English 1121: Spring 2024 – Weekly Guide

This weekly guide (or overview of the class) provides a list of each class meeting, what we will cover and discuss or do in class, your homework assignments and your major projects and their due dates. 

It is VERY IMPORTANT TO NOTE that this weekly guide might change! Any changes made will be announced in class. It is your responsibility to keep up with all announced changes. What that means is, do not look ahead and do all the assignments this weekend! Wait until they are due! However, it also means that there ARE DUE DATES and reasons for these due dates. The work is cumulative. Each assignment has a purpose and much of the work is very connected. If you miss one assignment, you will not be able to actively participate in class and you will have trouble completing the next assignment. Thus, make sure not to fall behind. Speak to me if you are worried about keeping up. 

Most importantly, though! This is supposed to be an interesting, fun and academically rigorous experience. I want it to challenge you, make you think, make you learn and make you into stronger and more effective writers! 

Major Projects and Assignments

We have 3 Units this semester! In each of these units, you will complete one major writing project that will build toward your final portfolio. In Unit 1, we will be thinking about how the words we choose matter. You are going to choose a word or a phrase that is unique to your community that the people outside of your community should know about and explain why. In Unit 2, you will begin a research and inquiry process exploring an issue related to a community that you are a member of or have a deep knowledge of that will span Units 2 and 3. In Unit 2, you will analyze and evaluate your sources and you will then write an article using the 3 sources. In Unit 3, you will create a project in a new genre using your research. At the end of the semester, you will create a portfolio using the texts you created during the semester. 

Unit 1: Portrait of a Word

What is a word or phrase unique to your community that people outside the community should know about? Why? In this unit we will look closely at words or phrases that are unique to different communities and discuss why the word matters to the communities. 

*Project 1: Portrait of a Word

You will write a 1000 word “portrait of a word” analytic essay.

Unit  2: Finding Your Beat: Writing a Feature Article

You will begin a research and inquiry process that will span Units 2 and 3. 

*Project 2: Finding Your Beat: Writing a Feature Article

You will research an issue of great interest to you! You will find “your beat!” You will prepare a short oral presentation on your research, analyze and evaluate your 4 sources and then write a feature article on the topic of your choosing that is between 1400-1600 words.

Unit 3: New Audience, New Genre!

In Unit 3, you will repurpose the research you compiled in Unit 2 and repackage your research in a new genre  for a new audience! 

*Project 3: New Audience, New Genre!

Using your research from Unit 2, you will create a multimodal genre piece using your research that you feel best reaches your intended audience. You will also write an accompanying artist’s statement. Together, the two pieces will be at least 1,500 words.

Final Portfolio

For your final portfolio you will compile a revised and edited version of all of your projects and your Units 1 and 2 Reflections. You will also write a  final reflection that looks back on your writing experience over the course. 

PROJECT DUE DATES

PROJECT 1: Portrait of a Word

  • Project 1 DRAFT Due Wed. March 6th
  • Project 1 FINAL Due Mon. March 11th
  • Unit 1 Reflection Due Mon. March 11th

PROJECT 2: Feature Article

  • Project 2 DRAFT Due Mon. April 15th
  • Project 2 FINAL Due Wed. April 17th
  • Unit 2 Reflection Due Wed. April 17th

PROJECT 3: New Audience, New Genre

  • Project 3 DRAFT Due Mon. May 13th
  • Project 3 FINAL Due Wed. May 15th

FINAL PORTFOLIO

  • Final Portfolio (with Final Reflection) DUE Mon. May 22nd

INTRODUCTION 

Day 1: Mon. Jan. 29th

In Class

  • SlideDeck
  • Visit and Join Class Website
  • Practice Using the Class Website
  • Review the Course Syllabus
  • Review the Course Weekly Assignments and Projects

Homework

Day 2: Wed. Jan. 31st

In Class

Homework

UNIT 1 (Portrait of a Word)

Day 3: Mon. Feb. 5th

In Class

Homework

Day 4: Wed. Feb. 7th

In Class

Homework

** No Class **  MON. FEB. 12th 

Day 5: Wed. Feb 14th 

In Class

Homework

** No Class **  Mon. Feb. 19th 

Day 6: Wed. Feb. 21st

In Class

Homework

  • Complete the Project 1: Step 1 Handout (including the 250 word introduction to your community)

***DAY 7: Thur. Feb. 22nd. ***

In Class

  • Slide Deck
  • Discuss the Power of Words: Connotations vs. Denotations of Words
  • Project 1: Step 2

Homework

Day 8: Mon. Feb. 26. 

In Class

  • Slide Deck
  • Project 1 Step 2: Continued
  • Adding concrete significant details

Homework

  • Project 1: Step 2: Write a description of your word or phrase AND show the word or phrase in action. It should be about 750 words in total. Bring into class a print copy. DUE Feb. 28th

Day 9: Wed. Feb. 28th

In Class

  • Slide Deck
  • Review the elements of an analytical essay
  • Project 1: Step 3: Draft essay 

Homework

  • Project 1 Draft Due Wed. March 6th

Day 10: Mon. March 4th 

In Class

  • Slide Deck
  • Drafting: Introductions and conclusions/ Transitions

Homework

  • Draft Due Wed. March 6th

Day 11: Wed. March 6th

In Class

Homework

  • Project 1 Final Draft Due Mon. March 11th
  • Unit 1 Reflection Due Mon. March 11th

UNIT 2 (Finding Your Beat: Writing a Feature Article)

Day 12: Mon. March 11th

In Class

Homework

  • Choose a TOPIC for Project 2. Check to see if Prof. C approved the topic! 
  • Use the Project 2: Step 1 handout to do a 150-250 word free write on your topic 

Day 13: Wed. March 13th

In Class

  • Slide Deck
  • Finalize Project 2 Topic Choice: “Your Beat”
  • Develop create a KWL chart on our topics
  • Discuss the genre of a feature article

Homework

Day 14: Mon. March 18th 

In Class

Homework

Day 15: Wed. March 20th 

In Class

Homework

Day 16: Mon. March 25th

In Class

  • Slide Deck
  • Discuss how to analyze and evaluate your 3 sources for credibility and practice with model text with the Day 16 Handout

Homework

  • Complete the Day 16 Handout

Day 17: Wed.. March 27th

In Class

Homework

  •  Day 17 Handout and prepare for Oral Presentations on Monday

Day 18: Mon. April 1st

In Class

  • Slide Deck
  • Short oral presentation on one of the sources you found and share it with the class. 

Homework

  • Find a Mentor Feature Article to use as a guide

Day 19: Wed. April 3rd

In Class

  • Slide Deck
  • Find a Mentor Article
  • Discuss elements of a “Nut Graf” paragraph 
  • Discuss elements of Intro paragraph
  • Begin to draft feature article 

Homework

  • Slide Deck
  • Using your mentor article as a guide, begin to draft your article. Make sure you have a Nut Graf paragraph and an Intro paragraph.
  • Using your mentor article as a guide, continue to draft your article. 

Day 20: Mon. April 8th 

In Class

Homework

  • Draft Nut Graf Paragraph and Lede Sentence

Day 21: Wed. April 10th

In Class

  • Slide Deck
  • Citing Sources
  • Drafting: Add fieldwork / feature article genre elements

Homework

  • Drafting Project 2

Day 22: Mon. April 15th

In Class

Homework

  • Project 2 Due Wed. May 1st
  • Unit 2 Reflection Due Wed. May 1st

Day 23:  Wed. April 17th

In Class

Homework

  • Project 2 Due Wed. May 1st
  • Unit 2 Reflection Due Wed. May 1st

UNIT 3: New Audience- New Genre

 

**Spring Break ***

Day 24:Wed. May 1st

In Class

  • Slide Deck
  • Introduction to Unit 3 and Project 3
  • Define and discuss and explore different Multimodal Texts
  • Review and analyze additional examples of multimodal texts

Homework

  • Choose a project and an audience.

Day 25: Mon. May 6th

In Class

  • Slide Deck
  • Write Project Proposals
  • Explore and analyze additional Multimodal Texts 
  • Talk about the ELEMENTS to include in a multimodal text 
  • Project 3: Step 3: Drafting 

Homework

  • Complete project proposal 

Day 26: Wed. May 8th

In Class

Homework

  • Draft due Mon. May 13th

Day 27: Mon. May 13th

In Class

Homework

  • Final Project 3 – (Multimodal and Artist’s Statement Due May 15th. 

FINAL PORTFOLIO

Day 28: Wed. May 15th

In Class

Homework

  • Final Portfolio Due May 22nd

Day 29: Mon. May 20th

In Class

  • Time for questions / Individual check- ins
  • Portfolio revisions and edits
  • Crafting a final reflection

Homework

  • Final Portfolio Due May 22nd 

Day 30: Mon. May 22nd

In Class

  • Sharing and celebrating!