Stay Sharp Summer

Service Description

Our special drop-in summer workshops offer a flexible alternative for families who want to balance busy summer plans with continued writing instruction. Each day includes a structured journal assignment, rotating review of key grammar skills, daily focus point, targeted practice, and optional extension activities. Motivation Mondays focus on a different stylistic skill each week. Students watch an instructional video and complete related activities. Talking Tuesdays are center on live, text-based conversation. Students will meet for 30 minutes in a Google Chat classroom and take part in a guided conversation that covers the weekly focus topics. NOTE: TALKING TUESDAY IS THE ONLY SUMMER WORKSHOP THAT IS TIME DEPENDENT, since it features a live class chat. Your student will receive a link to enroll in one of the following times: Introductory Class Chat: 10:30am EST (7:30 PST, 8:30 MST, 9:30 CST) Intermediate Class Chat: 11am EST (8am PST, 9am MST, 10am CST) Advanced Class Chat: 11:30am EST (8:30 PST, 9:30 MST, 10:30 CST) Workshop Wednesdays are designed to help students with a piece in progress. Students will learn editing techniques and submit their work for review by the instructor and/or other session participants. Thoughtful Thursdays are focused on creative writing. Activities provide a deep dive into the three main aspects of story (plot, character, setting) within the genre of the week. First Chapter Fridays introduce contemporary literature through readalouds and genre-related activities. Students choose to complete activities at the introductory, intermediate, or advanced level. Families should plan for 30-60 minutes to complete activities, with the option to request revisions. Stylistic, Creative Writing, and Genre focus points are as follows: Week 1 (June 1-5): Figurative Language, Plot, & Realistic Fiction Week 2 (June 8-12): Figurative Language, Characterization, & Novel in Verse Week 3 (June 15-19): Citing Evidence, Setting, & Historical Fiction Week 4 (June 22-26): Choosing Sources, Plot, & Mystery Week 5 (June 29-July 3): Showing Not Telling, Characterization, & Graphic Novel Week 6 (July 6-10): Outlining, Setting, & Science Fiction Week 7 (July 13-17: Sentence Construction, Characterization, & Nonfiction Week 8 (July 20-24): Sentence Construction, Setting, & Fantasy Workshops are booked one week in advance. Please see the Summer section of our website (located under the "About" heading) for more details.