Class Notes: Jared

• Framework for Analyzing Science Fiction Texts (Professor Belli, ENG 2420, Spring 2017) (handout from Professor Belli)
• What is Science Fiction? (Fiction Book Genres)

Blog/Due

• Register for OpenLab account, join our course site, and familiarize yourself with its content and navigation (look at OpenLab Help to get started blogging)
• Review Syllabus & Blogging Guidelines

Class Notes: Ryan

*Su 2/5: Last Day to drop without the grade of WD.

*M 2/6: Withdrawal Drop Period Begins; A grade of WD is assigned to students who officially drop a class

• Watch “Voyage Dans La Lune” (“A Trip to the Moon”), Georges Méliès, 1902
• “Moon Express Raises 20m for 2017 Voyage to the Moon,” Sam Levin, January 7, 2017
• Defining “Science Fiction”: What is science fiction… and what study it?
• “Definitions of SF” (The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction)
• “Definitions of science fiction” (Wikipedia)

*You must print these texts (except, of course, the video!, read/annotate them, & bring them to class)

Blog/Due

• Introductions post (due W 2/1)

Class Notes: Jaraad

• “The Machine Stops,” E.M. Forster, 1909 [You must print this text, read/annotate it, & bring it to class]
• The Elements of Fiction

Blog/Due

• Reading Response #1: The Machine Stops (due M 2/6)

*This Schedule has revised in response, to accommodate this missed day

Class Notes: Lawrence

• “The Machine Stops” (continued)

Blog/Due

• Class Discussion #1: The Machine Stops (one initial comment by W 2/8  + two additional comments by F 2/10)

Class Notes: Lawrence

• “The Machine Stops” (continued)

Blog/Due

• Class Discussion #1: The Machine Stops (continued)

*Su 2/19: Last day to drop a course without the grade of W; Withdrawal Drop period ends

*M 2/20: Course Withdrawal period begins; A grade of W is assigned to students who officially drop a course

• Metropolis, Fritz Lang, 1927 (Restored version)–Watch for free through Kanopy, a digital streaming service provided free through City Tech (automatically available on campus or sign in with your City Tech barcode at home to watch)

*Make sure you actively/close “read” this film the same way you would for a printed text (short story or novel). You should take notes as you watch the film, annotating it (looking up words you don’t know, taking notes, asking questions, noting down elements of fiction, writing down quotes–cited by the time (minute:second), making claims). Bring these notes to class with you, and come ready to discuss specifics of the film (including pieces of textual evidence).

Blog/Due

• Reading Response #2: Metropolis (due W 2/15)

*Remember to use specifics from the text (film) in your response, transcribing the exact quote (or stating accurately the scene) and citing the movie by the time (minutes:seconds).

• Brave New World: Chapters 1-9 (pp. 15-135)

Blog/Due

• Reading Response 4: BNW (chapters 1-9) (due M 2/20)

• Brave New World: Chapters 1-9 (pp. 36-135), continued
  

Blog/Due

• Class Discussion #2: Brave New World (one initial comment by W 2/22  + two additional comments by F 2/24)

• Brave New World: Chapters 10-18 (pp. 136-231)
  

Blog/Due

• Reading Response #4: BNW (chapters 10-18) (due M 2/27)

• Brave New World: Chapters 10-18 (pp. 136-231), continued

Blog/Due

• Class Discussion #3: Brave New World (one initial comment on chapters 10-18 by W 3/1  + two additional comments by F 3/3)

*Individual Conferences w/Professor Belli (N520) on Tu 3/7 & W 3/8

• Review Assignment: Formatting, Guidelines, Submission
• Review Essay 1 Assignment
• Begin brainstorming Essay #1 (bring notes/ideas to your conference w/Professor Belli)

Blog/Due

• Two Optional Extra Credit Blogs: Watch movie versions of Brave New World and blog in response (due M 3/6) [categorize appropriately]
• Optional Extra Credit Blog: Attend the Literary Roundtable & post reflection blog by on F 3/10 (categorize as “Literary Roundtable”)
• Optional: Submit Your Writing to the Literary Arts Festival Writing Competition (deadline Tu 3/7)

• “There Will Come Soft Rains” (Ray Bradbury)
• “There will Come Soft Rains” (Sara Teasdale), poem
• “There will Come Rains” (Budet Laskovyj Dozhd)

Blog/Due

• Reading Response #5: “There Will Come Soft Rains” (due W 3/8)

Class Notes: Hunter

Midterm Exam Review; Writing Workshop + Peer Review of Essay 1 Pre-Drafts

• review texts, notes, Class Notes, blog posts, Class Discussions to study for upcoming Midterm Exam
• Continue drafting/revision Essay 1

Blog/Due

• Essay 1 Pre-Draft: this should include 1) essay title; 2) thesis paragraph (introduction); 3) three full body paragraphs (complete with topic sentences, textual evidence/citation, analysis); 4) reflection about where you in the process, what you have done, what you still are working on, what you are struggling with, what you think you have done well (etc.)
• post to OpenLab as blog (categorize as Essay 1 Pre-Draft) by 2pm on Tu 3/14
• bring four printed copies (double-spaced) to class
• contribute to our Class Discussion #4: There Will Come Soft Rains (since we won’t be holding class due to the snow day)

*Professor Belli away at conference; Professor Corbett subbing

• study for Midterm Exam

Blog/Due

• Essay #1 Due

• Nineteen Eighty-Four Part One, chapters I-V (pp. 1-65)

Blog/Due

• Reading Response Blog #6: 1984 (Part One, chapters I-V) [due M 3/20]

• Nineteen Eighty-Four Part One, chapters VI-VII / Part Two, chapters I-II (pp. 65-129)

Blog/Due

• Class Discussion #5: Nineteen Eighty-Four (one initial comment on Part One, chapters VI-VII / Part Two, chapters I-II (pp. 65-129) by W 3/22  + two additional comments by F 3/24)
• work on Essay 2

• Nineteen Eighty-Four, Part Two, chapters III-X (pp. 129-230)
  

Blog/Due

• Reading Response Blog #7: 1984 (Part Two, chapters III-X) [due M 3/27]

• Nineteen Eighty-Four, Part Three (pp. 231-308) / Appendix: The Principles of Newspeak (pp. 309-323)

Blog/Due

• Class Discussion #6: Nineteen Eighty-Four (one initial comment on Part Three (pp. 231-308) / Appendix: The Principles of Newspeak (pp. 309-323) by W 3/29  + two additional comments by F 3/31)

Writing Workshop

*M 4/3: Faculty to inform students of midterm grades

• Research contemporary connections to Nineteen Eighty-Four

Blog/Due

*Extra Credit for the best comments on Class Discussion #6 (comments from this week, on last parts of the novel)! One comment picked by Professor Belli, one by the class. Click here to vote for your “People’s Choice” post! (due M 4/3)

• Class Discussion #7: Contemporary Connections to 1984 (at least one original comment and one response due by Su 4/2)

*Extra Credit for the best comments on Class Discussion #7 (contemporary connections to the novel)! One comment picked by Professor Belli, one by the class. Click here to vote for your “People’s Choice” post! (due M 4/3)

*City Tech Science Fiction Archive

Class Meets in Library
(be outside 4th floor entrance, Atrium, by 4pm)

• read Parable of the Sower

Blog/Due

• read Parable of the Sower

Blog/Due

• Reflection Blog #8 on class visit to City Tech Science Fiction Archive: due Su 4/9 (categorize as “City Tech Science Fiction Archive”)
• work on Essay 2

• read Parable of the Sower

Blog/Due

• work on Essay 2

*W 4/19: Course Withdrawal period ends; Last day to drop a course with a grade of W

• read Parable of the Sower

Blog/Due

• work on Essay 2
• Two Extra Credit Opportunities! Watch/blog on versions of 1984 movies (due Tu 4/18)

*WF period begins; A grade of WF is assigned to students who elect to withdraw from a class

• read Parable of the Sower

Blog/Due

• work on Essay 2

• Parable of the Sower, chapters 1-6 (pp. 1-76)

Blog/Due

• Essay 2
• Reading Response Blog #9: Parable of the Sower (due M 4/24) – EXTENSION UNTIL W 4/26

• Parable of the Sower, chapters 7-13 (pp. 77-149)
  

Blog/Due

• Reading Response Blog #9: Parable of the Sower, chapters 1-13 (due M 4/24) – EXTENSION UNTIL W 4/26
  (if you posted, can revise blog–categorize correctly; if you didn’t post, you have a chance to still do so)
• Extra Credit Opportunity! Attend/blog about the City Tech Literary Arts Festival (Festival Th 4/27; blog due Su 4/30)

• Parable of the Sower, chapters 14-23 (pp. 151-293)
  

Blog/Due

• Reading Response Blog #10: Parable of the Sower, chapters 14-23 (due M 5/1)

• Parable of the Sower, chapters 24-25 (pp. 294-325)

Blog/Due

• come to class prepared (with written notes, that you can present to the class) to discuss particular excerpts/ideas from the final two chapters + contemporary connections

Writing Workshop: How to Research & Focus Proposals

• Westworld, Episode 1: The Original

Blog/Due

• Reading Response Blog #11: Westworld (due Tu 5/9 by 4pm)

Writing Workshop: Productive Research, Annotating Sources, Refining Proposals

*Last day Withdraw with a WF grade

• Read carefully through the Final Research Project
• Email professor with any questions
• conduct research for final project

*If you want to set up a time (outside of my regular office hours) to discuss your project, please email me to set something up. I am also happy to provide quick feedback on proposals prior to 5/11, if you email me your thoughts (minimum of one full paragraph, addressing the questions asked in the assignment).

Blog/Due

• Proposal Drafts due (categorize as “Proposals, Drafts”), by 2pm on Th 5/11
  • Bring 3 printed copies of proposal to class
• BYOD: bring your own device (laptop, tablet) to class if you have one

Writing Workshop: Creating Researched Arguments (moving from summary to claims)

*Individual Conferences with Professor Belli (N520), before/after class during office hours

• conduct research for final project

Blog/Due

• Revised Proposals due (categorize as “Revised Proposals”): by 2pm on Tu 5/16
  • Minimum of 500 words
  • Minimum of 5 sources
  • Reflection [minimum 350 words] that details the revisions you’ve made based on peer review, professor’s comments, class writing workshop, additional research, and further drafting/revision
  • Questions you still have
  • Bring 3 printed copies of proposal to class
  • BYOD: bring your own device (laptop, tablet) to class if you have one

Writing Workshop: Creating Effective Presentations

• conduct research for final project

Blog/Due

• Project Progress blogs due (2pm Th 5/18)
• Prepare a “lightning” presentation to give to class (to get feedback/peer review)

Class Notes: Ryan

*Final Examinations

Blog/Due

• Final Research Project (due by Tu 5/23, 4pm) for those presenting today
  • Post on our OpenLab site (categorize as “Research Project” and “Presentation”), with an abstract in the body post, which will be used to introduce your project to an outside audience. Upload the Cover Letter as a PDF to the post, and the Presentation as a PPT. Clearly label your files.
  • submit three distinct files to Dropbox (presentation file, abstract as a Word doc, Cover Letter as a Word doc, all clearly labeled)

Class Notes: Jared

*Final Examinations

Blog/Due

• Final Research Project (due by Th 5/25, 4pm) for those presenting today
  • Post on our OpenLab site (categorize as “Research Project” and “Presentation”), with an abstract in the body post, which will be used to introduce your project to an outside audience. Upload the Cover Letter as a PDF to the post, and the Presentation as a PPT. Clearly label your files.
  • submit three distinct files to Dropbox (presentation file, abstract as a Word doc, Cover Letter as a Word doc, all clearly labeled)

• Final Course Reflection (due Sa 5/27, 2pm via Dropbox – no printed copy necessary since we won’t be holding class anymore)