Folded paper strip with the handwritten sentence "Observation and Research Are Important."
“Observation. Research. Writing.” by Underway In Ireland via Flickr CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Before class on Monday, students will…

  • Submit U1 Writing Assignment on OpenLab no later than 11:59pm on Sunday, 3/10. Don’t know how to submit your writing assignment? Click here for detailed instructions.
    • Remember, every day you fail to turn in your U1 Writing Assignment, you lose 5 points!
  • Read the following prompt and start a list:
    • Although Americans today recognize that the Founders had racist/misogynist bias about who “all men” were when they wrote the phrase: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal,” we also recognize that what the Founders did (writing and signing the Declaration) could’ve led to their deaths because what they did amounted to treason against the King. They were willing to risk this because they believed in what they were saying.
    • With the idea of fighting for your beliefs and values in mind, consider issues that affect you. What are some social justice issues (local or global) that you feel strongly about and might inspire you to act?
      • Make a list of at least three issues (think about laws, policies, movements, etc.).
        • Think about our discussion on Baldwin and the things you feel the necessity or obligation to learn about; or, think about Long Soldier and incidents or chapters in US history that you think are not visible and should be.
      • Please avoid typical topics that are extremely sensitive. Abortion, for example, is an issue that people often become entrenched (basically, refuse to see the other side’s point of view).
        • Search for issues or problems–local, national, global–that matters to you and that you have questions about, not entrenched beliefs. Brainstorm a list.
        • If you really wish to research a question about politically or ethically sensitive issues, come talk to me and I may allow it.

On Monday, we will…

Discussion:

  • Define and discuss “social justice.”
  • Review assignment guidelines for Unit 2: Reflective Annotated Bibliography Project (under Major Writing Assignments).
  • Examine a partial example of what a RAB looks like.
  • Watch “Writing an Annotated Bibliography” (City Tech Library).
  • Brainstorm on a worksheet and discuss topics and questions for Unit 2.
  • Reflect on your writing process for U1 Education Narrative in your Blue Books. Be sure to return the Blue Book to me before you leave! This will add credit to your low-stakes writing grade! Share the following information:
    • How did you write your first draft? For example, did you write it over time at night, during the class time I provided, or right before the first peer reviewing session?
    • How was the peer review session for you? Was it helpful? Not helpful? Or did you skip class that day (and why)?
    • How did you feel at the end before you submitted it on OpenLab? Did you feel confident? Not confident? So-so? Finally, what would you add/work on if you had one more week?

After class on Monday…

  • Keep the worksheet we used on Monday and start narrowing down your topic and create a question related to this topic.
    • Remember the example I shared:
      • For example, if you’re interested in learning more about migrant detention centers (which is a broad topic), you narrow down the scope to the health issues of those in detention (still big), so you narrow that issue down to the health of children, and ask: “How do detention centers affect the health of migrant children?”

During class on Wednesday, we will…

KWRL Activity:

  1. K- KNOW: 5 minutes.  Write about what you know about the topic/question the whole time.  It is important that you don’t pause here, so if you are stuck, write “I’m stuck!” But just keep going.  Write down everything you can about what you KNOW about this topic or question.
  2. W-WANT:  5 minutes.  Same thing– you’ll write that whole time.  This time, write what you WANT to know about the topic.
  3. R-RESEARCH: 15 minutes. Here is where you do a little bit of research.  Spend time on searching your topic on the internet.   
  4. L-LEARNED: 5 minutes.  Again, write the whole time.  Write what you LEARNED from your 10-15 minutes of preliminary research.  Cite where necessary. 
  5. Based on this activity, refine your question and be ready to discuss it with me!
  • Bring your worksheet up and discuss your research question with me for low-stakes writing credit!

Before class on Monday, students will…

  • Decide on your overall research question. Write it down on notepaper and be ready to share your finished question during class.