Advanced Writing Lesson Plan

This lesson plan is part of my Honors 320 class, which has as its primary objective helping students write a 15-20 page essay (classical Montaignian-style, conversational, exploratory, interdisciplinary essay rather than thesis-driven, argumentative or persuasive essay). The essay should explore a “great” (universal, perennial, complex, personally connected) question through a number of varied academic approaches. This lesson provides the introduction to various academic approaches in writing, and how they can each be used to look at a topic or question in a slightly different way. The lesson plan follows the ROPPPES model in its structure and content. There are a number of elements of this lesson that reflect principles we have discussed this semester: •

Students are involved in giving and receiving feedback (through the group discussions on their topics of interest and possible avenues for research)

•

Students are exposed to good writing to give them salient examples and help in their own writing (through the 3 essays previously assigned that are being discussed)

•

Explicit instruction on the conventions of various writing genres (in the presentation and examination of the various academic approaches)

It is hoped that this lesson would help students understand how to incorporate research from different academic disciplines in their essays. Though this learning objective is specific to the course, it is also an important element of learning to write in other contexts, in which students will need to use various academic approaches to offer support in their writing. Review and Overview (10 minutes): discussion of readings

Ask students to share their thoughts on the 3 essays they were assigned to read prior to class: 1. How did these essays exemplify the principles we have discussed so far (examining a “great” question; taking a risk in writing; involving yourself in the essay; asking questions in the essay process)? 2. What do you think these essays can teach us about the interdisciplinary approach?

Present: the interdisciplinary approach (15 minutes)

Practice: examining the approach of the various readings (25 minutes)

Perform: group discussions of their topics and possible disciplines (15 minutes)

Evaluation and Summary (10 minutes): report to class on group discussions

(PowerPoint presentation and handouts): Present the characteristics and example disciplines of: 1. The empirical approach (STEM disciplines) 2. The behavioral approach (sociology, psychology, anthropology, etc.) 3. The interpretive approach (humanities, fine arts, theology, etc.) Discuss each essay and how it uses one of the above approaches to look at the topic of fear in meaningful and/or unexpected ways: 1. Fear Not ( interpretive) 2. Fear Itself (behavioral) 3. The Person that Fear Makes You (empirical) Divide into groups of 3-4. Have students share the questions they plan to explore in their essays, and brainstorm possible disciplines (1 from each approach) that would be salient to their question. (Teachers and TAs will participate in group discussions.) Share insights with the class and clear up misunderstandings noticed in the discussions. Remind students of the interdisciplinary approach parameter of their essay assignment. Make sure everyone has a copy of the handout with the information about each disciplinary approach.