Konrad says thanks

Final Twitter Assignment

1. What is the one thing from this class you hope to remember once you graduate?

2. What was your favorite text we read and why?

Extra Credit Tweet

1. How has this class changed your thinking about urban violence?

One more survey....

Taking this survey will get you 10 quiz points. Send me a screen shot of the final thank you page if there is one.

https://lagccir.co1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_3wmojub2sRJG8y9&Q_JFE=0

Class Cancelled Tomorrow (6.27)

Class: My son has a fever and needs to stay home tomorrow from daycare. I thus can't make class. On the bright side, this gives you some extra time to finish the novel.

If you're interested in your grade on the paper, email me. Otherwise, I'll have it for you Monday.

I'm aware I didn't post a Twitter assignment last week. That was intentional. Look for a new Twitter assignment tomorrow. 

Take this Survey

For one extra credit point on your final course grade... Send me a screen shot of the last 'you've finished' page when the survey is done for credit.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/BuildingNewComp_Spring2015 

Questions

Submission: How does fear affect or change racial identity for those who have been traumatized by white supremacist culture?

Revision: What role does "fear" and "mutual fear" play in understanding riot culture in James Baldwin's The Fire Next Time and Walter Mosley's Little Scarlet? How does fear and/or mutual fear explain the origins for rioting and racial violence, and also how people understand riots and racial violence that occurs as a result of rioting?

Answer this question in a 2-3 sentence, tentative thesis statement where you define what you mean by fear and/or mutual fear, and the meaning, or relationship, of the textual examples you plan to use to explore this idea. Then, in at least three supporting paragraphs, use manageable quotes from both course texts to support the claims you make in your thesis, making sure that you explore passages from both texts. In at least one paragraph, perhaps the conclusion, be sure to explicitly compare and contrast how these two texts converse with one another about the theme at stake (fear, and/or mutual fear). More points will be awarded to students who examine passages that reflect their personal reading of the texts (in other words, students will receive increase their chances of excellence if they don't simply summarize class discussions about passages we discussed as a group).

Submission: Are riots - and/or the use of social violence-- regressive or progressive? Can rioting use strategic violence as a vehicle for social change? Does justice actually follow rioting? Can rioting be used for positive means?What new problems or challenges might arise from the use of rioting and/or social violence?

Revision: In what ways do the texts The Fire Next Time and Little Scarlet demonstrate how riots communicate a search for social justice through strategic violence? To what extent does rioting achieve justice for rioters, and to what extent does it create a new set of problems for communities to solve?

Answer this question in a 2-3 sentence, tentative thesis statement where you define what you mean by social justice and strategic violence, and the meaning, or relationship, of the textual examples you plan to use to explore this idea. Then, in at least three supporting paragraphs, use manageable quotes from both course texts to support the claims you make in your thesis, making sure that you explore passages from both texts. In at least one paragraph, perhaps the conclusion, be sure to explicitly compare and contrast how these two texts converse with one another about the theme at stake (social justice and strategic violence). More points will be awarded to students who examine passages that reflect their personal reading of the texts (in other words, students will receive increase their chances of excellence if they don't simply summarize class discussions about passages we discussed as a group).

Revision: In what ways do both Baldwin's The Fire Next Time and Mosley's Little Scarlet depict the role of anger and frustration as a root motivation for rioting? How do both authors 'work through' those emotions and construct an alternative framework for adapting to injustice?

Quiz 9

Little Scarlet

This quiz is open book or open note IF the student can demonstrate he or she did the reading; they can prove this through annotations, highlights, and/or notes. 

In the pages we read for today (50-148), we encountered even more situations were some of the big themes, or ideas, that we've been discussing in class arose. Select a passage or scene from the text (or from memory) that you believe exemplifies the importance of a 'big idea' we could bring into our class discussion. What happened in the scene, and why is it so significant? What is the 'big idea' behind the scene that you believe might also speak to some of the ideas or themes we've been discussing in this course? In short, how can we connect a scene from the novel involving Easy to some idea from Baldwin's The Fire Next Time? The Harlem riots? 1877?

Twitter Assignment #8

1. Relate your idea you conceived in class and how one passage from the novel exemplifed it.

2. Return to the Tweets about Baldwin and reply to one by connecting an idea from Baldwin to an idea or scene from Little Scarlet.

EXTRA CREDIT TWEET

1. What are the words you would use to describe Easy as a character?

PR

Peer Review Guidelines

1. Move into your PR groups. Determine what paper will be read and discussed in what order. Budget 15 minutes per person and no more.

2. The readers all read the paper.

3. Give written feedback that offers specific praise and criticism based on whether or not the essay meets the assignment.

4. Put your name on this feedback and give it to the writer.

5. Keep your written feedback and staple it to your final draft.

Writing Feedback Directions 

1. Open with a general statement about the essay's relationship to the assignment. Be clear about which parts fulfill the assignment and which parts need improvement. When you make a specific, concrete suggestion for improvement, try couching it in a qualifier: "You might try..." or "Why don't you add..." or "Another way of writing the lead might be..."

2. Present comments so the writer knows which problems with text are most important and which are of lesser importance.

3. Pose at least two questions that ask for clarification or that seek other possible views or more information on the subject.

Attach written suggestions from your peers to your final drafts for full peer review credit.

Twitter Assignment #7

1. Find a Tweet by a classmates about a passage they liked in the Baldwin. Go to the passage, if you're unfamiliar with it, and re-read it. Then reply to the Tweet by giving one of your thoughts about it, or by asking a question.

2. Tweet the biggest challenge of composing the second essay for you.

EXTRA CREDIT:

3. State a relationship between Baldwin's conception of "the man with nothing to lose" and 2Pac's conception of a person with "Nothing to Lose."

Class Agenda 5.6

Malcolm X

MLK

In-class writing exercise.

1.      In a follow-up to our class Monday, let’s practice writing the kinds of strategies we need to use for close-reading individually.

First, the basics:

-          find a manageable quote you believe supports a theme from the text you find interesting, and which bring forward new possible meanings for our study of riot culture, or the psychology of communities that might participate possibly in rioting (in this case, maybe the 1964 Harlem Riots or later riots of the 1960s). 

- place your manageable quote into an integrated sentence

-      tin a sentence, then write a paraphrase for this quote

Now, write at least three sentences that explain the significance of the quote using thse strategies

- 1) explain the significance of each major word or phrase from the quote, and, if possible, explain the relationship between the words (imagine the words are ideas)

- 2) connect the quote to another short passage in the text, and explain the meaning of the quote’s relationship to that passage

- 3) connect the quote to another passage in another class text, and state their  relationship

- 4) explain how the quote helps us understand the culture of rioting

Tupac

Lyrics 

Extra Credit Twitter Assignment

Looking to make-up some points? Tweet the following assignment worth an extra three tweets. That's more than one week's worth of points - this translates to 1-2 points on your final course grade. Not bad.

The question to answer? Tweet your response to this:

Would you most like to discuss Baldwin's reflection on the church, his family, on Harlem, or on black racial identity/psychology? Pick a theme, find a passage about it, and Tweet the theme, a quick paraphrase of the passage, and the page number before Wednesday's class at 6pm.

Class Agenda

1. Discuss Baldwin article
2. Quotation activity ("My Dungeon Shock")
3. Discuss The Fire Next Time

Twitter Assignment #6

1. Which Harlem riot will you write about for the second essay and why?
2. Go to recent Tweets written by your classmates. 'Favorite' at least two you found interesting for any reason. Find one Tweet and 'reply' to it as if you were asking a follow-up question to them during class discussion.

Class Agenda 4.29

1. Paraphrase, Summarize; citations; structure
2. Essay Assignment Two; explanation and free writing
3. 1964 Harlem Riot

1. do you understand the comments and grade? do you have questions or concerns?
2. what was most difficult? how did you overcome it, or did you get stuck?
 3. would you do anything differently?
4. what writing skills do you think we need to work on?
5. did the rules of the assignment help or hurt your performance? would you want rules like that again?
6. do you plan to revise?

Reflection Note

Reflection on your writing process: Letter to the professor. Answer the following questions in a brief letter to the professor. 1. Overall, do you understand grade and comments? Do you have questions or concerns? 2. What is the most difficult part of the assignment for you? How did you overcome it? 3. Looking back at this point, what would you do differently next time? 4. What writing skills or techniques do you think we need to work on most as a class going forward? 5. Did the rules for the assignment and structure help your writing, or did it pose an obstacle for you? Would you want similar rules, or less rules, going forward? 6. Do you plan to revise?

Board Notes: Destruction of Gotham, Spring 2015 and Fall 2014

 

The first four pictures here are from our class. The next four are from our last class. Perhaps the most helpful slide is the sixth, in brown ink, with references to key pages. In class, we discussed page 174 and the surrounding pages at length. 

Twitter Assignment #5

1. What are the connections between the Red Scare and the lynchings and race riots we read about and discussed this week?

2. What are the connections, or relationships, between the 1935 Harlem riot and the 1917 East St. Louis riot?

Readings for Monday 4.27

See the links at right with 1943. Please read and print the "Must Read." If you can read or skim the rest, do so. If you can read and also print all but the "suggested" one, do so.

If you're interested in some basic knowledge about the riot, click on the links below:

NYCdata

8 Facts You May Not Know

US Prison Culture

Updated Course Schedule

Below and see syllabus at right.

Updated Course Schedule, ENN 195

M. 4.27:  The 1943 Harlem Riot: Double Victory Campaign

Reading: See Website

Video: from The War: Segregation, Its Impact

              http://www.pbs.org/thewar/detail_5381.htm

Video: from The War: African-American Troop Training

               http://www.pbs.org/thewar/detail_5373.htm                   

W 4.29: 1964 Harlem Riot

            Reading: See Website

M 5.4:  The Fire Next Time

            Reading: Baldwin (1-43)      

W 5.6: The Fire Next Time

            Reading: Baldwin (43-82)

M 5.11: The Fire Next Time

            Reading: Baldwin (82-106)

            Essay Assignment Two Peer Review

Module Six: The Fires of Civil Rights

W 5.13: Little Scarlet

            Reading: Mosley (1-49)

M 5.18: Mosley (50-148)

W 5.20: Little Scarlet

            Mosley (148-205)

            Essay Two DUE

M 5.25: No Class

W 5.27: Little Scarlet

            Mosley (205-306)

M 6.1: Preparation for Final Exam: Reading Mosley through Baldwin

W 6.3 Final Exam

Reading for Wednesday

Please see the following links for class, in addition to the link on the right-hand side of the blog. The text linked on the right is a 'primary source.'

Harlem Riot of 1935

"The First American Race Riot"

Extra Credit Event and Assignment

The following event is an extra credit event. If you attend the event and write up a connection between something you saw at the event and a theme from class discussion, you will receive extra credit. I'm looking for one page, double-spaced, well-organized response, with a 'thesis' in the first sentence and "evidence" coming in the form of content from the event itself and from a class discussion and/or text. If this is done, I will award two points to the final course grade. 
 
The Black Lives Matter Summit is fast approaching on May 8th.  The Committee has assembled an incredible group of speakers, panelists and presenters for this historic day!!

The Panels will include:
Black Minds Matter: Education
The 'Hood Matters: Police Brutality
Who I Am Matters: Race, Violence and Mass Incarceration
Health Matters: Health and Wellness

We would LOVE it if some Professors would bring their classes to the summit.  Please register via the Eventbrite link below and PLEASE HURRY - WE HAVE OVER 100 SLOTS FILLED ALREADY FROM PEOPLE ALL OVER THE CITY, and the remaining slots are filling up quickly!!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-black-lives-matter-summit-tickets-16347163807

Once again, I thank all of you who have sent words of encouragement, registered early, and those who have been supportive of this incredible event

The Black Lives Matter Summit Committee:

Jeffrey "Kazembe" Batts
Padmini Biswas
Dr. Fay Maureen Butler
Darren Ferguson
Dr. Jason Hendrickson
Dr. Kevin Jordan
Dr. Allia Matta
Karen McKeon
Brian Miller
Deborah Nibot
Rosslyn Peiters
Shayla Pruitt
Dr. Joan Schwartz
Christendath Singh

Class Agenda 4.20

1. 100 Years of Lynching

Ida B. Wells and Ida B. Wells

2. Riots, U.S.A: East St. Louis, 1917

East St. Louis

3. Backlash: Chicago, 1919

Chicago, 1919

4. Red Scare

See Syllabus links

5. Tulsa

Tulsa

Twitter Assignment #4

1. Tweet about the theme from the novel The Destruction of Gotham you'd most like to take up in a paper.

2. Identify a passage from the novel and quote the word or phrase you believe matters to understanding that passage, and, by extension, the theme you chose from the novel.

1. Collect essays.

2. Have some students read their quizzes out loud. Rayvon, Jocelyn, Krystyna, Derek, Francely (two).

3. Professor identifies a key passage. 

4. Hear from the groups on key plots points, characters, and passages.

5. Begin discussion of texts we'll discuss today and Monday.

We'll view films for today in class

You only need to read the readings posted. If you only get to the first two that's ok.

Class Agenda 4.13

1. Quiz: How does the conclusion of the novel connect with our course discussions so far this semester? What insights does the novel have for our study about urban violence and the cultural and economic conditions for riots? At bottom, what are the factors that create the riot in the text? As readers of the novel, how are we supposed to feel about the characters and their relation to the riot?

2. In-text citation and quotation strategies. Close-reading and paragraphs. 

3. Group work: Return to the working groups we formed in previous classes. Add in the relevant plot events from the conclusion of the text. Select one major passage from the text you find revealing.

4. Let's talk about the novel!

Grading Grid Assignment One

Grading Grid:

Name:

1-10 scale

10 – exceptional execution; 9 – excellent execution; 8 –slightly above average; 7 – slightly below average; 6 – below average; 5 – significant development needed; 1 – minimal or no response 

1. Thesis: A. Contains a central assertion that places a central idea at the forefront of the essay; B. thesis statements responds to assignment (about 4-5 sentences); C. thesis statement answers the main question(s) posed by the assignment  (20%)

1          5          6          7          8          9          10

2. Structure:  A. Essay organized around topic sentence claims that echo and extend ideas from thesis; B. each paragraph introduces and provides context for sources; C. essay uses summary and paraphrase to explain main ideas from reading (20%)

1          5          6          7          8          9          10

3. Evidence:  A. Essay places direct quotes into each body paragraph; B. cites those quotes correctly according to MLA; C. essay explains direct quotations; D. essay paraphrases and explains direct quotations; E. Evidence is relevant to the claim presented; F. essay contains a bibliography (30%)

1          5          6          7          8          9          10

4. Critical Thinking: A. Essay interprets language from the direct quotations in original ways(that go beyond class discussion if quoted passage was discussed in class); B. essay connects main ideas to other texts or moments in text; C. essay utilizes keywords and defines them; D. essay offers original perspectives and argument (20%)

1          5          6          7          8          9          10

Polish: A. Essay fulfills criteria of assignment with excellence; B. sentences reflect revised prose style; C. grammar or typos never interfere with meaning; D. style exceeds minimal requirements; E. paper pushes boundaries of originality and dedication (10%)

1          5          6          7          8          9          10

Peer Review:

Grade:

Comments: