English 20, Section 7: August 2010

Hello. I have posted a copy of the course outline below. This way if you happen to misplace it, it can be found here on our class blog.

English 20, College Composition II
Section 7, Fall 2010, MWF, 10-10:50 am, DH 206
Instructor: Catherine Fraga
Office Phone: 278-5743 (please do NOT leave a voice mail message)
Email: sacto1954@gmail.com (BEST way to reach me)
Office Hours: in CLV 149 -- MWF, 11:00 – 11:50 AM or by appointment

COURSE DESCRIPTION (FROM CSUS CATALOG): ADVANCED WRITING THAT BUILDS UPON THE CRITICAL THINKING, READING, AND WRITING PROCESSES INTRODUCED IN ENGL 1A AND ENGL 2. EMPHASIZES RHETORICAL AWARENESS BY EXPLORING READING AND WRITING WITHIN DIVERSE ACADEMIC CONTEXTS WITH A FOCUS ON THE SITUATIONAL NATURE OF THE STANDARDS, VALUES, HABITS, CONVENTIONS, AND PRODUCTS OF COMPOSITION. STUDENTS WILL RESEARCH AND ANALYZE DIFFERENT DISCIPLINARY GENRES, PURPOSES, AND AUDIENCES WITH THE GOALS OF UNDERSTANDING HOW TO APPROPRIATELY SHAPE THEIR WRITING FOR DIFFERENT READERS AND DEMONSTRATING THIS UNDERSTANDING THROUGH VARIOUS WRITTEN PRODUCTS. NOTE: WRITING REQUIREMENT: A MINIMUM OF 5,000 WORDS. PREREQUISITE: COMPLETION OF ENGL 1A AND ENGL 2 OR EQUIVALENT WITH A C- OR BETTER; SOPHOMORE STANDING (MUST HAVE COMPLETED 30 UNITS PRIOR TO REGISTRATION). UNITS: 3.0.

Required Texts:
• Sacramento State Student Writing Handbook, 1st edition
(NOT available in the bookstore; please purchase it at FedEx, 5600 J Street)

Required Materials:
• stapler
• lined notebook paper, standard size 8 ½” x 11”, clean edge (not torn from notebook)

Classroom Policies:

1. Attendance is very important in this class. Classroom discussions prepare students for all writing assignments, and your fellow students and I need your input in order to make this class more complete and enjoyable. I do not take attendance and absences don’t technically count towards the grade you earn. However, ultimately, if you miss class, you may miss a quiz, group work, a journal, etc. which really does end up impacting your earned grade.

2. YOU MUST TYPE AND DOUBLE SPACE ALL OUT OF CLASS WORK. Work must be in 12 pt. font, black ink, MLA format.

3. In all fairness to other students, I do not accept late work. If you are ill, please arrange for another student to turn it in for you. Period. Also, in-class journal writing assignments cannot be made up. Likewise, the short in class writings can also not be made up.

4. After the due date, a late essay loses 10 points for every day it’s late, including weekends. NOT submitting an out of class essay is NOT an option. The English dept. requires that you write an approximate number of words in this course. The out of class essays provide a large part of the word count requirement.

5. You’re responsible for finding out what you missed if you are absent. I will provide you with a class roster for your convenience.

6. My policy on EXTRA CREDIT is…I do not believe in extra credit. In short, “real” life outside the university does not operate on the extra credit option. You earn the grade you receive. It really is a fairness issue.

7. ABOUT REVISIONS: you have the option to revise ONE of your three out of class essays. If you choose to revise, you must submit the revision with the original within one week of receiving the graded essay back. No exceptions. An essay with unacceptable errors might be an essay you choose to revise.

A note on classroom etiquette:
If you feel you cannot survive each class session without the use of your cell phone, iPod, or laptop computer, please do not enroll in this class. (I own all three of these devices, and value each of them, but I do not plan on using them during my classroom time with you. Simply, it is the highest degree of rudeness and disrespect.) If I see you busy texting, etc. I will not hesitate to ask you to leave until you finish your crucial business. The class is a mere one hour and 15 minutes twice a week. I plan to give you my full attention during these times and I expect the same from all my students.

HOW YOUR GRADE IS EARNED:
Attached to this course outline is your Grade Worksheet. At no time in the semester should you be puzzled about your grade. Please keep ALL returned & graded work until the very end of the semester. NOTE: quizzes are NOT always scheduled. Come to class prepared with the assigned reading assignments completed on the day they are due to be read.

Refer to pages 3 and 4 in the Handbook to fully understand how your writing will be evaluated.

ABOUT THIS COURSE…
I have designed a very different and I hope interesting and provocative set of themes for discussion and critical thinking/writing for the semester. The core of the course from which these themes/ideas will spring is the first season of the television series, “Breaking Bad.” It was just announced a week ago that it won the TCA (Television Critics Association) Award for Outstanding Drama on Television. It has also been honored with a few Emmys as well.

As a class we will view all seven episodes as well as read a wealth of material connected either directly or indirectly to some of its themes. This series poses so many intriguing questions about morals, family values/responsibilities, the line between good and evil, the war on drugs, greed and so much more, including a comparison between current television vs film viewing. In short, we will examine and expand on several issues connected with the overall term of “breaking bad”—straying from the path of morality, of legality, of conformity towards something deemed unacceptable by the majority of society. In fact, the origin of the term is American Southwest, a slang phrase meaning to challenge conventions, to defy authority, to skirt the edges of the law.

Here is an excerpt from a review of the series:
“It’s difficult to fathom a more dangerous and enthralling piece of television than “Breaking Bad,” the AMC drama that is quietly redefining the creative and content limits of primetime.”
--Ray Richmond, The Hollywood Reporter, March 4, 2009

This class has a blog and it is vital that you check it daily for important information, including reading assignments.
www.English20-7.blogspot.com

Class Schedule:
(Please note: This schedule is subject to change at a moment’s notice. Please bring this schedule, your textbook and appropriate handouts to every class session. ALSO…not every quiz, group discussion, lecture, activity is listed on this class schedule. Simply, that would be impossible. The pace of the class is not always predictable…if you attend class, follow the course outline and read the blog, you will stay current.)

Week One (8/30-9/3)
Introduction to the Course (course theme explained)
Course Outline Distributed (handout)
Oral Presentations (handout)
Unacceptable Errors (handout)
Assign: Character Study Journal (Friday)

Week Two (9/6-9/10)
MONDAY—CAMPUS WIDE HOLIDAY—NO CLASS
View video in class on non-conformity (Wednesday)
In class writing response #1 (Wednesday)
Watch first episode of Breaking Bad in class (Friday)

Week Three (9/13-9/17)
Watch second episode of Breaking Bad in class (Monday)
Assign: Out of class essay #1 (Wednesday)
Skim first 27 pages and read pages 28 thru 46 in Handbook (Friday)

Week Four (9/20-9/24)
Lecture (Monday)
Read Packet #1 (Wednesday)
In class writing response #2 (Wednesday)
Watch 3rd episode of Breaking Bad in class (Fri.)

Week Five (9/27-10/1)
Lecture (Monday)
Read Packet #2 (Wednesday)
Group Work #1 (Wednesday)
Watch 4th episode of Breaking Bad in class (Friday)

Week Six (10/4-10/8)
Lecture (Mon)
Out of class essay #1 due today (Wednesday)
In class journal #1 (Wednesday)

Week Seven (10/11-10/15)
Assign: Out of class essay #2 (Monday)
Read Packet #3 (Wed.)
In class writing response #3 (Wed.)
Watch 5th episode of Breaking Bad in class (Fri.)

Week Eight (10/18-10/22)
Watch 6th episode of Breaking Bad in class (Monday)
In class journal #2 (Wednesday)
Read Packet #4 (Friday)

Week Nine (10/25-10/29)
Watch 7th (and final) episode of Breaking Bad in class (Monday)
In class journal #3 (Wed.)
Read packet # 5 (Fri.)
Group Work #2 (Fri.)

Week Ten (11/1-11/5)
Group Work #3 in class (Monday)
Read Packet #6 (Monday)
Read Packet #7 (Wednesday)
In class journal #4 (Wednesday)
Lecture (Fri.)

Week Eleven (11/8-11/12)
Essay #2 out of class due today (Monday)
Group Work #4 (Wednesday)
Assign Essay #3 out of class today (Friday)

Week Twelve (11/15-11/19)
Read Packet #8 (Monday)
In class writing response #4 (Monday)
Lecture (Fri.)

Week Thirteen (11/22-11/26)
• Thanksgiving Week—enjoy your time with friends and family.

Week Fourteen (11/29-12/3)
Television vs. Film Viewing—in class discussion (Monday)
Out of class essay #3 due today (Wednesday)
Lecture (Fri.)

Week Fifteen (12/6-12/10)
Oral presentations of Essay 3 (Monday and Wednesday)
Grade Roster Check (Fri.)

Week Sixteen (12/12-12/17)
• Finals Week (there is no formal final in this class)

English 20, Section 7

Monday, August 30, 2010

Monday, August 30, 2010--2nd post for the day

Monday, August 30, 2010

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Sunday, August 29, 2010