Summary of Major Writing Activities, Spring 2011
Mary Kelly-Klein, Instructor
Weeks 1-3: Pre-writing (Press Release for “Associations of Television Content
Type and Obesity in Children”; Food Inc)
1. Reading for college writing
2. Film: Food Inc
3. Brainstorm: Food Inc
Weeks 4-5: Reading Responses (“Unscrambling the Egg Disaster”)
1. Read the article
2. Visual Literacy
3. The ABCs of Websites
4. Reading Response Workshop
5. Write and revise reading responses
Weeks 6-7: The Formal Summary (“Stop Being Afraid of the Food Industry”)
1. Read the article
2. Vocab
3. The ABCs of videos
4. Summary blueprint
5. Summary (no opinions of yours belong in a summary)
6. Revision of summary
Weeks 8-9: The Summary-Response Essay (“Stop Being Afraid of the Food
Industry”)
1. Brainstorm to get in touch with what you think and feel about Maria’s
proposals
2. Shape a thesis statement of your own. A thesis statement is your opinion
about Maria’s proposal.
3. Write a blueprint of your essay
Introduction is composed of your summary and your thesis
statement—all in one paragraph
Body Paragraph 1 (5 to 7 or 8 sentences)
Topic sentence 1
Explain or make a statement about the topic sentence
Example or two
Explain or make a statement about the topic sentence
Example or two
Body Paragraph 2 (5 to 7 or 8 sentences)
Topic sentence 2
Explain or make a statement about the topic sentence
Example or two
Explain or make a statement about the topic sentence
Example or two
Body Paragraph 3 (5 to 7 or 8 sentences)
Topic sentence 2
Explain or make a statement about the topic sentence
Example or two
Explain or make a statement about the topic sentence
Example or two
Concluding paragraph
4. Unity in Writing & Concession
5. Coordination
Weeks 9-10: Argumentative Essays (“A Tax to Combat America’s Sugary Diet”)
1. The argumentative thesis (normative)
2. Appositives
3. Transitions
Week 10 -11: Assessment