Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Greetings!
And congratulations! You have successfully located the class blog! :)
Below you will find the following:
--a copy of the course outline handout
--a copy of the grade sheet handout
--a copy of the Unacceptable Errors handout
--a copy of the sample student Q & C assignment handout

FALL 2014, CSU SACRAMENTO

COURSE:  English 5:  Accelerated Academic Literacies

Section 19, MW, 130-245 pm, Douglass Hall 111

Section 22, MW, 300-415 pm, Sequoia Hall 325

INSTRUCTOR:  Catherine Fraga

E-mail:  sacto1954@gmail.com

Office Hours:  CLV 149, MWF 12:15 PM-1:15 PM

or by appointment

CLASS BLOG:

www.English5Fall2014Fraga.blogspot.com

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REQUIRED TEXTS & MATERIALS

 

The Namesake

by Jhumpa Lahiri

Publisher: Mariner Books

(NOTE: You are responsible for creating your own timeline for completing this novel, that best fits your academic study schedule. The first half needs to be read by Wednesday, Nov. 12^th. The last half needs to be read by Wednesday, Nov. 19.)

·      Rules of Thumb:  A Guide for Writers—9^th Edition

by Jay Silverman, Elaine Hughes, Diana Roberts Wienbroer

Publisher:  McGraw-Hill

Flashes of War (short stories)

by Katey Schultz

Publisher:  Apprentice House

       8 1/2” x 11” lined notebook paper (paper that is torn out of a notebook without a straight edge will not be accepted).

      Stapler

COURSE DESCRIPTION & LEARNING OUTCOMES:

ENGLISH 5. Accelerated Academic Literacies. Intensive, semester-long course to help students use reading, writing, discussion, and research for discovery, intellectual curiosity, and personal academic growth—students will work in collaborative groups to share, critique, and revise their reading and writing.  Students will engage in reading and writing as communal and diverse processes; read and write effectively in and beyond the university; develop a meta-cognitive understanding of their reading, writing, and thinking processes; and understand that everyone develops and uses multiple discourses. 3 units.

Learning Outcomes

Students will:

·      understand the ways that readers read and writers write in and beyond the university

·      understand and use processes of reading, writing, and research

·      develop a meta-cognitive understanding of processes of reading, writing and thinking

·      understand and use appropriate textual conventions

·      understand and engage in reading and writing as communal processes

·      think critically about academic discourse communities as contact zones where different cultures both connect and come into conflict

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

1.     Attendance and punctuality are required.  I have designed this course so that it depends on your presence and participation.  If you’re absent, you are still responsible for finding out what you’ve missed (including lecture notes, handouts, changes in due dates, etc.)  Refer to your class phone list.  

2.     Having more than three absences will seriously alter your final grade.  This is not because I do not consider you mature enough to make a commitment to a class; it is because if you do miss more than 3 classes, you miss group work, or in class writing, or a journal assignment, or a quiz, or an in class essay assignment, and/or a bevy of other possible events, all of which affect the grade you earn (see #8 below).  Please communicate with me.  I am very understanding and reasonable.

3.     If you must miss a class on a day an assignment is due, you are still responsible for getting the assignment to me on time.  Again, use the phone list, call your mother, or???  This is merely a fairness issue; we all have life situations that are often difficult and unexpected, and if others manage to still get their work in on time, I cannot give special exceptions to just a few.  If you miss class and would like to e-mail me your work, you must first contact me for permission. Again, this is a fairness issue.

4.     There will be numerous reading and writing assignments in this course.  Weekly reading assignments will be given, and I expect you to complete them on time and come prepared to class.  We may not get an opportunity to discuss everything we read in class, but that is inevitable in any college course.

5.     You will complete a question and comment assignment for several of the reading assignments.  The question is optional, but the commentary is not. Your commentary must be a minimum of eight sentences in length.  (I know ALL the shortcuts students may try.  Be assured that if you write eight very general, short, simple sentences you will not receive credit for the assignment. A thorough explanation of what is required for these question and comment assignments and a sample will be provided.)  No late homework will be accepted.

An out of class essay may be handed in late, but there is a stiff penalty.  For every day your essay is late, the grade for that essay will drop a full ten points. This includes weekends. Points subtracted for lateness cannot be made up during the revision process.

6.     English 5 is graded A, B, C, D, or F.  Do not assume that because you have not submitted one or more of the three out of class essay assignments, you will still be able to pass the course.  Even though you have missed the due date, and have an automatic “F” for that assignment, YOU STILL MUST WRITE AND SUBMIT ALL THREE OUT OF CLASS ESSAYS TO PASS THE COURSE.

7.  A note on classroom etiquette:

If you feel you cannot survive each class session without the use of your cell phone, iPod, or laptop computer, please do not enroll in this class. (I own all three of these devices, and value each of them, but I do not plan on using them during my classroom time with you. Simply, it is the highest degree of rudeness and disrespect.)  If I see you busy texting, etc. I will not hesitate to ask you to leave until you finish your crucial business. I plan to give you my full attention and I expect the same from all my students.

8.  About being tardy for class: 

It seems that over the last few years, tardiness has REALLY escalated and become problematic in my classes. I am not sure why, but I do know that most of my colleagues deduct a percentage of the earned grade for tardiness. It is really annoying and disruptive, both to me and the rest of the class, when students enter the class late—we only meet for 75 minutes twice a week, and I begin class immediately. In the “real world,” there is even less tolerance for lateness. Plan ahead. I realize things can happen beyond your control, but looking for parking is not a good excuse. If I see that tardiness is becoming excessive, I may have to ask you to drop the class.

9.  About Extra Credit:

Quite simply, I do not believe in extra credit. In “real life,” there is no extra credit. When an error is made, one hopefully learns from the error and moves on.

10. About Rough Drafts:

For all three out of class essay assignments, you may submit a rough draft. This is purely optional. Due dates for these rough drafts can be found on the course outline.

11. About Revisions:

You have the option to revise any or all of the out of class essays. HOWEVER, IN ORDER TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS OPTION, YOU MUST HAVE SUBMITTED A ROUGH DRAFT FOR THE ASSIGNMENT.

The revision must be submitted within one week of receiving it back with my comments. ALL CHANGES TO THE ORIGINAL MUST BE HIGHLIGHTED ON THE REVISION. If you are still not pleased with your earned score after receiving the revision back from me, you may continue to revise AN essay until you are pleased. Additional revisions do not have a due date—it just must be submitted by the last day of the course.

Theme:  The Significance of Home

      We will consider home as our course-long theme. The significance of home – as a place of beginnings, as a starting point, as a place of comfort, regret, anguish, joy, personal growth, and loss – fuels a meaningful, intriguing collection of themes.  Home is a base from which all of us emerge.

      Most of us have pre-conceived notions of home as a place of love, comfort, security.  For millions of children, however, these definitions do not fit their reality of home as a place to escape: escape from cycles of poverty, mistrust, abuse.

      The course will explore not only home as a safety net, but also the illusions we have of home perpetuated by Madison Avenue advertising agencies. 

      What are our expectations of home?  Again, does our “real” home live up to the expectations society has created?  How do different cultural values and priorities play a role in determining what home should and should not be?  Attempting to answer these questions is the task I have set for us during this semester. 

      What does it mean to leave home for the first time?  What does it mean to be rootless, without a home?  

      Finally, how can we reconnect to the earth as home, knowing full well that the lives we have created for ourselves impact the finite planet all of us call home?

      We view at least two films which explore the theme of home. These films will allow us to observe and witness concepts we have read about and discussed.

***

COURSE OUTLINE

(Please note:  Bring this outline to class each session; changes could occur at a moment’s notice.  Also, most reading and writing assignments are noted -- other class exercises and lectures may not be noted specifically)

Abbreviations:

FoW = Flashes of War

RoT = Rules of Thumb

NSake = The Namesake

ALL OUT OF CLASS ASSIGNMENTS (HOMEWORK, ESSAYS, ETC) MUST BE TYPED AND DOUBLE SPACED UNLESS INSTRUCTED OTHERWISE. PLEASE USE TIMES NEW ROMAN, 12 POINT FONT.

Week One (9/1-9/5)

      Introduction to the Course (course theme explained) (Wed.)

      Course Outline Distributed (handout) (Wed.)

      Question/Comment Homework Explained (handout) (Wed.)

      Unacceptable Errors discussed (handout) (Wed.)

      Discussion: Reading and Evaluating Short Fiction (Wed.)

Week Two (9/8-912)

      Stapler Check (worth 25 points) (Monday)

      Quiz on Syllabus (Monday) BE SURE TO BRING SYLLABUS TO CLASS TODAY

      Read: Short Fiction Packet  #1 (Monday)

      Read: “Home on Leave” and “My Son Wanted a Notebook” from FoW (Wednesday) Q & C #1 due today

      Group Work #1 (Wednesday)

      Oral Presentation assigned today (Wed.)

Week Three (9/15-9/19)

      Read “Refugee,” “Into Pure Bronze,” and “Just the Dog and Me” from FoW (Monday)

      Rules of Thumb Quiz #1 on pgs. 1-60 in RoT (Wednesday)

      Out of Class Essay #1 assigned today (Wednesday)

Week Four (9/22-9/26)

      Discussion: How to Evaluate a Documentary Film (Monday)

      Concentrated lessons on grammar and punctuation (Wed.)

Week Five (9/29-10/3)

      Optional: ROUGH DRAFT OF OUT OF CLASS ESSAY #1 DUE NO LATER THAN TODAY AT MIDNIGHT. DRAFT MUST BE E-MAILED TO ME AS A WORD DOCUMENT AND I WILL E-MAIL IT BACK TO YOU WITH MY COMMENTARY (Mon.)

Read: “”Amputee” and “The Ghost of Sanchez” from FoW (Wed.)

Week Six (10/6-10/10)

View documentary film, Daughter from Danang. (Monday)

Read: Short Fiction Packet #2 (Wed.) Q & C #2 due today

Week Seven (10/13-10/17)

Out of class essay #1 due today (Mon.)

Discuss Daughter from Danang in class (Mon.)

Rules of Thumb Quiz #2 on pgs. 113-135 in RoT (Mon.)

In class essay #1 on Daughter from Danang (Wed.)

Week Eight (10/20-10/24)

Out of class essay #2 assigned (Mon.)

      Discuss MLA Documentation in class (Mon. & Wed.)

      Rules of Thumb Quiz #3 on pages 136-153 in RoT (Wed.)

Week Nine (10/27-10/31)

Read: “Checkpoint,” “Stars over Afghanistan,” “The Waiting: Part I,” and “The Waiting: Part II” in FoW (Monday)

Read: “Aaseya & Rahim,” “Sima Couldn’t Remember,” and “Homecoming” in FoW (Wed.)

Lecture/Discussion: How to Critically Read an Essay (Wed)

Week Ten:  (11/3-11/7)

5 sample notecards & 5 sample bib. cards due today (Monday)

Read: Essay Packet #1 (Mon.) Q & C #3 due today

Group Work #2 (Wed.)

Week Eleven: (11/10-11/14)

Read: Essay Packet #2 (Mon.)
Group Work #2 (Mon.)

Out of class essay #2 due today (Wed.)

Out of class essay #3 assigned (Wed.)

Group Work #3 (Wed.)

Read: pages 1-158 (first six chapters) in The Namesake (Wed.)

Week Twelve:  (11/17-11/21)

Read Essay Packet #3 (Mon.) Q & C #4 due today

Read: pages 159 to the end of the book in The Namesake (Wed.)

Read: Essay Packet #4 (Wed.)

Week Thirteen:  (11/24-11/28)
NO CLASS THIS WEEK.

Optional: ROUGH DRAFT OF OUT OF CLASS ESSAY #3 DUE NO LATER THAN TODAY, WEDNESDAY, AT MIDNIGHT. DRAFT MUST BE E-MAILED TO ME AS A WORD DOCUMENT AND I WILL E-MAIL IT BACK TO YOU WITH MY COMMENTARY (Wed.)

View the film, The Namesake, by Monday, Dec. 1st

ENJOY THE THANKSGIVING BREAK!

Week Fourteen:  (12/1-12/5)

Discuss the film, The Namesake (Mon.)

Group Work #4 (Mon.)

In class essay #2 on the film and novel, The Namesake (Wed.)
Out of class essay #3 due today (Wed.)

Week Fifteen (12/8-12/12)

Oral Presentations (Mon.)

Last class day (Wed.) Today you will bring to class your grade worksheet and all your graded work that you have saved from the semester.

Week Sixteen (12/15-12/19)  FINALS WEEK

THERE IS NO FINAL EXAM IN THIS CLASS.

***

English 5, Fall 2014, Prof. Fraga

GRADE WORKSHEET--2325 points POSSIBLE

Stapler Check (25 pts.)

Monday, Sept. 8th—stapler in your possession!______

Quiz on Syllabus (50 pts.)

Monday, Sept. 8^th_______

Oral Presentation (100 pts.) ______

Out of Class Essays (800 points)

Out of Class Essay 1_____(200 pts.) 

Out of Class Essay 2_____(400 pts.) 

Out of Class Essay 3_____(200 pts.)

Rules of Thumb Quizzes (300 points)

Pgs. 1-60 _____ (100 points)   

Pgs. 113-136 _____  (100 points)

Pgs 136-153 ______ (100 points)

Unannounced Quizzes (250) (50 points each)

Quiz 1____Quiz 2_____Quiz 3_____Quiz 4_____Quiz 5_____

Homework=(400 pts.)

Q and C #1 (100)_____

Q and C #2 (100)_____

Q and C #3 (100)_____

Q and C #4 (100)_____

In Class Group Work (200 pts.)

Group Work 1 (50 pts)_____Group Work 2 (50 pts)_____

Group Work 3 (50 pts)_____Group Work 4 (50 pts)_____

In Class Essays (200 pts.)

In class essay #1 (100)_____In class essay #2 (100) _____

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How to assess your grade earned: Divide the points you earn by 1675 to find the percentage. Then see chart below.

110-94 = A

93-90 = A-

89-84 = B+

83-80 = B

79-74 = B-

73-70 = C+

69-64 = C

63-60 = C-

59-54 = D

53-0 = F

EXAMPLE:

1988 divided by 2325 = 85.5% = B+

1791 divided by 2325 = 77.0% = B-

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UNACCEPTABLE ERRORS

In English 5, students should already be very proficient in word usage.  We do not have time for grammar lessons.  (I will, however, provide short ‘mini’ lessons when I feel they are warranted.)  The following errors that are commonly made on student papers are considered unacceptable.

For out of class essays each unacceptable error takes ten points off your final earned grade. You may correct unacceptable errors and receive the points back if you choose to revise. (Exceptions: In class essays that have unacceptable errors CAN always be corrected to earn back the points lost. Quizzes and Writing Responses will not be evaluated for unacceptable errors.)

1.  there – place                                                                        Put it over there.

2.  their – possessive pronoun                                    That is their car.

3.  they’re – contraction of they are                                    They’re going with us.

4.  your – possessive pronoun                                    Your dinner is ready.

5.  you’re – contraction of you are                                    You’re not ready.

6.  it’s – contraction of it is                                    It’s a sunny day.

7.  its – possessive pronoun                                    The dog wagged its tail.

8.  a lot – always two words                                    I liked it a lot.

9.  to – a preposition or part of an

      infinitive                                                                        I like to proofread my essays carefully.

10. too – an intensifier, or also                                    That is too much.  I will go too.

11. two – a number                                                      Give me two folders.

12. In today’s society

or In society today                  This phrase is grossly overused and very cliché. Instead use “Today” or “In America” or “Now” etc

13. right(s)/write(s)/rite(s)                  rights are a set of beliefs or values in which a person feels entitled: His rights were read to him before he was arrested for stalking Dave Matthews. Writes is a verb indicating action taken with a pen, pencil or computers to convey a message: Michelle writes love letters to Dave Matthews in her sleep. Rites are a series of steps or events which lead an individual from one phase in life to the next, or a series of traditions that should be followed: The initiate began his rite of passage ceremony at the age of thirteen.

14. definitely/defiantly                  This error USUALLY occurs when a writer relies solely on spell-check. You really must learn to become the final editor of your work. Definitely is an adverb and it means without a doubt. Mary will definitely miss the Dave Matthews Band concert. Defiantly means to show defiance. She was in a defiant mood. It is an adjective. Or it could be used as an adverb. She was defiantly rude and sullen towards the professor.

15. On your Works Cited page:                  you MUST center and type at the top the heading just as it is here: Works Cited. NOT ALL CAPS, NOT BOLDED, NOT UNDERLINED, NOT MISSPELLED, NOT IN A DIFFERENT SIZED FONT, ETC.

16. woman/women                  woman is used when you are referring to ONE female lady.

                                                                                          women is the plural of woman, meaning MORE THAN ONE lady

                                                                                          There are many women at the nail salon, but only one woman is shopping at the market next door.

(see back)

An accumulation of the following errors will affect your grade, but not 10 points off for EACH error.  My evaluation of your work depends on how serious the error is, and how often you make it.  Some do not slow up the reader as much as others.

• Misuse of the word “you”.  You must actually mean the reader when you use the word “you”.

• Avoid use of contractions in formal expository writing. (can’t, shouldn’t, didn’t, etc.)

• Agreement of subject and verb.  Both must be either singular or plural.

• Fragmented sentences, comma splices and run-ons.  Be sure to proofread your papers carefully before turning them in.

You will not pass English 5 if you cannot write an intelligent sentence in correct English.

SAMPLE STUDENT RESONSE FOR A Q & C ASSIGNMENT

Dave Matthews

Professor Fraga

English 5

2 February 2013

“Traveling through the Dark”

by William Stafford

Q: I have no question.

C:  During a very brief event on a dark country road, poet William Stafford chronicles a very somber and difficult decision the speaker has to make; Stafford has written a very universal poem. Even if the reader has never been in a similar situation, almost everyone has had to weigh the pros and cons of a challenging decision. By the end of the second stanza, when we learn that the dead deer is pregnant and her fawn is alive, we are drawn into the dilemma the speaker and his friends face.

This poem reminds me of what makes life so exciting and yet so frustrating at the same time. Whenever we make a decision, we are never completely guaranteed we have made the “right” decision; we just make the best decision we can based on the information we have.

            The last two lines of the poem are especially effective and very visual. The sadness seeps through the words: “I thought hard for us all…and then pushed her over the edge into the river.” In fact, Stafford’s careful word choice throughout the poem keeps the reader focused and tense. Sometimes living is very much like “traveling through the dark” without any signs for direction.