According to the Nation’s Report card, only 27% of students in 8-12th grade can write proficiently. Essay writing can be a challenging process and this course will help you break it down into manageable pieces. Students will learn key skills like topic selection and organization, as well as common pitfalls to avoid when writing long papers.

By the end of this class, students will know the following:
What a completed research essay looks like
How to write an introduction (attention-getter, background information, thesis)
How to write body paragraphs (topic sentences, transitions, evidence, explanation)
How to write a conclusion (re-state the thesis, summarize points, clincher/final note)
MLA style and citations
Different types of evidence
How to take notes using the Cornell method and keyword outlines (IEW-style notetaking)
How to create an outline

Students will complete a research essay and a literary analysis. For each essay, students will receive a Google Doc with exercises and prep work for the essay. This allows parents to keep up with what students are working on, as well as allows the teacher to provide real-time feedback.

Students will receive in-depth feedback on their essays. Final grades will be given upon request.

Week 1: Research Essay
What is a research essay?
Discuss types of research essays
Brainstorm essay topics
HOMEWORK: Read a research essay about Julius Caesar and choose a topic for your own essay

Week 2: Research and note-taking
What makes a good source?
How to use the Cornell method for note-taking
Practice the Cornell method
How to use the keynote outline (IEW-style notetaking)
Practice keynote outline
HOMEWORK: Find sources for your essay; bring them to class the next week

Week 3: Note-taking 
Class activity - Help the teacher write notes for her essay
Individual activity - Work on writing notes for your essay
HOMEWORK: Finish taking notes

Week 4: Citations
What are citations?
What is the difference between a works cited and a bibliography?
Parts of a citation
Class activity - Practice citations 
HOMEWORK: Write the works cited page for your essay

Week 5: Outline
Look at the outline for the Julius Caesar essay
Parts of an outline
Class activity - Create the outline for the teacher's essay
HOMEWORK: Write the outline for your essay

Week 6: Introductions 
Read example introductions 
Parts of an introduction (attention-getter, background, thesis)
How to write an attention-getter and thesis statement
HOMEWORK: Write the introduction paragraph to your essay

Week 7: Body paragraphs and conclusion
Parts of a body paragraph (topic sentence, evidence, explanation, transitions)
Class activity - Help the teacher write the body paragraphs of her essay
Parts of a conclusion
HOMEWORK: Finish the rough draft of your essay

Week 8: Revise and edit
What’s the difference between revising and editing?
Class activity- Work on revising an essay in class
HOMEWORK: Work on essay revisions on your essay