These lessons are designed to prepare and help students write essays in the first years of secondary school. 

It teaches a basic formula approach to essay-writing,  and is a great starting point.  Students who head off to college or university will use these basics to build upon their essay-writing.

Much of this resource is written from a student perspective, so that teachers may give students the pages which they need or students can use the lessons to write their compositions at home.

These lessons are a companion piece to How to Write an Essay and How to Write a Composition. 

Lesson One: What is an Essay?

• Definition and history, “of Love” by Sir Francis Bacon, The Essay and the Report,
• Examples of Essays and Reports, Samples of Essays and Reports, Activity #1: Recognizing Essay and Report Topics, The Parts of an Essay, Thesis Examples, Evidence.

Lesson Two: Prewriting

• Brainstorming, Research, Selection of Arguments, Pre-writing Plan

Lesson Three: Writing the First Draft

• The Thesis Paragraph, Transitions, a Sample Thesis Paragraph, Paragraphs in the Body,

The concluding Paragraph, The Pattern, Using Quotations in the Essay, Footnotes and

Bibliography

Lesson Four: Editing and Revising

1. A Sample Editing Sheet for an Essay
2. Style Sentence Variety, Precise and Effective Diction, Precise and Effective Nouns and Verbs, The Intended Audience, Tone, Focus and Emphasis, Subordination, Parallel 

Structure, Varying Syntax

1. Activities to Improve Style

• Sentence Variety, Precise and Effective Diction, Precise and Effective Nouns and Verbs, The Intended Audience, Tone, Focus and Emphasis, Subordination, Parallel Structure, Varying Syntax

1. Mechanics

• Common Errors in Spelling, Consistent Verb Tense, Use of the Semi Colon

1. Conclusion

Lesson 5: Notes on Writing the Final Draft

A Sample Essay

Lesson Visual Templates

Overhead #1 THE ESSAY AND THE REPORT

Overhead #2 SAMPLE OF ESSAYS AND REPORT TOPICS

Overhead #3 THE PARTS OF AN ESSAY

Overhead #4 PREWRITING PLAN

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