College Preparation Writing--Semester II: Critical Thinking and Argumentative Writing
What's included
8 live meetings
6 hrs 40 mins in-class hoursHomework
2-4 hours per week. Students are expected to participate in weekly assignments that will be submitted to the instructor and feedback will be given for each and every assignment. Each assignment is submitted to the instructor and feedback is personalized based on the students strengths and weaknesses. Each week students will get suggestions on how to further improve and be told what they are doing well. Parents can request grades at any time.Assessment
At the end of the course, parents are welcome to request a full assessment of the student's progress over the eight weeks if they would like. Further, grades are optional but available. Students will be assessed based on how they have grown as writers in the course and assessments will include what they have done well with end areas that need improving. For those receiving grades, a rubric will be distributed to parents so they can see where all of the points are coming from in the final grade.Grading
Grading available by request and grade reports available as a PDF at the end of the course.Class Experience
US Grade 9 - 12
Beginner - Intermediate Level
Welcome to College Preparation Writing--Critical Thinking and Argumentative Writing! In this class, students will spend eight weeks developing a 3-4 page argumentative paper on a topic of their choice, while learning how to effectively communicate in an argumentative setting and how to think critically about information presented to them in a number of capacities. The goal of this course is to teach students how to use source material responsibly and effectively in their research, teach them how to outline an argument and take a position in a neutral, professional manner, and how to make sure their thoughts and ideas are well-supported with outside information. Classes are capped at eight students to ensure ample time for sharing and questions. Each week, students will have 1-2 writing assignments related to their project that will be submitted to the instructor, and feedback will be given within 72 hours. ATTENTION PARENTS: Due to parent requests, the class starting Tuesday, 11/5 will run twice a week, Tuesdays and Thursdays, for four weeks. This session will skip the week of Thanksgiving and wrap up the week after. Please send a message with any questions. The schedule of classes and full course syllabus can be found below!
Learning Goals
--Identifying credible sources
--How to use the internet for responsible online research
Syllabus
8 Lessons
over 8 WeeksLesson 1:
Introductions and Project Topic Selections
In the first week of the course, students will start with an overview of the classroom rules and expectations, as well as the weekly schedule and upcoming assignments, to ensure everyone is prepared for the upcoming course. Students will spend the majority of class going over the overall research project assignment, what the requirements are, and how to choose an appropriate topic for their project.
50 mins online live lesson
Lesson 2:
Finding Credible Sources 1--Print Materials
In this first of two weeks on source selection, students will begin with an overview of how to evaluate a source's credibility, including author or organization evaluation, determining potential bias, and using up-to-date information. This will be built upon over the following weeks when we discuss specific source materials. Today's focus will be print materials, like books and academic journals, why they are important, and where to access them
50 mins online live lesson
Lesson 3:
Finding Credible Sources 2--Using the Internet Responsibly
This class focuses entirely on using the internet responsibly for academic research projects! First, students will cover the basics of identifying credible source materials on the web, including how to identify the sponsor of a website, how to identify biased sources, and using Wikipedia effectively and appropriately. Students will be provided with a rubric they can use when engaging with websites to identify if they are credible resources.
50 mins online live lesson
Lesson 4:
Week 4: Writing an Effective Thesis Statement and Organizing an Argument
This week, students will work on developing the thesis statement and introduction to their paper. Students will discuss how to develop a clear thesis statement that guides their readers through their research project. They will also think about the organization for their paper and be introduced to several styles of organization for argumentative papers that may help them to communicate their views to their audience effectively.
50 mins online live lesson
Other Details
Learning Needs
Due to the slow-building nature of this course, it is ideal for students with Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, Neurodivergent learners, or hesitant writers. Each week, students will build on their longer writing project 1-3 paragraphs at a time.
Parental Guidance
Students are expected to participate in activities in class. While I do not require cameras, students will be expected to use their microphones to participate vocally in class several times. If this is an issue for your student, please do not hesitate to reach out so we can make other arrangements! Please keep in mind, per Outschool policy, students will have to turn their cameras on once on the first day of class for learner verification. While students can select their own topic of exploration, they must adhere to all Outschool policies on secular content.
Pre-Requisites
Taking College Prep Writing Part I before is recommended but not required. Students should be familiar with five-paragraph essays.
Supply List
All homework assignments and prompts are provided.
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Sources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses Google Docs , Google Slides, and Google Classroom.
Teacher expertise and credentials
Master's Degree in History from University of Colorado at Boulder
I have been teaching at the university level for several years, and have graded and edited hundreds of papers from college freshmen in those years. I hope to help develop writing skills in high school-aged children in this class to prevent many of the common errors I see in university papers!
Reviews
Live Group Course
$32
weekly1x per week, 8 weeks
50 min
Completed by 201 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 14-18
5-11 learners per class