Lesson Plan
Essay Kickstart Roadmap
Provide a detailed, session-by-session roadmap guiding 11th graders through brainstorming, drafting, peer reviewing, revising, and finalizing a college personal statement.
Personal statements are critical for college admissions. This structured, multi-session plan ensures students discover unique stories, practice drafting and feedback, and learn to polish essays to college standards.
Audience
Time
Approach
Materials
Prep
Teacher Preparation
30 minutes
Step 1
Session 1: Brainstorming Personal Stories
90 minutes
Step 2
Session 2: Outlining and First Draft
90 minutes
Step 3
Session 3: Peer Review Workshop
90 minutes
Step 4
Session 4: Revision Strategies
90 minutes
Step 5
Session 5: Finalizing and Reflection
90 minutes
Slide Deck
Writing a Standout College Essay
Why Your Essay Matters
Understanding Your Audience
Essay Structure Overview
Crafting a Compelling Hook
Show, Don’t Tell
Using Sensory Details
Maintaining a Clear Theme
Analyzing an Example
Revision Strategies
Next Steps & Practice Prompts
Project Guide
Journal
Discussion
