COURSE DESCRIPTION
This class will teach middle school students about the craft of fiction writing through a quick survey of short stories. Students will read several different genres of short stories in the first four weeks. They will complete short exercises to stoke creativity, try out different styles, and get inspired! In the last four weeks, students will work with sustained attention on one short story of their own, in a style of their choosing, while reading one novella, and they will have access to teacher office hours for extra help, feedback, and guidance.
COURSE SCHEDULE & LOGISTICS
Course Duration:
- 8 weeks
Live Online Class Schedule:
- Tuesdays, January 5 - Feb. 23, 2027
- 10:00-11:00 Pacific, 1:00-2:00 Eastern
Office Hours:
- Students will have access to four office hours in the final four weeks (Schedule TBD)
Teacher-Student Interaction (Weekly):
- 60-minute live class
- One graded assignment with feedback (more feedback as the quarter goes on)
- Four office hours for additional coaching (optional)
Class Size:
- 15 student maximum, 6 minimum
Questions? Email
THE FOX AND THE GRAPES
A hungry fox saw some fine bunches of grapes hanging from a vine that was trained along a high trellis, and did his best to reach them by jumping as high as he could into the air. But it was all in vain, for they were just out of reach: so he gave up trying, and walked away with an air of dignity and unconcern, remarking, "I thought those Grapes were ripe, but I see now they are quite sour."
— Aesop (Aesop's Fables )
Curriculum
Week 1: Myths, Fables, and Fairy Tales
Week 2: Humorous Short Stories
Week 3: Fantasy/Dystopian/Sci-fi Short Stories
Week 4: Man vs. Nature
Weeks 5-8: Examining the four parts of plot
GOALS IN WEEKS 1-4:
- Learn what a story is; engage the imagination;
- experiment with character, setting, genre, and point of view;
- decide on a plan for your story and outline your plot.
GOALS IN WEEKS 5-8:
- Develop fortitude by drafting a story from beginning to end;
- examine how a great author structures a story for maximum effect and interest;
- learn how to surprise yourself-- and your reader!
Workload
Students will read a little bit each week (40-60 minutes), take a short quiz, attend one live class, and complete one writing assignment.
Students will also be given vocabulary lists on most weeks with words to look up before they do the reading. Vocabulary is not tested and all vocab work is optional, and to be turned in to parent if required by parent.
Hi, I'm Ms. Finnigan
I have a B.A. in English from Boston College and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from the University of Montana, where I won the Merriam-Frontier Award for distinguished achievement in writing.
My essays have been published in a wide variety of venues both online and in print, including in an educational anthology called Humor: A Reader for Writers published by Oxford University Press.
I taught Creative Writing at the high school level for 8 years at Kolbe Academy Online. This is the best compliment I ever received from a student: "I had no interest in creative writing but I just wanted to take another class with you, so I signed up. I'm so glad I did because I discovered that I'm actually kind of good at something I never thought I would be good at! I love this class!"
I hope I can help your child to enjoy the experience of reading and to appreciate the magical art of storytelling. It will be even better if they can nurture their passion for writing or discover a hidden talent along the way!
Parent & Student Testimonials
"Ms. Finnigan was interesting, humorous, and relatable with the students. She did a great job meeting the students where they were at as individual writers, pushing them to grow in their writing. She is clear and articulate, gave great examples of writing elements like plot points. Very pleased with the growth in my student's writing."
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"I loved the feedback you gave on my boys' writing! Very organized and loved how you had them also read some good short stories."
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"I learned a lot about the important aspects of a story - summary vs scene, how to improve my description, how a rising action is supposed to be written, what makes different types of stories, and more."
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"I loved the class. It was laid back and I enjoyed all the literature in the course. I love my teacher and the online classes were never boring or drawn out."
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"This was my daughter's first online class and we were a little unsure of how it was going to go, but it was a very positive experience. My daughter loved that the class was a writing class and she loved ... taking a class with other kids her age...She wishes the course was a little longer so she could’ve had some more time to work on her story. :) She really enjoyed reading other stories written by the kids in her class, too. She LOVED hearing feedback ...about her writing. I really appreciated the teacher feedback, too. I thought the grading rubric for her final story was very helpful and clear. The feedback was really helpful and super encouraging."
THE RANSOM OF RED CHIEF
"It looked like a good thing. But wait till I tell you."— O'Henry
Note to Parents
Worldview
All are welcome!
I am a Catholic and am sympathetic to families who choose to homeschool because they want to educate their children in environments that are respectful of their Christian values. Students shall respect each other, and should know that we will steer clear of controversial topics.
Students must dress modestly in case they choose to appear on webcam. No foul language or inappropriate themes should appear in the student's in-class writing.
I have selected stories I think are appropriate for middle schoolers, and are also considered "classics".
If you have any questions or reservations, please feel free to reach out to me, Ms. Finnigan: contact at teachtothetext dot com
