Course Syllabi
Course Syllabi
Embedded Files
Academic Research & MLA
3 weeks · $60
Academic Research & MLA
3 weeks · $60
Week 1 | Locating and Evaluating Credible Sources
Students will learn strategies for finding credible sources for academic writing. Students will explore different types of sources and learn how to evaluate sources for reliability, relevance, and usefulness. By the end of the week, students will understand how to identify appropriate research materials and select sources that effectively support an academic argument.
Week 2 | Citing Sources: MLA In-Text Citations and Works Cited Entries
Students will learn the purpose of citation and how academic writers document information from outside sources. Students will practice creating MLA in-text citations and Works Cited entries for different types of sources. Students will also explore common citation challenges and learn strategies for accurately documenting research in academic writing.
Week 3 | Integrating Sources: Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing
Students will learn how to effectively incorporate research into their own writing. Students will explore the differences between quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing and learn when each strategy is most appropriate. Students will practice introducing, explaining, and connecting evidence to their own ideas while continuing to develop their MLA citation skills, including handling special citation cases.
Expository Essay Writing
5 weeks · $100
Expository Essay Writing
5 weeks · $100
Week 1 | Brainstorming, Topic Selection, and Thesis Statements
Week 1 | Brainstorming, Topic Selection, and Thesis Statements
Students will learn various prewriting strategies for generating and developing topic ideas. Students will narrow their ideas and select a focused topic for their class essay. Students will also learn the basics of thesis statements, including their purpose and how they guide the focus of an essay by setting clear parameters for what will be included. By the end of the week, students will have a chosen topic and a working thesis to guide their writing.
Week 2 | The Outline
Week 2 | The Outline
In this week’s lesson, students will learn the key components of structuring an academic essay, including topic sentences, transitions, concluding sentences, and how to build an effective introduction and conclusion. Students will also examine the anatomy of a body paragraph and how each part works together to create a clear, organized essay.
Week 3 | First Draft Workshop
Week 3 | First Draft Workshop
Students will begin writing a full first draft using their outlines as a guide. The teacher will model how to move from an outline to a complete draft, showing how ideas develop into fully formed paragraphs. Students will apply the anatomy of a paragraph, including topic sentences, supporting details, and concluding sentences, as they build their essay. Students will also receive feedback on their draft to support revisions in Week 4.
Week 4 | Revision: Strengthening Ideas and Structure
Week 4 | Revision: Strengthening Ideas and Structure
Students will learn specific revision strategies to improve their writing. They will analyze their own essays using instructor-provided self-review guides, building their ability to evaluate and strengthen their work. Students will be guided through what to look for when revising and editing. They will also learn different levels of revision and how revision impacts the overall effectiveness of an essay.
Week 5 | The Final Draft
Week 5 | The Final Draft
Students will produce a final draft of their essay, applying the skills developed throughout the course. The teacher will provide individualized feedback to help students refine and polish their writing. This final week focuses on bringing together the full writing process from brainstorming through revision into a completed, polished essay.
Argument Research Essay Writing
7 weeks · $150
Argument Research Essay Writing
7 weeks · $150
Week 1 | Brainstorming, Topic Selection, and Thesis Statements
Week 1 | Brainstorming, Topic Selection, and Thesis Statements
Students will learn various prewriting strategies for generating and developing topic ideas. Students will narrow their ideas and select a focused topic for their research essay. Students will also learn the basics of thesis statements, including their purpose and how they guide the focus of an essay by setting clear parameters for what will be included.
Week 2 | Finding and Evaluating Credible Sources
Week 2 | Finding and Evaluating Credible Sources
In this week’s lesson, students will learn research strategies for locating credible sources and evaluating the reliability and usefulness of information. Students will explore how sources support an argument and begin gathering evidence to strengthen their essays. By the end of the week, students will have identified sources they can use to support their research essay.
Week 3 | The Research Essay Outline
Week 3 | The Research Essay Outline
In this week’s lesson, students will learn how to structure an academic research essay, including topic sentences, transitions, concluding sentences, and how to build effective introductions and conclusions. Students will also learn how to incorporate evidence from their sources into their outlines as they organize their arguments and prepare to draft their essays.
Week 4 | Working With Sources: MLA Citations and Source Integration
Week 4 | Working With Sources: MLA Citations and Source Integration
Students will learn how to incorporate research into their writing through quotations, paraphrasing, and summaries. Students will also learn MLA formatting skills, including in-text citations and Works Cited entries, to ensure their sources are properly documented and integrated into their essays.
Week 5 | First Draft Workshop
Week 5 | First Draft Workshop
Students will begin writing a full first draft using their outlines and research as a guide. The teacher will model how to move from an outline to a complete research essay, showing how ideas and evidence develop into fully formed paragraphs. Students will apply strategies for developing clear arguments, integrating sources, and organizing their ideas. Students will also receive feedback on their drafts to support revisions.
Week 6 | Revision: Strengthening Ideas, Structure, and Evidence
Week 6 | Revision: Strengthening Ideas, Structure, and Evidence
Students will learn specific revision strategies to improve their writing. They will analyze their own essays using instructor-provided self-review guides, building their ability to evaluate and strengthen their work. Students will focus on improving organization, argument development, clarity, and the effective use of research throughout their essays.
Week 7 | The Final Research Essay
Week 7 | The Final Research Essay
Students will produce a final draft of their research essay, applying the skills developed throughout the course. The teacher will provide individualized feedback to help students refine and polish their writing. This final week focuses on bringing together the full research writing process from brainstorming and source selection through revision into a completed, polished academic essay.
SAT Reading & Writing Prep
6 weeks · $175
SAT Reading & Writing Prep
6 weeks · $175
Week 1 | Cracking the SAT Reading & Writing Section
Students will become familiar with the structure of the SAT Reading and Writing section and learn strategies for approaching different types of questions. Topics include identifying strengths and weaknesses, reading rules and strategies, starting with the question, approaching passages efficiently, applying the basic approach, and recognizing common trap answers.
Week 2 | Craft and Structure + Information and Ideas
Students will develop strategies for Craft and Structure questions, including vocabulary, purpose, and dual texts. Students will also practice Information and Ideas questions involving retrieval, main ideas, claims, charts, and conclusions.
Week 3 | Advanced Reading Skills + Comprehensive Reading
Students will apply advanced reading strategies to questions involving vocabulary, multiple texts, poetry, sentence function, and understanding why particular sentences or information are included in a passage. Students will also complete comprehensive reading practice and analyze answers and explanations.
Week 4 | Sentence Structure + Connecting Clauses
Students will learn the rules and strategies needed to answer questions about sentence structure and connecting ideas. Topics include what a sentence needs, verb forms in complete sentences, complete sentences, independent and dependent clauses, punctuation with transitions, and connecting clauses.
Week 5 | Punctuation and Descriptive Phrases + Lists
Students will develop strategies for questions involving descriptive information and punctuation. Topics include identifying who or what a sentence is talking about, distinguishing specifying information from additional information, punctuation with descriptive phrases, punctuating lists, and recognizing situations in which punctuation is not needed.
Week 6 | Grammar and Consistency + Rhetoric
Students will review grammar and consistency skills tested on the SAT, including subjects and verbs, verb tense, pronouns, nouns, and modifiers. Students will also practice Rhetoric questions involving transitions and rhetorical synthesis. The course will conclude with targeted review and test-taking strategies.
Practice and Assessment
Practice and Assessment
Before the first class, students will complete an official College Board Reading and Writing practice test as a diagnostic. Students will have 64 minutes, matching the timing of the SAT Reading and Writing section, and will review their results and select questions for discussion during the first class.
Throughout the course, students will complete timed practice using the Princeton Review practice tests:
Week 1: Practice Test, Module 1 · 32 minutes
Week 2: Practice Test, Module 2 · 32 minutes
Week 4: Practice Test, Module 1 · 32 minutes
Week 5: Practice Test, Module 2 · 32 minutes
Students will also complete two additional official College Board Reading and Writing practice tests:
Week 3: Official College Board R&W practice test · 64 minutes
Week 6: Official College Board Bluebook full-length practice SAT
Note: The Bluebook practice test is a full-length digital SAT that includes both Reading and Writing and Math. This course focuses exclusively on Reading and Writing; class instruction and individualized feedback will address only the Reading and Writing portion of the practice test.
For each practice assessment, students will spend time outside of class scoring their work, reviewing questions they missed or were unsure about, and selecting questions for further analysis. Students may submit up to three questions from weekly practice assignments for individualized feedback and explanation. For each full Reading and Writing practice test, students may submit up to five questions they missed or were unsure about.
Individualized feedback will focus on explaining why an answer is correct, why other choices may be tempting, and what strategy or skill students can apply to similar questions in the future.
Required Materials
Required Materials
Students will need the Princeton Review SAT Premium Prep book used throughout the course. Additional practice resources may be provided as needed.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse