Writing an Informative / Explanatory / Expository Research Essay
In this asynchronous writing course, middle school students will learn how to write a complete informative (expository / explanatory) research essay. Research, outlines, thesis statements, rough drafts, revising, and citations are covered.
Martha Jackson, English Language Arts and Writing
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5.0
Number of reviews:(572)
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What's included
6 pre-recorded lessons
6 weeks
of teacher support1 year access
to the contentHomework
1-2 hours per week. As students are writing papers in this class, homework will be assigned that is specific to the task that was covered in class. Students can generally expect to spend about an hour a lesson on homework (in addition to watching the videos), some assignments will require less of the student. Some students may want to spend more than an hour on assignments, but it is not required or expected. Homework assignments are focused on learner's own essays, and each lesson is broken down into specific, manageable tasks.Assessment
All submitted work will receive personalized feedback before students move on to the next task, specifically the outline and rough draft. There are no set deadlines for this class. I am happy to provide feedback on work whenever it is completed. Learners and parents have the option of receiving a letter grade at the end of the class on their final paper. A grading rubric will be provided at the beginning of class for these students.Grading
Learners and parents have the option of receiving a letter grade at the end of the class on their final paper. A grading rubric will be provided for these students. Grades will be given to any student who requests them.Class Experience
US Grade 6 - 8
Beginner - Intermediate Level
This comprehensive self-paced writing class will take learners through the entire essay-writing process. At the end of the course, students will have completed a polished final draft of an informative (explanatory) research essay on a topic of their choosing. This is an asynchronous class-- there are no live meetings, but students will receive direct feedback on their own essay on all submitted work. Each lesson focuses on a different element of writing an informative research paper, and contains a video explaining and demonstrating the skill for the week along with student handouts and the assignment. Assignments walk students through writing their own essay. Students will complete homework on a shared google document and will receive regular feedback from me before moving on to the next step (specifically on the outline and rough and final drafts.) Students can expect feedback from me within three business days (usually sooner). Lesson 1: Research (how to select credible sources, annotating, close reading, etc); selecting a topic Lesson 2: Thesis Statements and Outlines Lesson 3: Body Paragraphs, Transition Sentences, In-text citations (parenthetical references) Lesson 4: Writing Introductions Lesson 5: Writing Conclusions and Works Cited Lesson 6: Revising and Editing Strategies Students with a wide variety of background knowledge will do well in this class, but at a minimum students should feel comfortable writing paragraphs on their own. Students who are not familiar with research essays are welcome to write a four or five paragraph essay (two or three body paragraphs), and students with a more advanced background in essay writing will be challenged to write longer essays or work on fine-tuning skills they already possess. This class works well for students with a variety of skill levels. This class is also offered as a live class. Check out that link here: https://outschool.com/classes/essay-essentials-writing-the-complete-informative-research-essay-8I8gbsnJ?usid=yvzSFmIZ&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link
Learning Goals
Students will learn how to effectively research any topic, including choosing reliable sources and annotating those sources.Students will learn how to write a thesis statement that will work for a short (4-5 paragraph) essay or a much longer paper.
Syllabus
Curriculum
Follows Teacher-Created CurriculumStandards
Aligned with Common Core State Standards (CCSS)6 Lessons
over 6 WeeksLesson 1:
Prewriting
Research (how to select credible sources, annotating, close reading, etc); selecting a topic Lesson 2:
Prewriting
Thesis Statements and Outlines (submit for teacher feedback) Lesson 3:
Rough Draft
Body Paragraphs, Transition Sentences, In-text citations (parenthetical references) Lesson 4:
Rough Draft
Writing Introductions Other Details
Learning Needs
This class is designed to support a variety of learning needs with scaffolded and adaptable assignments. Dyslexic, ADHD, and Autistic learners have had great success in this class. Please reach out if you have specific questions.
Parental Guidance
None. However, because students are able to select their own topic for their research essay, parents / guardians should ensure that it fits within what they feel is appropriate for their learner.
Pre-Requisites
Students need to be able to easily write paragraphs to do well in this class. No experience with essays is required, but it is helpful.
Supply List
-- a non-black ink pen (blue, red, green) (for lessons 1 and 6) -- pencil and paper -- a folder to keep track of handouts and work -- handouts will be provided before each class and will need to be printed before class begins. -- learners will need internet / library access to complete research on a topic of their choosing, as well as to view videos for this course
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Sources
none
Joined February, 2021
5.0
572reviews
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Teacher expertise and credentials
Bachelor's Degree in English from University of Mississippi
I have a Bachelor of Arts in English, and held a Professional Teaching Certificate in Florida to teach English in grades 6-12. For the past several years I have taught small group classes on essay writing, including how to write informative / explanatory essays. Reviews
Self-Paced Course
$13
weekly or $75 for all content6 pre-recorded lessons
6 weeks of teacher support
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1 year of access to the content
Completed by 84 learners
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Ages: 11-14
