Middle School: Narrative Essay Writing (MS.LA.E1)

This 5-week class is designed to help students become thoughtful, confident essay writers by studying and practicing essay writing. Throughout the class, students will learn how essays work, why people write them, and how strong writers communicate ideas clearly and effectively.
 
The class begins with the foundations of essay writing, including structure, purpose, organization, and the traits of effective writing. Students will explore narrative essays and learn how this type of essay uses different techniques to connect with readers.
 
A major focus of the class is reading and analyzing real essays from both classical and modern writers. Students will study how skilled authors use introductions, storytelling, details, voice, organization, and reflection to create meaningful writing. Special attention will be given to classical narrative essays as models for learning essay techniques and understanding the human experiences essays often explore.
 
Students will participate in discussions, peer review activities, essay analysis, quizzes, and writing assignments. They will learn how essays are evaluated using rubrics and will practice giving constructive feedback to others while improving their own writing.
 
Class activities include online readings, discussions, quizzes, and weekly live Zoom meetings (45 minutes). Throughout the class, students will develop an original narrative essay from beginning to end. Students will have opportunities to brainstorm ideas, explore meaningful experiences, write multiple drafts, receive feedback, revise and polish their work, and have the option to share their writing with the class.
 
The class emphasizes both the craft of essay writing and the importance of communicating real human experiences in a clear, engaging, and meaningful way.
 
By the end of the class, students should be able to:
Understand the purpose and structure of essays
Recognize and write a narrative essay
Analyze essays for technique, organization, and effectiveness
Develop clear thesis statements and focused ideas
Write engaging introductions and strong conclusions
Support ideas with details, examples, and reflection
Revise and improve writing through feedback and self-evaluation
This class emphasizes both reading and writing as tools for understanding people, ideas, and experiences. Students should expect to read thoughtfully, participate actively, and write regularly throughout the class.
 
Some of the essays used in this class include excerpts from the following works:
“The Danger of a Single Story” – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (excerpts)
“Is Google Making Us Stupid?” – Nicholas Carr
“Superman and Me” – Sherman Alexie
“I Have a Dream” – Martin Luther King Jr.
“Common Sense” – Thomas Paine
“Why I Write” – George Orwell
“The Jacket” – Gary Soto
“Fish Cheeks” – Amy Tan
 
Before purchasing the class, please make sure the scheduled Zoom meeting time fits your availability for the full five-week class period, as participation in the live meetings is an essential part of the class experience.