In this class, learners will reinforce their essay writing skills through focused writing practice (followed by personalized feedback), while learning the skills of literary analysis.

It is a perfect follow up course to my “Middle School Essay Writing Made Easy” writing course. I highly recommend taking it first before taking this course.

Link to Middle School Essay Writing Made Easy: 
https://outschool.com/classes/middle-school-essay-writing-made-easy-ZbJUqDEM?usid=suzfI9wF&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link

In Essay Writing Practice ONE, learners will examine the five elements of CONFLICT within a story - Human, Self, Environment, Culture, Society - and apply them to literary analysis. Next, we will build arguments and plan on OUTLINE together that includes all the essential ingredients in a proper essay.

The stories taught will change from one class session to the next; for the upcoming Fall semester, the story choices will be:

- The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin
- The Storyteller by Saki

A total of TWO essays will be written for this course.
 
The FIRST essay will be a “Literary Essay” based on the use of conflict in a short story. We will develop and plan arguments together as a class before learners take the final step to write the essay on their own.

The SECOND essay will be an “Original Essay” on a topic of the student’s own choosing - with guidance from the teacher along the way.

Below is a rough breakdown of what we will cover in the four classes:

Class One:
-- Essential ingredients in a proper 5-paragraph essay review
-- “Conflict” explained & demonstrated through films
-- Begin our short story and discussion
-- HW - Prepare ideas for our class essay, and choose a thesis for your own, ORIGINAL essay.

Class Two:
-- Collect HW ideas in a class BRAINSTORM
-- Develop ARGUMENTS and an Essay OUTLINE together
-- HW - Based on our work, students will write their own version of the “Literary Essay.” 

Class Three:
-- Examine learners' FIRST essay and mark them together as a class using the "Essential Essay Ingredient Checklist". All student work handed in on time will be marked and given direct feedback.
-- HW - Learners will write their SECOND essay on a topic of their own choosing.

Class Four:
-- The “Original Essays” are due in class today. We will mark them together as a class using the "Essential Essay Ingredient Checklist". All student work handed in on time will be marked and given direct feedback.

Completed essays should be submitted by choosing REPLY to my post in the Outschool classroom and attaching a .doc, .docx, .pdf, or an “accessible” GoogleDocs link. If these writing applications/programs are not available, you can copy and paste your whole essay and send it to me in a private message.

*DUE DATES ARE ASSIGNED*
I like to give feedback on each learner’s essays. In order to receive individualized feedback on the work completed, learners must turn in the assigned work before class time of the due date. Work turned in after that will not receive feedback. 

*Note: The price for the class is a little higher than my other classes so that I can provide extra time to mark and give quality feedback on student's essays.