Week 1
Lesson 1
What Makes a Short Story?
Learn about the key elements that turn an idea into an exciting short story. This is an introduction into short stories, so we might dip our toes into creative writing!
Lesson 2
Parts of a Story
Discover the building blocks of a story, including the beginning, middle, and end. Things like plot structure and fun characters are the key to a good story!
 Week 2
Lesson 3
Let's Talk About Genre
Explore different types of stories, like mysteries, adventures, and fairy tales. We will discuss the many different genres of fiction and key parts of each genre. 
Lesson 4
Genre (cont.)
Dive deeper into genres and see how they shape the stories we tell. Students will also gain an understanding of what genres they may be interested in writing. 
 Week 3
Lesson 5
Conflict and Plot
Understand how problems and events create an engaging story. We will also learn how to resolve conflict to create a satisfying end. 
Lesson 6
Characters and Dialogue
Learn how to create interesting characters and write what they say. We will learn about writing good conversations that enhance your story.
 Week 4
Lesson 7
Brainstorming Your Story
Get creative and come up with fun ideas for your own story. Students will actively brainstorm and also learn techniques to gather ideas for a story. 
Lesson 8
Outlining and Planning
Organize your ideas and make a plan for your story. We will learn and practice how to plan out a story before you sit down to write. Planning a story makes writing the first draft much easier!
 Week 5
Lesson 9
Voice and Personality
Every writer has their own voice: this is the unique perspective and wording of their stories! Let's discover what your writer's voice sounds like and how to develop your skills.
Lesson 10
Writing Your First Draft
Start writing your story from beginning to end. We will discuss how to go about writing this first draft as well as making author's notes for places the writer might want to revisit.
 Week 6
Lesson 11
Writing Your First Draft (continued)
Keep writing and developing your story. As students finish up their first draft, we will talk about how to transition from your first draft to the final draft. 
Lesson 12
Revising Your Draft
Learn how to improve your story by making changes. We will discuss techniques for revising with a fun activity. 
 Week 7
Lesson 13
Revising Your Draft (cont.)
Continue refining your story to make it even better. Students will not only learn how to receive instructor feedback, but also train their own critical eye to improve their work.
Lesson 14
Finalizing Your Draft
Put the finishing touches on your story. We will transition from our edited drafts to a final, polished work. 
 Week 8
Lesson 15
The Final Draft
Complete your story and get it ready to share. We will also go over etiquette at a writer's discussion: how to offer positive feedback, share your thoughts, and how to offer suggestions or ask questions. 
Lesson 16
Class Closing and Reflection
Continue sharing and discussing stories with your classmates. We will also close out the course by reflecting on and celebrating our growth as writers!