The document provides an overview of strategies for creating effective first assignments in a course. It includes a checklist with categories like accountability, authenticity, building relationships, classroom culture, disposition, and feedback. Examples are given for each category to illustrate how to make assignments meaningful and promote student engagement and learning. An excerpt from a course syllabus demonstrates how these strategies can be implemented, such as using portfolios for accountability and essential questions to create authentic assignments. Feedback is emphasized as important for instructional purposes and should be provided before the next assignment is due.