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Fall 2009 English 1A: Global Warming and Sustainability

CompClass | Course Description | Class Resources

Class Activities and Assignments (updated throughout the semester)

Date

TOPIC

Homework Due
8/17
  • Introduction
  • Course Expectations
  • In-class diagnostic essay
None
8/24
  • Short quiz on the Rough Guide reading and films
  • Introductions
  • Discussion
  • Strategies for annotation
  • Blog expectations
  • Reading test
  • Add codes
8/31
  • Discussion of the chapter
  • How to write a summary
  • Reading test results

Read the section on annotation, "From Reading as a Writer to Writing as a Reader," pages 25-29 and 33-35 in From Inquiry to Academic Writing.

Read and annotate for homework credit the first chapter, "Where Birds Don't Fly," (3-22) of Hot, Flat, and Crowded.

Register for CompClass using the code that came with Rules for Writers (it will be there as long as you purchased the edition packaged with electronic CompClass access). Create a blog on CompClass. I encourage you to post a picture of yourself or otherwise personalize your blog.

By Thursday, 8/27 at 6:00 pm, on your blog, post a response of at least 250 words to the first chapter of Hot, Flat, and Crowded. You may want to discuss questions or reactions that came up in your annotations. You may want to discuss the claims, purpose, and audience of the chapter as well. Be sure to quote from the text at least twice and cite the page number. Make your prose as informal or lively as you like. Remember that your semester blog grade will be based on the thoughtfulness and relevance of all your blog posts. You can take a look a the sample blog posts on CompClass to get an idea.

Comment on at least three of your classmates' posts. Ask questions, agree or respectfully disagree, or add other thoughts their points remind you of.

Read and annotate the second chapter of Hot, Flat, and Crowded.

9/7

No class - Labor Day Weekend

 
9/14

Discussion of the chapter

Peer review of rough drafts

1. Read the summary assignment and the grade sheet and then read pages 350-352 on summaries in Rules for Writers and pages 125-137 on summarizing in From Inquiry to Academic Writing .

2. Optional 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.

3. Chart: Reread the second chapter of Hot, Flat, and Crowded and your annotations . Make a chart (typed or handwritten) of key claims, examples, gist, and context like the chart on page 136 of From Inquiry to Academic Writing. I will check this chart off in class for homework credit.

4. Blog: By Tuesday, 9/8 at 10:00 PM , post a blog response to the second chapter and to the readings on summaries. Your blog posting should be at least 250 words and should quote from any of the readings at least twice and include page numbers. I suggest that you focus on any aspects of Friedman's chapter that you find difficult to pinpoint or explain. You might also discuss your thoughts about what is most important in the chapter and how you plan to organize your summary. You might speculate on what he means and pose questions about his use of language or facts. You may also want to discuss the claims, purpose, and audience of the chapter. You may want to discuss the summary writing process in general as well.

5. Comment: By Thursday, 9/10 at 10:00 PM , comment on at least three of your classmates' blogs.

6. Rough draft (2 homework credits): By class time: bring 3 copies of a rough draft of your summary of the chapter. Your rough draft should be double spaced in 12 point type. It should be at least 2 pages and no more than 3 pages long.

9/21

Meet in Cyberia (ARTX 265)

Guest presentation by James Lim, English specialist at the Rosenberg library

Research workshop

Grammar workshop

1. 2 copies of your Final draft of summary

2. Complete Library Workshop B online and the associated assignment. Stop by the library and get the assignment checked and signed by a librarian. If your schedule does not allow you to stop by the library, I can check your assignment in class.

3. Read the midterm assignment and then read and annotate for credit your assigned chapter in Hot, Flat, and Crowded.

4. By Friday, 9/18 at 10 PM: Blog post about your chapter: 200 words, at least 2 quotations with page number. You can summarize the chapter or agree or disagree or question it in any way you wish. Here are some suggestions that may help as you prepare for your midterm:

  • Make a list of the main points from the chapter.
  • What is probably controversial in this chapter? What is probably widely accepted?
  • Think about what kinds of sources you will look for to discuss on your midterm and compare and contrast to Friedman's ideas in this chapter. What terms will you search on to find these other sources?

5. By class time: Read your group mates' posts and comment on all three of them.

Bring Rules for Writers

9/28

Peer review of outlines

Discussion of chapters 3-5

Grammar version of summary

Read "Writing a Synthesis," pages pages 138-149 in From Inquiry to Academic Writing. Review the midterm assignment

By Thursday, 9/24 at 11 PM: On your blog, post a short description of the additional sources you will use. List their total word count or page count. They should total 2,500 words or 10 printed pages. Explain why you think your source or sources are closely related to the main ideas of your chapter and why you think they are authoritative. I will review your blog posts. If you do not get an email from me, it means your choice of sources is fine. If I want to counsel you to change sources, I will email you by Thursday evening.

Also by Thursday, 9/24, finish your blog post and comments from last week if you have not due to the error on the website.

Print, read and annotate your sources for homework credit.

Do an outline of your midterm essay. If you want a template for the outline, download this outline worksheet.

Read chapters 3-5 in Hot, Flat, and Crowded.

10/5

Midterm essay and multiple choice quiz

Meet in the Cyberia Computer Lab: ARTX 265

Summaries handed back

Prepare for the midterm essay: Revise your outline based on peer review feedback. Bring Hot, Flat, and Crowded, Rules for Writers, printouts of your sources. 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.

Read chapters 6-7 in Hot, Flat, and Crowded. Come ready for a multiple choice quiz on Chapter 3-7.

Do a Works Cited page which lists your sources, including Friedman. You may want to refer to the Works Cited help page.

Bring any sheets of extra credit Writing Lab or reading tutoring stamps so I can factor them into your midterm grade.

If possible or convenient, pick up a print card in the library and bring some change to put on it in Cyberia so you can print your midterm. I will have an alternative available if you are not able to get to the library for a card.

10/12

No class: holiday for Faculty Day

See below

 

10/19

Discussion of Hot, Flat, and Crowded

Grammar workshop
  1. By Monday, 10/12 at 11 PM, read chapters 8-9  in Hot, Flat, and Crowded and post your response 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. Here are some questions to consider:

    a) What are the essential ingredients of Friedman’s Code Green?
    b)   What main barriers to this Code Green does he mention? 
    c)  Did he convince you that there is good reason to be hopeful about these environmental solutions? 
    d)  Do you agree with his approach to solving the problems he described in earlier chapters?
    e)  Do you have outside knowledge or relevant links to share?
  2. By Wednesday, 10/14 at 11 PM, comment on at least 3 of your classmates' blogs about chapter 8-9.
  3. Look up the codes on the grammar version of your summary of chapter two in Rules for Writers and correct the errors by handDon’t use a separate piece of paper or print the essay again. For example, if you see “21a” on your paper, flip to that section in the handbook and see that 21a is subject-verb agreement.  You look over the section and then reread your own sentence and see if you can see your error.  Then you write a correction of your error by hand on the same grammar version you turned in before.  That way, I can look at the original error, the handbook code I wrote, and your correction all in the same place.  If you need more space to write your correction, write it at the top of the page or on the back side. 
  4. By Wednesday 10/14, do a grammar post on your blog.  Pick two errors that you looked up, came to understand, and were able to fix.  For each, give the handbook code, quote the error, explain what was wrong, and then quote the way you fixed it.  You might also discuss how you could identify that error in the future when you proofread.  Then pick one error you were not able to fix to your satisfaction.  Quote the error and explain what you found when you looked up the code and where your confusion lies.  Separate your discussion of each error by an extra space.
  5. By Friday, 10/16 at 11 PM, read chapters 10-11 in Hot, Flat, and Crowded and post your response 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. Here are some questions you might consider:

    a) What exactly is the Energy Internet?  What would it look like in practice in your life?
    b)  What role does government play in Friedman’s vision?
    c) What role does the free market play?
    d) Which of Friedman’s suggestions are you excited about at this point?  Why? Which are you skeptical of?  Why?
    e)  Do you have outside knowledge or relevant links to share?

  6. By class time, comment on three of your classmates’ grammar posts.  See if you can provide any assistance with any questions they had or add to their explanations of what was wrong, how they fixed it, and how they could proofread for it in future.

10/26

Meet in Cyberia (Art Extension 265)

Research workshop and conferences

Discussion of Hot, Flat, and Crowded

Read chapters 12-13 in Hot, Flat, and Crowded. Do a blog post of at least 200 words reacting to the chapters. Quote or paraphrase at least twice with page number.

Read the research paper assignment and list of possible topics. Do a little research on topics that interest you, either on the web or in the library periodicals databases. Do another blog post in which you explore at least three possible topics that interest you. Discuss why each topic interests you, what you found out about it so far. List at least one reputable source for each possible topic.

Proofread your midterm and submit a new, clean copy. This new version will not affect your in-class midterm grade, but it will count as a homework assignment. I will give grammar feedback on it and you will correct any further errors and do related grammar exercises, so it is worth your while to correct as much as you can now.

Finish your grammar corrections on the summary essay by writing by hand on the grammar version.

11/2

Outline workshop

Open book quiz on chapters 9-15.

Read chapters 14-15 in Hot, Flat, and Crowded. Be prepared for the open book quiz on chapters 9-15.

Your choice: Either do a blog post or annotate the chapters. If you do a blog post, write at least 200 words reacting to the chapters. Quote or paraphrase at least twice with page number.

Continue your research.

Do an outline of research paper in full sentences. If you want a template for the outline, download this outline worksheet.

11/9

Peer review of rough drafts

Discussion of the end of the book

Read chapters 16-17 in Hot, Flat, and Crowded. Bonus homework credit and chance to improve your blog grade: do a blog post on the chapters.

Read "From Ethos to Logos: Appealing to your readers," pages 167-178 in From Inquiry to Academic Writing

3 copies of the rough draft of research paper. At least 5 pages long in MLA format.

11/16

Guest speaker: Avinash Kar of the Natural Resources Defense Council

Discussion of the Friedman profile

Grammar workshop

**Final draft of research paper. Bring two copies (so you can proofread one in class and then take it home). Turn the final draft in with all copies of your rough draft with comments on them.

**Read and annotate the New Yorker profile of Thomas Friedman (handout).

**Bonus credit: If you would like to improve your blog grade or homework average, you can read about the Natural Resources Defense Council in preparation for our guest speaker's visit. What kind of an organization is it? What are its strategies for addressing climate change? Post at least two questions for our guest speaker to your blog.

11/23

Presentations (see the Presentation Grade Sheet)

Discussion of Ecotopia

Explanation of the final exam topics

  1. Read the final exam topics and start thinking about them.
  2. By Friday, 11/20 at 11 PM, read the Ecotopia handout. Post to your blog about it. Write at least 200 words and quote or paraphrase at least twice with page number for full credit. Both Friedman and Callenbach are essentially optimistic about radical transformations of American life and society. How is Callenbach's vision of change different from Friedman's? Which vision do you find more inspiring? Why?
  3. By classtime, comment on at least three classmates' blogs.
  4. Grammar version of research paper (clean printout). See the grade sheet if you want to check for requirements.

 

11/30

Presentations (see the Presentation Grade Sheet)

Discussion of readings

Continue thinking about the final exam topics and brainstorm if you like.

Read the packet, which includes the introduction to Turning to Earth by F. Marina Schauffler, "Are We Happy Yet?" by Alan Thein Durning, an excerpt from Walden by Henry David Thoreau, and "Nature" by Luther Standing Bear.

1. By Saturday at 5 PM, post to your blog about one or more of the readings in the packet. Write at least 200 words and quote or paraphrase at least twice with page number for full credit. These authors want us to change our relationships to the natural world, as does Friedman. How do their recommendations differ from his? How are their assumptions different? What, if anything, do you relate to in these readings? What, if anything, seems alien or objectionable?

2. By class time, comment on at least three classmates' blogs.

3. Grammar corrections on the midterm essay. Look up the codes on your midterm in Rules for Writers and correct the errors by handDon’t use a separate piece of paper or print the essay again. For example, if you see “21a” on your paper, flip to that section in the handbook and see that 21a is subject-verb agreement.  You look over the section and then reread your own sentence and see if you can see your error.  Then you write a correction of your error by hand on the same grammar version you turned in before.  That way, I can look at the original error, the handbook code I wrote, and your correction all in the same place.  If you need more space to write your correction, write it at the top of the page or on the back side. 

12/7

Final exam outline workshop

Optional revision conferences

Final exam outline (see the final exam instructions)

Optional: Bonus homework credit: If you would like to try to improve the grade on one of your essays from the semester, download and fill out a revision plan and bring it to class in a folder with the graded essay and grade sheet with all my comments by the last regular class on 12/7. I will look over your plan in class and give it back to you.

12/14

Final Exam

Meet in Cyberia (Art Extension 265)

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 and notes to the exam.

 

Optional revision paper due

Revise your outline and prepare for the exam

Final homework credit: Download and fill out the anonymous 1A evaluation form. You will turn it in (folded) and I will check off that you did it.

Bring any extra credit sheets.

If you would like feedback on your final exam and/or revision, I would be happy to give it. Turn in a self-addressed, stamped envelope with sufficient postage for me to mail the papers to you. Enclose a note to me explaining what kind of feedback would be useful to you. Otherwise, you can pick up your final exam and revision with the grades on them at the beginning of Spring semester.

Have a great break!

 

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Last updated: 01/11/2010