Welcome! This intensive course is designed to unleash student creativity and help middle-level students enjoy and strengthen their own writing skills. Do note that each week requires mandatory student writing as homework. It is up to students to keep up with the weekly assignment (all materials including the assignment, rubric, powerpoints, examples, etc. will be posted each week on the classroom page). The short essays (2-5) paragraphs are designed to be high-interest and thought-provoking, allowing the student to choose from a variety of ideas. During class time, the topic will be introduced, I will go over the essay structure, as well as work through a graphic organizer/brainstorm with the student. This class is designed for middle school students that enjoy writing creatively but may need a bit of guidance in their writing. These topics are perfect for students preparing for standardized tests (many of which require students to write a short essay in under 75 minutes).

NOTE: Students should have experience writing multiple-paragraph essays, researching information, and citing their sources.

Students will write on a variety of creative topics, but essays include descriptive, argumentative, narrative, and even creative writing. After every class, I will personally respond to student writing. Students will be graded on a rubric, but I will also give personal feedback and make note of any technical errors. During the following class, I will also address any common errors that I notice from students. 


Fall Semester 2023:
Week of 10/21: 
Topic: Intro to class structure and essay 1: My Bucket List: For our first class, we will discuss our goals for the future (including becoming writers!) The first essay will be a simple one--make a bucket list! This project is about setting goals, figuring out how to accomplish the goal, and living out your dreams. During class, we will discuss good items to include on a bucket list (not too specific, not too vague) and brainstorm lists of 10 things that students want to do. We will discuss these during class. 
Genre: Descriptive/Narrative Combination

Assignment: Of the 10 items that you chose, pick ONE to explore more in-depth. Write a two-paragraph essay on your ONE chosen item.

Week of 10/28: 
Topic: Essay 2: How to Survive: Students will be introduced to Aron Ralston and other survivors. They will then pick a topic to write a "How To Survive..." essay on. The options can be serious or zany. For example, students can write about how to survive math class, a zombie apocalypse, a trip to the dentist, etc. During class, we will work on the graphic organizer. This essay will be 4 paragraphs in length. Genre: Creative/Descriptive

Week of 11/4: 
Topic: Essay 3: A Million-Dollar Idea: For this essay, students will research a famous invention that was wildly successful (the cellphone, the computer, the lightbulb, Flamin' Hot Cheetos, etc.) and research how it began. Students can choose an idea, a website, or an invention. Students need to include definitions, statistics, quotes, and historical context and must cite their evidence.
Genre: Research/Informational

Week of 11/11: 
Topic: Essay 4: What I Really Want: In this essay, consider something that you REALLY want (tangible or intangible) and state why that want should be given to you. Be sure to state what you want, explain why you deserve/need it (using ethos, logos, pathos), and how having this want will be beneficial to you or others around you. For example, you might write about a new video game that you want, a trip to Disney, a new pet, or even a sibling to be kinder to you! 
Genre: Argumentative/persuasive

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