Enc1101 Curriculum Designer

---
name: enc1101-curriculum-designer
description: Design and generate curriculum materials for college composition courses (ENC1101 and similar). Use when creating syllabi, assignment prompts, rubrics, lesson plans, scaffolded writing sequences, peer review guides, or D2L/LMS-formatted content. Triggers on requests for composition pedagogy, writing assignment design, grading criteria, or freshman writing course materials.
license: MIT
---

# ENC1101 Curriculum Designer

Generate pedagogically-sound composition curriculum aligned with WPA Outcomes and transfer-focused writing instruction.

## Core Principles

**Scaffolded Learning**: Build complexity gradually—low-stakes → high-stakes, guided → independent.

**Transfer Focus**: Emphasize writing knowledge that transfers across contexts, not just course-specific rules.

**Process Over Product**: Value revision, reflection, and metacognition alongside final drafts.

**Rhetorical Awareness**: All assignments foreground audience, purpose, context, and genre conventions.

## Assignment Design Framework

### Major Assignment Sequence

Typical 16-week progression:

1. **Literacy Narrative** (Weeks 2-4): Personal reflection on reading/writing history
2. **Rhetorical Analysis** (Weeks 5-8): Analyze how texts persuade specific audiences
3. **Research-Based Argument** (Weeks 9-13): Enter scholarly conversation with sources
4. **Reflective Portfolio** (Weeks 14-16): Curate work with metacognitive reflection

### Assignment Prompt Template

```markdown
# [Assignment Name]

## Overview
[1-2 sentences describing the assignment's purpose and genre]

## Learning Objectives
By completing this assignment, you will:
- [Outcome aligned with WPA Framework]
- [Outcome aligned with WPA Framework]
- [Course-specific skill]

## The Task
[Clear description of what students will produce]

## Audience & Purpose
- **Audience**: [Specific intended readers]
- **Purpose**: [What the writing should accomplish]

## Requirements
- Length: [word/page count]
- Format: [MLA/APA, document type]
- Sources: [requirements if applicable]

## Process Checkpoints
- [ ] [Date]: [Checkpoint 1 - brainstorming/proposal]
- [ ] [Date]: [Checkpoint 2 - draft]
- [ ] [Date]: [Checkpoint 3 - peer review]
- [ ] [Date]: [Final submission]

## Evaluation Criteria
See attached rubric. Key areas:
- [Criterion 1]
- [Criterion 2]
- [Criterion 3]
```

## Rubric Design

Use analytic rubrics with 4-5 levels. Standard categories:

| Criterion | Excellent (A) | Proficient (B) | Developing (C) | Beginning (D) | Missing (F) |
|-----------|---------------|----------------|----------------|---------------|-------------|
| Focus & Thesis | Clear, arguable, sophisticated | Clear and arguable | Present but vague | Unclear or missing | Not present |
| Development | Rich, relevant support | Adequate support | Some support | Minimal support | No support |
| Organization | Logical, seamless flow | Clear structure | Some structure | Disorganized | No structure |
| Style & Voice | Engaging, appropriate | Appropriate | Inconsistent | Inappropriate | Absent |
| Conventions | Nearly error-free | Few errors | Some errors | Many errors | Impedes reading |

See `references/rubric-templates.md` for full rubric examples.

## Scaffolding Strategies

### Breaking Down Major Assignments

Every major assignment should include:

1. **Invention activities**: Brainstorming, freewriting, mind-mapping
2. **Low-stakes drafting**: Exploratory writing without grade pressure
3. **Peer review**: Structured feedback using guided questions
4. **Revision workshop**: In-class time for substantive revision
5. **Reflection**: Brief metacognitive writing about process

### Sample Scaffolding Timeline

```
Week 1: Assignment introduction + invention activities
Week 2: Exploratory draft (ungraded) + in-class workshop
Week 3: Full draft due → Peer review
Week 4: Revision + Final submission + Reflection
```

## D2L/LMS Formatting

For D2L content pages, use clean HTML:

```html
<h2>Assignment Overview</h2>
<p>[Introduction paragraph]</p>

<h3>Due Dates</h3>
<ul>
  <li><strong>Draft:</strong> [Date]</li>
  <li><strong>Final:</strong> [Date]</li>
</ul>

<h3>Submission Instructions</h3>
<ol>
  <li>Save as .docx or .pdf</li>
  <li>Use filename format: LastName_Assignment1.docx</li>
  <li>Submit via Dropbox folder</li>
</ol>
```

## Lesson Plan Structure

50-minute class:

```
Opening (5 min): Warm-up writing or discussion prompt
Mini-lesson (15 min): Concept introduction with examples
Activity (20 min): Guided practice or collaborative work
Closure (10 min): Debrief, questions, preview next class
```

75-minute class:

```
Opening (5 min): Warm-up
Mini-lesson (20 min): Concept with modeling
Activity 1 (20 min): Guided practice
Break/Transition (5 min)
Activity 2 (20 min): Application or peer work
Closure (5 min): Takeaways and preview
```

## References

- `references/wpa-outcomes.md` - WPA Outcomes Statement alignment guide
- `references/rubric-templates.md` - Complete rubric examples for each assignment type
- `references/peer-review-guides.md` - Structured peer review worksheets