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Writing Composition A
   

Course Description

This course is designed to introduce students to various concepts related to the study of writing. Through directed reading and writing, students focus on the mechanics of language, the Writing Process, and reading and writing rhetorically. Early units focus on grammar and mechanics, sentence and paragraph construction. Later units focus on the rhetorical framework (purpose, audience, ethos, message) and reading and writing rhetorically. Throughout the course, students practice essay writing for persuasion, exposition, and narration to demonstrate proficiency in drafting, editing, revising and research skills.

Credits: 5


University of California
A-G Approval
State Standards
High School Exit Exam

Course Content

Unit 1 – Grammar and Mechanics Review

California English Language Arts Curriculum Standards

Note: Although this course is designed for students at the junior and/or senior level, Curriculum Standards for grades 9-12 are used throughout the course.

Students read and understand grade-level-appropriate material. They analyze the organizational patterns, arguments, and positions advanced. In addition, by grade twelve, students read two million words annually on their own, including a wide variety of classic and contemporary literature, magazines, newspapers, and online information. (Reading Comprehension, Grades 9-12: 2.0)

Students write coherent and focused texts that convey a well-defined perspective and tightly reasoned argument. The writing demonstrates students’ awareness of the audience and purpose and progression through the stages of the Writing Process. (Writing Strategies,  Grades 9-10: 1.2)

Students write and speak with a command of standard English conventions. (Written and Oral Language Conventions, Grades 9-10: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4)

Unit Objectives
Upon completion of this Unit, students will:

  • Practice independent reading and build reading speed.
  • Read and understand grammar basics: nouns/pronouns, verbs, modifiers, conjunctions, etc.
  • Understand correct mechanics: punctuation, spelling, commonly confused words, etc.


Unit 2 – Sentences and Paragraphs

California English Language Arts Curriculum Standards

Note: Although this course is designed for students at the junior and/or senior level, Curriculum Standards for grades 9-12 are used throughout the course.

Students read and understand grade-level-appropriate material. They analyze the organizational patterns, arguments, and positions advanced. In addition, by grade twelve, students read two million words annually on their own, including a wide variety of classic and contemporary literature, magazines, newspapers, and online information. (Reading Comprehension, Grades 9-12: 2.0)

Students write coherent and focused texts that convey a well-defined perspective and tightly reasoned argument. The writing demonstrates students’ awareness of the audience and purpose and progression through the stages of the Writing Process. (Writing Strategies, Grades 9-10: 1.2)

Students combine the rhetorical strategies of narration, exposition, persuasion, and description to produce texts of at least 1,500 words each. Student writing demonstrates a command of standard American English and the research, organizational, and drafting strategies outlined in Writing Standard 1.0. (Writing Applications, Grades 11-12: 2.0)

Students write and speak with a command of standard English conventions. (Written and Oral Language Conventions, Grades 9-10: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4; Grades 11-12: 1.1)

Unit Objectives
Upon completion of this Unit, students will:

  • Practice independent reading and build reading speed.
  • Read and understand subjects and predicates and subject-verb agreement.
  • Understand correct sentence structures and patterns including using various phrases and clauses correctly.
  • Understand the basics of paragraph construction (topic sentences, support, claims-evidence-explanation, etc.)


Unit 3 – The Writing Process

California English Language Arts Curriculum Standards

Note: Although this course is designed for students at the junior and/or senior level, Curriculum Standards for grades 9-12 are used throughout the course.

Students read and understand grade-level-appropriate material. They analyze the organizational patterns, arguments, and positions advanced. In addition, by grade twelve, students read two million words annually on their own, including a wide variety of classic and contemporary literature, magazines, newspapers, and online information. (Reading Comprehension, Grades 9-12: 2.0)

Students write coherent and focused texts that convey a well-defined perspective and tightly reasoned argument. The writing demonstrates students’ awareness of the audience and purpose and progression through the stages of the Writing Process. (Writing Strategies, Grades 9-10: 1.1, 1.4, 1.9; Grades 11-12: 1.1, 1.3, 1.9)

Students combine the rhetorical strategies of narration, exposition, persuasion, and description to produce texts of at least 1,500 words each. Student writing demonstrates a command of standard American English and the research, organizational, and drafting strategies outlined in Writing Standard 1.0. (Writing Applications, Grades 11-12: 2.3)

Students write and speak with a command of standard English conventions. (Written and Oral Language Conventions, Grades 9-10: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4; Grades 11-12: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3)

Unit Objectives
Upon completion of this Unit, students will:

  • Practice independent reading and build reading speed.
  • Understand each section of the Writing Process: prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing.
  • Utilize the Writing Process to write essays.


Unit 4 – Rhetorical Reading and Writing

California English Language Arts Curriculum Standards
 
Note: Although this course is designed for students at the junior and/or senior level, Curriculum Standards for grades 9-12 are used throughout the course.
Students read and understand grade-level-appropriate material. They analyze the organizational patterns, arguments, and positions advanced. In addition, by grade twelve, students read two million words annually on their own, including a wide variety of classic and contemporary literature, magazines, newspapers, and online information. (Reading Comprehension, Grades 9-12: 2.0; Grades 11-12: 2.1, 2.2, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6)

Students read and respond to historically or culturally significant works of literature that reflect and enhance their studies of history and social science. They conduct in-depth analyses of recurrent themes. (Literary Response and Analysis, Grades 11-12: 3.2)

Students write coherent and focused texts that convey a well-defined perspective and tightly reasoned argument. The writing demonstrates students’ awareness of the audience and purpose and progression through the stages of the Writing Process. (Writing Strategies, Grades 9-10: 1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.9; Grades 11-12: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.9)

Students combine the rhetorical strategies of narration, exposition, persuasion, and description to produce texts of at least 1,500 words each. Student writing demonstrates a command of standard American English and the research, organizational, and drafting strategies outlined in Writing Standard 1.0. (Writing Applications, Grades 11-12: 2.1)

Students write and speak with a command of standard English conventions. (Written and Oral Language Conventions, Grades 9-10: 1.2, 1.3, 1.4; Grades 11-12: 1.1, 1.2)

Students formulate adroit judgments about oral communication. They deliver focused and coherent presentations that convey clear and distinct perspectives and demonstrate solid reasoning. They use gestures, tone, and vocabulary tailored to the audience and purpose. (Listening and Speaking Strategies, Grades 11-12: 1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 1.6, 1.11)

Unit Objectives
Upon completion of this Unit, students will:

  • Practice independent reading and build reading speed.
  • Understand how to read texts rhetorically, including visual media.
  • Recognize, understand, and utilize rhetorical devices: appeals, repetition, figurative language, analogy, parallelism, etc.
  • Understand and practice writing rhetorically.
  • Understand elements of style in writing including voice, tone, and word choice.
  • Utilize the Writing process to write essays.


Unit 5 – Essay Writing and Research Practice

California English Language Arts Curriculum Standards

Note: Although this course is designed for students at the junior and/or senior level, Curriculum Standards for grades 9-12 are used throughout the course.

Students read and understand grade-level-appropriate material. They analyze the organizational patterns, arguments, and positions advanced. In addition, by grade twelve, students read two million words annually on their own, including a wide variety of classic and contemporary literature, magazines, newspapers, and online information. (Reading Comprehension, Grades 9-10: 2.0, 2.2; Grades 11-12: 2.3, 2.4)

Students read and respond to historically or culturally significant works of literature that reflect and enhance their studies of history and social science. They conduct in-depth analyses of recurrent themes. (Literary Response and Analysis, Grades 11-12: 3.2)

Students write coherent and focused texts that convey a well-defined perspective and tightly reasoned argument. The writing demonstrates students’ awareness of the audience and purpose and progression through the stages of the Writing Process. (Writing Strategies, Grades 9-10: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.6, 1.7, 1.9; Grades 11-12: 1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.9)

Students combine the rhetorical strategies of narration, exposition, persuasion, and description to produce texts of at least 1,500 words each. Student writing demonstrates a command of standard American English and the research, organizational, and drafting strategies outlined in Writing Standard 1.0. (Writing Applications, Grades 9-10: 2.2, 2.3, 2,4; Grades 11-12: 2.2)

Students write and speak with a command of standard English conventions. (Written and Oral Language Conventions, Grades 9-10: 1.1, 1.2; Grades 11-12: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3)

Unit Objectives
Upon completion of this Unit, students will:

  • Practice independent reading and build reading speed.
  • Utilize the writing skills developed throughout this course and the Writing Process to produce responses to literature, expository writing, and persuasive writing.
  • Develop and utilize research skills including gathering, evaluating, and documenting sources to produce a research project.