Crafting the Essay
TEXT: Back to the Lake by Thomas Cooley
Sample Syllabus
WRITING ASSIGNMENTS
 Daily journal entries
 6-8 short writing pieces (approx. 100-250 words each)
 4 Essays (approx. 750 words); at least one of which will be taken through the writing process ending with
publication in our class anthology.
▫ Essay #1 - Descriptive Based on pre-writing activities, write a descriptive essay conveying your personal
response to the subject about which you are writing. Your essay may focus on a person, place, activity, or
memory. Use sensory detail to make your subject real for readers.
▫ Essay #2 - Narrative We tell stories every day, to our friends, parents, and teachers. We tell them orally
or we type them and post them on social media. Write an essay that tells a story about a firsthand
experience. Bring your reader into the moment with you to witness your experience.
▫ Essay #3 - Cause and Effect We analyze causes and effects every day in order to understand relationships
between actions and consequences. In this essay, focus on a “consequence” you have caused, describing
the chronology of the action and the predictability of the effect.
▫ Essay #4 - Argument When we argue, we are taking a position either for or against something. In order to
“win” the argument, we must support our position with credible evidence. Your evidence could be cited
from a reliable source or it could be based on personal experience or a credible example. In this essay,
you will argue for something, an issue or an idea, that you can support based on your own experience,
examples based on “global knowledge” and from interviews with credible sources.
IMPORTANT TERMS
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close reading
defamiliarization
diction
frame narrative
functional fixedness
in media res
metaphor
mood
personification
stream of consciousness
style
tone
verisimilitude
voice
Week 1
Concepts/Goals
Monday – Week 1
AM
 Establish classroom
norms
 Review syllabus
 Journal
 Introduce the genre of
literary nonfiction
PM
 Descriptive
writing/Essay
assignment
 What are literary
features and how do
authors use them to
create meaning?
 Lesson 1: Diction and
Denotation vs.
connotation
 Showing vs. Telling
 Generating ideas
EVE
 Pre-writing
 Close reading and
annotation
Tuesday – Week 1
AM
 Journal
 Reading Workshop
/discussion groups
 Getting to know
peers/building trust
 Adding details
PM
 Writing
 Mini-writing workshop
EVE
 Writing
Wednesday – Week 1
AM
 Literary Features,
Lesson 2: Syntax
 Writer’s Workshop
PM
 Revision
EVE
 Writing
 Close Reading
Morning Session
Afternoon Session
 Journal entry 1: What kind of writer  Read pp.121-126 and
are you? What kind of reader?
student example, pp 136What are your strengths and
137 in BttL.
weaknesses? What do you hope to  Discuss in pairs. Share
gain from this course? Share and
with class
discuss
 Groups create a
“connotation” graph line.
 Introductions
 CTY Honor Code (sign and return); Each group has a
computer policies
different ‘base” word and
 Review syllabus and answer any
shares the results on
questions or concerns
posters.
 What does a writing workshop look  Taking a non-descriptive
sentence, teacher
like? Together we will create a list
of norms that will establish a safe
generated, and asking the
and productive learning
questions that will add
environment for our classroom.
details. Class activity
 Read pp 3-9 in BttL and answer
 Read pp 126,127 guiding questions – share with
generating ideas
partner.
 Ice breaker activity
 What is literary non-fiction? What
is it NOT?
 Pre-assessment (1 hour)
 Journal Entry #2: In “Perfection in 
the Horseshoe Pit” what specific
type of diction does Branch use to
create meaning? Give at least two
examples and discuss the effect of
each on your understanding of the 
essay. Share and discuss as a class
 class building activity
 Reading workshop - discuss the
elements of the two example
essays.
 Speed dating with the sentences
created yesterday afternoon - 5
“dates”
 Journal entry #3: Read the

following sentences. How does the 
use of descriptive language enhance
your understanding of the sentence?
Write a sentence describing me :) 
 What is syntax? Practice with short
and long sentences and the effect of
each.
 Writer’s workshop - bring 5 copies
of your rough draft
Evening Session
 Create 5 sentences that
are non-descriptive, based
on your own experiences,
etc. to be used Tuesday
morning. Remember, NO
description yet!
 Lessons: Being a critical
reader and annotation
practices
 Read John Branch,
“Perfection in the
Horseshoe Pit” pp 146149 and Zora Neale
Hurston, “How It Feels to
Be Colored Me” pp.157 161. Answer guiding
questions for discussion
groups tomorrow.
Create 5 descriptive
 Choose one of the
paragraphs using the
descriptive paragraphs
questions generated by
work shopped earlier and
your peers during “speed write a rough draft of
dating”
your descriptive essay - 5
copies for writer’s
Using the writing
workshop
workshop guidelines we
generated previously,
students will give
feedback on descriptive
paragraphs
Read pp 36-37 in BttL.
 Complete final draft of
Class discussion and
descriptive essay.
review of elements in a  Choice reading of essays
descriptive essay
in chapter 5
Use the checklist and the
advice from workshop to
identify places to revise
and annotate rough draft
in preparation for
computer lab
Week 1
Concepts/Goals
Thursday – Week 1
AM
 Journal
 Narrative writing/Essay
assignment
 Literary features ,
Lesson 3: Symbolism
 Generating ideas for
writing
 Begin writing
PM
 Writing and peer
feedback
EVE
 Close Reading
Friday – Week 1
AM
 Journal
 Writing Workshop
 Literary Features;
Lesson 4:
characterization
PM
 Reading Workshop
SUNDAY Evening
 Write
 Close Reading
Morning Session
 Journal entry #4 What is a story?
How do you tell a story? What are
the most important features of a
story?
 If you had to choose just one thing
to “symbolize” you - or one
important aspect of you- what
would it be? Brainstorm for a
couple of minutes and then draw
the symbol on the card provided.
Discuss as a class.
 Read pp.62-to the top of 68 and
student example, pp 76-79 in BttL.
 Discuss in pairs. Share with class
 Read pp.16-21
 Introduction to Autobiography as
Haiku Assignment (Three 100 word pieces) begin brainstorming.
 Journal Entry #5: In “An American
Childhood” how does Dillard use
diction and/or syntax to create
meaning? Give at least two
examples and discuss the effect of
each on your understanding of the
essay. Share and discuss as a class.
 class building activity
 mini-workshops with
autobiography as haiku, choosing
the piece that will be expanded for
essay assignment
 Characterization lesson
 6 word self-characterization (these
will be displayed for the remainder
of the session)
Afternoon Session
Evening Session
 Finish Autobiograp
 Read Annie, “An
Dillard hy as Haiku
American Childhood”
assignment
and Toni Morrison,
“Strangers”
 Share with a partner for
brief feedback, focusing  Complete guiding
on guiding questions
questions for discussion
provided.
tomorrow.
 Discuss model essays,
focusing on guiding
questions and literary
features
 Journal entry #6:
Reflection on first week
of class. Share.
 Rough draft of narrative
essay - 5 copies for
workshop
 Choice reading of essays
in chapter 4
Week 2
Concepts/Goals
Monday - Week 2
AM
 Journal
 Literary features,
lesson 5: Tone and
Mood
 Writer’s workshop
PM
 Writing
EVE
 Conferences
Morning Session
Afternoon Session
 Journal entry #7: “If there is no
 Write final draft of
struggle there is no progress.” ~
narrative essay
Frederick Douglass. Reflect on your
writing process. Do you have any
struggles? If so, what are they and
how do you think you can overcome
them? Have you overcome any
struggles? If so, how did you do it?
 Tone and Mood lesson
 Writer’s Workshop
Evening Session
 Read pp 28-33 in BttL
 Conferences with
instructor
Tuesday – Week 2
 Journal entry #8: Write about a time  rough draft of cause and
that being late caused a problem for
effect essay
AM
you or benefited you.
 Journal
 Draw-What-I-Write
 Introduction to the
Each student draws a simple picture,
cause and effect
working alone away from
essay
classmates. Students will write a
 Literary features,
detailed paragraph describing the
Lesson 6:
picture and the process of drawing it.
Imagery/pre-writing
Students then work in pairs,
 Continuing to build
exchanging written descriptions.
trust
Partners then try to reproduce the
 Brainstorming/predrawing using only the paragraph.
writing
We will then compare the original
drawing with the drawing based on
PM
the description. Class discussion on
 Write
the consequences, good and bad, of
EVE
the use of details or the lack of
 Close Reading
details.
 Class building activity
 Group brainstorming: jot thoughts.
Students will be given a topic and
“jot” an idea on a sticky note,
placing all ideas into the center of
the table as quickly as possible.
 Students will choose three ideas
generated within their group, either
their own or someone else’s, and
write a paragraph on each. One of
these paragraphs will be the basis for
the essay assignment.
 Read Dan Barry,
“Cancer’s Oddest Effect”
and Shirley Jackson, “The
Lottery”. Answer the
guiding questions for
participation in reading
workshop.
 read pp. 463-464 Reading
with a Critical Eye
Wednesday – Week 2  Journal entry #9: Write a paragraph  Read pp 464-465
based on the following sentence:
AM
 Self-revision workshop
The last time I __________ this is
 Journal
what happened.
 Literary features,
 Lesson on structure
lesson 7: Structure
 Second draft of essay - 5
copies for writer’s
workshop
Week 2
Concepts/Goals
 Reading workshop
PM
 Writing workshop
EVE
 Write
 Close reading
Morning Session
 Class-building activity
 Read pp. 455-top of 463
 Reading workshop
Thursday – Week 2
AM
 Journal
 Literary feature,
Lesson 8: Irony
 Writer’s workshop
PM
 Computer lab
EVE
Close Reading
 Journal entry #10: “Language exerts  Final draft of cause and
hidden power, like the moon on
effect essay
tides.” ~ Rita Mae Brown. What do
you think this quotes means? How
does this quote reflect your own
reading and writing experiences? Be
specific.
 Irony lesson
 Writer’s workshop
 Jig Saw Activity: Read pp
513-529
Friday – Week 2
AM
 Journal
 Continuing to build
trust
 How to argue; the
argument essay
 pre-writing
 peer feedback
PM
 Write
 Journal entry #11: “Always keep
 Rough draft of argument
your composure. You can’t score
essay
from the penalty box; and to win,
you have to score.” ~ Bobby Hull.
How does this quote translate to the
art of debate or persuasive writing?
 class building activity
 “Anticipation” guide to argument
writing; debating the issues
 Choose two issues from our debate
or another of your own idea not
represented in the debate (see me for
consultation). Write a paragraph for
each, understanding that you will
choose one to expand into an essay.
 partner feedback
Sunday Evening
 Read Barack Obama, “A
More Perfect Union” and
Sojourner Truth, “Ain’t I a
Woman?” Answer guiding
questions
SUNDAY Evening
 Close Reading
Afternoon Session
Evening Session
 Choice reading of cause
and effect essays in
chapter 11
Week 3
Concepts/Goals
Morning Session
Monday – Week 3
AM
 Journal
 Continue to build
trust
 Writing
PM
 Reading workshop
 Read student sample
essay; discuss
EVE
 Revision
 Journal entry #12:
 Self-revision workshop
 class building exercise
 lesson on use of details to support
argument
 Literary feature, Lesson 9: It’s all in
the DETAILS
 Why do we argue?
 Ted Talk: Dan Cohen - for
argument’s sake
Tuesday – Week 3
AM
 Journal
 Continue to foster
trust in the
classroom
 Writer’s workshop
PM
 Writing
 Journal entry #13: Consider the
 Based on your argument  final draft of argument
essay you chose to read last night.
essay, write a script for a
essay
What is the argument and the
two-minute “Ted Talk”
position of the author? How does the  With a partner, focus on
author support it? Was there a
the art of oral presentation
counter-argument? Was it effective? using the guidelines
How so?
handed out, and practice
 Students will discuss journal entries presenting your “Ted
Talk”
in groups
 Class-building activity
 Writer’s workshop
Wednesday - Week 3  Journal entry # 14 : Free Write
AM
 Block label cut paste exercise
 Self-revision
workshop
PM
 Writing
EVE
 Close Reading
Afternoon Session
 revise draft
Evening Session
 Revise essay
 Choice reading of essays
in chapter 12
 Read pp 649 - 652; Billy
Collins, “Fishing on the
Susquehanna in July”.
Answer guiding questions
for discussion
Week 3
Concepts/Goals
Morning Session
Afternoon Session
Evening Session
Thursday - Week 3
AM
 Journal
 Continue to foster
trust in the
classroom
 Final Workshop
PM
 Writing
EVE
 Oral presentations
 Class “Story” of our
time together
 Journal entry # 15: Write a poem
using at least one of the literary
features we focused on to help you
create meaning for you readers.
Share with class (voluntary)
 class building exercise
 workshop
 Ted Talk presentations
 Revise: final draft
 finish any “Ted Talks” not
presented this morning
 writing round-table - share
with class
 share favorite writings

Last Day – No Planned
activities
Last Day – No Planned
activities
Friday – Week 3
 Journal entry #15: Reflect on your
experience in this class - the good,
AM
the bad and the ugly :)
 Share work
 Share
 Wrap up
 wrap up
 Hand out anthology