Cardinal Tutorial Curriculum
One year guaranteed to transform writers
Unit I: Grammar
Academic writing relies on the foundation of grammar. Students will learn the fundamentals of grammar and begin introductory descriptive writing exercises. Meanwhile, reading aloud, the initial phase of public speaking, will be taught on the basis of pacing, enunciation, and body language.
Unit II: Writing from Notes
Students will learn the process of writing from notes, moving from Key Word Outlines (KWO) into paragraphs through narrative writing exercises while orally presenting one’s work in each class with emphasis on message, engagement, and delivery.
Unit III: The Writing Process
Building upon grammatical and organization foundations, students will learn the five-step writing process of claim, evidence, and conclusion progression while identifying banned words. Students will focus on the discipline of impromptu speaking, ultimately giving extemporaneous speeches with little preparation.
Unit IV: Narrative Writing
Students will produce multi-paragraph narrative writing, incorporating stylistic, dress-up techniques from a checklist. Public speaking will be emphasized through a speechwriting process, where students will brainstorm, draft, and present an eight-minute speech.
Unit V: Expository Writing
Students shift to expository writing, learning the five-paragraph writing process and produce several expository essays, while integrating remaining stylistic, dress-up techniques. Impromptu debate will be the focus of public speaking, culminating with formal, impromptu debate.
Unit VI: Persuasive Writing
Expanding on the five-paragraph writing process, students will adapt to persuasive writing, learning the principles of “always be closing” through thesis and topic sentence construction. Students will progress to prepared debate, culminating in a researched debate.
Unit VII: Research Project
The Cardinal Tutorial Course culminates in an extended research project, integrating techniques from all units. Students will learn processes of researching and citing, ending the course with a formal writing sample and completing a formal presentation based on their research project.
Grammar
Week 1: Subjects and Predicates
1st Sense: Sight
Homework: Describing Favorite Room in House
Week 2: Action, Linking, and Helping Verbs
2nd Sense: Touch
Homework: Grammar Exercise
Week 3: Adjectives and Adverbs
3rd Sense: Smell
Homework: Describing 5 smells
Week 4: Adjectives, Action Verbs, and Adjectives in Action
4th Sense: Hearing
Homework: Grammar Exercise
Week 5: Prepositional Phrases and Gerunds
5th Sense: Taste
Homework: Describing a Pet
Week 6: Independent and Dependent, Simple and Compound Sentences
Describing Personality
Homework: Grammar Exercise
Week 7: Complex Sentences, Capitalization and Punctuation
Articulating Imagination
Homework: Describing a Person
Week 8: Appositives, Transitions, Pronouns, and Antecedents
Combining Five Senses
Homework: Describing Seasons
Week 9: Subject/Verb Agreement, Don’t/Doesn’t Problem, Homophones
Beyond Five Senses
Homework: Grammar Exercise
Week 10: Unclear Subject Problem, Paraphrasing, Writing a Summary
Conclusion of Sensory Experience
Homework: Describe Favorite Memory
Writing from Notes
Week 11: Introduction to Key Word Outline (KWO)
Rules of KWO
Homework: Describing Circus Performer
Week 12: Practicing KWO
Drafting KWO from Source Text #1
Homework: Describing Chosen Object
Week 13: Testing KWO
Drafting KWO from Source Text #2 with Partner
Homework: Describing Dance
Week 14: Writing from KWO Part I
Writing Full Sentences from KWO Source Text #3
Homework: Describing a Food
Week 15: Writing KWO Part II
Practice Writing Paragraphs from KWO
Homework: Writing 3-Paragraphs from KWO
Week 16: Writing from KWO Part III
Review of KWO
Homework: Retelling Narrative from KWO into 3-Paragraphs
The Writing Process
Week 17: Introduction to the Writing Process
Learning Five Step Process
Homework: Memorize Banned Verbs Part I
Week 18: Paragraph Overview
Learning Opening, Body, and Closing Format
Homework: Memorize Banned Verbs Part 2
Week 19: Paragraph Brainstorming
Identifying Purpose and Audience from Prompt
Homework: Memorize Banned Adjectives Part #1
Week 20: Paragraph Organization
Claim, Evidence, Conclusion Progression
Homework: Memorize Banned Adjectives Part #2
Week 21: Paragraph Revising
Word Choice, Sentence Structure, Transitions
Quiz on Banned Words
Week 22: Final Draft
Hooking the Reader
Homework: Writing Clean Copy
Narrative Writing
Week 23: The Personal Narrative
Structure of Story: Beginning, Middle, and End
Dress-up: -ly Adverbs
Homework: First Draft Personal Narrative
Week 24: Mechanics of Dialogue
Correcting Dialogue from Paragraphs
Dress-up: Who/Which Clause
Homework: Adding Dialogue to Personal Narrative
Week 25: Organizing Personal Narrative
Brainstorming Audience, Purpose, and Topic
Dress-up: Strong Verb
Homework: Second Draft of Personal Narrative
Week 26: Revised Personal Narrative
Review Partner’s Personal Narrative
Dress-up: Because Clause
Homework: Final Draft of Personal Narrative
Week 27: Final Review of Personal Narrative
Reading Personal Narratives Aloud
Dress-up: Quality Adjective
Homework: Prepare Speech
Expository Writing
Week 28: Introduction to 5- Paragraph Expository Essay
Structure of Expository Essay
Dress-ups: Quality Adjective
Homework: Fill in Expository Outline
Week 29: Thesis Statement
Thesis Statement Composition
Dress-up: www.asia Clause
Homework: Expand Expository Outline
Week 30: Introduction Paragraph
Hooks, Opening Comments, and Thesis
Dress-up: Preposition Opener
Homework: Drafting Introduction
Week 31: Body Paragraphs
Topic Sentences, Claims, and Evidence
Dress-up: -ly Opener
Homework: Drafting 3-Body Paragraphs
Week 32: Conclusion Paragraph
Restating Thesis and Closing Comments
Dress-up: Short Staccato Sentence
Homework: Drafting Conclusion
Week 33: Expository 5-Paragraph Essay
Outlining 5-Paragraphs
Dress-up: Clausal Opener
Homework: First Draft 5-Paragraph Essay
Week 34: Final Draft Expository 5-Paragraph Essay
Review Rough Draft 5-Paragraph Essay
Dress-up: -ing Opener
Homework: Final Draft 5-Paragraph Essay
Week 35: Critiquing Final Draft Expository 5-Paragraph Essay
Reading Aloud Final Drafts
Final Review
Homework: Break
Persuasive Writing
Week 36: Introduction to Persuasive Writing
Structure of Persuasive Essay
Homework: Outlining Persuasive Essay
Week 37: Always Be Closing (ABC)
Purpose of Persuasive Essay
Homework: Claim, Evidence, Conclusion Exercise
Week 38: Differences in Introduction, Body, Conclusion of Persuasive Essay
Persuasive Thesis Statement and Clincher
Homework: Persuasive Thesis and Clincher Exercise
Week 39: Persuasive 5-Paragraph Essay
Outlining 5-Paragraphs
Homework: First Draft Persuasive 5-Paragraph Essay
Week 40: Final Draft Expository 5-Paragraph Essay
Review Rough Draft Persuasive 5-Paragraph Essay
Homework: Final Draft 5-Paragraph Essay
Week 41: Critiquing Final Draft Expository 5-Paragraph Essay
Final Review of Persuasive Essay
Homework: Edit Partner´s Final Draft
Research Project
Week 42: Introduction to Research Project
Brainstorming and Designing Research Questions
Homework: Complete Research Question Worksheet
Week 43: Academic Research
Research Process and Narrowing Topic
Homework: Choose Final Project Topic
Week 44: Quality Sources for Research Project
Understanding Relevance, Accuracy, and Perspective
Homework: Identifying Quality Sources Worksheet
Week 45: Research Project Source Cards
Source Card Format and Practice
Homework: 10-Quality Source Cards for Research Project
Week 46: Organizing Notecards and Thesis
Categorizing Notecards by Group and Drafting Specified Thesis Statement
Homework: Drafting Thesis Statement and Topic Sentences for Research Project
Week 47: Research Project Body Paragraphs
Turning Categories into Body Paragraphs and Answering Research Questions
Homework: Drafting Research Project Body Paragraphs
Week 48: Citing Research Project
Implementing In-Text Citation and Bibliography
Homework: Draft Bibliography
Week 49: Research Project First Draft
Organizing Parts into First Draft
Homework: Research Project First Draft
Week 50: Critiquing Research Project First Draft
Partner Editing
Homework: Final Draft Research Project
Week 51: Reviewing Research Project Final Draft
Group Discussion of Research Project and Individualized Feedback
Homework: Break
Week 52: Introducing Research Project Presentation
Expectations of Research Presentation and Demo of Research Project
Homework: First Draft Research Project Presentation
Week 53: Critiquing First Draft Research Project
Partner and Individualized Feedback of Research Project Presentation
Homework: Final Draft Research Project Presentation
Week 54: Presentation Day #1
Peer and Teacher Feedback
Homework: Break
Week 55: Presentation Day #2
Peer and Teacher Feedback
Homework: Break
Week 56: Final Review of Course
Final Grades
Next Steps
