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Aubrey Heki

June 6, 2025 By Aubrey Heki Leave a Comment

3-1-Lab, The Wonder of Writing with Naming and Action

3-1-Lab

Elementary School

Fabula Writing Lab (Composition): The Wonder of Writing with Naming and Action (Nouns & Verbs, a companion practicum course)

Suggested Grade Level: 3rd grade

Open the wonders of composition with engaging, joyful lessons where your 3rd grade student learns to write phrases, sentences, and stories with a full understanding of compelling nouns and verbs! In this companion foundational writing course, your student will learn to create ideas and put them to the page!

Your Course Description

Grow your third-grade student’s ability to express ideas in powerful phrases, sentences, and storytelling! In this 12-week course, your student will immediately use the most essential keys learned in 3-1, Elementary English & Writing (Grammar): The Power of Naming & Actions (Nouns & Verbs). Focusing on nouns and verbs, students learn the difference between writing from imagination and writing for information; creating ideas “from a perspective of self”; composing elements for writing about places, things, thoughts, and feelings; writing about favorite people and places; writing about the world through their senses; writing about the home, community, and thoughts/feelings; and how to create ideas and write from prompts that engage critical thinking and the imagination. 

Because students experience learning individually (especially when it comes to the physical act of writing), activities will be presented in ways that all students can enjoy, including narrative engagement with the parent (storytelling) and creating and expressing ideas in game-based “play” with weekly hands-on worksheets to quickly increase your student’s learning. Even students who struggle to write (or don’t like writing) will enjoy the practical, fun activities that grow both skills and confidence in writing.

Take this Fabula Series writing course at the same time as the 3-1, Elementary English & Writing (Grammar) course, to start your student’s journey to become a great writer – right away!

Your Course Outline

Course Outline:

Class 1: Writing from Imagination (stories with a “hero” and friends); Writing for Information (Telling about living and non-living things)
Class 2: Writing for “Me and We” (Creating ideas from a perspective of self)
Class 3: Writing about Favorite Places (house, community, the outdoors)
Class 4: Writing about Our Favorite Things (in and outside the home: vehicles, plants, animals, insects, land, and weather)
Class 5: Writing Our Thoughts and Feelings (expressing our thinking, caring, kindness, love) (parent note: values and ideas)
Class 6: Writing about Our Favorite People (proper nouns/places and things)
Class 7: Writing to Experience the World (Using the Five Senses in my Writing, action words see, hear, touch, taste, feel)
Class 8: Writing Action with Heroes and Villains, “Moving with Me” (things we do using pronouns)
Class 9: Writing Action Around the House (tasks we do around the house)
Class 10: Writing Action Around Town (in the community and in nature)
Class 11: Writing for Being and Thinking (person verbs for “Being Me”: I am, we are) and thoughts and Ideas (I/we think, imagine, create)
Class 12: Writing a Story Around the House (prompts and critical thinking using “ing” action words) (*For parents  – Introducing the idea of critical thinking and ideation through questions)

Your Course Details

Total Number of Classes: 12

Prerequisite: Students must currently be enrolled in 3-1, Elementary English & Writing (Grammar): The Power of Naming & Actions (Nouns & Verbs)  to take this course to understand the technical aspects of nouns and verbs.

Suggested Grade Level: 3rd grade

Duration: 20 minutes

Suggested Credit: One-half (½) semester English and Writing. Take this course with the Fabula Series companion course, 3-1,  Elementary English & Writing (Grammar): The Power of Naming & Actions (Nouns & Verbs), also 12 Weeks. When combined with the 3-1 course, this course is worth one (1) full semester’s credit for writing.

Course Materials: REQUIRED BOOK: Before your first class, get the hard copy of the book, Elementary English & Writing: The Power of Nouns, for 3rd- to 6th-grade students – BOOK 1.

Note: A digital version is not available because the book is consumable. Buy the book here: [link coming soon!] Additional materials may be provided free of charge, while materials such as crafting supplies “from around the home” will be suggested

Homework:

Each week, the class will have…

  • A “Bulletin Board” for parents with weekly information to guide your student
  • A “60-Second Snapshot” quick review from the previous week’s learning
  • “Direct Instruction Video(s)” to learn new concepts
  •  “Learning Center Activities,” with hands-on, sensory-based, simple and easy-to-do activities developing beginning-level creativity and critical thinking, including workbook pages, hands-on activity sheets, games, crafts, and listening-responding activities to help your student remember what they’re learning
  • A “Memory Game” with the parent to apply what was learned and show progress
  • “Resources” for further exploration, if desired

Please note! Parents will be completing all work with the student! All content is laid out in a way that will be easy to follow and teach, with special instructions and tips for engaging with your student.

How this course fits with your Middle School Writing courses...

Fall Semester Spring Semester
6/7-1*6/7-2**6/7-36/7-4
7/8-17/8-27/8-37/8-4
* This is your first Middle School Writing course.
** The 6/7-1 and 6/7-2 courses are consecutive courses. To create a full semester of Middle School Writing, sign up for the 6/7-2 course when you sign up for 6/7-1.

Your Instructor

Recorded, Independent-Learning Course

When you sign up for Unlimited Access and take this recorded course, your instructor is the designer and Director of Aquinas Writing Advantage, Erin M. Brown, MA, MFA (aka author EB Conroy/Erin Brown Conroy).

Specific Course FAQs

How do I get the most out of this course?

  • Read the course details.
  • Parents, it might be helpful to use a notebook to write down special ideas and to track activities.
  • In the “Bulletin Board” section each week, print the guide page for the week.
  • For each class, follow the course content from top to bottom: Complete the activities at the top of the page first and move down the page “in order.” For example, after the “Bulletin Board,” move to the “60 Second Snapshot,” then watch the “Direct Instruction Video,” and so on. 
  • Review all materials on the class page. 
  • Review the recording or any other content as needed. 
  • Repeat until all twelve (12) classes are complete.
  • Once the course is completed to the parent’s satisfaction, there is a Certificate of Completion at the end of this page (to be filled in for your records). Please note, parents provide their own record keeping (Homeschool Connections does not provide record keeping).
Sign up for a LIVE class here...
Sign up for Unlimited Access here to get this recorded course…

Filed Under: ELEMENTARY WRITING PROGRAM

June 6, 2025 By Aubrey Heki Leave a Comment

3-1, The Power of Naming and Actions (Nouns and Verbs)

3-1

Elementary School

Elementary English & Writing (Grammar): The Power of Naming and Actions (Nouns and Verbs)

Suggested Grade Level: 3rd grade

Discover the power of English and Writing with your third grade student through engaging, joyful learning lessons introducing nouns and verbs! In this must-have foundational writing course, go beyond “typical” English and writing courses with practical videos, games, crafts, pages, and more!

Your Course Description

Give your third-grade student the most essential keys and skills to master beginning English and Writing with this 12-week Language Arts course especially designed for the homeschooling family!

Here, your student learns significant ideas and practical how-to’s that will develop a strong understanding of nouns and verbs – the foundational building blocks of language and writing. This instructional course explains how language works with weekly learning that includes What is a noun; pronouns, places, things, ideas, and proper names; What is a verb; writing action words with pronouns; actions/verbs around the house and around town; “person verbs” with being and thinking; and writing actions with “ing” words. 

Students learn with hands-on, sensory-based, simple and easy-to-do activities that develop beginning-level creativity and critical thinking – making learning fun for children and parents alike!

For a complete, well-rounded 3rd grade fall semester of learning, sign up for both this course and its concurrent companion course, 3-1-Lab, Fabula Writing: The Wonder of Writing with Naming and Action (nouns and verbs), to start your journey with mastering grade school English and Writing!

Your Course Outline

Course Outline:
Class 1: What is a noun? Definition/introduction (living and non-living things; things you can touch or think) and people (family and community)
Class 2: Pronouns (I, we, you, he/she, and they/them)
Class 3: Places (home, community, country, and the global natural environment)
Class 4: Things (objects in and outside the home: vehicles, plants, animals, insects, land, and weather)
Class 5: Ideas (things you can’t touch: thinking, learning, faith, friendship, love)
Class 6: Proper Nouns (special names for people, places, and things)
Class 7: What is a verb? (definition/introduction and the five senses)
Class 8: Moving with Me (things we do using pronouns)
Class 9: Moving Around the House  (household tasks)
Class 10: Moving Around Town (community, country, and the global natural environment)
Class 11: Person Verbs, Being and Thinking (describing who you are and what you think)
Class 12: Action with “ing” (take words from previous weeks and create the “ing” version)

Your Course Details

Total Number of Classes: 12

Prerequisite:  No class prerequisite

Suggested Grade Level: 3rd grade

Duration: 20 minutes

Suggested Credit: One-half (½) semester English and Writing.

Take this course at the same time as the Fabula Series companion course, 3-1-Lab, Fabula Writing Lab (Composition): The Wonder of Writing with Naming and Action (Nouns & Verbs, a companion practicum course), also 12 Weeks. When combined with the 3-1-Lab course, this course is worth one (1) full semester’s credit for writing.

Course Materials: REQUIRED BOOK: Before your first class, get the hard copy of the book, Elementary English & Writing: The Power of Nouns, for 3rd- to 6th-grade students – BOOK 1.

Note: A digital version is not available because the book is consumable. Buy the book here: [link coming soon!] Additional materials may be provided free of charge, while materials such as crafting supplies “from around the home” will be suggested

Homework:

Each week, the class will have…

  • A “Bulletin Board” for parents with weekly information to guide your student
  • A “60-Second Snapshot” quick review from the previous week’s learning
  • “Direct Instruction Video(s)” to learn new concepts
  •  “Learning Center Activities,” with hands-on, sensory-based, simple and easy-to-do activities developing beginning-level creativity and critical thinking, including workbook pages, hands-on activity sheets, games, crafts, and listening-responding activities to help your student remember what they’re learning
  • A “Memory Game” with the parent to apply what was learned and show progress
  • “Resources” for further exploration, if desired

Please note! Parents will be completing all work with the student! All content is laid out in a way that will be easy to follow and teach, with special instructions and tips for engaging with your student.

How this course fits with your Middle School Writing courses...

FallSpring
3-13-2
3-1-Lab3-2-Lab

Your Instructor

Recorded, Independent-Learning Course

When you sign up for Unlimited Access and take this recorded course, your instructor is the designer and Director of Aquinas Writing Advantage, Erin M. Brown, MA, MFA (aka author EB Conroy/Erin Brown Conroy).

Specific Course FAQs

How do I get the most out of this course?

  • Read the course details.
  • Parents, it might be helpful to use a notebook to write down special ideas and to track activities.
  • In the “Bulletin Board” section each week, print the guide page for the week.
  • For each class, follow the course content from top to bottom: Complete the activities at the top of the page first and move down the page “in order.” For example, after the “Bulletin Board,” move to the “60 Second Snapshot,” then watch the “Direct Instruction Video,” and so on. 
  • Review all materials on the class page. 
  • Review the recording or any other content as needed. 
  • Repeat until all twelve (12) classes are complete.
  • Once the course is completed to the parent’s satisfaction, there is a Certificate of Completion at the end of this page (to be filled in for your records). Please note, parents provide their own record keeping (Homeschool Connections does not provide record keeping).
Sign up for a LIVE class here...
Sign up for Unlimited Access here to get this recorded course…

Filed Under: ELEMENTARY WRITING PROGRAM

May 14, 2025 By Aubrey Heki

Morgan Cawley

AQUINAS WRITING ADVANTAGE

Assistant Director of Elementary

Morgan Cawley

Morgan Cawley is an experienced Pre-K through 8th grade Catholic school teacher who has served in multiple Catholic schools (St. Albert the Great, Grey Nun Academy, and Princeton Academy of the Sacred Heart). With a specialty in Spanish Language Arts, she has worked with accreditation and developing curriculum, including crafting scopes and sequences, grading systems, and course materials for both primary and middle school reading and writing classes. Ms. Cawley served as a committee member of the Poland Sister School Partnership, where she traveled to share educational philosophies and visited several primary and secondary schools abroad. Ms. Cawley graduated from Mount St. Mary’s University under the George Henry Miles Honors Program; worked alongside the Daughters of Charity at the National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Emmitsburg, MD; and has served in administrative positions serving parents and families.

In her role as the Assistant Director of Elementary for Aquinas Writing Advantage, she assists in the development and organization of courses tailored to young learners. Mrs. Cawley resides in Pennsylvania with her husband and two sons and enjoys reading historical literature, making homemade dinners, and thrift shopping for trinkets.

Filed Under: Biography Tagged With: Leadership

May 14, 2025 By Aubrey Heki

Donna Graziose, MA, MS

AQUINAS WRITING ADVANTAGE

Content Manager

Donna Graziose, MA, MS

Donna Graziose, MA, MS, is a teacher with experience teaching across all levels—elementary through college—and a professional book editor for the Simplified Writing series of books and Word Mastery Skill Building workbooks. For many years, she has been working as an academic librarian for universities in New York, teaching writing, literature, research methods, and art history. Donna has also enjoyed teaching local homeschoolers for over 10 years in writing, literature, and history.

Donna, a homeschooling mom, is grateful for the homeschooling lifestyle where she can focus her children’s education on faith and family.

Here at Homeschool Connections’ Aquinas Writing Advantage program, Donna is an Instructor Access (IA) grading services instructor for the 7/8 Series Middle School and the 9 Series High School Foundational writing courses and the Advanced Punctuation and Grammar course.

Meet Mrs. Graziose

Learn with Mrs. Hamric-Weis

GET INSTRUCTOR ACCESS AND LEARN WITH MRS. GRAZIOSE IN THE FOLLOWING MIDDLE SCHOOL UNLIMITED ACCESS RECORDED COURSES:

  • MS 7/8-1, Simplified Writing for Middle School 1: Foundations of Composition I
  • MS 7/8-2, Simplified Writing for Middle School 2: Introduction to Essays and Papers I
  • MS 7/8-3  Simplified Writing for Middle School 3: Writing the Excellent Essay
  • MS 7/8-4, Simplified Writing for Middle School 4: Writing Form and Style

GET INSTRUCTOR ACCESS AND LEARN WITH MRS. GRAZIOSE IN THE FOLLOWING HIGH SCHOOL UNLIMITED ACCESS RECORDED COURSES:

  • HS 9-1, High School Writing Essentials 1: Essential Punctuation and Grammar I
  • HS 9-2, High School Simplified Writing 1: Strong Foundational Writing Skills
  • HS 9-3, High School Writing Essentials 2: Essential Paragraphs & Essay Writing
  • HS 9-4, High School Simplified Writing 2: Beyond the Five-Paragraph Essay
  • HS X-5, High School Writing Essentials 5: Punctuation & Grammar II

Filed Under: Biography Tagged With: Leadership

May 14, 2025 By Aubrey Heki

Bonnie Donlon

AQUINAS WRITING ADVANTAGE

Assistant Director for Middle School

Bonnie Donlon

Mrs. Bonnie Donlon earned a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Literature from the University of Virginia. She taught writing at the Charlottesville Writing Center summer camp, then taught multiple subjects at The  Covenant School in Charlottesville, Virginia, with Pre-K through 4th-grade students, including reading and writing in the classroom and in the after-school programs. Mrs. Donlon also co-taught with her husband for the elementary level religious education program at St. Thomas Aquinas parish. When not teaching and grading student work, Mrs. Donlon enjoys reading, exploring the natural world with her children, and spending time with her extended family, including her sister-in-law, Mrs. Eleanor Nicholson, who is the High School Victorian Literature Instructor for Homeschool Connections.

Mrs. Donlon is the Assistant Director for Middle School with the Aquinas Writing Advantage program; teaches the LIVE 6/7 Series Middle School Writing courses, and is the Middle School Assessment Coordinator.

Meet Mrs. Donlon

Learn with Mrs. Hamric-Weis

Check the current LIVE catalog to see Mrs. Donlon’s LIVE course offerings and sign up for her courses.

Filed Under: Biography Tagged With: Leadership

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