Day 6 . Monday, September 8th

Thursday, September 9:  Daily Class Outline

Lesson Objectives

Today we move on to a third type of response so that students add a differing focusing and developing technique to their repertoire. We also review the Interpretive/Reflective Response through a mini-workshop and then introduce our third way of responding. Throughout these efforts, we check students' understanding of the readings and the issues, building their sense of the multiple perspectives and positions on the issue of consumerism and consumption in America, clarifying that the discussion is more complex than a simple pro-con debate. As with the previous sessions, we also hold students accountable for their reading of the newspaper by asking them to bring in three clippings on issues they find provocative.

Connection to Course Goals

We reinforce revision and development of responses.  We also encourage reading a variety of perspectives on a single issue and exposure to multiple issues within public discourse.  By outlining before writing, we demonstrate that writing is a process and provide students with alternate ways to engage in that process.

A Possible Sequence of Activities for Today
1. Introduce class session and take attendance.  
2. Discuss news clippings and a few of the topical issues they’re seeing in their reading of the NYT. Activity Ideas:  Discussing NYT News Clippings
3. Finish discussing Interpretive/Reflective Response.  Activity Ideas:  Wrapping Up Interpretive/Reflective Concepts
4. Complete a mini-workshop of students' Interpretive/Reflective Responses. Activity Ideas:  Mini-Workshop for Interpretive/Reflective Responses
5. Discuss Brooks' and Krugman's articles (apply WSM and cover main idea and key points for each) Activity Ideas:  Brooks' and Krugman's Articles
6. Introduce the third way of responding - the Analytical/Evaluative Response. Activity Ideas:  Introducing Analytical/Evaluative Response
7. Give students time to outline the claim and criteria they will use in their Analytical/Evaluative Response. Activity Ideas:  Outlining
8. Establish a conclusion for the class session and instruct students on where to access the homework assignment.

Activity Ideas:  Concluding and Assigning Homework

Assignment for Next Class Session

Assign the following to students:

  • Revise your Interpretive/Reflective Response based on the feedback you received today in class.
  • Solidify the claim for your Analytical/Evaluative Response to either Brooks' or Krugman's article.  Establish the criteria you will use to evaluate the article and outline the evidence you will use to support your reasoning.  Free free to draft ahead since next Tuesday you will need to complete a draft of your Analytical/Evaluative Response.
  • Read the student samples of Portfolio 1's Summary and Response Paper that are posted to File Sharing in the Writing Studio.

Additional Teaching Resources

If you have ELL or ESL writers in your classroom, Understanding International Students or Working with ESL Writing Students offer strong strategies for helping them achieve success.  Purdue's ESL resources, Handouts and Exercises proivdes useful information as well.

Academic Accommodations for Students with Disabilities and Strategies for Teaching Students with Disabilities present helpful suggestions for assisting students with special needs.

For additional information about students' adjustment to the expectations of college writing, visit Writing In College:  A Short Guide to College Writing (while this is geared toward a college audience, the concepts contained within it could easily be adapted to fit a lesson plan).