Ready for Research 6-week Bootcamp, SPRING 2026, 5th-8th

$200 covers the entire course. Additional materials recommended but not required.

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

Thursdays @ 10:30am CST (Each class will last 60-75 minutes.)

April 23, 30, & May, 7, 14, 21, 28

Student Minimum: 4

Instructor Simmons

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. 

Suggested age: 10-14.

Suggested Material (optional): Portable Walls for Structure and Style

(This is an affiliate link. Read more here.)

This bootcamp is the perfect bootcamp for students who have previous experience with the IEW writing method and would like to improve their formal essay writing skills. Throughout this course, students will learn that formal essay writing, prompt-based essays, and research papers rely heavily on the ability to process information and to succinctly convey it to an audience. With a focus on quality over quantity, this camp ends with two polished essays your student can be proud of. While prior IEW experience is recommended, it is not required. If your child has no prior IEW experience, please contact us to schedule a 30-minute Key Word Outline Basics private lesson prior to the start of bootcamp. 

A printable PDF will be provided for use during this course. No additional curriculum is required, but the purchase of the Structure and Style Portable Walls is highly recommended (linked above).

Week 1 - KWO, Summarizing a Reference

In the first week, students review the basics of key word outlining by completing two paragraphs designed to challenge their ability to select facts and information that are important, interesting, or necessary.

Week 2 - Summarizing Multiple References

Students begin learning to write a well-structured research paper by choosing a subject and topic. Students will complete a three-paragraph essay on a pre-selected topic. Each paragraph will have a clear focus identified by a topic sentence.

Week 3 - Research, Choice & Outlining

This week, students are given the tools to select a subject, gather sources, and select relevant facts to support their reports. We will review sample sources and learn how to annotate effectively.

Week 4 - Outlining & Writing from the Inside Out

With research completed, students will focus on outlining their essay. Students learn to develop clear topic sentences and clinchers for each paragraph, maintain focus, and apply the toolbox techniques to enhance their writing. 

Week 5 - Effective Introductions & Conclusions

Wait, what about the beginning? Students learn to write effective introductions and conclusions for their research papers using IEW's "inside-out" model. These elements will bring their work together into a cohesive and polished report.

Week 6 - Popcorn & Presentations 

Students are encouraged to arrive for our final week prepared to share their essays. Each student will have the opportunity to present an essay written during this bootcamp.

To see instructor credentials, check out our FAQ page.

Online classes meet via Zoom.

If a student is unable to complete the class for some reason, they will still have access to the videos. :)