Week 5: rain gardens and getting real in memo work
Link!
Let's recap our metaphors:
- cogntive wedge
- lego principle
- needle end of information
- witch hat
- others?
Cognitive strategies: stasis theory, cognitive wedge, scientific method
- Asking good questions! Hint: You can use a question to stage your cogntive wedge (s)! Our memo work answers our bosses questions: What is a rain garden?
Sentence strategies?
- Lego click between subjects and verbs,
- avoid ultra-long verby strings (settle on the two most important for exacting, precise detail)
- build complexity in sentenes by knowing the heart of the sentence (subject-verb-simple object, aka the direct sentence)
- first five big/important words, use lego principle early on in sentence
- let detail trail (recall the embellement location)
Let's pick up with paragraphs. Paragraphs, where sentences live and move and have their being.
(Inside this discussion are aspects of style). Voice, tone, complexity, language choices, etc.
Intentionally constructed paragraphs are evidence that you, the writer, does the heavy lifting for the reader. Why? Please consider paragraphing as an ethical duty to your reader. Part of coherence is flow, supported by transitions between sentences and between paragraphs.
Work your way through this web exhibit, including the links. Read more about working on paragraph coherence strategies at OWL. Here are two links to OWL paragraph resources:
Please, focus particularly on your sentences. A good approach is to write short, clear direct sentences at the beginning and ends of paragraphs. Why in these positions? The brain is attending carefully to
- the topic sentence position, where the main idea of the paragraph is announced
- in the transition position BETWEEN the two paragraphs
- tight transitions (best for most documents; allows the audience to skim) OR
- loose transitions.
New sentence lesson, where we loop into that writer's craft again, more deeply.
BLUF: use your sentence strategies in this memo. Sentences are characters in your paragraphs.
Let's pull an older handout to look more closely at the type of paragraphs we can build in our writing and see in our reading-->
Paragraph Definition: think Architectures (we looked at this together)
Paragraph Types (did you preview? Hope so, as paragraphs have purposes or jobs)
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Eli Review work and an image to keep in mind, courtesy of k-12 writing expert/master teacher Trevor MacKenzie.
Gradual release of scaffolding/peer coaching
Marybeth Shea
Good Morning. We have an Eli Review WRITING TASK open now and link is posted here and on the Calendar. Please DO NOT try this until we talk today. In other words, early birds do NOT get the worm here.Recall that generally I open the Eli Review WRITING task on Wednesdays, with your work due on Friday (and halo of Saturday before 11 AM). Mid day Saturday, I will craft/open the Eli Review REVIEWING Task then, with that task due on Monday. This gives you a chance to ask questions in class, if needed.
BE ON TIME for each other in these Eli Review tasks, I implore you. The due date for me -- for your four grades -- is flexible. You have a week for this.
On to what you need to complete this work well, to prep for the giving and receiving of feedback. -->
- Jane suddenly has a meeting with Governor Moore about rain gardens.
- She needs quick explainer that she will read on her cell just before meeting.
- Jane texts you saying that she is parking garage and has few bars.
- She is stressed and says, "teach me like I am five years old."
- You remember the counting out technique that is a bit like a nursery rhyme (1, 2 Buckle my Shoe)
- You craft the memo with just the right amount of complexity to help her look good.
- Ah yes, you think on the Maryland context and want to situate the knowledge within Prince George's County, Maryland and UMCP-Terpland, and the broader needs of a democratic governor who wants to consider cost effective, elegant, environmental solutions to protect water quality for drinking agriculture, and fishing --- Chesapeake Bay focus.
Now, to remind you of the stasis focus on definitions and the jobs of your four paragraphs.
Focusing in a tighter audience analysis for Jane, our boss. TBD in class. Here are attributes of that discussion:
- Stasis 1: Conjecture (two types: query, OR line of inquiry that is settling)
- Stasis 2: Definition (Here, we have three subroutines, each with a separate paragraph)
- Brief simple Functional definition (what is a rain garden, briefly, by two functions
- Classification (what type of technology is this? Hint: low impact development and storm water management)
- Description (Illustrative; give detail on the layers of soil and the type of plants)
- include two examples; consider the ones on campus
- Where is Stasis 3? TBD: hint -- practical causality -- this appears within the illustrative paragraph. You can keep this within the illustrative paragraph OR separate out as form/function comment
- Stasis 4: Evaluation (is this environmental technology good or bad? Use Dr. Davis' research as you do not have authority to evaluate based on your expertise)
Translating to paragraphs:
- Brief functional defining paragraph (one or two sentences, using the two part form/function of rain gardens).
- Classifying/kitchen sink paragraph (longer, with some sense of the problem that bioremediation solves, add in brief sense of Maryland history, including Larry Coffman and previewing Allen Davis). Can be a longish paragraph but try really hard to be concise).
- Illustrating paragraph (takes the place of an image or diagram; divide into two, with the above ground and below ground features.)
- Evaluating paragraph (makes a claim that rain gardens work and are established; support the claim with evidence from Davis)
Details
- two environmental problems -- sediment and pollutants; carried in stormwater events down stream
- Larry Coffman invented, circa 1991, PG County
- Allen Davis collaborated/designed tests, etc. A FIELD IS BORN
- Plants above ground help stabilze layers, yet study reveals that plants can bioremediate for specific pollutants
- Layers are in depression or dug ditch/ specify 4-7 layers, of different sized media
- Pollutants
- nutrients, N and P
- heavy metals, like Cu, Ar, Pb, etc.
- sediment
How will you distribute details in your paragraphs for Friday? By listing them under your selected/modified topic sentences.
Good resource: Helpful "dummy text" so show you the cognitive wedge/look of the memo.
Hint of comfort: do not worry about sources yet. You can even leave Davis details off for now. Paragraphs one-three rely on common knowledge. Trust me. Am environmental scientist and teacher. Am pretty good at teaching common sources.
Marybeth Shea
Happy Friday. You have a Writing Task (also linked in your ELMS calendar) due this evening by 11:45. Please be on time for each other. If you are completing a big week of to-do items, you can post a partial response and tell yur review buddies that you will learn from them and offer good advice. You can alos ask them for specific areas you feel lost about.
Later today, I will post a short FAQ based on the emails I am getting and the interaction today via GoogleMeet with those who ask me questions that way.
UPDATED FAQ!
- Is peer reviewing anonymouse? YES.
- What if I am only 75% done. OK, GET IN THERE AND POST TO MEET DEADLINE.
- Do I have to use the order givein? PARAS 1 and 4 ARE PRETTY MUCH SET. YOU CAN SWITch 2 (CLASSIFYING/KITCHEN SINK with ILLUSTRATING).
- Do we have to use the topic sentences give? WHY NOT, TO START. YOU CAN MODIFY A BIT.
- You gave some details; are they required? THEY ARE PRETTY GOOD DETAILS, SO WHY NOT. YOU CAN ADD A FEW THAT REALLY ARE COMMITTED TO.
Check back for these resources midday.
Meanwhile, here is a fun audio clip of 13 seconds as go into the weekend-->
And, a 2012/13 song called "Sweather Weather" from I'm Sorry by The Neighbourhood-->
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