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.
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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.
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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
