Lesson 1 College Now Finding Your Voice
Objective: This lesson is an implicit introduction to the theme of the course. Students will read portions of three essays George Orwell and Joan Didion Why I Write, and Cynthia Ozicks On Permission to Write. After reading these three selections, students will be asked to write responding to the question Why I write? Their responses will be the focus of the lesson and will also emphasize the theme of the course. The course is about students seriously and honestly considering why they write and how they approach writing and to begin the course we will generate some ideas about why they write and as the semester progresses we will revisit this question repeatedly.
Process:
1.
Administrative
tasks :
- Students will complete
Delaney cards
- Students will be given
directions on how to locate the semester
calendar online
- Teacher will introduce the
course and discuss the mission of the class
- Outstanding College Now
applications will be collected.
2.
Whole
group reading:
- Students are arranged in a
circle. Students will be given copies of
the three above mentioned essays and as a class there will be a reading go around.
The teacher will decide whether the class will read once or twice ( one reading = every student has had a turn to read). The objective of this reading is to motivate
some thought for the topic why I write and also to reinforce the structure
of this class. The structure of the class
is student centered and this exercise will emphasize to students that the
success of the class will be dependent on all students participating.
3.
Independent
writing:
- Students will be asked to
write without stopping for 20 minutes responding to the question why I
write? Teacher will ask students to
write non stop even if they have to repeat the
same thing and also to be as honest as possible in their response.
4.
Whole
group sharing:
- Each student will read
their response in the final go-around of this lesson. Again, this sharing emphasizes the theme of
the class. Teacher will ask students to
stop writing and to take a minute to prepare for the reading of their response.
5.
Reflection:
- How did it feel to have to share a
personal response such as the one written in class? Ask students to respond to this question
verbally. This response will conclude
class # 1.
Assignment: Describe each writer's reasons for writing based on the three articles we read.