Our Knowledge Matters – Level 2 – Middle Fall
$167.00
NEW Course! “Curiosity becomes powerful when we develop the ability to communicate what we are thinking and learning about. In ‘Our Knowledge Matters,’ I help students transform their questions into well-researched, clearly presented information that others can understand and appreciate. These skills are the foundation of academic success across all subjects, but more importantly, they empower students to see their thoughts, ideas, and learning as inherently valuable.” ~ Dr. Karen
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| Instructor | Dr. Karen Arnstein |
| Content Levels | Grades 3-4 • Elementary Grades 5-6 • Upper Elementary Grades 6-7 • Middle School |
| Course Length | 8 weeks |
| Live Webinars Held On | Mondays, 3:30 - 4:20 PM Pacific - Middle Semester - 10/13/25 - 12/12/25 |
| Additional Components | Asynchronous Option |
Curiosity gets stronger when we know how to clearly share our thoughts and discoveries.
In Our Knowledge Matters, we will turn your questions into well-researched, easy-to-understand answers so others can enjoy learning from your expertise and passion.
These skills are key to doing well in every subject, and even more importantly, they help you realize how valuable your own ideas are to making a difference in the world.
Note to Parents:
This course is the second in our series of four literacy/writing courses designed to build a complete set of reading, writing, and communication skills that students in grades 7 – 12 need. This course was developed in collaboration between Dr. Karen and Prof. Ariel and aims to give homeschooling parents confidence that their gifted student will be challenged and get the critical skills that all learners need to move through their academic and personal lives successfully.
In this 8-week course, students will master the essential skills of informational writing—transforming their interests and curiosities into well-researched, clearly organized essays that inform and engage readers. This course can be taken in isolation, or as part of our four-course series! Either way, this course supports young writers in effectively communicating facts, concepts, and ideas to others.
This course guides students through the complete informational writing process, from developing meaningful research questions to creating polished final drafts. Participants will learn how to gather reliable information, organize their findings logically, cite sources properly, and present complex topics in accessible language. Through hands-on activities and collaborative workshops, students will discover how to transform raw information into compelling explanations, descriptions, and analyses.
Why Focus on Informational Writing?
This course is the second in our comprehensive four-part writing series. While our first course empowered students to share their personal experiences, this course equips them with the tools to explore and explain what they notice and learn about the world around them. Informational writing skills are crucial for academic success across all subject areas and provide a foundation for effective communication throughout life.
Please see the Course FAQ under the Materials & More tab for further information.
Taught by Dr. Karen Arnstein
What to expect in the Required section in the classroom each week:
- Students should complete the Required section in the classroom each week.
- There will be a writing assignment each week
- There will be a reading response assignment each week
- There will be a forum response each week to encourage collaboration and connection.
What to expect in the Highly Suggested & Optional sections in the classroom each week:
- Curated resources, including websites & videos, are provided to excite learners and to add depth to the subject matter.
- Review materials that cover topics from both the weekly webinar as well as important learnings from previous weeks.
What to expect during the weekly webinar:
- Weekly webinars are 50 minutes long. Webinars are recorded and are available for students with schedule conflicts.
- While students are never required to share, this is a course that will be more meaningful and engaging when students are willing and able to engage and share their thoughts, ideas, and experiences.
Before taking this course, students should be able to:
- Write complete sentences and basic paragraphs
- Read and comprehend grade-level texts
- Follow multi-step instructions independently
- Express ideas in writing and/or aloud
- Type or write legibly by hand
- Ask questions and develop curiosity about topics they are interested in
Students should be willing to:
- Be prepared for the webinar.
- Actively participate (via the microphone and chat) in the class discussion.
- Respond with positive and encouraging comments on their classmates’ posts in the classroom forums.
- Research topics that may be new to them.
- Work with digital tools for writing and research; can be accommodated as needed.
- Approach topics with curiosity.
Required books & materials:
- Notebook dedicated to this course and/or a folder or binder for organizing research materials, loose leaf paper, and basic office supplies (pens/pencils, highlighters, sticky notes)
- Access to a computer with internet for research and writing
- Basic office supplies (pencils, highlighters, sticky notes)
- A printed (recommended, but not required!
- Access to age-appropriate research resources (provided by instructor– these may be beneficial to print)
- Style guide reference sheets (provided by instructor – these may be beneficial to print)
Courses in this Sequence:
This course is part of a four-course series designed to support homeschool families to feel totally confident that their student is growing as a reader, a writer, and a thinker. The series will work to cover a whole year, but each course can stand alone!
Course 1: Our Voices Matter: Developing a sense of ourselves in the world, how we can see ourselves in the work of others, and use writing to tell our own stories. An 8-week course designed to explore how stories can reflect our own experiences and develop our understanding of other perspectives and ways of living.
Course 2: Our Knowledge Matters: Informational Writing – How to turn your attention into something meaningful. An 8-week course designed to support students in researching what they are passionate about and turning that into action.
Course 3: Our Opinions Matter: Persuasive Writing – How to make your feelings known and advocate for what you believe in. An 8-week course designed to support students in writing persuasively, communicating effectively, and reaching out to the world around them to ask for what they need.
Course 4: Our Perspectives Matter: Fictional Novel/Short Story Analysis– How to read deeply, find yourself in a story, and truly evaluate what an author does and why. An 8-week course designed to develop the ability to identify meaningful connections between texts and their own lives, transform their appreciation of literature, and allow for critical engagement that empowers them as both readers and writers.
FAQ:
Q: How is this course different from the personal narrative course?
A: While personal narrative focuses on telling your own story, informational writing focuses on explaining facts, concepts, and ideas to others.
Q: How will research be taught for this wide age range?
A: All students will learn basic research skills using provided materials and guided searches and be able to develop more independent research techniques. All students will learn age-appropriate methods for finding and evaluating information!
Q: Will my child need to create a formal bibliography?
A: Yes, all students will learn appropriate citation methods. We will learn how to cite our sources and why that skill matters. These skills build academic integrity and prepare students for their educational futures.
Q: My child struggles with organization. Will this course help?
A: Absolutely! Informational writing provides an excellent framework for developing organizational skills. I teach specific techniques like outlining, concept mapping, and categorization, and we’ll use lots of graphic organizers that can be printed and saved for future writing.
Q: How much writing will be required?
A: Students will complete several short informational pieces (1-2 paragraphs) and one larger project (2-5 pages) developed throughout the course. Quality is more important than quantity, so we will focus on whether our writing does what it needs to do more than following rigid rules about length.
Q: What topics will students write about?
A: Students will have a choice in selecting topics that interest them so long as they are appropriate and approved by the instructor. Choice matters – essays have a terrible reputation, but this course reframes them as an opportunity to take what you are passionate about and turn it into something that you can use to teach others!