Summer 2007 Projects
English 111-01 & 111-04

Since we have a short, eight-week summer term, we will significantly compress the schedule for the semester, and, at the same time, will do what we all would really like to be doing: enjoying the summer.  You will write four papers, do an "experts team" project, build a web folio in which to publish the papers on the Internet, and do four other graded projects related to development of the major papers.  From the Richmond area through south Hampton Roads, there is a lot going on during the summer and lots of things to do. All but one of the papers will be at least 500 words in length (two full pages) but no more than 750 words in length (three full pages), and at least two projects will include information from other published sources, which will be documented correctly, according to MLA conventions. 

For starters, the "one-pager": A 300-word "get to know me" paper
Who are you, why are you here (at TNCC/in THIS class) during the summer, and what do you really like to do? (Don't lie and say, "I just like to take English classes.") What are your plans for the summer since your assignment is to get out there and take in the experiences of Summer in the Tidewater area?

Essay topic #1: A "Hidden Treasure" (or "Minor" Attraction)
While we live in a major tourist area which attracts thousands of visitors every year, there are many enjoyable places that aren't necessarily widely known.  One of these may be your favorite fishing spot, a quiet family park in your neighborhood, a crafts shop where you go to work on your hobby, an island with sandy beaches in the middle of a local river, the Watermen's Museum in Yorktown, Bluebird Gap Farm, War Memorial Stadium, a fishing charter, the Casemate Museum, a favorite golf course, or, or, or...  Write an essay describing such a place that is special to you, for whatever reason, but a place that someone reading your web folio might also be able to enjoy.

Guide sheet for production and evalution of the minor attraction paper.

Essay topics 2 and 3 are your choice, from the following options:

Note: Each of these last two papers will include at least one of the following elements of support from another published source: a paraphrase, or a statistic(s), or a summary, or a direct quote. These will have the appropriate in-text citation and a correctly formattted works cited entry.

A Restaurant Review
Where do you go when you go out to eat?  What places do you recommend to friends who ask about a good meal?  What is your favorite restaurant?  Have you ever read a review of your favorite restaurant or of a restaurant which you had recently visited for the first time?  Did you agree with the reviewer or disagree?  I think we are all restaurant reviewers because, at one time or another, we have all recommended or advised against going to eat at a certain place based on our experiences of it.  So here is some very difficult homework to do: Go eat at a local restaurant.  Then, having done your experiential research, write a review of the place.

Guide sheet for production and evaluation of the restaurant review.

An Entertainment Review
There are a lot of entertainment venues to visit during the Summer months, so participate in one, and then write a review of it: a play, a concert, a dance performance, a festival of some sort, etc.

Guide sheet for production and evaluation of the entertainment event paper.

"What We Really Need Around Here Is..."
Think about what is lacking, what we still need in this area, or in your community, or in your neighborhood, to improve the quality of life or to expand the opportunites for recreation, leisure, or entertainment.  Research what it would take to make this thing a reality (the costs, location, etc.), target the audience which is in a position to implement your suggestion, and convince that person or group to take action.

A Major Attraction in this Area
People come to this area from all over because they love to go to the Mariners Museum, Nauticus, the Air and Space Center, the major beaches, Bush Gardens, Jamestown, the James River Plantations, Yorktown, Colonial Williamsburg, the Virginia Marine Science Museum, whew! I'm just getting started!  What major attractions do you enjoy, or would you advise against?  Write a paper about a major attraction in this area; however, you may not write this paper from memory. You have to attend the attraction this summer with the purpose in mind of writing about it.

An independent project related to our theme
Our theme for the term is "fun in the summer."  If none of my suggestions above strike your fancy, pitch your own idea to me for my approval.  I will approve it if it relates to the "summer fun" theme, if it is public and not private, if it is substantive, and if it is not a repeat of a previous project.

Return to the Daily Schedule

Return to English 111 main menu