Unit 3 - Week 1*: Lessons 1-3/Monday-Friday

*This week of lessons is part of a five week unit designed to be taught at the end of a freshman
composition course. This first week of lessons covers the introduction to the unit (topic, scope,
assignments) and the first sub-unit (poetry).

Unit 3 – Topics Learning goals Activities (before Type of Homework

Week 1 class) Meeting (after
(class time) class)
Lesson 1 – Discuss Unit After completing this Read Asynchronou Forum post
Monday 3, Review lesson you will be able · Sakai Unit 3, Week 1, s Day
Unit 3 to: Lesson 1 Notes
Assignments
· Identify the topic, · What is Visual Rhetoric?
assignments, and key Click here to find out.
definitions of the Unit
(including definitions of
digital design and visual Watch
rhetoric) · Visual Rhetoric
PowerPoint
· Locate Unit
Assignment Sheet and
rhetorical chart

Lesson 2 – Black Poetry After completing this Read Zoom Forum post
Wednesda Day 1 lesson you will be able ·Sakai Unit 3, Week 1, session:
y to: Lesson 2 Notes ·Review poem
·Review key
· Interpret poetry using ·FIRST: Civil Rights
elements of
poetry analysis skills Poetry
learned in synchronous Civil Rights-
class sessions and ·SECOND: "Miz Rosa era poetry
through readings Rides the Bus" by Angela
Jackson
· Describe major events
in both past and present
day social/civil/racial
justice activism

Lesson 3 - Black Poetry After completing this Read Zoom Forum post
Friday Day 2 lesson you will be able · Sakai Unit 3, Week 1, session:
to: Lesson 2 Notes · Review
poem
· Interpret poetry using · FIRST: Shooting of
· Review case
poetry analysis skills Michael Brown (read
learned in synchronous introduction - Evidence) of Michael
class sessions and Brown article
through readings · SECOND: "Nightstick [A
Mural for Michael
· Describe major events Brown ]" by Kevin Young
in both past and present
day social/civil/racial
justice activism
Unit 3 - WEEK 1: LESSON 1 - Monday
LESSON OBJECTIVES
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
 Identify the topic, assignments, and key definitions of the Unit (including
definitions of digital design and visual rhetoric)
 Locate Unit Assignment Sheet and rhetorical chart (located at top of
Assignment Sheet)

READ:
 Sakai Unit 3, Week 1, Lesson 1 Notes
 What is Visual Rhetoric? Click here to find out.
WATCH:
 Visual Rhetoric PowerPoint

TO-DO LIST
1. Complete readings (before 12pm/noon EST on Monday)
2. Forum post (due at 11:55pm EST on Monday)

NOTES
Today's lesson involves learning about Unit 3 and your Unit 3 Digital Design Project.
You can access the Unit 3 Assignment Sheet here. Make sure to look over the
assignment sheet and note any questions you may have.
As mentioned in the assignment sheet, a digital design is essentially graphic design,
but in a digital format. Digital design projects combine graphic design skills with
technology to create online digital graphics for a number of purposes, including
interactive websites, banners, advertising, and animation.
Along with your digital design, you will submit a short descriptive summary of the
digital design. The short summary will help your reader/viewer better understand your
digital design, as well as the choices you made to complete the project.
Unit 3 will be divided into 4 sub-units: 
1. Poetry
2. Music
3. Podcasts
 4. Comics
Each sub-unit will consist of two "texts" (don't forget--a text can be any type of material
you are working with/analyzing, which includes poems, songs, podcast episodes, and
comic book issues). Each of our texts come directly from Black authors/writers and
reflect windows into the Black experience.
Feeder 3.1 and 3.2 are reflection feeders and are necessary for completing the unit
project and will help you complete the unit project. These reflections are crucial to
creating a successful final project, so please take them seriously, put in 110% effort, and
truly think about how each of our texts make you feel this unit. There is no right or
wrong answer--your voice, opinion, and interpretations matter.
As a final unit project, you will be creating a digital design that is rooted in visual
rhetoric. Make sure to complete the readings/watch about what visual rhetoric is, as this
will be essential to your understanding of how to create a successful digital design
project. We will also discuss elements of visual rhetoric, what it is, why it’s used, and
how to use it in our synchronous sessions later this week.

HOMEWORK – due Monday at 11:55pm EST, submit to Unit 3 – Week 1 Forum Posts
For homework, you will complete:
 a forum post (100 words minimum)
 In your own words, describe what visual rhetoric is and how a visual
argument can be used to further support arguments/theses/etc. Why
might you use visual rhetoric to support an argument rather than plain
text writing?
 the title of your forum post should include the week and lesson numbers in
the following format: Week 1, Lesson 2 Forum Post
 The forum post will be submitted to Forums>Unit 3>Week 1 Forum Posts.
The forum posts are pass/fail, graded for completion.
Unit 3 - WEEK 1: LESSON 2 - Wednesday
LESSON OBJECTIVES
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
 Interpret poetry using poetry analysis skills learned in synchronous class
sessions and through readings
 Describe major events in both past and present day social/civil/racial justice
activism

READ:
 Sakai Unit 3, Week 1, Lesson 2 Notes
 FIRST: Civil Rights Poetry
 SECOND: "Miz Rosa Rides the Bus" by Angela Jackson

TO-DO LIST
1. Complete readings (before 12pm/noon EST on Wednesday)
2. Zoom session (12pm/noon EST on Wednesday)
3. Forum post (due at 11:55pm EST on Wednesday)

NOTES
Today's lesson begins the first day of our Black Poetry sub-unit for Unit 3. On Monday
we learned about the types of texts we will be reading/listening to during this unit, and
today’s lesson will begin to introduce some of these texts.
Make sure to complete the readings in the order they are assigned, as the "FIRST"
reading will provide context/clarification for the "SECOND" reading.
During our synchronous session today, we will discuss the “Civil Rights Poetry” article,
as it relates to our course and unit topics. Next, we will move into analysis of the poem
by Angela Jackson. We will begin with an overview about the context for the readings,
then listen to a reading of “Miz Rosa Rides the Bus,” and then move into a guided
discussion-based analysis of the poem.

HOMEWORK – due Wednesday at 11:55pm EST to Unit 3 – Week 1 Forum Posts

For homework, you will complete:
 a forum post (100 words minimum)
 Think back to what we discussed in class today regarding the poems, the
Civil Rights movement, and the poetry reading and write a forum post
about those ideas. Ideas to think about when writing: “Miz Rosa,” Angela
Jackson, Civil Rights-era poetry—how did these topics make you feel?
What did you learn? What was challenging/confusing?
 The title of your forum post should include the week and lesson numbers
in the following format: Week 1, Lesson 2 Forum Post.
 The forum post will be submitted to Forums>Unit 3>Week 1 Forum Posts.
The forum posts are pass/fail, graded for completion.
Unit 3 - WEEK 1: LESSON 3 - Friday
LESSON OBJECTIVES
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
 Practice poetry interpretation skills
 Reflect on major events in both past and present day social/civil/racial justice
activism

READ:
 Sakai Unit 3, Week 1, Lesson 2 Notes
 FIRST: Shooting of Michael Brown (read introduction - Evidence)
 SECOND: "Nightstick [A Mural for Michael Brown]" by Kevin Young

TO-DO LIST
1. Complete readings (before 12pm/noon EST on Friday)
2. Zoom session (12pm/noon EST on Friday)
3. Forum post (due at 11:55pm EST on Friday)

NOTES
Today's lesson continues our Black Poetry sub-unit for Unit 3. Wednesday’s lesson
introduced us to Black poetry written about the Civil Rights era, and today’s poetry will
build on ideas of social/racial justice in the present day US.
Make sure to complete the readings in the order they are assigned, as the "FIRST"
reading will provide context/clarification for the "SECOND" reading. Please keep in
mind that this is a sensitive topic/issue that continues to impact Black people today. As
we continue through our Unit 3 readings, be mindful of your thoughts, words, and
actions in response to our texts.
During our synchronous session today, we will discuss the “Shooting of Michael Brown”
article, as it relates to our course and unit topics. Next, we will move into analysis of the
poem by Kevin Young. We will begin with an overview, and then move into a guided
writing activity, then move into discussion.

HOMEWORK – due Friday at 11:55pm EST to Unit 3 – Week 1 Forum Posts

For homework, you will complete:
 a forum post (100 words minimum)
 Look over our Reflection Questions again, and choose a few to respond to.
Main focus: how did today’s readings make you feel?
 The title of your forum post should include the week and lesson numbers
in the following format: Week 1, Lesson 2 Forum Post.
 The forum post will be submitted to Forums>Unit 3>Week 1 Forum Posts.
The forum posts are pass/fail, graded for completion.