Composition

Enrollment Message

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Course Description

Composition is designed to meet the state standards for writing. The course is writing intensive.  Students can expect to produce writing pieces that are directed to real-world and workplace writing, as well as writing directed toward academics and college preparation. Students will be assessed on writing pieces according to the Six Traits of Writing - ideas, organization, voice, conventions, sentence fluency, and word choice.  Students should produce works that reflect the writing process that includes pre-writing, editing, publishing, and revising.

• Fulfills an English/Language Arts requirement for all diplomas

Course Goals

Upon completion of the course, students will…

• be proficient with multiple writing styles including Persuasive, Descriptive, Narrative, Letter, and Resumé. Students will develop basic grammar and mechanics skills.
• write informative compositions in a variety of forms.
• write narrative compositions in a variety of forms.
• plan and develop; draft; revise using appropriate reference materials; rewrite; try a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience; and edit to produce and strengthen writing that is clear and coherent. Use technology to generate, produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products in response to ongoing feedback, including new arguments or information.
• demonstrate command of English grammar and usage, focusing on Pronouns, Verbs, Adjectives, Adverbs, Phrases, Clauses, Usage.
• demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling focusing on Capitalization, Punctuation, Spelling.
• initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) on grade-appropriate topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing personal ideas clearly and persuasively.
• create engaging presentations that make strategic and creative use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) to add interest and enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence.

Indiana Academic Standards

• Composition, a course based on the Indiana Academic Standards for English/Language Arts, is a study and application of the rhetorical writing strategies of narration, description, exposition, and persuasion. Using the writing process, students demonstrate a command of vocabulary, English language conventions, research and organizational skills, an awareness of the audience, the purpose for writing, and style.

Units of Instruction

• Unit 1 Getting to Know You
• Unit 2 Writing Process, Grammar Review, Proofreading and Editing, and Six Traits Resources
• Unit 3 Letter of Introduction
• Unit 4 Writing for the World of Work
• Unit 5 Most Common Writing Errors
• Unit 6 Sharing What We Know
• Unit 7 Narrative Writing
• Unit 8 Descriptive Writing
• Unit 9 Persuasive Writing
• Unit 10 Share your Writing!

Grading/Evaluation

Indiana Online does not assign letter grades, grant credit for courses, nor issue transcripts or diplomas. A final score reported as a percentage of total points earned will be sent to students upon completion of a course. Your school of record can also access this score within the Student Information System, Genius. The final score will be shown as a percentage in Canvas and Genius. The student’s school of record will determine the letter grade based on their specific grading scale.

Students must complete at least 70% of the course and take all parts of the final exam(s) to have a score reported to their school of record. Failure to meet these requirements will result in a score of 0 reported to the school of record.

Assessments

Online assessments consist of formative and summative assessments represented by computer-graded multiple choice, teacher-graded writing assignments including hands-on projects, model building and other forms of authentic assessments. The course includes the following assessments

• 3 Discussions
• 10 Assignments
• 20 Quizzes

Teacher Contact Response Time

Students can use email or the private message system within Genius or Canvas to access highly qualified teachers when they need teacher assistance. Students will also receive feedback on their work inside Canvas. The Teacher Information page of their course may describe additional communication options.

The teacher will respond to student inquiries (email, text, call) within one business day. Assignments will be graded and posted within two business days.

Expectations for Academic Conduct 

Student Handbook 

It is your responsibility to read the student handbook to understand all aspects of taking an online course including expectations for academic conduct. Contact your teacher if you have any questions. 

Assistance for Students with Accommodations

Indiana Online supports an inclusive learning environment for all students. If there are aspects of the instruction or design of this course that hinder your full participation, such as inaccessible web content, or the use of non-captioned videos and podcasts, reasonable accommodations can be arranged.

Technology

Technology Requirements 

Students will require a computer device with headphones, a microphone, webcam, up-to-date Chrome Web Browser, and access to YouTube. Please review the Indiana Online’s Technology Requirements.

Technical Skills Needed 

Basic technology skills necessary to locate and share information and files as well as interact with others in a Learning Management System (LMS), include the ability to

• download, edit, save, convert, and upload files
• download and install software
• use a messaging service similar to email
• communicate with others in online discussion or message boards, following basic rules of netiquette
• open attachments shared in messages
• create, save, and submit files in commonly used word processing program formats and as a PDF
• save a file as a .pdf
• copy and paste and format text using your mouse, keyboard, or an html editor’s toolbar menu
• insert images or links into a file
• search for information within a document using Ctrl+F or Command+F keyboard shortcuts
• work in multiple browser windows and tabs simultaneously
• activate a microphone or webcam on your device, and record and upload or link audio and/or video files
• use presentation and graphics programs
• follow an online pacing guide or calendar of due dates
• use spell-check, citation editors, and tools commonly provided in word processing tool menus
• create and maintain usernames and passwords

Technical Questions?  Please contact the Indiana Online Helpdesk.