Lesson Materials: For the student-facing pedagogical materials needed to teach today’s class, please open the following page: Introductory Lesson Materials.
Lesson Objectives: Understand syllabus policies; understand the sequenced writing approach and major assignments; learn about classmates and professor; produce a writing sample
Connection to First Major Paper/Project: This class is connected to the first major assignment because it provides students with an overview of expectations. It assists them in understanding assignment requirements and how to complete them.
Connection to Course Goals: The class helps students think of writing as a process, highlighting the sequenced writing approach.
Sequence of Activities: 1. Introduce Course and Professor; 2. Syllabus Review and Sequenced Writing Approach; 3. Diagnostic; 4. Introducing the concept of CSR and grouping students for readings on corporate social responsibility; 5. Homework: Students read a series of articles on corporate social responsibility and come prepared to present and discuss each article
Description of Activities:
1. Introduce course and professor (30 minutes): Put the course information at the top of the syllabus. The professor introduces self. Students and instructor can use the scavenger hunt worksheet available in the student site as well, which provides them a series of questions to focus introductions, and requires each student meet one another and be prepared to say something about the person they have just met. Highlight what students have in common.
2. Syllabus and sequenced writing approach (30 minutes): show students the funnel visual in the syllabus. Describe why it is important to have each assignment build on the previous one. Go over the syllabus with students by having them read important passages. Highlight the most important characteristics, including absence policy, conferences and their importance.
3. Diagnostic writing. 60 minutes: using a Google Document, students write on the following prompt:
As vividly and completely as possible please discuss how you became interested in your chosen major. Your writing should be a narrative, and should capture the thoughts and motivations you had and have about your selected course of study. This work can (but doesn’t have to) include dialogue, and should absolutely contain descriptive writing that shows and doesn’t tell your reader why you choose the major you choose.
After completing the writing diagnostic students then share their document with their professor. This allows the professor access to student writing and their Google addresses, an important aspect of the sequenced writing approach in this course, which relies heavily on this technology.
4. Have students review Baruch business faculty specializations and identify 2-5 areas of interest.
5. CSR Example (20 minutes): the professor defines corporate social responsibility as activities or initiatives a corporation undertakes to make a positive impact. This can be a positive social, environmental, and economical impact. In the time remaining the instructor invites students to bring up the Starbucks corporate social responsibility webpage in the student site linked to above.
Students are tasked with reviewing the website and coming up with answers to the following questions:
- What are some examples of efforts Starbucks is making to engage in corporate social responsibility?
- Which of these initiatives do you think is most important? Why?
- Why do you think Starbucks would choose to direct its attention to these matters? How could such initiatives potentially affect the company’s reputation? Sales? Profits?