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 | Unit One: First Essay; Writing Focus: Personal Narrative |  | 
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 | 1 |  |  |  | Intro to the Class as a Writing Community
  Writing about Social and Ethical Issues |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Distribute: Syllabus, Course Calendar, Writer's Letter assignment, Course information sheet, Exercise 1.1, Essay Assignment #1 |  | 
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 | 2 |  |  |  | Reasons to Believe: The Roots of Ethical and Social Values
  Introducing Personal Essays |  |  |  | In Writing for Change  |  |  |  | Exercise 1.1, Notebook Exercise on Edelman, Writer's Letter |  |  |  | Discuss: Sample student essay |  | 
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 | 3 |  |  |  | Reasons to Believe and Act |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
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 | 4 |  |  |  | Developing and Sustaining Ethical and Social Values
  The Personal Essay: Crafting Engaging and Effective Introductions |  |  |  | In Writing for Change - John F. Kennedy. "Inaugural Address." Pp. 89-92.
 - William F. Buckley. "A Call to Arms." Pp. 125-133.
 - Martin Luther King, Jr. "A Letter From Birmingham Jail." Pp. 285-299.
 - P.W. Alexander. "Christmas At Home." Pp. 100-103.
 - Jeremy Taylor. "Service Learning: Education with a Purpose." Pp. 193-199.
 
 Film Clips: Eyes on the Prize.  |  |  |  | 2 Notebook Exercises (Class #3, Class #4) |  |  |  |  |  | 
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 | 5 |  |  |  | The Writer as Social Activist: A Literary Tradition |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Draft Essay 1 (2 copies + cover letter. (Due two days after class #5)
  Workshop students: email drafts (as Word documents) to classmates |  |  |  | Read/Discuss: Assigned Readings.
  Bring in: Introductions, Essay 1 (4 copies).
  Workshop Preparation; Distribute Workshopping Letter |  | 
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 | 6 |  |  |  | Writing Workshop, Draft Essay 1; The Craft of Revision |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Workshop letters to classmates. (Copies to instructor) |  |  |  | Distribute: Handouts on Revision (3) |  | 
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 | Unit Two: Second Essay; Writing Focus: Investigative Essay/Comparative Analysis |  | 
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 | 7 |  |  |  | Representing Social Issues and Problems; Images |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
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 | 8 |  |  |  | Narratives of Poverty and Homelessness |  |  |  | - Selection, Charles Dickens. A Christmas Carol.
 - Jonathan Kozol. "Are the Homeless Crazy?"
  
 In Writing For Change - Peter Marin. "Helping and Hating the Homeless…." Pp. 270-283.
 
 Film Clip: A Christmas Carol  |  |  |  | Notebook Exercise: Comment comparatively on the power of Marin's and Kozol's essays (1½-2 pp.) Revision, Essay #1. (2 copies + cover letter and marked-up Draft) (Due two days after class #8)
   |  |  |  | Review: Essay #2 assignment. Introduction to Community Research |  | 
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 | 9 |  |  |  | The Writer as Witness, Participant and Investigator: Inside the World of Poverty and Low-wage Labor |  |  |  | - Excerpt, Barbara Ehrenreich. Nickel and Dimed: On Not Getting By in America. (Handout)
 
 Film Clip: America and Lewis Hine.  |  |  |  | Proposals, Essay #2. (Five copies)
  Notebook Exercise on Ehrenreich |  |  |  |  |  | 
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 | 10 |  |  |  | The Writer as Interpreter of Social Issues: The Value Of Comparative Analysis: Research Strategies |  |  |  | Course Library Page |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Pairs Workshops: Proposals #2
  Library Session |  | 
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 | 11 |  |  |  | Writers Engage With Media Culture and Beauty Imagery |  |  |  | In Writing For Change (student essay) Film: Killing Us Softly 3  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Read/Discuss: Assigned readings (distributed in class) |  | 
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 | 12 |  |  |  | Writers Address Contemporary Debates: Race, Gender and Issues of Equality
  Approaches to Comparative Analysis: Options in Introductions/Conclusions |  |  |  | In Writing For Change - Ronald Takaki. "Breaking Silences: Community of Memory."   Pp. 219-232.
 - Susan Faludi. "Blame It on Feminism." Pp. 238-250.
 
  |  |  |  | Notebook Assignment: Compare Takaki and Faludi |  |  |  |  |  | 
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 | 13 |  |  |  | Writers Confront Contemporary: Educational Inequality, Past and Present: Individual Portraits |  |  |  | In Writing For Change - Maya Angelou. "Graduation." Pp. 155-165.
 - Jonathan Kozol. "Corla Hawkins." Pp. 176-181.
 - Mike Rose. "I Just Wanna Be Average." Pp. 165-176.
 
  |  |  |  | Notebook assignment: Compare Rose and Kozol or Angelou Draft, Essay #2 (2 copies + cover letter) (Due two days after class #13)  |  |  |  | Distribute: Workshop #2 letter
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 | 14 |  |  |  | Writing Workshop, Draft, Essay #2 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Workshop Letters  |  |  |  |  |  | 
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 | Unit Three: Third Essay; Writing Focus: Investigative/Advocacy Essay |  | 
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 | 15 |  |  |  | Writers as Investigators and Advocates: Modern Classics in the Literature of Social Change |  |  |  | Excerpts from: - Betty Friedan. The Feminine Mystique.
 - Rachel Carson. Silent Spring.
 - George Orwell. "Politics and the English Language."
 
  |  |  |  | Notebook Exercise on Friedan or Carson |  |  |  | Review Essay #3 Assignments |  | 
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 | 16 |  |  |  | Reading Films Critically (PDF)  |  |  |  | Film: Girl, Interrupted. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
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 | 17 |  |  |  | Writers Explore Contemporary Issues: Mental Health     |  |  |  | - Susanna Kaysen. Girl, Interrupted. (Excerpt)
  
 In Writing for Change - Tracy Thompson. "The Wizard of Prozac." Pp. 347-356.
  
 Film: James Mangold. Girl, Interrupted.  |  |  |  | Notebook Assignment: Girl, Interrupted
  Proposals, Essay #3 (5 copies) |  |  |  |  |  | 
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 | 18 |  |  |  | Writers Define Contemporary Issues and Advocate Solutions: Education |  |  |  | In Writing for Change - E. D. Hirsch. "Cultural Literacy." Pp. 188-193.
 
  |  |  |  | Notebook Assignment on Hirsch and Orwell Revision, Essay #2. (2 copies, coverletter + marked-up Draft) (Due two days after class #18)  |  |  |  | Small Workshops: Proposals, Essay #3 |  | 
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 | 19 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Film: Dead Man Walking. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
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 | 20 |  |  |  | Writers Debate Policy Issues: Capital Punishment
  Incorporating Personal and Public Voices |  |  |  | Film: Tim Robbins. Dead Man Walking.
  |  |  |  | Notebook Exercise, Dead Man Walking
  Incorporating Interview Material and Secondary Sources
  Models of  Advocacy Essays: Student Essay (MURJ)
  Conclusions |  |  |  |  |  | 
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 | 21 |  |  |  | Writers Debate Policy Issues: Capital Punishment
  Incorporating Personal and Public Voices (continued)  |  |  |  | Film: Tim Robbins. Dead Man Walking. (continued)  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
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 | 22 |  |  |  | Approaches To Advocacy |  |  |  | In Writing For Change - Randy Fitzgerald. "Owls Are Not Threatened, Jobs Are." Pp. 419-423.
 - Cynthia Hamilton. "Women, Home and Community: The Struggles in an Urban Environment." Pp. 412-418.
 
  |  |  |  | Revisions #2 |  |  |  | Oral Presentations |  | 
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 | 23 |  |  |  | Writers as Visionaries: Fiction as a Laboratory for Utopian Ideas and Dystopian Critiques |  |  |  | In Writing For Change - Ernest Callenbach. "Ecotopia." Pp. 440-446.
 
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 | 24 |  |  |  | Writers as Visionaries: Fiction as a Laboratory for Utopian Ideas and Dystopian Critiques |  |  |  | Excerpts (distributed in class): - Aldous Huxley. Brave New World.
 - George Orwell. 1984. 
 - Margaret Atwood. The Handmaid's Tale.
 
  |  |  |  | Notebook Exercise: Compare your own Visions of utopia and dystopia Drafts, Essay #3 (Due one day after class #24)  |  |  |  |  |  | 
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 | 27 |  |  |  | Revision Strategies for Advocacy Essays |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
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 | 28 |  |  |  | Advanced Revision/Publication Workshop |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Oral Presentations |  | 
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 | 29 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Workshop, Draft Essay #3 |  | 
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 | 30 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Oral Presentations; Course Evaluations |  | 
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 | 31 |  |  |  | Last Class: Celebration |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Portfolios due by end of day (with revision #3) |  | 
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