Kon-Tiki: Applying IEW's Structure and Style, 8th-12th, summer 2026

$200 covers the entire course. Additional materials required. 

Kon-Tiki: Applying IEW's Structure and Style (8th-12th; previous IEW experience required)

Prerequisite: SSS2B or higher

Limited seats available. Minimum 4 students.

Instructor A. Bell

Times and dates subject to change if you purchase this class before April 1st, 2026.

Mondays @ 9:05-10:00am CST (Classes may run 30-55 minutes, depending on number of students and difficulty level of homework during any given week.)

Dates: 6/8-8/10 (no class 7/13)

Once you purchase the class and fill out THIS REGISTRATION FORM, we will email you the Google Classroom code. That's where you'll find your link to Zoom, etc. If you register fewer than 24 hours before the first class starts, the class recording will be made available to you. Contact us if you wish to begin later in the semester. 

In this course, IEW students will work through all nine IEW units using Kon-Tiki by Thor Heyerdahl as the central text. Students will be encouraged to read all of Kon-Tiki, but only a few select passages will serve as primary source texts for assignments. Additional source texts will be drawn from several reputable websites, along with one optional supplemental book available for separate purchase.

Throughout the course, experienced IEW students will continue to sharpen key skills—including (but not limited to) outlining, retelling a narrative, summarizing, essay-writing, researching a topic, responding to literature, and practicing stylistic techniques—all within the context of a sustained, real-world narrative. Most students will be delighted by the high-seas adventure and historical elements of Kon-Tiki.

Required materials:

Kon-Tiki: Across the Pacific in a Raft 

Strengthening Structure: Models for IEW Structural Units (You'll only ever need one copy unless siblings take different classes simultaneously-usable by all students in all levels.)

Portable Walls for Structure and Style Students (one copy per student-usable by all students in all levels, so you will not need to repurchase next year)

An internal or external mic. Students must speak aloud during these classes because typing slows our pacing.

Optional materials:

Among Giants: A Life with Whales is an optional supplemental book that will be useful for a single assignment and will not be required to complete the course. However, it is a gorgeous coffee-table book that will heighten the students' experience and serve as a memento of their effort and accomplishment. Inexpensive used copies can be purchased on eBay and Amazon.

All assignments must be typed, either by the student or a parent. Parents are responsible for editing rough drafts for spelling and punctuation; final grades are based solely on the student's completion of the checklist.

More about Structure and Style:

The organization of materials is highly logical and uses the mastery approach: EZ+1. Each lesson introduces no more than one new concept, and students develop facility with that concept before learning a new one. Students refer to checklists throughout so that everyone has the tools to achieve 100% on every assignment.

Amy Bell is a registered IEW instructor. You can see Amy's instructor page on IEW's website by clicking here.

To make sure our teaching philosophy aligns with yours, please review the following articles before signing up for classes: Letter to Parents, Our Teaching Philosophy, The 4 Deadly Errors of Teaching Writing.

To see instructor credentials, check out our FAQ page.

Online classes meet via Zoom. Students must attend from a laptop or computer (no tablets).

No refunds unless the class is canceled. If a student is unable to complete the class for some reason, they will still have access to the weekly videos. :)