Course Details:
- 1 live class per week
- Subscription continues until paused or cancelled
- Live Class Length: 45 minutes
- 10 seats per section
- Homework is assigned
- Formal grades
- Materials
The teacher will provide all materials. Students will need to use Google Docs.
Essay Writing 911: Help With All Types of Middle School Essays
Are your essay writing skills on life support? Get help! You will learn how to write different types of 5-paragraph essays so you can write fast and fabulous papers! Students write a fully-developed essay each month with teacher feedback.
- Live Course
- Weekly Subscription
- English Language Arts
- Middle School
Section Options / Enroll:
- Description
- Lesson Schedule
- Class Intro Video
- A Biblical Worldview
- The Lemons-Aid Way
- Teacher Bios
- Outschool
- Request a Section
Description
โณ๏ธ ๐๐ข๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐ก๐จ๐จ๐ฅ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฌ๐ก ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐๐๐ฆ๐จ๐ง๐ฌ-๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐ซ๐ง๐ข๐ง๐
We have a number of offerings that are good for learners with different needs! To see a comparison chart of our middle school English language arts offerings, click the link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1C4kPDI-gpxZD1Lap7vwqW9QwWsqQSwZ0/view?usp=sharing
๐๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ๐: Essays, Essays, Essays!
In all our time meeting students and hearing about what they like to do for fun, no single student has said, “I just love writing essays.” ๐ฑ We get it. However, essay writing is a must-have skill that you will need through high school and college and even into the workplace. Further, writing builds brain power and makes you smarter. We promise!
๐๐ต๐ช๐ผ๐ผ ๐๐ฎ๐ผ๐ฌ๐ป๐ฒ๐น๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ธ๐ท:
In this class, students learn to pound out quality essays quickly! ๐ช In our live class, students practice sentence writing with immediate teacher feedback to improve their grammar and sophistication. Afterward, the instructor directly teaches a skill (e.g. writing a thesis statement) or concept (e.g. the difference between evidence and analysis). We give students graphic organizers and writing guides to help them through the process. As students practice the skill during in-class workshop time, the instructor gives feedback on the spot in real-time. They complete their writing after class. Throughout the following week, the instructor gives detailed feedback and suggestions when students turn in work. The student can go back and forth with the teacher on revisions as long as they are enrolled. Students need the repetition of week-to-week learning along with explicit teaching and guided practice to become proficient writers. These weeks are packed with instruction, workshop time, writing, practice, feedback, and revision, and students become effective at churning out all types of essays. ๐ฅ
๐ ๐๐ต๐ช๐ผ๐ผ ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ญ๐พ๐ต๐ฎ:
We focus on a different type of essay each month. As the month progresses, each class builds on the previous one, but students can join at any time. We have ways to help them jump in and start learning right away! This general plan is subject to change based on each section’s meeting schedule and holidays.
๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ง๐จ๐ฉ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ ๐ค๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ข๐ค๐ฃ๐ฉ๐: ๐๐ง๐-๐๐ง๐๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐ & ๐ฟ๐ง๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐ – Brainstorming, researching, generating ideas, planning, organizing, outlining) AND writing the body paragraphs
๐๏ธ ๐๐๐ ๐จ๐๐๐ค๐ฃ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ ๐ค๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ข๐ค๐ฃ๐ฉ๐: ๐๐ก๐๐๐ค๐ง๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ. Using four techniques, writers improve the body paragraphs with elaboration (this is hard!)
๐ข ๐๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ ๐ค๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ข๐ค๐ฃ๐ฉ๐: ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐ง๐ค & ๐พ๐ค๐ฃ๐๐ก๐ช๐จ๐๐ค๐ฃ
๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ช๐ง๐ฉ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ ๐ค๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ข๐ค๐ฃ๐ฉ๐: ๐๐๐ซ๐๐จ๐๐ฃ๐ & ๐๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐
**If there’s a fifth week, we work on grammar and improving sentence sophistication.**
๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ก๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ฒ๐ฌ:
๐ค The month of Aug: Argument Writing (the GOAT)
๐ The month of Sept: Literary Analysis (film)
๐ฉป The month of Oct: Literary Analysis (short story)
๐ The month of Nov & Dec: Literary Analysis of Music & Poetry (compare/contrast)
๐ The month of Jan: Writing About Issues (argumentative writing–understanding: claim, reasons, evidence, analysis)
โค๏ธ The month of Feb: The Research Essay (historical figures)
๐ฌ The month of Mar: The Research Essay (historical events)
๐ง The month of Apr: The Analytical Essay (advanced argumentative writing)
๐ฌ The month of May: Persuasive Writing (persuasion & rhetoric)
๐ฉ The month of June: Informative Writing (offering information on a well-known topic)
๐โโ๏ธ The month of July: Research-Based Informative Writing (the how-to essay)
๐ป ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฎ ๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ก๐ก:
๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต ๐๐ฐ๐ต๐ช๐ท๐ข๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ & ๐๐ค๐ค๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ต๐ข๐ฃ๐ช๐ญ๐ช๐ต๐บ–We use “workshop time” in class so students will write while the teacher “visits” them on their Google Document. The immediacy of the feedback/revision cycle with the instructor helps writers improve rapidly. Additionally, once we started using this method, we saw nearly a ๐ญ๐ฌ๐ฌ% ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐๐๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ฒ๐๐๐ฎ๐๐!
๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ธ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ฌ–Students can expect to have homework after each live class. They will work 45-60 minutes weekly, depending on the assignment and how quickly they work. Students receive authentic and constructive feedback from the instructor that helps students correct their mistakes and fine-tune their skills. We integrate grammar in all aspects of instruction, and we hold students to a high standard of academic writing. We achieve this through daily mini-lessons and practice with sentence writing and using various sentence starters.
๐๐ณ๐ข๐ฑ๐ฉ๐ช๐ค ๐๐ณ๐จ๐ข๐ฏ๐ช๐ป๐ฆ๐ณ๐ด–Students need graphic organizers to help them see the structure of a paragraph or essay and the writing process. This is how they learn to develop coherent ideas and logical arguments. They don’t figure out how to do this magically; the graphic organizers and the intentional, explicit teaching help them learn the skills!
๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต ๐๐ข๐ด๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ๐บ–Each class includes explicit, direct instruction with teacher modeling. Students are guided toward mastery of multiple writing skills and understandings so that they grasp the concepts and become independent. Students are held to a high standard of academic writing, including the use of grammar and the construction of sophisticated sentences. We have high expectations for student learning and output.
๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ค๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ณ ๐๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฅ๐ฃ๐ข๐ค๐ฌ–The back-and-forth work between a student and teacher significantly benefits a student if done well. We follow best practices in designing class time, assignments, and routines. According to Pennington Publishing, effective writing feedback (or grading) is:
โข Specific, not general
โข Immediate, not postponed
โข Routine with a revision / feedback cycle
โข Explanatory
โข The right amount
โข Targeted to the most critical issues
โข Varied (written, audio, and video comments)
โข Holding students accountable
๐๐น๐ฑ๐ญ๐ช๐ค๐ช๐ต ๐ต๐ฆ๐ข๐ค๐ฉ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ–Students desperately need this method of instruction, but it is tragically missing in schools across the country! Instead of leaving students to magically figure out how to write an essay, we teach explicitly, a method backed by decades of scientific evidence for its effectiveness. Itโs how Mrs. Lemons teaches her undergraduate and graduate teacher candidates in college to teach! We do it this way because itโs how kids learn. Explicit instruction is โa structured, systematic, and effective methodology for teaching academic skills. It is called explicit because it is an unambiguous and direct approach to teaching that includes both instructional design and delivery procedures. Explicit instruction is characterized by a series of supports or scaffolds, whereby students are guided through the learning process with clear statements about the purpose and rationale for learning the new skill, clear explanations and demonstrations of the instructional target, and supported practice with feedback until independent mastery has been achieved.โ
-๐๐น๐ฑ๐ญ๐ช๐ค๐ช๐ต ๐๐ฏ๐ด๐ต๐ณ๐ถ๐ค๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ: ๐๐ง๐ง๐ฆ๐ค๐ต๐ช๐ท๐ฆ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐๐ง๐ง๐ช๐ค๐ช๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต ๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ค๐ฉ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ by Anita L. Archer and Charles A. Hughes.
Anita Archer trained Mrs. Lemons in workshops, and it changed her teaching. All Lemons-Aid courses follow this philosophy in the form of I DO, WE DO, YOU DO. We move students forward toward mastery of skills.
Lesson Schedule
coming soon…
Class Introduction Video
Coming soon…
Taught From a Christian Perspective
Our mission is to equip learners’ minds and shepherd their hearts. We want them to have saving faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and then develop a biblical worldview. This means they view their world, themselves, and God in a way that aligns with what the Bible teaches. This brings great peace and understanding to the believer because we serve a good, sovereign God. This course is taught with these goals in mind. In class, we may pray, read scripture, and discuss how to view the content from a Christian perspective.
We have adoptedย The Masterโs Seminary Doctrinal Statement.
Learners Need Explicit Instruction!
Explicit teaching is a method of instruction students desperately need! It is the opposite of a constructivist philosophy whereby students try to construct meaning themselves.
Well…
Instead of leaving students to magically figure out how to write an essay or read or do a geometry proof, we teach explicitly, which is backed by a large body of evidence, and it’s how Mrs. Lemons teaches her undergraduate and graduate teacher candidates in college to teach! We do it this way because it’s how kids learn.
Explicit instruction is “a structured, systematic, and effective methodology for teaching academic skills. It is called explicit because it is an unambiguous and direct approach to teaching that includes both instructional design and delivery procedures. Explicit instruction is characterized by a series of supports or scaffolds, whereby students are guided through the learning process with clear statements about the purpose and rationale for learning the new skill, clear explanations and demonstrations of the instructional target, and supported practice with feedback until independent mastery has been achieved.”
-Explicit Instruction: Effective and Efficient Teaching by Anita L. Archer and Charles A. Hughes.
Anita Archer trained Mrs. Lemons in workshops, and it changed her teaching. Read a little more about the research behind explicit teaching here and here.
To read more about your teaching and learning methods, read Mrs. Lemons’ blog.
The Lemons-Aid Team
Lemons-Aid teachers have a few things in common.
โค๏ธ They love their students and value each of their unique strengths and personalities that make our classes special. Our classes can be described as fun, personal, academic, challenging, and supportive.
๐คฉ We work to keep learners engaged, so there is always a degree of student accountability for their attention and focus, whether that be through asking them direct questions or by using the chatbox.
๐ญ We know all kids can learn, but sometimes things are hard! To support students, we teach them how to develop effective thinking and learning habits that will bring them success in class and in life.
๐ Building relationships with students so they know we care about them helps us balance the high expectations we have for them regarding their effort, work quality, and behavior. Our students are encouraged, cared for, and they achieve!
๐๐ผ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐: English Language Arts
#High-Energy #Skilled #Experienced #Relational #Fun
Karen is the Founder of Lemons-Aid. She has a bachelor’s degree in English, a minor in Education, and a master’s degree in Education Administration from Liberty University. With a teaching certificate and a principal’s license in both Washington and Colorado, she has many years of experience teaching English Language Arts and History / Social Studies at the middle school and high school levels. Additionally, she is TESOL and TEFL certified and enjoys teaching English Language Learners from all over the world. She has worked in private and public schools at every level and is currently an affiliate faculty member at Colorado Christian University, supervising teacher candidates in their undergraduate and graduate teacher education programs. She is a teacher of teachers. A homeschool mom herself, she admits that teaching other people’s kids is easier than teaching her own teenage boys! She lives in the Denver, Colorado area where she cheers on the Broncos, Avs, and the Rockies, but her favorite athletes are her own kids who play hockey and baseball!
๐ฅ Karen’s Intro Video
๐ฑ๐ฌ๐ต๐ต ๐น๐ฐ๐จ๐ณ๐ฌ: English Language Arts
#Experienced #Knowledgeable #Empowering #Patient #Rises Above the Ordinary.
As a certified English teacher, Jenn has taught in some capacity over the course of the past twenty-five years. She has taught middle school and high school English classes in both private and public school settings, tutored international ESL students online, developed and taught literature and public speaking classes for a local homeschool co-op, and homeschooled her own two children. Jenn has a bachelorโs degree in English Education. A strong believer in lifelong learning, Jenn has also taken several graduate-level courses related to teaching. Jenn enjoys spending time with her husband, Mark, and their two teenagers. She enjoys taking day trips close to where they live in upstate New York. In her spare time, Jenn enjoys singing and performing in plays. Additionally, she enjoys curling up on the sofa to read a good book. More than likely, one of her four cats will be curled up at her feet.
๐ฅ Jenn’s Intro Video
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ผ๐: Elementary
#Fun #Inspiring #LoveForLearning
Kristen has a Bachelor’s Degree in Education with a minor in child psychology from Liberty University. For nearly a decade, she has worked in elementary school classrooms, as a private tutor, and as an online ELL teacher. While passionate about education in general, her favorite subjects to both study and teach are reading, grammar, and writing. She and her husband are actively involved in a church where she works as a Sunday School teacher and Children’s Ministry teacher to ages 4-6. No matter where she is teaching, Kristen tries to find ways to connect with her students and to create an exciting classroom that builds a passion for education. It is her desire to not only teach a subject but also to foster a love of learning which inspires students to want to learn more even once the class is completed. Kristen lives in Virginia with her husband, daughter, and their new baby boy! In her spare time, Kristen loves to create teaching content such as interactive lesson plans, worksheets, and more! She also enjoys doing family outings and crafting.
๐ฅ Kristen’s Intro Video
๐๐๐. ๐ผ๐๐:
Elementary
#Engaging #Fun #Patient #Kind #Encouraging
Ali has a Bachelorโs Degree in Early Childhood Education and has worked with children over the last 11 years. She taught for 6 years in public school, 2 years in Kindergarten and 4 years in First Grade. She has worked as a reading tutor and ESL teacher online for the last 4 years; she has also tutored children in-person in reading, writing, and STEM. Ali believes that every child is a natural learner; she believes that an educatorโs goal is to engage each child in the way that they learn best! She is passionate about creating a safe and FUN environment that teaches the whole child. Each time she enters a classroom, whether it is in-person or online, you can find her singing, playing games, and making learning fun. Ali lives in Missouri, near St. Louis with her husband and fur-child (an 80 lb. German Shepherd who doesnโt know how big he is). In her free time she loves reading, writing, crafts, hiking, working out, and spending time with my family.
๐ฅ Ali’s Intro Video
๐๐๐๐ฝ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐๐๐๐๐: English
#Energetic #Kind #Encouraging #Authentic #Enthusiastic #Guide
Kim loves life, loves people, and loves learning! She views each student as a team member with his or her own unique talents, skills and life experience to bring to the group. She loves helping students expand their knowledge and sharpen their skills to reach their greatest potential. Kim has a Bachelor’s degree from Cairn University in secondary Education with certification in English (NY and PA) and endorsement in music. Her classroom experience has focused on English, PE and Bible education, but she has tutored in a variety of areas including ESL, special ed, math, history, science and music (piano and voice). She lives in northeast PA with her wonderful family. She has homeschooled all of her seven children. The youngest five are still in school and ensure that every day is an adventure. Kim also coaches intramural and competitive sports throughout the year. She loves music, sports, reading and taking long walks up her dirt road admiring wildflowers, listening to birds and reflecting on what she is learning in life!
๐ฅ Kim’s Intro Video
Christian Teachers on Outschool
We want to serve you on Lemons-Aid! For first-time learners on Lemons-Aid, you can use the coupon code Newbie20 to get $20 off your first class.
However, if the schedule doesn’t work for you, we will happily teach you on Outschool, but we can’t talk about Jesus.
Use this referral code and get $20 off your first class on Outschool: LEMONSA2020
Request a New Section
Want to see this class offered at another time? Send a request, and we’ll see what we can do!