Creative Story Writing IEW
For Grades 4-7
Live Online – Wednesday 11:00-11:50 am
Students love the creative writing units in my popular IEW writing classes, and
they keep asking for more! This class is for students who love to write stories
and want to keep learning and writing.
Topics will include descriptive writing, imagery, figurative language, retelling narrative stories, creating authentic dialogue, borrowing a plot, personal narratives, writing from pictures, tiny stories, dropping the reader into a scene, using details to show not tell, the narrative arc, and planning a novella.
Students will be provided with structure and feedback, and encouraged to be creative.
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To see a sample of student work from this year’s class, click here.
Here’s what parents are saying about this class:
My daughter took Mrs. Dodson’s creative writing class this year and she loved it! This was our first time having Mrs. Dodson as a teacher, and I was so impressed with her. The class was engaging, well thought out, and she graded the homework so quickly with encouraging, yet constructive words. My daughter grew immensely in her ability to write this year due to Mrs. Dodson’s help and encouragement. She now wants to be a writer when she grows up! Thank you, Mrs. Dodson! –Michelle B.
Our daughter has been taking virtual classes with Ms. Holly for two years now. Watching her grow in both her confidence level and enjoyment of writing has been amazing! She looks forward to class and often feels so inspired by the class time that she gets right to work on her own story assignment. We are so grateful to have found these virtual classes that fit into our homeschool schedule and provide inspirational, supportive, direct instruction to our child. –Sarah G.
Here’s what students are saying about this class:
While taking this class, I became more motivated to write. I also became a lot more confident in my work… We do go over ways to improve our writing, but it’s more about expanding our imagination than anything else…I’ve finally started working on the book I really wanted to write thanks to this class. –6th grade student
I loved your class! I love your teaching and the stories we did… I enjoyed having some freedom with the assignments also. I think hearing other students’ stories helped me with inspiration and I liked hearing the variations of stories since we all started with the same thing. I think I really grew with this class… I also enjoyed the variations of stories we studied because I love learning about different time periods, cultures, characters, monsters, and animals. I look forward to everything you teach! –4th grade student
I enjoy the creative writing class so much…This class was less structured with more freedom and creativity, and that’s what I really enjoy about it. I can be as wild or long as I want in my writing. This year, we got to share our stories with the class almost every week, and I love doing that. I like to get a chance to share my stories, and it makes me feel good when people have feedback about how they liked it. I love this class, and I definitely recommend it for any writers who love to be creative. –6th grade student
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Intro to IEW For Young Writers
For Grades 2-3
Live Online – Tuesday 11:00-11:50 am
Students will be introduced to IEW-style writing (based on Andrew Pudewa’s Institute for Excellence in Writing program). Students will learn to create key word outlines and be introduced to “dress ups” designed to make writing more interesting. Using models and checklists for daily writing, students learn a “formula” for good writing, taking the guesswork out of an often bewildering subject.
We will use original source materials, created by Holly, based on more than a decade of working with IEW students and learning what they love to write about. Students will write about seahorses, bees, koalas, Komodo dragons, coati, elephants, ostriches, and more! High-interest materials make writing more fun! All materials are included in a pdf document that you can print at home.
Pre-requisites: Students should be comfortable writing sentences and be able to copy notes off the board onto their own paper.
Here’s what parents are saying about this class:
Here’s what parents have to say about this class:
Mrs. Holly Dodson is an incredible teacher! She manages to engage all her students and fosters a very positive environment for everyone. My daughter has loved learning in all of her classes with Mrs. Holly. I would highly recommend the writing class for struggling writers. My once reluctant writer has produced great writing work samples thanks to Mrs. Holly. And the Social Studies class covers all of the standards for 2nd grade, and more. They are both great classes. We look forward to continuing classes with Mrs. Holly in the years to come. -E. Morales
“We just loved this class so much! My son has gone from not wanting to write to being able to write a four page story. We are really looking forward to next year’s class!” Mrs. Voss
Here’s what students have to say about this class:
“The thing I like best is making my writing more interesting.”
“I have learned how to write better. You should take Miss Holly’s class because you learn a lot and because Miss Holly is very nice.”
“The class teaches a lot, in good ways.”
“The thing I like best is learning new dress ups. You should try this class because it’s fun.”
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Beginning IEW
For Grades 3-5
Live Online – Monday 10:00-10:50 am
Live Online – Tuesday 9:00-9:50
Writing can be one of the most difficult subjects to teach. Students find themselves staring helplessly at a blank sheet of paper without any idea where to begin.
In this class, which is based on Andrew Pudewa’s Institute for Excellence in Writing Program, students are given source materials, so they always know what to write about (No more, “I don’t know what to write!”), and they learn specific techniques for improving their writing style. Using models and checklists, they always know exactly what is expected of them in their writing assignments, leading to more independent writing.
During this course, students learn how to create key word outlines, a valuable skill that helps them in writing and note-taking in all content areas.
- Students learn to use “dress ups” and “sentence openers,” specific stylistic techniques that add variety to sentence structure.
- Using models and checklists for daily writing, students learn a “formula” for good writing, taking the guesswork out of an often bewildering subject.
- Students will write about fascinating animals including snakes, bats, sharks, giraffes, crocodiles, tigers, frogs, and gorillas. High-interest materials make writing more fun!
Register Here (Monday)
Register Here (Tuesday)
Here’s what parents are saying about this class:
My daughter struggled to start writing a paragraph on her own. After a semester in your Beginning IEW class, she is now writing three paragraphs with ease. Thank you for building and strengthening her writing skills. It has completely transformed her as a writer. I would strongly recommend this class to anyone. –Natalie Butterweck
One of my kids was a reluctant writer but Ms. Dodson’s IEW class has changed my daughter’s attitude towards writing. The IEW program seems to work for my daughter and Ms. Dodson explains well so my daughter’s writing has improved immensely. She has a lot more confidence in writing, which is wonderful! –Sarah
“My daughter LOVES your writing class. Before taking your class she struggled with writing. She would get overwhelmed with where to start and wouldn’t be able to write anything without a lot of help. These classes have given her the tools and confidence to write about anything and everything independently! I love how she has learned to break down the writing assignments into easy chunks and then at the end put it all together forming a beautifully written essay. I am learning so much as well! Thank you so much for offering this class!!!” Mrs. Giaramita
“I have seen a lot of growth in Brooklynn’s writing from your Beginning IEW class. She actually enjoys writing now and I’m able to work with her quite easily based on the format that you provide in your weekly classes. I will plan to sign her up for your IEW Ancient History writing class next year…Thank you for your classes and for sharing your unparalleled passion for all things reading and writing! —Mrs. Brown
“As a mother I have seen his struggles, and now he faces his fear of writing armed with your checklist of dress-ups. He is able to sit down alone and type out paragraphs without tears and anxiety. He’s found pride in his work and he loves to share his thoughts. Your class has made such a difference in his education. Thank you so very much!” –Mrs. Kennedy
“Jack’s writing has improved leaps and bounds from your IEW class and I look forward to him continuing with you next year.” —Mrs. Tamm
Here’s what students have to say about this class:
“All the students in the class help each other out. I like sharing my ideas with them and working together to make our keyword outlines. I always have lots of ideas running around my brain but we all come up with different ideas that are creative. It is fun to work together. The best part of IEW is my teacher Mrs. Holly. She makes writing exciting and fun. I am thankful for everything she has taught me. I know one day I can be a great writer like her. She helps me learn hard things and makes it fun. I love Mrs. Holly and my whole IEW class.” –4th grade student
“One of my favorite things in this class was being challenged to be creative. Another thing I liked was the dress-ups, because it made my writing more interesting. Dress-ups are like your little magical words that make people want to read your story… But the best thing was my teacher Mrs. Holly Dodson. She is smart, fun and all in all the best teacher I’ve ever had.”—4th grade student
“I have learned a lot of helpful skills in Beginning IEW with Grammar. One particular tool I learned to use is dress-ups. Using dress-ups helps me become a more detailed writer. I enjoy reading my paragraphs after putting in dress-ups, because they enhance what I’ve already written and make it more interesting. Another helpful thing I’ve learned in Ms. Dodson’s class is writing a rough draft with notes before completing my paragraph. Reviewing notes before writing a paragraph helps simplify the thinking process before writing. Learning these new skills helps me become a more organized writer.” –4th grade student
“When I take this class I feel brave because I know I can write and I don’t have to be afraid.”
“The writing is easier, and the teacher helps a lot.”
“It’s fun, and you learn a lot, including how to make writing fun and interesting. I learned about dress ups and how to write about different things.”
“What I love about this class is I love writing stuff and I love making friends.”
“The class improved my writing and made me more confident in what to write instead of having to sit in my chair with nothing to write.”
IEW Ancient History-Based Writing
For Grades 4-6
Live Online – Thursday 10:00-10:50 am
Experience the adventures of the ancient world! This theme-based writing curriculum exposes students to the ancient world through cultural literature and the study of famous places and events while they learn to write with Structure and Style.
In this class, students will practice IEW-style writing (based on Andrew Pudewa’s Institute for Excellence in Writing program) using ancient history-based writing lessons. This is a great class for students who have some IEW experience and want to continue reviewing and practicing writing from a source and using key word outlines, dress ups, and openers. The text sources in this class are ancient history-based, so students will learn some history and vocabulary while focusing on becoming skilled and confident independent writers.
Please note: Although the student book contains some religious material, this class is secular, and any Biblical references are incidental rather than the focus of the writing. You may need to assure some charter schools that this is a secular class in order to have them approve the class and student books.
Here’s what parents are saying about this class:
Great intro to IEW and very positive class each week. It has helped her start to become a writer with much more ease and clarity. My daughter was not always a confident writer and she has blossomed this year from taking her IEW class with Holly! It has been such a pleasant, positive experience in a subject she has always been hesitant in. I am so thankful we found her classes. Thank you- Sara Carpenter.
My son has taken a few courses with Mrs. Holly and I have seen great improvement. Not only is he now very confident with his writing skills but he continues to surprise me every time he writes and speaks. His vocabulary is so extensive. My child has decided to become an author due to the love of writing he has developed throughout these past few years of taking courses with Mrs. Holly.
-Andrea G.
Here’s what students have to say about this class:
“The IEW Ancient history made writing more exciting than I ever thought it could be. The keyword outlines and dress ups are fantastic because they make writing so much easier. Keyword outlines help me sort my wacky thoughts, which are everywhere before I outline, and dress ups make my writing more bearable to read… After I started taking the class, it inspired me to make my own stories, which I enjoy sharing around the table…The teacher is the best! She is always ready to assist you, and she is very patient…Because I love writing, I would recommend this excellent class to a friend in a heartbeat. I had a great time going to IEW because it had fun challenges that I overcame and can’t wait to come back next year to learn more.”
“I like that when I write my own essays or stories now I automatically use all the dress ups, and that makes my essays so much better.”
“I like the style of IEW because it slowly adds in things you have to learn, but in a fun way.”
“I like how it makes writing easier.”
“Overall, this is the best class I’ve taken—ever.”
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IEW Writing Wonders of Science
For Grades 5-7
Live Online – Monday 1:30-2:20 pm
Students will write about science-themed topics such as insects, inventions, and famous scientists while they learn to write with Structure and Style.
In this class, students will practice IEW style writing (based on Andrew Pudewa’s Institute for Excellence in Writing program) using science-themed writing lessons. This is a great class for students who have some IEW experience and want to continue reviewing and practicing writing from a source and using key word outlines, dress ups, and openers. The text sources in this class are science based, so students will learn some science and vocabulary while focusing on becoming skilled, confident, independent writers.
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Focus on Writing
For Grades 5-9
Live Online – Monday 11:00-11:20 am
This is my most rigorous writing class, designed to prepare students for writing essays for middle school, high school, and beyond. We will focus on writing well-developed paragraphs with a strong topic sentence, supporting details with examples and explanations, and a concluding sentence. We will then quickly move into writing five paragraph essays of different genres, including informative, compare/contrast, cause/effect, process, literature analysis, and persuasive. Students will learn to write thesis statements and strong introductory and concluding paragraphs for each of their essays.
Students will be expected to do some research for some of their assignments. We will discuss evaluating sources for credibility, avoiding plagiarism, using AI as a tool not a crutch, and more.
All of these skills will be taught with direct instruction, modeling, and practice, in a step by step sequence that makes essay writing approachable and attainable.
Students should be comfortable writing multiple paragraphs each week. Students who struggle with sentence structure, paragraph structure, or coming up with ideas to write about are encouraged to start with one of my many IEW writing classes before tackling this class.
This is writing boot camp to help students become proficient in the more advanced writing they are expected to do in high school and beyond. Students will have weekly homework of one to three paragraphs per week, and will be expected to proofread carefully, and have at least one other person (a peer or preferably an adult) proofread as well, prior to turning in their work.
The class is multi-age, but is best for grades 6 and up, although advanced fifth graders who are confident paragraph writers are welcome as well.
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