Instructor : Rusty Gorby
Business letter and paragraph structure
Writing process and narrative writing
Short stories, writing process and grammar mini-lesson
Informative/ descriptive writing and mini-lesson
Informative/ descriptive writing editing
Tom Sawyer (by Mark Twain) and figurative language
Tom Sawyer and character sketch
Tom Sawyer , peer editing, and mini-lesson
Parenthetical documentation
Little Men or Little Women (by Louisa May Alcott) and grammar review
Little Men or Little Women grammar mini-lesson, writing techniques
Little Men or Little Women and classificatory writing
Story pyramid, classificatory writing and editing
Persuasive writing and mini-lesson
Persuasive writing, fact/opinion, and mini-lesson
Editing persuasive writing
Research Paper Introduction
Bibliography cards and research
Note cards and research
Thesis statement and note cards
Outlining and first draft
First draft and editing
Research paper and organization
Biography/Autobiography - Creative project
Creative project presentations
Writing techniques
Poetry discussion and analysis
Writing poetry
Narrative/dramatic poetry
Mini-lessons include instructions on grammar, punctuation and writing styles. These building blocks will improve the student s’ writing skills and should be incorporated into each paper thereafter.
The following supplies are needed:
3 ring notebook
1 folder with pockets and brads (Portfolio)
5 dividers thesaurus index cards (3x5 for bibliography cards and larger size for note cards)
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (unabridged) by Mark Twain
Little Men or Little Women (unabridged)or any another Louisa May Alcott novel
parent-approved biography or autobiography

Lesson 1:

Print and read all handouts: Outline, Step-by-step Assignment Sheet, Business
Letter Format, Author Author, and Hamburger.

Purchase supplies for class.

Organize your notebook.

Find 20 or more comparisons between a hamburger and a well-written paragraph.

Write business letter to Mrs.Gorby.
Lesson 2:

Print and read all handouts for lesson 2.

Email your business letter as an attachment.

Email me the number of hamburger/well-written paragraph comparisons.

Fill out your narrative packet for a memorable birthday.
Lesson 3:
 Print and read all handouts for lesson 3.
 Do the Reinforcing Coherence handout, but do not email it to me.

Write your Birthday rough draft, and include transitional words.
Lesson 4:

Print and read all handouts for lesson 4.

Edit your Birthday rough draft for transition word placement.

Edit the lead of your Birthday paper.

Put your final copy in MLA format
Lesson 5:
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Print and read all handouts for lesson 5.

As an attachment, email your Birthday paper.

Read Chs. 1-8 of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain.

Take notes on the characters that most interest you.

Lesson 6:
 Print and read all handouts for lesson 6.

Draw a picture of your own theme park.

Read Chs. 9-17 of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain.

Continue pre-writing for the characters that most intrigue you.

Fill out the Writing Tip and Brainstorm handout. This is a pre-writing activity for the theme park paper.
Lesson 7:

Print and read all handouts for lesson 7.
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Read Chs. 18-27 of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain and continue note-taking on the characters.

Do the 3 Attractions Prewriting handout.
Lesson 8:

Print and read all handouts for lesson 8.

Read Chs. 28-32 of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain and continue note-taking on the characters.

Write your theme park rough draft, using the 11+ Sentence Paragraph format.
Write in business letter format, and feel free to make up the address if you cannot find out the real address of your wealthy businessman. Be sure to include sensory words, specific details, and figurative language in your rough draft. Finally, write the theme park description in 3 rd person. (You may use 2 nd person in the opening and closing to address your businessman.)
Lesson 9:

Print and read all handouts for lesson 9.

Have fun with the puzzle.

Finish The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain. Choose the 1 character that you will analyze in your Tom Sawyer paper.

Edit the rough draft of your descriptive Theme Park paper.

Write the final copy of the Theme Park paper in business letter format. Please double space the body (as MLA format does) so that I can easily grade your work.

Begin pulling together old papers that you have written to make a Writing Portfolio.

Lesson 10:
 Print and read all handouts for lesson 10.

E-mail your Theme Park paper as an attachment.

Fill out the Character Sketch Chart. Include 3 direct quotes from the novel to prove the traits. Put page Chapter and page numbers by the quotes.
Lesson 11:

Print and read all handouts for lesson 11.
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Write a 2 nd rough draft for the Tom Sawyer character sketch.
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Incorporate quotations smoothly.

Use parenthetical documentation (Ch. 20; 131) for each quote.
Lesson 12:
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Print and read all handouts for lesson 12.

Edit your Tom Sawyer paper for run-ons and fragments. Do not email the Run-on or Fragment handouts.

Make sure that the quotes are incorporated smoothly and that each quote has parenthetical documentation.

Make a final copy of the Tom Sawyer paper in MLA format.
Lesson 13:
 Print and read all handouts for lesson 13.
 E-mail the MLA final copy of the Tom Sawyer paper.
 Do the active voice assignments: “Recognizing Active and Passive Voice Verbs” and
“Active Voice Application”, using another copy of your Tom Sawyer paper.
Lesson 14:

Print and read all handouts for lesson 14.
 Do the Active Voice Pt. 2 assignment. Don’t email this assignment.

Organize your Writing Portfolio, and have 2 older people make comments and sign your Portfolio.

Lesson 15:
 Print and read all handouts for lesson 15. Alert: You will be printing over 30 pages because your research packet is in this lesson.

Put your Research Packet in a folder to protect it.

Choose your topic, an author. Have your parents sign the approval letter or email me with their okay.

Read pages 1-7 of your Research Packet.

Search the library and/or internet for 5 sources on your topic.

Write 5 bibliography cards for the 5 sources.
Lesson 16:

Print and read all handouts for lesson 16.
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Read pages 16, 17, 24 and 25 of the Research Packet.
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Do Practice Bibliographies #2 and #3. Don’t email these practice ones.

Make a Works Cited/Bibliography page for your 5+ sources.

Refer to pages 16 and 17 of your Research Packet to begin writing your first 10 note cards.
Lesson 17:

Print and read all handouts for lesson 17.
 E-mail your rough draft Works Cited/Bibliography page so that I can check it and return it to you to correct it.

Do the Hints on Note-taking Activity.

Complete a minimum of 20 note cards. Most of your note-taking should focus on them as a writer and what made them famous.
Lesson 18:

Print and read all handouts for lesson 18.

E-mail your Hints on Note-taking Activity.

Have your parents do the Note Card Check-off sheet, and email it to me.

Begin your outline for the research paper. Refer to your handouts and your
Research Packet on page 18.

Lesson 19:
 Print and read all handouts for lesson 19.

E-mail your Note Card Check-off sheet. (Your parents must do this check-off.)

E-mail your rough draft outline so that I can help you.

Write your introduction and ½ of your rough draft (1/2 of your outline). Use parenthetical documentation. Refer to pages 19 and 20 for correct format of documentation (Author page).
Lesson 20:

Print and read all handouts for lesson 20.

Finish your rough draft and conclusion.

Email any part of your research paper if you need feedback.
Lesson 21:

Print and read all handouts for lesson 21.

Edit your rough draft of the research paper. Make a final copy in MLA format.
See the Final Touches section of your handout “Let’s Edit Your Rough Draft.”

Choose a Louisa May Alcott novel. Have your parents approval.
Lesson 22:

Print and read all handouts for lesson 22.
 E-mail your MLA final copy of the Research Paper in the correct order: Title page, outline, final copy essay, works cited/bibliography page. [Don’t send your rough draft(s).]

Read the first 1/3 of a Louisa May Alcott novel.

Study the sentence beginning notes.
Lesson 23:

Print and read all handouts for lesson 23.

Study the new sentence beginning notes.

Read the 2 nd (1/3) of your novel. You should be 2/3 of the way through the novel before beginning lesson 24.

Choose the writing prompt that most interests you. As you read, begin pre-writing for that essay choice.

Lesson 24:
 Print and read all handouts for lesson 24.

Finish your Louisa May Alcott novel.

Continue pre-writing for your essay choice. Use the “Similarities and Differences” chart, and record Chapter and page numbers.

Study sentence beginning notes.
Lesson 25:

Print and read all handouts for lesson 25.

Do the Story Pyramid so that I can check your reading.
 Write the rough draft for your Louisa May Alcott paper. Use the “Comparison and
Contrast” chart as your guide.

Incorporate a minimum of 2 direct quotations from your novel for support.
Lesson 26:

Print and read all handouts for lesson 26.

E-mail your Story Pyramid.

Edit your Louisa May Alcott rough draft to make sure that you have a variety of sentence beginnings.

Make a final copy of the Louisa May Alcott paper. Include a title page, final copy with 2+ quotes, and a Works Cited page. Follow closely your Checklist for Lesson
26.

Get your Biography/Autobiography Approval letter signed.
Lesson 27:

Print and read all handouts for lesson 27.

E-mail your MLA final copy of the Louisa May Alcott paper.

Write 2 Haiku and 2 Tanka poems.

Read 1/3 of your biography/autobiography. Take summary notes on each chapter.
Lesson 28:

Print and read all handouts for lesson 28.

E-mail your 2 Haiku and 2 Tanka poems.

Read the 2 nd (1/3) of your biography/autobiography.

Memorize the Big Four poetry rules.

 Answer the questions for “The Texas Ranger” poem.
 Write 1 Mood poem.

Continue summary notes on each chapter of your biography/autobiography.
Lesson 29:

Print and read all handouts for lesson 29.

E-mail your Mood poem.

Read and answer the discussion questions for “Abandoned Farmhouse” and
“Mother to Son.”

Finish your biography/autobiography. Continue note-taking for each chapter.

Begin writing your Narrative Poem.
Lesson 30:

Print and read all handouts for lesson 30.

Finish your Narrative Poem.
 Read “Casey at the Bat” to at least two people.

Read and do the assignment for the John Bunyan poetry.

Email your Narrative Poem final copy (30 line minimum) in MLA format.