In Essay Writing 201: Critical Response Essay, the writer learns to respond to an established piece of writing, image, or position delivered in any medium. Essay Writing 201 explores the relationship between thinking, seeing, and writing with complex topics.
In this class, students hone their ability to
- read purposefully, identifying main points and arguments
- decipher images in the news
- separate how a text is written from what it’s written about
- make meaningful connections in light of their values
- write with confidence across subjects
Syllabus
Week One
Students learn to wield tools that will help them develop sophisticated habits of thinking. The initial target of analysis: examination of a photograph.
Week Two
Critical reasoning includes powerful reading habits. Students work on seeing texts from various points of view and offering a personal reflection on those texts.
Week Three
Rhetorical analysis of a modern-day text is the focus this week in preparation for the final critical response essay.
Week Four
Students draft, revise, and edit a critical response essay this week.
Common Core and Academic Standards Support
What follows is a word bank and set of skills associated with this class. Use them to craft your own learning narrative for use in year-end evaluations, charter school reports, or any other accountability source.
Word Bank
- Argument
- Context and subtext
- Editing
- Ethos, logos, pathos
- Keen observation
- Idea generation
- Multiple viewpoints
- Personal reflection
- Persuasive techniques
- Revision
- Summary
- Textual analysis
- Thesis statement
- Writing voice
Core Skills
- Analyze source texts and apply critical thinking
- Argue with support for multiple points of view
- Cite textual evidence to support conclusions
- Craft a thesis statement and support it with evidence
- Edit writing for standard English usage
- Engage in rhetorical critique of text
- Evaluate persuasive writing techniques
- Generate topics for nonfiction writing
- Maintain distinct writer’s voice
- Read multiple points of view on controversial topics
- Research and absorb material for writing
- Revise writing for clarity, flow, order, interest, and economy of language
- Summarize text for analysis
- Write detailed, organized, structured original narratives
