English 1551
Mrs. Margaret Ridge
Tentative Schedule for Fall, 2004

This tentative schedule is intended merely to give you an overview of work assignments and deadlines in order to assist you with long range planning. You can look ahead and see what to expect and structure your time accordingly. Specific daily assignments will be made in class. You are responsible for keeping up to date.

Week 1 – Aug 23 - 27
M - lab
Intro to class. Make sure you receive class syllabus.
W - lab 
Impromptu essay
Assignment for Fri. Read/ Review Handbook, 5th edition,Section 6, pp. 42-54.  Bring Handbook to class on Fri.
F - Class
Intro to Fast Food Nation
Intro to The Vanishing Voter
Discuss Handbook assignment

Week 2 - Aug. 30 - Sept.3
M-lab
Interview/icebreaker/sample paragraph
Assignment for Wed: Review direct quotation and punctuation of signal phrases - Handbook, section 39, (special emphasis on 39a) pp. 263-264, 35g, p.251.
W - lab
Format a document in MLA style. Example in Handbook, p.388
Bring rough draft of interview paragraph to class
Revise interview paragraph in class.  20 pts.
Assignment for Fri. - Read Fast Food Nation, pp.1 - 28 (introduction, chapt.1)
As you read, make entries in your reading journal.  Comment on any item that grabs your attention, makes you mad, or makes you aware of something you had not previously known.
Specific reading journal assignment #1.  This is due on Fri.
Discuss how Schlosser uses narrative and/or description to convey his ideas more effectively.   Provide specific examples from the book. 5 pts.
F - class
 Bring FFN  to class.
Reading journal entries are due.
Class discussion

Week 3-- Sept 6 - 10
M - Labor Day.  No class
W - lab
In-class writing.  Analysis of argument essay.  10 pts.
Some supplemental examples:
Sultans of SmarmClick on the  print-friendly version of this page.
But Wait! That's Not All
Drop Your Standards
The State of Our Citizenship
Tax Wealthy To Pay for Iraq War
Assignment for Fri.  Read Handbook, Section 7c, pp.67-78.
F - class
Bring Handbook and written analysis to class
Discuss argumentation
Assign essay #1- Argument without sources
Assignment for Mon. Read in Handbook, section 5f, pp.40-41.

Week 4-- Sept. 13-17
M - lab
 Peer edit for essay #1.Bring 2 copies of your finished draft to class.  Participation is mandatory if you wish to keep your option to revise.  Peer editing is also part of class grade.
10 pts.
W - lab
Writing Workshop for essay #1
Assignment for Fri.  Read FFN, chapt.2, pp.31-57
Continue to enter questions,comments, observations, points for discussion in your reading journal.
Specific journal entry #2.  Discuss the conflict regarding advertising and children.  Does Schlosser seem to have an opinion about this or does he seem to be neutral in his reporting of this information.  Explain your answer and support it with references to specific passages in book.  What is your opinion on this issue?  5 pts.
Fri - class
Discuss FFN, chapt 2

Week 5--Sept. 20 - 24
M - lab
Essay #1 is due
Bring Handbook to class. Read in Handbook,sections 49d-51b, pp.334-347.
Assign Take-home quiz
W - lab
Take-home quiz is due. 10 pts.
Practice paraphrasing.
Assignment for F - Read Fast Food Nation, chapt 3 and 4, pp. 59-107
Specific journal entry #3.  Notice that this journal assignment is worth double points.   Make an entry in which you discuss Schlosser's attitude toward teen-age workers in FF restaurants.  Explain what you think his attitude is and then explain how you know this.  You may point out specific passages in text to support your conclusions. 10pts.
F -class
Discuss FFN, chapt. 3 and 4
Assign essay #2 - Argument with Sources

Week 6--Sept. 27 - Oct.1
M - lab
Practice with summary and paraphrase. 10 pts.
Bring FFN to class.  You will need to refer to text.
Click on this link for an example of setting up quotations and assessing them.

W - lab
Read in Handbook, section 7a-b, pp.58-67, 49b,pp.331-334.
Additional readings for essay #2
Harvard Education Letter:  Research Online
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Safety Overlooked for Teenagers
click on the print-friendly version of this document
University of Michigan Report
Problems Seen for Teenagers Who Hold Jobs
Here is an optional source if you wish to write about the spending habits of today's teens.  Click on the print-friendly version of this document
Teens With Wads of Cash Flex Spending Muscle
Assignment for F- Read in Handbook, Section 52a, pp.356-363,
F - class
You should have finished Fast Food Nation
Bring FFN and additional readings to class and be prepared to discuss.  What connections do you see to FFN?
 Trouble-shoot essay #2
Assign group oral presentation  - summary, analysis, and commentary
Set up groups for FFN oral presentations -

Week 7--Oct 4 - 8
M - lab
Peer edit for essay #2.  Bring 2 finished copies to class. 10 pts.
W - lab
Workshop essay #2
F - class
Meet in your small groups to prepare oral presentations

Week 8 -- Oct. 11 - 15
M - lab
Essay #2 is due
Confer with small groups
W - lab
Oral presentations of chapters 5, 6, and 7.
Fri. - class
Oral presentations of chapters 8, 9, and 10.

Week 9-- Oct. 18 - 22
M - lab
Freshman Reader Program
Thomas Patterson, author of Vanishing Voter will speak in the Chestnust Room of Kilcawley at noon today.
W - lab
Reading assignment in Handbook, "Research Strategy", Section 47- 49b, pp. 295-334.
Discuss research paper topics
Internet searching.  Try these links:
Anti-McDonald's Site - This is an interesting collection of links to other sites that are relevant to the issues in FFN.  Be careful.  There is a definite point of view here.
You might also want to consult the following links for additional ideas
Blues in Belzoni - This is somewhat of a companion piece to Fast Food Nation.  It's an exploration of some of the same workplace practices that you find in the slaughterhouses, but this time in the catfish industry.  This is also a really good source if you are interested in ergonomic injuries or in lobbying groups.
Working and Poor in the USA - This essay might give you some ideas if you are interested in the issues of minimum wage and treatment of unskilled workers.
Slaughterhouse or No Slaughterhouse - This is a collection of on-line sources about the meat industry, and environmental issues, health issues and social issues associated with the meat industry
www.nomoredeaths.org - This is a collection of links dealing with border issues
www.mcspotlight.org - this is an anti-McDonalds web page with links to several topics dealing with other multi-national corporations.

If you are unsure about the fine points of searching the web, especially for academic sources, try the following links:
Ithaca Guide to Searching the Web
Evaluation of internet sources.
http://milton.mse.jhu.edu:8001/research/education/net.html

You may consult these on-line instructional pages for help with specific aspects of research paper
Intro to Research and Argument instructional web site
        Read Steps in the Research and Writing Process, Selecting a Topic, Framing Your  Research Questions, Initial Searching
  Read Evaluating Print and Electronic Sources, Evaluating My Sources, Finding Scholarly Journals.  Read Working with Sources, Bias and Logical Errors  and Using Sources Fairly and Accurately

For Friday, Read in FFN, epilogue, afterword, pp. 256-288.
Specific reading journal assignment #4.  This is due on Fri.
Would you recommend Fast Food Nation to a friend or family member?  Why or why not?  Support your answer with specific references to the text. 10 pts.
Fri. - class
 Discuss FFN, epilogue, afterword, pp. 225-288.
Make final decision about research paper topic.
Assign library search. Follow library search strategy for selected issue

Week 10 --   Oct. 25 - 29
M - lab
Introduction to library on-line resources.  Maagnet Treasure Hunt.
Sign up for research conference #1
WedMeet in Maag Library, 4th floor instructional room.  Participation is mandatory.  10 pts.
Fri.  Research conference #1 - Bring your working draft to conference
.

Week 11--Nov. 1 - 5
Research conference #1- Bring your working draft to your conference

Week 12-- Nov. 8 - 12
M - Library Search is due
Citation workshopParticipation is mandatory. Bring Handbook and sources to class.
10 pts.
Some help in setting up your Work Cited Page
Further examples for citing web sources in MLA format
W - Citation workshop. Bring all sources to class.  We will work on list of sources.
sign up for conference #2
- Research paper and outline workshop.  Participation is mandatory  10 pts.
Bring Handbook.  Discuss outline,introduction, thesis, work cited page
Discuss requirements for conference #2

Week 13-- Nov. 15 - 19
M - Outline workshop.  Bring your draft to lab
 Read Developing the Thesis Statement and Supporting Argument,Thesis, Freewriting
Read Revising
 For help with outlines, try this link
A sample outline from OWL
W - Begin research conference #2

Week 14 --Nov. 22 - 26
Research Conference#2
Thanksgiving Week

Week 15-- Nov. 29 - Dec. 3
Mon.  Research paper is due.
Preparation for optional final paper.
Wed. In-class writing - Optional final

Write to your Senator
Write to your Representative
Something to Think About

Return to 551 syllabus