Here to Help Writing Center

Welcome to our Here to Help Writing Center, brought to you by Here to Help Learning. This is a comprehensive homeschool writing curriculum for students in elementary and middle school. Completing the series of courses from the Here to Help Writing Center leads to an elevated level of comprehension and ability to write well.

The Here to Help Writing Center includes:

  • Filmed Instruction – Engaging films help students connect with the lesson and make the program teacher-friendly. Perfect for all learning styles!
  • Multiple Grades Learning Together – Designed for families of any size, the lessons are also excellent for co-op settings and for families who want to learn together.
  • Scripted Lessons & Worksheets Included – Easy-to-follow scripted lessons are family and co-op tested. No further textbook is required.
  • Relationship Based – Your talents and mentorship are key components to the success of the lessons.
  • Meaningful Projects – Students write with a purpose. Each writing project is self-published, allowing the student to share their writings with the world if they choose.
  • Biblically Based – All lessons are taught from a Biblical worldview.
  • Six Years of Instruction – Students graduate from the writing program with a solid command of the writing process and an understanding of how to apply it to all types of writing, including the last course in the series, the Write a Book project.

Overview

The courses found in the Here to Help Writing Center use a spiral learning approach where skills are revisited numerous times, each with added layers of depth and understanding. Students of varying skills may interact with the course at the level they need.

There are six course levels, called Flights. The Flights are intended for and may be done in order from Grades 1–6, but if a student begins the series later in his or her elementary years, the Essay-Level Flights are appropriate for use through Grade 8.

Roughly speaking, Flights 1–3, Paragraph Level, correspond with Grades 1–3, and these levels may be taught together in a group setting using any of the Flights. Flights 1–2, Essay Level, are suitable for Grades 4–7, and these levels may also be taught together in a group. A student should complete either Flight 1 or 2 of the Essay Level before attempting Flight 3, Essay Level: The Write a Book Project, which is suitable for Grades 5–8.

An older student may also benefit from any of Flights 1–3, Paragraph Level, as needed, to remediate paragraph skills before starting with the Essay Levels.

In Flights 1–3, Paragraph Level, students will learn

  • Narrative Writing
  • Descriptive Writing
  • Expository Writing
  • Poetry
  • Persuasive Writing
  • Narrative Fiction

They will also learn how to

  • Construct a complete sentence
  • Add descriptive words
  • Use a thesaurus
  • Rhyme words
  • Apply transitional words
  • Use literary techniques, such as simile and metaphor

In Flights 1–2, Essay Level, students will expand upon all the above. They will also learn how to

  • Self-edit
  • Set personal writing goals
  • Use additional literary techniques, such as simile, metaphor, mood, tone, symbolism, hyperbole, irony, onomatopoeia, personification, and alliteration

In Flight 3, Essay Level: The Write a Book Project, students will apply all of those skills, as well as learn

  • To tackle a large writing project
  • To organize multiple ideas
  • To understand the five elements of a book
  • To recognize character development and analyze other works of literature
  • To apply many writing and literary techniques
  • From featured real-life Christian authors

If you are unsure of the level on which your student should be placed to begin, please see the Writing Placement Test on Here to Help Learning’s website.

For specific information on the topics learned in each Flight, see the Scope and Sequence on Here to Help Learning’s website.

How to Use the Here to Help Writing Center

The Here to Help Writing Center offers six separate homeschool writing curriculum options that are fully customizable for each student’s needs and can be completed at your own pace. The recommended learning schedule utilizes two days a week to complete the lesson, leaving the remainder of the week available to cover other Language Arts curricula in reading, spelling, and/or grammar.

EACH lesson should take two days to complete.

Day 1: Group Time with the Filmed Instruction

Each filmed lesson consists of five components that move the student step-by-step through the writing process. The homeschool parent/teacher and students complete scripted interactions between video segments. Schedule one hour to complete all five parts.

Day 2: Independent Work

Complete the Flying Solo (independent work) assignments. The estimated time required for Flying Solo work is 30–60 minutes for the Paragraph level, and 60–90 minutes for the Essay level.

Lessons build on foundations laid in Lesson 1 and continue building with advancing concepts through Lesson 32. Therefore, it is not advised to skip lessons.

Overview

  • Each Flight takes 32 weeks, 2 days per week
  • Video based with worksheets and projects
  • Six Flights for Elementary through Middle School

Supplies Needed

  • Videos and lessons accessed through SchoolhouseTeachers.com
  • Ability to print the Teacher’s Guide and student worksheets
  • Paper, notebook, and simple craft supplies

Printing Considerations

Each Flight (one year of instruction) has approximately 200 pages to print.

The first lesson of the unit/writing project has about ten pages to print. The remaining lessons in the unit have only one or two pages to print. Each Flight contains up to six units.

Optional: You may wish to purchase a student workbook. These are printed in color and already three-hole punched for your convenience. This is not a required purchase to use this curriculum.

Course Samples

You may view video samples of the lessons on the Here to Help Learning website.

Additional Details

The Here to Help Writing Center courses (called Flights) form a comprehensive elementary homeschool writing curricula which can extend through middle school with the Write a Book Project. The Flights start with the basics of paragraph writing and progress through more advanced skills on a two-days-per-week schedule. Reading, grammar, and spelling can be supplemented on the other three days of the week.

Suggested supplements on SchoolhouseTeachers.com may include:

Here to Help Writing Flight 1, Paragraph Level (Elementary)

Explore how the elements of a book are like a sandwich and what the difference is between a parable and a fable. Our Here to Help Writing Flight 1, Paragraph Level homeschool writing curriculum teaches writing skills from learning different forms of writing and poetry to developing an original picture book. Students let their creativity soar while watching engaging videos and completing incremental assignments. It’s time to check in for your flight!

Here to Help Writing Flight 2, Paragraph Level (Elementary)

Explore how making a potato pal or diorama box assists in the writing process and how your five senses can help preserve family memories. Our Here to Help Writing Flight 2, Paragraph Level writing curriculum teaches different forms of writing and poetry. Soar into a new adventure while watching engaging videos and completing incremental assignments. Are you ready to fly?

Here to Help Writing Flight 3, Paragraph Level (Elementary)

Explore what kind of surprises might happen if a nursery rhyme character came to visit and how an act of gratitude can support the community. Our Here to Help Writing Flight 3, Paragraph Level writing curriculum helps students reach new heights as they explore all these and more. Students learn different forms of writing and poetry while watching engaging videos and completing incremental assignments. The flight is now boarding!

Here to Help Writing Flight 1, Essay Level (Elementary–Middle School)

Explore if monuments really come to life and what kind of games the Canterbury Tales characters were playing. Our Here to Help Flight 1, Essay Level homeschool writing curriculum helps students expand their skills into essay-length writing while watching engaging videos and completing incremental assignments. Are you ready for take-off?

Here to Help Writing Flight 2, Essay Level (Elementary–Middle School)

Explore how American tall tales developed and what a 3-D model has to do with writing. Our Here to Help Writing Flight 2, Essay Level curriculum helps students expand their skills into essay-length writing while watching engaging videos and completing incremental assignments for lift-off!

Here to Help Writing Flight 3, Essay Level: The Write a Book Project (Elementary–Middle School)

Explore how to become an author. Our Here to Help Writing Flight 3, Essay Level: The Write a Book Project takes students through a one-year journey to complete and publish a book with six chapters. Engaging videos and incremental assignments lead students step-by-step through character development, storyboarding, finishing, and everything in between. Are you ready to soar?