Level: Form III (7th–9th grades)
Subject(s): English
Description:
Current for 2026–27
In this class that incorporates both report-style and descriptive writing, students will learn the structure and style of various essay formats and will produce original essays including integrated quotations, MLA in-text citations, and a properly formatted “Works Cited” page. An intensive overview of style elements will assist students in developing vivid vocabulary and sophisticated sentence variety. Throughout the course, students will gain an awareness of sentence structure and grammar that goes hand-in-hand with their growing ability to amplify and manipulate the parts of a sentence. In addition to memorizing several poems, students will also read and write short fiction and poems of various forms.
In addition to weekly class sessions, students should plan to spend another two to three hours each week completing assignments at home.
Materials:
Families purchase the following required supplies: (Except for text/workbooks, linked brands for items are suggestions.)
- Previous BHSC Writing students should plan to reuse their dedicated, 3-ring notebook binder. New students will be issued a binder and dividers on the first day of class.
- Composition notebook
- Pens, black ink, 2 or more
- Pencils, 3 or more, pre-sharpened and ready to use
- Colored pencils, erasable, including red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink, and brown
- Erasers
- Three-hole punch and stapler (kept at home; used by students to prepare assignments for submission)
- Dictionary & Thesaurus—for home use. Consider apps such as the Merriam-Webster Dictionary and Thesaurus.
- Recommended/Optional: Reinforcing stickers for strengthening/repairing holes in notebook paper and handouts
- Required vocabulary student book and answer key:
- Choose one level: Worldly Wise 3000 3rd Edition Student Book 7 OR Book 8 OR Book 9 OR Book 10 OR Book 11 (based on preference/ability, or which book(s) may have been previously completed)
- Choose the corresponding key: Wordly Wise 3000 3rd Edition Book 7 Answer KeyOR Book 8 Answer Key OR Book 9 Answer Key OR Book 10 Answer Key OR Book 11 Answer Key (based on preference/ability, or which book(s) may have been previously completed)
- Required: Choose one of the following grammar/punctuation curriculum options based on experience:
- Grammar Option 1:
- Easy Grammar Plus: Student Book ISBN: 9780936981147
- Easy Grammar Plus Student Test Booklet ISBN: 9780936981536
- Easy Grammar Plus: Teacher Edition (with answer key) ISBN: 9780936981130 (You can buy in a set with the 2 other required Easy Grammar books to save!)
- Grammar Option 1:
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- Grammar Option 2:
- Jensen’s Punctuation ISBN: 9780890519943 (Select this option if the student previously completed Easy Grammar Plus; students who completed the first part of Jensen’s Punctuation in a prior BHSC writing class/year will complete the second half of the book in this Essay & Creative Writing class.)
- Grammar Option 2:
Students must also have a public library card and access to the library as they will be required to secure and read library books and research articles.
Finally, students will need to be able to type, print, and email assignments using a sharable word processing program compatible with Microsoft Word and Google Docs.
