Module 1 Week 1 Overview

In this first week, I'll be introducing the ideas and basic skills needed for success in the course. To start, you'll complete a diagnostic writing exercise, which will not be graded, but will give you a sense of the types of writing we'll do in this class. The themes of power and storytelling will be introduced, and you'll interact with your classmates in discussions of how we encounter them in our daily lives. Finally, you'll learn (or review) how to MLA format and "enter the conversation" in a reading response. Take the templates in your text (TSIS) "with a grain of salt" so to speak. They are there for writing support, but only provide a framework by which to develop your own voice in writing.

Objectives

In this week, diagnostic writing will demonstrate where the class stands and how the instructor can benefit each student. Students will learn how to format papers in the MLA format and ways to approach a comprehensive reading response. Students will also be introduced to the general theme of the course: storytelling and power.

Outcomes

At the end of this week, students will be able to close read, understand the theme of the course, and write a reading response in the MLA format. Students are moving toward a thoughtful extended summary of a challenging text (Module 1 final project).

**To Do This Week**
Watch/Read	Do/Due
Welcome Video Introduce Yourself and Syllabus "Quiz" Diagnostic Writing and Growth Portfolio Response	Watch this first! I'll send one out early each week with an overview of what you need to do or anticipate. Read through the syllabus and take the short quiz (ungraded) to demonstrate your interest in pursuing the course (Tuesday 1/24) Diagnostic Response and Writer's History (required) Tuesday 1/24
Joseph Campbell's "Monomyth" (short video) Eric Liu, "What is Power" (TED Link)	Discussion Board 1 due Thursday 1/26 with responses by Friday 1/27
MLA Basics (link)	Set up your own Google or Word template for MLA by end of week
TSIS "Intro: Enter the Conversation" (1-18)	Take notes on how to introduce a text in preparation for your first reading response (upcoming). Page 17 offers a particularly helpful template that you can use as a framework to showcase your ideas (and then revise to suit your personal style). You may also find this first chapter useful as you write Discussion Post 1.