Note: Students may take this class more than once. Students who have already taken the class will be assigned different plays or may choose different topics than in the previous class or classes.

Through discussion, writing exercises, and workshop, students will be introduced to the writing process. Much of the work will take place in class, though some reading, drafting, and revision will be done outside of class. By the end of the class, students will have a composition of either a single paragraph or a multi-paragraph essay comparing two retellings of one of Shakespeare's plays.

In the first class, we will go over some of the basics of paragraphs and essays (topic, support, and conclusion). As a class, we will read one of the retellings or a folk or fairy tale and will work together to retell it in our own words. Students will be assigned two versions of one of Shakespeare's plays to read before next class.

In the second class, students will retell their play, either orally or they may share their own written versions. (Students may also ask the instructor to read aloud their written versions.) Students may discuss differences between the two versions of the play they read and will be encouraged to make some notes on the differences. We will also have a brainstorming session to discuss ideas for the students’ compositions. Possible topics include comparison of characters or differences between versions. We may also do some freewriting or other writing exercises as time allows.

The remaining classes will take students through the writing process of organizing, drafting, revising, and editing. Students will share their work, either in pairs or with the whole class, for in-class workshops. The basic schedule is below.

The play retellings will be versions originally written for children. These simple versions allow students to focus on their own compositions and writing process (this method has been used successfully at the college level). The retellings will be public domain texts freely available online. In most cases, they will be supplied by the instructor. Occasionally, students may be asked or may desire to download the ebook versions themselves. (See resources for websites.)

Students should be comfortable writing in class (with paper or computer) and with sharing their compositions. They will need to have their compositions typed so they can share them in the Outschool classroom. During class, students may read their own compositions out loud or ask the teacher to read them out loud. Students will also need to participate in class discussion, though they may do so with the chat feature if they desire.

First class—reading a story together; paragraph/essay basics
Second class—retelling the story; brainstorming topics, freewriting, and other prewriting activities as time allows
Third class—organizing, making an outline, deciding how to say what you want to say
Fourth class—drafting, writing time in class; students may ask questions and share their current draft
Fifth class—revising; students may share and comment on each other’s writing; tips for how to revise
Sixth class—editing; students will put finishing touches on their compositions