December 9

Challenger Disaster

Writer's Notebook: What does the Challenger Disaster teach us about the value of ethical behavior?

Mr. Brantley's letter: proofread again and sign.

Comma Game: "Toy Stories"

December 7

Challenger Disaster continued

Writer's Notebook entry--Describe what the following people/organizations are most concerned about:
1. Roger Boisjoly
2. Christa McAliffe
3. Morton Thiokol
4. NASA

December 3

Ethics Unit
1. Definition of Ethics: dealing with values relating to human conduct, with respect to the rightness and wrongness of certain actions and to the goodness and badness of the motives and ends of such actions.
2. Ethics Game: discuss these situations.
3. Challenger Disaster: Engineer Roger Boisjoly tried to convince his boss to hold back the launch over concerns that the "O" rings would not react well to the cold weather.

Jonny Harline's 2006 "Answered Prayer" jersey, helmet, and cleats--Fundraiser

During December, my son Jonny is raffling off his 2006 BYU gear to help a couple of needy families with Christmas. If you're interested, here's the link.

December 1

Revision Strategies
1. Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips, "How to Write Clear Sentences."
2. Interactive Quiz # 114.
3. Interactive Quiz # 115.
4. Memo sentence revision.

Mr. Brantley's letter

November 29

Pronouns and antecedents
1. Make corrections to one of the memo sentences. Note the problem with singular nouns and their plural pronouns. Grammar Girl audio on this topic.

Revising letter to Mr. Brantley as a class.

November 18

Work on letter to Mr. Brantley in the Writing Lab.

November 16

Revision PowerPoint--I fixed it!

Local Problem Reports--update
1. Kalena/Lexi--graded
2. Rachel/Chris--graded
3. Spencer/Nic--graded
4. Brin/Nick--not sent to me?
5. Luis/Payton--still revising?
6. Jared/(Will?)--still revising?
7. Mark/Zach--still revising?

Mr. Brantley's letter--I asked Nick Griffin to start drafting the letter and import your reports into the letter. Here's the link to it.

Letter Assignments--I think the letter might get written faster and be better if you get new assignments. These assignments are probably NOT the same reports you worked on. I'm doing this because fresh eyes and a fresh perspective can improve writing, and we want to be proud of our letter to Mr. Brantley.

Letter format, salutation, introduction, section headings, conclusion,--Nick Griffin
Editing throughout--Brin

Section 1: Very Tardy Frustrations
1. problem paragraph--Spencer
2. solution paragraph--Will
3. winners & losers paragraph--Jared

Section 2: Dress Code Violations/Distracting Clothing
1. problem paragraph--Mark
2. solution paragraph--Kalena
3. winners & losers paragraph--(more work needs to be done to show understanding for the kids who dress this way; they would be the losers)--Zach

Section 3: Long Cafeteria Lunch Lines
1. problem paragraph--Lexi
2. solution paragraph--Luis
3. winners & losers paragraph--Nic M

Section 4: Split Schedule
1. problem paragraph--Kalena
2. solution paragraph--Lexi
3. winners and losers paragraph--Nick

Additional Research that needs to be done
1. talk to dress code violator kids and write down what they say--Rachel
2. talk to cafeteria ladies about more pay stations and write down what they say--Chris
3. talk to Attendance Office ladies about Very Tardies--Payton

You're doing a good job revising; our communication is getting better and better.

November 8, 10, & 12

Sample Local Problem Report

Finish writing Local Problem Report

Peer Reviews--the following teams should share their Google Doc reports with each other to get comments. You should also share with me (pharline@alpine.k12.ut.us). Be sure to give us editing privileges.

Zach and Mark--Kalena and Lexi
Luis and Payton--Brin and Nick
Spencer and Nic--Chris and Rachel
Jared and Will--Brin and Nick

Revise

November 4

DOL sentence revision

Paragraph activity

Team organization

Google Docs spotlight

Writing Lab--draft Local Problem Report

What is the problem? How do you know it’s a problem?

What is the best solution to this problem and why?

Who loses and who gains from your solution?

November 2

Team Style assignment

Work Log

Create Field Research

Google Doc Report

Conduct Field Research/Create Field research

October 29

Field Research Plan--outline the specifics, including questions for Mr. Brantley

Mr. Brantley interview about your local problem

Complete Field Research Plan

October 25 & 27

Writer's Notebook response to newspaper article about employees getting time off to attend family activities: As an employer, what would be the advantages and disadvantages of giving employees time off?

Writer's Notebook--describe your local problem.

What is the difference between "primary" and "secondary" research?

technology surveys
Outliers

What primary research do you need to conduct? With your partner, make a plan to conduct your own research. Report your plan to the class and get approval.

October 21

Best/Worst Jobs--we listened to an NPR audio clip about the best and worst jobs--an actuary was the best; a roustabout was the worst. We shared students' best/worst job essays written in September.

Local Problem Project--we discussed what research each partnership needs to do.

October 19

Local Problem Topics--students choose a partner and choose a topic. Turn in the assignment sheet that explains what you chose.

Outliers--students read pp. 15-34 and complete Study Guide.

October 13

Students worked in Writing Lab to finish Case Study Project (memo/email). Students should turn in 1) a copy of the case study; 2) a diagram of the case study; 3) peer-reviewed draft of memo/email; and 4) final draft of memo/email.

Students turned in "Personal Water Use Audit."

October 5, 7, & 11

Class Peer Reviews--As a work "team," we are reading each student's memo/email and offering compliments and suggestions for revision.

Case Study Project

Here's a copy of the Case Study Project.

September 29

Email and Memos PowerPoint Click on Chapter 12; then click on the PowerPoint for that chapter.

Writing Lab--draft your memo or email and print four copies, one for each person in your group.

SCHEDULE:
1. October 1--Today you will work in the Writing Lab again. After peer reviewing and consulting with your group, revise your memo or email. With your group, gather all email/memo drafts, diagrams, peer review drafts, and final drafts. Turn your Case Study Unit in.
2. October 5--Today I will return your Case Study work. On the Elmo, I will show you each email and memo and explain to the class my suggestions for revision.

September 27

Minimal Day: A3, 10:20-11:20

Finish Memo/Email PowerPoint

Case Study Group Work

September 23

Audience Activity.

Real People, Real World Writer's Notebook response--"Meet Matt Keffer."

Memos and Email PowerPoint.

Case Study Unit work in groups.

September 21

Today we had bagels and peaches, went over the Alban Paper illustrations from last time, reviewed together the Case Study Unit requirements, and started working on the unit in groups. Students received points for having four copies of their case studies ready.

September 17

Case Study Unit
1. Watch Apollo clip.
2. Practice identifying problems--Case Study practice: Alban Paper.
3. Complete group dynamics work and turn in.
4. Find one case study per student and print four copies (one for each person in your group).

Here are some links to search for case studies:
Click on "Cases and Scenarios." Online Ethics Center for Engineering and Research
Enter "case studies" in the search box. Prentice-Hall case studies

September 15

Bellwork: Tone exercise.

Sample case study review and discussion: "Poor Communication: A Case of Friendship at Capital Oil."

Case Study Unit Group Work: evaluate your "work personality" and determine group roles and norms.

September 13

BP Oil Spill--business problems that need solutions.

Case Study Unit

Case Studies:
1. Poor Communication: A Case of Friendship at Capital Oil.

Interactive Grammar Website

Find it here.

Go to this site, scroll down, and take some of the grammar quizzes here. Try to find grammar skills you know you need to strengthen.

September 9

Bellwork: Design (Serif and Non-Serif Fonts)

Lego Instructions Project:
1. Ask two students to do Usability Tests for you.
2. Revise your instructions so that you're using Serif and Non-Serif fonts appropriately.
3. Prepare your Lego packet for the English 11 students.

August 31

Writer's Notebook: After watching the Globeshare video case study, answer these questions: What is the problem? What do you think is the best solution? Specifically, what would need to be written?

Lego Project: Go over Writing Instructions for your Lego Creation. Continue creating your project and drafting instructions.

No homework.

Friday, August 27

BELLWORK--Real People, Real Writing: Writer's Notebook response. Who does she work for? In your own words, describe her job. What does she say is the most important part of her job? Why?

Paper Projects: follow instructions to make an origami crane. Then compare the "paper star" instructions to the "crane" instructions. Which instructions were better and why?

Group Work: examine examples of "Instructions." What are some characteristics of good instructions?

Lego Project: start creating your Lego project. As you create, write instructions that another student could follow to rebuild your project.

NO HOMEWORK

August 25

Writing Spotlight--what's the difference between that/who? Grammar Girl will tell us.

Disclosure Document--complete information on the third page.

School photos.

Writing Instructions--What are some characteristics of well-written instructions? Practice following instructions to make paper decorations.

Disclosure Document

Here's a link to the Disclosure Document.

Welcome to Professional and Technical Communication

I'm looking forward to meeting you on the first day of school!