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Attendance
Points ~~ 10%
WHEN: Your
presence presentation is based on your attendance and is due
each class period. If you're not
there, you can't share. Missed
days beyond one day can be made up by checking out the class
notebook during office hours and/or contacting a student in reference
to missed notes and content. Once a journal entry is
completed to make
up the missed day, up to the point missed could be credited back to
your grade. In a well-developed paragraph, summarize the day
of class
that you missed: What was covered, what was done, what you
learned,
etc.
WHAT:
Receive
credit for your presentation of yourself in class.
This means that each absence up to ten could result in a 1
point loss off of your final 10 point grade for the attendance part of
the grade.
HOW:
Each
absence will result in a reduction of the presence presentation grade.
More than ten absences will result in a 0 for the
atttendance part of
the presence presentation, with each absence reducing the attendance
part of the presentation by one point. One absence will be
excused, and
the student with one absence will earn the full ten points of the
attendance part of the grade. The student with perfect
attendance, however, will earn extra credit--11 points (or 110%) for
the attendance part of the presence presentation grade.
GRADING:
Perfect
attendance will yield an attendance score
of 110%. One absence will be excused; thus, one absence will
yield an attendance score of 100%. Each absence after one
will reduce the score by ten percent,
which would be one
point off of
the total ten points. If a student has five absences, the
attendance
part of the grade will be 60, with one absence being excused.
If a student has ten absences, the final attendance grade
will be 10 out of 100, or one out of the ten points.
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Participation
& Reflection Points ~~
10%
WHEN:
Each
class period provides
opportunities for participation. Each reading assignment
provides
opportunities for reflection. Participate at least once a
week and record at least ten weeks of your participation in your ANGEL
online participation
journal, either before or after the fact. I will
check
journals weekly and will record appropriate credit periodically
throughout the semester.
WHAT:
Keep
a participation journal that records accurate participation and that
reminds this instructor that you contributed throughout the semester.
For
shy students, a participation journal entry can also project meaningful
thoughts
about current readings that I could possibly contribute for the "shy"
student. Like projected participation entries, reflection
journal
entries would reflect on the readings but should NEVER repeat the
thought or writing of the optional poetry journal entry or of the
projected participation entry.
HOW:
Using
the ANGEL drop box, record your entry in the "remarks" section.
Attachments are NOT recommended for this assignment.
Record your participation, because this instructor
has
many students and may not remember each student's individual
contribution.
Therefore,
remind me in the journal. Also
record your reflections on some readings, because this instructor wants
to know what you think about what you have read. Throughout
the
semester, your participation and reflections will be remembered and
appreciated and
will contribute to your final grade at the end of the semester.
If you are not able to attend a class, you are free to write
in
your journal about the reading BEFORE the reading is discussed in class
and submit it as a reflection.
GRADING: Each
participation entry
is worth
ten
points and is scored based on the following scale:
-
A
(9 or 10 out of 10 points)= actively engaged in the
class and able to ask
questions or give answers
that show insight and
appreciation;
-
B
(8 out of 10 points)= answered
questions
-
C
(7 out of 10 points)= present
with book,
prepared, and basically attentive;
-
D
(6 out of 10 points)= late,
or present but
without book, or answers show that the reading hasn't been done;
-
F
(0 out of 10
points)= absent.
You can
NOT wait to record
journal entries
all at once. You are likely NOT to remember what you did or
said, and
the whole purpose of the participation journal would be defeated.
You only need to record
for ten of the fifteen weeks
to
complete the ten entries, BUT no one week should include more
than
two entries. IN OTHER WORDS, you cannot submit a
deluge of entries toward the end of the semester. I will only
record grades for the first two and/or your preferred two entries per
week.
SAMPLE
ENTRY:
Participation during a student presentation
Today
during class Mr. Eric
recited a song
entitled "Dear Mama" by Tupac which he deemed to be spoken word poetry
because it fit the three main criteria of that type of poetry: rhythm,
rhyme, and repetition. He then inquired if anyone in the class had
agreed with him. I raised my hand asking what the three criteria were
and then i stated that the song he recited emcompassed all three of the
criteria into how it was written. Eric made a good point in saying that
some rap songs are forms of spoken word poetry. He stated that if the
words over-power the beat or music of the song then it should be
considered a spoken word poem. In spoken word poetry, the words are the
key into understanding what is being said. The same goes for rap music.
Many artists take pride in thier lyrics and have things to say. They
put words to a beat in order to make a song. But in order to have thier
words heard in the manner they want, they need to make the beat/music
inferior to the words. I agree that "Dear Mama" is a spoken word poem
in the form of a song like Eric said. Tupac wanted his mother to know
how much she was appreciated and he put all those thoughts into lyrics
that meshed with music. The music did not interfere with the words
being clearly heard so I think he was able to get the point across to
his mother- the intended listener. Many rap artists simply make up
silly lines and their words are all over the place making the song
nonsense; the beat however, is what keeps the audience hooked. That is
why most rap songs are constantly replayed over the radio stations all
day. Good beats sell in rap music-- not good lyrics. However, good
lyrics can also sell in the rap world if they are mixed with a catchy
beat. Hip hop is a realm of beats. If you can dance to the beat of a
song in hip hop it will be a good seller and people will want to hear
it over and over again because it gets you moving and
dancing. "Dear
Mama" is a great example of spoken word in rap music.
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*Quizzes
~~
20%
WHEN: Pop
quizzes will be given either at the very
beginning or at the very end of class. An attempt will be
made to provide at least one pop quiz
per week. Some quizzes will be opportunities to express your
opinion and not just your knowledge about the course and or any
material
covered.
WHAT: Pop
quizzes
are opportunities for you to show what you know.
HOW:
If
a pop quiz is
given at the
beginning of class, it will be given during the first ten or fifteen
minutes of class and will be based on information from a previous class
period and/or reading. If a pop quiz is given at the end of
class, it will be given during the last ten or fifteen minutes of class
and
will be based either on material discussed during that class period or
will be an opportunity for students to express
for
credit
any concerns that they may have about
the class and/or the material.
GRADING:
At least ten quizzes will be given,
and the
highest ten
grades will count.
If a student is able
to take more
than ten quizzes, the lowest pop quiz grades beyond the ten will be
dropped. If a student takes less than ten
pop quizzes, a grade of 0 will be given for each quiz less than
the ten quizzes required for a grade.
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Salience
Analysis of nonfiction, fiction, AND poetry ~~
30%
(three parts--10%
each)
WHEN:
As noted on the
course schedule, this analysis will be due in three parts: The poetry
analysis due by September 22, 2009. The essay/ non-fiction
analysis is due by October 22, 2009. The fiction analysis is
due
by November 19, 2009. The introduction and conclusion to the
works will be due by December 3, 2009 and will result in a five-point
deduction if not submitted. As always, early submissions are
welcome.
WHAT:
This salience analysis of
nonfiction,
fiction, AND poetry will
be your opportunity to locate and
explain the most salient identity in a collection of Black American
literature. In addition to "blackness," this literature also
often explores other identities among seven possible categories:
race & ethnicity, gender, religion,
sexual
orientation, socioeconomic status, age, or ableness (physical and
mental ability). Each part should be 1-2 pages in length, for a total
of 3-6 pages (750-1500 words).
HOW:
Throughout
the semester, you will have the opportunity to read various genres of
"Black American Literature." You are to choose a
work of poetry, a work of non-fiction (as in Du Bois' Souls of Black Folk or
any of the other nonfiction essays discussed in class) AND a work of
fiction that
interests you. You are to identify in each work the most
salient
identity in addition to blackness (race and ethnicity).
Explain
how this other identity is just as crucial if not more crucial than the
race issue. Inevitably, this review may
involve some author analysis as well and WILL REQUIRE
a
trustworthy source through either the Penn State LIAS database
of peer-reviewed journals and/or
some other literary authority
GRADING:
Grading
for your salience analysis will be
based on five
areas,
each worth 20% (or twenty points out of the total 100). The
five areas are as follows:
- 1)
Focus:
Do you have a clear,
central thesis and purpose and do you address all aspects of the
thesis?
- 2) Content:
Do you provide good
background
information and use a comprehensive approach, excellent insight into
the topic, evidence of strong, reflective analysis, and keen awareness
of audience? Do you answer the relevant question in reference
to expected criteria?
- 3) Support:
Do you provide
excellent support drawn from your experience, knowledge, and/or
research? Do you use examples to enhance and deepen the focus
of
the thesis?
- 4) Organization
and Structure: Do
you
have clear,
logical
progression
of ideas? Does your paper
contain a clear, engaging introduction that previews the paper's main
argument
and does your paper have coherent, well-developed paragraphs and
transitional phrases? Does your paper contain a strong
conclusion, which draws together and summarizes your main points?
- 5) Written
Quality & Mechanics:
Do you use
college-level vocabulary that varies sentences and wording?
Do
you use vivid examples and employ a strong, consistent
voice? Do you have excellent grammar, spelling,
usage, and
punctuation? Does your paper flow effortlessly?
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Mid-Term
& Final Essay Exams
~~
10% (EACH) for a TOTAL of 20%
WHEN: As noted on the
course schedule, the mid-term essay exam will be due by October 20, 2009 and
the end-term essay exam will be
due by the designated exam day in May of
2009.
WHAT: Material
covered in the class will be reviewed in two segments:
mid-term and end term. Both essay exams will include a
multiple-choice matching segment that covers topic vocabulary
throughout the semester. The mid-term exam will include the
first half of the semester's topics, up to October 15, 2009, and the
end-term will include the last half of the semester's topics,
from October 20, 2009 to December 10, 2009, the last day of
class. In addition to the
multiple-choice matching part of the essay exam, an essay, of course,
will also be required. The essay part of the exam will be
your well-composed answer/resolution to one of three to four optional
prompts.
HOW:
Both
the
multiple-choice/
matching and the essay parts of the
exam will be completed
separately
and graded separately. Both parts will be available via ANGEL
during a designated period of time. Students will have about
a week to complete both parts of each exam.
GRADING:
The
multiple-choice/ matching part of the exam will be graded by ANGEL, and
a grade will be awarded as soon as this part of the exam is
completed. To ensure accuracy and fairness, I will
double-check any answers and make any necessary changes to
scores. The essay part of the exam will be completed
separately and will be graded manually. Both parts will then
be averaged together, with the essay part of the exam being worth two
parts to the multiple-choice-matching one part. In other
words, the essay part of the exam will be worth about twice the amount
(70%) of the
multiple-choice/matching part (30%) of the exam. The essay
part of
the exam will be graded based on the following five areas:
- 1)
Focus:
Do you have a clear,
central thesis and purpose and do you address all aspects of the
thesis?
- 2) Content:
Do you provide good
background
information and use a comprehensive approach, excellent insight into
the topic, evidence of strong, reflective analysis, and keen awareness
of audience? Do you answer the relevant question in reference
to expected criteria?
- 3) Support:
Do you provide
excellent support drawn from your experience, knowledge, and/or
research? Do you use examples to enhance and deepen the focus
of
the thesis?
- 4) Organization
and Structure: Do
you
have clear,
logical
progression
of ideas? Does your paper
contain a clear, engaging introduction that previews the paper's main
argument
and does your paper have coherent, well-developed paragraphs and
transitional phrases? Does your paper contain a strong
conclusion, which draws together and summarizes your main points?
- 5) Written
Quality & Mechanics:
Do you use
college-level vocabulary that varies sentences and wording?
Do
you use vivid examples and employ a strong, consistent
voice? Do you have excellent grammar, spelling,
usage, and
punctuation? Does your paper flow effortlessly?
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Recitation Presentation
of Poetry
~~
+ 5 points (Extra
Credit)
WHEN: Students
sign up for presentations on any day between September 1 and October
15, during
the first half of the semester, since poetry is listed to be discussed
during the first half of the semester, unless otherwise arranged.
WHAT: The
Recitation presentation of poetry is an opportunity to earn extra
credit as well as demonstrate your skill in dramatic recitation.
Costumes are not recommended, but good acting is always
welcome.
HOW:
The
format of your presentation should follow the guidelines for a
well-developed
composition, with a beginning (introduction), middle (recitation
&
explication), and end (conclusion). Your oral
presentation should be between five and ten minutes.
GRADING:
Up to ten points can be
added to the Salience analysis with a recitation presentation.
The grading
criteria for oral presentations
will also be based on five areas, with each area weighing 20% of the
grade:
- 1)
Organization:
You should
present information in a well-organized and interesting manner, you
should
focus on a central idea or narrowed aspect of your research, your
speech
should flow well, and you should build to a strong conclusion.
- 2) Active
Involvement: You
should actively involve
the class through use of props, learning exercises, handouts, and other
techniques. Through your presentation, you should creatively
teach an
aspect of your research.
- 3) Content:
You should
demonstrate superb knowledge and understanding of the topic, you should
support your ideas with vivid examples and details and you
should make relevant connections for your audience.
- 4) Voice:
You should demonstrate great enthusiasm for the topic, speak
clearly and loudly enough to be understood easily, and you should vary
your tone and pitch for animated speaking style.
- 5) Body
Language: You
should make effective eye contact
with the
whole audience throughout the presentation, and you should
use gestures and body language to emphasize certain points.
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Dramatic
Immersion and
Synopsis ~~ 10%
WHEN: The class is planning a trip to West
Virginia
(Harper's Ferry) on Saturday, October 17, 2009, to commemorate the
150th anniversary of John Brown's Raid. The trip should add
substance to the play we are to read, "To He Whom Endures," by Bill
Ellis, scheduled to be read October 13 and 15, after the completion of The Souls of Black Folk. The written synopsis would follow and
would be due by
the last week of the semester.
WHAT: The trip to Harper's Ferry is a
once in a lifetime event that this particular class can enjoy.
Visit the following web site for a side show of Harper's
Ferry:
http://www.nps.gov/hafe/photosmultimedia/index.htm .
If
a student or students can not share in the moment, then the student(s)
will need to find an equivalent event that could add depth to the play
read in class. For example, a trip to Frederick Douglass'
house
in Washington, DC could work, if a tour is given. The same
holds true for tours of the Gettysburg battlefield or an local
underground railroad. Students are
free to surf the web and find other commemorations; however, the class
trip would be optimal. Extra attendance points will NOT be
earned for substitution trips.
HOW:
Students can plan to attend with the
class the events
scheduled for October 17. Upon attending the event, students
will
write a one page synopsis of the impact of the trip. Does the
trip add substance to the play read in class? Which parts of
the
play come to life after attending the events scheduled. Write
a
one-page synopsis answering such questions and detailing your
experience.
GRADING:
Seven of the ten points will be
awarded after proving attendance duirng this event or at an approved
event. In
addition to the 10%, two attendance days will be added to the
attendance grade. HOWEVER, if no event is attended, points
for
this class assignment cannot be earned unless an approved
substitute is completed. In
short, the trip is worth 10% of the final grade as well as an
extra two days of attendance--Even if one has perfect attendance
already, the points will still be added, for a total of twenty extra
points on the attendance grade, for a maximum of 130%. The
other
three points out of
the ten points will be for the synopsis part of
the trip, which should be about one page in length and will
be
graded based on the following five areas:
- 1)
Focus:
Do you have a clear,
central thesis and purpose and do you address all aspects of the
thesis?
- 2) Content:
Do you provide good
background
information and use a comprehensive approach, excellent insight into
the topic, evidence of strong, reflective analysis, and keen awareness
of audience? Do you answer the relevant question in reference
to expected criteria?
- 3) Support:
Do you provide
excellent support drawn from your experience, knowledge, and/or
research? Do you use examples to enhance and deepen the focus
of
the thesis?
- 4) Organization
and Structure: Do
you
have clear,
logical
progression
of ideas? Does your paper
contain a clear, engaging introduction that previews the paper's main
argument
and does your paper have coherent, well-developed paragraphs and
transitional phrases? Does your paper contain a strong
conclusion, which draws together and summarizes your main points?
- 5) Written
Quality & Mechanics:
Do you use
college-level vocabulary that varies sentences and wording?
Do
you use vivid examples and employ a strong, consistent
voice? Do you have excellent grammar, spelling,
usage, and
punctuation? Does your paper flow effortlessly?
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