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Syllabus: Introduction to Expository Writing

Jackie Pedersen

 

 

Welcome to Intro to Expository Writing! By the end of this course, you will be a confident, effective writer of expository essays, writing prompts, and other expository writing assignments. This course will keep you busy, but shouldn’t be too much for you to handle. Below you will find a plan for the entire course and all the assignments you’ll be asked to do. Make sure to take a look at the last column, “How the Outcome is Proved”. That will ALWAYS tell you exactly what will get you a B or better on your assignments.

 

Throughout the course, you will see various icons (pictures that stand for something) used:

This stands for Due Date

This stands for file upload. When you see this, you'll know you need to upload a file for grading

This stands for "Perfect Points". It tells you how to get a perfect grade on an assignment.

This stands for Discussion or Collaboration. You'll see this when you need to use the discussion board or chat tools.' 

 

As you work through the course, if you need any help or encouragement, you can always talk to me in class, or email me through the course website under the link “Contact Me”. I’m sorry, I don’t list my email on anything online to avoid junk mail. When you email me, I’ll email you back and then you’ll have my email address.

Before you begin the course, you'll want to be sure you have the "write" tools to participate in the course!

  • Access to a computer at least 3x per week
  • Access to the internet at least 3x per week
  • Access to a scanner or a digital camera
  • The ability to read independently
  • Permission from your parents to take an online course
  • A working email address (If you do not have an email address, click here to begin setting up a free Gmail account)

Finally, visit these Internet Safety, Plagiarism, and 'Netiquette' sites for kids-- they will explain how to act properly and safely when using the internet.

Good luck!

 

Topic Area

Objectives

(SWBAT = Students Will Be Able To)

Summary of Teaching Methods

(Activities / Lessons / Assignments)

How Outcome is Proved

(How do I know you’ve learned it?)

Week 1

Introductions

and

Writing Good Sentences

1(a) identify the different parts of a sentence.

1(b) write complete sentences.

1(c) identify and edit sentences that are incomplete.

1(d)  develop online collaborative communities and partnerships

(That means you’ll be a part of a group that works together online, and that you’ll be a part of a two-person team that works together online as well.)

 

Discussion 1:1 -- Introductory “Icebreaker” discussion
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Tutorial presentation “Writing Strong Sentences”
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Discussion 1:2 (with buddy response)
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Assignment 1:1 – Sentence Practice
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Assignment 1:2 – Complete / Incomplete sentence identification

 

Show me you’ve mastered 1(a) by identifying at least 80% of the subjects and predicates in your ten sentences.
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Show me you’ve mastered 1(b) by writing 80% of your ten sentences in a complete form.
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Show me you’ve mastered 1(d) by posting an original discussion thread that is at least 50 words long, and addresses all parts of the prompt.
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Show me you’ve mastered 1(c) by turning 8 out of 10 sentences into complete sentences with at least 7 out of 10 correctly ‘diagnosed’.
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Show me you’ve mastered 1(d) by responding to your buddy’s thread in a response that addresses all parts of the prompt, and is at least 30 words long.

 

Week 2

Writing Better Sentences

2(a) recognize and properly use adjectives and adverbs.

2(b) use adjectives and adverbs to elaborate on simple sentences.

ONGOING: 1(d)  develop online collaborative communities and partnerships

 

Complete online ‘game’ tutorial to review / practice adjectives and adverbs.
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Read handout “How-To”
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Discussion 2:1 with ten classmate responses
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Assignment 2:1 – Peer response and sentence revisions

 

Show me you’ve mastered 2(a) and 2(b) by posting at least 10 peer responses, and suggesting adverbs / adjectives that make sense in your classmates’ sentences without repeating anyone else’s suggestions.
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Show me you’ve mastered 2(a) and 2(b) by posting your 10 revised sentences, with each sentence having been revised to include on classmate-suggested adverb / adjective, and without re-using any adjective or adverb
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Show me you’ve mastered 1(d) by posting an original thread with at least 10 sentences posted.
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Show me you’ve mastered 1(d) by responding to at least 10 other classmates’ threads with at least one suggested adjective and one suggested adverb for each.

 

Week 3

The Writing Process: Using ‘Step Up to Writing’

3(a) identify all parts of the writing process

3(b) explain the purpose of each of the stages of writing.

3(c) associate the appropriate ‘colors’ and ‘symbols’ used by Step Up to Writing and the purposes of them.

3(d) distinguish the difference between a topic, main ideas, and details.

ONGOING: 1(d)  develop online collaborative communities and partnerships

 

Step-Up-to-Writing Video Tutorial
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Assignment 3:1 – Stages of Writing Mini-Menu
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SUTW quiz
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Discussion: 3:1 with buddy response
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Assignment 3:2 – Highlighting with Step-Up-to-Writing

 

 

 

Show me you’ve mastered 3(a) and 3(b) by identifying the names of the 5 stages and giving at least one of the main purposes for each stage.
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Show me you’ve mastered 3(c) by achieving an 80% or better on the SUTW quiz.
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Show me you’ve mastered 3(c) through discussion, by re-writing your peer’s paragraph using the correct colors.
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Show me you’ve mastered 3(c) and 3(d) by highlighting and color-coding sentences in the sample paragraph with 80% or more identified correctly.
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Show me you’ve mastered 1(d) by posting an original discussion thread that is at least 50 words long for part (a) and for correctly identifying the parts of your buddy’s response.

 

 

Week 4-5

Prewriting

4(a) brainstorm and separate ideas into main ideas and details

4 (b) organize ideas into logical order and choose effective, smooth transitions.

ONGOING: 1(d)  develop online collaborative communities and partnerships

 

Video tutorial
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Assignment 4:1 – Upload interactive notes
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Play online “Animal Classification Game”
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Assignment 4:2 – Web / T-Chart
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Discussion 4:1 – Make Connections

 

Show me you’ve mastered 4(a) by creating a brainstorming web with at least 3 main ideas, and at least 2 details for each main idea.  Make sure your main ideas are connected to the details that support them, and make sure your topic is writing in the middle in green.
-------OR-------
Show me you’ve mastered 4(b) by creating a T-chart that sequences main ideas / details in a logical order, and has one correctly used transition for each main idea.
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Show me you’ve mastered 1(d) by posting an original discussion thread with at least 75 words that addresses all parts of the prompt.

 

 

Week 6

Writing Effective Topic Sentences and Conclusions

6(a) try writing a few different versions of a topic sentence.

6(b) use our topic sentence ideas to write an effective conclusion.

ONGOING: 1(d)  develop online collaborative communities and partnerships

 

Preview the live-class handout
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Live Web-Ex class (you can choose from 3 sessions)
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Assignment 6:1 – Upload interactive notes
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Discussion 6:1 – 4 Different Topic Sentences (Response: Writing Conclusions)

 

Show me you’ve mastered 6(a) by writing 4 different topic sentences that make sense and correctly follow the model I give you.
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Show me you’ve mastered 6(b) by correctly changing two of your partner’s topic sentences into a conclusion each with one transition.
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Show me you’ve mastered 1(d) by posting their 4 topic sentences in the forum.
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Show me you’ve mastered 1(d) by responding to your buddy’s thread with 2 suggested conclusions.

 

Week 7

Drafting

7(a) convert ideas into complete, smooth-flowing sentences

7(b) create a draft that follows an organized, logical structure.

7(c) analyze drafts and determine what makes a strong first draft

ONGOING: 1(d)  develop online collaborative communities and partnerships

 

View student examples
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Discussion 7:1 – Analyzing student models
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Assignment 7:1 – First draft of essay

 

Show me you’ve mastered 7(a) and 7(b) by writing a first draft with a topic sentence, at least 3 main ideas, 2 details for each main idea, and a conclusion. Make sure the sentences are complete, main ideas support the topic.
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Show me you’ve mastered 7(c) by reading the student models, and posting qualities that make an advanced draft, and qualities that make a below basic draft (one of each in your original thread, and one of each in your 2 responses).
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Show me you’ve mastered 1(d) by posting an original thread that is at least 50 words long and addresses all parts of the prompt.
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Show me you’ve mastered 1(d) by responding to 2 classmates’ thread with no less than 30 words.

 

 

Week 8

Editing

8(a) edit your partner’s draft by identifying areas of strength and areas where improvements can be made

8(b) edit your own draft taking constructive editing suggestions from peers and an instructor

ONGOING: 1(d)  develop online collaborative communities and partnerships

 

Preview the grading rubric
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Assignment 8:1 - Group-chat – analyze grading rubric
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Discussion 8:1 – Draft editing and revisions

 

 

 

Show me you’ve mastered 8(a) by reading and editing your buddy’s draft thoroughly, based on the rubric I gave you.
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Show me you’ve mastered by reading and evaluating your buddy’s critiques, and giving a reason for each critique you used, and each critique you disregarded.
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Show me you’ve mastered 1(d) by participating in the group chat session with at least 5 responses contributed throughout the session

 

Week 9-10

Final Project

10(a) write an essay that answers a specific writing prompt.

10(b) ‘synthesize’ (put it all together) everything you’ve learned in the first 9 weeks of class.

ONGOING: 1(d)  develop online collaborative communities and partnerships

 

Choose your 3 prompts
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Assignment 9:1 -- Rough drafts and pre-writing
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Assignment 9:2 – Peer edits
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Assignment 9:3 – Final drafts

 

Show me you’ve mastered 10(a) and 10(b) by writing 3 separate essays responding to 3 of the 10 provided prompts, with all of the 5 writing stages evident in each one.
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Show me you’ve mastered 10(b) by editing peer drafts thoroughly—I shouldn’t be able to find more than 2 areas of improvement that you didn’t notice.
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Show me you’ve mastered 1(d) by editing 2 peer drafts and posting responses by the required deadline.

 

 

 

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