OGLALA LAKOTA COLLEGE
COURSE SYLLABUS & ADMINISTRATION
Fall 2013
Rebuilding the Lakota Nation through Education
Wounspe Ihuniyan Hci Lakota Oyate Kin Akta Ic’icakagapi Kte lo
Name of Course: Freshman English I
Course Number: Engl 103
Department: Humanities and Social Science
Credit Hours: Three (yamni)
Location: PRCC
Time & Day: Mondays 5-8
Instructor’s Name: Kim Bettelyoun
Phones: 605-867-1624
Office: 455-6093
Email: kbettelyoun@olc.edu
Mobile: 605-899-2367
Office Hours: 30 minutes prior to class
and by appointment
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Course Description (Waunspe Oyakapi): This course helps students develop writing skills for use in personal,
on the job, and college-related writing situations. The course uses Native American writings that emphasize
cultural themes as models in many of the assignments. Grammar review and essay writing are emphasized.
Students taking this course will learn how to develop a thesis that will then be developed into a proper sequential
five-paragraph essay. They will learn how to utilize proper grammar to create narrative, cause and effect,
descriptive, expository, and many other types of essays.
Prerequisites: RW 093 or Placement
Required Text and Materials: Glenn, C. & L. Gray. 2012. Harbrace Essentials. Wadsworth Cengage
Learning, Boston. ISBN 978-0-95-90836-4
Course Goal: The goal of this course is to teach students how to write an essay using proper syntax, grammar,
spelling, and punctuation.
Learning Objectives (Wounspe Taku Unspepi Kte Kin He Le E): Upon completion of this course students
will be able to:
 master the elements of the basic college essay.
 analyze and utilize the different essay styles (rhetorical modes).
 create individualized strategies for generating topics, developing and organizing ideas, reviewing and
revising drafts, and editing and proofreading a polished product.
 collaborate with peers through peer review activities.
 construct essays and papers that follow the rules and conventions of Standard Written American
English.
Assessment:
Students will be assessed on writing skills through essays scored with the specified rubric.
Instructional Methodology: Instruction of this class is accomplished through a mixture of lecture, discussion,
and physical involvement by the student. Students will read chapters and handouts that pertain to the objectives
pertinent to the assignment. Students will then complete assignments with assistance as needed from the instructor
and class-mates.
Course Rationale: This course exists to assist students in the areas of sentence skills, grammar, and essay
writing. This course is designed and intended for the freshman level. This course will provide students with the
necessary foundation to be successful in college writing.
Homework: Students should expect to spend two (nunpa) to three (yamni) hours outside of class on reading and
homework assignments each week for every hour of class time (each credit hour) in order to perform
satisfactorily. If a course is three (yamni) credit hours, the student should spend a minimum of six (sakpe) hours
outside of the classroom on required readings and homework. Because students differ in their individual skills,
educational backgrounds, experiences, capabilities, and personal goals, the amount of time they dedicate to outof-class work can vary significantly from this national average.
Reading Load: Reading will include approximately one (wanji) to two (nunpa) chapters per week plus handouts
and homework as assigned.
Type & Amount of Writing Load: Writing will include journal writing and brainstorming, essay writing,
editing, and revising. Types of essays include: Autobiography Essay, Five-Paragraph Essay, Narrative/Descriptive
Essay, Compare/Contrast Essay, Cause/Effect Essay, and editing and revising. Either the Compare/Contrast Essay
or the Cause/Effect essay should include some MLA elements.
Paper format: Writing assignments will be typed/word processed and submitted in hard copy and/or
electronically. The instructor will identify which papers need to be submitted electronically. We will use MLA
(Modern Language Association) as the structural format for all our writing. Writing assignments will have 1”
margins, 12 pt. font, Times New Roman or Calibri font, double-spacing, with the proper MLA header, paginated
(page numbers) and a title. An MLA header is aligned on the left margin in the following order: Student Name,
Instructor Name, Course title and number and date.
Student Name
Instructor Name
Course Name & Number
Date (note format)
Title (center)
1” margins
Indented paragraphs
12 pt font
Times New Roman
Capitalize all
Proper nouns
Use
punctuation
Lakota Perspective Provided Through: This course stresses Wolakotakiciapi or “learning Lakota ways of life
in the community” and is based on the values of
 mutual respect and generosity (woohola na wochantognakapi);
 fortitude (advancement of each student’s knowledge through their continuing hard work – wowalitake);
and
 bravery (willingness to learn and demonstrate new information and viewpoints by speaking in front of a
group – woohitike).
These values will be carried out in an environment of complete truthfulness, trust, integrity, and humility, which
will be done by embracing the teaching of our ancestors as new ways are learned. (Waunspe wicakiyapi ki
iglutanyan ihani unpi kun hena itan waunspe tokeca uha ayin kte.)
Evaluation and Grading: Writing is required. Homework may consist of journal writing, essay writing, and
completion of other exercises.
Essays
Journals or Brainstorming
Assignments, quizzes and tests
50% of your grade
20% of your grade
30% of your grade
A = Superior Quality Work = Demonstrated concept mastery by scoring 90% or better.
B = Good Quality Work = Demonstrated concept mastery by scoring 80-89%.
C = Satisfactory Quality Work = Demonstrated concept mastery by scoring 70-79%.
D = Marginal Quality Work = Demonstrated weak concept mastery by scoring 60-69%
F = Demonstrated concept mastery below the acceptable mark of 59%, which is well
below what may be required in the business world.
W = Withdrawal = A student may withdraw from a course by filling out a Drop Card to be recorded by the
Registrar. The student must sign this form if you drop yourself.
College Policy on Grading and Change of Grades
http://www.olc.edu/~wwhitedress/studentservices/Docs/OLC_Handbook.pdf see page 9 and 10
Course Requirements, Expectations or Students: OLC offers classes in three-hour blocks once per week for
everyone’s travel convenience. If a student is absent from one OLC class session, it is like missing three classes
at another college. (See student handbook).
 Unannounced quizzes and graded in-class exercises will be given; content can include any course material
assigned, up to and including the current session.
 Homework assignments must be turned in on the dates due to get full credit.
 Participation in class discussion is expected. This provides evidence of the student’s interest in and
preparation for the class. It also helps gauge the effectiveness of the instruction and everyone’s level of
comprehension of the material presented. Most importantly, fellow class members benefit from one
another’s opinions and insights. In addition, the questions that are asked may be about a topic with which
other students are having difficulty, so by helping yourself you also help them.
 If the Instructor is not present at the beginning of the class, and the College Center Staff has not heard
from the Instructor, the students should wait at least 30 minutes past the normal start-time. If the
Instructor still has not arrived by then, the students may leave with the understanding that this class
will have to be made up.
POLICIES
Attendance and Tardiness
http://www.olc.edu/local_links/registrar/docs/student_handbook.pdf see page 8
Also see http://www.olc.edu/local_links/policymanual/Section_80-89/81-350.php
College Policy on Grading and Change of Grades
http://www.olc.edu/local_links/registrar/docs/student_handbook.pdf see page 11
Incompletes
http://www.olc.edu/local_links/registrar/docs/student_handbook.pdf see page 12
Student Rights and Responsibilities
http://www.olc.edu/local_links/registrar/docs/student_handbook.pdf see page 36
Disability Policy
http://www.olc.edu/local_links/registrar/docs/student_handbook.pdf see page 37
Standards of Conduct Policy
http://www.olc.edu/local_links/registrar/docs/student_handbook.pdf see page 38
Electronic Information Resources Acceptable Use Guidelines:
http://www.olc.edu/local_links/registrar/docs/student_handbook.pdf see page 41-42
Academic Honesty
http://www.olc.edu/local_links/registrar/docs/student_handbook.pdf see page 43
Department/Instructor Specifics
Rubric: The department utilizes a departmental writing rubric which will be used to assess all essays.
COURSE SCHEDULE
Date
Oko Wanci
Week 1
Oko Nunpa
Week 2
Oko Yamni
Week 3
Oko Topa
Week 4
Oko Zaptan
Week 5
Oko Sakpe
Week 6
Oko Sakowin
Week 7
Oko Saglogan
Week 8
Oko
Napcinyunka
Week 9
Oko Wikcemna
Week 10
Oko Ake Wanci
Week 11
Objectives
Students will be able to:
 Identify what is covered in the syllabus
 Identify policies covered in the Student
Handbook
 Identify rhetorical methods
 Write an autobiography
Students will be able to:
 Write an autobiography
 Understand the five-paragraph essay
 Identify subjects and verbs
 Identify prepositional phrases
Students will be able to:
 Identify elements of the five- paragraph
essay
 Plan and draft an essay
 Identify sentence essentials
Students will be able to:
 Write a five-paragraph essay
 Identify and correct fragment sentences
Students will be able to:
 Identify elements of narrative/ descriptive
writing
 Identify and correct comma splices and
fused sentences
 Utilize comma rules
Students will be able to:
 Write a narrative/descriptive essay
 Utilize correct verbs
 Utilize semicolons and colons
 Revise and edit essays
Students will be able to:
 Identify the elements of compare/contrast
essays
 Utilize pronouns
 Utilize apostrophes
 Utilize quotation marks
Students will be able to:
 Identify the elements of compare/contrast
essays
 Utilize correct modifiers and punctuation
marks
Students will be able to:
 Identify the elements of cause/effect
essays
 Create unified sentences
 Understand good usage
 Create concise essays
Students will be able to:
 Identify the elements of cause/effect
essays
 Identify and utilize subordination and
coordination rules
 Create writing with good word choice
Students will be able to:
 Utilize parallelism
Assignments
 Ch 24 Rhetorical Methods
 Start Autobiographies
 Introduce Five-Paragraph Essay
 Introduce subjects, verbs, and
prepositions
Turn in Autobiographies
 Work on Five Paragraph Essay
 Ch 25 Planning and Drafting
Essays
 Ch 1 Sentence Essentials
 Ch 2 Sentence Fragments
Turn in Five-Paragraph
Essay
 Introduce Narrative/
Descriptive Essay
 Ch 3 Comma Splices and Fused
Sentences
 Ch 15 The Comma
 Continue Narrative/ Descriptive
Essay
 Ch 4 Verbs
 Ch 16 Semicolon and the Colon
 Ch 26 Revising and Editing




Compare/Contrast
Ch 5 Pronouns
Ch 17 The Apostrophe
Ch 18 Quotation Marks
Turn in
Narrative/Descriptive Essay
 Compare/Contrast
 Ch 6 Modifiers
 Ch 19 The Period and other
punctuation marks




Cause/Effect
Ch 7 Sentence Unity
Ch 12 Good Usage
Ch 14 Conciseness
 Cause/Effect
 Ch 8 Subordination and
Coordination
 Ch 13 Precise Word Choice
 Ch 9 Parallelism
Turn in Compare/Contrast
Essay
Oko Ake Nunpa
Week 12
Oko Ake Yamni
Week 13
Oko Ake Topa
Week 14
Oko Ake Zaptan
Students will be able to:
 Annotated Bibliographies
 Understand emphasis
 Spell correctly
 Write Annotated Bib
Students will be able to:
 Understand grammar rules
 Utilize variety
 Utilize capital letters correctly
 Utilize italics correctly
Students will be able to:
 Collaborate to peer review
 Utilize abbreviations, acronyms, and
numbers correctly
 Edit and revise
Students will be able to:
 Write clear, grammatically correct essays
 Annotated Bib
 Ch 10 Emphasis
 Ch 20 Spelling




Turn in Cause/Effect Essay
Grammar Review
Ch 11 Variety
Ch 21 Capitals
Ch 22 Italics
 Ch 23 Abbreviations, Acronyms,
and Numbers
 Editing and Revising Day
 Peer Review
 Final Reflections
Turn in Final Project
Week 15
Disclaimer: Information contained in this syllabus was, to the best knowledge of the instructor, considered
correct and complete when distributed for use at the beginning of the semester. However, this syllabus should
not be considered a contract between Oglala Lakota College and any student. The instructor reserves the right to
make changes in course content or instructional techniques without notice or obligation. Students will be
informed of any such changes. Additional student rights and responsibilities are outlined in the Student
Handbook. http://www.olc.edu/~wwhitedress/studentservices/Docs/OLC_Handbook.pdf
RUBRIC FOR WRITING
NAME: ______________________________
ELEMENT
TITLE PAGE
GRAMMAR,
SYNTAX, AND
SPELLING
CONTENT
DEPTH AND
BREADTH OF
CONTENT
THESIS
STATEMENT
INTRODUCTION
EXEMPLARY
Title, Your name,
Teacher’s Name Course Period,
Date, Neatly finished
Paper flows well and is clear and
easy to read due to use of proper
syntax, grammar, spelling, and
punctuation. The writing is almost
error free.
Balanced presentation of relevant
and legitimate information that
clearly supports a central purpose
or argument and shows a
thoughtful, in-depth analysis of a
significant topic. Reader gains
important insights.
Student clearly comprehends the
material and links it to course
topics. Student has thought
critically about the material and its
sources. Information is combined to
draw conclusions. Inferences are
explored, and the paper includes
good insight. Space given to each
topic is appropriate given the
number of topics included in the
paper.
Clearly and concisely states the
paper’s purpose, which is engaging,
and thought provoking.
The introduction is engaging, states
the main topic, states the purpose,
and previews the structure of the
paper.
POSSIBLE POINTS: 100
PTS
5
TOPIC: ________________________________
ACCEPTABLE
Evidence of 3 or 4
PTS
UNACCEPTABLE
PTS
3-4
Evidence of 2 or less
0-2
5-7
The writer’s intentions are
unclear because paper’s syntax,
grammar, spelling and/or
punctuation are poor.
0-4
5-7
Central purpose or argument is
not clearly identified. Analysis is
vague or not evident. Reader is
confused or may be misinformed.
0-4
0-4
8-10
The paper is unclear or hard to
read because syntax, grammar,
spelling, or punctuation is poor.
8-10
Information supports a central
purpose or argument. Analysis is
basic or general. Reader gains
few insights.
10-15
Student understands the material,
but demonstrates little critical
thinking. Insight is minimal or
missing OR the amount of space
given to some topics is out of
proportion to the number of
topics included in the paper.
5-9
The student shows less than full
understanding of the material.
Critical thinking is not present or
is barely present.
5
States the papers purpose in a
single sentence.
3-4
Incomplete and/or unfocused.
0-2
5
The introduction states the main
topic but does not adequately
preview the structure of the
paper
3-4
There is no clear introduction or
main topic and the structure of
the paper is missing.
0-2
BODY
CONCLUSION
OVERALL
CLARITY
AND FORM
TONE
LENGTH
Each paragraph has thoughtful
supporting detail sentences that
develop the main idea
The conclusion is engaging and
restates the thesis. Organized and
draws facts together in coherent
way. No errors
Student uses essay form and the
assigned paper format. Sentences
and paragraphs follow each other in
a logical order. The material is
presented so that the reader does
not have to stop and back up to
comprehend it.
The tone is consistently
professional and appropriate for an
academic essay/paper.
Paper is the assigned length when
margins, spacing, and font size are
considered. Only information
relevant to the assigned topic is
included.
ACCURACY
Information from sources is
reported accurately.
REFERENCES
All information is clearly linked to
its source. References are provided
in the correct format.
PRESENTATION
Paper is turned in on the assigned
date. Format is correct.
POSSIBLE POINTS: 100
810
Each paragraph lacks supporting
detail sentences that develop the
main idea
5-7
Each paragraph fails to
develop the main idea
0-4
The conclusion does not adequately
restate the thesis.
3-4
Incomplete and/or
unfocused.
0-2
3-4
The paper is generally
hard to follow due to
problems with format,
essay form, and/or the
way material is
presented.
0-2
5
5
Student fails to use more than one of
the elements of essay form and the
assigned paper format OR the paper
is difficult to follow in some places.
5
The tone is generally professional for
the most part.
3-4
5
Paper is a page or two shorter than
the assigned length when font,
margins, and number of pages are
taken into account.
3-4
Some information is reported
inaccurately or out of context.
3-4
Sources of information are included,
but other information sources are
not mentioned. References are not in
the proper form.
5-7
The sources of the
information in the paper
are not identified.
0-4
Paper is turned in late.
3-4
Paper is turned in after
the last class period.
0-2
5
810
5
The tone is not
consistently professional
or appropriate for and
academic essay/paper.
Paper is substantially
shorter than the assigned
length when font,
margins, and number of
pages are taken into
account.
Information is included
without regard for
accuracy.
0-2
0-2
0-2