English B60 – Basic Writing Skills - English Composition



English B60 – Basic Writing Skills Instructor: Mr. Chris Dison

Spring 2017, DST 126 cdison@bakersfieldcollege.edu

MW 8:00am – 10:05am Office 1007

Office Hours are Thursdays from 2pm – 6pm & by appointment

Required Texts             

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton ISBN: 9780142407332

Super Grammar Edition 12 by J. Preciado ISBN: 9781591943013

You will also need a blank journal of some kind used ONLY for this class (a composition pad or a spiral ring notebook), 2 different colored highlighters, pencils/pens, post-it notes, internet access, a flash drive, and a stapler.

Evaluation and Grading

|Reading Quizzes |15% |

|Homework |20% |

|Journals |10% |

|Midterm & Final |20% |

|Essays |35% |

|100% - 90% = A |

|89.9% - 80% = B |

|79.9% - 70% = C |

|69.9% - 60% = D |

|59.9% - 0% = F |

English 60 Student Learning Outcomes

At the completion of English 60, the student will be able to perform the following:

1. Read and demonstrate comprehension and analysis of class readings from at least one book-length work, such as novel or anthology by * identifying author's purpose and recognizing author's tone * distinguishing between fact and opinion * summarizing for the purposes of writing and discussion

2. Demonstrate the use of outside sources by * beginning to use quotes and attributing them to the proper source * understanding the differences between one's own ideas and those of others * creating a simple synthesis between two readings or ideas

3. Write essays in and out of class that * demonstrate the ability to organize ideas that support a central concept * demonstrate sentence variety and appropriate word choice * demonstrate an awareness of and emerging competence with vocabulary strategies * show evidence of drafting, time management, editing, and revising * proofread to correct some errors in English grammar, usage, or punctuation * attempt to use basic MLA format

Course Requirements: Students must successfully complete the course to become eligible for English 50. A minimum course grade of C is the prerequisite for English 50. Several practice essays will be administered during the course of the semester so that students will be well prepared and well aware of the level of writing expertise necessary to pass the course.

Attendance:  Attendance will be taken at each class meeting. Students arriving after I have taken attendance will be marked absent. Students leaving early or at the break will be marked absent. Don’t be late for class, and plan to stay the entire period. As stated in the Academic Regulations of Bakersfield College, “Instructors should drop a student from a course when absences number the equivalent of two weeks of class recorded from the first day of instruction.” This means I will drop a student upon the 4th absence regardless of the reason. My records are the final word on attendance. Since this course typically has a waiting list, enrolled students must attend all class sessions during the first 2 weeks or they will be dropped from the class.

Missed Classes:  Each student is responsible for all material discussed in class and for all work assigned in class. The assigned homework can be found in the Course Schedule on our class website. It is your responsibility to read the syllabus and/or contact a fellow classmate for any information/assignments you may have missed. You may also come to my office (1007) if you need assistance.

Websites: disonenglish. (Class Website)

(Essay check)

(Helpful Website)

Class Disruption:  Talking at inappropriate times, leaving cell phones on to ring in class, leaving class to answer cell phones (unless it’s an emergency you’ve alerted me about), texting during class, listening to musical devices, chronic lateness, taking class time to discuss personal matters, making the class wait while you get your work organized, applying makeup, or being offensive are all actions which interfere with the learning of others and will not be tolerated in an adult, collegiate setting. This kind of behavior will be addressed in class.  Failure to correct the situation could result in the student being dropped. 

Late Work:  Late homework will be accepted; however, late work will lose 50% each day it is late. Late essays/papers are NOT accepted. All writing assignments are due at the beginning of class and will be collected as soon as class begins. Please contact me before the assignment is due to discuss an extension.

Quizzes: Quizzes are given at the beginning of class. If you arrive after the quiz has been handed out, you have missed it. There are no make-up quizzes or exams.

Supportive Services:  Students with disabilities needing accommodation, including those who had an IEP in high school, should make requests to Disabled Students Programs and Services, Counseling Center, CSS 40 or Delano room 1001. Or call 661-395-4334 at BC, or 661-720-2000 in Delano. All requests for accommodations require appropriate advance notice to avoid a delay in services. Please discuss approved accommodations with me so we can work together to ensure your access and success at BC.

Plagiarism:  Academic dishonesty of any kind will not be tolerated in this class.  If a student is suspected of plagiarism, he or she will fail the assignment, and additional sanctions by the college may apply. If you have further questions about what constitutes plagiarism, please see me after class or during office hours. To prevent this, we will be using for all writing assignments.

Habits of Mind: What determines success is not circumstance, but habit. Habits of Mind at BC has many free tools intended to help you accomplish your goals in school. Only you can overcome the challenges you face this semester and in life. Start out successfully with these steps.

• Visit the Habits of Mind website:

• Download the app for Habits of Mind at Bakersfield College on your phone or tablet.

• Ask for help, do the work, and refuse to quit!

Success takes energy, planning, and strategies for both the expected challenges in school as well as the unexpected twists life can take. Ask me for more information. Now is the time to develop new habits!

My Responsibilities:  As your instructor, it is my goal to ensure that each of you learns to become a more critical reader and writer.  To accomplish this, I will demand a great deal of effort from each of you.  However, I will expend the same amount of effort to help each of you achieve this goal.  To this end:  

- I will read drafts of any writing assignment and offer suggestions. 

- I will review graded assignments and point out strong/weak points. 

- I will help clarify anything you don't understand.

- I will be available to meet with you individually. 

Disclaimer: Your continued enrollment in this course, after reading the course syllabus, indicates to me that you will arrive to class with the required texts prepared to discuss the material.  Your continued enrollment further indicates that when called upon you will make every effort to offer a thoughtful response using the text to support your opinions. The readings and video presentations (if any) in this class often deal with adult themes, so a certain level of maturity and tolerance is required from every student.  We may encounter violent and/or sexually explicit material, as well as writings that pose difficult questions about religious or political beliefs.  If reading about or discussing these topics makes you uncomfortable or upset, I suggest you consider enrolling in another course.  Your continued enrollment in this class after reading this disclaimer implies your willingness to read and respond to all classroom assignments (and the opinions of your classmates) in a mature and thoughtful manner.

The Fine Print:  I reserve the right to modify the syllabus/schedule as necessary.

Week 1 (Jan 16 & 18)

M – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday – Class Cancelled

W – Introduction to class, syllabus review, journal explanation, 4 questions, campus tour

Homework:

Obtain class materials (textbooks, notebooks, etc.)

Print 4 documents: Syllabus, Characteristics of a Successful Student, Additional Help Outside of Class, and 1st day quiz. Complete quiz using the other documents; submit quiz Monday.

Week 2 (Jan 23 & 25)

M – Collect Quiz, Journal #1, The Writing Process

HW: Review HoM Website

W – Journal #2, Prewriting Activities

HW: Letter to Mr. Dison

Week 3 (Jan 30 & Feb 1)

M – Class Cancelled (Instructor Conference)

HW: Work on Letter assignment

W – Journal #3, Collect Letter, Introduce Texts, Outsiders Prewriting Activity

HW: Read chps 1 & 2 in Outsiders & do response questions. Read Super Grammar pgs. 1-35 and complete Grammar Worksheet #1

Week 4 (Feb 6 & 8)

M – Quiz #2, Collect Grammar Worksheet#1, J#4, Discuss Outsiders, Assign Response Essay #1, Summary & Paraphrase

HW: Read Outsiders chps. 3 & 4; Begin Response Essay #1; Summary/Paraphrase worksheet

W – Quiz #3, J#5, Discuss Outsiders, Introduce Essay Organizer, Grammar

HW: Read Super Grammar pgs 36-56; Complete grammar worksheet #2; Complete Essay Organizer and Response Essay; Read Outsiders chps. 5 & 6

Week 5 (Feb 13 & 15)

M – Collect Worksheet. Quiz #4, J#6, Outsiders Discussion, Peer Review Response Essay, Timed Writing Strategies

HW: Read Outsiders chps 7,8, & 9; Complete Final Draft of Response Essay

W – Submit Response Essay. Quiz #5, J#7, Discuss Outsiders, Timed Writing #1

HW: Read Outsiders chps. 10,11, & 12

Week 6 (Feb 20 & 22)

M – President’s Day Holiday - No Class

Quiz #5, J#7, Outsiders Discussion, Verbs

HW: Read Super Grammar pgs.57-76 and complete Grammar Worksheet #3

W – J#8, Final Outsiders Discussion, Quoting/Citing

HW: Quoting/Citing Worksheet #4, Study for Midterm

Week 7 (Feb 27 & Mar 1)

M – Collect Worksheet, Outsiders Midterm

HW: Read Super Grammar pgs 76-103 and complete Grammar Worksheet #5

W – J#9, Collect worksheet, Outsiders Film

HW: Review prompt for and begin Response Essay #2

Week 8 (Mar 6 & 8)

M – J#10, Parts of an Essay

HW: Complete Essay Organizer for Response Essay #2

W – J#11, Collect Journals, Citing Sources/Works Cited Formatting

HW: Finish Response Essay #2

Week 9 (Mar 13 & 15)

M – Return Journals, J#12, Peer Review Response Essay #2

HW: Finish FD of Response Essay #2 – including works cited page

W – Submit Response Essay #2, J#13, Punctuation

HW: Read Super Grammar pgs. 104-114 and do Punctuation Worksheet

Week 10 (Mar 20 & 22)

M – J#14, Collect Punctuation Worksheet, Commas, Comma Groups

HW: Read Super Grammar pgs. 115-123, Complete Comma Worksheet

W – J#15, Collect Comma Worksheet, Apostrophes, Apostrophe Groups

HW: Read Super Grammar pgs. 124-132, Complete Apostrophe Worksheet, Read & Annotate Assigned Article

Week 11 (Mar 27 & 29)

M – Quiz #5, J#16, Collect Apostrophe Worksheet, Discuss Article & Timed Writing Strategies, Colons & Semicolons

HW: Read Super Grammar pgs. 134-138 & complete Colon/Semicolon Worksheet

W – Collect Worksheet, Timed Writing #1

HW: Read Super Grammar pgs. 139-153, complete Final Punctuation Worksheet

Week 12 (Apr 3 & 5)

M – J#17, Review Final Punctuation Worksheet, Collect Worksheet, Sentence Variety

HW: 30 Sentences Worksheet

W – J#18, Sabotage Squad Review

HW: Complete Sabotage Squad Worksheet Packet; Review Timed Writing strategies and graded time writing in preparation for next Timed Writing.

Week 13 (Apr 10 & 12) – SPRING BREAK

M – No Class

W – No Class

Week 14 (Apr 17 & 19)

M – Collect Worksheet Packet, Timed Writing #2

W – J#19, Introduce Independent Correction Sheet

HW: Complete Independent Correction Sheet

Week 15 (Apr 24 & 26)

M – J#20, Assign Response Essay #3, Brainstorming activity

HW: Complete brainstorm and Essay organizer for Response Essay #3

W – J#21, Writing Workshop

Week 16 (May 1 & 3)

M – Individual Meetings: Collect Journals

W – Individual Meetings: Collect Journals

FINAL is May 10 from 8:00 – 9:50am

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