Write On! Argumentative Essay Writing for Older Beginners (Ages 13-18)

Essay writing. Just the mere mention can send waves of fear through a student. The reason? Confusion over how to actually write an essay.
This course will cover the basics of how to plan the skeleton of an argumentative essay, how to develop a thesis and support it, and how to edit the essay to maximize its points. I will work with the students on both group and individual levels through each step of the essay-writing process. For students who have different learning styles or difficulties, I will try to gear the process to their own mode of learning. Private classes available upon request; price will differ slightly.

*Please note: In order to keep things streamlined and allow for everyone to see their ongoing steps in their work, I assemble the students writing on a Microsoft Doc and share it at the end of each class -- I do not use Google Docs for this process because of the poor experiences we have had in class with locked "permissions," as well as the risk of others altering the shared document without notice (such that others writing can get lost). Students may work on their homework in Google Docs and then copy / paste their writing to me during class time for me to put into the shared MS Doc class document.

Week 1 
Day 1: PowerPoint presentation:
          a. The point of essays  
          b. Generating essay topics 
          c. What is a thesis? 
          d. Structure of an essay (with example) & how to remember for essays big and small  
*Will be writing short essay together as class, both sides of argument
          e. Work on group (voted) essay topic outline, both sides. 
          f. Homework: come to class with thesis topic (ie. pick a side) and 2 reasons
Day 2: a. Share thesis topics, reasons  
           b. Finding "evidence" for outline; real-life quotes, quoting a text  
           c. Work as group to fill out outline for both sides of argument  
           d. Homework: come to next class with "evidence" to support your reasons for your thesis - emailed to me ahead of time preferred

Week 2 
Day 1: a. Review essay structure. b. Share "evidence" and input into shared essay organizer (both sides)
           b. "5 Ws, How" break down of evidence - show how doing this as part of plan organizes your introducing evidence, as well as your explanations of how it proves your point. Also shows that much of the writing of essay is already finished with the plan, before actual essay even written!
           c. Homework: 5 Ws, How for two points of evidence
Day 2: a. Share 5Ws, How, put into class essay plan
           b. Explaining what "evidence" means in terms of reasons, tying back to thesis
           c. Turning outline into full writing: staying concise, sticking to topic
           d. Body: write first paragraph of body as class, both sides
           e. Homework: write one paragraph of body in OREEO format, using evidence, 5Ws and How from plan

Week 3
Day 1: a. Share body paragraphs, input into class essay.
           b. Continue body paragraphs
           c. Transitional words between paragraphs for effect: what are these? 
               Go-to list of openers, transitional words (list will be available for download)
           d. Weaving quotes into paragraph: different sizes, different ways, different introductions. 
           e. Square brackets -- why use these in quotes? How?
           f. Write another body paragraph for homework
Day 2: a. Share homework body paragraphs
            b. Introduction structure: write as class, both sides 
            c. Homework: write your version of introduction for the essay
Week 4
Day 1:  a. Conclusions: share, which are most effective?
            b. Editing: rubric - what is this? (will be available for download) 
              * Importance of "just writing rough copy first" and saving spelling, punctuation for last
             c. Allow for time to work as group on components of essay that still require time
Day 2: a.  Discuss anything that should be changed to make essay better, edit. 
            b. Final class-generated essays will be available for download at end of week. Questions about essay formats for other classes.