Today we reviewed plans for the rest of the semester. Students who have completed their Aristotelian essay can submit it today. Include any freewrites and cyber-assignments with the essay portfolio.

In the subject line, "Student name, Aristotelian or Classical Argument, English 5, SPR 2012."

Email is to me: coasabirenglish5@gmail.com

Homework

Review Chapter 7 in WLTC.

Bring in The Tempest Tales. We will read the book next week or two as we complete WLTC. We will complete exercises: 7A in class, 7B, 7C/7D (in teams), 7E, 7F, 7G, 7H, 7I, 7K and Writing Assignment 13 (250 words or a freewrite).

The essay, using the Toulmin model which works well with arguments exploring what is ethical or moral. This I think is perfect for talking about life after death.

Today we reviewed the outline in class for the essay due this week. Bring in a draft of the essay for a peer review Thursday, April 26. We met in A-205. We will meet in A-232 on Thursday, just in case we have a full class (smile).

Due Dates
The final draft is due April 26-April 30 (note the change in date). On Tuesday May 1, students will have an opportunity to critique a student essay and recommend a grade. Only those students who have submitted essays will be able to grade another essay.

Final Essay
We decided that the Toulmin essay will be our final essay, taking its topic from The Tempest Tales. Bring the book to class Thursday as well. We will look at a reading schedule.

WLTC
Next week we will look at the two types of argument: deductive and inductive. We will look to complete WLTC in the next 2-3 meetings. Bring all materials to class.

Anything else?

Final?
Students will present one of the essays they wrote this semester for their final assignment. The final written assigment is the portfolio of all class work. This is due the last day of finals week by 12 noon. We will review the contents of the portfolio with a checklist in a week or two. If anyone would like to see a portfolio beforehand, visit me at my office hour and I can show you an example.

Cyber-Assignment
Students are to post the Classical Argument on Angola 3 where assigned last week. Post the outline. Post the essay, if you wrote one. We will complete this task Thursday as a freewrite.

Here is the information about the Occupy the Justice Department protest in Washington, DC today in D.C. and Oakland: http://wandasabir.blogspot.com/

Homework

Today in class we completed watching In the Land of the Free. We started developing an outline as a freewrite. Srudents who completed the outline, post where assigned yesterday.

We didn't get to the essay itself. Bring your outlines to class. We will write the essay in class. Some students worked collaboratively. Others worked individually. It is your choice.

Email your outlines to me and I will check them. If you wrote the essay, you can send the draft to me with an outline and I will give you feedback. Write the first draft of the essay for Tuesday. Bring in 3 copies to share.

My email is: coasabirenglish5@gmail.com

This weekend is also the anniversary of the first execution in California (1992). I remember this. Here is the site: http://www.riovida.net/Channels/Multi-Kulti/RequiemfortheDeathPenalty/RequiemfortheDeathPenalty-AboutUs.html

There are many activities scheduled to connect with the anniversary.

Announcements: The LAUNCH Conference at UC Berkeley, Friday, April 20, 2012, 8 to 1:30 at the Clark Kerr Campus. Attendance is Free. Lunch is provided. For information visit http://haas.org/launchyourcareer

Also Cal Day is April 21, 2012 Visit http://www.berkeley.edu/calday/

In the Land of the Free . . .

Today in class we discussed the Classical form of argument. Many students wanted clarity on differences between Rogerian and Aristotelian. Only a few students had their outlines and fast drafts for the argument due. Bring in the outline and argument drafts on Thursday. If you are lost, we will write and argument in class together and share.

We then watched most of the film In the Land of the Free. Homework is to develop an argument taking its theme from the film. Write a response to the film here. Look at the argument(s) presented by the director, Vadim Jean, narrated by Samuel L. Jackson http://www.inthelandofthefreefilm.co.uk/

Visit http://www.angola3.org/and http://www.amnesty.org/en/appeals-for-action/justice-for-albert-woodfox-and-herman-wallace and for an interview this morning: http://www.democracynow.org/seo/2012/4/17/40_years_in_solitary_confinement_two

When writing the argument think about the following:

1. What is my reason for writing the paper?

2. What is the best way to introduce the problem, given my evidence and audience?

3. What definitions of concepts or explanations do my readers require?

4. What exactly is my position on the matter?

5. How will my readers most likely react? Indifferently? Skeptically? Enthusiastically? How can I deal with this in advance? (For example, if the audience is likely to be skeptical, can I say things that would remove some of their skepticism?)

These questions are taken verbatim from The Well-Crafted Argument: A Guide and a Reader, Third Edition, by White and Billings.

Today we reviewed the package for Aristotelian Argument. Students went over the "School Vouchers" essay together.

Homework is to bring in a completed outline and essay draft based on a topic or theme from The New Jim Crow. We will spend most of the class Tuesday watching a video: Land of the Free. April 17, is the 40th Anniversary of the Angola 3, three men who together have spent more then 100 years in solitary confinement. Land of the Free is a film about their cases.

Complete the package. It will help you write the argument. The argument should be about 2-4 pages long. For each argument, you need more than one source. Find at least 1-2 sources which support your thesis. If not cited, put in the bibliography.

We will spend more time on the Classical argument on Thursday, April 19, so bring it again electronically. The essay portfolio will be due possibly Monday, April 23 by noon.

We will start the Mosely book in two weeks, May 1. I want to give time to students to present their arguments. Everyone has to present two this semester: one to your group, one to the class. It is our last argument.

For the final students will chose to write an argument about any topic using one of the three forms explored. We will talk about due dates later.

I will occasionally ask certain students to share.

Cyber-Assignment Traces of the Trade

Today we watched the film Traces of the Trade. We didn't get through the entire film, we missed the reparations aspect, but you can read about it on the website: http://www.tracesofthetrade.org/

Students were asked to identify 10 arguments and put them in standard form.

Today in class we will complete the section on fallacious arguments and look at the Aristotelian form of argument. The broad topic for this argument is still juvenile justice; however, you can look at how this system impacts certain communities differently based on legally sanctioned policies spoken of in The New Jim Crow.

Thursday, I will show you a film about the death penalty or the debtor prison spoken of in the film, Slavery by Another Name. We'll start Mosely perhaps next week.