High School Workshops

All WriteAtHome writing courses and workshops are asynchronous.

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High School Creative Writing 1

This eight-week class focuses on creative writing, in particular, descriptive and narrative writing. If you value creative expression, you’ll love this engaging class. But it’s not just fun and games. Writing coaches use the assignments to teach principles that apply to just about any writing endeavor. In addition to a diagnostic assignment, students will write creative compositions in three drafts each under the guidance and instruction of their personal writing coach.

Note: The assignments and lesson content of this course significantly overlap High School Composition 1. We therefore do not recommend this course for students who have completed H.S. Composition 1.

Course Objectives

Students who complete the course will be able to…

  • write effective narrative and descriptive papers.

  • respond to coach feedback on their writing through revising and proofreading.

  • understand and apply concepts like clarity, conciseness and coherence to their writing.

  • understand and apply the concept of showing, rather than telling in their writing.

  • engage the writing process by employing the following five steps in composing every paper: prewriting, drafting, revising, proofreading, publishing.

  • improve their writing across a wide range of broad evaluative areas, including content, style and form.

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High School Creative Writing 2

This eight-week class is a continuation of High School Creative Writing Workshop 1. The lesson content of this course will discuss issues like plot, descriptive details, conflict, and character. In addition to a diagnostic assignment, students will write creative compositions in three drafts each under the guidance and instruction of their personal writing coach.

Note: The assignments and lesson content of this course significantly overlap High School Composition 2. We therefore do not recommend this course for students who have completed H.S. Composition 2.

Course Objectives

Students who complete the course will be able to…

  • write effective narrative and descriptive papers.

  • respond to coach feedback on their writing through revising and proofreading.

  • understand and apply concepts like plot, detail, conflict, and character to their writing.

  • understand and apply the concept of showing, rather than telling in their writing.

  • engage the writing process by employing the following five steps in composing every paper: prewriting, drafting, revising, proofreading, publishing.

  • improve their writing across a wide range of broad evaluative areas, including content, style and form.

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High School Short Story Writing

This course is designed to introduce students to the basics of short fiction. Students will receive lessons on important elements of story writing and be given a variety of writing assignments designed to hone their skills and develop their creative abilities. Students will complete at least one full short story under the supervision of their personal writing coach.

Note: We recommend that, prior to taking this course, students take any of the High School Creative Writing Workshops:HS Creative Writing 1, HS Creative Writing 2, or HS Creative Writing 3.

Course Objectives

Students who complete the course will be able to…

  • identify the basics of short fiction.

  • craft a story opening that attracts the reader and invites him to read on.

  • create believable, interesting characters.

  • establish a plot around a core conflict.

  • set up a sequence of events leading to a satisfying climax and resolution.

  • effectively describe setting and character.

  • craft natural, convincing dialogue.

  • respond to the input of a personal writing coach in drafting and revising an original work of short fiction.

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High School Expository Writing 1

This eight-week class introduces high school students to exposition – writing that explains or defines. The ability to communicate practical information with clarity and conciseness is an invaluable skill. The lesson content of this course will discuss issues like voice, audience, purpose, and writing with nouns and verbs . In addition to a diagnostic assignment, students will write two expository papers in three drafts each under the guidance and instruction of their personal writing coach.

Note: The assignments and lesson content of this course significantly overlap High School Composition 1. We therefore do not recommend this course for students who have completed H.S. Composition 1.

Course Objectives

Students who complete the course will be able to…

  • write effective expository papers.

  • respond to coach feedback on their writing through revising and proofreading.

  • understand and apply concepts like voice, audience, and purpose to their writing.

  • engage the writing process by employing the following five steps in composing every paper: prewriting, drafting, revising, proofreading, publishing.

  • improve their writing across a wide range of broad evaluative areas, including content, style and form.

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High School Expository Writing 2

This eight-week class is a continuation of High School Expository Writing Workshop 1. The lesson content of this course will discuss business writing and ideas like nominalization, precision, and avoiding mumbo jumbo. In addition to a diagnostic assignment, students will write two expository papers in three drafts each under the guidance and instruction of their personal writing coach.

Note: The assignments and lesson content of this course significantly overlap High School Composition 3. We therefore do not recommend this course for students who have completed H.S. Composition 3.

Course Objectives

Students who complete the course will be able to…

  • write effective expository papers.

  • respond to coach feedback on their writing through revising and proofreading.

  • understand and apply concepts like precision and tone to their writing.

  • engage the writing process by employing the following five steps in composing every paper: prewriting, drafting, revising, proofreading, publishing.

  • improve their writing across a wide range of broad evaluative areas, including content, style and form.

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High School Essay Writing 1

This course is designed to equip students to write strong persuasive essays. College-bound students will find this material particularly helpful, since college courses tend to require primarily research papers and essays. Emphasis will be on effective and appropriate structure. 

Course Objectives

Students who complete the course will be able to…

  • Create a clear and concise thesis statement.

  • Defend an opinion using rational, structured argumentation.

  • Respond to feedback on their writing through revising and proofreading.

  • Write a variety of essays of differing purpose.

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High School Essay Writing 2

This eight-week course follows Essay I and is designed to further equip students to write persuasive essays. Particular emphasis will be placed on literary writing and preparing for standardized test essays. 

Course Objectives

Students who complete the course will be able to…

  • Create a clear and concise thesis statement.

  • Defend an opinion using rational, structured argumentation.

  • Respond to feedback on their writing through revising and proofreading.

  • Write a variety of essays of differing purpose.

  • Analyze a work of literature.

  • Write a response essay similar to those found on the SAT and other standardized tests.

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High School Literary Analysis

No kind of writing we ask of students is more difficult than literary analysis. It requires an ability to read with creativity and insight and to communicate thoughts with clarity, subtlety and persuasive power. This course is designed to help students learn the basics of this challenging kind of writing. Students who have taken Essay Writing II will have had some exposure to literary writing. This class drills down deeper. An essential class for the college-bound.

Note: The assignments and lesson content of this course significantly overlap High School Composition 4. We therefore do not recommend this course for students who have completed H.S. Composition 4.

Course Objectives

Students who complete the course will be able to…

  • Value literature and literary writing.

  • Identify the major elements of narrative writing.

  • Identify the major elements of poetry.

  • Read carefully and analytically a short story and a poem.

  • Create a clear, arguable, original thesis statement about a work of literature.

  • Defend a literary thesis using various types of textual evidence.

  • Draft literary paper with concern for their organization and content.

  • Employ various techniques customary to literary analysis essays.

  • Respond to feedback on their writing through revising and proofreading.

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High School Research Paper

This eight-week course is designed to equip students to write a sound research paper, from the initial stages of developing a topic or thesis, through the research and note-taking process, to a revised and polished final draft.

Note: The nature of the Research Paper Workshops makes them valuable to retake as often as you like. By selecting a different paper topic each time, students will benefit from multiple experiences with these courses. We recommend college-bound students complete no less than three formal research papers in their high school years.

Course Objectives

Students who complete the course will be able to…

  • Define the various types of research paper.

  • Create a clear and concise topic sentence or thesis statement.

  • Identify and collect appropriate, varied, and useful research material.

  • Use a note card system for taking notes.

  • Organize and outline the paper prior to composing a first draft.

  • Properly cite sources in the paper according to MLA standards.

  • Create a properly-formatted works cited page.

  • Draft and revise an informative and/or persuasive research paper.

  • Respond to feedback on their writing through revising and proofreading.

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High School College Prep Research Paper

This eight-week course is designed to equip students to write a college-level research paper, from the initial stages of developing a topic or thesis, through the research and note-taking process, to a revised and polished final draft. Students in this class will be held to higher standards and more rigorous feedback than in our traditional Research Paper Workshop. 

Note: The nature of Research Paper Workshops makes them valuable to retake as often as you like. By selecting a different paper topic each time, students will benefit from multiple experiences with these courses. We recommend college-bound students complete no less than three formal research papers in their high school years.

Course Objectives

Students who complete the course will be able to…

  • Define the various types of research paper.

  • Create a clear and concise topic sentence or thesis statement.

  • Identify and collect appropriate, varied, and useful research material.

  • Use a note card system for taking notes.

  • Organize and outline the paper prior to composing a first draft.

  • Properly cite sources in the paper according to MLA standards.

  • Create a properly-formatted works cited page.

  • Draft and revise an informative and/or persuasive research paper written at an acceptable college level.

  • Respond to feedback on their writing through revising and proofreading.

Middle School Workshops

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Middle School Narrative Writing 

This eight-week class focuses on narrative writing, or storytelling. Most of us love stories and take naturally to storytelling, thus this class is a great starting place for most young writers. If you value creative expression, you’ll love this class. But it’s not just fun and games. Writing coaches use the engaging assignments in this class to teach principles that apply to just about any writing endeavor. In addition to a diagnostic assignment, students will write two narrative compositions in three drafts each under the guidance and instruction of their personal writing coach.

Note: The assignments and lesson content of this course significantly overlap Middle School Composition 1. We therefore do not recommend this course for students who have completed Middle School 1.

Course Objectives

Students who complete the course will be able to…

  • write effective narrative papers.

  • respond to coach feedback on their writing through revising and proofreading.

  • understand and apply concepts like conflict, plot, and point of view to their writing.

  • understand and apply the concept of showing, rather than telling in their writing.

  • engage the writing process by employing the following five steps in composing every paper: prewriting, drafting, revising, proofreading, publishing.

  • improve their narrative writing across a wide range of broad evaluative areas, including content, style and form.

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Middle School Descriptive Writing 

This eight-week class will introduce middle school writers to the art of descriptive writing. Through the course lessons, students will learn the difference between narrative and descriptive writing, and the importance of specific detail, clarity, conciseness, and unity. In addition to an initial diagnostic assignment, students in this course will compose two descriptive papers in three drafts each.

Note: The assignments and lesson content of this course significantly overlap Middle School Composition 1. We therefore do not recommend this course for students who have completed Middle School Composition 1.

Course Objectives

Students who complete the course will be able to…

  • write effective descriptive papers.

  • respond to coach feedback on their writing through revising and proofreading.

  • understand and apply concepts like specific detail, clarity, conciseness, and unity.

  • engage the writing process by employing the following five steps in composing every paper: prewriting, drafting, revising, proofreading, publishing.

  • improve their descriptive writing across a wide range of broad evaluative areas, including content, style and form.

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Middle School Expository Writing

This eight-week course will introduce middle school writers to exposition -- writing that is meant to inform or explain. Through the lesson content, students will review concepts like paragraphing and the writing process in general. We will also address the idea of audience and discuss the confusing issue of beginning sentences with conjunctions. In addition to a diagnostic assignment to begin the course, students will compose two expository papers in three drafts each, with the guidance and instruction of their personal writing coach.

Note: The assignments and lesson content of this course significantly overlap Middle School Composition 1. We therefore do not recommend this course for students who have completed M.S. Composition 1.

Course Objectives

Students who complete the course will be able to…

  • write effective expository papers.

  • respond to coach feedback on their writing through revising and proofreading.

  • understand and apply concepts like paragraphing, and audience awareness to their writing.

  • identify and avoid wordiness.

  • engage the writing process by employing the following five steps in composing every paper: prewriting, drafting, revising, proofreading, publishing.

  • improve their expository writing across a wide range of broad evaluative areas, including content, style and form.

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Middle School Persuasive Writing

This eight-week course will introduce middle school writers to the most challenging type of writing -- persuasion. Through the lesson content, students will review various types of appeal, the basics of logic and persuasion, and concepts like tone and credibility. We will help students avoid the problem of stating the obvious and discuss some commonly confused words. In addition to a diagnostic assignment to begin the course, students in this course will complete two expository papers in three drafts each.

Note: The assignments and lesson content of this course significantly overlap Middle School Composition 2 and 3. We therefore do not recommend this course for students who have completed M.S. Composition 2 and M.S. Composition 3.

Course Objectives

Students who complete the course will be able to…

  • write effective persuasive papers.

  • respond to coach feedback on their writing through revising and proofreading.

  • understand and apply concepts like varied appeals, sound logic, and effective tone to their writing.

  • identify and avoid confusing terms and stating the obvious.

  • engage the writing process by employing the following five steps in composing every paper: prewriting, drafting, revising, proofreading, publishing.

  • improve their persuasive writing across a wide range of broad evaluative areas, including content, style and form.

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Middle School Research Paper

This eight-week course will walk middle school writers through a basic research paper, from the initial stages of developing a topic through research, note-taking, outlining, drafting and revising. As this is an introductory course, the student will be limited to a 5-8 page paper. Although the writing coach will be available to make suggestions and offer direction, the subject matter of the paper will be up to the student.

Note: By selecting different topics, this course may be profitably taken multiple times.

Course Objectives

Students who complete the course will be able to…

  • craft a clear and concise thesis.

  • locate and identify appropriate material for research.

  • use the note card system for taking notes.

  • organize and outline a paper in preparation for a first draft.

  • properly cite sources according to MLA standards.

  • create a properly-formatted Works Cited page.

  • draft an original, research paper.

  • respond to coach feedback on their writing through revising and proofreading.