An Evidence-Based Approach to Writing the High School Essay

This class is taught in English.

Write narrative, descriptive, summary, and self-reflective journal entries with improved fluency, as demonstrated by comparison of initial journal writings with end-of-quarter writing

•	Identify the basic parts of speech (nouns, determiners, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, verbs, conjunctions, and prepositional phrases) in their own writing and the writing of other learners.

•	Identify basic sentence core patterns in their own writing and the writing of others with improved accuracy (for example, Subject – verb; Subject – verb – noun completer (direct object); subject – linking verb – adjective or noun completer (subject complements); Subject – linking verb – adverb completer)

•	Identify basic verb tenses (simple past and present, past and present continuous, simple future) in their own writing and the writing of others

•	Describe and use an editing process that suits their individual needs

•	Collaborate effectively with classmates to edit each other's writing for mistakes in basic grammar, sentence structure, and punctuation (singular and plural word endings, subject-verb and noun-pronoun agreement, verb tense and form, noun and adjective lists, introductory phrases)

•	Edit their own writing to correct mistakes in basic grammar and sentence structure (singular and plural word endings, subject-verb and noun-pronoun agreement, verb tense and form)

•	Look up information about grammar and punctuation in a standard college-level writing handbook and apply it to their own editing

•	Articulate in writing what they have learned and how they have learned it

Weekly grammar worksheets to be provided the first day of class.

Grades will be given for grammar assignments. 

1 hour per week in class, and an estimated 1 - 2 hours per week outside of class.

C.S. Lewis' Elements of Style and College Grammar textbook : Optional