their next assignment. So, do the correcting at the end so kids can write freely.

My daughter has said she wants to finish the program and continue working on it throughout the summer. She finds the video lessons fun and helpful. Plus, she really enjoys the journal.

When it comes to writing, my daughter is kind of picky with writing programs. My girl has self-published one book and is working on another. She looks for writing programs to help her become a better writer. For her, writing isn’t something to get through and move on; she really wants to improve and gain as much knowledge as possible.

Overall, my girl feels she is getting a lot out of this program. She loves the idea she creates her own magazine on gothic horror of the 20 th century. She is thinking of all the possibilities of things to write about (she is fascinated by H.P. Lovecraft and other early 1900s authors like him).

Cover Story Cloud Set from Clear Water Press makes a fabulous homeschool creative writing curriculum. We loved it. Now check out other reviews from fellow Homeschool Review Crew members. Click the banner below to learn more.

Excellent Bible Study Curriculum for Your High Schooler {A Review}

Dyslexia Gold: See How This May Help Your Struggling Reader

EEME: An Excellent Subscription Program For Kids

This post has 3 comments.

I have heard great things about Cover Story, and your review certainly confirmed it! I can’t want to see the progress of your daughter’s magazine!

We are using this curriculum this year, but my daughter isn’t liking the journaling. Do you find it necessary to do the curriculum?

Hi Melissa, I think kids could probably still do the curriculum without the journal. My daughter said she could still do the curriculum without the journal.

A Complete Guide To Creative Writing Curriculum for Homeschool High School

I feel like creative writing is either one of those things kids love or one that they hate. Whichever way your child leans, there is sure to be something to get their creative juices flowing. When it comes to teaching writing, specifically for high school, I have created a collection of your options for creative writing curriculum for high school.

Creative Writing Curriculum for Homeschool High School is a collection of curriculum options and other ways to teach creative writing to high schoolers.

I often feel as though high school writing is solely focused on essay writing, response, and research papers. While all of these are important types of written work, we should not be leaving out creative writing in our homeschool high school studies.

Creative Writing Curriculum Options

One Year Adventure Novel – a high school fiction writing curriculum through which the kids write an entire novel by the end of the year. It’s entertaining, educational, adventurous and fun!

Cover Story – From the same company as the One Year Adventure Novel. While it is listed as a middle school curriculum it is great for your struggling or reluctant high schoolers.

Bardsy Homeschool – an online program with multiple digital helps for writing

Byline Video Writing Program – turns students into time-traveling reporters who practice journalism in the forgotten corners of history.

No Plot! No Problem – is a low-stress, high velocity guide to writing a novel in 30 days.

Writing Workshop for Multiple Ages – Sometimes in our homeschool we just need to focus on a certain subject. In this case, writing. See how multiple curriculum options are used to infuse writing into your homeschool.

Other Ways to Teach Creative Writing

There are more ways to teach creative writing for homeschool high school than with a full curriculum. Here are some writing prompt and project ideas to get you started.

Writing About Nature: A Creative Writing Book for Your Homeschool – The Writing About Nature book will help a wide range of writers who find their passion for nature moves them to document in words the creatures, plants, rhythms and cycles experienced in the great outdoors.

Fairy Tale Retelling – is a great Creative Writing assessment. For this project, students choose a fairy tale. Then, they rewrite the story from the perspective of the villain.

Author Study – In this project, students choose one author to study in-depth. Then, they attempt to replicate that author’s style in an original work.

55 Creative Writing Activities and Exercises – Activities that teach creative writing serve as drills to exercise your student’s writing muscle. When used effectively, they help reluctant writers get past that intimidating blank paper and encourage the words to flow.

Engaging Homeschool Literature Activities Your Kids Will Love – With these engaging homeschool literature activities, you can create a homeschool learning environment that celebrates the wonder of the written word and the magic of storytelling. Literature can come to life by infusing your homeschool studies with imagination, hands-on activities, and student-led learning.

37 Creative Writing Prompts for High School – Prompts for poetry, fiction (long and short), and even non-fiction.

The Ultimate Guide to Nature Journaling: Tips for Writing About Nature – A creative writing idea from the Outdoor Nature Challenge

More Writing Options for High School

Homeschool Writing Curriculum Round Up – a collection of all the writing curriculum reviews here at The Curriculum Choice
Essay Rockstar – Writing courses for grades 7-12 in The Expository Essay, The Textual Analysis Essay, The Persuasive Essay, The Personal Statement
Using Writing & Rhetoric for Homeschool Writing – a 12-book series that will teach students to write and speak persuasively

Reader Interactions

Top 10 Elementary Writing Curriculums- Homeschool Family Favorites

Teaching writing to elementary-aged students can be both challenging and rewarding. As a homeschool parent, you have the opportunity to provide your child with personalized instruction and the flexibility to tailor their writing education to their individual needs. Here are some tips for teaching elementary writing in homeschool:

Start with the Basics: Before jumping into complex writing assignments, it’s important to build a strong foundation. Start by teaching your child the basics of grammar, sentence structure, and paragraph development. Use simple writing exercises and prompts to help them develop their skills.

Focus on the Process: Writing is a process, and it’s important to teach your child how to approach it systematically. Teach them how to brainstorm ideas, create an outline, draft, revise, and edit their work. Encourage them to take their time and not rush through the writing process.

Use Creative Prompts: Children are naturally creative, so use writing prompts that encourage them to use their imagination. Use prompts that ask them to write a story, describe a place or thing, or express their feelings about a topic. This will help them develop their creativity and critical thinking skills.

Incorporate Technology: Technology can be a valuable tool in teaching writing. Consider using writing software or online writing tools to help your child organize their thoughts and ideas. Additionally, allowing your child to type their writing assignments can improve their typing skills and make the writing process more enjoyable.

Provide Feedback: Feedback is crucial to improving writing skills. Provide constructive feedback to your child, pointing out areas where they excel and areas where they need improvement. Encourage them to take your feedback and use it to improve their writing.

Celebrate Successes: Writing can be a challenging task for children, so it’s important to celebrate their successes. Praise them for their hard work, creativity, and progress. Display their writing in a prominent place in your home, such as on the fridge or on a bulletin board, to showcase their achievements.

In conclusion, teaching writing to elementary-aged homeschool students requires a patient and systematic approach. Starting with the basics, focusing on the writing process, using creative prompts, incorporating technology, providing feedback, and celebrating successes are all important strategies for success. With these tips, your child can develop strong writing skills that will serve them well in their academic and personal lives.

Top Ranked Homeschool Family Favorites Elementary Writing Curriculums

INSTITUTE FOR EXCELLENCE IN WRITING

The Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW)’s “Teaching Writing with Structure and Style” provides a foundational technique from which parents can easily teach writing, as well as the other language arts skills of listening, speaking, and reading.

WRITING STRANDS BY MASTER BOOKS

Writing Strands is a homeschool writing curriculum designed to help students develop strong writing skills through a step-by-step approach. The program focuses on teaching writing as a process, with lessons that cover brainstorming, outlining, drafting, revising, and editing. Writing Strands includes assignments that range from creative writing to expository writing and is suitable for students in grades K-12. The curriculum is designed to be flexible, allowing parents to tailor the lessons to their child’s individual needs and abilities. Additionally, the program includes detailed instructions, examples, and evaluation criteria to help parents guide their child through the writing process. Writing Strands is a comprehensive writing curriculum that can help students develop the skills they need to communicate effectively through writing.

Rounding Out The Top 10 Homeschool Elementary Writing Curriculums

Easy Peasy All-in-One Homeschool
The Good and the Beautiful
Language Lessons for a Living Education from Master Books
Gather Round Homeschool
Writing with Ease from Well-Trained Mind
New American Cursive from Memoria Press

2022 Best Homeschool Curriculum Guide

Leslie nunnery, leave a reply cancel reply.

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Event Details

Homeschool Tools

A resource for homeschooling families

Best Homeschool Writing Curriculum for High School

This post contains affiliate links and we may earn a commission when you click on the links at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

High school is a critical time for students to learn how to write well. Whether they are planning to attend college or go straight into the workforce, students need to understand the basic methods and techniques of writing in order to effectively communicate with those around them as adults. In our article Best English Homeschool Curriculum for High School , we told you about some of the best homeschool English programs available for high school students. In this article, we’ll focus specifically on high school writing curriculums for homeschoolers. Our top picks are listed below. To learn more about each one, keep reading.

Our picks for the best homeschool writing curriculum for high school:

Best All-Around Program: Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) High School Series , Andrew Pudewa
Best Classical Program: Classical Composition Series , Jim Selby/Memoria Press
Best Christian Program: Lifepac Select Composition , Alpha Omega Publications

If you have an older or younger student, check out our related articles, Best Homeschool Writing Curriculum for Middle School and Best Homeschool Writing Curriculum for Elementary Students .

Best All-Around Program

Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) High School Series , Andrew Pudewa

Are you looking for an excellent homeschool writing program that will help your high school student gain the skills and confidence to become a talented independent writer? The homeschool writing program designed by the Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) is truly exceptional in its approach to teaching writing. This program doesn’t just teach writing “rules” and ask students to complete writing assignments. Rather, it really immerses students in the nitty-gritty details of how to write well using quality models and step-by-step instruction. High school students who take the IEW homeschool courses will be far ahead of their peers in writing when they enter college.

The IEW high school program is referred to as “Level C” (Levels A and B refer to the elementary and middle school programs) and can be taken anytime in grades 9-12. Level C includes two courses, each of which is designed to take about 24 weeks – many homeschoolers choose to stretch the lessons out or supplement them with other materials in order to fill out a whole school year.

The IEW program is structured in an approachable and straightforward way that helps students build confidence in their writing skills one step at a time. The program teaches nine structural models central to the writing process: note-taking, paragraph writing, stories, basic reports, writing from pictures, research reports, creative writing, essays, and critiques. Each lesson begins with video instruction by Andrew Pudewa, the curriculum’s author. Pudewa shows students how to create an outline for that week’s assignment and then improve the writing itself through various stylistic techniques. Students then complete the assignment on their own before beginning the next lesson.

All the materials for the course can be purchased in a set. Two options are available: one with the video instruction on DVD and the other with the video lessons available online . Students who complete Year 1 of the IEW’s high school program can go on to the Year 2 course . The IEW also offers an Advanced Communication Series for advanced high school writers.

Best Classical Program

Classical Composition Series , Jim Selby/Memoria Press

If you are looking for a homeschool writing program that will teach your high schooler to write using the same techniques that were taught to William Shakespeare, Benjamin Franklin, and John Milton, consider the Classical Composition series by Memoria Press. This is a rigorous and classically-based series that will thoroughly immerse your student in the techniques used by many great writers since ancient times.

The Classical Composition series is based in the progymnasmata , a method of teaching writing that was invented in ancient times and used by writers such as Cicero and Quintilian to teach effective communication. The progymnasmata was comprised of fourteen exercises designed to improve the student’s rhetorical skills. The Classical Composition series has adapted these same fourteen exercises for the modern student.

This is a rigorous series, and a valuable one for students following a classical homeschool tract. Students who take this series will not only learn how to write very, very well; they will also understand the way writing as an artform has developed in the Western hemisphere since ancient times. Their ability to understand classic literature and ancient philosophy will be all the greater because of their immersion in this classical approach to writing.

The first course in the high school series is Classical Composition VI , which can be taken in ninth grade or later. You’ll need to purchase the Student Book , the Teacher Guide , and the Instructional DVDs , all of which are available at Christian Book. You can also purchase the course as a package on Memoria Press’s website ; if you choose this option, you’ll receive access to the instructional videos online rather than on DVD.

Best Christian Program

Lifepac Select Composition , Alpha Omega Publications

If you are looking for a homeschool writing program with a Christian worldview, consider the excellent Composition course by Lifepac. Produced by Alpha Omega Publications, a leader in Christian homeschool curriculum, this course provides an approachable and user-friendly writing course that requires minimal parental involvement.

Like other Lifepac courses, this one uses a consumable worktext format that allows students to work through the material independently and at their own pace. The Teacher Guide includes answer keys and everything else parents need to assess their students’ progress. Unlike the other courses I’ve discussed in this article, the Lifepac course is only one semester long; it can thus be used as an elective to bolster students’ writing skills or provide extra practice in written composition.

The program, which is designed for students in grades 7-12, is actually comprised of various critical units from Lifepac’s middle and high school language arts courses. The following units are included: “The Nature of English”, “Composition”, “Punctuation and Writing”, “Critical Reading and Paragraph Skills”, and “Practical English”. Students who complete this program will have gained a strong foundation in basic writing skills that will nicely prepare them for college.

High school is a critically time for learning solid writing skills. Fortunately, there are several excellent writing curriculums available for homeschooled high schoolers. If you are looking for homeschool English curriculums that provide broader language arts instruction, check out our article Best English Homeschool Curriculum for High School . If you have an older or younger student, check out our related articles, Best Homeschool Writing Curriculum for Middle School and Best Homeschool Writing Curriculum for Elementary Students . If you have questions or would like more information on this topic, please email us!

Skip to primary navigation
Skip to main content
Skip to footer

Essentials in Writing

Where learning to write well has never been so easy

Essentials in Writing Level 7 Second Edition

EIW™ Level 7 is a homeschool writing curriculum that features a slow, systematic approach for students aged 12-13 who want to learn how to write well. The step-by-step approach allows students to focus on small, daily assignments, so they don’t feel overwhelmed.

Order Essentials in Literature only Order replacement textbooks & assessment resource books

Writing Student Book
Teacher Handbook
Video Lessons

English Bundle

Writing and literature.

Writing and Literature Student Book
Teacher Handbooks
Novel (Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry)

Customize your package

Add Assessment/Resource Booklet

Add Digital Level 7 Assessment/Resource Booklet

Includes: all online videos on DVD for offline remote viewing if needed

Add Scoring Service

Level 7 Scoring for 2024-2025

Add a printed Level 7 Assessment/Resource Booklet

Add Additional Writing Textbooks

Add Additional Printed EIW7 Second Edition Textbook

Add DVDs – Writing

Add DVDs – Literature

Add Print Assessment/Resource Booklet

Add Printed Level 7 Assessment/Resource Booklet

Add Additional Writing Textbook

Add Additional Literature Textbook

Add Additional Printed EIL7 Textbook

Add Additional Novel

Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry by Mildred Taylor

Package Total $ 0

Don't forget

Customers often also purchase

Add Literature to Bundle

Assessment/Resource Booklet

Scoring Service

Additional Writing Textbooks

DVDs – Writing

DVDs – Literature

Print Assessment/Resource Booklet

Additional Writing Textbook

Additional Literature Textbook

Additional Novel

Homeschool students will learn to apply parts of speech as well as use them as tools for effective communication. They will learn to write effectively by using a variety of sentence structures in paragraphs, a narrative, personal and business letters, an essay, and a research project. Students will explore expository, descriptive, persuasive, and compare, and contrast writing.

UNIT ONE: GRAMMAR

Apply Activities for Parts of Speech

Action Verbs
Prepositional Phrases
Vivid Language

Apply activities for sentence structure:

Independent and Dependent clauses
Simple and Compound Sentences
Complex Sentences
Avoiding Sentence Errors (fragments, run-ons, and comma splices)
Varied Sentences in a Composition
Appositives
Transitions

Apply activities for common problems:

Pronouns and Antecedents
Subject/Verb Agreement
Don’t/Doesn’t Problem
Unclear Subjects
Paraphrasing
Writing a Summary

UNIT TWO: COMPOSITION

Follow the writing process for:

Paragraphs (expository, persuasive, descriptive, compare, and contrast writing)
Personal narrative
Persuasive business letter
Expository essay
Descriptive personal letter
Research project

Additional composition skills:

Audience and purpose
How to choose an appropriate writing form
Informal and formal writing
Finding and using quality sources to research and explain a topic
Effective narrative writing skills (first and third-person point of view, mechanics of dialogue, narrative hook, narrative writing)
Letter formatting (personal letters and business letters)
Effective writing skills (sensory details, hooks, thesis statement and restatement, mechanics of dialogue, first and third-person point of view, transitions, variety of sentence structures and word choice)
Summarizing and paraphrasing someone else’s content in their own words
Develop supportive, strong details and examples

Sample Lesson Video – Level 7

Level 7 – Sample PDFs

Level 7 Second Edition Textbook Sample
Level 7 Assessment/Resource Sample
Level 7 34-Week Plan
Alternative Instructional Strategies – PDF

Frequently Asked Questions About Level 7 Writing Curriculum

How old are 7th level students.

The general age for students completing Level 7 is 12 or 13 years old. The age can vary depending on if a child has started school early, on time, or is repeating a grade. The age of the student does not delegate if a child can complete this writing course. Instead, we recommend that students have a basic understanding of spelling, grammar, sentences, composition, and the skills taught in Level 6 before beginning.

What is taught in Level 7?

Level 7 will teach students to apply parts of speech and sentence structures to produce more complex and purposeful writing and introduces them to new grammatical concepts such as gerunds and appositives. Writing activities in Level 7 reinforce the writing process for persuasive, expository, descriptive, narrative, and research writing. Students will gain familiarity with the business letter format and the mechanics of dialogue and continue to learn techniques that will allow them to write with greater clarity and development.

What is the 7th grade homeschool writing curriculum?

In homeschool, 7th grade writing curriculum consists of online video lessons, a student textbook/workbook, and an answer key. Parents use this homeschool writing curriculum to guide their students through grammar and writing for the 7th grade. Seventh grade students should already have a basic understanding of grammar, how to write sentences and a basic paragraph, and the basic concept of beginning, middle, and end in writing.

Why choose Essentials in Writing?

Essentials in Writing is an excellent choice for homeschool curriculum because it is not parent intensive, and each composition follows a step-by-step process (The Writing Process) broken down into small chunks of information with the act of modeling provided by the teacher, Mr. Stephens, on video.

7th grade writing as a Tutoring Program

Many parents and teachers use this program for the children and students as a middle school writing tutor. Because each composition follows a step-by-step process (The Writing Process) broken down into small chunks of information with the act of modeling provided by the teacher, Mr. Stephens, on video, students learn to write well with ease. Additionally, given the fact that the lessons are short and compositions are written over several days rather than in one sitting, Essentials in Writing is an easy add to a student’s school day, like an after-school tutoring program. Most lessons are a maximum of 30 minutes each day, including the time students spend watching the teacher on video and working on the assignment.

What is included in the Workbook and Assessment Resource Book?

7th Grade Writing Workbook

Lesson content that accompanies the video lesson
Lesson activities that accompany the video lesson
Writing graphic organizers that accompany the video lesson
Separate parent/teacher handbook
How to use the program
34-week lesson planning option
Writing icon descriptions
Sample answers for each lesson
Scoring rubrics for compositions
Point values for each activity and composition
How to score activities and compositions

7 th Grade Writing Assessment (A) / Resource Book (R)

(A) Multiple choice, underline, fill-in-the-blank for each mini section of the grammar unit
(A) Composition assessments for each composition completed in the workbook
(A) Unit One and Unit Two comprehensive assessments
(R) Extra graphic organizers
(R) Extra helpful graphics
(R) Extra composition rubrics
(R) Research project source cards
(R) Extra writing checklists
(R) Additional word lists

The Assessment/Resource Book will provide students the opportunity to show what information they are retaining. Although some parents/teachers use the assessments as actual evaluations, others use them as extra practice. The point values are included to help parents/teachers track and evaluate the student’s progress, though some parents may not use them. The additional word lists and graphics are valuable in improving student vocabulary and remind the student of important writing techniques.

What if I have multiple students?

Additional 7th grade writing workbooks can be purchased to provide a workbook for another child/student. The workbook does not have additional information and is just another core workbook for another student so that each student has their own workbook to use.

What should a grade 7 homeschool student know by the end of the year?

Students completing their 7 th grade year should have mastered a number of skills and writing techniques.

Apply parts of speech in writing
Identify and correct common writing problems
Use writing techniques to communicate effectively in written language
Identify and use a variety of clauses and sentence structures to develop quality sentences
Know and understand how to effectively paraphrase and summarize content
Follow the writing process to communicate in paragraphs, narratives, letters, and essays
Know and understand how to use strong details and examples to support opinions and explanations in writing
Know and understand how to develop thesis statements for larger compositions
Identify audience and purpose
Use graphic organizers effectively to organize writing content
Know how to choose an appropriate writing form
Understand informal and formal writing
Understand how to format personal and business letters
Know and understand effective writing skills: strong details, transitions, variety of sentence structure, effective use of dialogue, and effective use of vivid language and sensory details
Research a topic using quality sources, paraphrase content, and include multiple small compositions in a research project

What is included in the course?

Unit One covers grammar instruction with activities where students learn to apply parts of speech, to identify and correct common problems in writing, to use parts of speech along with a variety of sentence structures and vivid language as tools for effective communication, and to effectively paraphrase and summarize content.

Unit Two covers the writing process for multiple compositions as well as how to communicate effectively in written language through a variety of styles and formats by applying effective writing tools. The unit ends with a research project.

Does each unit come with worksheets and tests?

Both units are included in the 7 th grade writing curriculum Workbook/Textbook. This book contains instructional content as well as worksheet activities related to both units (grammar and composition). An Assessment/Resource Book is available for purchase to accompany the Workbook/Textbook and includes a variety of assessments in different formats as well as additional resources such as graphic organizers and resource word lists.

Does the workbook include a daily/weekly curriculum planner?

Each level of Essentials in Writing includes a 34-week suggested, yet optional, lesson planner.

How much time will students need to complete a course?

The time needed to complete the 7th level writing curriculum is a typical academic year (34 weeks). If students follow the 34-week plan included, they will complete individual lessons and activities during the week; however, because the lessons are broken up into small, daily mini-lessons, students can double up on some lessons and activities and complete the entire course sooner. Each day, students will spend 15-30 minutes on writing.

Can I grade my student papers myself?

Yes. Essentials in Writing provides both scoring checklists and rubrics for your convenience with sample compositions for comparison purposes.

Some parents, however, choose to use The Essentials in Writing Scoring Service. This service is an optional add-on that takes the scoring burden off parent/teacher and places it on the scoring team! Our Scoring Team includes a variety of qualified individuals including long-time educators, librarians, and professionals with Bachelor’s degrees in English.

Parents of students completing Levels 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, or 12 of Essentials in Writing are eligible to purchase this service. Offered from September 1 to June 15 of each school year, one composition for each EIW assignment may be submitted for scoring. If purchased after the September 1 start date, services still expire on June 15 of the following year.

The scoring system includes:

* Online access through Gradient where the Scoring Services are conducted

* One final composition from each lesson of Essentials in Writing to submit for scoring

* Feedback in the form of a rubric with a score as well as a one-paragraph write-up from their scorer complementing strengths and sharing areas to improve, plus, detailed comments and suggestions within the composition

The Difference Between Digital and Print Textbook/Workbook

The online version of the curriculum includes all of the required materials for completing a level of Essentials in Writing or Essentials in Literature, but in a digital format. With the online version, all of your materials are in one spot within the member’s dashboard for you to view and print!

The required online materials include: Student Workbook/Textbook Lesson Videos Teacher Handbook (EIW Levels 1-10 and EIL 7-9)

For EIW Levels 1-10, you can get a digital Assessment/Resource Booklet as well!

How does this compare to the print version? The print version of the curriculum includes all the online access to the digital materials AND the printed, physical, tangible version of the textbooks. The printed books are great for students who prefer to complete their assignments directly within an organized, bound book.

It simply comes down to personal preference. Now, families have the added convenience of being able to access their materials in different formats.

Additional Student Level Textbook/Workbook

Additional Workbook is compatible only with second edition Essentials in Writing video instruction. This is only a Student Workbook for an ADDITIONAL student using the same level of video instruction. Please note that the Workbook is not functional without the related video instruction.

About The Scoring Service

Let Essentials in Writing take the scoring burden off your mind! Our Scoring Team includes a variety of qualified individuals, including long-time educators, librarians, and professionals with Bachelor’s degrees in English, and they are ready to take the burden of grading compositions away from you.

Parents of students completing levels 6*, 7*, 8*, 9, 10, 11 or 12 of Essentials in Writing are eligible to purchase this service. (*Second Editions only.) Offered from September 1 to June 15 of each school year, one composition for each EIW assignment may be submitted for scoring. If purchased after September 1 start date, services still expire on June 15 the following year.

How Do The Scoring Services Work?

Available from September 1 to June 15 (one school year).
One final composition from each composition lesson of Essentials in Writing may be presented for scoring.
Students receive a rubric with a score as well as a one-paragraph write-up from their scorer complimenting strengths and sharing areas to improve, plus, detailed comments and suggestions within the composition.
Scoring Services will be conducted online through Gradient, Essentials in Writing’s online grading platform.

PLEASE NOTE: Scoring services are for Essentials in Writing only and are not eligible for unconditional money back guarantee.

Essentials in Writing comes with Online Streaming Video Instruction

ONLINE STREAMING 12 month access to ONLINE lesson-by-lesson video instruction (Free renewals upon request)
DVD DVD video lessons can be added for $45.00 plus shipping (This includes access to online streaming as well)

Unit 1: Fiction (Short Stories)

Fiction unit terms and explanation
7 short stories (application)
1 summative assessment

Unit 2: Nonfiction (Short Literary Works)

Nonfiction unit terms and explanation
6 nonfiction works (application)

Unit 3: Novel

1 Novel (literary analysis application)
1 character study project

Unit 4: Figurative Language/Poetry

Figurative Language/Poetry Unit terms and explanation
5 units of up to 10 literary works (application)

Level 7 Textbook Sample
Level 7 Literary Works

Frequently Asked Questions About Level 7 Essentials in Literature

The Level 7 Literature course is broken down into four units with each unit focusing on a different type of literature. Unit One focuses on short story fiction with fiction unit terms and explanation, seven short stories (application), and one summative assessment. Unit Two centers on short nonfiction literature and includes nonfiction unit terms and explanation, six nonfiction works (application), and one summative assessment. Unit Three has one novel with a literary analysis application, one summative assessment, and one character study project. Unit Four is all about figurative language/poetry terms and explanation, five units of up to ten literary works (application), and one summative assessment.

How are tests and assignments graded?

Scoring is for Essentials in Writing only, and there is no scoring for Essentials in Literature. The literature curriculum provides parents with scoring guides found in the answer key that include sample answers for each activity.

How much time will students need to complete Essentials in Literature?

The Essentials in Literature material follows the same 34-week timeline as Essentials in Writing, but students can work faster than the intended timeline to finish the course sooner. Each day, students will spend 15-40 minutes on writing.

Does the Workbook include a daily/weekly curriculum planner?

Essentials in Literature Level 7 includes a 34-week suggested, yet optional, lesson planner geared for middle school level learning.

Will I need to purchase additional reading material for this curriculum?

Shorter works for Units One, Two, and Four can be found online. Instructions are given in the Parent/Teacher Handbook. The chosen novel for Unit Three is included with the purchase of Essentials in Literature Level 7.

What is included in the bundle?

The bundle for Level 7 includes both Essentials in Writing and Essentials in Literature. The textbook, workbook, and video content are included in the bundle price.

Difference between the writing workbook and literature workbook?

Essentials in Writing texbook/workbook is the writing component whereas Essentials in Literature textbook/workbook is the literary analysis component in order to earn an English credit at the middle school level.

The required online materials include:

Student Workbook/Textbook
Lesson Videos
Teacher Handbook (EIW Levels 1-8 and EIL 7-9)

For EIW Levels 1-8, you can get a digital Assessment/Resource Booklet as well!

Scoring Services are for Essentials in Writing only.

DVD DVD video lessons can be added for $25.00 plus shipping (This includes access to online streaming as well)

Try it Free!

Try it Now!

Not sure which level is right for your student? Use the level wizard .

Recommended ages 11-12

Recommended ages 13-14

Writing Courses

Level 1 (ages 6-7)
Level 2 (ages 7-8)
Level 3 (ages 8-9)
Level 4 (ages 9-10)
Level 5 (ages 10-11)
Level 6 (ages 11-12)
Level 7 (ages 12-13)
Level 8 (ages 13-14)
Level 9 (ages 14-15)
Level 10 (ages 15-16)
Level 11 (ages 16-17)
Level 12 (ages 17-18)

Literature Courses

Level 7 (ages 12–13)
Level 8 (ages 13–14)
Level 9 (ages 14–15)
Level 10 (ages 15–16)

Other Services

Scoring Services
Frequently Asked Questions
Home School Resource Center
Supplemental Writing Program (18-week plan)
Summer Writing Program (10-week plan)
EIL Corrective Plans
Charter Schools
Homeschool Heroes
Giving Back
International Customers
Terms of Use

(417) 256-4191

Meet The Team
Advertising/Media
Disclosure & Privacy Policy
5 Steps to Start Homeschooling
100 Resources for the Newbie
The Quick-Start Guide to Brave Homeschool Schedules
The Brave Homeschool Planner
Choosing Curriculum
Day in the Life
Homeschool Co-op
Sneaky Learning
What We're Reading
Affording the Homeschool Lifestyle
Natural Living
Homeschool Bravely

Ultimate Guide to Creative Writing for Elementary Kids

Creative Writing Prompts & Story Starters

Inspirational Activities

Sneaky Learning Resources

Online Resources

Your kids can receive creative writing inspiration at the click of a button with any one of these free online writing prompt generators. they are all easy-to-use and completely kid-friendly. wacky headliner - use a wacky news headline to create an over-the-top story. scholastic story starter generator - a "slot machine" style story starter generator which divides writing prompts into different writing genres writing exercise for children - randomly generate inspiration for every aspect of a story. the story starter for kids - provides the first line of a story. the write shop blog - a blog dedicated to providing writing prompts each month as well as lots of helpful tips for teaching and encourage writing.

Tips for Encouraging Writers

No comments:

We make teaching writing easy and enjoyable.

Our materials provide clear, step-by-step instructions for teachers and students, making the process of learning to write effective and enjoyable.

Just like the stories above, we can help you too.

It's easy to get started!

It's easy to get started

How to Get Started with IEW

Interested?

Let's get started, what people are saying.

What a Difference!

My son went from not putting anything on paper to being able to utilize the skills and structure that he got from IEW to writing papers sometimes longer than what's required. All I have to do is check the grammatical errors!

Erica Arndt (confessionsofahomeschooler.com)

All-time Favorite Curriculum!

I noticed improvement in my kids' writing almost immediately. No more whining from my kids means it's a win for me and them!

Provides Strategies That Work

Writing is not an easy subject to teach well, but IEW provides simple and easy-to-use strategies that support the teacher in her instruction. Before students realize it, they are writing!

Proven Methods That Work

Don't spend a lot of money on curriculums that will come and go. IEW has proven methods.

Fun and Easy to Use

I used IEW materials with all of my kids. Each of them was a different type of student. I found that the material was useful and effective for each of their different learning styles and temperaments. I found it fun and easy to use and very interactive. We have many great memories of leaning over rough drafts and laughing about stories!

Challenging but Not Overwhelming

Not a question but a big thank you! This is our first year homeschooling our 6th grade son. This writing class has been terrific! Mr. Pudewa does a great job of teaching and keeping my son engaged. So far, the workload has been just right. It’s challenging but not overwhelming! Many, many thanks!

Piece of Cake

I started using IEW in 2018 in my homeschool with my now twenty-year-old son. He wrote circles around all the others in his first-year college writing courses. He is in the top 10% of his college class and received an invitation (nominated by his writing instructor) to join Phi Theta Kappa honor society. My son has told me that he was so glad I had him take all those IEW courses throughout his middle and high school years because it has made college writing a piece of cake. We are continuing the IEW journey with our now seventh-grade daughter and eighth-grade son. Thank you!

100% Satisfaction Guarantee

We offer a 100% satisfaction, no time limit guarantee on everything we sell.

The hardest thing is just doing it. Simply sit down, push play, and start learning!

– Andrew Pudewa

Free Downloads

Reaching the reluctant writer.

Remove the problem of what to write, and you will be free to learn how to write.

Nurturing Competent Communicators

Learn the two most critical things needed for a high level of aptitude in writing.

Four Deadly Errors of Teaching Writing

Avoid four teaching mistakes that contribute to frustration about writing assignments.

Free Language Arts Lessons

Try three FREE weeks of language arts instruction!

Don't wait any longer. Get started today! Get Started

Creative Writing | 24-25

Cradle to Crypt

Composite fantasy_surreal background - Little girl sitting on floating island, throwing p

Fantasy to Farce

Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf - lifesize figures found near a bus stop in De

Short Stories to Tall Tales

Our three live online creative writing courses are designed to delight 7th-12th grade homeschoolers who love to write their own stories and poems and who pine to have time to explore, refine, and share their creations. These small classes offer students a safe place to share, compare, and support each other.

Class Details

Creative Writing | One-semester electives

Classes can be taken in any order.

Tuition & Resources :

Tuition: $450 per semester

All resources are provided by instructor. See HERE .

Instructor : Christine Proctor

Fall Sessions | August 26-December 8, 2024

Spring Session | January 6-April 27, 2025

Live Class Times :

Cradle to Crypt | Every other Friday | 2-3 p.m . Eastern | FALL 2024 | Register Here

Fantasy to Farce | Every other Friday | 12;30-1:30 p.m. Eastern | FALL 2024 | Register Here

Short Stories to Tall Tales | Every other Friday | 12:30-1:30 p.m. Eastern | SPRING 2025 | Register Here

Please see our FAQ for all dates/times/breaks for our classes.

Grade level: 7th-12th (12+)

Class size: 10-12

See our FAQ for:

age/grade guidelines, prerequisites, and class fit recommendations

a complete list of days, times, and breaks

a list of CA charter schools where this course is a-g approved

Zoom and an online classroom.

Students will be actively discussing their writing and interacting with their classmates in live classes.

Students should plan to keep their webcams on and actively participate during live Friday meetings.

All live sessions will be recorded for students who cannot attend live.

All Blue Tent creative writing courses are NCAA-approved.

Foundational Elements

In all three classes, stud ents will test drive four categories of imaginative writing:

Cradle to Crypt: children's book (think: Eric Carle), elementary educational fiction (think Magic Tree House), young adult/dystopian, ghost/mystery story

Fantasy to Farce: fantasy/fairy tale, historical fiction, autobiography, satirical play

Short Stories to Tall Tales: short story, animal tale, song lyrics or myth, tall tale

Each one-semester class can serve as half an English credit or as a separate elective. Our creative writing classes can be taken in any order.

Every other Friday there will be a live one-hour class on Zoom where the teacher--Christine Proctor-- will offer instruction and guidance. This will be a venue for students to enjoy sharing and discussing with webcams on!

Attending live is highly recommended but not required. All live sessions will be recorded since we know preferences vary and "life happens."

Once Upon a Time . . .

Any writing can be creative. But if a student has a penchant to push the limits of the written word and transport readers to a different time, place, and state of mind, these one-semester workshops might be just what is needed to get the creative juices flowing.

In these classes, students will peer into the intellects of renowned writers of fiction, poetry, philosophical essays, and even comic strips in order to inspect and dissect the tools and techniques of their trade.

Assigned reading will include excerpts of lengthy works in addition to poems, short stories, speeches, and essays.

Mastering the Mechanics

The reading and writing that ensues will focus on identifying and employing elements such as fantasy, subtle symbolism, setting techniques that transform both mood and tone, seamless figurative language, and methods to turn one’s writer’s voice from serious to satirical as the art of mystery, persuasion, and delight is refined.

Let's Collaborate!

Discussion of the class reading and the instructions for each writing assignment will be offered up in an active online classroom as well as in regular live meet-ups.

Live sessions will be a time for questions and answers as well as for the demonstration of techniques.

Students will write, respond to edits, contemplate each others’ work, and tackle the reading for the following week’s assignment before the next live session occurs.

In-depth feedback from the instructor will be both detailed and uplifting, and students will be "met" wherever they might be along the writer's journey.

The instructor will be available for questions--both live and in the online classroom--and will always be a source of support and encouragement.

Ready to take your writing to a happily-ever-after status?

October Creative Writing Prompts for Kids

Autumn is in full swing, and October, with its vibrant hues and imaginative themes, offers a rich palette of inspiration for young minds. For our monthly creative writing prompts I’ve fused together the changes to the season as well as some Halloween and spooky themed prompts for the month ahead so here we go our October Creative Writing Prompts for Kids.

2 of the pages from the printable October Writing Prompts for kids showing the individual cards plus the notebooking pages included. Text under the images reads October Creative Writing Prompts FREE Printable for Kids.

Why are seasonal writing prompts important for children?

Seasonal writing prompts, like those for October, tap into the events, emotions, and experiences that children are currently living through. They offer relevancy to their environment and immediate world, making the writing process more engaging and relatable.

Here on Rainy Day Homeschooling you will find creative writing prompts for each month on individual cards, they are all part of our Creative Writing Subscriber Library, or they can be bought from our shop as a pdf.

How can I encourage my child to expand on these prompts?

From my own experience when we started using these creative writing prompts my kids wrote very short ideas out. A couple of sentences at the most. But, the more times we used them the more in-depth they wrote. Here’s what I did to help the process.

I encouraged my kids to visualize the scene before writing. Asking them open-ended questions about the setting, characters, or the sequence of events to give them more to write with. I often find that merging hands-on activities, like nature walks with writing can deeply enrich the creative process.

One of my favourite prompts for this month an “Write an acrostic poem using the word “AUTUMN” to describe your favourite things about the season.” really lends itself to that.

How can these prompts be adjusted for different age groups?

One of the questions I get asked in emails from our subscribers is “How can these prompts be adjusted for different ages?”

The beauty of these prompts is their adaptability. For younger children, you can simplify the scenarios or ask them to draw a picture first and then write a few sentences about it. For older kids, challenge them to delve deeper into the backstory, character development, or even twist endings.

You can also set the outcome differently – a 2nd grader may be working on expanding their vocabulary as they write stories and poetry using these prompts but a 8th grader may be looking more in-depth at using figurative language.

Don’t forget if you would like to get this FREE printable of all of the October Creative Writing Prompts for Kids plus access to other prompts then you need to scroll to the bottom to subscribe to our library.

Here are the 31 Creative Writing Prompts for October to share with your kids. Don’t forget you can subscribe to get access to this and other prompts or purchase the complete set from our shop.

Write a short spooky story about a haunted house.
Invent a new Halloween candy and describe its taste, appearance, and name.
Combine two different monsters (e.g., a vampire and a mummy) to create a unique, friendly monster character. Write a story featuring this character.
Imagine you woke up invisible one morning. Describe your day and how you feel about it.
Write an acrostic poem using the word “AUTUMN” to describe your favorite things about the season.
Describe a day when a friendly alien lands in your backyard. Write a story about your encounter.
Personify a pumpkin. Write a short story or poem from the perspective of a pumpkin in a pumpkin patch.
Create a list of ingredients and instructions for a magical potion. What does it do, and who would use it?
Imagine you’re a composer for a spooky movie. Write the song for a haunted house scene.
If your pet could talk for one day, what would you ask them, and what do you think they’d say?
Write a page from a friendly witch’s spellbook. What spells can she cast, and who benefits from them?
Describe a futuristic Halloween costume. What features does it have, and why is it cool?
Write an entry in the diary of a ghost who is trying to make friends with the living.
Describe a day in the life of a spider living in your backyard.
You find an ancient key in your attic. Where does it lead, and what adventures await you?
If you could swap superpowers with any superhero for a day, who would it be, and what would you do?
Write an entry in the journal of a time traveler who visits a historic event.
Write three haikus that capture the essence of autumn. Each haiku should focus on a different aspect of the season.
Write a story about a friendly ghost who befriends a lonely child.
Imagine the trees in your backyard could speak. Write a conversation between you and your favorite tree.
Describe a day in the life of a kind-hearted monster who lives under your bed.
Write a story about a group of kids who befriend an alien visiting Earth.
Describe your ideal dessert in mouth-watering detail. What flavours, textures, and toppings does it have?
You discover a time machine in your basement. Write about where and when you would travel to.
Write about your family’s favourite traditions during the fall season.
Write a story about a dragon who is a protector of the forest and its creatures.
Describe an island you’ve created in your imagination. Who lives there, and what adventures can be had?
Imagine you’re an astronaut exploring a distant planet. Describe your mission and what you discover.
Write a story about a magical forest where everything comes to life at night.
Describe a day in the life of a young explorer living in the year 3023.
Write a diary entry about your favourite October memory this year.

Looking for more inspiration for Halloween – we have a separate pack which just contains Creative Writing Prompts for Halloween .

FREE Printable Creative Writing Prompts

Would you like this set of prompts and others completely free? Then our Creative Writing Subscriber Library is where you need to be.

With monthly prompts, seasonal poetry prompts, specific topics and themes it’s constantly growing.

All you need to do to subscribe is fill in your detail below and you will receive a email with details of the link and password to access the library.

More Creative Writing Prompts for October

Why not combine these prompts with some fantastic Creative Writing Prompts for Autumn Poetry.

Pinterest image of FREE Printable October Creative Writing Prompts for Homeschoolers

Creative Writing Subscriber Library

Cerys Parker is the mum behind the home educating family at Rainy Day Homeschooling, she's a marine biologist, environmental educators and ex-teacher. Hands-on learning, reading around and delving into subjects deeper has been one of the most enjoyable things to homeschooling her kids and she shares her expertise here.

Santa Clara University

The jesuit university in silicon valley.

Creative Writing Minor
College of Arts and Sciences
Academic Programs

The Creative Writing Program offers students a coherent course of study in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction.

The creative writing minor is firmly grounded within the liberal arts tradition, integrating courses in poetry, fiction, screenwriting, and creative nonfiction writing within their broader literary and cultural context.

Introductory courses familiarize students with the practice and theory of creative writing. Advanced courses offer a workshop setting in which students write and critique one another’s work. Electives focus on particular genres of creative writing, such as Lifewriting, Fantasy and Science Fiction, and Screenwriting. All creative writing courses incorporate some study of literature as well as close attention to students’ own creative writing.

English majors who complete the Creative Writing minor may use their Creative Writing track courses for both the major and the minor.

*English majors who complete the Creative Writing minor may use their Creative Writing track courses for both the major and the minor.

Two Introductory Courses:

English 71 . Fiction Writing

English 72. Poetry Writing

Two Sections of the Practicum Course:

English 91. Literary Review Practicum

One Advanced Course:

English 171. Advanced Fiction Writing or English 172. Advanced Poetry Writing (may not double dip)

Three Electives From the Following:

English 73. Lifewriting
English 74. New Forms for Creative Writing
English 170. Writing for Children and Young Adults
English 171. Advanced Fiction Writing
English 172. Advanced Poetry Writing
English 173. Screenwriting
English 175. Creative Nonfiction
English 176. Creative Writing and Social Justice
English 177. Writing Genre Fiction
English 178. Creative Writing and Performing
English 179W. Playwriting
English 179. Advanced Playwriting

All SCU students have the opportunity to work on the University’s literary magazine. Published twice a year, the Review includes fiction, essays, poetry, book reviews, art and photography from the Santa Clara University Community and the Bay Area. In the Literary Magazine Practicum, one-unit courses offered every quarter, students discuss submissions.

Each year three department literary prizes for undergraduates are given: the McCann Prize for the best short story, the Shipsey Prize for the best poem or group of poems, and the Academy of American Poets “Tamara Verga Poetry Prize” for the best poem or group of poems. In addition, SCU participates in the Ina Coolbrith Memorial Poetry Prize, choosing three finalists to compete with other California university undergraduates. The winning manuscripts receive cash awards and maybe published in the Santa Clara Review.

The Writing Forward Reading Series brings creative writers with international, national, and regional reputations to the Santa Clara University campus for readings, classroom discussions, informal meetings with students, and interviews with the Santa Clara Review literary/arts magazine. This collaborative program between the English Department’s Creative Writing Program and the student-run Santa Clara Review is grounded in the Department’s and University’s commitment to involving undergraduate students in research collaboration with faculty, and is dedicated to reaching out to both the campus and local communities.

Poets and writers brought to campus include Robert Hass (U.S. Poet Laureate, Pulitzer Prize), Carolyn Forché (Yale Younger Poets, NEA and Lannan grants), Khaled Hosseini (NYT Bestseller List, SCU alumnus), Viet Thanh Nguyen (Pulitzer Prize, MacArthur Grant), Tobias Wolff (Pen/Faulkner Award, National Medal of the Arts), Reyna Grande (American Book Award, International Latino Book Award), Gerald Stern (National Book Award, Guggenheim), Juan Felipé Herrera (American Book Award, National Book Critics Circle Award, US Poet Laureate), Dana Gioia (American Book Award, Chair of NEA), Rigoberto Gonzalez (American Book Award, Guggenheim), Raina Leon (Cave Canem and MacDowell Fellow), Jim Shepard (Guggenheim Award, The Story Prize) Alexandra Teague (Stegner and NEA Fellowships), Norma Cantú (MLA Distinguished Scholar Award), and Cheryl Dumesnil (Agnes Lynch Starrett Prize, SCU alumna).

Students majoring or minoring in English and/or Creative Writing and those working on the Santa Clara Review from a variety of majors are actively engaged in planning, inviting, and organizing the series, in close collaboration with faculty. This involvement gives undergraduates hands-on experience with the fields of writing, publishing, and public relations, while also ensuring that the series continues to speak to our campus population. The faculty-student collaboration that undergirds the series is also mirrored in interdisciplinary collaboration on campus and in community collaboration off campus.

In the last few years, over two dozen SCU students who have studied Creative Writing have been accepted into M.A., M.F.A., and Ph.D. programs in Creative Writing at University of Virginia, University of Iowa, Syracuse University, New York University, San Francisco State, University of Denver, University of Montana, University of Arizona, Bennington College, UC Davis, Brown University, San Diego State University, San Jose State University, USC, among others. Several have received prestigious fellowships and teaching assistantships to these universities. English major alumni include Neal Jimenez, who won first prize at the Sundance Film Festival for his film, Waterdance, and Jeff Brazil, who won a Pulitzer Prize in Journalism.

Jerald Enos - Theater and Dance
Francisco Jimenez, Tonia Riviello - Modern Languages
Diane Dreher, Ron Hansen, Claudia MonPere McIsaac - English

Kirk Glaser, Claudia MonPere McIsaac, Cory Wade, Juan Velasco

Fiction and Screenwriting:

Kirk Glaser, Ron Hansen, David Keaton, Claudia MonPere McIsaac, Tim Myers, Juan Velasco

Nonfiction:

Simone Billings, Diane Dreher

For more information, contact:

Kirk Glaser

Director Creative Writing Program (408) 554-4384 Direct (408) 554-4837 Fax [email protected]

Creator School

Small, personalized classes;

highly qualified instructors

book-light-fairytale-fantasy-atmosphere-composing-mysterious-magic-books.jpg

Courses 2024

Surrealist Writing Workshop

For Middle School Students

Location: Zoom

Are you ready to explore the wild and wonderful world of surrealist writing? Let your imagination take flight! This workshop helps students tap into their limitless creativity with activities to develop their ability to play with words and ideas, fine-tune their craft through revision, analyze short mentor texts, present their work to an audience and learn how to give helpful feedback. The class is capped at 16, so students will receive personal attention and build a strong sense of community.

Instructor Sam Prestianni has over thirty years of experience teaching creative writing, expository writing, music, and media literacy to students of all ages. He is a Bay Area writer, editor, teacher, musician, filmmaker, and founder of 21st Century Learning .

June 24-28, 2024

12:30pm-2:30pm

Truth and Connection: A Course in Memoir

For Adults and Mature Teens

This popular, five-week memoir class investigates some of the vast array of memoir techniques, offers prompts with 5-15 minutes of writing time, a discussion of the challenges of memoir, publication leads, and feedback from the instructor on 25 double-spaced pages (if you wish). The atmosphere is warm and accepting and offers starting points for new writers and new possibilities for experienced writers. This 1-hour course is offered on Zoom one night a week.

Instructor Lita Kurth is a semi-retired college professor and the co-founder of San Jose's long-running Flash Fiction Forum, as well as the author of One Creative Writing Prompt A Day (Callisto Press, 2024). She has been published in numerous literary journals and her work has received multiple nominations and awards.

All Mondays in July, 2024

6:00pm-7:00pm

For High School Students

In this poetry and short fiction writing workshop, students will engage in multilayered literary analysis and creative problem-solving activities. Individual and collaborative writing practices will teach students to embrace multiple perspectives. Class times are flexible and classes virtual, custom-designed to meet each young writer's needs. Classes are capped at 6 students.

Pick dates that work for you! Click to learn more...

College Essay Camp

For Rising High School Seniors

Location: Cubberley Community Center, Palo Alto

In a positive, collaborative environment, rising seniors will learn the principles of an effective college essay, study successful models, generate original ideas, draft essays, and receive meaningful feedback from their teacher and peers. They will end the week with less fear, more inspiration, and a solid draft of their Common Application. They will also have the opportunity to work on UC applications, supplements, and scholarship applications. Classes are capped at 16. This one-week course will be offered twice; once in June and once in August.

Instructor Justin Brown earned a BA in Modern Literature and an MA in Creative Writing. He has been an English teacher for nineteen years, with much experience coaching the college essay.

June 24-28, 2024 or August 5-9, 2024 9:30am-12:30pm

Writer's Playground

In this popular middle school course, writers will play with a range of genres. Based on student interest, we may explore fiction, memoir, scriptwriting, poetry, and humor. We will also experiment with a variety of writing strategies, such as idea generation, dialogue, imagery, character development, foreshadowing and/or suspense. The class is capped at 16, so students will receive personal attention and build a strong sense of community.

Instructor Kari Nygaard is an experienced local middle school English and Creative Writing teache r. She has taught a range of summer courses in creative writing, civic leadership, and design thinking.

July 8-12, 2024

9:00am-12:00pm

Color Outside the Lines

For Adults (Teachers, Counselors, Parents... Anyone!)

Location: Zoom webinar

Most people avoid uncomfortable emotions, but this valuable workshop will help you embrace, explore, and understand your emotions by learning... to doodle them! As we all prepare to jump back into the whirlwind of the school year, treat yourself to this fun and engaging 2-hour workshop in which you learn to let go of perfectionism and tap into the creativity of your inner child. No drawing skills or experience with watercolors required.

Instructor Renée Johnson is an experienced middle school English teacher, creative writing camp leader, private writing tutor, and certified Heartwork Journaling coach.

Sunday, August 4, 2024 or

Sunday, August 11, 2024 3:00pm-5:00pm on Zoom

High School : Creative Writing Camp

Kari nygaard.

Director and Instructor

Kari Nygaard has taught middle school English for twenty years. For six of those years she was the Instructional Lead of her department, and for another six years she mentored teachers who were new to the profession. She currently teaches English and Creative Writing at JLS Middle School in Palo Alto. She has also taught in a variety of summer programs for youth all over the Bay Area, developing courses in civic leadership, design thinking, creative writing, college essay writing, Italian, music, and even HIV/AIDS education (in Malawi, Africa, back in 2003). Kari received a BA in International Studies from Middlebury College and an MA in Educational Administration from Santa Clara University. She has worked with the San Jose Area Writing Project both as a participant and an instructor; she is a regular volunteer with Poetic Justice ; and in 2015, she co-wrote a staff-student musical for her middle school.

Justin Brown

Justin Brown has taught high school English for more than nineteen years. He currently works at Henry M. Gunn High School, where he teaches Film Literature, Advanced English (grades 9 and 10), and Honors English (grades 11 and 12). Justin received a BA in Modern Literature from UC Santa Cruz and an MA in Creating Writing from San Francisco State University. He has tutored many students in creative writing and the art of the college essay. In his spare time, Justin enjoys acting and has performed on stage in two Palo Alto Players productions: Death of a Salesman and The Man Who Came to Dinner .

Sam Prestianni

Sam Prestianni is a veteran Bay Area writer, editor, teacher, musician, filmmaker, and founder of 21st Century Learning , an online platform that provides students with uplifting education and personal growth experiences that transcend the traditional classroom. For nearly three decades, he taught Language Arts, Humanities, and SEL Development in California independent schools while leading his own summer workshops in Creative Writing, Expository Writing, Media Literacy, and Music. A widely published journalist and critic, his work has appeared in dozens of magazines and newspapers, including SF Weekly, New York Press , and JAZZIZ magazine. His professional committee efforts include serving as a Juror for the MacArthur Fellowship Genius Grant. He has edited both fiction and nonfiction books. Often under a pen name, he has published fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction and toured the country as a literary performer and multimedia artist. He attended University of Maryland on a Writing Scholarship and earned a BA in English with a Writing minor.

Renée Johnson

Renée Johnson has a passion for helping others express themselves through writing. She moved to California from Massachusetts and graduated from California State University, Hayward with a BA in English and a focus in creative writing. She has been a full-time seventh and eighth grade English teacher in the Palo Alto Unified School District since 1998. She has experience teaching a variety of summer writing courses, including Future Author Camp, a writing camp for gifted creative writers. She also enjoys coaching adults and teens in a variety of writing projects, from personal statements to essays and speeches. Renée has worked with the San Jose Area Writing Project both as a participant and an instructor, and she is also a certified Heartwork Journaling coach.

Maya Mahony

Maya Mahony graduated from Stanford with a degree in English and creative writing and is currently a graduate student in fiction at the Iowa Writers' Workshop. Her stories and poems have been published in The Antigonish Review, Scrivener Creative Review, Anser Journal, BALLOONS Lit. Journal, Collision Literary Journal, Ambrosia Feminist Zine, the Stanford Daily, the Leland Quarterly , and Terrain.org .

Lita Kurth has taught at Santa Clara University and De Anza College as well as in private workshops for many years. A co-founder of San Jose’s Flash Fiction Forum, she holds three Master’s degrees, including an MFA. She is a recipient of the Diana Woods Memorial Award and a two-time Pushcart nominee (creative nonfiction and fiction). Sample publications include Lunchticket, Redux, Raven Chronicles, Main Street Rag, Tikkun, Chicago Literati, NewVerseNews, ellipsis…literature and art, Compose , and more.

Tarn Wilson

Tarn Wilson has been teaching creative writing to high school students and adults for over twenty years. She currently works at Gunn High School. She earned an MA in education from Stanford and an MFA in creative writing from the Rainier Writing Workshop, specializing in memoir and the personal essay. She is the author of the memoir The Slow Farm (2014), the award winning memoir-in-essays In Praise of Inadequate Gifts (2021), and 5-Minute Daily Writing Prompts: 501 Prompts to Unleash Your Creativity and Inspire You to Write (2022). Her essays have been published in numerous literary journals, including Brevity, The Harvard Divinity Bulletin, River Teeth, and The Sun , and she has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize.

Christopher Bell

Co-Founder and I.T. Support

Chris Bell has been teaching math and computer science since 2006. He has taught courses intended for beginning students and advanced students alike, including Programming for Mobile Devices, which he created. Having received degrees from UC Davis and Notre Dame de Namur University, he has also dedicated a large part of his career to teaching teachers how to effectively integrate technology into their courses, speaking at conferences, providing professional development, and teaching at local colleges.

Bobette Bibo Gugliotta Memorial Scholarship for Creative Writing

Deadline: 02/20/2024
Renewable: Unknown
Number of Awards: 2
Award Amount: $1,000
Website: www.siliconvalleycf.org
Phone: 650-450-5487
Fax: 650-450-5433
Email: [email protected]
Address: 2440 W. El Camino Real Suite 300 Mountain View, CA 94040

The Bobette Bibo Gugliotta Memorial Scholarship for Creative Writing was named after and created in honor of the late Bobette Bibo Gugliotta, author of several books.

Full Description

The Bobette Bibo Gugliotta Memorial Scholarship for Creative Writing amount is up to $1,000 and the foundation offers two one-time scholarships

Who's eligible?

Every scholarship has certain eligibility requirements that has to be met so as to be accepted as a possible winner.

When the Bobette Bibo Gugliotta Memorial Scholarship for Creative Writing is in question, the applicant has to:

Demonstrate passion for creative writing
Be graduating high school senior or graduate of a public or private high school in San Mateo County or Santa Clara County
Plan to enroll or be currently enrolled in a four-year college or university as a full-time student
United States citizen or eligible non-citizen (eligible non-citizens include United States legal residents and A.B. 540 students)

How to Apply

The application process is simple, but you will need to submit the required application documents in addition to the Apply SVCF application form.

The documentation is the following:

Personal Statement, that it a 500-850 word personal statement in which you will describe your short- and long-term goals and how furthering your education will assist you in reaching those goals, you should mention your personal characteristics, educational and extracurricular activities, you will speak about life lessons that you think will or have help(ed) you succeed in college and last but not the least, why you believe that you are a good candidate for this award.
Financial Need Documentation (PDF), meaning that U.S. citizens and legal U.S. residents should upload a copy of their completed FAFSA and Student Aid Report (SAR), while A.B. 540 / DACA students should pload a copy of either California Dream Act Application and Confirmation Page, first two pages of your parent or guardian’s most recent Federal Tax Forms 1040 or Financial Aid Award Letter (PDF) provided by the educational institution you are attending.
Two Letters of Recommendation (PDF) which need to be from a teacher or academic advisor on school letterhead, or a volunteer or work supervisor, community leader or personal acquaintance.
Official Transcripts of Grades (Submit both PDFs and hard copies), meaning that you should upload PDF versions of your official transcripts and mail hard copy originals to:
Attn: Scholarships Silicon Valley Community Foundation 2440 W. El Camino Real, Suite 300 Mountain View, CA 94040
Two Creative Writing Samples (PDF or Word) are also required with student’s application.

Related Scholarships

CSUB Adele Davis Scholarship Endowment
CANFIT Nutrition, Physical Education and Culinary Arts Scholarships
Electronic Arts/William J. Byron Endowed Fund for Student Support

IMAGES

Teaching Creative Writing in your Homeschool
How to Encourage Creative Writing in Your Homeschool
The Unlikely Homeschool: Creative Writing Prompt Bag
Creative Writing in Homeschool
WriteShop Homeschool Creative Writing Program
NEW! WriteShop I Starter Bundle (5th ed)

VIDEO

Creative Writing Unit
Homeschool creative dance
Episode 6: Acrostic Poems
Episode 7: Fiction & Nonfiction
Preschool Homeschool Writing #homeschoolmom #preschoollearning #homeeducation #toddlerlearning
Episode 4: Onomatopoeia

COMMENTS

Homeschool Reading & Writing
Recommended by Thousands of Homeschoolers Worldwide to Improve Reading & Writing. Night Zookeeper Transforms Your Child From a Reluctant Writer to a Creative Young Author.
Our Top Homeschool Writing Curriculum Picks
The curriculum I'm mentioning today are all things that we have used in the past and enjoyed. Hopefully they will help you get started when researching the best curriculum for your family. Watch my Top Homeschool Writing Curriculum Picks video here! Here are links to some of my favorite Science resources: BJU Press. IEW Writing.
Homeschool Writing Curriculum
The Write Foundation is a homeschool writing curriculum developed to equip students with the tools to quickly organize and compose sentences, ... 10, Grades 2-4) Students begin by writing complete basic sentences and quickly develop their basic sentences into creative, more complex sentences using the 9 foundational parts of speech.
Creative Writing In Your Homeschool
It offers an outlet for creativity and free expression, a place to explore ideas, and is an excellent way to practice communication skills. Check out this Homeschool Living for ideas for strategies for teaching creative writing, creative ways to encourage reluctant writers, and fun ways to use creative writing in your homeschool.
The Creative Writer, Level 1
In this creative writing curriculum for middle schoolers (roughly 6th- to 9th-grade), young writers of fiction and poetry learn vital skills such as point of view, characterization, plotting, dialogue, and description. Simple but innovative exercises encourage young writers to strengthen their vocabulary and become aware of the patterns of ...
How to Rock Homeschool Creative Writing (when you don't feel like THAT
What is Homeschool Creative Writing. Creative writing is like finding yourself in that photo. Naturally creative teachers know that putting thoughts on paper is the outside of what is brimming on the inside of an individual. Once explained to a child, he can bring comical thoughts, deep emotions and even fears to the surface for writing topics.
Homeschool Writing Curriculums
MasterBooks Writing's writing program, Writing Strands, is a composition writing course that incorporates grammar lessons and Bible-based content throughout the course. MasterBooks writing offers course from Kindergarten through 12th grade. There are several other wonderful writing and grammar curriculums for home school students like One ...
Cover Story: A Homeschool Creative Writing Curriculum That is So Much
Cover Story Cloud Set is a homeschool creative writing curriculum for grades 6-9. Students work on language arts skills by creating their own magazines. That is why it is called Cover Story! Through a wide range of writing assignments, kids create a magazine on a topic of interest. Kids create short stories, poems, reviews, editorials, and more
A Complete Guide To Creative Writing Curriculum for Homeschool High
Writing About Nature: A Creative Writing Book for Your Homeschool - The Writing About Nature book will help a wide range of writers who find their passion for nature moves them to document in words the creatures, plants, rhythms and cycles experienced in the great outdoors.. Fairy Tale Retelling - is a great Creative Writing assessment. For this project, students choose a fairy tale.
Homeschool Writing Curriculum
Homeschool Writing Curriculum. From essays and research papers to persuasive and creative writing, these homeschool writing curriculum and supplements from trusted publishers will help your child learn foundational composition skills and develop confidence in their writing abilities. Language Arts Curriculum; Homeschool; Handwriting Curriculum
Best Homeschool Writing Curriculum for Middle School
Best Comprehensive Program. Institute for Excellence in Writing Level B program, Andrew Pudewa. Another excellent homeschool writing curriculum for middle school students is the Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) program created by Andrew Pudewa. The IEW program is more systematic and broader in scope than Writing With Skill, and it ...
Top 10 Elementary Writing Curriculums- Homeschool Family Favorites
Writing Strands is a homeschool writing curriculum designed to help students develop strong writing skills through a step-by-step approach. The program focuses on teaching writing as a process, with lessons that cover brainstorming, outlining, drafting, revising, and editing. Writing Strands includes assignments that range from creative writing ...
Best Homeschool Writing Curriculum for High School
The homeschool writing program designed by the Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) is truly exceptional in its approach to teaching writing. ... basic reports, writing from pictures, research reports, creative writing, essays, and critiques. Each lesson begins with video instruction by Andrew Pudewa, the curriculum's author. Pudewa ...
Homeschool Writing Lessons
EIW™ Level 7 is a homeschool writing curriculum that features a slow, systematic approach for students aged 12-13 who want to learn how to write well. The step-by-step approach allows students to focus on small, daily assignments, so they don't feel overwhelmed. Includes access to ONLINE Student Book and Teacher Handbook Includes lesson-by ...
Ultimate Guide to Creative Writing for Elementary Kids
Teach Your Kids the Craft of Writing in Five, Fun Short Videos from Steam Powered Classroom- five delightful videos put together by Eva Ridenhour, 8-year-old homeschooler and published author. The Value of Published Books from Our Journey Westward- Over the years, we have self-published many books.
Home
Piece of Cake. I started using IEW in 2018 in my homeschool with my now twenty-year-old son. He wrote circles around all the others in his first-year college writing courses. He is in the top 10% of his college class and received an invitation (nominated by his writing instructor) to join Phi Theta Kappa honor society.
500+ FREE Creative Writing Prompts
Help kids have fun practicing all year round with over 500+ pages of creative writing prompts . Whether you are a parent, homeschooler, or teacher these writing prompts for kids will help students become confident writers. These are a great supplement for any english curriculum for grade 1 english, grade 2 english, grade 3 english, grade 4 ...
Creative Writing
Short Stories to Tall Tales. Our three live online creative writing courses are designed to delight 7th-12th grade homeschoolers who love to write their own stories and poems and who pine to have time to explore, refine, and share their creations. These small classes offer students a safe place to share, compare, and support each other.
WriteAtHome.com
WriteAtHome has offered online writing courses since 2001, and we have since added literature, ELA, and history courses for students of all abilities in grades 4-12. Our writing courses include personalized tutoring from our writing coaches, and our other classes provide teacher and TA support. WriteAtHome exists to support families by helping ...
October Creative Writing Prompts for Kids
Here are the 31 Creative Writing Prompts for October to share with your kids. Don't forget you can subscribe to get access to this and other prompts or purchase the complete set from our shop. Write a short spooky story about a haunted house. Invent a new Halloween candy and describe its taste, appearance, and name.
California Homeschool Co-ops & Academic Enrichment Classes
Write You Are! Creative Writing Classes for Youth ages 10 and up El Cerrito. Pop-up creative writing sessions and regular classes for homeschoolers, ages 10 and up are held in El Cerrito throughout the year. There are classes for youth ages 10-12 and ages 13-18. … Write You Are! Creative Writing Classes for Youth ages 10 and up details
Creative Writing Minor
The Writing Forward Reading Series brings creative writers with international, national, and regional reputations to the Santa Clara University campus for readings, classroom discussions, informal meetings with students, and interviews with the Santa Clara Review literary/arts magazine.This collaborative program between the English Department's Creative Writing Program and the student-run ...
Writing Camps
No drawing skills or experience with watercolors required. Instructor Renée Johnson is an experienced middle school English teacher, creative writing camp leader, private writing tutor, and certified Heartwork Journaling coach. Sunday, August 4, 2024 or. Sunday, August 11, 2024. 3:00pm-5:00pm on Zoom.
Bobette Bibo Gugliotta Memorial Scholarship for Creative Writing
Number of Awards: 2. Award Amount: $1,000. Website: www.siliconvalleycf.org. Phone: 650-450-5487. Fax: 650-450-5433. Email: [email protected]. Address: 2440 W. El Camino Real Suite 300 Mountain View, CA 94040. The Bobette Bibo Gugliotta Memorial Scholarship for Creative Writing was named after and created in honor of the late ...

Our Top Homeschool Writing Curriculum Picks

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Writing Doesn't Have to be a Struggle

TWF Curriculum Descriptions: Click Here to Order Now

Jr. High and High School Level Courses

Elementary Level Courses

ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION TESTS: Determine the right level for your student(s).

Recent Articles

View, Print, and Practice the Sample Lessons

Now Available!

How to Rock Homeschool Creative Writing (when you don’t feel like THAT creative mom)

Freedom from the Homeschool Curriculum Box

What is Homeschool Creative Writing

More Homeschool Creative Writing Tips

Writing and Composition Resources For All Ages

Aesop for Children: Story and D'Nealian Copybook Volume I (Aesop for Children Story and Copybook)

Writing Strands: Beginning 1

Writing with Ease: Level 1 Workbook (The Complete Writer)

Jump In, 2nd Edition: Middle School Composition

The Power in Your Hands: Writing Nonfiction in High School, 2nd Edition

Writing Rockstars

The Art of Poetry

Cover Story Set

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Cover Story: A Homeschool Creative Writing Curriculum That is So Much Fun

Table of Contents

A Look Inside Cover Story

Videos, Student Book, and Journal:

Thoughts on This Homeschool Creative Writing Curriculum

You Might Also Like

Excellent Bible Study Curriculum for Your High Schooler {A Review}

Dyslexia Gold: See How This May Help Your Struggling Reader

EEME: An Excellent Subscription Program For Kids

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

A Complete Guide To Creative Writing Curriculum for Homeschool High School

Creative Writing Curriculum Options

Other Ways to Teach Creative Writing

More Writing Options for High School

Reader Interactions

Top 10 Elementary Writing Curriculums- Homeschool Family Favorites

Top Ranked Homeschool Family Favorites Elementary Writing Curriculums

Rounding Out The Top 10 Homeschool Elementary Writing Curriculums

2022 Best Homeschool Curriculum Guide

Best Homeschool Writing Curriculum for High School

Best All-Around Program

Best Classical Program

Best Christian Program

Essentials in Writing

Essentials in Writing Level 7 Second Edition

English Bundle

Customize your package

Don't forget

Assessment/Resource Booklet

UNIT ONE: GRAMMAR

UNIT TWO: COMPOSITION

Sample Lesson Video – Level 7

Level 7 – Sample PDFs

Frequently Asked Questions About Level 7 Writing Curriculum

What is taught in Level 7?

What is the 7th grade homeschool writing curriculum?

Why choose Essentials in Writing?

7th grade writing as a Tutoring Program

What is included in the Workbook and Assessment Resource Book?

What if I have multiple students?

What should a grade 7 homeschool student know by the end of the year?

What is included in the course?

Does each unit come with worksheets and tests?

Does the workbook include a daily/weekly curriculum planner?

How much time will students need to complete a course?

Can I grade my student papers myself?

The Difference Between Digital and Print Textbook/Workbook

Additional Student Level Textbook/Workbook

About The Scoring Service

How Do The Scoring Services Work?

Read More About Our Scoring Service

Essentials in Writing comes with Online Streaming Video Instruction

Unit 1: Fiction (Short Stories)

Unit 2: Nonfiction (Short Literary Works)

Unit 3: Novel

Class Details

Foundational Elements