English 1A Fall 2017
Syllabus and Schedule
Readings
Required Readings
- "Superman and Me" Sherman Alexie
- "Homemade Education" Malcolm X
- Writing History Sample--Joe Student draft
- "Education's Hungry Hearts"
- "Message to my Freshman Students"
- “Travel as a Political Act”
- Little Princes excerpt
- "Veering Off Expected Paths"
- Alex Lin--profile of an "environmental hero"
- Safeguarding the California's Coast--Erica Fernandez
- “Martin Curiel: Jefferson Award”
- Martin Curiel--profile from Harvard Business School, etc.
- Working in the Shadows excerpt [PDF]
- Start Something That Matters (excerpt) by Blake Mycoskie
- Will Allen YES! Profile
- "A Solar Future for an Ancient Civilization"
- Alternative Spring Breaks: Two Readings
- Forbes: Study Abroad Makes You a Better Leader
Supplemental Readings
Related to writing histories/literacy narratives
- “Regrets of an Accomplished Child” Pamela Paul
- "College Pressures" William Zinsser
- "Teaching as Unteaching"
- "Shop Class as Soul Craft"
Related to Profiles
- More Sample Profiles (Mompreneur, Uighur restaurant, etc.)
- Sample Student Profiles (Lost Boys of Sudan at SJSU, car-sleeper)
- Will Allen: Street Farmer (NY Times Profile)
- "The Woman Who Plants Peace" (Kenyan Nobel Prize winner)
- Amie Duong: Pillows for Peace (SJSU business major/entrepreneur)
- Javatrekker: “The Death Train” (site visit/profile of immigrants)
Related to Alternative Spring Break/Study Abroad
- Sample projects ASB and FLP
- Why ASB is a good career move
- ASB at Bowdoin College
- MIT on Study Abroad--Parent & Student Interview
- Alternative Spring Break--Best Practices, scholarly article
- Article about a Civil Rights Themed ASB--SJSU
- Native Peoples Offer a Solar Alternative to Fossil Fuels
Major Assignments
- Writing History/Literacy Narrative
- Profile Essay
- Proposal: Study Abroad/Alternative Spring Break--overview
- Reflection Essay/ePortfolio
Small Assignments
- Writing History Revision Plan
- Students Presenting Readings (Friday version)
- Students Presenting Readings (TTh version)
- Martin Curiel Quoting Exercise [DOCX]
- Martin Curiel Interview Questions [DOCX]
- Analyzing Your Audience(s)
- Refining your research plan
- Extra Credit Opportunities
Peer Reviews
- Peer review sheet for Writing History/Literacy Narrative
- Peer review sheet for Profile/Site Visit Essay
- Peer review sheet for Spring Break Proposal
- Peer review sheet for Portfolio Essay
Sample Assignments
Writing Histories
- Sample Writing History--Revised version of draft by "Joe Student"
- Rough Draft of "Joe Student" writing history
- A Better Sample Writing History: Brandon Fung
- More SJSU excellence: P. Anonymous
Profiles
- Sample profile, culture-based, site visit: Liberian teacher
- Sample profile, job based: "Scott the Scot"
Proposal Writing
- Sample proposal writing-emails to guest speakers
- Sample audience analysis: Debby Tewa, solar engineer
- sample audience analysis (from Elizabeth Popov)
- Sample Proposal Outline
- Sample Rhetorical Analysis of your ASB Proposal (updated 11/13)
Principles of Rhetoric
- Analyzing Arguments Basic Questions [DOC]
- The Appeals and the Modes [DOCX]
- Evaluation Criteria [DOC]
- Considering Kairos [DOCX]
Focused Advice on Writing and Rewriting
- The Top Twenty Errors: A Quick Guide to Editing
- Advice on Transitions [DOCX]
- Advice on Introductions and Conclusions [DOCX]
- Planning Research, Judging your Sources
- Business Letters (especially requests for donations)
- Advice on Being Concise, but not TOO Concise
- Revision Strategies [DOCX]
- Asking Good Questions, Tips on Interviewing
- Incorporating Sources Fairly and Concisely
- How to Cite Sources for a Profile Informally
- Profile Unit Summary