Anna Mills, Instructor
Fall 2009 English 93

CompClass | Course Description | Class Resources

Class Activities and Assignments (updated throughout the semester)

Date

TOPIC

Homework Due
8/22
  • Introduction
  • Course Expectations
  • How to annotate
  • In-class diagnostic essay
None
8/29
  • Introductions
  • Add codes
  • How to write a summary
  • RFU reading test
  1. Questionnaire: Answer the questions on the questionaire page in an email to amills@ccsf.edu.
  2. Course worksheet: Read the course description.Then download, print, and complete the course description worksheet.
  3. Reading test prep: Complete the reading test preparation homework (handout). On a separate sheet of paper, write your predicted score and write at least half a page describing your strengths and weaknesses as a reader. Which books did you look up on Amazon? What made the excerpts you read difficult or easy? Why did you predict the score you did?
  4. Annotation:Read the annotation handout as well as pages 346-349 on annotation in Rules for Writers (the intro to section 46 and then section 46a) and the section on annotation on page 12 of Rules for Writers. Now, read and annotate the introduction to Affluenza, pages 1-8. Read the introduction twice. The first time, just read quickly to get the ideas. The second time, annotate every paragraph. On the left side, write a summary of the main idea of each paragraph. On the right side, write your questions, reactions, and predictions as well as the definitions of any words you looked up.
  5. Blog: Log in to CompClass using the access code the came with Rules for Writers. Click on the link to your blog. Post at least a paragraph in which you share some of the questions, reactions, or predictions you wrote down in your right-side annotations on the introduction to Affluenza. Optional: feel free to post a picture or otherwise personalize your blog.
9/5 No class - Labor Day Weekend  
9/12

Peer review of rough drafts

Introduce "The Iron Maiden" + Introduction to PIE paragraphs (see handout)

1.  Read the first essay assignment packet. Read pages 350-352 on summaries in Rules for Writers and "The Art of Summarizing," pages 28-38 in They Say I Say.

2.  Worksheet: Complete the paraphrasing worksheet (by hand).

3.  Videos: Humor: how NOT to do a summary: watch this summary of the Star Wars plot by a woman who hasn't seen the films. Now, watch the “Summaries and paraphrasing” video on CompClass for a better way. Note: CompClass tells me if you’ve watched this and you get a homework credit for it.

4.  Blog: By Friday 9/4 at 10:00 PM, post to your blog. First, look at the KQED perspectives series list of links to audio files and pick out a few that look interesting. Next, log in to CompClass and look at the blogs of your classmates.  Pick a perspective on the KQED website that none of your classmates has yet summarized. Listen to the perspective online.  On your blog, write at least 3 sentences summarizing the opinion expressed using at least 3 verbs from page 37 of They Say I Say.  Be sure to include the name of the author and mention the Perspectives series it comes from and the date of the perspective. Put a link directly to the perspective so if someone reads your blog he or she can click.   After your summary, leave a blank line and then explain your reactions to the perspective.    

5.  Outline: By Weds 9/9 at 10:00 PM, make an outline of the introduction to Affluenza like the outline on page 350 in Rules for Writers.  If you want a template for the outline, download this outline worksheet. Your outline should have a thesis which states the main point of the whole introduction to Affluenza. Submit your outline on CompClass by clicking on the link for the submission drop box directly under the blogs link.  Paste the text of your outline; do not upload an attachment. Do not submit your outline on your blog.

6.  Rough Draft: Two homework credits: By class time on Saturday 9/12, Bring 3 copies of your summary rough draft of at least 1.5 pages, double spaced, in 12 point font.  Follow the format directions on the essay format handout.

9/19

Grammar workshop: Bring Rules for Writers

Discussion of advertisements and the midterm essay assignment

PIE paragraphs

  1. 2 copies of the Final draft of the summary
  2. Download, print, read and annotate "Advertising's Fifteen Basic Appeals" by Jib Fowles
  3. Choose an advertisement that interests you, an advertisement with appeals you would like to examine and understand in more depth. Brainstorm about the visual syntax of your ad and your ad's appeals. What cultural trends or attitudes does your ad encourage or reflect? Download and complete the Reading Ads worksheet for your advertisement.
  4. Bring your ad to class to show (along with your worksheet).
9/26

Discussion of "The Iron Maiden"

Peer review of outlines

Introducing paraphrases and quotations

 

  1. Grammar version of summary. Only changes to word choice, proofreading, grammar, and formatting will count toward your overall essay grade.
  2. Blog: By Tuesday, 9/22 at 10 PM: post a full paragraph (at least 250 words) to your blog. Your challenge is to describe your ad so that your classmates can visualize it. Read these sample descriptions of images to see how that might be done. Do not put an image of your ad up on your blog--try to describe it in words. (If your ad is online, you could put a link to it after your description so that readers can look at it after they've read the description and see if you left anything out.) Then explain which appeals you think it makes and why you picked it.
  3. By Thursday, 9/24 at 10 PM: Comment on at least 3 of your classmates' blogs. Help them make their descriptions of the ads clearer by asking questions about things you can't quite visualize. Respond to their interpretations of the ad and its appeals. What other questions do they need to answer to write a good essay on this ad?
  4. Download, print, read and annotate (for credit) "The Iron Maiden" (handout)
  5. Outline your midterm essay in complete sentences and bring a printed copy to class. (You may want to download and fill in this outline worksheet)
10/3

Meet in Room 476, a computerized classroom to take the midterm.

The beginning of the midterm will be a multiple choice quiz on the Affluenza reading to check that you have understood the main points.

Summary essays handed back

Prepare for the midterm essay: Revise your outline based on peer review feedback. Bring your ad and your annotated Jib Fowles advertisement essay, Rules for Writers, and your ad worksheet. This is an open book exam. The only thing you cannot bring is a draft of all or part of your essay. You can have complete sentences on your outline, but not more than two sentences in a row that appear on the midterm essay you turn in. You will staple all outlines, notes, and annotated sources to your midterm. No Internet access will be available while you write the midterm.

Blog post: Before class, write one practice PIE paragraph. Choose one of the body paragraphs of your midterm essay and write it for practice using the PIE method and introducing quotations and paraphrases correctly. You will not be able to bring this paragraph to the midterm, but writing it will help you prepare. Practicing before an in-class essay is always a good idea.

Read and annotate for credit chapters 1-4 in Affluenza. Come ready for a multiple-choice quiz on this reading.

Bring any sheets of extra credit tutoring stamps so I can factor them in to your midterm grade.

10/10

Discussion of Affluenza

Using Rules for Writers to help you with grammar and word choice

How to do error logs

  1. Read and annotate for credit chapters 5-9 in Affluenza
  2. By Thursday, 10/8, post your response to chapters 5-9 on the blog. You are free to focus on summary, questions, or opinions about the ideas in the chapters. Write at least 200 words and quote or paraphrase at least twice with page number for full credit.
  3. By class time, comment on at least 3 of your classmates' blogs.
  4. Proofread your midterm essay and print out a clean copy. This will not affect your midterm essay grade but will count as a homework assignment. Later you will do error logs based on this grammar version, so it is worth your while to fix all the mistakes you can in this assignment.

10/17

Discussion of the chapters

Explanation of the next essay assignment

Read chapters 10-14 in Affluenza. You can choose to annotate the for homework credit or post a 200-word response on your blog that quotes or paraphrases at least twice. If you do both, you will get a check plus on this assignment.

Error logs: Error logs count as homework and they are also graded. All of your error logs together count as 10% of your semester grade.

Look at the grammar codes on the grammar version of the summary essay that you just got back. Look at the top of the first page at the numbers listed together and circled. Fill out one error log worksheet on each of these numbered errors.
**For each error, first look up the the Affluenza summary essay error code. Write the number and the name of the error in the blank at the top of your error log page.
**Read the Rules for Writers section on the error and then explain what the error is and how to fix it in your own words at the top of the error log page.
**Next, find all of the places in your essay where you see that grammar code. For each of those places, you will fill out one row in your error log. For each one, first copy the error exactly as it was. Then, in the second column, write a corrected version that fixes the error without changing the meaning. Then, in the third column, explain in your own words how you corrected the error and why the new version is better. Include any remaining questions you have about the error.

10/24

Using transitions (bring They Say I Say)

1. By Wednesday 10/21 at 11 PM, read chapters 15-20 in Affluenza. Then post a 200-word response on your blog that quotes or paraphrases at least twice. This time, be sure to go beyond summary. Have a conversation with the book that includes your own reactions, opinions, and questions. See the sample blog entries handout.

2. Read the advanced summary assignment and decide which chapter (16, 17, or 18) you will summarize. Go back and reread that chapter and annotate it.

3. Research any cultural or historical references in your chapter that you need to know in order to understand the main points. On your blog, post a list of at least 3 references you looked up. In your own words, explain what each one means and how it fits into your chapter. Provide a link to your source.

4. Make a list of one-sentence summaries of each paragraph of your chapter. Check to make sure you have captured the main idea of each paragraph.

 

10/31

Peer review of rough drafts

Grammar workshop

By Wednesday 10/28 at 11 PM, submit an outline of your summary into the submission drop box on CompClass. Thesis, topic sentences, and supporting details should be in full sentences. (You may want to download and fill in this outline worksheet)

Read "'As a Result': Connecting the Parts," pages 101-114 in They Say I Say

3 copies of the rough draft of your advanced summary

11/7

Discussion of chapters 21-24

Discussion of the next essay assignment: the organization essay

Final Draft. Bring your rough draft copies with your classmates' comments to turn in with it.

Error logs on the midterm essay. Use your old error log worksheets and continue to fill them in for any repeat errors. Make new worksheets for new errors. You can download an error log worksheet if you don't have enough.

Read Chapters 21-24 in Affluenza. Take the quiz in chapter 21. Think about the results. To what extent do you feel like you have affluenza? Do you think the questions are an accurate way to assess this for you? (You do not need to do a blog or annotations this week. Focus on your essay and the error logs.)

11/14 Holiday: Veteran's Day Observance, No Class  
11/21

Organization presentations + final exam topic

 

  1. Grammar version of the Advanced Summary. Bring a clean printout of a version with your best grammar, word choice, and punctuation.
  2. Read chapters 25-30 in Affluenza. By Monday, 11/16 at 11 PM, write a blog post of at least 200 words on these final chapters in Affluenza. Do you think the authors solutions to Affluenza will sol ve the problem? Are there any solutions you disagree with? Are there any you see people practicing around you already? Do you think these solutions are realistic? Why or why not? In your blog, quote or paraphrase at least twice with page number. Use signal phrases to introduce your quote and explain the quote (PIE).
  3. By Wednesday, 11/18 at 11 PM, choose the organization you want to write about in your essay and write a blog post on your organization and how it relates to a solution discussed in Affluenza. Explain what your organization does or what the specific project is you will focus on. Paraphrase in your own words and include a link to the web page where you got the information.
  4. By class time, comment on at least three classmates' blogs.
  5. Organization presentation: Come prepared to explain to the class what your organization does and show us how it relates to a solution discussed in Affluenza. You will have 2-3 minutes to share with us what you found. Your presentation will be worth one homework credit.
11/28 Holiday: Thanksgiving  
12/5

Discussion of Ecotopia and the final exam topic

Discussion of They Say I Say

Peer review of rough drafts

Outlines due in the submission drop box on CompClass by Monday, 11/30 at 11 PM. Thesis, topic sentences, and supporting details should be in full sentences. (You may want to download and fill in this outline worksheet)

3 copies of your rough draft of the organization essay. Look at the organization essay assignment and the organization grade sheet to see if you are meeting the requirements. If you missed the last class, take a look at these hints.

Read the final exam topic and keep it in mind as you read the Ecotopia handout.

Two homework credits: annotate the Ecotopia handout. Start thinking about which aspects of this imaginary society could really work.

One homework credit: annotate chapter four of They Say I Say: "'Yes/No/Okay But': Three Ways to Respond"

12/12

Discussion of the final exam topic

Outline workshop

Grammar workshop

2 copies of the final draft of the organization essay with the peer reviewed rough draft copies and printouts of your the sources you found about your organization.

Error logs on the Advanced Summary. Use your old error log worksheets and continue to fill them in for any repeat errors. Make new worksheets for new errors. You can download an error log worksheet if you don't have enough.

Final exam outline. Thesis, topic sentences, and supporting details should be in full sentences. (You may want to download and fill in this outline worksheet)

12/19 Meet in Room 476, a computerized classroom to take the final exam. Open book, open notes (no drafts or any notes with more than two sentences in a row that appear in the midterm essay as well). No Internet access will be available while you write the final.

Grammar version of the organization essay

Revise your final exam outline

Final homework credit: Download and fill out the anonymous 93 evaluation form. You will turn it in (folded) and I will check off that you did it.

Bring any extra credit stamps from the Writing Lab or the reading tutors