Junior Composition and Conversation
Tentative Syllabus
Date Activity  Assignments and Due Dates
 
I. a. Narrative-- 
Topic: Today's Children and Your Childhood 		 b. Research paper¡Xa topic & a tentative thesis
 
 *RP = Research Paper
 Blue means composition activities;   Grey means composition lessons.
1. 9/22 T 
  • Introduction: the course, internet & animation  
  • Chatting: "Where" are you from? 

    •              "Where" can we visit together in the world of internet ?    		 1
       9/25 F 
  • animation: "Sound Collector" 
  • Focused Free Writing: Sondra Perl Guidelines
    		•  1st draft
    2. 9/29 T
  • Point of view-- animation: "Cosmic Zoom";  bring 1st draft to class

    •      		 2 
    revise first draft
       10/2 F 
  • Group Performance of a Children's story
  • Discussion: Our experience with internet and cultural connections project 
  • research paper (RP) topic
    		•   
    3. 10/ 6 T
  • On-Focus: Everything about your childhood.  Bring pictures with you if possible.
  • defining your research paper topic

    •      		 2nd draft due; give a copy to your partner 
     
       10/ 9 F 
  • Reading, sharing and responding: read two short stories and your partner's story for  their (implied) thesis and concrete details 
    		•  Idiom (1) & (2)
    4. 10/ 13 T News Square (1): Today's Children
  • cc_project 1st report
  • RP proposal due
  • Idiom (3)(4)
    		•
     
    II. Analysis ¡X of a text 
    Topic: The Fast-Changing Society    		 b. Research paper¡Xdoing research in the library and on internet
     
      10/16 F
  • Typhoon
    		•  3: Get the texts online!
    5. 10/20 T Individual conferences (Mon & Tues) 
      10/23 F
  • animation: "Charles and Francois" 
  • Analysis of Connotation and Denotation, literal and symbolic meanings
    		•   narration 3rd draft due
      10/27 T
  • Analysis of Form and Content with examples of Commercials, Ads and a hypertext poem. 
    		•
    6. 10/30 F
  • exchange papers in class
  • News Square (2): Today's Children
  • Choose Current Affair discussion topic
    		•
  • 1st draft due
  • cc_project 2nd report--Oct 29
  • 4: Current Affairs
    		•
    7. 11/3 T
  • Current Affair Discussion
  • Free discussion:  sharing our research and internet experiences 
    		•
  • Reading your groupmate's papers, 
  • making an outline of your own 
    		•
       11/ 6 F
  • topic sentence, paragraph, outlining: a review
  • Sharing and responding
    		•  5: respond to at least 3 of our research paper topics on our message board
    8. 11/ 10 T Role Play: Putting Up an ad yourselves
       11/13 F copy editting 
    frequent errors
    decide on a group topic    		 6: English Chatroom--2nd visit 
    cc_project 3rd report--Oct 12 
     
    III.  Analysis of an event or a phenomenon --group project;  
    Topic -- your own choices.    		 b. Research paper¡Xthe first draft 
     
    9.11/17 T 
  • Group discussion and collection of evidence.
  • possible event analysis topics
  • animation: "What a Nice Day" or another one that is relevant to your topics
    		•  7: online writing Lab 
    text-analysis -- 2nd draft due 
    11/20 F Mid-term exam
    10. 11/24 T Group discussion outside of class 
    individual conferences    		 RP 2nd proposal due on Mon.; 
    1st draft
          11/27 F  Conversation: Getting Down to Business   cc_project 4th report--Nov. 26
    11. 12/ 1 T Cause and Effect 
    putting the drafts together and re-shaping ideas    		  
         12/4  F  Conversation: Interview   cc_project final report--Dec 3
    12. 12/8 T  brain storming for Argumentation topics  
          12/11 F final revision 2nd draft due
     
    IV. Argumentation--logical and effective persuasion  b. Research paper¡Xre-thinking the scope 
    and thesis
     
    13. 12/15 T group report
         12/18 F how to be persuasive? A pattern for Argumentation 
    Video: Other people's money
    14. 12/22 T  1. group discussion; 2. chatting time--time management (a remote site) and stress management ¡@
         12/25 F  Merry X'mas!
    15. 12/29 T  debate (prepared) ¡@
           1/1  F  Holidayƒº research paper  
    1st draft due
           1/5  T debate (spontaneous) Argumentation 1st draft due
    17.  1/8   F individual conferences  
          1/12  F Web Site observation  & composition conclusion
    18. 1/15  T party time! ¡ 
          1/19 T Final Exam