Kelly Quinn uses "The Water Front" with some great writing exercises in an American Studies Course at Miami University

WRITING EXERCISE ONE:
Learning goal: to analyze a familiar artifact in a rigorous, systematic fashion

We review the steps that E. McClung Fleming proposes in his essay, “Artifact Study.” Then, students break into groups and I distribute several bottles of water. Following the Fleming Model, each student is expected to perform the operations on the artifact. (Fleming’s “operations” include: identification, evaluation, cultural analysis, and interpretation.) The students may work collaboratively through the steps, but each should author her or his own responses. This takes at least 45 minutes.

WRITING EXERCISE TWO:
Learning goal: to improve writing skills with a focus on composing thesis statements about bottled water.

In the next session, we return to the subject of bottled water; we also work to hone writing skills. In this session, we consider how we move from the preliminary work outlined with Fleming’s Model to the drafting of an essay. I present three common types of essays that they may craft: analytical, expository, and argumentative. I then ask them to draft different types of thesis statements in response to the following prompts. (This takes at least 20-25 minutes)

1. Using Mc Clung Fleming’s model, write a thesis statement about bottled water drawing from your artifact analysis.
2. Write a thesis statement about bottled water’s positive qualities.
3. Write a thesis statement about bottled water’s negative qualities.
4. Write a thesis statement either for or against the availability of bottled water at events catered by Carillon Catering, our campus catering service.

SUBSEQUENT CLASSROOM CONVERSATION:
One of the major goals here is to make a familiar, quotidian artifact like bottled water strange. After two writing sessions, students may then begin to examine their own consumption patterns. I introduce the notion of commodity fetishism through their writing and a conversation about a series of images of advertising campaigns for bottled water. (I typically use PowerPoint as a slide projector to show some images from fashion and sports magazines.) These images culminate in a moment at Bling H2O’s website.

We then turn our attention to The Water Front after these sessions as we discuss water privatization and local water issues in Southwestern Ohio and the Midwest.