Thursday, Dec 8th, 2011

Greetings,
I have completed the grading of Quiz 5 and the scores are below.

If you have any questions about ANYTHING, please send me an email. (sacto1954@gmail.com)

I have heard from a few of you who will be dropping off revisions on Monday. Again, please let me know if you will be placing any revision work in my dept. mailbox.

Wishing all of you a most wonderful and safe holiday season.
I thoroughly enjoyed the semester with all of you!

English 20, Section 16, Quiz 5 Results

Rodriguez 41
Lintz 41
Simon 47
Bertacchi 41
Cuzick 44
Williams 44
Altavilla 38
Rivera 46
Siensker 49
Xiong 40
Murao 46
Wood 50
Sumano 35
Cruz 52
Cortez, A. 44
Montoya 50
Bourn 43
Cao 46
Cortez, R. 46
Flores 38
deTerra 44
Seliutina 43
Murphy 35
Baker 0
Jones 0

English 20, Section 4, Quiz 5 Results

Stabbert 50
Adams 47
Lott 47
Malone 32
Flaherty 41
Rudenko 52
Waterstradt, 42
Rodriguez 44
Mirfakhrai 40
Brandt 44
MacAlvey 52
Aiello 40
Houston 49
Barry 46
Harris 35
Foksha 40
Ferrell 41
Lee 43
Nijjar 41
Mackay 39
Osmanzada 46
Qui 35
Ellis 47
Schooling 46
Michelini 40

Thursday evening, December 1, 2011

Greetings...

I was re-considering our last week of classes today.
Since we have already completed the class evaluations (both the English Department's and the one we discussed in small groups), I see no reason why we have to meet on Wednesday.

On Monday the plan is:
Quiz #5
Watching post season interviews, etc. of Breaking Bad
Checking grade sheets

PLEASE BRING YOUR GRADE SHEETS, FILLED OUT, ALONG WITH ALL YOUR GRADED WORK TO CLASS ON MONDAY. You will be comparing your results with the grade sheets I keep for each one of you to be sure there is no discrepancies.

You should be able to fill in all the blanks on your grade sheet except for Quiz 5 AND the rewrite of Essay 3, if you are planning to revise it. The revisions are still not due until Wednesday. They must be delivered to my faculty mailbox in the English Dept. sometime Wednesday, or submitted during my office hour, 11-1150 am, Calaveras 149.

You will also not know your quiz 5 score. I will post those on the blog...unless anyone has a problem with their score being seen by other students. Let me know.

See you Monday. Have a good, safe weekend.

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Hello, for any students who missed class on Monday (there are just a few of you) please complete the evaluation form below and bring it to class in order to participate in Group Work 4 tomorrow.


It is not necessary for you to put your name on this feedback form.
ENGLISH 20, FALL 2011
Since this is only the 4th semester I have tried a different approach to teaching English 20, I highly value your honest and very specific feedback.

1. What did you find of value in watching the first season of Breaking Bad? If you found nothing of value, I would like to know as well. Be as articulate as possible.








2. Is there any other television series that you know of that you feel might be an interesting one to examine closely and extract themes to discuss and write about in this course?


3. What are you opinions about the three out of class essays?

• Essay 1 (voices against conformity):



• Essay 2 (a family’s adjustment to a challenging situation):



• Essay 3 (in depth character analysis):



4. What is the best thing about this semester’s course?




5. What is your least favorite thing about this semester’s course?




6. Other comments/suggestions on any aspects of the class.

Monday, November 14, 2011--7 pm

Greetings...
A few things:
1. If you decided that out of class essay #2 is the essay you will revise, the first revision is due on the Monday after Thanksgiving week, November 28th. Be sure to submit the original essay with my comments along with the revision.
2. In case you have not heard already, we will not be holding class at all next week. Please realize that may not be the case for your other classes. The university is officially closed only on Thanksgiving day and the day afterwards.

See you Wednesday.

Sunday, November 13th...2 pm

Hello again,

I WILL be in class on Wednesday.

But I am switching around a few things for this week.
We will actually have group work on Wednesday, not Monday.
(But Musings on Immigration is still due on Monday)

We will have the Writing Response on Monday. The packet to be read will be given to you in class on Monday, before you respond in writing.

Also, a reminder that there will not be any class held during the Thanksgiving week.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Greetings,

Just a reminder about the assignment due Monday, which is not on the syllabus, and which I assigned in class on Wednesday.

Please type "Musings on Immigration" at the top of your paper, and then respond to the term, immigration. Type your thoughts and feelings. No minimum or maximum length requirements. It also does not have to be written in complete, grammatically correct sentences. PLEASE DO NOT PUT YOUR NAME ON THIS ASSIGNMENT.

See you Monday. Have a wonderful and safe weekend.

Also, there is a small possibility that I will have to cancel class on Wednesday. I will know more about that this weekend. Please keep current with the blog over the weekend for an update.

Monday, November 7, 2011--330 pm

Greetings, below you will find a copy of the Out of Class Essay 3 assignment that we discussed in class today.



English 20, Fall 2011—Sections 14 and 16—Instructor: C. Fraga

Out of Class Essay Assignment #3 (200 points)
Assigned: Monday, Nov. 7
Optional Rough Draft Due: no later than Monday, November 14
Due: Monday, November 28

Requirements:
• MLA format
• If you utilize any outside sources (not required) you must follow MLA format for in- text citations, Works Cited page, etc.
• Attach Character Study Journal (all 7 entries) to essay when submitting

Before we began viewing the first season of Breaking Bad, I assigned a Character Study Journal. You were to select a character to focus on more carefully than others and to record observations of him or her as the episodes unfolded.

This Character Study Journal will now be a valuable source as you write your last out of class essay for this course.

Assignment:
Write an in-depth character analysis of one of the characters in the first season of Breaking Bad.

Your essay must include the following:
• An introduction/description/background of your character
• Assertions about your character
• Evidence from the episodes that support your assertions (how did you come to the conclusions you did regarding your character?)

Your supportive evidence might include but is not limited to:
• what others observe/say (or don’t observe/say) about your character—either directly or in private
• the actions of your character in particular situations
• the reactions/responses of your character in particular situations
• what drives this character
• what terrifies this character
• what pleases this character
• what does this character long for
• what does this character need

Your thesis must be assertive…it is YOUR opinion as a viewer of these episodes.

Whether or not you LIKE or DISLIKE this character is not an issue in this essay.

Whether you LIKE or DISLIKE the series is also not an issue in this essay.

Proving to the reader that this character has the attributes (good, bad, layered, shallow) that you assert he or she has is your goal.

Your thesis might read something like this:

Once Walter learns of his terminal cancer, he seems very unstable and irresponsible; however, his behavior truly represents a very determined, focused and highly intelligent and moral father and husband.

or…

Marie is a very insecure and lonely woman who is unhappy and uncomfortable living in the shadows of her power-driven DEA husband and her happily married and very bright sister, Skylar.

Packet 7--due to be read by Wednesday, November 9th:

"Immigration Problem could be Solving Itself"
http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2011-07-14-Immigration-problem-could-be-solving-itself_n.htm

"States' Immigration Laws Work"
http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2011-07-14-States-immigration-laws-work_n.htm

November 5, 2011, Saturday, 2:15 pm

Good afternoon, happy weekend.
I just noticed that I MEANT to assign Packet 7 to be read by Wednesday, not by Monday.
I will be posting that assignment later this weekend.

Thursday, October 27th, 2011

Greetings,

A few things:

Be sure to complete your viewing of the entire first season of Breaking Bad by Monday.

As you will note in your course outline, there will be a quiz on Wednesday. The exact pages are indicated on the course outline as well. It will be an open book quiz.

If you wish to submit a rough draft of Essay 2, remember that it must be submitted by Monday, Oct. 31st.

Wednesday, October 19th, 10 pm

Greetings,

Below you will find the link to Packet #6. As you course outline indicates, this is due to be read by Monday.
The reading focuses on the issue of immigration. As with health care, it is considered a very "hot" topic for many. It does not rear its head in Breaking Bad specifically in this first season, but it is an issue in the shadows, especially where Hank is concerned.

Also, just a reminder to be sure to purchase a blue (or green) book for Wednesday's In Class Essay #2. It will be a practice essay in preparation for the WPJ exam. We will discuss the WPJ in more detail on Monday.

Have a wonderful weekend and a safe one.

READING PACKET #6
"What are the Solutions to Illegal Immigration in America? Pros and Cons"
http://immigration.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000842

Thursday, October 13, 2011, 730 pm

Hello,

below is the assignment for Packet #5, due to be viewed by Wednesday, October 19th. It is a short talk to view on TED Talks.

http://www.ted.com/talks/abraham_verghese_a_doctor_s_touch.html

Be sure to view Episode 6 of Breaking Bad by Monday.

Have a wonderful weekend and be safe.

See you Monday.

Friday, October 7, 2011--8 pm

Hello,
Three things...
1. Please print out and bring to class the following handout below, HOW TO CRITICALLY READ AN ESSAY.
2. The following TWO readings about U.S. health care are due to be read by Monday and are considered READING PACKET #4.
3. We will have a guest speaker this week who will give a brief overview of everything you ever wanted to know about the WPJ.

English 20 , College Composition II
C. Fraga

How to Critically Read an Essay

Educated adults exist in a delusional state, thinking we can read.

In a most basic sense, we can.

However, odds are, some of us cannot read, at least not as well as we would like.

Too many college students are capable of only some types of reading and that becomes painfully clear when they read a difficult text and must respond critically about it.

Intelligence and a keen memory are excellent traits and most students have learned to read in a certain way that is only useful for extracting information. Thus, students are often fairly well skilled in providing summary.

However, the act of reading to extract information and to read critically are vastly different!

The current educational system in American primary schools (and many colleges) heavily emphasizes the first type of reading and de-emphasizes the latter.

In many ways, THIS MAKES SENSE.

Reading to extract information allows a student to absorb the raw materials of factual information as quickly as possible. It is a type of reading we all must engage in frequently. However, each type of reading calls for different mental habits. If we do not learn to adjust from one type of reading to another when necessary, we cripple our intellectual abilities to read critically.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN READING TO EXTRACT INFORMATION AND READING CRITICALLY.

1. They have different goals. When students read to extract information, usually they seek facts and presume the source is accurate. No argument is required. On the other hand, when students read critically, they try to determine the quality of the argument. The reader must be open-minded and skeptical all at once, constantly adjusting the degree of personal belief in relation to the quality of the essay’s argument.
2. They require different types of discipline. If students read to learn raw data, the most efficient way to learn is repetition. If students read critically, the most effective technique may be to break the essay up into logical subdivisions and analyze each section’s argument, to restate the argument in other words, and then to expand upon or question the findings.
3. They require different mental activity. If a student reads to gain information, a certain degree of absorption, memorization and passivity is necessary. If a student is engaged in reading critically, that student must be active!!! He or she must be prepared to pre-read the essay, then read it closely for content, and re-read it if it isn’t clear how the author is reaching the conclusion in the argument.
4. They create different results. Passive reading to absorb information can create a student who (if not precisely well read) has read a great many books. It creates what many call “book-smarts.” However, critical reading involves original, innovative thinking.
5. They differ in the degree of understanding they require. Reading for information is more basic, and reading critically is the more advanced of the two because only critical reading equates with full understanding.

ULTIMATELY, WHAT WE WANT IS THE CONSCIOUS CONTROL OF OUR READING SKILLS, SO WE CAN MOVE BACK AND FORTH AMIDST THE VARIOUS TYPES OF READING.

FIVE GENERAL STAGES OF READING

1. Pre-Reading—examining the text and preparing to read it effectively (5 minutes)




2. Interpretive Reading—understanding what the author argues, what the author concludes, and exactly how he or she reached that conclusion.




3. Critical Reading—questioning, examining and expanding upon what the author says with your own arguments. Skeptical reading does not mean doubting everything your read.



4. Synoptic Reading—putting the author’s argument in a larger context by considering a synopsis of that reading or argument in conjunction with synopses of other readings or arguments.



5. Post-Reading—ensuring that you won’t forget your new insights.



*************************
READING PACKET #4
The issue of health care certainly rears its head in the Breaking Bad episodes. It seems fitting that the series features an ordinary high school chemistry teacher whose health care benefits do not cover his treatments for lung cancer. He is desperate to get money for his treatments and to leave money for his family in the event of his death.

(Walter's former business partner, Elliott, was willing to pay for Walter's entire treatment. This "private sector" option was rejected out of jealousy and spite toward his friend's success. White, who quit the company before it went big, believes his friends ripped him off. One of his friends is the current wife of the company's CEO and also White's ex-fiance, whom he left. His resentment toward their success drives him to reject their offer.)

"Middle Class Struggling with Health Care Costs, Report Finds"
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10077/1043764-84.stm

"Why Does Health Care Cost so Much?"
http://www.newamerica.net/node/8920

Just a quick note...

When you are accessing the two required readings for Monday please make a note that the article titled
"Middle class struggling with health care costs, report finds" is the one I want you to read. It is an article by David Templeton from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. It is the link I gave you, but just in case you notice another listing when you google this title, it may be the entire PDF of the report. I do not want you to read the entire report, just the article ABOUT the report.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011--830 am

Greetings,
below you will find the out of class essay #2 assignment we discussed in class on Monday.

Also, a few reminders, etc. about the in class essay #1 for tomorrow:
1. Remember to bring a blue or green book to class
2. I mentioned in class that the prompt will only focus on Walter White, Sr but in fact you will have your choice of main characters to focus on. I had forgotten that I changed the prompt slightly during the summer class.

Later today I will post some information you will need to print for class next week


English 20, Fall 2011---Sections 14 & 16---C. Fraga

Date assigned: Monday, October 3
Rough draft (optional): due no later than Monday October 31
Final draft due: Monday, November 7
(you have five weeks to research and write this essay)
Details:
1. MLA format
2. At least 4 outside sources on your Works Cited page
3. Please, no Wikipedia
4. No formulaic, 5 paragraph essay

OUT OF CLASS ESSAY ASSIGNMENT #2
Among many things, the series Breaking Bad focuses on the family entity and what happens when something quite extraordinary occurs—how do members of the family cope, adjust, and/or “deal” with the event/situation? (In the case of this series, obviously it is Walter’s cancer that is the ‘event’).

I am not referring to the everyday bumps in the road that occur for all families. Instead, I am asking you to consider the family unit when faced with an especially challenging situation. These situations could include but are not limited to:
• death
• birth
• infidelity
• serious injury
• dementia
• serious illness
• divorce
• unemployment
• new employment
• moving to a new home/state/area/country
• the return of a war veteran
• moving BACK home after initially moving OUT
• alcoholism
• drug abuse

Select ONE situation that you are most interested in exploring. You will conduct research (and possibly personal interviews, if possible) in order to write an essay that offers the reader background on the topic and makes an assertion about what elements impact a family in the most challenging of ways and supports it logically and interestingly.

Your thesis might read something like this:

When a family member develops dementia, the challenges are often devastating, yet the disease definitely impacts family members more than the dementia patient.

Or…

When a couple divorces, it most certainly impacts the children still living at home; however, it is the older children who have already moved away that are most affected by the split.

5 pm, Friday afternoon, September 23, 2011

Hello,

Just a few reminders and information that you need for next week.

1. If you wish to submit a rough draft for me to review of Out of Class Essay 1, it must be submitted by Monday, Sept. 26

2. If you have not already, be sure to make corrections on your course outline. I announced the changes in class before I left for Hawaii since I was going to be gone on Wednesday, the 21st of September.
.
3 The reading assignment for Packet 3 can be found below. It is due to be read by Wednesday, Sept. 28, according to your course outline. Both readings focus on America's war on drugs, a timely topic when one considers the events in the series, Breaking Bad.

PACKET 3: (two readings)

"The War on Drugs: Brief History"
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1887488,00.html

"On the 40th Anniversary of the War on Drugs"
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/15/40-anniversary-war-on-drugs-cops-obama_n_877702.html

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Greetings....(and do I dare add....Aloha! No? Okay....)

A couple of things....mostly reminders...

1. If you have any questions or concerns about the out of class essay assignment...or about anything else...please know I will be available by email so do not hesitate to send me a note.

2. Professor O'Donnell will be taking my place next week on Monday, the 19th. She will distribute in class Writing Response #2. You will of course have the entire class period to complete it if you find that necessary.

3. Class is cancelled on Wednesday, the 21st.

Until we meet again, please be safe.

Monday, Sept. 12th, around 930 pm

Hello,
Below you will find a copy of Out of Class Essay 1 Assignment that you received in class today.

AND SOME REMINDERS...

1. For those of you in section 14, I would like to remind you (since I did not remember in class BUT did remember in section 16) to bring your Handbook to class on Wednesday. As you know, whenever something is due to be read, you bring that item to class. So again, this is merely a reminder. And as we have discussed, you can bring the actual Handbook or a laptop in order to access the material in class; of course you can print out a hard copy as well. There just could be a quiz...

2. If for some reason you have NOT viewed the TED talk, "The Year of Living Biblically," be sure to view it before coming to class on Wednesday.

3. As I explained in class, next Wednesday there will be no class. Please make the following changes on your course outline:
In Week Four, please move the activities for Wednesday the 21st to Monday, Sept 26th.


___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
English 20, Sections 14 & 16
Fall, 2011
Catherine Fraga, Instructor

Out of Class Essay Assignment #1—200 points possible—VOICES AGAINST CONFORMITY

• Assigned: Monday, Sept. 12
• Rough Draft Due (OPTIONAL), typed & double spaced, no later than: Monday, Sept. 26
• Final Draft Due: Monday, October 3, typed & double spaced

***Note that you have two weeks to research and write this essay. Your final draft should reflect this.

Let’s take a closer look at the issue of conformity/non-conformity.

The most interesting, focused and articulate essays I receive from students are ones where the students select their own specific topic and are genuinely intrigued by the topic.

For this essay, you will research and write about one person who is/was considered a non-conformist in his/her field of interest.

This topic allows for a wealth of flexibility and choice.

Your focus will be on a person working in an area (and time period in history) that you are most interested in: photography; art; literature; politics; film; music; fashion; science; mathematics; education; or ???

To get a better idea of some possibilities, and for purpose of illustration, let’s look at some examples of topics within in the time period of the 1950s in America.

Premise: Many in the 1950s worked diligently for the comfort and conformity displayed on such TV shows as Father Knows Best and Leave it to Beaver. But regardless of the affluence of the new American middle class, there was still poverty, racism and alienation in America rarely depicted on TV.

Dozens of people rejected societal norms through their artwork, creativity and lifestyle. They used words, art, film and music to rebel against the cookie-cutter mentality of the established power structure and mass-marketed culture.

Many writers during this time period (referred to as the Beat Generation) adamantly refused to submit to the conformity of the 1950s. (these writers included Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, Diane Di Prima, Sloan Wilson, J.D. Salinger, William Burroughs, and others)

Likewise, many artists during this time period adamantly refused to submit to the conformity of the 1950s. (these artists included Willem De Kooning, Hans Hoffman, Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollock, Clement Greenberg, and others)

Also, according to an Internet article on Conformity in U.S. History: “While the 1950s silver screen lit up mostly with the typical Hollywood fare of Westerns and romances, a handful of films shocked audiences by uncovering the dark side of America’s youth.”

Many filmmakers of this time period adamantly refused to submit to the conformity of the 1950s. (these films include The Wild One; Blackboard Jungle; Rebel without a Cause, etc)

No matter what non conformist you select to research, your essay must contain the following:

• a brief history of the country’s mood during this time period;
• background and details about the non-conformist you will focus on;
• how his/her work challenged the status quo;
• the impact of his/her work on others in the same field and on society;
• and the repercussions and influence felt today or what you predict WILL be the repercussions in the future.

Your essay will be both informative and analytical: your thesis will “prove” the person’s influence, or not, on people’s lives, then and now.

Things to Consider:

This is NOT an essay in which you write an in depth analysis of the literature, film, music, etc. of the time period you are focused on. To do that, you would need to carefully read, view, or listen to the work or material at great length.

Instead, you are conducting research to discover the mood of the country and the status quo during a particular time period——why and how a person’s work was considered non conformist—and how their work influenced those living then…and now.

Your thesis might read something like this:

Although 1950s America appeared to be almost unrealistically content, many visual artists at this time, particularly Jackson Pollack, successfully combated the blissful charade by using innovative methods and themes in his work.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Hello,

Below is the assignment for Packet 2, due to be completed by Monday, September 19th.

The first required reading is a 4 minute and 50 second interview that was recorded on National Public Radio in June of 2010.

1.) "Tackling America's Drug Addiction"
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127937271


2.) "Confessions of a Mom (and a Former Teen Pothead)
http://www.npr.org/blogs/tellmemore/2010/10/19/130677774/confessions-from-a-mom-and-former-teen-pot-head

See you tomorrow in class.

Second Posting for Thursday, Sept. 1

ALERT...ALERT...ALERT

Breaking Bad is now available in the bookstore, upstairs with the textbooks.

So we will keep to the original schedule on the course outline.

Again, enjoy the very long weekend.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Hello,

Several things to let you know!

First...following up on our discussion in class yesterday:

WHILE YOU ARE WATCHING BREAKING BAD, ESPECIALLY AFTER YOU HAVE DECIDED WHICH CHARACTER YOU WILL FOLLOW MORE CLOSELY PERHAPS THAN ANY OTHER, I SUGGEST YOU THINK ABOUT OR RECORD THE FOLLOWING OBSERVATIONS:

• What does this character do (and not do) and why?
• What do others think about your character? And how do you know?
• What motivates your character to do what he/she does?
• What influences this character to do what he/she does?
• What was your first impression of this character and does it change as you view new episodes? Why or why not? In which ways?
• What are this character’s goals, dreams, desires, needs? How do you know?
• Do you like this character? Why or why not?
• Is this character a believable one, a genuine one? Why or why not?

Second...

I have just left a message with the university bookstore about the Breaking Bad DVD. As soon as I hear back I will post information on the blog, hopefully later today.

Third...

Below you will find the reading/viewing assignment for Packet 1. It consists of two parts: one video to view on line and one article available on the Internet. I give you links to both. As stated in your course outline, these are due to be completed by class on Monday, Sept. 12. Be sure to bring a printed version of the article to class.

PACKET ONE ASSIGNMENT

Part One of Reading Packet One

This talk is an approximately 17 minute video presentation on TED talks. The link is below, as well as a short "blurb" about the speaker.

A. J. Jacobs, I believe, can be considered in the category of nonconformist. He certainly has a unique and interesting way of going about living and asking questions in order to live the best, most genuine life possible. Please arrive to class on Tuesday having viewed this presentation. I recommend that you take notes while viewing so you can recall key points for class discussion and for an in class writing response.

http://www.ted.com/talks/a_j_jacobs_year_of_living_biblically.html

A.J. Jacobs' writings stand at the intersection of philosophy, Gonzo journalism and performance art. Stubbornly curious and slyly perceptive, he takes immersive learning to its irrational and profoundly amusing extreme -- extracting wisdom and meaning after long stints as a self-styled guinea pig. For his widely circulated Esquire article, My Outsourced Life, he explored the phenomenon of outsourcing by hiring a team in Bangalore, India to take care of every part of his life -- from reading his emails to arguing with his wife to reading bedtime stories to his own son. A previous article, I Think You're Fat, chronicled a brief, cringe-inducing attempt to live his life in Radical Honesty, telling all the truth, all the time.
Jacobs is author of The Know-It-All, which documents the year he spent reading the Encyclopedia Britannica from A to Z, uncovering both funny and surprising factoids but also poignant insight into history and human nature. In 2007 he released The Year of Living Biblically, he attempted to follow every single rule in the Bible as literally as possible for an entire year. His latest book, My Life as an Experiment, is a collection of numerous personal experiments including living according to George Washington's rules of conduct, outsourcing every single task to India, and posing as a woman on an online dating site.
"A. J. Jacobs has written about the Bible in a manner that is brilliantly funny but unerringly respectful, learned but goofy, deeply personal yet highly relevant. I am covetous and wish him smited."

Part Two of Reading Packet One

"Sweet Land of...Conformity?

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2010/06/06/sweet_land_of_conformity/

Tuesday, August 30th--1130 am

Greetings.

Below is a copy of the course outline and grade worksheet distributed yesterday in class.

Also, for my section 14 class at noon--I have not been able to find a new room for us...yet! So we will meet again in Eureka 111.

*******************************************************************

English 20, College Composition II
Sacramento State University, Fall 2011

Section 14, MW, 12-1:15 PM, Eureka 111
Section 16, MW, 1:30-2:45 pm, Douglass 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, 11-11:50 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)
OR it is available at no cost online at:
http://www.csus.edu/wac/WAC/Students/CSUS_Writing_Handbook.pdf

Required Materials:
• stapler
• lined notebook paper, standard size 8 ½” x 11”, clean edge (not torn from notebook)
• access to a computer and printer (very important!)
• Breaking Bad, Season 1 (DVD) – seven episodes total.

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, in class writing, a journal, etc. which really does end up impacting your earned grade because this work CAN NOT BE MADE UP.

2. About being tardy for class: It seems that over the last few years, tardiness has REALLY escalated and become problematic. I am not sure why, but I do know that most of my colleagues deduct a percentage of the earned grade for tardiness. It is really annoying and disruptive, both to me and the rest of the class, when students enter the class late—we only meet for 75 minutes, twice a week, and I begin class immediately. In the “real world,” there is even less tolerance for lateness. Plan ahead. I realize things can happen beyond your control, but looking for parking is not a good excuse. If I see that tardiness is becoming excessive, I may ask you to drop the class.

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

4. In all fairness to other students, I do not accept late work except for out of class essays (see #5 below.) If you are ill, please arrange for another student, friend, or relative to turn it in for you. Period.

5. 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.

6. You’re responsible for finding out what you missed if you are absent. When you miss class you will ALWAYS miss something “important.” I will provide you with a class roster for your convenience.

7. 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.

8. 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. ALL CHANGES MUST BE CLEARLY HIGHLIGHTED ON THE REVISED DRAFT. 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, iPad, or laptop computer, please do not enroll in this class. (I own 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. I plan to give you my full attention 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 recently announced 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. The series is now in its fourth season.

You are required to view all seven episodes as well as read a wealth of material connected either directly or indirectly to some of its themes. We will be using these materials as fodder for writing.

This series poses so many intriguing questions about morals, family values/responsibilities, the line between good and evil, the war on drugs, greed, health care 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

This class has a blog and it is vital that you check it on a regular basis, even on weekends, for important information, including reading assignments and other information pertinent to the course. Please bookmark it on your computer for easy, quick access.

www.English20Fall2011Fraga.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 (8/29-9/2)
Introduction to the Course (course theme explained)
Course Outline Distributed (handout)
Unacceptable Errors (handout)
Assign: Character Study Journal

Week Two (9/5-9/9)
Labor Day—Campus Closed—no class (Monday)
In class writing response #1 (Wed.)
Watch first two episodes of Breaking Bad (Wed.)
Television vs. Film Viewing—in class discussion (Wed.)

Week Three (9/12-9/16)
Assign: Out of class essay #1 (Mon.)
Complete Reading Packet 1 (Mon.)
Skim first 27 pages and read pages 28 thru 48 in Handbook (Wed.)

Week Four (9/19-9/23)
Complete Packet #2 (Monday)
In class writing response #2 (Monday)
Watch third episode of Breaking Bad (Wed.)
Group Work #1 (Wed.)

Week Five (9/26-9/30)
Watch fourth episode of Breaking Bad (Mon.)
In class writing response #3 (Monday)
Read Packet #3 (Wednesday)
Group Work #2 (Wednesday)

Week Six (10/3-10/7)
Out of class essay #1 due today (Mon.)
Out of class essay #2 assigned today (Mon.)
Watch episode 5 of Breaking Bad (Monday)
In class essay #1—please remember to bring a green (or blue book) to class today (Wednesday)

Week Seven (10/10-10/14)
Read Packet #4 (Mon.)
In class writing response #4 (Wed.)

Week Eight (10/17-10/21)
Watch 6th episode of Breaking Bad (Monday)
In class writing response #5 (Wednesday)
Read Packet #5 (Wednesday)

Week Nine (10/24-10/28)
Read Packet #6 (Monday)
In class essay #2 (Wednesday)—remember to bring blue or green book today

Week Ten (10/31-11/4))
Watch 7th (and final) episode of Breaking Bad (Monday)
Arrive in class having read one of the four sections in Part III of the Handbook: Writing Across the Curriculum at Sacramento State. Select the section that “fits” your major field of study. If you have not yet declared a major, select the one that BEST fits what you THINK your major will be. (Your choices are: Natural Sciences and Math; Social Sciences; Arts and Humanities; or Business and Professional Communications.)
(Wednesday)

Week Eleven (11/7-11/11))
Out of class essay #2 due today (Monday)
Out of class essay #3 assigned today (Monday)
Read packet # 7 (Mon.)

Week Twelve (11/14-11/18)
Group Work #3 (Monday)
Read Packet #8 (Wed.)
In class writing response # 6 (Wed.)

Week Thirteen (11/21-11/25)
Thanksgiving Week—Campus Closed on Thursday & Friday

Week Fourteen (11/28-12/2)
Out of class essay #3 due today (Monday)
Group Work #4 (Wed.)


Week Fifteen (12/5-12/9)
Video surprise (Monday)
Grade Worksheet Match-up (Wed.)
Class Evaluations (Wed.)

Week Sixteen (12/12-12/16)
Finals Week
There is no formal final exam in this class.

****************************************************
Name:______________________________English 20, Fall 2011, Section _______

POINTS EARNED Your Worksheet--------1550 points possible

OUT OF CLASS ESSAYS—600 pts.
Essay 1 (200 points)_____ Essay 2 (200 points)_____Essay 3(200 points) _____


IN-CLASS ESSAYS—200 pts.
Essay 1 (100 points) ______
Essay 2 (100 points) ______

IN-CLASS WRITING RESPONSES—300 pts.
#1 (50 points)_____
#2 (50 points)_____
#3 (50) points)_____
#4 (50) points)_____
#5 (50 points) ______
#6 (50 points) ______

IN-CLASS GROUP WORK (200 pts.)
Each session is worth 50 pts.
Group Work 1 _____ Group Work 2 _____ Group Work 3 _____ Group Work 4_____


QUIZZES (these quizzes may not always be “announced” and they cannot be made up. 50 pts ea.) (250 pts. total) Please record each quiz and your score below.
Quiz 1_____ Quiz 2_____ Quiz 3_____ Quiz 4_____ Quiz 5_____


How to assess your grade earned: Divide the points you earn by 1550 to find the percentage.
Then see chart below.

100-94=A Example: 940 pts. earned=60.6%=C-
93-90=A- Example: 1100 pts. earned=70.9%=C+
89-84=B+ Example: 1359 pts. earned=87.6%=B+
83-80=B Example: 1458 pts. earned=94%=A
79-74=B-
73-70=C+
69-64=C
63-60=C-
59-54=D
53-0=F

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Greetings,
I am looking forward to meeting all of you on the 29th.
Meanwhile, you may want to pick up the only required "text" for the course, which is:
Breaking Bad, Season 1 (DVD) (7 episodes total)
This can be purchased at the university's bookstore.
(update as of August 18th...I just heard from the university bookstore, and it appears that perhaps the DVDs are not yet in the bookstore...? I am supposed to get an update very very soon, so I will keep you posted!)
All other materials will be from the Internet or from handouts.
Continue to enjoy your August.
Prof. Fraga
(if you have any questions before we meet, the best way to reach me is via email:
sacto1954@gmail.com)