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MIDDLESEXCommunity College
B E D FO R D • MAS SAC H US ET TS • LOW E L L
Strategies for SuccessCOURSE GUIDE
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education Title III Grant, Strategies for Success: Increasing Achievement, Persistence, Retention & Engagement, 2008-2013.
What’s the Point?–College Reading III and
Basic Writing
Title III Strengthening Institutions Project Strategies for Success: Increasing Achievement,
Persistence, Retention and Engagement The Strategies for Success Title III initiative is a major, five‐year project (2009‐2013) funded by a two million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Education. This initiative is intended to transform Middlesex Community College by improving the academic achievement, persistence, retention, and engagement of its students. The project focuses on reformed curricula and comprehensive advising. Reformed Curriculum involves the design of developmental and college Gateway courses and learning communities embedded with Core Student Success Skills related to critical thinking, communication, collaboration, organization, and self‐assessment. Overall, 45 courses will be impacted over the five years of the project. Comprehensive Advising involves the design of integrated advising services to include identification of academic and career goals, creation of realistic educational plans, and continuous tracking and intervention with an emphasis on the Core Student Success Skills. Comprehensive Advising Services will be specifically tailored to each program of study. Cross division curriculum and advising design teams composed of faculty and staff are designing, piloting, and assessing the curriculum and advising initiatives. The Title III grant provides resources to support faculty professional development related to designing and piloting new curriculum and advising students. The grant also supports the purchase of advising software programs and the hiring of a Pedagogical Instructional Designer, Learning Engagement Specialist, Advising Coordinator, and two academic advisors. The resources provided by the grant offer an exciting opportunity for the college community to work together to develop the strong programs and services that will increase student success.
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Contents Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 3
Lesson Plan: In the Land of Homemade Names (for Reading and Writing) ................................................. 4
Handout: “In the Land of Homemade Names” ......................................................................................... 6
Handout: Journal 1‐Names & Icebreaker Activity .................................................................................... 8
Handout: Journal Rubric ........................................................................................................................... 9
Lesson Plan: Your Reading History and Yourself as a Reader – Freewrite, Literacy ................................... 10
Handout: Reading Challenges and Strategies List ................................................................................... 13
Handout: Essay #1 – Narrative Writing; Autobiography/Yourself As A Reader...................................... 14
Lesson Plan: Wordmeisters ......................................................................................................................... 16
Handout: Wordmeisters ........................................................................................................................ 18
Lesson Plan: “Teaching Screenagers” ‐ Teaching a “Think Aloud” ............................................................. 19
Handout: Think Aloud ............................................................................................................................. 21
Handout: “Teaching Screenagers” Writing Assignment ......................................................................... 24
Lesson Plan: Summarizing ........................................................................................................................... 25
Handout: SQ4R Reading Process‐a reading strategy useful for chapter readings in a textbook ............ 28
Handout: Summary Writing .................................................................................................................... 30
Handout: Transferring Main Idea, Major and Minor Supporting Details to a Summary ........................ 32
Handout: Reading Log ............................................................................................................................. 33
Handout: Peer Review of Summary ........................................................................................................ 34
Lesson Plan: Using Motivational Clips to Determine the Implied Main Idea; Using Popson’s Dilemma to Improve Motivation; Problem/Solution ..................................................................................................... 35
Handout: Popson’s Dilemma .................................................................................................................. 36
Lesson Plan: Elie Wiesel: The Perils of Indifference‐ Summary & In‐text Citation ..................................... 38
Handout: Reading Guide I ‐ Elie Wiesel: “The Perils of Indifference” ..................................................... 39
Handout: Summary Writing Assignment ‐ “The Perils of Indifference” ................................................. 41
Lesson Plan: Boomer Nation – Patterns of Organization ........................................................................... 42
Handout: Selection 4 ‐ Boomer Nation ................................................................................................... 44
Handout: Names of Generations ............................................................................................................ 46
Lesson Plan: Generational Differences – Compare/Contrast; Cause/Effect, Critical Thinking ................... 47
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Handout: Prompt for Journal Writing ..................................................................................................... 50
Handout: “Children of the ‘70’s”............................................................................................................ 51
Lesson Plan: Teaching Compare‐Contrast Models of Writing Using Andrew Lam‘s essay ......................... 52
Handout: Venn Diagram ‐ Compare and Contrast .................................................................................. 54
Lesson Plan: Stand Where You Stand – The Art of Persuasion .................................................................. 57
Lesson Plan: “Growing Up Bilingual” and “My Spanish Standoff” – Persuasive Writing ............................ 59
Handout: Reading Log ............................................................................................................................. 61
Handout: “Growing Up Bilingual” by Sara Gonzalez ............................................................................... 62
Handout: Selection 5 ‐ My Spanish Standoff ......................................................................................... 64
Handout: Team Peer Evaluation Form .................................................................................................... 66
Handout: Writing Assignment ................................................................................................................ 68
Lesson Plan: Poetry Pairing ‐ Inferences .................................................................................................... 69
Lesson Plan: “Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work” ‐ Approaching a Complex Reading Assignment and Teaching In‐Text Citations ................................................................................................ 71
Handout: Making Inferences .................................................................................................................. 73
Handout: Reading Log ............................................................................................................................. 74
Handout: Sample Reading Log ................................................................................................................ 75
Handout: Student X Sample .................................................................................................................... 77
Lesson Plan: Write Like the Pros – Improving Writing Styles ..................................................................... 79
Handout: Write like the Pros Worksheet ................................................................................................ 80
Lesson Plan: Synthesis Essay ...................................................................................................................... 81
Handout: Synthesis Essay........................................................................................................................ 83
Handout: Reading Log ............................................................................................................................. 85
Lesson Plan: Snowballing ‐ Review ............................................................................................................ 86
Appendix: Reading Strategies ..................................................................................................................... 87
Handout: Making Margin Notes ............................................................................................................. 87
Handout: Reading Log ............................................................................................................................. 88
Handout: SQ4R Reading Process‐a reading strategy useful for chapter readings in a textbook ............ 89
Appendix: Vocabulary Exercises ................................................................................................................. 91
Handout: Vocabulary Words in Context ................................................................................................. 91
Appendix: Sample Syllabi .......................................................................................................................... 114
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Introduction As a result of a Title III grant, Strategies for Success: Increasing Achievement, Persistence, Retention and Engagement, this course has been designed to incorporate the following Core Student Success Skills (CSSS): Critical Thinking, Communication Collaboration, Organization, and Self‐Assessment. The concept is to lead students to apply these skills as a method for learning course content. The expectation is that by practicing these skills in this course, they will develop into more successful college students overall, and as a result, persist in their college studies. The linked learning community “What’s the Point?” connects two courses: Basic Writing and Preparation for College Reading III and may be used for future integrated reading, writing, and reasoning courses. This resource guide is designed to help faculty find models of activities designed to develop the CSSS which they could adapt for their own classes. The intent of these courses is to enable students to become more proficient with their reading and their writing through linked and integrated plans and activities. In addition, this guide is designed to acquaint faculty with some of the resources at their disposal to support students in their critical skill development. This guide includes plans for developing the CSSS through lessons targeting various reading and writing skills. Scaffolded instruction in this guidebook includes finding the stated and unstated main idea, writing a summary, determining the author’s purpose, drawing inferences, annotating, patterns of organization in reading and writing, and persuasive writing. We have also included plans to teach students how to use in‐text citations in their academic writing. In addition to the lesson plans, at the back of this guidebook, there are two additional sections: reading skills and vocabulary. These focus on specific skills some students may lack and provides supplemental instruction for improved literacy. The instructors who use the reading text “The Reader’s Corner” will find that the vocabulary is integrated contextually into the reading assignments and will be used and reviewed throughout the semester. The table of contents organizes the lesson plans by skills taught and their recommended placement in a sixteen week semester. The chronology of these lesson plans is suggested by the instructors who have designed them, but can be modified. We hope you find this guide useful and instructive in redesigning your courses.
Team members:
Carrie Finestone, Team Leader [email protected]
Rosemary St. Onge [email protected]
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Lesson Plan: In the Land of Homemade Names (for Reading and Writing)
Learning Objectives: After successfully completing this activity, students will be able to
• Identify unknown vocabulary words in an essay
• Apply context clues to help determine the meanings of unknown words using synonyms, antonyms, examples, elaborating details, word parts (root, prefix, suffix), punctuation clues (dashes, quotes, commas, or parentheses)
• Explain the article’s main idea (relevance of names in Zimbabwe)
• Note similarities and patterns in naming traditions
• Learn classmates’ names
College Student Success Skills Addressed: Critical Thinking, Collaboration, Organization, Communication
Context in the Course: Very early in the semester, second or third class.
Materials Needed:
• “In the Land of Homemade Names, Tiffany Doesn’t Cut It” –New York Times ,October 1, 2007
• Dictionary • Handout containing sentences from article and journal activity
Instructions:
1. Distribute the article and allow 5 minutes for students to skim and underline any unknown words.
2. Glean words from students and write the list on the board. About a dozen words should be identified. Ask the students if they are able to identify any of the chosen words. Probably only a couple of the words will be properly defined as this is a challenging article.
3. Read the article together as a class.
4. Distribute the handout with sentences taken from the newspaper article.
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5. Put students into groups of 4. Their objective is to try to define the highlighted vocabulary word by applying context clues when possible. If a definition is unknown the group can elicit guesses.
6. As a class compare definitions from the groups. The instructor will identify which words are still beyond their grasp. A dictionary will be used for the few words that will need to be defined.
Instructions for Writing:
Students complete Journal 1: Names & Icebreaker Activity
1. When they come to class they pair up and share each other’s journals. After sharing, they will present their partner to the class with information they have taken from #2 and #3.
Assessment:
Students complete handouts. Using the journal rubric, instructors collect the Journals and grade them.
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Handout: “In the Land of Homemade Names”
Below each sentence, write the definition of the highlighted word. Try to use context clues (synonym, antonym, examples, elaborating details, word parts or punctuation clues to help you define the word. As a last resort guess!
1. They took him to sangomas, or traditional healers, and to Western‐style doctors, but nothing worked.
2. Some Westerners chuckle. Perhaps they are oblivious‐ Oblivious is another Zimbabwean name.
3. Indeed, Godknows, Enough and company are a continuation of an African tradition arguably more logical than the one that churns out Justins and Tiffanys in America.
4. In southern Africa, a child’s name is chosen to convey a specific meaning, and not, as is common in the West, the latest fashion.
5. Increasingly, however, those traditional names are bestowed not in Ndebele, Sotho or some other language, but in English, the world’s lingua franca.
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6. Mr. Zenega is one of seven children born to hard‐working parents who were determined to educate their brood.
7. The family’s rising status made the father’s illiterate brothers jealous.
8. For Mr. Zenega’s parents, the names were an inside joke, a fillip in the continuing family feud.
9. Some scholars, including Dr. Motshekga, frown on the trend toward Anglicized names.
10. It’s an entrenchment of a loss of identity.
11. A spirit medium who recently duped Zimbabwean officials into believing he had found diesel fuel flowing from a rock has the unfortunate name of Nomatter Tagarira.
12. That said, none of the monikers were plucked from “1,000 Baby Name” or chosen to imitate a pop star.
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Handout: Journal 1Names & Icebreaker Activity
Use the following templates to begin each paragraph.
(Paragraph 1) According to Michael Wines, names in Zimbabwe…….
(Paragraph 2) I’ve always felt that my name is…….
(Paragraph 3) I was named _____________because…….
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Handout: Journal Rubric
Each journal writing assignment will be graded using the following criteria:
CATEGORY 3 (Very Good) 2 (Partially Sufficient) 1 (Poor)
Comprehension Accurate understanding of important information in the text; focused on the key ideas presented.
Accurate but limited understanding of the text.
Little or no understanding of the text; may be largely inaccurate.
Reflection Evidence that reading strategies have been applied. Response goes beyond literal thinking.
Some evidence that reading strategies have been applied. Response may be unclear.
Little if any evidence that reading strategies have been applied. Response is irrelevant.
Sentence Formation
& Word Choice
Complete sentences with a variety of length and structure. Precise & vivid word choice.
Some sentence formation errors and lack of sentence variety. Some general & repetitive word choice.
Frequent and severe sentence formation errors and/or lack of sentence variety. General/repetitive/confusing word choice.
Equivalents
3=100
2=85
1=70
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Lesson Plan: Your Reading History and Yourself as a Reader – Freewrite, Literacy Learning Objective: After successfully completing this activity, students will be able to:
• Demonstrate an understanding of what it means to be literate • Demonstrate an understanding the connection between our reading experiences and
who we are
• Reflect on a formative reading experience and use it as a springboard for tracing their reading lives
• Demonstrate an understanding of freewriting as a pre‐writing activity
Core Student Success Skills Addressed: Critical Thinking, Communication, Organization, Collaboration, Self‐Assessment
Materials: Reading Strategies handout, Your Reading History, journals, “What’s Your Reading History? Reflecting on the Self as Reader” Joseph Plambeck, (New York Times March 4, 2010)
Instructions:
1. Write about some key moments or events in your development as a reader in your life.
• What experiences stand out for you? High points? Low points?
• Were there times when your reading experience or the materials you were reading made you feel like an insider? Like an outsider?
• What supported your literacy development? What discouraged it?
2. Put students in pairs with these instructions: Share some highlights of your reading history with a partner. Make sure that each of you has had an opportunity to read or tell your story uninterrupted before you respond to what you’ve heard. Once both people have had a chance to share, discuss what you learned about each other; what were some things you had in common? What were some surprises? There will be an opportunity to share highlights and insights with the whole group after the pairs have had some time to talk.
3. Warm‐up | Tell students you are going to lead them through a guided meditation designed to help them recreate an important reading experience in their memory.
Begin by asking them to close their eyes and put their heads down on their desks. Turn the lights down or off. Read this script, giving them a few moments to reflect after each prompt:
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Today, we’re going to take a trip back through your life as a reader. In your mind, put aside the reading you’re doing for school and go to a place where you have positive feelings about reading…
Maybe you are being read to or maybe you are reading yourself …
Try to settle on a single memory … and dwell in it.
What book is being read? What does it look like? Feel like? Are the pages thick or thin? Are there pictures? What colors and images stand out? What does it smell like? Where did this book come from? How did you happen upon it? Did someone give it to you? Did you borrow it from the library? If you chose it, what attracted you to it?
Now, look around. Where are you? Indoors? Outdoors? Cuddled up on a couch or lying in the grass? Are you comfortable? Are you warm or cold?
How old are you?
Are you alone or with someone else?
How do you feel?
Now listen. Who is reading? A parent? Grandparent? Sibling? Try to remember the voice. Is it quiet or loud? Soft? Animated?
Or, are you reading to or by yourself? What sounds surround you? Are you aware of any as you read? Do you imagine any as you read?
What characters do you meet as you become immersed in the world of the book? Are they like you or different?
Where does the book take you? Is it a real place or an imaginary one? What do you remember about the world of the book?
How do you feel reading this book?
How do you feel when it ends?
Slowly bring yourself back to the present day. What sticks with you still about this reading experience?
4. Next, turn on the lights and ask students to open their eyes. Then, ask them to open their journals and freewrite about the memory they just experienced, incorporating as much detail as they can recall. If you’d prefer, you can do this exercise with the lights
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on, having them freewrite as you guide them through the script. In either case, the point is to write to think — assure students their work here will not be collected or graded.Invite students to share their experiences. Ask: What kind of reading experiences remain etched in your minds? Why are reading experiences powerful influences? What does it means to be “well read”? What reading experiences are considered seminal for educated people? Why? What does it mean to be literate? What is cultural literacy? Information literacy? What other kinds of literacies are there?
5. Students will create a typed essay (see Essay #1 that follows) or a one‐page journal response of their Reading Autobiography using the following prompt: Based on what you have remembered, you will use your freewrite to write your first essay. You can begin your autobiographical essay with an assessment of yourself as a reader today. Then use your freewrite to delve into your past as a reader. Your conclusion should discuss what has happened to you as a reader or discuss your future as a reader.
Assessment: Reading List of Challenges and Strategies, essay
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Handout: Reading Challenges and Strategies List
Directions: Create a list of challenges that you have when you read. What prevents you from moving ahead in your reading and/or comprehending the text? Fill in your answers under the “Challenges” section. Next, make a list of strategies you use or know you should use to get through difficult readings.
Challenges Strategies
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Handout: Essay #1 – Narrative Writing; Autobiography/Yourself As A Reader
Narrative writing is simply telling a story. Narratives utilize both descriptive and reflective writing skills, but most often the story is told with little reflection. Every narrative should have a beginning, middle, and an ending. Audience & Purpose When writing, you should always remember to whom you are writing and for what purpose. In this case, you are writing to a stranger to provide him with information about a person, place, or thing. You are telling in detail a story that has one main point. This essay is informative but you can make it entertaining or even persuasive. Prewriting Narratives are best started through free‐writing. Many authors find that a listing of the plot line is the way to get started. After your storyline has been constructed, to help you write more descriptively, it is useful to make a two‐column list by brainstorming ideas about the main character or the location. Another option is to draw a map using clustering to help you add details. Organization The pattern of organization follows the 5‐paragraph essay structure, which may follow logical order. The introduction must have a grabber and thesis statement. Then the body of the paper should have sufficient examples and details. Finally, the conclusion contains the author’s reflection on the story itself. Did you learn anything from this experience? Is there a lesson here? Point of View The point of view may be first person if you are writing a personal narrative using the pronouns “I” and “me.” Transitions are words and phrases that help the flow of your paper. Use transitions like first, second, finally that show relation in time (for narration) and phrases like for instance, beyond, nearby, below, here, and there (to show description). If you are describing an object or place you will want to include transitions such as on the right, in front of me, behind me, etc. Your objective is to specifically describe and place your details. Assignment Based on what you have remembered from this exercise, you will use your freewrite to write your first essay. You can begin your autobiographical essay with an assessment of yourself as a reader today. Then use your freewrite to delve into your past as a reader. Your conclusion
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should discuss what happened to you as a reader or discuss your future as a reader. Remember that all final drafts must be typed, double‐spaced, with indented paragraphs. The essay must be from 1 to 1 ½ pages long. In addition, you must turn in any drafts that have been reviewed by your peers and a writing professional or your essay will not be graded.
Deadlines
Rough draft for peer review completed by ________________________ Final draft due on____________________________
Note: When rough drafts are due, (on peer editing day) you must ask at least one member of your group to sign his or her name and write comments on your paper. You must also have a writing professional sign his or her name to your rough draft (I need proof of this from the Writing Lab) so you are rewriting your paper several times. All rough drafts must be turned in with your final copy.
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Lesson Plan: Wordmeisters Created by Denise Marchionda Learning Objectives: After successfully completing this activity, students will be able to
• Learn new words, • Demonstrate an awareness of how important word choice is in writing, and tune into
how words are building blocks for writers • Begin to develop proofreading and peer‐editing skills
Core Student Success Skills: Critical Thinking, Communication, Collaboration, Organization, and Self‐Assessment Materials:
• Handouts
• Popsicle sticks
• Students should have dictionary/thesaurus (or their cell phones which connect to the internet)
Instructions: 1. Handout Popsicle sticks – Give each student a blank, clean Popsicle stick. Then ask each to write their name on the stick and return it to instructor. (Instructor note: keep these sticks to randomly choose groups, pairs, or call on students during the semester.) Collect sticks and form Popsicle stick groups with an anchor member for each group. (To do this, ask a student to choose three or four sticks. That student becomes the anchor for his/her group.) Repeat procedure until all students are in a group. Students must remember the anchor as they will return to the same group in the next class session. Leave time for students to introduce themselves to each other, and to get started on Wordmeister task. The next class will begin with this activity. 2. During the next class read aloud Wordmeisters Handout and discuss/field questions. (Note: Feel free to change words on this handout to coincide with future assignments. The words here are ones that will come up later in the semester.) Parts of speech may be reviewed. 3. Tell Students to write a definition for each word. If they know the definition of the word, great! (If anyone in their group has a dictionary, then s/he is the word hero!!) If not, discuss the word and guess and/or make up a definition the group can agree on to use. 4. Groups will now create a sentence for each word using it as the part of speech listed on the handout.
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5. Walk around chatting/checking in with groups, and recollecting sticks to save for later classes. Give 10‐15 minutes for group work. Have each group put THE ONE best sentence on the board for class to review. 6. When all groups have posted sentences, bring whole class together and ask ‐ Debriefing Questions:
• How many made up definitions? Listen to some for each word… How did you come up with definitions?
• Anyone know that word? How did you know that word? How close is it to the real definition?
• Parts of speech – how did you know which word was a noun? Adverb? etc. did this information help in discovering the definition?
• Explain that we KNOW these things without being able to name the grammatical label, and we need to be AWARE of them in writing. We will be helping each other become better writers – these discussions are a wonderful beginning.
• Looking together at board, as a class, decide if each sentence needs something, or is it OK as written? If it needs something, what does it need? Proofreading? Spelling? Syntax? Do we like it or not? (This is a good warm‐up activity to group proofreading/discussing writing. Have fun with this.)
Assessment: Students may be given extra credit for inserting/using these words correctly in their homework, verbally in class, or on writing assignments.
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Handout: Wordmeisters Words are Important! Words are a writer’s best friend. Always be on the lookout for new words and how they are used. It is helpful to know the parts of speech for a word so you can use it correctly: noun, adjective, verb, interjection, adverb
Directions:
You have just taken a job at a dictionary company. You are responsible for editing a new edition. The only problem is that some of the computers went down and wiped out various definitions. You may know some or all of the definitions, but you do not want to get fired, so you have decided to wing it and make up definitions for the words you do not know.
Here are five words that are your responsibility:
APOTHEOSIS (verb)
BROBDINGNAGIAN (adjective) or UNCTUOUS (adjective)
DEFENESTRATE (verb)
HUZZAH (interjection)
LUGUBRIOUSLY (adverb)
Your group’s task:
1) Write a definition for each word. If anyone has a dictionary (or phone), then he/she is the word hero! If not, discuss the word and guess and/or make up a definition the group can agree on to use.
2) Your group will now create a sentence for each word using it as the part of speech listed above.
3) You will have 10‐15 minutes for this assignment and then your group will put THE ONE best sentence on the board for review.
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Lesson Plan: “Teaching Screenagers” ‐ Teaching a “Think Aloud” Learning Objectives: After successfully completing this activity, students will be able to
• Develop the ability to monitor their reading comprehension and use strategies to facilitate understanding
• Understand the process of the think‐aloud, by observing their instructor who will model the strategy
• Understand that a think‐aloud is a technique in which students and their teachers verbalize their thoughts as they read and articulate the strategies they are using to understand a text
• Comprehend that metacognitive awareness (being able to think about one’s own thinking) is crucial to reading because it both helps learners assess their level of comprehension as well as adjust their strategies for greater understanding
College Student Success Skills Addressed: Communication and Critical Thinking Materials Needed:
• “Teaching Screenagers” from Educational Leadership Volume 68 Number 5, pp.28‐33, February 2011, Available online at http://bit.ly/fXopO6
• Bookmarks (or strategies copied from following page), explanation of Think‐Aloud (see next two pages)
Instructions:
1. The reading instructor has students highlight the headings in the essay “Teaching Screenagers” (Ready or Not? The Demands of Complex Texts; A willingness to Probe; The Capacity for Uninterrupted Thinking; A Receptivity to Deep Thinking; A Habit of Slow Reading
2. From the highlighting activity, students will be asked to predict the thesis of essay and
connect the three dispositions of reading necessary to understand complex text (willingness to probe, capacity for uninterrupted thinking, receptivity to deep thinking).
3. Using the article the instructor models for students how she applies think‐aloud
strategies to clear up confusion while reading. Some think‐aloud strategies applied to the article:
• Forming mental pictures‐ visualizing statistics, such as 30% as part of a pie to connect numbers with a picture.
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• Verbalizing confusing points (ex: not really sure why technology does not help with reading difficult texts, isn’t technology a tool? Maybe if I keep reading I will understand the point.)
• Connecting what I read to what I already know‐“I’ve heard about Thoreau and Walden Pond? Could “Walden” be connected to nature?
• Creating analogies‐ The fable “Tortoise and the Hare” reminds me of the rate of reading speed in connection with success.
4. The writing instructor: Using the Think Aloud strategy “Connecting what I read to what I
already know.” Students choose a paragraph and record the sentences where they formed this connection.
5. Students then form the connection to what they already know and put this down in writing.
6. Using the Think Aloud strategy “Using fix‐up strategies,” students record a difficult section and cite the fix‐up strategy they used to unravel it.
Assessment: “Teaching Screenagers” Writing Assignment handout
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Handout: Think Aloud
Steps for Clearing up Confusion While Reading
• Ignore the unclear part and read on to see if it gets clearer.
• Reread the unclear part. Break down a long sentence into parts (chunk it).
• Reread the sentence(s) before the unclear part.
• Try to connect the unclear part to something you already know. (This is like….) How to do a Think Aloud:
• Making predictions or hypotheses as you read: "From what he's said so far, I'll bet that the author is going to give some examples of poor eating habits."
• Describing the mental pictures you “see" : "When the author talks about vegetables I should include in my diet, I can see our salad bowl at home filled with fresh, green spinach leaves."
• Demonstrating how you connect this information with prior knowledge: "'Saturated fat'? I know I've heard that term before. I learned it last year when we studied nutrition."
• Creating analogies: "That description of clogged arteries sounds like traffic clogging up the interstate during rush hour."
• Verbalizing obstacles and fix‐up strategies: "Now what does 'angiogram' mean? Maybe if I reread that section, I'll get the meaning from the other sentences around it: I know I can't skip it because it's in bold‐faced print, so it must be important. If I still don't understand, I know I can ask the teacher for help,"
Examples of Visual Representations: Think‐Aloud Assessment
While I was reading, how much did I use these "think‐aloud strategies?
Not much
A little
Most ofthe time
All of the time
Making and revising predictions . . . .
Forming mental pictures . . . .
Connecting what I read to what I already know . . . .
Creating analogies . . . .
Verbalizing confusing points . . . .
Using fix‐up strategies . . . .
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Some Effective Think Aloud Strategies:
I predict that. . .
I can picture. . .
A question I have is…
This is like. . .
This reminds me of…
I’m confused about…
I’ll reread this. . .
(fix up)
The big idea here is…
I think/believe /wonder…(comment)
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Think‐Aloud I predict that. . . I can picture. . . A question I have is… This is like. . . This reminds me of… I’m confused about… I’ll reread this. . . (fix up) The big idea here is… I think/believe /wonder…(comment)
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Handout: “Teaching Screenagers” Writing Assignment
1. Using the Think Aloud strategy “Connecting what I read to what I already know,” choose any sentences that reminded you of something else. Record them here using quotation marks. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. To what did you connect this material? An experience? Picture? Memory?
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Now, using the Think Aloud strategy “Using fix‐up strategies,” record a difficult section and cite the fix‐up strategy you used to unravel it ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Do you agree with the author? Why or why not? Please give at least two reasons to support your point. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. As an excellent college student and READER, what do you now know is important for you to do (according to this article) when you read complex text. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Lesson Plan: Summarizing Learning Objectives: After successfully completing this activity, students will be able to
• Learn the SQ4R method of textbook reading
• Shift from first to third person point of view
• Summarize an article by identifying the key ideas and concepts in the text
• Recognize that selecting main ideas and taking notes while reading an article can help with the construction of a summary
• Understand the format required for a summary Core Student Success Skills Addressed: Collaboration, Communication, Critical Thinking, Organization, Self‐Assessment Materials Needed:
• Born Identity: Discover Yourself through Psychology and Writing Guidebook
• Basic Writing Guidebook
• The Reader’s Corner, 4th edition,
• “Cornell Note Taking” available online at http://bit.ly/8ZMD3l
• “How to Summarize” available online at http://bit.ly/Kldwm7 Instructions: 1. This is a 4 step process. Students bring in a paragraph of their own which has been written in first person. This paragraph is based on a choice and the outcomes of that choice. Since the topic lends itself to a first person point of view quite readily, most students have already created a consistent first person point of view. However, this activity could be done with any piece of the students’ writing. In fact, the instructor may decide to have the students bring in a piece of work written in second person. 2. The whole class brainstorms first person pronouns as a list on the board. Then the instructor asks students to highlight or underline any of these pronouns within their paragraphs. 3. Next, the class brainstorms third person pronouns and nouns as a list on the board. 4. The instructor then gives the following instructions to the students: Pretend that you are writing about someone else‘s choice. (I say choice because of the students‘ topic for the paragraph, but this could be modified to fit whatever other topic assigned by the instructor.) Create a name for this person and write that name below your paragraph so that you
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remember it. Now rewrite the paragraph using this newly created name and any third person pronouns that you may need. 5. When students are finished rewriting the paragraphs, the instructor puts them into groups of three. The class discusses the purpose of offering and receiving peer feedback. Because this peer activity is focused specifically on point of view, it tends to be less overwhelming to students who may not have had any previous experience with point of view. 6. Students then exchange and read each other‘s original paragraphs as well as the revised paragraphs written in third person point of view. After reading the paragraphs, the students answer the questions on the peer workshop handout. Each student should read and respond to the two other students‘ writing so that each student receives two sets of feedback. 7. When all members of the group have finished, the students can take turns explaining their comments to one another. 8. Finally, the class finishes by discussing how the paragraphs changed when the point of view changed. Step 2: Once students have understood third person point of view, they are given two pieces of writing they will need to take home, read, and complete. To prepare them for reading both, they may use the activity entitled “Stereotypes, Prejudice and Discrimination” from the Born Identity: Discover Yourself through Psychology and Writing Guidebook. Next, they will be shown how to read “Prejudice and Stereotypes” using the SQ4R method and the Cornell Method of note taking. When they read “Bullying and Harassment in the United States” they will fill out a reading log (see next few pages for each method). (“Prejudice and Stereotype,” Douglas Bernstein and Peggy Nash, Kanar, Carol, The Reader’s Corner, 4th edition, 2011; “Bullying and Harassment in the United States,” Sharon Schoen and Alexis Schoen, The Clearing House, 83: 68‐72, 2010) Both are graded for completeness of details. Step 3 Next, students read “How to Summarize.” Step 4: In the next class, have a discussion of both articles showing students the sections of content in each and how that transfers to body paragraphs. Hand out the “Summary Writing Assignment” which follows.
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Step 5: On the day rough drafts are due, students move into pairs and complete a “Peer Review of Summary” (adapted from Cathy McCarron’s “Peer Review of Summary” from the Basic Writing Guidebook—see next lesson plan).
Assessment: Drafts will serve as assessment artifacts.
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Handout: SQ4R Reading Processa reading strategy useful for chapter readings in a textbook SQ4R stands for:
• Survey
• Question
• Read
• Recite
• Record
• Review I. Before Reading Survey or skim the reading passage for organization and what it is going to talk about. Look at the following:
• Italics
• Boldface type
• Titles, introductions, headings
• Pictures and graphs
• First paragraph, summaries, questions Ask Questions before you read.
• What is the passage about?
• How is the material organized?
• What do I already know? What is my prior knowledge?
• What is my purpose for reading?
• What is my reading plan?
• What are the most important parts to remember?
• Form questions from headings, subheadings, words in bold print and italics.
• Using the Cornell Method of note taking, record your questions in the left column. II: During Reading Read. Look for answers to your questions. Also ask yourself:
• Does the information agree with what I already knew?
• Do I need to change what I thought I knew?
• What is the significance of this information?
• Do I need to remember this?
• Ask more questions!
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• Reread parts you don’t understand
• Reread when your mind drifts during reading.
• Read ahead to see if the idea becomes clearer.
• Determine the meaning of words from context.
• Look up new or difficult words.
• Think about ideas even when they differ from your own. Recite.
• Make sure you understand by repeating the information.
• Create a picture in your mind or on paper.
• Restate the ideas in your own words. IIIL After Reading Record.
• Write out answers to the questions you created based on the headings and subheadings. These answers are recorded on the column on the right, next to each question you have previously written.
• Review.
• Connect new information to your prior knowledge about the topic.
• Form opinions about the material and the author.
• Notice changes in your opinions based on the new information.
• Write about what you have read. Adapted from 2004 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman Publishers Example: a unit on Memory, with the subtitle of Short‐term Memory.
What is short term memory?
refers to the capacity for holding a small amount of information (up to 7 information bits) for a short period of time (18 seconds).
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Handout: Summary Writing There are several ways to write a summary. One way is to condense into a few sentences the central idea of a passage or story. For example, if you tell a friend about a television show you watched, you are telling a summary of it. Therefore, your summary may be much shorter than the original. Or, you can write a one page (or so) summary of a reading or newspaper article. That is your task for this essay. Audience & Purpose
When writing, you should always remember to whom you are writing and for what purpose. In this case, you are writing to a stranger to provide him with information about a textbook chapter or a reading on an issue. Prewriting First, try to find the main idea in the reading. Next, skim through the article, glancing at any headings and graphics. Then, read the conclusion. The intent here is both to give you a review of the work and engage yourself with it. Now read the original text carefully, jotting down notes (either main points or using talk to text) or highlighting the important points. What you want to do is preview, read, evaluate, and organize. Make an outline that includes the main idea and the supporting details. The way you organize the outline may serve as a model for how you divide and write the essay. Write the summary, making sure to state the author’s name in the first sentence. Present the main idea, followed by the supporting points. The remainder of your summary should focus on how the author supports, defines, and/or illustrates that main idea. Remember, unless otherwise stated by your instructor, a summary should contain only the author’s views, so try to be as objective as possible. Organization
The pattern of organization follows the 5‐paragraph essay structure, which may follow logical order according to the reading you have chosen. Identify at the start of the summary the title and author. Include in parentheses the date of publication. For example, In ‘Leaking with a Vengeance’ (Time, October 13, 2003), Michael Duffy states… Include a short introductory paragraph that states the thesis of the article. Then in your three supporting paragraphs you will summarize the three important areas that are discussed in the article. Your conclusion might be a single sentence or two restating the thesis. Do not write an overly detailed summary but express the main points and key supporting details in your own words. You may quote from the material only to showcase or illustrate key points.
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Point of View The point of view will be third person point of view throughout, objectively stating the information contained in the article. You will be using third person pronouns. Also, no personal opinions should be present in a summary. You are objectively reporting the information. Transitions Transitions are words and phrases that help the flow of your paper. Use transitions like first, second, and finally when you are adding points. Use conclusion transitions like therefore, consequently, thus, in summary, last and as a result to indicate a summation or result. Remember that all final drafts must be typed, double‐spaced, with indented paragraphs. The summary must be at least one page long. Use the following format for your papers:
Name ENG 071 60 date Title
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Handout: Transferring Main Idea, Major and Minor Supporting Details to a Summary
1. Write a one to two sentence summary of the text.(Answer the question what is it about and what is the point it is making by completing the sentence below.)
The article “ ” is about_______________________
2. Now, Add the following sentence: My favorite “golden line” from this reading was (put this in quotation marks):
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Next, give a reason or several reasons why this is your favorite line (these are your minor details:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Finally, copy exactly what you have written above in paragraph form below:
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Handout: Reading Log
Name_________________________________
Handout____________
Important Ideas and Information in the Text (use page #s)
My thoughts, feelings and questions
Write a 1‐2 paragraph summary of the article:
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Handout: Peer Review of Summary Name of Reviewer: Name of Summary Author: Practice Peer Review Sheet You will review two students‘ papers. Please spend 10 – 15 minutes on each review. Please have the original report in front of you to refer to as you complete the peer review. 1. Does the opening sentence include the title, author, and publication date of the original work? Is the title of the report underlined or in italics? 2. Do you have any suggestions for making the first sentence clearer? Write a revised version of the sentence below.
4. Summaries should accurately reflect the information in the original report. Are there any statements in the summary that are not in the original report or are not accurate? Please state them below. 5. Summaries should not include opinions by the summary author. Are there any words/phrases that reflect the student author‘s opinion? If so, write the words/phrases below. 6. In the space below, write two sentences that you think could be tighter/clearer. Write the revision under each sentence. original: revision: original: revision: 7. Write two or three sentences summarizing the strengths and weaknesses of the summary. 8. After thinking about the peer review you‘ve just completed, which elements of your own summary do you think will need revising?
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Lesson Plan: Using Motivational Clips to Determine the Implied Main Idea; Using Popson’s Dilemma to Improve Motivation; Problem/Solution Learning Objectives: Students will be able to
• Recognize others’ limitations • Avoid burnout by watching others who have overcome their difficulties • Critically determine what key ingredients help them become motivated in a course • Determine the implied main idea after watching two videos
Core Student Success Skills: Communication, Self‐Reflection, Critical Thinking Skills, Self‐Assessment
Materials:
• "I Love Living Life. I Am Happy" YouTube clip available online at http://bit.ly/KYduVl • "4 Ways to Deal with Stress..." available online at http://bit.ly/L5433V • "Burnout Self‐Test" available online at http://bit.ly/HJd5J • Popson’s Dilemma handout
Instructions:
1. Reading: Students watch two YouTube Clips on stress and motivation. After each clip, students work on the implied main idea of each clip or in this case the message.
2. Writing: Students read Popson’s Dilemma handout. Each individually ranks the quality of advice. In groups, students discuss their choices for each and as a group, they answer the final question at the end of the handout. Students complete the “Burn‐out Self‐Evaluation” on the next page and write a journal entry on their scores and what they have learned about their own motivation and stress levels.
Assessment: Completion of “Burn‐out Self‐Evaluation” and journal entry.
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Handout: Popson’s Dilemma Fresh from graduate school, Assistant Professor Popson was midway through his first semester of college teaching when his depression started. Long gone were the excitement and promise of the first day of class. Now, only about two‐thirds of his students were attending, and some of them were barely holding on. When Popson asked a question during class, the same few students answered every time. The rest stared off in bored silence. One student always wore a cap with a slender cord slithering from under it to the iPod in his shirt pocket. With 10 or even 15 minutes remaining in a class period, students would start stuffing notebooks noisily into their backpacks or book bags. Only one student had visited him during office hours, despite Popson‘s numerous invitations. And when he announced one day that he was canceling the next class to attend a professional conference, a group in the back of the room pumped their fists in the air and hooted with glee. It pained Popson to have aroused so little academic motivation in his students, and he began asking experienced professors what he should do. Professor Assante said, ―Research says that about 70 percent of students enroll in college because they see the degree as their ticket to a good job and fat paycheck. And they‘re right. College grads earn nearly a million dollars more in their lives than high school grads. Show them how your course will help them graduate and prosper in the work world. After that, most of them will be model students. Professor Buckley said, ―Everyone wants the freedom to make choices affecting their lives, so have your students design personal learning contracts. Let each one choose assignments from a list of options you provide. Let them add their own choices if they want. Even have them pick the dates they‘ll turn in their assignments. Give them coupons that allow them to miss any three classes without penalty. Do everything you can to give them choices and put them in charge of their own education. Once they see they‘re in control of their learning and you‘re here to help them, their motivation will soar. Professor Chang said, ―Deep down, everyone wants to make a difference. I just read a survey by the Higher Education Research Institute showing that two‐thirds of entering freshmen believe it‘s essential or very important to help others. Find out what your students want to do to make a contribution. Tell them how your course will help them achieve those dreams. Even better, engage them in a service learning project. When they see how your course can help them live a life with real purpose, they‘ll be much more interested in what you‘re teaching. Professor Donnelly said, ―Let‘s be realistic. The best motivator for students is grades. It‘s the old carrot and stick. Start every class with a quiz and they‘ll get there on time. Take points off for absences and they‘ll attend regularly. Give extra points for getting assignments in on time. Reward every positive action with points and take off points when they screw up. When they realize they can get a good grade in your class by doing what‘s right, even the guy with the iPod will get involved.
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Professor Egret said, ―Most people work harder and learn better when they feel they‘re part of a team with a common goal, so help your students feel part of a community of learners. Give them interesting topics to talk about in pairs and small groups. Give them team assignments and group projects. Teach them how to work well in groups so everyone contributes their fair share. When your students start feeling like they belong and start caring about one another, you‘ll see their academic motivation go way up. Professor Fanning said, ―Your unmotivated students probably don‘t expect to pass your course, so they quit trying. Here‘s my suggestion: Assign a modest challenge at which they can all succeed if they do it. And every student has to do it. No exceptions. Afterwards, give students specific feedback on what they did well and what they can do to improve. Then give them a slightly more challenging assignment and repeat the cycle again and again. Help them expect to be successful by being successful. At some point they‘re going to say, ‗Hey, I can do this!‘ and then you‘ll see a whole different attitude. Professor Gonzales said, ―Learning should be active and fun. I‘m not talking about a party; I‘m talking about engaging students in educational experiences that teach deep and important lessons about your subject. Your students should be thinking, ‗I can‘t wait to get to class to see what we‘re going to do and learn today!‘ You can use debates, videos, field trips, group projects, case studies, learning games, simulations, role plays, guest speakers, visualizations…the possibilities are endless. When learning is engaging and enjoyable, motivation problems disappear. Professor Harvey said, ―I‘ve been teaching for thirty years, and if there‘s one thing I‘ve learned, it‘s this: You can‘t motivate someone else. Maybe you‘ve heard the old saying, ‗When the student is ready, the teacher will arrive.‘ You‘re just wasting your energy trying to make someone learn before they‘re ready. Maybe they‘ll be back in your class in five or ten years and they‘ll be motivated. But for now, just do the best you can for the students who are ready. * * * * * Listed below are the eight professors in this story. Based on your experience, rank the quality of their advice on the scale below. Give a different score to each professor. Be prepared to explain your choices. Best Advice 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Worst Advice ____PROFESSOR ASSANTE ____PROFESSOR DONNELLY ____PROFESSOR GONZALES ____PROFESSOR BUCKLEY ____PROFESSOR EGRET ____PROFESSOR HARVEY ____PROFESSOR CHANG ____PROFESSOR FANNING Diving Deeper: Is there a response not mentioned by one of the eight professors that would have been even more motivating for you? From DOWNING. On Course, 6E. © 2011 Wadsworth, a part of Cengage Learning, Inc. Reproduced by permission. www.cengage.com/permissions ©
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Lesson Plan: Elie Wiesel: The Perils of Indifference‐ Summary & In‐text Citation Learning Objectives: After successfully completing this activity, students will be able to
• Understand the author’s various points • Conceptualize the period of times Wiesel compares • Practice summary writing, learn how to construct an in‐text citation, and extract the
main point from the material, putting both in written form • Demonstrate a greater understanding of the concept of indifference
College Student Success Skills Addressed: Critical Thinking Skills, Communication, Organization, Materials:
• “Encountering Auschwitz” (video) available online at http://bit.ly/JSIsxa • “The Perils of Indifference” (Text of speech) available online at http://bit.ly/WSyO1
Suggested Time Frame: 2 classes Instructions:
1. First, discuss the Holocaust. Give brief overview of time period, countries involved in WWII, U.S. President FDR, President Clinton.
2. Show them the first video from the Holocaust Museum.
3. Students take the Reading Guide 1 home and complete for homework. Also give them copies of his speech “The Perils of Indifference.” Have students also pre‐read the speech and write question marks in the sections they do not understand.
4. Review Reading Guide I. Together read and discuss the speech. Reading Guide II can either be done in class or for homework. “Golden Lines” can also be used with this essay (see Reading Strategies section of guide)
5. After class discussion, students must fill in the template which should give them some knowledge of how they will use a summary of material and highlight the point being made by an author (as well as write a paragraph for a research paper that contains an in‐text citation).
Assessment: Students complete template. This activity will be assessed and graded by the instructor.
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Handout: Reading Guide I Elie Wiesel: “The Perils of Indifference” Background Information: Define these terms
• Perils
• Indifference
• Jewish
• Carpathian
• 54 years ago—timeline—why is this date relevant?
• Goethe
• Weimar
• Buchenwald
• Humanity
• Millennium
• Civil wars
• Bloodbaths
• Auschwitz and Treblinka
• Virtue
• SS murderers
• Wehrmacht
• Nazism
Questions
1. Make an inference: “they would remember and bear witness.” Explain this‐ what does bearing witness mean? Who is bearing witness and what would they bear witness to?
2. Why does Wiesel say FDR’s image in history is flawed? (“the illustrious occupant of the White House then)
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3. What was the St. Louis and what happened to it?
4. Define “Righteous Gentiles.” What or whom does he mean?
5. What examples of good things have happened according to Wiesel?
6. What is the tone of this essay?
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Handout: Summary Writing Assignment “The Perils of Indifference”
Directions: After reading Elie Wiesel’s speech, fill in the following information on the template below. First you will briefly summarize his speech (using proper in‐text citation) and then you will point out the author’s message and position on the subject. This format is how you will cite and analyze information when you write a research paper.
According to ________________________(author), (write your summary
here )_______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
________________________________(now in parentheses, write the article’s title here in
quotation marks )_________________________________________
This emphasizes
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
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Lesson Plan: Boomer Nation – Patterns of Organization
Learning Objectives: After successfully completing this activity, students will be able to
• Demonstrate an understanding of the use of classification as a pattern of organization
• Be able to state social changes or developments associated with baby boomers
• Research a famous baby boomer
• Identify characteristics of baby boomers
• Interpret a chart of recent generations from 1900‐present day
College Student Success Skills Addressed: Organization, Critical Thinking, and Collaboration
Context in the Course: This lesson and activities could be taught when discussing patterns of organization used in writing (especially classification and compare and contrast).
Materials Needed:
• “Boomer Nation”‐ Steve Gillon , The Reader’s Corner, 3rd edition, Carol Kanar • NYTimes Learning Network “The 1960s” puzzle by Frank A. Longo
www.nytimes.com/learning • Names of Generations‐ Matt Rosenberg www.geography.about.com
Instructions:
1. Prior to lesson assign a famous baby boomer to each student. Have the students write down a few sentences about that boomer’s life. This will be shared with the class. Possible suggestions: Malcolm X, John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Jr, Bob Dylan Timothy O’Leary, Alan Shepard, Sylvia Plath, Mohammad Ali. Secondly, handout the “Names of Generations” list that follows (for back ground information).
2. In class, have students, in groups of four (maximum), share important facts about their assigned “boomer.” Discuss and list any common characteristics shared by the boomers.
3. Put the headings: education, family, marriage, sex and relations between the genders on the board.
4. Briefly discuss the names, dates, and characteristics of the generations from the past century.
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5. Have students begin reading “Boomer Nation.” Have them write down under the appropriate category the characteristics of this generation.
6. Using the list from above as a guide, assign the Boomer Nation handout for homework.
7. Provide handout listing the generations from this past century. Briefly discuss names of generations.
Assessment: Grade multiple ‐choice handout. Also, the 1960’s puzzle could be assigned for extra credit or as a collaborative activity.
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Handout: Selection 4 Boomer Nation
1. What is the author’s topic? a. generational differences b. baby boomers’ legacy c. postwar America d. the 1960s
2. In which one of the following paragraphs is the author’s central idea? a. Paragraph 5 b. Paragraph 11 c. Paragraph 1 d. Paragraph 9
3. The author’s primary purpose is to a. Persuade readers that boomers have left a lasting impact on American life. b. Trace the history of the counterculture movement of the 1960s. c. Explain to readers who baby boomers were and what they did. d. Entertain readers with stories about well‐known baby boomers.
4. The author shares the perspective of many who way that an ethic of self‐fulfillment characterizes boomers.
a. True b. False
5. The author predicts that future historians will view which one of the following as the boomer generation’s greatest achievement?
a. The changing role of women in society b. The expansion of individual freedom c. A host of new rights and responsibilities d. Redefining the relationship between the sexes
6. Which one of the following was the “standard of success” for boomers? a. happiness b. education c. food on the table d. a steady job
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7. The author’s organizational pattern in paragraphs 7 and 8 is which one of the following? a. definition b. contrast c. classification d. process
8. The World War II generation was the first to realize the American dream of equal opportunity.
a. True b. False
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Handout: Names of Generations
2000‐ Present – New Generation or Generation Z
1980‐2000 – Millennials or Generation Y
1965‐1979 – Generation X or Baby Busters
1946‐1964 – Baby Boom
1925‐1945 – Silent Generation or Lucky Few
1900‐1924 – G.I. Generation or Greatest Generation
Taken from About.com:Geography
http://geography.about.com/od/populationgeography/qt/generations.htm
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Lesson Plan: Generational Differences – Compare/Contrast; Cause/Effect, Critical Thinking
Learning Objectives: After successfully completing this activity, students will be able to:
• Demonstrate an understanding of what events and trends both reflect and shape generations.
• Compare their generation with one or more older generations and the reasons for differences between them.
• Apply what they have learned to predicting how the attitudes and values they have today will shape who they are in 2030 and how they will parent their own children (or grandchildren).
Core Student Success Skills: Critical Thinking, Communication, Collaboration, Organization and Self‐Assessment
Suggested Timeframe: 2‐3 class sessions
Materials:
• Copies of handouts
• CD player
• Pre‐recorded CD with music from the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s (depending upon the age of the instructor and his or her generation)
• Student journals
• “Back in the Day & Today” available online at http://bit.ly/Jo1sGw
• "From ’00 to ’10: Defining the Decade" available online at http://bit.ly/KZf2P2
• “Children of the ‘70’s” available online at http://nyti.ms/aDRrl6
Instructions:
1. For homework, give students the prompt for journal writing: What Do Older Generations Misunderstand About Yours? Do you think something about the time and place in which your parents or grandparents grew up makes them unable to fully understand or relate to you and your peers? What about the way you’re growing up now do you think will shape you as an adult? Discuss briefly at the next class.
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2. In class, give each student a copy of the “Back in the Day & Today” handout to complete as best they can in 10 minutes.
3. While students complete this handout, play music from the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s.
4. Move on to a discussion of the completed handouts. As they share their ideas, jot on the board a list of the issues that arise, such as parenting, strictness and safety concerns, taste in entertainment, expectations about manners, communication and media habits, politics, values, religious practices, spending on items like clothes or tech devices, etc. Instructor weighs in on topics as a member of an older generation as well as your parents’ or grandparents’ generation and opinions.
5. As students look at the completed list and reflect, have them begin to speculate on some of the defining moments, events, movements or trends at the heart of their parents’ values or attitudes.
6. Assign for homework: “Children of the ‘70’s” columnist David Brooks’ article (). Students must read the article and complete the questions that follow.
Next class:
1. Discuss the David Brooks article and collect their answers. Students move into small groups. As a team, they fill in the handout about the first decade of the 2000’s ("From ’00 to ’10: Defining the Decade").
2. Encourage them to include events having to do with U.S. politics, world events, economics, culture and entertainment (including music, film, television, advertising), technology, journalism and media or anything else.
3. Also have them include any local events or situations that, though not necessarily watershed moments for their whole generation, affected (or affect) their outlooks, attitudes, and what their parents will or will not allow them to do.
4. When their lists are assembled, ask students to talk about generational attitudes toward issues like immigration, the environment, health care, women’s issues, same‐sex marriage, religion and freedom of expression.
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5. You may also show photographs which reflect the past decade, “Documenting the Decade,” available at http://nyti.ms/JcXz73.
6. Do they believe their own attitudes tend to reflect those of their generation overall? Why or why not? What might account for differences? Have students compare and contrast their generation’s attitudes with those of their parents, perhaps looking again at their completed Back in the Day and Today handouts. As a whole group, have students discuss the generational differences they believe exist and speculate about reasons for those differences.
7. End by inviting predictions about how the attitudes and values they have today will shape who they are in 2030 and how they will parent their own children.
Assessment: This series of activities can be assessed in one of two ways: either as a formal compare‐contrast paper or as a series of informal writing assignments in which case it can be evaluated on effort, collaboration, and participation as well as journal writing.
Adapted from The New York Times: The Learning Network’s “Fall Into the Gap: Considering Factors That Shape Generations”
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Handout: Prompt for Journal Writing
What misconceptions do you think older generations — such as your parents’, teachers’ or grandparents’ — have about your generation? What do you wish you could explain to them to dispel some of these beliefs? How do you think the time and place in which those generations were raised have influenced them? How do you think you’re being shaped differently by growing up today?
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Handout: “Children of the ‘70’s”
Name ____________________________________
Answer using complete sentences.
1. What incidents took place on West 84th Street, and how did the city leaders try to deal with the situation
2. How has the crime rate in New York City changed since the ‘70’s? The 90’s?
3. What other attitudes does Brooks say were destroyed by the crime wave?
4. Do your own parents have enduring attitudes towards parts of town, stretches of highways, businesses or activities that were created when they were young and which affect what you are and are not allowed to do?
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Lesson Plan: Teaching Compare‐Contrast Models of Writing Using Andrew Lam‘s essay Learning Objectives: After successfully completing this activity, students will be able to:
• learn to use an effective pre‐writing strategy before composing a compare‐contrast essay.
• note compare‐contrast transitions in Andrew Lam‘s essay. • explain how a compare‐contrast essay is written.
College Student Success Skills Addressed: Critical Thinking Skills, Communication, (optional Collaboration), Organization, Self‐Assessment Materials Needed:
• Venn Diagram and questions, and two models of compare‐contrast essays (ex: ”They Shut My Grandmother‘s Door” is widely anthologized – available in The
Townsend Thematic Reader. Ed. Christopher G. Hayes and Patricia J. McAlexander Context within the Course: This activity builds on paragraph and essay practice. This could be used mid‐way through the semester after students have practiced other (easier) organizational patterns. Instructions: Day 1:
1. Conduct a class discussion in which you ask the following pre‐reading questions:
• How would you define a nursing home? What is its purpose? • Do all countries have nursing homes or is this an American phenomenon? • What will you do with your parents and why? Would you (honestly) be able to care for
ailing parents at home?
2. Students read the author‘s note on page 1 of the essay and make a prediction of how Americans view aging and death as opposed to the Vietnamese.
3. Assign story and questions 1‐3 to be type‐written for the next class. Explain a Venn
Diagram and its purpose.
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Day 2: 4. The instructor draws a Venn Diagram on the board with students filling in the details for
each country. Then students hand in their homework.
5. Give a list of compare/contrast signal words on the board and have students copy them into their notebooks: (Comparisons: similarly, likewise, like, just as, also, comparatively; Contrasts: unlike, but, on the other hand, however, in contrast, difference, instead.)
6. Have students look at the story, locate at least five of these words, and circle them.
7. Show students the two ways of constructing an essay using the Subject by Subject or
Point by Point Model (which follow). The Subject by Subject Model only has topic sentences; it may be completed by students in groups if desired.
Assessment: Students determine the Compare‐Contrast Model author Andrew Lam has used. Students would write a Compare‐Contrast Essay first using a Venn diagram and then choosing either model for their framework.
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Handout: Venn Diagram Compare and Contrast Directions:
1. As you read Andrew Lam‘s essay, ―They Shut My Grandmother‘s Door, look for and record in the Venn Diagram provided, the similarities (in the intersection of circles) and the differences (under each country) between the American and Vietnamese cultures from the reading. Then answer these questions.
2. What is your reaction to these differences?
3. Lam notes the popularity of ―blood and guts movies in America. Have you seen any of
these movies? Which ones? Do you agree with Lam that such movies distance people from death and dull their responses to it? Explain your answer. (Use the reverse side to answer this fully.)
AMERICA VIETNAM
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Now practice and observe the two models to write a compare contrast essay: the Subject by Subject Comparison‐Contrast Model or the Point by Point Comparison‐Contrast Model. The first one needs details added to make paragraphs complete. Once done, you will have constructed a Subject by Subject Comparison‐Contrast Model. The second one, the Point by Point Model, is done for you. Subject by Subject Outline of Introduction and Topic Sentences How do you want to be treated when you are old and can no longer take care of yourself? Do you want to stay at home with your family surrounding you or would you rather be moved to a nursing home that can take care of your every need so you won‘t need to feel as if you are a hardship to your family? These questions differ in each culture and country. America and Vietnam, two very distinct countries and cultures, see both aging and life in general very differently.
• America is a very fast paced society. (Add details to support this topic sentence.) • America is a country that emphasizes happy occasions. (Add details to support this
topic sentence.) • In America people pay for life insurance and health insurance. (Add details to support
this topic sentence.) • Finally, in America many people use nursing homes to put their aging and ill parents.
(Add details to support this topic sentence.)
____________________________________________________________________________ Vietnam differs in many ways. Life in Vietnam is at a slower pace. (Add details to each of these topic sentences that follow.
• Agony and pain is part of the Vietnamese culture. • In Vietnam, people go to the temple to pay for good health. • Finally, in Vietnam people die in their homes surrounded by loved ones.
Point by Point Comparison‐Contrast Model How do you want to be treated when you are old and can no longer take care of yourself? Do you want to stay at home with your family surrounding you or would you rather be moved to a nursing home that can take care of your every need so you won‘t need to feel as if you are a hardship to your family? These questions differ in each culture and country. America and Vietnam, two very distinct countries and cultures, see both aging and life in general very differently.
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America is a very fast paced society. It is a fast‐paced society of disjointed lives. People in this country deal with the language of materialism, overtime, stress, down payment, credit cards, and tax shelter. Life is disjointed in America. In contrast, Vietnam is a gentle world filled with the language of dreams. There is time for spiritual comfort as well as a chance to appreciate neighbors, relatives, the river and land. Life is connected. Another difference between America and Vietnam lie in their views on life. America is a country that emphasizes happy endings. Most movies end happily and it is culture whose entertainment features the pleasure principle rather than thoughts of despair. Birthdays are celebrated rather than death days. Unlike America, agony and pain are part of the Vietnamese culture. Vietnamese holidays are based on death anniversaries and the culture does not hide from it. Death pervades their poems, novels, fairy tales and songs. In addition to the pace and views on life are their views on death. Americans pay for life and health insurance religiously. Death is laughed at in popular culture and cemeteries are places of big business complete with colorful brochures. This is in sharp contrast to Vietnam, where people go to the temple to pray for good health. Even though the fear of death and dying is universal to both cultures, the Vietnamese do not hide from it. Finally it is their views on death, dying, and nursing homes that demonstrate these countries‘ differences. In America, many people put elderly in nursing homes when they can no longer stay at home. Thus they will take the last part of life‘s journey alone. When a person dies there, the doors are slammed shut because death is not to be seen at the nursing home. In Vietnam, nursing homes are non‐existent. When a person ages, they live with their families and people die in their homes surrounded by neighbors and relatives. Doors do not shut in Vietnam when a person dies. These two cultures differ in many ways with regard to the process of death and dying. So the final question is the one that introduced this essay: how do you want to be treated when you are old and can no longer take care of yourself? I know that personally I would like to be in my own home surrounded by the ones who I love and who love me.
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Lesson Plan: Stand Where You Stand – The Art of Persuasion
Learning Objectives: After successfully completing this activity, students will be able to
• Practice developing arguments • Practice presenting arguments • Listen carefully to others’ points of view • Take a stand and personally commit to an issue
College Student Success Skills Addressed: Collaboration, Communication, Self‐Assessment, Self‐Reflection
Context in the Course: This could be used prior to teaching persuasive writing and argument papers.
Materials Needed: A controversial topic with one or more essays that clearly supports each side of the controversy. Signs stating “Strongly Agree,” “Agree,” “Disagree,” “Strongly Disagree.”
Instructions:
1. Prior to this class, reproduce sufficient copies to create one set for each student and hand out these essays and assign the readings for homework.
2. Post the four signs in the four corners of the room.
3. Present students with a statement that reflects one of the two sides and ask students to individually decide whether they agree or disagree with the statement and to write down their rationale, using arguments, evidence and quotes from the essay to support their position.
4. When students have finished writing down their views, ask them to go stand in front of the sign that most closely reflects their position on the statement.
5. Ask students at each “station” to take turns orally presenting their rationales for the position they have taken.
6. Invite students to move to another sign if they were persuaded to change their minds after hearing their peers’ arguments.
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7. Conclude the activity with a class discussion in which students share how their
perspectives were or were not altered as a result of the activity.
Assessment:
Have students write a letter to the editor of the local newspaper about their stand; or have students write a persuasive essay with a topic of their choice.
Adapted from Student Engagement Techniques, Barkley, Elizabeth F., Jossey‐Bass, San Francisco: John Wiley and Sons, 2010.
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Lesson Plan: “Growing Up Bilingual” and “My Spanish Standoff” – Persuasive Writing
Learning Objectives: After successfully completing this activity, students will be able to:
• Take notes on a reading using a Reading Log provided.
• Use their notes from the Reading Log to answer test questions
• Understand word choice and locate specific words and phrases that an author uses to indicate an author’s feelings or ideas.
• Write a response paper (or journal writing) using a template that is provided to help them connect and make meaning from the reading.
College Student Success Skills Addressed: Critical Thinking, Collaboration, Communication, Organization
Materials Needed: Reading Log , IFAT cards and test questions created to correspond to each other (see next page); “My Spanish Standoff” Gabrielle Kuntz, The Reader’s Corner, Kanar, Carol, Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2011, template provided on next page (which may be used to discuss controversial issues). Also, Arlov, Pamela, Wordsmith, “Growing Up Bilingual,” Sara Gonzalez, Pearson, 2012 and accompanying questions. Journal assignment and Reading Log provided.
Instructions:
1. Reading: Instructor assigns “Growing Up Bilingual” for homework and gives students the Reading Log for their note taking.
2. When students return to class, they take a test on the reading using only their notes. When they finish, they must turn in their test. They are then handed the same test which they must complete in groups.
3. In groups of 3‐4, students must work with each other, using their notes again, to find the answers to the questions, agree upon them, and then using the IFAT cards, check and see if their answers are correct.
4. Finally, students complete the handout “Team Peer Evaluation” to confidentially rate each other. Scores are created by an equal average of the test grades and the team peer evaluation grade. Students must also complete the following template in their journals or as a writing assignment. A different format is used for “My Spanish Standoff.”
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Students are assigned the reading and questions for homework which are collected the next class. They are then given the same handout and placed into groups. For this, they may use their text to answer the questions. Scores may also be tabulated by simply averaging the two scores together (or again using the Team Peer Evaluation form).
5. Writing: Students are also given a journal entry assignment. When each group is done with their IFAT cards, they complete the language questions that follow. Also, each will discuss his or her journal response. Whole class discussion follows.
6. Assessment: Students will recognize that thorough note taking has many benefits. Students will also make a statement and support it with varying points of view using a template which will help them format and address the issue. Furthermore, students will understand how a writer chooses words carefully in persuading his/her audience. They will also submit journal reactions and understand their position on this controversial issue. Finally, they will deconstruct each author’s argument and create their own.
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Handout: Reading Log Name_________________________________
Handout____________
Important Ideas and Information in the Text (use page #s)
My thoughts, feelings and questions
Write a 1‐2 paragraph summary of the article:
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Handout: “Growing Up Bilingual” by Sara Gonzalez 1. What statement most nearly expresses the main idea of the essay?
a. Coming to a school in a country where one does not speak the language can be a frightening experience.
b. The author encountered cultural prejudice when she enrolled her son in school. c. Living in a war‐torn country can damage a child’s ability to learn. d. The American education system is in need of reform and greater cultural
awareness.
2. The author implies that on leaving her native land, she felt a. Thankful to escape b. Regretful c. Glad for the opportunity to build a new life. d. Frightened
3. The author did not speak English to her child because a. She had not yet learned the English language. b. She thought it was the school’s job to teach her son English. c. She wanted her child to have the benefit of two languages. d. She was afraid she would not teach her child properly.
4. When her son started school, the author was summoned by the principal a. After a few weeks.
b. Immediately.
c. After a few days.
d. After a few months.
5. Which of the following was not a stated result of the meeting between the author and school personnel?
a. The author was disillusioned with the school system.
b. The author began speaking English at home.
c. School officials implied that the author did not want to contribute to American society.
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d. The author discovered that school officials were not aware her child did not speak English.
6. The essay is mainly developed by
a. Narration
b. Definition.
c. Process.
d. Cause‐Effect.
7. With which statement would the author most likely agree? a. Parents owe it to their children to speak whatever language the child uses at
school.
b. Culture and language taught in a child’s home are not the business of school officials.
c. Children of immigrants to the United States have a right to be educated in their native language.
d. School officials have a responsibility to call any problems to a parent’s attention before the situation becomes serious.
8. The phrase cultural prejudice most nearly means a. Fear and dislike of operas and art galleries.
b. Intolerance of the ways of other societies.
c. Genocide.
d. Favoring other cultures over one’s own.
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Handout: Selection 5 My Spanish Standoff
Name____________________
1. What is the author’s topic?
a. The difficulty of learning languages b. Why her children don’t speak Spanish c. Her reasons in favor of bilingual education d. Her reasons against bilingual education
2. Which sentence from the selection states the author’s central idea?
a. “Speaker after speaker…” paragraph 1, second sentence b. “It was the fact that…” paragraph 9, first sentence c. “My daughter is…” paragraph1, third sentence d. “If our children…” paragraph 10, third sentence
3. The author’s primary purpose is to
a. Persuade Hispanic parents to teach their children Spanish b. Entertain readers with stories about her life in a South American country. c. Express her opinion about teaching only English to her children. d. Inform readers about the status of bilingual education in the United States.
4. The author was born in California
a. False b. True
5. In Texas, the author noticed all but which one of the following about Latinos?
a. They lived in their own enclaves. b. They spoke both English and Spanish well. c. They attended their own churches. d. They all seemed to be regarded as legal immigrants.
6. The author cites all but which one of the following as examples of unspoken prejudice?
a. Being fluent in two languages is seen as a virtue. b. She was followed by the salesperson. c. Garments she took into the changing room were counted. d. Her checks received extra scrutiny from clerks.
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7. According to the author, one drawback of not teaching her children to speak Spanish is that part of their heritage is lost.
a. False b. True
8. What is the author’s dominant organizational pattern?
a. Sequence: She traces her development from childhood to the present. b. Cause and effect: She explains why she has chosen not to teach her children to speak Spanish. c. Comparison/contrast: She compares living in Peru with living in the United States. d. Process: She explains the steps she used not to teach her children to speak Spanish.
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Handout: Team Peer Evaluation Form from Heloisa DaCunha Name: ____________________________________ Team: ____________________________________ Please assign scores that reflect your honest evaluation of the extent to which team members contributed to the team’s learning and performance. This is your opportunity to reward hard work that helped your team earn the score it did on the team quiz. Remember, if you reward team members who did not contribute, you are confirming to them that it is OK to do nothing and still reap the benefits of the hard work of other team members. Instructions: In the following chart, please rate yourself and each member of your team on level of PREPARATION, KNOWLEDGE and PARTICIPATION, using the descriptions for each criteria provided below. Each member’s peer evaluation score will be the average of the points they receive from themselves and their teammates. Criteria for determining scores:
• Preparation ‐ Were they prepared with o Outstanding, detailed and comprehensive notes that carried the group? (3
points) o Good notes that were useful for many of the questions (2 points) o Sparse notes that were not very useful to the group (1 point) o No notes (0 points)
• Knowledge – Did they know o Just about every correct answer? (3 points) o Many correct answers? (2 points) o One or two correct answers (1 point) o No correct answers or didn’t offer information to help the group select an
answer (0 points)
• Participation – Did they encourage others to contribute their ideas, share their own ideas, contribute productively to the discussion and decision‐making?
o Leader of the group, involved everyone, helped the group form conclusions (4 points)
o High level of participation, contributed a lot (3 points) o Average participation and contributions (2 points) o Minimal participation and contributions within the group (1 point) o Sat silently, did not participate (0 points)
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**You cannot use the same score more than 2 times. If you do, your score will be discarded** Team Member Name
Preparation(0‐3)
Knowledge (0‐3)
Participation (0‐4)
Total (0‐10)
Provide at least one reason for your highest and lowest scores: Reason(s) for highest scores: Reason(s) for lowest scores: Language Questions (Note an author’s choice of words for understanding persuasive writing):
1. What specific words and phrases tell you how the author felt about the education system before and after the meeting with her son’s teacher and principal?
2. What words show the emotional impact the school meeting had on the author?
Journal Entry:
Imagine you are forced to leave your country and move to a country where a different language is spoken. You have a school‐age child. Discuss in a journal entry whether you would speak the language of the new country at home or speak your first language. How important would it be to you to preserve your native language and culture? Why?
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Handout: Writing Assignment
You have now read two points of view on the issue of teaching one’s children another language. Use the following templates to help you construct what these authors are saying.
In their recent works, Sara Gonzalez and Gabrielle Guntz have differing points of view about teaching one’s children another language when one has come from another country. Gonzalez believes that…..
On the other hand, Guntz argues…….
X acknowledges that…..
X believes that…..
X states, “………………………………………..”
According to X, “…………………………………”
And finally your last paragraph should begin with one of the following templates:
I think X is mistaken because she overlooks……………….
Or, By focusing on ……………………………………., X overlooks the deeper problem of ……………………………..
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Lesson Plan: Poetry Pairing ‐ Inferences Learning Objectives: After successfully completing this activity, students will be able to
• Make inferences about the meaning of a poem through analyzing images • Draw connections between a poem and newspaper article • Identify the tone of the poem
College Student Success Skills Addressed: Critical Thinking Context in the Course: midway‐ to‐late in semester Materials Needed:
• “Let the Light Enter” by Frances Ellen Watkins Harper; Whitney Houston, Pop Superstar, Dies at 48 (NYTimes February 11, 2012) by Jon Pareles and Adam Nagourney) available online at http://nyti.ms/zw1MfM
Instructions:
1. Preview the title, subtitle and first stanza of poem. Predict what will follow.
2. Preview the words and definitions listed below from “Let the Light Enter”. a. Goethe‐ German poet, novelist 1749‐1832 b. Ebbing‐ receding, withdrawing c. Balmy‐ mild d. Tread‐ to step or walk on e. Waning‐ decreasing in size; dimming f. Fain‐ happy g. Aspirations‐ ambitions
3. Read the poem aloud, paying attention to the end‐rhyme and rhythm, or beat, in the
lines. Why do you think Harper wrote the poem in this form?
4. Examine word or words of Harper’s poem. What tone do they convey?
5. Much of the poem’s meaning is related to images, words, and ideas that create vivid pictures in our minds and help us connect the poet’s meaning to our own lives and experience. Choose an image from the poem. In a few sentences explain the meaning that you infer from it.
6. Read the Whitney Houston obituary. Reading or Writing instructions: 1. Identify the shared themes of the poem and the article.
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2. Which did you like best: poem or article? Why?
3. What other works of literature, film or fine art can you think of that would echo, or expand the words and ideas of this poem?
Assessment: Discussion and written reflections of questions posed in the lesson.
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Lesson Plan: “Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work” ‐ Approaching a Complex Reading Assignment and Teaching In‐Text Citations
Learning Objectives: After successfully completing this activity, students will be able to
• Use a Reading Log to process and discuss difficult sections
• Use quotations, create an in‐text citation for each and explain the quote in depth
• Use MLA format as part of a Works Cited page
Core Student Success Skills Addressed: Collaboration, Communication, Critical Thinking, Organization
Materials Needed:
• Assigned reading “Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work” by Jean Anyon, http://www.cuip.net/~cac/nlu/fnd504/anyon.htm
• Reading Log, sample Reading Log, MLA in‐text citation formatting information:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/2/
• Sample section of essay and Works Cited page Instruction:
1. For homework: The instructor may want to first hand out a list of vocabulary words and definitions for students. Students should pre‐read the text, marking sections that are challenging or difficult to understand.
2. Next class: Class reviews and discusses the reading. The in‐text citation material is provided (see Purdue Online Writing Lab ). Students must take three quotes from this reading and record them, giving an in‐text citation at the end of each sentence.
3. After this is done and checked by the instructor, students must explain them and their relevance to the text. They may use the following “stems” to explain, agree, or disagree with the author of this reading.
4. After this is produced, students should be shown a proper Works Cited page with this information listed on it so they can understand the difference between In‐text citations
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and a Works Cited page. They may also view the in‐progress research paper (which follows this lesson plan) to see how someone would integrate sources into a research paper.
Assessment: Students complete the above homework assignment, using 3 quotes from the reading, explaining them, and including an in‐text citation for each.
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Handout: Making Inferences After reading the assigned article, please complete the sentences below.
1. Basically, X is saying ___________. 2. In other words, X believes ___________. 3. In making this comment, X argues that __________. 4. X is insisting that ____________. 5. X’s point is that __________. 6. I think that X is mistaken because she overlooks __________. 7. I disagree with X’s view that __________ because, as recent research has shown,
__________. X overlooks what I consider an important point about __________. 8. I wholeheartedly endorse what X calls __________. 9. My discussion of X is in fact addressing the larger matter of __________. 10. These conclusions will have significant applications in __________ as well as in
__________. Graff, Gerald and Cathy Birkenstein. They Say/I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing. New York: Norton, 2006.
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Handout: Reading Log Name_________________________________
Important Ideas and Information in the Text (use page #s)
My thoughts, feelings and questions
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Handout: Sample Reading Log
Name_________________________________
p. 19‐ There is no agreement on the functions of law. Functions of law has to do with social control, conflict resolution, and social change. p. 19‐ Social control varies depending on the society: heterogeneous or homogeneous. p.19‐ Homogeneous society‐ people socialize the same; social control depends upon self‐sanctioning. Use gossip, ridicule, or humiliation to sanction people. p. 20‐ Heterogeneous society‐social control rests on the internalization of shared norms; since the population is diverse, there is more need for formal ways of social control. p. 20‐Formal social control has: 1)rules of conduct; 2)planned use of sanctions to support the rules; 3) officials to enforce the rules p. 20‐Other real life examples of formal mechanisms=firing, promotion, relocation, compensation… p. 21 – Dispute Settlement= We have lots of disputes in our society. Laws help settle disputes but don’t reduce the problems. p. 21‐ What is social change? p. 21 “In many instances law is desirable and necessary, if not a highly efficient means of inducing change…” “Law is often used as a method of social change, a way of bringing about planned social change by the govt.” p. 22 – What are dysfunctions of law? There are difficulties with laws. It is conservative, rigidity, and restrictive, and may discriminate.
What functions does law have? I think it makes us safer. Heterogeneous‐ a diverse society Homogeneous‐ a small, traditional society where everyone is similar What is social control? Sanction means to stop or disapprove of Shared norms=what people share and think is normal. So this means that people behave b/c they share common thoughts BUT not everyone is the same. Therefore we need laws. This is interesting. It means in the USA we need more laws b/c we have a diverse society. So formal mechanisms must be ways to punish or promote that are official (formal). People might be angry at the outcome. This does not really define it! But I know that social has to do with people. So people change. So law makes changes. And new laws will change people? I need to think about this. That is true. When you have a law it is black or white and doesn’t leave much room for shades of gray. And one nationality may be discriminated against more than another. And the rich may
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(paragraph 1) p. 22‐ In times of crisis the law can break down providing an opportunity for discontinuous and sometimes cataclysmic adjustments. p. 22 – List of dysfunctions and explanations of them. Law can break down; law is rigid and doesn’t always consider circumstances of breaking the law (stealing b/c you’re hungry); restrictive‐ too much overregulation (cops during prohibition?); can discriminate (laws do not operate evenly); more problems (p. 23).
succeed and have fewer consequences where the poor may not. I had to look up some of these words to make sense of it‐ it has to do with times of crisis the law not working properly. I’m thinking of arrests made after 9/11 and some of them were not justified. This is why many people have problems with the law. It’s not always fair.
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Handout: Student X Sample
Sam P. Sample
ENG 071 60
Take Home Quiz Assignment
Political Socialization
Socialization is defined as the “adoption of the behavior patterns of the surrounding
culture; the socialization of children to the norms of their culture" ("socialization").
Political socialization is simply the replacement of the words `behavior patterns' with `politics'.
It is the term used to describe the political influence one receives through various sources. The
media, for example, is often cited a key system in political socialization. Perhaps media
influence is more significant in that children are learning attitudes and beliefs, not just basic
information. Through newspapers, television, radio, and books, children in America (often
unbeknownst to them) grow up exposed to the political world around them.
I'm sure growing up my political beliefs were influenced by the media. But, I would say,
more accurately, that I was most influenced (politically) by my parents. In terms of the media, I
watched what they watched, heard what they heard, read what they read. As such, I was
exposed to the Boston Globe (However, it should be noted that I used the word exposed. In no
way does this mean read on a daily basis). I grew up in suburbia just outside of Boston, and the
Globe, along with my town newspaper were staples of our driveway's life. From a vague
recollection, I'd say they were more perused than anything.
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Works Cited
"Socialization." WordNet® 3.0. Princeton University. 04 Nov. 2008. <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/socialization>.
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Lesson Plan: Write Like the Pros – Improving Writing Styles Created by Cathy McCarron
Learning Objectives: After successfully completing this activity, students will be able to
• Understand the nuances of published authors’ writing styles by emulating them
• Demonstrate a deeper understanding of the works by analyzing the differences among the writing styles of authors studied in class
Core Student Success Skills Addressed: Critical Thinking, Communication, Organization, Collaboration, Self‐Assessment
Materials: Handout
Instructions: 1. Students may work on this in groups. Have students emulate each passage one at a time. Students will create a fictional passage that copies the style of the author and the passage. Encourage students to use the same sentence structure and similar language to that of the original passage. 2. Ask for volunteers to read their passage aloud. Tell the students which elements of the author’s style each student’s passage captures.
3. Then ask students to copy the style in the next passage. Repeat questions and discussions.
4. Repeat the process with the third passage.
5. Ask students to read their passages, and ask students to guess which author they have emulated. Then discuss with the class what they have learned about the authors’ styles.
Assessment: Students must “showcase” one of the writing styles within their next essay assignment.
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Handout: Write like the Pros Worksheet
Create your own fictional passages and write in the style of each of the passages. Try to copy the same sentence structure as the original author. Use a similar style of language (for example, if the author uses simple, plain language, you do the same). Try to capture the flow of the sentences (for example, if the author has three sentences in a row with an “and” connecting clauses, you do the same).
Passage #1 They drove down to the shopping center. The sky was clear and stars were out. It was cold, and they ran the heater in the car. They parked in front of the bakery. All of the shops and stories were closed, but there were cars at the far end of the lot in front of the movie theater. The bakery windows were dark, but when they looked through the glass they could see a light in the back of the room and, now and then, a big man in an apron moving in and out of the white, even light. Through the glass, she could see the display cases ad some little tables with chairs. She tried the door. She rapped on the glass. But if the baker heard them, he gave no sign. He didn’t look in their direction. –Raymond Carver, “A Small, Good Thing” Passage #2 Bailey didn’t look up from his reading so she wheeled around then and faced the children’s mother, a young woman in slacks, whose face was as broad and innocent as a cabbage and was tied around with a green head‐kerchief that had two points on the top like rabbit’s ears. ‐Flannery O’Connor, “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”
Passage #3 Two other people had been in the lunchroom. Once George had gone out to the kitchen and made a ham‐and‐egg sandwich “to go” that a man wanted to take with him. Inside the kitchen he saw Al, his derby hat tipped back, sitting on a stool beside the wicket with the muzzle of a sawed‐off shotgun resting on the ledge. Nick and the cook were back to back in the corner, a towel tied in each of their mouths. George had cooked the sandwich, wrapped it up in oiled paper, put it in a bag, brought it in, and the man had paid for it and gone out. ‐Ernest Hemingway, “The Killers”
Passage #4 She ran out of the hotel and through the garden down to the beach. The glare from the sea hit her, left and right, on both sides of her face; her face that felt battered out of shape by the experience of her own passion. She could not go back to her room because of her mother; the idea of her mother made her furious. – Nadine Gordimer, “A Company of Laughing Faces”
Passage #5 The river froze inward, flat and even near the banks at first, but by November even the fast‐moving water at the center of the river, the dangerous meeting of the Sawgamet and Bear rivers, had iced over. Daylight fading, we skated on the river after school while shoreline bonfires raged, giving us a place to warm our hands. Girls played Crack the Whip while the men and boys played hockey on the broad run of ice swept clear of snow. ‐ Alexi Zentner, “Touch”
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Lesson Plan: Synthesis Essay
Learning Objectives: After successfully completing this assignment, students will be able to
• Demonstrate developing comprehension and reflective reading skills.
• Demonstrate developing critical reading skills for stated and implied meanings.
• Evaluate and interpret textual material and begin to incorporate its content into their written work without plagiarizing.
• Integrate ideas from various sources together in one essay
• Organize information around a theme or question, make generalizations, and then present information (statistics, quotes, examples) in a logical way to support the thesis statement.
• Use appropriate “stems” to explain or make meaning from an in‐text citation.
College Student Success Skills Addressed: Critical Thinking, Organization, Communication, Self‐Reflection
Context in the Course: Final Assignment. Students have previously learned how to summarize, write in‐text citations, and explain or make meaning from an in‐text citation.
Materials Needed: all essays read during the semester and reading logs or notes they have taken for each; students will choose three essays they have read in class. Handout with assignment follows.
Instructions:
Day 1: Students pick a topic which has a common thread in any three of their readings. They may choose from the list below or create one of their own. Time should be allotted for brainstorming topics and making generalizations from each reading. Students must then develop a thesis statement which addresses the theme or idea. The thesis can be a rough work in progress. Homework for the next class: Students come to class having chosen their readings and topics and created a rough thesis statement.
Day 2: Instructor should discuss the topics and theses as a class and how a synthesis essay can also integrate first and third person point of view. An introduction and conclusion can be written in first person or third person point of view (POV), examples may be used which are written either in third or first POV, and the rest of the paper is written in third person POV. Brainstorm real world experiences that could be used in an essay from each reading. Instructors may hand out a sample student Synthesis Essay if they choose. Students are then given time to reread each of the essays
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they have chosen, completing the following Reading Log. (This assignment may take a few days to complete.)
Day 3: In‐class work day. Students plan their paper. Instructor moves around the classroom, helping individual students with their planning, beginning to assist them with their writing, making sure they are using direct quotes when referring to the readings, and supervising the use of in‐text citations. They can also integrate real‐world examples which support their thesis. This may also be followed with small groups to discuss aspects of essays they have chosen. For example, students who are using the reading “The Perils of Indifference” could be grouped, or students who have chosen “Growing Up Bilingual” could also be grouped.
Rough Draft due date: Give students a week or two to draft their essays, then assign Peer‐editing day.
Topic Choices: (This will depend on what was read during the semester.)
• Race, religion, class and age all shape society in many ways. • The connection between social class and success • The difficulty society has accepting differences • Racial inequality and its effects • Social inequality • Lack of tolerance • Prejudice and its consequences • Turning a “blind eye” • Bullying and its many forms • Changes in American society
Students may also choose their own topic, but must be pre‐approved.
Adapted from: http://archives,evergreen.edu
Assessment: Essay serves as assessment artifact.
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Handout: Synthesis Essay
Synthesis means putting ideas from many sources together in one essay or presentation. After reading many articles, your task is to organize some of the information around a theme or topic, make generalizations, and then present information (quotes, examples, statistics) in a logical way to support your topic. A synthesis is NOT a summary, a comparison or a review. It is a result of an integration of what you have read and your ability to use this learning to develop and support a key thesis or position. It is an academic paper in which you are making connections with ideas and evidence. It may be an argument or it may be informational.
When you write a synthesis paper, you may use examples taken from your sources. And you may also use reasons why your thesis is true. The body of your paper will give reasons why your thesis is true and you support these with evidence from your sources and real world experiences. The most important reason will be last. Most important, you need to properly credit your source with MLA in‐text citations (and the Works Cited page I will give you).
Prewriting
Decide on a topic. Next, reread the articles, taking notes on sections that support your topic. Focus on the ideas that support your topic. Take down direct quotes onto the Reading Log (and their author, title or page number) so you can include them later. You will use direct quotes to support your ideas. This is your “data” which should strengthen the ideas in your paper. You can also add real world connections to support your thesis. An outline is a useful next step to help plan your paper. You must include a well‐developed thesis statement.
Organization
For this essay, you will have 5 sections: introduction, (at least) 3 body sections, and a conclusion. You may use multiple paragraphs to support each section. Again, the introduction must have a grabber and thesis statement. Also, each subsequent paragraph must begin with a topic sentence and have sufficient details (in this case, points from your readings and your own real world experiences to support each point, complete with quotes and in‐text citations). Make sure you do not produce a paper of long quotes strung together. You may also paraphrase some examples rather than quoting but still using an in‐text citation after each. Whenever possible, try to add real‐world examples which support your overall topic. You will bring the paper to an end with your conclusion. Summarize your strongest points. This is your final opportunity to prove your point and convince your audience that your thesis is valid.
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Point of View
This paper is a mixture of first and third person point of view. It is acceptable to write part of the introduction and conclusion in first person point of view, if you are using an anecdote. Also, if you are using real world examples from your own personal experiences these can be written in first person.
Transitions
Transitions are words and phrases that help the flow of your paper. Use these to connect your ideas. Use transitions like first, second, finally that show relation in time (for narration) and cause‐effect transitions such as because, since, as a result, therefore, due to, since, and therefore.
Assignment
This paper should be no less than 3 pages.
A rough draft is due__________________
Final essay is due____________________
Bonus: I will help you create your Works Cited page! But remember, in‐text citations are required or your paper will be viewed as plagiarism.
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Handout: Reading Log
Name_________________________________
Handout____________
Important Ideas and Information in the Text (use page #s and author/title)
Connections to your own or Real World Experiences
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Lesson Plan: Snowballing ‐ Review Learning Objectives: After successfully completing this activity, students will be able to
• Understand a concept or term they are trying to learn • Review before a quiz/test • Have fun and get energized
College Student Success Skills Addressed: Collaboration, Communication, Self‐Assessment
Context in the Course: This lesson and activities could be used before a quiz. It could also be used to get a lot of ideas out on the floor. It could be done halfway through the class.
Materials Needed: Blank pieces of paper, one per student
Instructions:
1. Ask students to individually write brief responses on a blank piece of paper to a teacher‐created prompt, question, or issue. It could also be a word they want defined before a vocabulary test or a term or concept they want explained before a test.
2. Students crush the paper into a ball and throw them around the room for a few minutes.
3. When the teacher says “Stop,” each student picks up a “snowball” and reads its contents at the instructor’s request. All “snowballs” are answered or reviewed.
Assessment: This is a way to “check in” on student learning. Ultimately students should do better on the future quiz or concept they are expected to learn.
Adapted from Student Engagement Techniques, Barkley, Elizabeth F., Jossey‐Bass, San Francisco: John Wiley and Sons, 2010.
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Appendix: Reading Strategies
Handout: Making Margin Notes Directions: Slow your reading process down and make note in the margins of all the thoughts you have while you are reading. Write them down. You should write down any visualizations, connections, questions, predictions, or confusions you have. Pretend you are having a “conversation” with the text.
The Four Agreements: A Toltec Wisdom Book excerpt by Don Miguel Ruiz The work of Don Miguel Ruiz is based on a knowledge held by the ancient Toltec of Mexico. His work is the result of years of study and self-inquiry, which altered his life. Ruiz describes it as a way of life that is spiritual, yet not necessarily a religion. This pathway is distinguished by the commitment to reach an accessible happiness and love. It moves the person beyond the world that is leaned to a deeper sense of what is self. Ruiz defines this move with the commitment of the person to four agreements. In order to attain this path to freedom defined by true happiness and love, the person practices these four agreements: "Be impeccable with your word", "Don't take anything personally", "Don't make assumptions", and "Always do your best".
The first of the four agreements, "Be impeccable with your word", means to speak with integrity. Ruiz describes the power of the word and how we must use that power to say what we mean and use it in a direction of truth and love. Because of the power the word has, Ruiz warns of its misuse, such as in the case of gossip. It is only through integrity of the word, that a person can transcend to heaven. The second of the four agreements, "Don't take anything personally", speaks of the word of others. Ruiz discusses being immune to the opinions and actions of others, which act against us. These opinions and actions against us are the result of a fear or insecurity with the person dealing the opinions and actions. Therefore, according to Ruiz, we should not take anything personally. We will avoid needless suffering if we are in accordance with this agreement. The third agreement, "Don't make assumptions", deals with misunderstanding. Ruiz declares that, in order to avoid the sadness and worry that accompany misunderstandings, we should communicate with clarity. The clarity can only come when a person is willing to be courageous and ask questions for clarity.
If you assume anything, you are making an ass out of the both of you.
Something we stress to our kids all the time is to do the best that you can do and that would be good enough for us. Don’t kid yourself, because I think that you can do almost anything that you set your mind to except maybe some kind of physical strength that you are just not capable of.
Sometimes things that interest you will get better results than things that don’t, but that is not to say you still can’t do your best.
Who is Don Miguel Ruiz?
Isn’t a way of life that is spiritual, religious and part of religion?
Does everyone use the pathway?
As long as we are true to ourselves in truth and love, and a good person, then won’t this get us to Heaven?
I believe gossip is not good because it seems like all gossip is about someone else that is not there to defend themselves.
I try not to take things personally because what is said is how others feel.
I always ask questions like, what
do you mean?
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Handout: Reading Log Name_________________________________ Handout____________
Important Ideas and Information in the Text (use page #s)
My thoughts, feelings and questions
Write a 1‐2 paragraph summary of the article:
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Handout: SQ4R Reading Processa reading strategy useful for chapter readings in a textbook SQ4R stands for:
• Survey
• Question
• Read
• Recite
• Record
• Review I. Before Reading Survey or skim the reading passage for organization and what it is going to talk about. Look at the following:
• Italics
• Boldface type
• Titles, introductions, headings
• Pictures and graphs
• First paragraph, summaries, questions Ask Questions before you read.
• What is the passage about?
• How is the material organized?
• What do I already know? What is my prior knowledge?
• What is my purpose for reading?
• What is my reading plan?
• What are the most important parts to remember?
• Form questions from headings, subheadings, words in bold print and italics.
• Using the Cornell Method of note taking, record your questions in the left column. II: During Reading Read. Look for answers to your questions. Also ask yourself:
• Does the information agree with what I already knew?
• Do I need to change what I thought I knew?
• What is the significance of this information?
• Do I need to remember this?
• Ask more questions!
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• Reread parts you don’t understand
• Reread when your mind drifts during reading.
• Read ahead to see if the idea becomes clearer.
• Determine the meaning of words from context.
• Look up new or difficult words.
• Think about ideas even when they differ from your own. Recite.
• Make sure you understand by repeating the information.
• Create a picture in your mind or on paper.
• Restate the ideas in your own words. IIIL After Reading Record.
• Write out answers to the questions you created based on the headings and subheadings. These answers are recorded on the column on the right, next to each question you have previously written.
• Review.
• Connect new information to your prior knowledge about the topic.
• Form opinions about the material and the author.
• Notice changes in your opinions based on the new information.
• Write about what you have read. Adapted from 2004 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman Publishers Example: a unit on Memory, with the subtitle of Short‐term Memory.
What is short term memory?
Refers to the capacity for holding a small amount of information (up to 7 information bits) for a short period of time (18 seconds).
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Appendix: Vocabulary Exercises
Handout: Vocabulary Words in Context Chapter 1
pessimistic remorseful critical arrogant egotistical
grim objective malicious vindictive optimistic
1. pessimistic My family is very balanced: my father sees the best in everything but my mother
is very pessimistic.
She is pessimistic, seeing the negative side to even the best of situations.
Pessimistic means a. pestlike b. wise c. expecting the worst
2. remorseful When the small child fell down the stairs, her babysitter felt remorseful.
She felt remorseful when her child failed the test because she felt she had
contributed to the chaos in the house and her daughter had not been able to
find a quiet place to study.
Remorseful means a. bitter regret b. restored c. very reluctant
3. critical She was highly critical of the way her child spoke and was constantly correcting him.
It is critical that we allow the FDA to test for harmful ingredients and effects before a new product is allowed on the market.
Critical means a. being cruel b. judging as important c. being accurate
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4. arrogant Having been a very spoiled child, Sreymom turned out to be a very arrogant
grownup.
One of the most arrogant people I know paid the state extra money to get a custom license
plate that reads “IMBEST.”
Arrogant means a. polite b. quiet c. self‐important
5. egotistical Denise is egotistical. Whatever event takes place, she thinks only of how it will affect her and her needs.
“We’ve talked enough about me,” said the egotistical writer. “Now, let’s talk about you…don’t you love my book?”
Egotistical means a. devoted to others b. being unproductive c. boastful about oneself
6. grim When he realized he had lost the money for good, his face took on a grim
expression and nothing could make him feel better.
Having to go out into the snowstorm, with the relentless wind and extreme cold,
was a grim task.
Grim means a. terrible b. pleasant c. sorrowful
7. objective Scientists must strive to be totally objective in their observations and experiments, putting aside their personal wishes and expectations.
All too often, we let our own prejudices prevent us from being objective in judging others.
Objective means a. personal b. open‐minded c. persuasive
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8. malicious If you are malicious, you might call me rude and unkind.
Malicious rumors began to circulate the neighborhood and then we noticed garbage left at our door.
Malicious means a. harmful b. criminal c. unlawful
9. vindictive When she was wrongly accused of the deed, she felt vindictive and tried to accuse everyone she felt was responsible.
Vindictive behavior can appear bitter and unforgiving.
Vindictive means a. suspicious b. easygoing c. spiteful
10. optimistic An optimistic person can see the best side to even the worst situation.
My family is very balanced: my father sees the worst in everything, but my
mother is usually optimistic.
Optimistic means a. negative b. expecting the best c. happy
Complete the sentences below with the words from Ten Words in Context. Four
of the words may be interchangeable.
pessimistic remorseful egotistical optimistic
objective malicious vindictive grim
critical arrogant
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1.Wilna expected the worst in everything she did, and her ______________ nature caused
people to avoid her.
2. The reporter was supposed to write his informative articles in an
____________________manner.
3. When he realized everyone had seen his outburst, he felt _________________and hid his
head in shame.
4. The actor only wanted to discuss himself and his role and it was clear to the viewer that he
was a very ________________ individual.
5. The smashed car, which was placed in front of the high school before the prom, was a
__________________reminder of what can happen when you drink and drive.
6. The __________________prom queen told her attendants to make sure every hair on their
heads was in place so they could look as good as she did.
7. The editorial was very _______________of the president and demanded that he take
another look at the war in Iraq.
8. She was jailed for _________________endangerment of property when it became evident
that she had destroyed the bushes in front of the building.
9. After he was fired, the angry manager was ______________and vowed he would ruin the
store’s image.
10.Benon always had a smile on his face and looked at the glass half full, clearly an
___________________individual.
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Chapter 2
informal sentimental
ironic sarcastic
outspoken solemn
melancholic indignant
ambivalent evasive
Ten Words in Context
1. informal You would use informal language in an email to your friends; on the other hand,
an email to an instructor should be more formal.
The wedding invitation was a complete surprise as the couple decided to have a
barbecue in an informal setting: the beach.
Informal means a. unofficial b. strict c. dressy
2. sentimental The tone of a love letter is likely to be sentimental.
Valentine’s Day is thought of as a sentimental holiday.
Sentimental means a. overwrought b. hysterical c. expressing tender feelings
3. ironic It’s an ironic fact of life that we are often attracted to our mates by the very
qualities that later drive us crazy.
It was ironic when its own security guards robbed the bank.
Ironic means a. angry b. the opposite of what is expected c. witty
4. sarcastic “Don’t take that sarcastic tone with me!” the mother snapped at her son after
he criticized her dinner.
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The coach was often sarcastic with his players, telling them they played no
better than a bunch of babies.
Sarcastic means a. loud b. critical c. quiet
5 outspoken Certain editors are outspoken critics of President Bush and write often about
his errors in judgment.
The student was outspoken in his feelings about the course and commented
openly when he disliked an assignment.
Outspoken means a. quiet b. responsible c. honest
6. solemn Her solemn voice demonstrated the seriousness of the situation.
A funeral is a solemn occasion.
Solemn means a. easy b. grave c. enthusiastic
7. melancholic His father’s death left him feeling melancholic, as they had been very close.
The song was very melancholic and left her feeling depressed and unhappy.
Melancholic means a. boring b. mindless c. sad
8. indignant My mother becomes indignant when she sees parents treat their children with
disrespect.
When she was falsely accused of stealing the gold chain, she became very indignant and swore
she would never again set foot in the store.
Indignant means a. angry b. patient c. amused
9 ambivalent Sometimes she feels love toward him and sometimes she feels hate; she
clearly has ambivalent feelings.
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Unable to decide whether he wanted to go out with her or not, he showed
ambivalent feelings and could not make up his mind.
Ambivalent means a. uncertain b. unclear c. rigid
10. evasive The Blacks worried that their son was hiding something when he became evasive
about where he’d been and what he’d been doing.
We didn’t want anyone at school to know our father was in jail so we were
evasive about him, saying only “He is away for a while.”
Evasive means a. truthful b. indefinite c. detailed
Working With Words
Complete the sentences below with the words from Ten Words in Context.
outspoken solemn indignant ironic ambivalent
sarcastic informal sentimental evasive melancholic
1. The wake was a very _____________occasion and he arrived knowing there would be
much emotion.
2. Michael Moore is a(n) ______________critic of Republican policy and today’s gun laws,
information that is evident in his movies.
3. The fashion editor was quite ________________about the way others dressed, often
asking people if they’d been raised in a barn.
4. When they accused Martha Stewart of insider trading, she was ________________and
protested her innocence.
5. She had mixed emotions and felt ________________about her mother’s strange
behavior.
6. Dynan chose a ________________card for Valentine’s Day, one that had hearts and
flowers all over it.
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7. Do not use _______________words such as “u” for “you” or BTW for (by the way) on a
college essay.
8. “He’s just not that into you!” she exclaimed to her sister Tanya when it became obvious
that Tanya’s boyfriend was being ________________.
9. It’s _____________________that her husband smoked for 30 years, and yet she’s the
one who died of lung cancer.
10. He spent the evening gloomy, depressed, and ______________.
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Chapter 3
mocking bitter hypocritical apathetic nostalgic
liberal nonchalant ambiguous conservative humble
1. mocking He could not help mocking his best friend when his friend told him he was afraid
of the dark.
“Don’t be mocking me!” the little brother cried to his older sister when she
made fun of his speech impediment.
Mocking means a. ridiculing b. listening c. judging
2. bitter He was a bitter man with a gray face, a sharp tongue, and harsh words for
everyone.
He was bitter about his new car’s performance remarking, “If car dealers weren’t
so dishonest, I wouldn’t have bought this piece of junk for so much money.”
Bitter means a. angry b. distressed c. tolerant
3. hypocritical Don is so hypocritical. He cheats his customers yet complains about how hard
it is to be a struggling businessman.
I think that it is hypocritical to preach love and then attack anyone of a different
culture or faith.
Hypocritical means a. insincere b. loud c. religious
4. apathetic The student was apathetic until the psychology teacher discussed Freud’s views
on sex and then he became intensely interested.
Voters were apathetic, causing a low turnout on election day.
Apathetic means a. pitiful b. understanding c. uninterested
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5. nostalgic Music from the 1940’s makes my grandparents nostalgic because it reminds
them of their youth.
When he saw an old photo of his Little League team, Jerry felt nostalgic and
wished he could be ten years old again.
Nostalgic means a. feeling free b. thinking of the future c. longing for the past
6 . liberal Being a chocolate lover, Hector put liberal amounts of chocolate chips in his
homemade cookies.
Rosanna left the waiter a liberal tip because he had been very friendly and
helpful.
Liberal means a. average b. frequent c. generous
7. nonchalant Because the auto is so commonplace today, many people have become
nonchalant about traveling by car. In the early 20th century however, people saw
driving as an exciting and risky adventure.
My friend was very nonchalant about giving her speech in class, but I was a
nervous wreck about giving mine.
Nonchalant means a. unconcerned b. anxious c. angry
8. ambiguous The painting known as the “Mona Lisa” is famous for the woman’s
ambiguous expression. Is she smiling or not?
Carlos left an ambiguous message on my answering machine: “Meet me at
12:00.” I couldn’t tell if he meant noon or midnight.
Ambiguous means a. unintentional b. unclear c. unpleasant
9. conservative My conservative relatives were shocked when I broke with tradition and
wore a rose‐colored wedding gown.
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When the mayor suggested a new method of recycling garbage, a conservative
member of the audience called out, “What we’ve done in the past is good
enough. Why change things?”
Conservative means a. playful b. amused c. traditional
10. humble He was humble about his excellent grades, never bragging or telling anyone how
well he was doing.
The politician grew up in humble surroundings—no electricity or indoor
plumbing.
Humble means a. lack of pride b. useless c. persistent
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Working with Words
Complete the sentences below with the words from Ten Words in Context.
mocking bitter hypocritical apathetic nostalgic
liberal nonchalant ambiguous conservative humble
1. He was a member of the ______________party and felt that the party did
not need to change.
2. Eyes cast downward and looking as if she did not deserve the praise, she accepted the
award in a _____________manner.
3. The big brother was continuously ________________his little brother, constantly poking
fun and embarrassing him in public.
4. The end of a long‐term relationship is a ______________time for many people.
5. His parents have pressured him to go to college but it is clear that he is
__________________, and lacks the goals and motivation to attend.
6. “Has he got a girlfriend?” Jill asked trying to sound __________________even though
she was very interested.
7. The language in the Minister’s statement was highly _________________and many
people did not understand his meaning.
8. Evan was _____________________about his days as a young man and was always
referring to the past.
9. It’s __________________of these universities to call their football players student‐
athletes when really they should be considered students first and foremost.
10. They gave a _________________supply of cash to their son when he left for
Europe because they wanted to be sure he did not run out of money.
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Vocabulary Test 1 Name_________________________
Directions: Choose the correct definition for each bold‐faced word. In the space provided write
the letter of that word in the column at the left.
____1. vindictive a) not easily understood b) gentle c) vengeful d) temporary
____2. egotistical a) thinking only of oneself b) dedicated c) living for others
d) unkind
____3. malicious a) gentle b) disgusted c) obvious d) harmful
____4. objective a) weighing all options b) biased c) judging harshly
d) indecisive
____5. critical a) important b) accurate c) unkind d) planned
Directions: Choose the word needed to complete each sentence from the word bank. In the
space provided, write the letter of that word in the column at the left.
a. pessimistic b. remorseful c. arrogant d. grim e. optimistic
____6. After breaking her hip, Mrs. Paul became depressed and very ___________about her
chances of a full recovery.
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____7. If global warming continues, our weather pattern may produce ______________results:
a future with hurricanes, floods, and natural disasters.
____8. His attitude is ________________as he always regards his coworkers as inferior.
____9. Bryan is an A student with excellent prospects and is ______________about his
acceptance into the college of his choice.
____10. When his accident on the Lowell Connector resulted in a head‐on collision, the driver
was ____________________and vowed he would never drag race again.
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Vocabulary Test 2 Name___________________
Directions: Choose the word needed to complete each sentence from the word bank. In the
space provided, write the letter of that word in the column at the left.
a. sarcastic b. outspoken c. indignant d. solemn e. melancholic
____1. John Kerry is a(n) ________________critic of George W. Bush, and continues to
disagree with his political policies in public.
____2. June is __________________that she has to pass MCAS to receive her diploma, and she
is angry that this test will determine her future.
____3. The president was _________________when he took the oath of office and you could
not hear a pin drop in the audience.
____4. When she arrived at the black tie affair wearing a casual suit, her mother remarked in a
________________tone of voice, “My, you’ve really overdressed for the occasion!”
____5. The lack of friends at college contributed to his feeling _______________and he sought
out the counseling department, hoping he could get someone to talk to about his loneliness.
Directions: Choose definition of each bold‐faced word. In the space provided write the letter of
that word in the column at the left.
____6. ambivalent a) everyday b) having mixed feelings c) temporary
d) able to be done
____7. informal a) serious b) casual c) foreign d) local
____8. evasive a) boring b) unbearable c) secretive d) annoying
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____9. ironic a) silly b) insane c) unexpected d) unfortunate
____10. sentimental a) tender b) noisy c) enthusiastic d) depressed
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Vocabulary Test 3 Name_______________________
Matching
Directions: Place the letter of the definition in the blank to the left of the word being defined.
____1. liberal a. lack of pride
____2. humble b. angry
____3. conservative c. unclear
____4. ambiguous d. generous
____5. bitter e. resisting change
Directions: Read the paragraph below and using the word bank, choose the correct word
needed to complete each sentence.
nonchalant apathetic nostalgic mocking hypocritical
My older brother is disgusted with me because I have refused to register to vote. He tells me
constantly, “I don’t know why any 18‐year old would decide not to vote! It is
6)_________________ of you to believe that government can remain the same and we will
always have a democracy if you remain 7)__________________and do not go to the polls and
vote. It is our right in this country!” I tell him I am 8)_______________for the good old days
when he stayed out of my business. Besides, I am carefree and 9)__________________about
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how my one little vote could make a difference. And, I am tired of him
10)_________________my free choice to remain indifferent. In fact, I may disown him rather
than vote!
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Vocabulary Test (Cumulative) Name____________________________
Directions: Read the paragraph below and using the word bank, choose the correct word needed to complete each sentence.
ironic mocking apathetic evasive optimistic
pessimistic nostalgic ambiguous liberal hypocritical
Last year, my friend Ruth visited her daughter Meryl, a freshman at college in Washington, D.C.
She was shocked to discover that her daughter had changed. This former excellent student was now
1)______________and did not care about her grades. And that was not all. Meryl had been an active
member of the Democratic Party since she had registered to vote. Meryl had considered joining the
Peace Corps and had believed in many 2)_______________causes. But now she was
3)_________________about all politics, saying believing in causes was 4)__________________if you
believed in causes but did not take action and that even violence sometimes was an acceptable option.
Furthermore, Meryl was constantly 5)____________________ her friends and telling her mother they
were silly, vapid girls who had no direction or focus. And yet Meryl’s own goals were unclear and
6)__________________and her mother wondered if there was anything Meryl was serious or concerned
about anymore. Ruth left D.C. longing for the Meryl of the past, 7) __________________for old times
and the daughter she remembered. She thought it 8)__________________that Washington D.C. and
college life had brought out the worst in Meryl. A month later, Ruth worried when she was unable to
reach Meryl by phone and when she finally did reach her, Meryl was 9)____________about where she
had been. Ruth was not 10)___________________ about Meryl’s future and was not at all surprised
when, six months later, her daughter dropped out of college.
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Vocabulary Practice
Directions: Choose the word from the word bank which needs to complete each sentence or
helps you understand the message. In the space provided, write the letter of that word in the
column at the left.
a. vindictive b. egotistical c. ambivalent d. melancholic e. sarcastic
1. If you feel pulled in two directions about some issue, you’re _______________about it.
2. . I've had a perfectly wonderful evening. But this wasn't it.
3. The life‐term sentence the judge imposed was thought to be a_____________one because
the man was responsible for the death of the judge’s brother.
4. Many consider the actor to be _______________as he is always posing for the public and
strutting and preening in front of the camera.
5. There is something wonderfully_________________about a piece of music that makes you
cry.
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Matching
Directions: Place the letter of the definition in the blank to the left of the word being defined.
1. informal a. uninfluenced by emotion or prejudice
2. .grim b. casual
3. sentimental c. judging severely
4. critical d. threatening
5. objective e. emotional
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Answer Sheet for Cumulative Test
1. apathetic 2. liberal 3. pessimistic 4. hypocritical 5. mocking 6. ambiguous 7. nostalgic 8. ironic 9. evasive 10. optimistic 11. c 12. e 13. a 14. b 15. d 16. b 17. d 18. e 19. c 20. a
Answer Sheets for Tests 1,2,3
Test 1 Test 2 Test 3
1. c 1. b 1. d 2. a 2. c 2. a 3. d 3. d 3. e 4. a 4. a 4. c 5. a 5. e 5. b 6. a 6. b 6. hypocritical 7. d 7. b 7. apathetic 8. c 8. c 8. nostalgic 9. e 9. c 9. nonchalant 10. b 10. a 10. mocking
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Study Guide Chapter 1
pessimistic remorseful
critical arrogant
egotistical grim
objective malicious
vindictive optimistic
Chapter 2
informal sentimental
ironic sarcastic
outspoken solemn
melancholic indignant
ambivalent evasive
Chapter 3
mocking humble
bitter hypocritical
apathetic nostalgic
liberal ambiguous
nonchalant conservative
Adapted from Advancing Vocabulary Skills, Townsend Press.
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Appendix: Sample Syllabi
Syllabus: “What’s the Point?” Basic Writing: Fall 2012 ENG 071 11
With Carrie Finestone
Tuesday/Thursday @ TR 9:00‐10:15 a.m. HH 220 Office hours: TR 10:15‐11:00 (Bedford HH 307) MWF 10:30‐11:30 (Lowell LC 36) Office phone: 978‐656‐3127 Email: [email protected]
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
9:00 Basic Writing Basic Writing
10:00 Office Hour
10:30-11:30
(Lowell)
10:15‐11:00
(Bedford)
Office Hour
10:30‐11:30
(Lowell)
10:15-11:00
(Bedford)
Office Hour
10:30-11:30
(Lowell)
Course Description:
“What’s the Point?” is a basic writing course which has a theme and combines reading and writing skills using current topics in the media. Topics will include cultural and personal identity, immigration issues, bullying, moral dilemmas, and generational differences. In this course, we will learn reading comprehension strategies and writing skills to examine stories and texts as well as produce academic papers that reflect themes and issues which emerge from the readings.
Basic Writing is required for all students placing into it on the placement exam or passing into it from English Fundamentals. This course includes paragraph development, sentence skills,
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grammar and mechanics, developing ideas, and writing and rewriting short essays in preparation for ENG 101. Credits earned in this course do not apply to MCC degree or certificate programs.
Note: A student must achieve a grade C‐ or better in this course to be eligible for ENG 101 (English Composition I).
As this course was redesigned under the Title III grant, Strategies for Success, students will demonstrate improvement in their:
• critical thinking • collaboration: community in class, student development, service learning, civic
engagement • communication: oral, written, quantitative, technological, information literacy • organization: time management, note taking, test, taking, study skills • self assessment: academic goal setting, career goal setting, self advocacy
Items on the class schedule that are starred (*) were designed to support student learning in these areas.
Course Objectives:
Basic Writing will help you develop and improve your writing skills. Through a combination of directed and specific writing techniques and varied rhetorical patterns, you will develop a better understanding of the writing process. You will also develop strategies and skills that will make you more effective when applying the writing process in any subject area.
By the end of the semester you should be able to do the following:
• Use prewriting skills to generate and map out ideas about topics you are assigned. • Write fluent, grammatically correct sentences. • Punctuate, spell and revise your own writing. • Identify and write for your target audience. • Write a well‐constructed thesis statement and introduction. • Write topic sentences to introduce paragraphs. • Use sufficient evidence within paragraphs to support topic sentences. • Write a well‐constructed conclusion. • Write unified essays of at least five paragraphs. • Effectively participate in the peer editing process for revisions and evaluate the
strengths and weakness of your own and other’s writing.
Required Materials:
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Custom textbook and access card. The textbook is available in the bookstore and the access card is in the back of the book. Do not throw it out! Be sure to buy your book at the beginning of the semester because they will be sent back by the bookstore after a few weeks. You may NOT buy this book online because it is a custom textbook.
Course Requirements:
You will complete journal, writing assignments, and four essays during the semester. Paper 1: Autobiographical Essay (1 page); Paper 2: Summary of an Article (1‐1.5 pages); Paper 3: Compare/Contrast Essay (2 pages); Paper 4: Persuasive Essay (2 pages) and a Synthesis Essay (2‐3 pages). Each essay will include one draft, visit to the Writing Center, one final paper, and an (optional) rewrite if you receive below a C‐.
Technical Requirements:
You will need access to a working computer for word processing as well as a working printer. If you do not own a computer, you may type and print your papers in Building 1, Room 7B in the back of the library or in the library. All papers must be typed in size 12 Times Roman font and double‐spaced. Be sure to save all your drafts and documents electronically. Guidelines for assignments will be given before each assignment. Please never email me your paper and do bring your final paper with all rough drafts stapled together to class on the date it is due.
Teaching Procedures:
The course will consist of a variety of activities including lectures, small group work, in class writing, and peer editing. You will also be assigned permanent feedback teams to assist each other when rough drafts are assigned.
Materials needed for class:
Each class you will need one pencil or pen (no red or green pens), your textbook, and a notebook or section of a notebook. I also require a folder in which to keep handouts. Also, you will need a journal for written assignments regularly handed in to me. I would like this to be a folder with pockets for your writing.
How to Be Successful in this Class
• Attend class. A lot happens in class. • Turn in all assignments on time. Every grade counts! • Pay attention in class as we have much to learn from each other. • Participate in discussion. This means asking as well as answering questions
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• Get help if you are unsure of the quality of your work on any assignment. The college provides free tutoring on campus (Room 406B) and electronically through etutoring.
• Communicate with me. Talk with me in person, by phone or email: [email protected]
Grading Criteria:
Homework, classwork 35 points
Essays 1‐5 45 points (Each is worth 9 points)
Connect Writing online Grammar Work 10 points
Final Exam 10 points
Grades will be posted in “My Grades” in Blackboard
The final grade will be based on the total of the grades earned: (93%‐100%=A; 90%‐92%=A‐; 87%‐89% =B+; 83%‐86%=B; 80%‐82%=B‐; 77%‐79%=C+; 73%‐76%=C; 70%‐72%=C‐; 67%‐69%=D+; 63%‐67%=D; 60%‐62%=D‐; Below 60%=F)
Homework, Classwork:
I assign homework regularly. Check your syllabus daily. The syllabus and work may also be found on Blackboard, which I will show you how to use.
Late Assignments:
• All assignments are due at the beginning of the class period (not later that day) on the day listed on the syllabus.
• If you anticipate a problem completing an assignment on time, contact me via email, phone or in person, and we will discuss an alternative due date.
• No late assignments will be accepted without this prior arrangement. Please stay in touch with me.
• Emailing an assignment to my email address before the class session will be an acceptable alternative to handing in the assignment in class if you are unable to reach the class on time.
• No In‐class assignments will be accepted on a later date unless an arrangement has been made ahead of time.
• Unusual circumstances may be taken into consideration at my discretion.
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Attendance:
Students are expected to be on time for class and to attend the entire period. I take attendance regularly. If you arrive late to class, it is your responsibility to make sure you were not marked absent by checking with me at the end of class. Also, three late classes will equal one absence. If you miss four class sessions you will need to discuss your absences with me and possibly withdraw from the course. After you miss four class sessions, for each absence, your grade will drop 5 points. I also reserve the right to withdraw you from the course if this becomes necessary. If you absolutely have to miss a class, you should email me. When you miss a class, you also miss a great deal of knowledge that you will not be able to make up by just reading the text or borrowing notes. Therefore, you should realize that class attendance impacts your grade in many ways.
Writing Center
The Writing Center in Bedford is located in the back of the library, Building 1, room 7B. Writing tutors will read your work, give you feedback, help you with all types of written assignments, and are available free of charge. You are required to visit the Writing Lab before you submit each final paper and you will need to submit proof that you attended the lab which will also indicate the amount of time you spent in the lab.
Class rule for writing: You will have all your rough drafts of essays reviewed by a peer from your feedback (peer editing) team AND by a professional tutor (or your instructor if she has time) before you submit a final copy of your paper. In addition, you will need to have both someone from your feedback team AND the professional tutor/instructor sign the rough draft of your paper and then you will need to attach your rough draft(s) to the final copy of your paper. You will then hand in both copies when the final copy is due. Also, if your paper is not reviewed by an instructor or lab tutor, you will lose 15 points from the final copy and your paper will be examined very closely. The Writing Lab is an extremely busy place of business. Do not wait until the last minute to make an appointment to have your paper reviewed. Finally, any paper that is not turned in on time will cost you 10 points deducted for each late day. I do not encourage this! Essays 1‐5: Five essays are assigned and worth a total of 45 points. Essays will range from 1‐3 pages in length and must be typed using a 12” font. If you are not in class on the day a paper is due, you must email it to me as an attachment. Connect Writing CD/ Grammar Work: In the back of your book you will locate an access card which you will need throughout the semester for our grammar and sentence work. First, you will take a Diagnostic Test which will
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indicate which skills (your learning plan) you need to work on to improve your writing. I will check you periodically to make sure you are continuing to work on all the assignments you have. If you complete all your assigned tasks, you will receive 10 percent toward your final grade.
Feedback Teams:
You will be assigned a Feedback Team for the entire semester. Whenever a rough draft is due, you will work in your Feedback Team to help each other improve your writing. All rough drafts will need to be signed by one member of the group before you can get credit for your assignments. Many students find feedback groups and reading your essay aloud to the group to be very helpful in the writing process. Final Exam: Your final exam is worth 10 points and is a requirement for the course. You must construct a well‐written five paragraph essay (a topic of my choosing) that will demonstrate your proficiency and readiness to take English Composition I the next semester. If your final exam is poor, you will fail the course regardless of your grades during the term. You must be present on the day of the exam to pass the course. Disability Support: Middlesex Community College is committed to the policies of nondiscrimination and equal opportunity for persons with disabilities. The college provides a variety of academic support services for students that include advising, tutoring, scribes, etc., and is located in the Enrollment Center building, Room 222. If you have a disability or suspect you might have a disability, you are encouraged to visit the Disability Support Services Office. In addition, if you received disability support services in high school you are encouraged to visit the Disability Support Services Office and bring them your educational plan from high school. They will make the necessary arrangements for you and we will make all necessary accommodations when given a plan from their office.
Plagiarism: In order for you to understand what constitutes plagiarism and to be aware of the possible consequences if you commit plagiarism, the following statement is taken directly from the 2008‐2009 MCC Student Handbook (page 55):
“Plagiarism: taking and using the ideas, writings, or data of another without clearly and fully crediting the source. Examples include: not citing another person’s actual words or replicating all or part of another’s product; using another person’s ideas, opinions, work, data, or theories without reference,
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even if they are completely paraphrased in one’s own words; borrowing facts, statistics, or other illustrative materials without giving credit to the source; unauthorized collaboration with others on papers or projects….” If it is proven that a student, in any course in which he or she is enrolled, has knowingly committed such violation, suspension from the course and a failing grade in the course may result.”
If plagiarism is found in any essay or assignment, the assignment will receive a zero without an opportunity to rewrite. You may also be asked to withdraw from the courses as plagiarism is tantamount to stealing and I most likely would not be able to trust you again.
Rules of Conduct: Each of us should be respectful of every other person. To preserve the learning environment in our classroom I expect you to adhere to the following rules:
• Be punctual. Our society values punctuality. It reflects that you are ready and willing to undertake the task at hand and are respectful of others involved. If you are late, please come in quietly and take a seat in the back of the room.
• Treat everyone in the classroom with respect and be tolerant of questions asked by fellow classmates. This is a diverse community and we need to respect each other’s differences.
• Refrain from talking to other students during class or interrupting others. If you wish to contribute to the class discussion, please raise your hand to be recognized.
• Turn off all cell‐phones and pagers during class and put them where you cannot see them. They are a distraction to both you and a great distraction to your professor. If you are expecting an important call, speak to me before class. Please wait until class has ended before you pack up your bags. If I do see you checking your cell phone twice during class, your cell must be placed on my desk for the remainder of the class.
• If you put forth the effort and work hard and follow the guidelines, I can promise that you will improve your writing and move forward as a result of this class. We will work hard together and I will always read your essays and respond to them in detail.
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Winter Weather:
Notice of cancelled classes due to weather are broadcast over the following AM radio stations:
WRKO‐680; WCAP‐980; WBZ‐ 1030. Also tv channels announce this: 4,5, and 7. You can also
Call 978‐656‐3200 to hear of school cancellations or delayed openings. A delayed opening means that the college will open at 10 a.m. Classes that begin before 10 a.m. will not take place.
Important Dates:
Last day to withdraw from a course: November 9
No school Thursday November 22, Thanksgiving
Our class ends Thursday, December 13
Final Exam……..Thursday, December 20, 10:30‐12:30 in our classroom
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Course Calendar
Warning! There are 2 sets of pages in your book. Remember to look at the UPPER page numbers and NOT the lower page numbers. Once you turn to page 147, the top and bottom numbers differ.
Week # “What’s the Point?”
Homework due Tuesday
CW= College Writing Skills. Complete all exercises within the assigned pages.
Homework due Thursday
Weekly Topics
1 Introduction‐Linked LC
2 Decorate journal and bring it to class. In your journal, write the story of your name. Where did it come from? How do you feel about it? How do you think your name has influenced who you are? Would you have preferred a different name? Write at least one page.
Post on Blackboard: from “College Writing Skills”‐ Chapter 1, first page, answer the question. Read p. 3‐13 (Point & Support; Structure of an Essay)
Syllabus –Writing Sample‐Journal Writing –
*“In the Land of Homemade Names” group activity‐ Preview text‐ Blackboard Icebreaker; Sending a professional email –‐ “The Late Paper”
*“Yourself as a Reader“ activity‐ will be Essay 1;
Prewriting
3 In journal p. 20 #2 (at the top of the page). Then read CW p. 22‐31. Be prepared for a quiz.
CW: p. 50‐57 Writing a Thesis Statement
Visit Writing Lab and discuss lab requirement.
The Writing Process‐
Connect Write online: Register online and begin
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to work on your own grammar work based on the Diagnostic you took. You will be checked on this every 3 weeks.
Thesis statements as main ideas; contract writing that works; *Wordmeisters
4 CW: Take the Writing Inventory on p. 38‐39.
Rough Draft Essay 1 due.
Read “The Road Not Taken” and complete handout. CW: Writing a Narrative Essay p. 155‐163. *Teaching Screenagers. Writing Assignment due
Peer editing
In class: cover Writing a Good Thesis II p. 57+
“Road Not Taken” poem
5 Essay 1 due
Journal: Did you or someone you know ever have to “tattle” on someone? Explain.
Narration
Sample: “Mr. Timothy”
CW p. 76‐81 Providing Specific Evidence; Descriptive writing
Denotation‐Connotation
Comma Chapter
Essay 2 assigned
6 Work on revisions for Essay 1. Questions due for “Road Not Taken.”
Connect Write online Diagnostic Check;
Journal: Write about a time when you saw someone targeted for their differences
Begin discussion on
*”Prejudice and Stereotypes” ‐Summarizing (choice of 2 articles for summary);
Point of View‐Shifting from First to Third
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Person
7 CW p. 223‐226 (Writing a Summary) CW: p. 84‐94 (Methods of Organization); Rough Draft Essay 2 due
Read chapter in text on Writing a Summary. Fill in any sections. Read “Rowing the Bus.
*Summarizing ‐ Begin work on writing a summary of an article or reading, Essay 2;
Rowing the Bus;
Introductions, Conclusions, titles (CW p. 94‐101)
8 Rewrite of Essay 1 due. Journal: Bullying Scenario due
Essay 2 due
CW: Chapter 4: Parallelism p. 111‐112
Peer editing; Ethical Dilemma (Engagement Activity)
Discussion of prejudice, stereotyping, profiling
Fragment Chapter
9 Essay 2 due
Preview Elie Wiesel reading. Do a “Talk to Text” and bring in difficult sections, words, “golden lines.”
*Read Compare Contrast Andrew Lam
Connect Write online check; CW: Chapter 4: Consistent Point of View p. 113‐115
Compare‐Contrast
Begin CC: (CW) p. 176‐182.
*Elie Wiesel: “Indifference” and template.
10 Finish Venn Diagram and questions to Lam reading. Finish CW: p. 176‐182 Q. 1‐10
Rewrite of Essay 2 due
CW: Read “Born to Be Different” p. 187‐190 Q. 1‐10 in journal.
Template due for
Fall into the Gap‐ *Generational Differences
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“Indifference”
11 Begin Rough Draft: CW p. 192 choices
under Writing Assignment #1‐ do Prewriting a‐f;
Essay 3 due
Rough Draft Essay 3 due
Connect Write Check
Compare‐Contrast
Run‐on Chapter
Topic sentences.
Journal: *Growing Up Bilingual
12 *“Children of the 70’s” due. Handout on topic sentences. Essay 3 due; CW: “Argument” Read p. 201‐205.
NO SCHOOL ‐THANKSGIVING
Sweet Debate
Persuasive Writing Assignment
13 Rough draft for Persuasive Essay (Essay 4) due
Rewrite Essay 3 due Persuasive Paper
*Review In‐text Citations from “Social Class” \
*Synthesis Paper
14 Final Connect Write online check
Essay 4 due
Journal: Writing Assignment in CW p. 221‐222
Analyzing Essay Exam Prompts
Spelling Chapter
15 Work on Synthesis Paper; Rough Draft due; In‐class editing
Study/Review/Final Exam begins; Synthesis Paper due on final exam date
Test Preparation and final essay due
*“Write Like the Pros”
Connect Write online refers to individualized grammar and sentence structure work that is done online. I will check your progress approximately every 3 weeks. I am looking for “time on task” and I will see the time you devote to improving your individual needs as well as improvement in these areas on your assigned papers.
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Writing Rubric for Formal Written Papers
This is my rubric for grading all essays with the exception of the summary paper (which uses a different rubric). After I grade your papers, you will receive a rubric with each category circled that represents your paper. In this way, you can see by determining which sections I have circled, what you need to work on and how I determine your total grade.
Ability Grade: 90‐100%
Grade: 80‐89%
Grade: 70‐79%
Grade: 60‐69%
Grade:0‐59%
1.Introduction that fulfills a specific purpose with a clear thesis & effective grabber.
Introduction provides a coherent response, a clear thesis & grabber which reflect confidence and careful thought
Introduction provides a coherent response, clear thesis and good grabber
Introduction provides a coherent response to the assignment; thesis and grabber are present
Introduction provides a response to the assignment; thesis is vague or inadequate with weak grabber
Introduction does not relate to the assignment; non‐existent thesis no grabber
2. Topic sentences supported, developed, illustrated by relevant details
General statements supported, developed, illustrated by relevant details
General statements usually supported, developed, illustrated by relevant details
Inconsistent details support general statements.
Some irrelevant details, some inappropriate details; paper short and underdeveloped
General statements lack support, details, and development.
3. Conclusion is well thought out and developed.
Conclusion ties together all aspects of the paper in a logical, effective manner.
Conclusion is mostly organized tying the main points of the essay together.
Conclusion may be present, but is not well organized or thought out.
Conclusion is too brief and does not leave the reader satisfied.
Conclusion is non‐existent.
4. Evidence of effective paragraphing and sentence structure including vocabulary, word choice, and language.
Strong command of sentences and paragraphs; vivid word choice; language is accurate and communicates sophistication
Reflects mostly a command of sentences and paragraph structure. Language communicates intent and is accurate for the
Sentence structure may be relatively simple but phrasing clear; adequate paragraph structure.
Language may
Paragraphs have lapse in unity and coherence. Sentence structure is confusing. Language is much too often unclear.
Poor paragraphing and sentence structure; unclear language
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requirements of the assignment.
be vague or include vocabulary inappropriate for the assignment.
5. Organization is clear, logical and suitable for the assignment.
Order, structure and presentation of information are clear and logical.
Organization structure is strong and reflects a sense of purpose.
Organization has been attempted but does not fully serve the topic and the reader is not always sure why some material is included.
A clear sense of direction is absent. Information is strung together in a loose or random fashion.
There is no organization of ideas. Ideas are unrelated, unclear, and do not flow.
6. Standard grammar, spelling, agreement and punctuation are utilized.
Free of errors in punctuation, spelling, mechanics, usage, and agreement
Very few minor errors in punctuation, spelling, mechanics, usage, and agreement
Some errors in punctuation, spelling, mechanics but not a hindrance to comprehension
Many errors in punctuation, spelling, agreement, and mechanics interrupt the flow of text.
There are numerous grammar and mechanical errors which impede reading the text.
7. Topic covers required length, and is double spaced with 12 pt. font and proper format (name, date, course, and title)
Topic covers required length and is double spaced with 12 pt. font and proper format.
One element is missing from the requirement.
Two elements are missing from the requirement.
Three elements are missing from the requirement.
All format elements are incorrect.
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JOURNAL RUBRIC
Each journal writing will be graded using the following criteria:
CATEGORY 3
(Very Good)
2 (Partially Sufficient)
1
(Poor)
Comprehension Accurate understanding of important information in the text; focused on the key ideas presented.
Accurate but limited understanding of the text.
Little or no understanding of the text; may be largely inaccurate.
Reflection Evidence that reading strategies have been applied. Response goes beyond literal thinking.
Some evidence that reading strategies have been applied. Response may be unclear.
Little if any evidence that reading strategies have been applied. Response is irrelevant.
Sentence Formation
& Word
Choice
Complete sentences with a variety of length and structure. Precise & vivid word choice.
Some sentence formation errors and lack of sentence variety. Some general & repetitive word choice.
Frequent and severe sentence formation errors and/or lack of sentence variety. General/repetitive/confusing word choice.
Equivalents
3=100
2=85
1=70
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PREPARATION FOR COLLEGE READING III
Eng 060 – 05 Henderson Hall 220
Tuesday/ Thursday at 10:30‐11:45 Instructor: Rosemary St. Onge Email: [email protected] Office Hours: by appointment only Course Description: “What’s the Point” is a linked learning community that combines Preparation for College Reading III (ENG 060) with Basic Writing (ENG 071). In this interactive learning community, reading and writing skills are integrated through current topics in the media. Topics will include identity, immigration, bullying, morality, and generational differences. In this course, we will learn reading comprehension strategies and writing skills to examine stories and texts as well as write extensively about themes and issues that emerge from the readings. Preparation for College Reading III is a required course for students who place from 56 to 67 on the CPT reading placement test. It is designed to prepare students for college‐level reading. Students will be taught strategies for improving reading comprehension, with an emphasis on academic reading and study reading techniques. Credits earned in this course will not apply to MCC degree or certificate programs. This course requires a weekly lab in addition to the class meeting times. Prerequisite: Placement above or successful completion of ENG 055. Intensive Value: Multi‐cultural As this course was redesigned under the Title III grant, Strategies for Success, students will demonstrate improvement in their:
• critical thinking • collaboration: community in class, student development, service learning, civic
engagement • communication: oral, written, quantitative, technological, information literacy • organization: time management, note taking, test, taking, study skills • self assessment: academic goal setting, career goal setting, self advocacy
Items on the class schedule that are starred (*) were designed to support student learning in these areas.
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Required Materials: Textbook: The Reader’s Corner, Carol Kanar, Houghton Mifflin Co., 4th edition. A one‐subject notebook or a three ring binder for note‐taking is required. Course Objectives: Through readings, class discussions, activities, journal assignments and exams, students should be able to:
• Pass the CPT reading test with a minimum score of 68 and/or successfully pass a written departmental exam. Improve vocabulary by identifying the meaning of new words through use of context clues or the dictionary. Improve literal comprehension skills by: identifying the stated and implied main idea and key details of various reading materials.
• Identifying the organizational patterns and directional words. Improve inferential and critical reading skills by distinguishing fact from opinion and analyzing the author’s purpose.
• Having a greater understanding of an author’s purpose for writing and the attitude or tone the writer has toward a subject.
• Utilizing SQ3R, SQ4R, and a variety of reading strategies (“Reading Apprenticeship”) to read textbook chapters. annotating readings and taking notes on lectures. Strengthen test‐taking skills and memory.
Method of Instruction: The instructor will present new concepts in short lectures and/or powerpoint presentations. I will ask questions to help us understand and analyze the material. You are expected to do the assigned reading prior to class. Participation in class discussion and small groups is encouraged and expected and will be a significant component of a student’s grade in the class. Students will also work on some tasks individually. The course will include methods to prepare to read, improve comprehension, mark texts, take notes, answer related questions, and learn to study for and take exams. Reading Lab: As indicated in the course catalog, there is a REQUIRED reading lab as a component of this course. In addition to the class section, students will attend a 50‐minute lab in Room 7A located in the back of the library in building 1 (Academic Resources) each week for twelve weeks. The weekly reading lab will offer individual and small group instruction. Each student is required to attend the reading lab as part of the course at a time scheduled with the lab instructor the first week of class. Labs for College Reading III will reinforce specific reading skills taught in class. The lab instructor will grade students for their performance in lab and Reading Lab is worth
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25% of your final grade. Any missed lab times must be made up within two weeks of the absence. Grading Criteria: Classwork/Homework 30 points (Weekly handouts and assigned readings) Tests 35 points Lab 25 points Final Exam 10 points Attendance and Participation: Students are expected to attend class. In fact, your attendance indicates your willingness to learn. When you miss class, you also miss a great deal of knowledge that you will not be able to make up just by reading the text or even borrowing notes. Therefore, you should realize that class attendance will impact your grade. If you miss three class sessions you will need to discuss your absences with me and possibly withdraw from the course. I also reserve the right to withdraw you from the course if this becomes necessary. Finally, three tardy classes will equal one absence. Classwork and Homework: Some assignments given as homework will be collected and graded. Others will be checked off and reviewed in class. All assignments are due at the beginning of the class. It is recommended that if you are absent, you e‐mail me to find out missed work before your next class. Tests: There will be six skills tests given during the semester, which will account for 30% of your grade. Also, you will have three vocabulary tests that will account for another 5% of your grade. I will drop one test at the end of the semester. If you are absent on the day of a quiz, you must make up the quiz as soon as possible. Successful Course Completion: You must meet several requirements to successfully complete the reading course. First, you must maintain an overall class average of C‐ or better to pass the course and be eligible to take the exit exams. If you do not have this minimum average, you will automatically fail the course and be required to retake it the following semester. Also, you must pass either the Townsend College Preparatory Reading Test with 28/40 questions correct (our final exam, worth 10% of
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your grade) or the Computerized Placement Test for Reading Comprehension (CPT) with a score of 68 in order to pass the course. If a student fails both measures, he or she will be granted a grade of “Incomplete” for the course. Students who receive an “Incomplete” will attend the Reading Lab the following semester to continue developing their skills. They do not need to retake the course. When the student successfully passes one or both of the exit assessments, the instructor will submit a change of grade to Records and Registration. Please realize that the pre‐requisite for many courses at MCC (i.e. English Composition I) is the completion of this specific reading course, ENG 060. Therefore, if you receive an incomplete, you will want to make up your incomplete as soon as possible because you will not be allowed to take most courses at the college. Passing this course is important if you want to continue your courseload. Disability Support Services: Students with disabilities are encouraged to work closely with the Disability Support staff at the college. The college provides a variety of academic support services such as advising, tutoring, and quiet test taking rooms. Please forward profile sheets (from Disability Support) to me early in the semester so I can work with them to accommodate you. Course Outline: Two reading assignments are assigned each week. The selections from the Reader’s Corner will be noted with the corresponding # and title from the text. Reading hand‐outs linking the reading and writing of “What’s the Point” will be identified with an asterisk* and italicized. In addition to these assignments, a weekly packet highlighting specific reading skills (drawing conclusions, identifying purpose and tone, finding the main idea etc.) will be incorporated into the curriculum. Class Guidelines: The classroom should be considered a place of academic business. Distracting behavior such as casual talk among students, tardiness, use of cell phones, sleeping, or inappropriate behavior toward fellow students or faculty will not be tolerated. I expect you to be respectful, punctual, and to raise your hand to be recognized before you speak to the class. Being prepared for class and participating fully will enable you to get the most out of the class. I will work hard to help you achieve success.
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Course Outline
Date Week # Skills Reading Selection #Due Tuesday(in‐class correction)
Reading Selection #Due Thursday(homework collected)
Topics for Discussion/Back‐ground Information
September 6 1 – Textbook inventory; review syllabus
pretest Reading lab sign‐up
September
11‐13
2 – Context Clues *In the Land of Homemade Names
#6‐ The Good Daughter
Identity, cultural expectations
September
18‐20
3 – Main Idea *Reading list of challenges and strategies
#25‐ Binge Drinking
Context clues test
Binge drinking and college students
September
25‐27
4 – Main Idea *Think aloud‐Teaching Screenagers
#16‐ Friends Indeed?
Social networking, technology
October
2‐4
5 – Supporting Details
#12‐ Back to School
#14‐ The Boy Who Sees With Sound
Main Idea test
Disability, meeting challenges
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October
9‐11
6 – Supporting DetailsSQ4R
#1 Jackie Robinson
*#50‐Prejudice and Stereotypes
Bullying, race, morality
October
16‐18
7‐ Implied Main Ideas
*Motivational clips to determine implied main
idea
# 23‐Black and Middle Class…
Supporting Details test
Racial profiling
October
23‐25
8 –Patterns‐time and list
#43‐ In Opposition of the Death Penalty
#44‐ In Defense of the Death Penalty
Implied Main Idea Test
Capital punishment
October 30‐ November 1
9‐ Patterns ‐cause/effect ‐compare/ contrast ‐definition
*The Perils of Indifference
#28‐ Frightening and Fantastic
Patterns test
Indifference
Dangers and pleasures of life
November
6‐8
10‐ Inferences #29 My Long Distance Life
*Boomer Nation
Divorce
Self‐fulfillment, legacy
135
November
13‐15
11‐ Inferences *Growing Up Bilingual
#5‐My Spanish Standoff
Culture, traditions
November
20‐22
12‐ Purpose and
Tone
*Poetry pairing and obituary
Thanksgiving no class
Light and dark images
November
27‐29
13‐ Purpose and Tone
#Papa’s Waltz #Binge Drinking Parent/Child
Relationships
Drinking on college campuses
December
4‐6
14 – Organizing information from several sources
*Synthesis prewriting activity
CPT review‐handouts
Combined Skills Test
December
11‐13
15 –Review *Snowballing activity
Preparation for final
Important Dates: Last day to withdraw from a class is November 9 Classes end December 15. Final exam is on Tuesday, December 18 at 10:30‐12:30
