The Power in Your Hands

Your teen’s future professors—and bosses—will thank you. Nonfiction writing shows up everywhere: in job applications, college papers, résumés, cover letters, tech manuals, even the occasional apology to Grandma. The Power in Your Hands: Writing Nonfiction in High School gives your 11th grader the tools to write clearly, convincingly, and with just enough flair to sound smart but not obnoxious.

This one-credit course covers all four nonfiction writing modes: exposition, persuasion, description, and narration. That’s 117 lessons plus detailed instructions for 22 essays and reports. Your teen will analyze real student and professional writing, learn how to edit his own work (without tears) and build confidence one essay at a time.

The tone? Conversational and witty—just enough to keep things interesting without trying too hard. Perfect for students who’ve been burned by boring textbooks or who need a little structure without being micromanaged. With Power in Your Hands, your teen learns persuasive strategy (hello, SAT prep), how-to writing, research papers with MLA citations, comparison essays, literary analysis, and more.

Bonus: it’s designed to be self-guided. The text walks him through each assignment with clarity and humor. And the Teacher’s Guide? A lifesaver. It includes easy grading rubrics, answer keys, and writing schedules—plus daily “Power Surge” prompts to kick-start ideas for even the most stubborn writers.

Whether your teen is an enthusiastic wordsmith or allergic to essays, this course builds real-world writing skills he’ll use long after graduation. No fluff. Just tools, practice, and progress. One page at a time.