Class Announcements English 1301 .................1301 home | C2C

Class Announcement 11/19/09

Today in English 1301

I am attending the National Writing Project Annual Meeting, but I have asked Mr. Sierra and Mrs. Hogan to fill in for me today. Our main goal will be to get some good peer feedback on our essays.

You should receive a handout for the E4-2 activities that will guide you in doing peer response and then the Writer's Review. If you have particular questions about your paper, feel free to ask for assistance from Mr. Sierra or Mrs. Hogan.

Homework for Tuesday
1) Our LAST essay (Essay #4) is due next time. Re-read the essay assignment sheet carefully and make sure that you are on track and on target for this essay and all its requirements. Remember, I shifted the essay requirements so that you need at least four of your minimum five sources coming from the Felder-Silverman Learning Styles Model sources.

Class Announcement 11/17/09

Start by
--posting your Parallelism piece imitating "The Beholder" into the forum within the Process Journals titled "Beholder Imitation"
--then read the posts of your peers
--go back to your favorite one and the one you thought best exemplified parallelism and write a brief response

------------------
Next we will learn about revising sentences following Richard Lanham's Paramedic Method. Revising for clarity and conciseness. Garble Concise Writing Guide

Homework:
1) Essay 4 draft 2 is due next time in electronic format. It should be pretty near finished as far as content goes, but don't worry about editing, grammar, or documentation.
2) Editing Project on Essay #3 due 11/20. Please finish by this Friday.
3) Read all four sections on Conciseness from the Purdue OWL

Class Announcement 11/12/09

Greetings and Salutations!

We will start by reviewing the coordination/subordination sentences and the NASA paragraph revision.
Then we will Explain parallelism and our "Beholder" imitation writing assignment.

Once we complete these activities, we will focus on our Draft 4-1

Task 1) Go to the page with student examples of Essay #4 and read the last two essays by Alana and Hilary.

Task 2) Please post your draft 4.1s into the "Draft 4-1" forum. Then we will do THREE brief responses to each other's drafts. (You can do a fourth for extra credit)

Peer Response Prompt: What do you see in their draft that appears headed in the right direction?

Task 3) Write a Writer's Review response to your own draft and peer responses. This should be you writing about your own draft--where it is, what struggles you are facing, where you want to go with it, and how you are going to get there.

 

Homework:
1) Continue to research about your learning style. Use the Felder page as your primary place for learning about learning styles. Felder page with links to essays on the Index of Learning Styles.
HINT: More information on the Felder-Silverman Learning Styles Model can be found through searches in our online databases (found from the SAC Library Website). I found a bunch in Academic Search Complete.
2) Draft 4-2 will call on you to use quotes this time. Please review the material on using quotes carefully:
Guide for Using Quotes
How to Avoid Plagiarism When Using Quotes
Example of Using Quotes in the Learning Style Essay
Draft 4-2 will be due Thurs. 11/17
3) Do the Beholder imitation parallelism exercise. Have fun with it! Bring in electronic format for posting next time.

 

Class Announcement 11/10/09

We will start today by reviewing the sentence combining exercise for today. (If you have a moment before class, you can post your second learning episode example.)

Next we will have in-class time for you to research about the Felder-Silverman Learning Styles by reading from Felder's site. Felder page with links to essays on the Index of Learning Styles --THESE ARE THE MOST CREDIBLE SOURCES. FOUR OF YOUR FIVE MINIMUM SOURCES SHOULD COME FROM THIS SET OF SOURCES.

Go to this Felder website and read one of the six articles on the Felder-Siverman Learning Styles Model. (Maybe read two.) From this article, excerpt three quotes (be sure to label these):

  1. About Learning Styles--one quote from the article that provides a good overview of what learning styles are or how they work or what is unique about the Felder-Silverman model
  2. Definition of X Learning Style--one quote from the article that provides a good definition of one learning style that pertains to you.
  3. Definition of Y Learning Style--one quote from the article that provides a good definition of another learning style that pertains to you

Be sure at the end to provide the full reference information so that your peers can document this source correctly--author, title, publication information.
We will post these in the Learning Styles definitions forum.

The last twenty minutes of class will be spent posting your second learning episode. Reply to THREE peers' posts with your theorizing about what sort of learning style this learning episode illustrates. Does it show a learning style that depends upon visual learning and a sequential learning style.

Homework for next class:
1) This assignment depends upon your becoming familiar with what your learning style means. You have to learn about Learning Styles, particularly the Felder-Silverman Learning Style Model. Read. Take notes. Find good definitions of what the particular learning styles you are focusing on mean.
2) Draft 4-1 is due next time. This should be a first draft exploration. Spend the majority of your time researching, and then sit down for 30-45 minutes to write a freewriting draft exploration of your learning style, how it is defined (what it means), and then examples of you learning in this way from your experience. This draft needs to be in electronic format for posting.
3) Do the revision exercise on sentence combining. Mark the exercise sheet I give you to indicate your changes.
4) Editing Project in the Writing Center due 11/20. Don't forget to do it.
You edit the essays for all the peers in your group. Instructions in the folder.

 

Class Announcement 11/5/09

We start our LAST essay today!

But first
--we will go over your last five sentences of sentence combining and turn them in
--we will do a brief writing exercise to get us started

Next we will get a start on our Essay #4
We will end up taking the Index of Learning Styles Questionairre and finding out what your learning style is. Determing your Learning Style is the first and most important step in this new essay project. When you finish the questionairre, print you result sheet.
View this page from Mindtools first to interpret your results. Then read Felder's description of the learning styles.
--The rest of the time will be devoted to you exploring your learning style via the Felder site (see links inside E4 assignment page)

Homework for next class:
1) Do sentence combining revision pieces for next class. These revisions should be in electronic format for posting.
2) Write a 250 word account of a time that you learned something (in school or out of school). Try to describe not just what you learned but how you went about learning it. Be detailed and use all your descriptive powers. Due in electronic format.
3) Begin to do research on your learning style (starting with the resouces available via the Felder site linked inside E4). Read an article or two from Felder's list of articles on learning styles: http://www4.ncsu.edu/unity/lockers/users/f/felder/public/Learning_Styles.html

This article is a pretty good one: http://www4.ncsu.edu/unity/lockers/users/f/felder/public/Papers/LS-1988.pdf

Your writing depends upon your reading. Take the time to read sources carefully and thoughtfully. Read interactively. Print the article and annotate it. Write out notes of important points from a particular source.

Class Announcement 11/3/09

You have the first 30 minutes of class to

  1. Turn in the THREE print drafts of your essay. Label one draft as "READ COPY," one as "EDIT COPY," and one at "TEACHER COPY."
  2. Post your essay into the E3 Final Draft Forum
  3. Do the final E3-3 Writer's Review on your draft (topic found in the E3 final forum)

Next we will review your first five combined sets of sentences working on Coordination and Subordination.

Last, we will practice editing.

Homework
1) Second set of five sentences for sentence combining. Can be handwritten (separate page).
2) Re-read the Trimble chapters on Diction and Readability. Good stuff. Bring Trimble to class next time.
3) Begin E3 Editing Project

Information on the E3 Editing Project
Beginning later today or by tomorrow, you will be able to go to the SAC Writing Center (GH 203) to do your editing project work. You are expected to edit all the essays of the people in your group (not other groups). You will need to use a different color pen (purple, orange, green, blue, red). It will be very important for you to distinguish your edits and final note from your peers' work. I can't give you credit for your work unless you indicate what you have done is your work.

Editing Project Due by 11/20

Class Announcement 10/29/09

In-Class Using Quotes and Documenting Quiz--GET STARTED RIGHT AWAY!
--work with a partner to complete this exercise; turn it in to the Using and Documenting Quotes Quiz Forum
--to help you, get out your Using Quotes guide, your Writer's Reference (open to the section on MLA)
--be sure to put BOTH your names in the heading of your document
--Save it in Word and attach it to a new discussion topic inside the "practice integrating textual support" forum. Subject: Using quotes quiz.
--quizzes need to be posted by 30 minutes after the beginning of class.

Citing Common Electronic Sources

We will review some of these quizzes to reinforce how to use and document quotes correctly.

_________
Next I will briefly review Coordination and Subordination and explain the sentence combining homework for next time. Coordination and Subordination
_________

The rest of the class time will be devoted to you getting a start on Peer Response. You should get at least one completed in class. Please post your draft into the E3-2 Forum

Homework for next time:

  1. Complete your Peer Response and Writer's Reviews for E3-2. Peer responses due Sat., WR due Sunday.
  2. Complete your Essay 3 Final Draft. Bring in THREE print copies of the final draft, and have it in electronic format for posting. (Have these print copies ahead of time, please. You can go to GH 122 to print.)
  3. Before you edit your final draft, read Trimble's chpt. 7 on Readability. See if it doesn't give you some guidance for making your final draft more readable.
  4. Review the 2009 MLA Formatting and Style Guide. See if you can't put your paper into 2009 MLA Format.
  5. Do half the sentences in the Coordination and Subordination exercise sheet I give you. Handwrite your answers on a separate sheet of paper. (This should take you no longer than about 15 minutes to do.)
Class Announcement 10/27/09

Today we will discuss the art and mechanics of handling other people's words and ideas inside your own writing. Then we'll practice it a little with our own draft and discuss it.

Resource links for today:
Using Quotes Guide | The Sandwich Principle of Using Quotes
Handling Quotes So You Avoid Plagiarism
Example of moving from draft 1 to draft 2

Practice--
You will take the original paragraph from one side of your draft, paste it into a new Word document twice. Keep the original version on top untouched, but on the second copy work on including quotes from your sources to back up and support your summary of arguments. Maybe have open this page with "verbs of attribution" as a handy tool box to help you as your refer to the ideas and words of others inside your writing. If you are confused, it is OK to work with a partner and you can work together on one of your draft paragraphs.

Discussion about Coordination and Subordination

Homework:
1) Draft 3-2 due next class (in electronic format). This draft should be a full "dress rehearsal" of your essay. You should seek to develop it fully with quotes from sources to support your summary of arguments. Your draft should also contain all the parts of the Rogerian Argument, including the section on common ground and the final proposed solution.
2) Extra-credit journals due (process journal that counts for WK 7 journals is posted)
3) Read/skim section on MLA in A Writer's Reference. Pay special attention to the section on Using signal phrases to integrate sources, MLA-3b . Bring your Writer's Reference next class!
4) Take 15 minutes to read Trimble's chapter on "Diction" and think about word choice in this essay and our goal of using neutral language as we summarize arguments on each side.

 

Class Announcement 10/22/09

Today is simple--we write a draft of your Essay #3 here in-class.

Post your second set of "Coming to Terms" pieces and then...

Please get out everything you need to write
--your copies of the articles on your debate
--copies of your "Coming to Terms" if you need them
--your Reasoning Chart
--open this page with "verbs of attribution" as a handy tool box to help you as your refer to the ideas and words of others inside your writing

If by chance you do not have you your "Coming to Terms" completed or your Reasoning Chart done, please join me for a discussion at the center table. Then you will work independently on getting your critical summaries and reasoning chart done.

As you write your draft, please follow the Outline of a Rogerian Argument
I. Introduction
II. Fairly summarize (using neutral language) the arguments of side #1
--this could take more than one paragraph, hit the key arguments, don't worry about elaborating on them fully with the use of quotes but where handy quote, try to use verbs of attribution
III. Fairly summarize (using neutral language) the arguments of side #2
IV. Identify areas of common ground and shared mission and value

When you have your draft, please post it into the E3-1 Forum

Homework:
1) WK7 Process Journal
2) Extra-credit week of freewriting Journals (up to six) due either on next Tuesday or Thursday (I suggest you freewrite some on the topic of your essay #3).
3) Peer Response and Writer's Review on E3-1.

Note: If you were not ready to do your E3-1 in-class today, or you missed class, please do this draft as soon as possible (by no later than Saturday) so you can receive peer response. Those that manage to get their draft done by Saturday 10/24 will not have their draft counted as late.

Class Announcements 10/20/09

Happy National Day on Writing!

--visit the galleries, see web case (all day)
--visit booths celebrating writing at SAC on the mall
******************************************************
Today we will...

Start by turning our freewriting journals. We had no process journal this week. (I will count this next week's process journal for WK 7.)

To prepare for today's activities, please post your two "Coming to Terms" summaries. It will be better to post them into one message.

Reasoning Chart
--state the Issue as a question

Side #1

Reason
--warrant

Reason
-warrant

Reason
--warrant

Reason
--warrant

Side #2

Reason
--warrant

Reason
-warrant

Reason
--warrant

Reason
--warrant

The last fifteen minutes will be devoted to returning a grade update.

Opposing Views website

Homework for next time:
Before writing your first draft 3.2
1) Complete your other two "Coming to Terms" summaries for your other two articles. Post in the Write Place.
2) Produce a "Reasoning Chart" for your Issue (following the model above). Post that into the "Reasoning Charts" forum
We will write an initial draft of your Rogerian Argument in-class next time. If you don't have these "coming to terms" and reasoning chart completed and ready to go at the beginning of class, you will be considered to have a late draft.
3) WK7 Process Journal. To do WK 7 Process Journal you will need to read this piece on Peter Elbow's ideas from Writing Without Teachers.Extra-credit week of freewriting

Class Announcement 10/15/09

****************
See our Essay #3 topic sheet
*****************
(a handout of it will be given out on Tuesday)

Welcome back to English 1301!
Quote for today: "Writing matters."

Today we will:

1) Begin by doing a project with your Family Stories that I am returning today
--Evaluating Writing (our rubric and understanding our 6 point feedback scale)
--FamilyStoryFeedback rubric

I will be asking you to edit your own essays for a daily editing grade worth 12pts of daily credit. We will have 15-20 minutes for you to accomplish this task. Have out your Sentence Structure and Punctuation guide and our handbook as well. It is fair game to ask for help with mystery checks.

2) We will try again to do our full introduction to Rogerian Argument
An Introduction to Rogerian Argument
Denotation/Connotation--Using Neutral Language
--example
Activity

Coming to Terms--writing a critical summary of readings

Please post your three short issue/debate summaries into the Finding Issue/Debates forum

Homework:
1) Check back to this class announcement tomorrow for a detailed Essay #3 assignment sheet
2) Write "Coming to Terms" summaries for each of the four articles in your debate (two on each side). These are issues/debates found from the Opposing Views website. Have these in a format so that you can post them next class.
3) WK 7 of journals due. Last week of freewriting journals! The Process Journal for this week will be posted today.

Class Announcement 10/13/09

Class Plan for today!

Task 1: Turn in Illustrative Essay
Please print your essay (be sure it is in MLA Paper Format) and turn it in, and then post a copy into the "E2-3 Final Draft" forum in The Write Place.
(complete within first ten minutes of class)

Task 2: In-Class Process Journal
Posting into Crossing to College @ YouthVoices--I will lead you in writing this post

Task 3: An Introduction to Rogerian Argument
Denotation/Connotation--Using Neutral Language
--example
Activity

Homework for next class:
1) Visit Opposing Views and find three debates that interest you. Be sure to choose a debate over an issue of what to do or what should be done. Write a brief (50 word max) summary of what each debate is about. Have these summaries ready for posting electronically next class.
2) Start WK 7 of Journals (last week of freewriting journals). Process Journal for this week posted later today.

Class Announcement 10/8/09

Today we focus on draft 2-2 of the Illustrative Essay
--we will use the E2-2 Activity Sheet to guide our work

1st thing--Please post your draft 2-2 into the "Draft E2-2" Forum. Please write a brief Draft Letter note on the top specifying any particular feedback you are looking for.

Then you can begin doing peer response--like we have done before, please do three peer responses (and a fourth can be extra-credit)

Interruptions
--Sharing new Introductions (the fruits of last class' work)
--Reinforcing how to punctuate for kinesthetic learners

Homework:
1) Revised and finish the final draft of E2 the Illustrative Essay due next class
2) Be sure to edit your final draft. Print a copy and edit by hand marking your text. (Studies have show we don't edit as well on screen.)
3) Please put your final draft into MLA Paper Format form (look at this guide to see how). Bring in both a print copy and an electronic copy of your final draft.
4) WK 6 of journals due next class. NOTE: We will do our WK 5 Process Journal in-class together next Tuesday.
.
5) READING: Please read this piece by Joseph Williams on Writing in College. You might find the entire site interesting.

 

Class Announcement 10/6/09

Greetings and Salutations!

Dig in! Do you best! Never miss class. Never turn in work late.
I am very proud of the good work so many of you are doing. Keep it up!

Start today by...

Turn in freewriting journals
Go to our Process Journal for this week (WK 5), read the posts of your peers, and do your Ah-Hah! Response.

Next we will take a moment to talk about Focus and the formal features of an essay. Then we will discuss the writing situation for a few example essays.
--from Writing Guides

We will have a bit of fun today working with Leads and Introductions. Our guest visitor for today will be the ghost of Donald Murry, a Pulitzer prize winning journalist and very famous writing teacher.

Homework for next class
1) Draft #2 of your Illustrative Essay
--This draft should contain the formal features of an "essay" and it should have a refined approach to your writing situation. It should be fully developed with SPECIFIC stories to illustrate your illustrative truth (thesis). Don't worry at this point about having everything perfect or the grammar correct. We will work on editing it before the final draft. Due in electronic format.
2) WK 6 of Journals!
3) Review in our Writer's Reference what it has to say about academic writing and "essay" writing (especially form).

Class Announcement 10/01/09

Good morning! Good day!

*****************
Please turn in freewriting journals
*****************

We have the first ten minutes of class for groups to finalize any stuff for their Book from last class. If you were not part of a book group, be sure your draft was saved for the Process Journal WK4.
--If you are finished, please take the time to look over your Illustrative Invention. Think about it. (You should have a print copy of it.)
--If you haven't read the sample illustrative essay, read it now.

Our main goal today will be to write an in-class draft of your Illustrative Essay.
After some introductory remarks, you will write for 50 minutes.

When 50 minutes is up, you will post your Essay 2-1 draft into the "Essay 2-1 Draft" forum inside The Write Place.

(If you miss class, I expect you to do this first draft on your own and post it into The Write Place.)

Resource Links
about Essay Form-
"Leads" and writing catchy introductions.

Homework:
1) Our main goal for homework is to do peer response and complete a thorough Writer's Review. We will be working from the Essay 2.1 Peer + assignment sheet. You are to do three peer responses (please number your responses). A fourth response will count for extra-credit. Once you complete your responses, focus on doing your Writer's Review. Ideally, complete peer responses by Saturday so that you can come back and do your Writer's Review.
2) WK 5 Journals due on Tuesday.WK 5 Process Journal is ready.
3) Draft 2.2 due Thursday 10/8
4) Read chapter 5 in Trimble

Class Announcement 9/29/09

NO CLASS TODAY because of Employee Development Day!

However, you still have work that is due. By the end of the day you need to have

a) Posted your Illustrative Invention Exercise into the forum for it inside The Write Place ***See the Illustrative Essay assignment sheet for the invention questions***

b) After you post your Illustrative Invention, you then will read the inventions of your peers. Reply to FIVE peers' inventions with THREE probing-prompting questions designed to get the author thinking more deeply about their subject

Homework for next class:
1) Review the questions your received on your invention and revise/improve your invention exercise. Add to it. Focus it. Deepen it. If you haven't already, read the sample illustrative essay to give you a better idea of what you are doing. Bring the print copy of your revised Illustrative Invention exercise to class.
2) Read about Essay Form--be sure to follow all the links as well and read them too.
3) Read the next chapter in Trimble (chpt 4, I believe).

Note: No draft of Essay #2 is due on Thursday. No process journal so far this week.

Class Announcement 9/24/09

Publishing Day!

I am out today at a workshop, but I have left you in very capable hands. Really, you all are in charge.

Tasks for today:

Look CLOSELY at the handout providing instructions for what to do today.

--The first step will be to move to sit with your group. (Heck, maybe you'll get to know some more people in this class!)

--Next follow the steps to complete the publication of your story for the teacher

--Then, work together to complete the publication of your team's stories together as a Book.
*************************
IF you are absent, you are still responsible for sending me your final draft of the Family Story via email
*************************

Be sure to pick up a copy of our next essay: The Illustrative Essay

Homework for next class:
SPECIAL NOTICE: We do not have class 9/29 because of Employee Development Day here at SAC. Read the instructions for work we will still do online.
1) Review the topic sheet for the Illustrative Essay. Look over the resource links about some basics on "essay" writing.
2) Complete the Illustrative Essay Invention (also found in the topic sheet). This invention will get posted into a forum inside our online learning environment called Illustrative Invent. This should be posted by class time on 9/29 (even though we don't have face-to-face class)
3) A first draft of the Illustrative Essay (E2-1) is due by 10/1.
4) Complete your process journal for 9/29. Save your freewriting journals to turn in on 10/1.

Be sure and check the Class Announcements on 9/29 for more detailed information about our classwork.

Class Announcement 9/22/09

Fall is here!

Today we will...

1) Start by turning in your freewriting journals, reading the Process Journals for this week, and posting your "Ah-Hah!" response. --first ten minutes of class
2) Next we will go visit the SAC Writing Center for a tour
3) When we return, we will review out grammar goal for this essay
--Sentence Structure and Punctuation
***I expect you to learn these five functions that punctuation performs***
4) Lastly, we'll review producing your final draft of the Family Story.
Note: It is OK to include some graphics and illustrations with your story if you wish.

Homework for next class:
1) Revise the content of your story in any way you think is needed
2) Then EDIT your essay carefully for any sentence level errors, especially issues of punctuation.
3) To enhance your editing, review the Sentence Structure and Punctuation guide, chpt. 12 in Trimble, and Section P in the Writer's Reference. Between these three guides to punctuation, you have excellent material to learn how to punctuation correctly. Take the time needed to study and learn this material. I have a video guide reviewing Sentence Structure and Punctuation you might find helpful too.
Final Draft of Essay #1 (The Family Story) is due next class. Be sure to bring an electronic copy of your essay to class. Bring a print copy as well.

4) Begin week 4 of our journal. Process Journal topic for WK 4 posted later.

 

Class Announcement 9/17/09

Draft 1.2 is due today. Here is how we will proceed (this should keep us busy pretty much all period):

  1. Paste your essay text into the Draft 1.2 forum inside The Write Place (moodle)--don't submit or post it yet though!
  2. Type in your Draft Letter at the top of your draft--before your essay text so your post will look like this
    --Draft Letter
    --Essay
  3. Once your essay and draft letter are posted, please do THREE peer responses following the peer response questions. (Look for people who have less than three responses to do. A fourth response counts as extra-credit.)
  4. When you have done three and once your essay has THREE done to it, do your Writer's Review. Read your essay and the peer responses and REPLY to your own essay to do your writer's review.

Follow the directions on this Draft 1.2 Peer Response handout.
We will also review the general guide for Peer Response found from our course home page.

Our Final Drafts (1.3) of the Family Story will be due in one week on 9/24.

Homework for next class
1) Work on your Family Story revision for Draft 1.3 due Thursday 9/24.
2) Finish peer response and your writer's review if you did not complete it (if absent, you can do these on your own).
3) We will work on some editing of your draft, so please read section P in the Writer's Reference pp. 259-293 (chapters on punctuation). Bring the book next time too.
4) Read Trimble's chapter on Punctuation--chapter 12 (pp. 105-132).
5) Wk3 of journals due on Tuesday (process journal topic is posted and due BEFORE class starts!!!--250 words minimum).
Other stuff:
--Also, don't forget about conferences. You are required to have three conferences over your writing this semester. At leastt one with me and two with the Writing Center (GH 203).

Class Announcement 9/15/09

After you have read today's class announcement, please

  1. Turn in your four freewriting journals
  2. Go to the Wk2 Process Journal forum and read the process journals that are there (post yours quickly if you need to)
  3. After reading this week's Process Journals, write an "Ah-Hah!" response.

    --What is the "Ah Hah!" response
    This response must come after you have read and considered the process journals of your peers. In this response, you write about what you have gained from reading these process journals of your peers--some insight, some questioning of previous premises, some confirmation of ideas, some different perspective, some "ah hah" moment for you. You must make direct reference to at least one person's process journal (please quote them). Pick that person's process journal to read, then hit REPLY to type your Ah Hah response.
    Change the Subject of the message to Re: Ah Hah!

We will take the first 15 minutes of class to read this week's Process Journals and write our Ah Hah response. Reminder: Only Process Journals that are over 250 words will receive ANY credit. Process Journals are due BEFORE class starts, so please do not type yours in class.

Next, Post your second Family Stories into the Draft 1.1b Forum inside the Essay #1: Family Story Topic. Only drafts posted into this forum in-class count as "on time."

Do Peer Response Following the simple prompt below. You should do at least three peer responses. A fourth counts as extra credit.

Draft 1.1b Peer Response
Identify what you see as the "central image" in your peer's story. Suggest what he or she might do to describe this moment and scene more clearly. What, in particular, do you need to see more or understand better?

Writer's Review Draft 1.1 (you may or may not write this in class)
Before writing this Writer's Review, we will discuss an example of Opening, other examples of description, and thoughts on revising and developing the Family Story. Then we will write based upon this topic.
Go to the Draft 1.1b forum, read your own draft, and post as a reply to your own draft. Change the Subject: to Writer's Review 1.1.

Topic: Your task for next class is to pick one of your two stories and revise it for next class. Discuss which story you will pick to revise and why? What are your thoughts on how well you told the story in the first draft? What did you feel like you still needed to do to it? The particular goal of this draft is to OPEN OPEN OPEN with more description. Where in particular do you think you can expand this draft? What adjustments, perhaps, to how you are telling the story (the sequence and perspective for telling the story) do you feel you'd like to make.

Also, find one sentence or phrase that you feel is "telling" and vague in your draft. On a separate line, write that sentence out. Skip a line and write a draft of a "showing opening" where you attempt to show what you have told by detailed description. See example below. (your response should be extended--250 words minimum)

Example Description: The car was old.
Single sentence opening:

 

The rusty 57 Chevy was as old as a beat up tin can.

 

Showing opening

--multi-sentence, show what you are describing with details you describe

Use the techniques of description!

The car was suspended in the air on grey cement blocks like a beached whale. Its exposed dark, rusty red wheels rims matched the splotches eating away at the metal all over the poor 63 Mustang like it were a rash. Looking inside, you could see the seats were split and there was a musty, plasticy smell that came from the delapidated interior. The right passenger seat, in fact, was completely gone. The headlights were smashed in as well as the right side driver’s side window. This car was ready for the scrap yard.

Homework for next time 9/17
1) Finish peer response or the Writer's Review for this draft first before doing other things.
2)Pick one of your two Family Story drafts and revise it for next time. In particular, seek to add more description to this version. Really OPEN up this draft. Don't worry a whole lot about perfect grammar or a polished draft at this point. (That will be for next draft.) Just focus on describing the story as fully as you can. Draft due electronically. If you haven't already, you might look at the example stories from our Family Story assignment sheet.
3) Start Wk3 of journals. 4 freewriting journals, 1 Process Journal. Wk3 Process Journal topic posted in the Process Journal forum. PJs need to be a minimum of 250 words.
4) Keep reading Trimble--chpt 3.

**Note: If you happen to miss class, I still expect you to fulfill the activities we did in class (for instance, today we did the process journal ah-hah, peer response on draft 1.1b, and the writer's review 1.1). These should all be done before the next class.

Reminder!--For your draft to be considered "on time" you must complete all three peer responses assigned as well as your own Writer's Review by 8:00 AM the morning before our next class. Review our Writing Assignment Policy

Class Announcement 9/10/09

"The ultimate way we win readers is by courteously serving them" (Trimble 7).

What we are up to today!

We will spend a good part of today listening to each others family stories. As we hear and enjoy them, we will point out together some core features of "story." We probably will review description a bit first so we hear the techniques in action as we listen to the stories.

Homework for next time:
1. Write a first draft of a second Family Story. This draft needs to be ready for posting electronically when we get in to class. Really try out the "getting started" steps of freewriting and listing before you write to see how they affect your drafting. Also, review this guide on the Family Story to help you focus on things to work on as you write this draft.
Reminders
--this is just a draft and we are in the "creative" phase of working on this essay, so don't worry about "correctness" yet
--Late drafts lose you -10 points from your On-Time Draft and Conferences grade. DON'T HAVE LATE DRAFTS!
2. WK 2 journals are due next Tuesday--4 freewriting journals and Process Journal response (posted before class begins)
3. Read chpt. 2 in Trimble pp. 13-24. This one is "Getting Launched."

Class Announcement 9/8/09

Today we will

  1. Turn in our Writing to Get Started Collections (those not turned in at the beginning of class are late and lose ten points. Late collections must be completed by 9/15 the grade is a zero)
  2. Turn in freewriting journals
  3. Do our first Process Journal
  4. Discuss The Power of Description (and practice it)
  5. Introduction to our first essay--The Family Story

Homework for next class:
1. First draft of Family Story due next time. (this draft can be handwritten, come to class with paper copy). Be sure to follow the steps for getting started with this draft.
2. Begin WK 2 of Journals
3. Begin reading Writing with Style by Trimble. Read intro and chpt. 1.

4. Do homework practice description--go to Practice Description forum and do two more practice showings from the list at the end of the Power of Description handout.

Class Announcement 9/3/09

Quote for today (commenting on the reading in our handbook):

"But let no man require of me such a system of precepts, as is laid down by most authors of books of rules, a system in which I should have to make certain laws, fixed by immutable necessity, for all students of eloquence [...]. For rhetoric would be a very easy and small matter, if it could be included in one short body of rules, but rules must generally be altered to suit the nature of each individual case, the time, the occassion, and necessity itself. [...] Yet I shall not deny that it is in general of service to attend to rules, or I should not write any; but if expediency shall suggest any variance with them, we shall have to follow it, deserting the authority of teachers." Quintillian Institutes de Oratorio Chapter XIII

Here's what's up for today:

  1. We will begin by starting our Journal
  2. Next we will post our WP4s and work with them (explained in class)
  3. Lastly, we will do an in-class draft of our WP5
  4. We will wrap up by reviewing how to finish our Writing to Get Started project. See the instructions for putting together your final draft of this collection at the bottom of the assignment sheet.

Homework for next time:
1) Revise your writing pieces and have your Writing to Get Started Collection ready to submit in its print form at the beginning of class (please print before class).
2) Start working on your Journal (four freewriting journals due by 9/8, we will do our first Process Journal together in class on Tuesday)

 

9/1/09 Class Announcement

When you arrive please work on these tasks right away:

  1. Post your Fable 3 into the "Fable 3" Forum inside The Write Place
  2. Post your Revised Writing Piece #3 into the "Revised WP3 Forum"
  3. Print and turn in a copy of your Fable 3

(We'll have the first 10 minutes of class to turn this work in. Once you get yours in, please read some of the Fable 3s. We will vote on three to read so pick your favorites.)

Next Activity: Reading and responding to Revised Writing Piece #3s

Followed by: Discussing the Writing Process--PowerPoint | Handout

Lastly, we will start our Journal

Homework:
1) Complete reading the first 90 pages in The Writer's Reference
2) Complete reading "What is Writing?" (found in The Write Place)
3) Write draft of Writing Piece #4. Have in electronic format for posting.
4)

8/27/09 Class Announcement

Welcome BACK to English 1301!

Here's today's agenda. Once you skim through it, please begin working right away on the first task.

Task 1) Post or write a personal description of yourself (This is Writing Piece #1 in The Writing To Get Started Collection)
Go to your Profile inside The Writing Place, and type or paste in this profile. Click on your own name in the Participants section of the interface, and then click the "Edit Profile" tab. You scroll down a bit to find the textbox for the profile. Be sure and save. Once you finish, read some of the profiles of your peers by clicking on their name.
These personal profiles should be fairly descriptive--at least 8-10 sentences about your self.

Task 2) Discussion course policies

Task 3) Sharing our Fable 2s

Task 4) Writing Piece #3: Speaking vs. Writing (in-class exercise)

Homework for next class:
1) Write a third fable (Fable 3). Try to make this one your best--new characters, new setting, new interruption. Be creative, have fun, and punctuate that dialogue correctly. This writing needs to be brought to class in electronic format for posting into our online learning environment. If you do not have Microsoft Word, you will need to save your file as an RTF file--see help guide.

2) Do "Revised Writing Piece #3"--see the instructions for the revision in the collection assignment sheet. This document should also be in electronic format for posting into your online forum. To do this revised piece, you will first need to do some reading:
--"Writing as a Mode of Learning" by Janet Emig (the first half of the article deals especially with speaking and writing)
--"What is Writing" by L. Lennie Irvin (just read pages 1-4)
(Each of these can be found inside The Writing Place.)

3) Get your texts and start reading in the A Writer's Reference pages preface -90 (due 9/3).

***********************************
NOTICE--I provide a number of online resources for you to read that are saved as Adobe Acrobat files (.pdf). To read these documents, you need to download Acrobat Reader. It's free and doesn't mess up your computer.
***********************************

8/25/09 Class Announcement--

Welcome to English 1301.
This annoucements page is where I will post our daily agenda as well as the homework for that day. You will want to check it first every time you get to class.

Today we will be getting oriented to the class and each other. Check out our syllabus as you wait for us to get started.

Homework for next time: You can always check the calendar also (but this announcement page should contain the more complete and accurate homework picture).

1) Get your texts and start reading in the A Writer's Reference pages preface -90 (due 9/3). Make note of KEY TERMS.
2)Write a second Fable (Fable2). See the Fable Basics for assistance. This needs to be in an electronic format so we can post it in our online learning environment in class next time. If you do not have MSWord, you will need to save your writing as an RTF file--see help file for how to save in this format. (due next class)
3) Write a description/bio of your self for the rest of us in the class (saved in electronic format). Share some about your interests, your goals in school, and even some of your activities/accomplishments from the past. (due next class)

I am excited about the semester and looking forward to sharing this journey of learning together!

"Learning is a journey. Along the way be who you are, be where you are, and look and listen without boundaries."

 

 

English 1301 Home © Lennie Irvin 2009