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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. You also need to
record
at least ten instances of reading reflections, no more than two per
week, for a total of twenty journal entries of participation AS WELL AS
reflection. 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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Poetry
Response Journal ~~ 10%
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WHEN:
The poetry
response journal will be due throughout the second half of
the semester, no more
than two poems in any given week,
though a student is free to start the journal early, during the first
half of the semester.
You can NOT wait until the final few weeks of the semester to
pile up on
responses. To complete all entries, a student would have to
start
the journal NO LATER THAN the final five weeks of the semester.
WHAT: The
poetry response journal will be a way to keep poetry in the
program and part of the class mindset. The poetry response
journal will be an OPTIONAL assignment, but a student MUST choose one
out of the three optional choices--journal, biography, or term/topic
analysis.
HOW: Poetry will be
discussed throughout the second-half of the semester--see the schedule
for poetry presentation/recitation for specific dates. Respond to ten different
poems/poets throughout the semester.
Submit a total of ten journal entries, typed and submitted
via ANGEL. Submit no more than two entries in any given
week--each in a half page, if single spaced, or a whole page, if
double-spaced. I recommend composing the entry in a document
file FIRST and then copying and pasting the entry to the ANGEL remarks
box.
I prefer the remarks box over attaching. If you do
attach the entry, I have to spend extra time copying and pasting your
entry for you, into the remarks box.
GRADING:
Each
journal entry is worth ten
points and is scored based on the following scale:
-
A
(9 or 10 out of 10 points)= Entry shows insight that
rivals publishable thoughts--has that "ah ha" moment of Eureka bliss;
-
B
(8 out of 10 points)= Entry
shows an understanding
of the
poem at an above superficial level, beyond stating what the poem is
about
-
C
(7 out of 10 points)=
An
attempt is made to
explain
the meaning of the poem;
-
D
(1-6 out of 10 points)= Entry
is NOT a fully-developed thought and only provides a superficial discussion
of the poem;
-
F
(0 out of 10
points)= Entry missing.
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 at or after the end of the semester. I will
only
record grades for the first two and/or your preferred two entries per
week.
SAMPLE ENTRY:
Response to Amiri Baraka's "Somebody Blew Up America"
This
poem made me just as uncomfortable as
Jess said it would. I felt that way for two reasons; first, I am white
and I felt like he was lecturing to my race, and second, as the
listener i could feel his overwhelming rage coming through his words. I
do not think his rage was against terrorists however. I felt like all
the questions he was asking throughout the entire poem, "Who got fat
from plantations, Who genocided Indians, Who you think need war, Who
killed the most niggers, Who killed the most Jews,
Who killed the most Italians?", etc, were all aimed at the white
man. It was as if he was asking questions he already knew the answer to
and that's what made me feel uncomfortable. Wasn't it a white man that
killed Kennedy, Lincoln, and Lennon? Didn't white people elect Bush as
president. Facts are facts-- I cannot deny that some of things he says
are true. The blame, it seems, is to be put on the white man. Baraka is
making a point to say, "it's the white man's fault. The white man made
our bed and now we have to lay in it."
I don't see how this poem could be anything about being angry over
terrorists blowing up the twin towers. I think 9/11 happening was a
good chance for Baraka to take out more of his anger on the white man.
Like Jess had stated in class, he was anti- white, anti-homosexual,
anti-everyone except African Americans. So let me pose one question.
For someone being so anti-everyone, how could Baraka get upset that
terrorists blew up the Twin Towers, where the majorirty of working
people there were anti-Black? I don't believe that he was upset that
9/11 happened. I just think he used that opportunity to say things that
he needed to say. I will give him prompts for being so vulgarly honest.
This type of poetry is the kind I was looking forward to reading. On
the other hand, it goes against my grain to be racist. I can applaud
him for his talents but not for his views and arguements against
everyone except the African American.
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Salience
Analysis of nonfiction, fiction, AND poetry ~~ 20%
WHEN:
As noted on the
course schedule, this analysis will be due NO LATER THAN April 30,
2009--however, 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).
HOW:
Throughout
the semester, you will have the opportunity to read various genres of
"Black American Literature." You are to choose a work of
fiction, 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 poem 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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Optional Author Biography
~~
10%
WHEN:
As
noted on the
course schedule, the author biography will be due prior to the initial
discussion of any author. Potential dates are
listed below.
WHAT:
Authors for potential biographies could
include any of the following authors of fiction or nonfiction during
the first half of the semester:
| AUTHOR |
DATE |
| Jamaica Kincaid, Barack Obama |
(January
13, 2009) |
| Toni Morrison, Frederick Douglass |
(January
15, 2008) |
| Harriet Jacobs, Frederick Douglass |
(January
20, 2009) |
| Charles
W. Chestnutt |
(January
22, 2009) |
| Zora Neale Hurston |
(January
27, 2009) |
| Richard Wright |
(January
29, 2009) |
| Langston Hughes |
(February
3, 2009) |
| W. E. B. Du Bois |
(February
5, 2009) |
| Ernest Gaines |
(February
10, 2009) |
| Alice Walker |
(February
12, 2009) |
| Gloria Naylor |
(February
17, 2009) |
| Toni Cade Bambara |
(February
19, 2009) |
| Bill Ellis |
(February
24, 2009) |
| Booker T. Washington |
(March 3, 2009)
|
| W. E. B. Du Bois |
(March 5, 2009)
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HOW:
Throughout
the first half of the semester, you will have the opportunity to read
prose written by
various authors. This optional author biography paper will
give you the opportunity to contribute in a major way in helping your
classmates understand an author and his or her possible
motivations. For each class day, we will discuss a different
author. In most cases, I will provide a bio of the author in
reference to the work written. However, I value the input of
students and welcome any student who chooses to present the biography
in my stead. The 1-2 page biography will be due in the ANGEL
dropbox by midnight after the day the author is
discussed; HOWEVER, you will also be expected to give a brief bio of
the author (3-5 minutes), with your explanation of whether or not the
life did or did not influence the work. You will present on
the day the author is being discussed in class, prior to the submission
of the actual paper. The presentation should provide feedback
for you in your final editing of the paper.
GRADING:
The
presentation part of the paper will
factor in up to 3% of your grade, for a maximum grade of 100
points (70 for the paper and 30 for the presentation). As
with most
forms of oral communication, you are expected to use good oral
communication skills; if you use visual aids, they should be used
appropriately, and you should maximize your use of posture, gestures,
eye contact, and emphasis. You should plan to speak from 3-5
minutes, which would include any introductory, supporting, or
concluding thoughts and/or props. The essay, like most
essays, will be graded based on the following five components:
- 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?
- 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 March 5, 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 February 26, 2009, and the
end-term will include the last half of the semester's topics, from
March 3, 2009, befoer spring break, to April 30, 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 twice the amount of the
multiple-choice/matching part 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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Terms
& Topic
Presentation ~~ 10%
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WHEN:
Each class period provides
opportunities for leadership. Every class day, except the
week of the mid-term and the last two weeks of school, offers
opportunities for a topic presentation.
WHAT: For each class day, we will feature different
terms and topics, topics that will be covered on the mid-term or final
exam. In most cases, I will provide a discussion of the topic
in reference to the work
written. However, because I value the input of students and
want students to lead the discussion in my stead, group topic
presentations are a better alternative.
HOW:
Write
a 1-2 page paper that defines the topics and terms for the day AND that
exlains how the term(s) does or does NOT reflect the reading for the
day. The short paper would be due after the presentation, by
midnight, and would be worth 70% (7 points). The presentation
would account for the other 30% (3 points).
GRADING:
Grading
for the paper part of the project will be graded using the same
criteria as any other written paper in class. Length as well
as
depth factors into the content grade.
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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Recitation Presentation
of Poetry ~~
10%
WHEN:
Students
sign up for presentations on any of the following tewelve (12) days
AFTER
the first half of the semester, since poetry is listed to be discussed
during the second half of the semester.
The following dates are available:
- March
17, 19, 24, 26, 31
- April 2, 7, 9, 14, 16, 21, 23
HOW: The
format of your paper should follow the guidelines for a well-developed
composition, such as the one described for the salience analysis paper
or the author biography. The format of your
presentation
should follow the conventions of a well-developed paper, with an
introduction to the presentation, the presentation, and then a
conclusion to your presentation.
Your oral
presentation should be between five and ten minutes.
GRADING:
Grading
for the paper part of the project will be graded using the same
criteria as any other written paper in class. Length as well
as depth
factors into the content grade.
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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