7/8-3
Middle School
Simplified Writing
For Middle School 3:
Writing the Excellent Essay
Suggested Grade Level: 7th or 8th grade
Discover essay types, learn how to
narrow and brainstorm ideas, and
practice short essay writing…
Your Course Description
In this course, your student will take the skills learned in the Simplified Writing 1 and 2 courses (7/8-1 and 7/8-2) and put the knowledge and skills into practice for writing short essays, with specific feedback and coaching regarding how your student’s writing can improve. Your student will go through the start-to-finish process of creating an academic essay, and attention will be given to using the correct forms and writing skills that have been gained to this point in the middle school Essentials and Simplified Writing courses.
Your Course Outline
Class 1: Types of essays – an introduction to rhetoric and choosing an essay topic
Class 2: Narrowing topics (from last class); brainstorming content for your topic and creating the thesis statement
Class 3: Analyzing and improving thesis statements (from last class); creating outlines
Class 4: Analyzing and improving outlines (from last class); creating introductions
Class 5: Creating rough drafts
Class 6: Revising the essay
Class 7: Editing the essay
Class 8: Formatting for the academic essay; an introduction to style guides
Your Course Details
Total Number of Classes: Eight (8)
Prerequisites: Because courses in the program are sequential, for your student’s success, it is recommended that your student takes the 6/7 Series courses and the 7/8-1 and 7/8-2 course before joining the remainder of the 7/8 Series courses. If the student is unable to take the previous courses LIVE, then it is acceptable to (at a minimum) watch the recordings on Unlimited Access. Special permission may be granted for attending this course without prerequisites. Please contact [email protected] to discuss permissions.
Required Materials: If you do not own Microsoft Word 2007 or a later version, you can use a system such as Google Docs that converts to Word documents FREE. All other learning materials are provided FREE.
Suggested Credit: When combined with the 7/8-4 course, this course is worth a full semester’s credit of middle school writing.
How this course fits with your Middle School Writing courses...
| Fall Semester | Spring Semester | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/7-1 | 6/7-2 | 6/7-3 | 6/7-4 |
| 7/8-1 | 7/8-2 | 7/8-3* | 7/8-4** |
** The 7/8-3 and 7/8-4 courses are consecutive courses. To create a full semester of Middle School Writing, sign up for the 7/8-4 course when you sign up for 7/8-3, to complete the 7/8 series of 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 one to three hours per week, depending on your student’s skills.
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 one 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 course work submitted, and there is an estimated one to three 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 6/7 Series courses and the 7/8-1 and 7/8-2 courses in Unlimited Access before entering the remainder of the 7/8 Series courses. Special permission may be granted for attending this course without prerequisites. Please contact [email protected] to discuss permissions.
Can I start 7/8-3 course in the Fall Semester?
The LIVE 7/8-3 and 7/8-4 courses are held in the Spring Semester only; Spring Semester courses begin in January. If you are beginning this course in September (or at any other time of the year besides January), simply take this course in Unlimited Access (with or without Instructor Access grading services).
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