9-4
HIGH SCHOOL
Simplified Writing 2:
Beyond the Five-Paragraph Essay
Suggested Grade Level: 9th grade
Go beyond writing standard essays to mastering the secrets of advanced essay writing, including different essay types, advanced brainstorming techniques, using parallelism, cohesive writing, bookending, and more. These must-have essay skills apply to all high school and college courses. Take the 9-3 course with this course to gain a full semester’s credit for writing.
Your Course Description
The Five-Paragraph Essay has been the standard for essay writing for years — and in this course, your student will understand that there is so much more that’s necessary to be a competent writer and go beyond the typical form to learning what makes an essay exceptional. Students will craft essay assignments and practice becoming comfortable with thinking quickly in creating, drafting, and polishing essays. Special attention will be paid to how to write essays that capture the attention and flow from beginning to end, with meaning.
Your Course Outline
Class 1: Essay types and differences, and where you’ll write them
Class 2: The traditional Five Paragraph Essay
Class 3: What makes an essay great: researching an essay and brainstorming with the “then what?” question; taking your thoughts “to the end of the line”
Class 4: What makes an essay great: examples and analysis of form, parallelism, and rhythm in an essay
Class 5: What makes an essay great: Transitional tricks, answering the reader’s questions, making cohesive decisions, and bookending
Class 6: What makes an essay great: Research, storytelling, and creative elements
Class 7: What makes an essay great: Analyzing three essays
Class 8: Revising and editing your essays
Your Course Details
Total Number of Classes: 8
Prerequisite: Required: Registered for Writing Essentials 1: Essential Punctuation and Grammar I (HS 9-1) and High School Simplified Writing 1: Strong Foundational Writing Skills (HS 9-2). Recommended: High School Writing Essentials 2: Excellent Paragraphs & Essay Writing (HS 9-3)
Because courses in the program are sequential, for your student’s success, it is required that your student take the 9-1 and 9-2 courses before enrolling in this course. Students will be held accountable for all content taught in the previous courses. If your student is unable to take the previous courses LIVE, then at a minimum, he or she can watch the recordings on Unlimited Access before taking this course. An alternative to the prerequisite: a passing assessment from the Aquinas Writing Advantage Assessment service. Please contact [email protected] for any questions on permissions.
Suggested Grade Level: 9th grade; however, all high school students are welcome
Duration: 55 minutes
Suggested Credit: One-half (½) of a semester’s credit for Writing or English
Combine with High School Writing Essentials 2: Excellent Paragraphs & Essay Writing (HS 9-3) for one (1) full semester credit. When combined with the 9-3 course, this course is worth one (1) full semester’s credit for writing.
Course Materials: Simplified Writing 101: Top Secrets for College Success, by Erin Brown Conroy: Buy the hard copy of the book here: http://amzn.to/2FMCose OR, buy the Kindle version of the book here (Download the FREE Kindle app to easily read on your computer, tablet, or mobile device): www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00B7AB90W/catholictreas-20
Microsoft Word or the ability to convert a document to a Word-compatible document is required. If you do not own Microsoft Word, you can use a system such as Google Docs that converts to Word documents FREE.
Homework: Students will have weekly writing assignments with grading and direct feedback from the instructor. Expect an estimated two (2) to four (4) hours per week for homework outside of class time, depending on the student’s ability; homework includes reading, writing, and responding to feedback
How this course fits with your other High School Writing courses…
| Fall Semester | Spring Semester | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 9-1 | 9-2 | 9-3** | 9-4* |
| 10-1 | 10-2 | ||
| 11-123 | 11-457 | ||
| 12-1 | 12-2 | ||
** The 9-3 and 9-4 courses are consecutive courses. To create a full semester of High School Writing, sign up for the 9-4 course when you sign up for 9-3, to complete the 9-Series courses
Your Instructors
Live, Interactive Courses
During the week, multiple course sections, times, and instructors are offered for this course. Sign up for the time and the instructor that best meets your needs. Click here to see the days and instructors for the LIVE course offerings — and to sign up for a LIVE course.
Recorded, Independent-Learning Course
When you sign up for Unlimited Access and take this recorded course, your instructor is the designer and Director of Aquinas Writing Advantage, Erin M. Brown, MA, MFA (aka author EB Conroy/Erin Brown Conroy).
Three Sign Up Options (Choose One)
1. Live, Interactive Course
Students attend a LIVE class in a virtual classroom on a specific day, at a specific time. After class (during the week), the student independently completes the coursework that includes readings, activities, and weekly quizzes. Quizzes are graded automatically by the computer for instant feedback. Written assignments are graded with feedback by the instructor. Your instructor is also available for communication outside of class via email, to help answer questions. Homework time outside of class is estimated to be two to three hours per week.
2. Unlimited Access: Recorded, Independent-Learning Course
When you take the Recorded course, you will independently view the recorded video lesson and complete the coursework in the learning management system. Quizzes in the course are graded automatically by the computer for instant feedback. If choosing to not use Instructor Access, grading with feedback is provided by the parent; however, Instructor Access grading is available (see below). There is an estimated two to three hours of homework/coursework per week outside of watching the weekly video lecture.
When you get “Unlimited Access,” you get 24/7 access to ALL of the writing courses — AND access to 400+ middle and high school courses, in all subject areas, for only $34.97 a month.
3. Unlimited Access with Instructor Access Grading Services
Instructor Access is an optional service, for an additional fee, that accompanies Unlimited Access. When you sign up for one-on-one tutoring with Instructor Access, in addition to the weekly quizzes that are graded automatically by the computer for instant feedback, your student will receive one-on-one help via email with the professional writing instructor. The Instructor Access instructor will grade the work submitted, and there is an estimated three to four hours per week for homework for your student outside of watching the video lecture. If you’d like Instructor Access, once you sign up for Unlimited Access, you’ll receive email instructions on how to sign up.
Specific Course FAQs
Is this course required? Can I skip this course?
Because the content in this program is sequential, for your student to be successful and not miss any prerequisite content, it is requested that he or she watch the videos of the previous 9-Series courses before taking this course. Because the Aquinas Writing Advantage program covers specific material that is above and beyond a typical 9th grade English and writing course, taking this course without the previous 9-Series courses completed creates a handicap for your student. Please make sure that your student has (at least) watched the previous 9-Series courses first, before enrolling in this course.
Can I start the 9-3 course in the Fall Semester?
The LIVE 9-1 and 9-2 courses are held in the Fall Semester only; the LIVE 9-3 and 9-4 courses are held in the Spring Semester only. If you would like to take this course outside of the LIVE course schedule, then simply take the recorded course in Unlimited Access (with or without Instructor Access grading services).
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