Tuesday, September 24th

1. Your 4 brainstorms are due today for STEP 2 of Writing.

We will go over the following in class today. Write down the following in your notes... :)

2. Step 3 of Writing is "Breaking Down the Topic".
The purpose of this step is to make the topic size match the paper size.

The process for this step is to take a topic that develops from your Brainstorm (Step 2), and carry it into Step 3. Your goal for this step is to make the topic size manageable for the amount you are expected to write. You are also looking at the hierarchy of ideas when it comes to the topic.

Think about writing a 5 page paper... World War II is too large for 5 pages. Needs to be broken down into something more manageable. ** Rule of thumb. How big would the book in the library be if you found it on that topic? If it is "book sized" it is too big for a small paper.

The TEMPLATE for STEP 3:
(1) What comes before the topic (larger issues/categories)
              |
         TOPIC
              |
(2)  What falls below the topic (smaller issues/categories)

An EXAMPLE for STEP 3

Teen experiences      Steps of education
                \                  |
               High School
                  |               \
              Activities      College/career prep
               |      |                            \               \
  Athletics    Academic           IB Courses    Technical Education

(Keep going until you have met a topic size that is appropriate for the size of your paper)

3. IN YOUR NOTES... Practice with the following two "practice" topics: 1. Lee's Summit. 2. History
This practice should be done IN YOUR NOTES.

4. For Wednesday/Thursday- Do Step 3 of Writing for EACH of your 4 chosen topics.
This will be 4 total.
Make sure to clearly label as step 3 these and DO NOT embed these in your notes.

Monday, September 24th

1. Introduction to Step 2 of Writing- Brainstorming.

Pick 4 topics... do a brainstorm for each. These will need to be broad topics... and you will need to do these on paper that you can turn in at the end of Boot Camp.

THESE TOPICS WILL FOLLOW YOU THROUGH THE REST OF THE STEPS OF WRITING. Pick wisely.

Rules of Formal Academic Writing.... Put these in your notes!

Friday, September 21st

1. If you have not done so already, please read and take notes over
the UNC Audience Awareness link that I posted on Wednesday/Thursday.

2. In Schoology, you will find the following assignment:

• In a study of audience awareness, you will need to open up TWITTER. 
• You will need to screen shot 4 Tweets that you feel will provide a good discussion for evaluating audience awareness. You will examine each Tweet in context of audience awareness. You will write an evaluation of each tweet. Please include the screen shot of each tweet with your evaluation. 
• Questions to consider are: Who is the audience? What is the context? What is the tone of the Tweet? What diction choices relate to the audience? What does the author of the Tweet seem to understand about his/her audience? Is this an effective execution of audience awareness or poor execution? 

3. When you are done, you will do a final reflection on Twitter and audience awareness. There is a discussion board posted in Schoology.

Wednesday/Thursday, September 19th/20th

CLASS:
1. Review the important aspects of Audience Awareness.

• Purpose
• Totem pole of Academia
• Checklist to consider for Audience Awareness. (Handout from Tuesday)

2. We are going to practice crafting a message, using audience awareness.

IN CLASS PRACTICE:
With a classmate, you will construct a group explanation of the car accident. Open one document, and share it with the other. You will each submit this document to Schoology.

You were in a slight, no-injury, car accident...
As a group, you will construct an explanation of the accident for three different audiences.. This will be in NARRATIVE FORM. You can use "I"... "You" for this exercise. I am not concerned about dialogue... or formatting. This is an informal practice exercise. I am most concern with you showing how you can differentiate between audiences... attending to their needs.
Be thoughtful of "What do they want?" and "What do they need?"
1. Your parents.
2. Your insurance company.
3. Your Best Friend.

Consider the purpose of communication AND audience awareness. What needs to be included? What needs to be omitted? What about the tone? What is the ultimate purpose for each audience?

Use your notes from last class period to craft your explanation.

For Friday:

1. Review and take notes on the Writing to an Academic Audience link...REALLY IMPORTANT!!! FOUND HERE:
UNC Writing Center: Audience Tips

2. To post in Schoology: pick THREE of your classes that you are enrolled currently.
    a. Imagine you have been assigned a 3 page paper on a subject that you are currently studying in each class.
    b. You are going to do a thorough analysis of what you think EACH teacher/audience will or will not want in the written communication from you..  This can be a list/bullet points.
    c. To consider when doing this analysis: The information found above (academic audience link) + questions to consider that I gave you  + your experience so far in that class + explicit references from the teacher + implied directions from the teacher
    d. Make sure that you consider the "stuff" you want back from the written communication, so you can make sure that you have a realistic expectation of what your communication needs to achieve.

EXAMPLE:
Characteristics you may mention:
Precise attention to grammar and mechanics.
Following citation guide to the letter.
Sources need to be strong and reputable.
Needs knowledge info... does not want knowledge level info..

Tuesday, September 18th

PICTURE DAY ON WEDNESDAY/THURSDAY THIS WEEK.

1. Take out your Audience Awareness notes/handout over 2 Obama speeches.

2. Get into small groups of 3 and discuss both speeches.  Emphasize what the audience wants and needs as you go through each question.  Please turn in your questions to the sub when your group is done discussing.

3. In Schoology, please respond to the prompt: What is your understanding of audience awareness when it comes to communication? Why do you think it is the first step of writing? What did you learn from President Obama about audience awareness. 

4. Read and take notes on the following information on Audience awareness. Put this in a place that you will easily be able to access this information.

Writing for an academic audience HANDOUT

Monday, September 17th

1. Introduction to the Art of Communication.

Induction into "Writing Boot Camp".

2. Step #1 of Writing: Audience Awareness:

Using the following handout, make a copy for yourself, and close mine.  You will use this handout as a guide to examine audience awareness of one speaker.

Audience Awareness Speech Evaluation Handout

Select one of the two following-

* President Obama's White House Correspondence Dinner Speech

* "Obama Out" Correspondence Dinner

Watch the following starting at minute 29.00

President Obama's- Rev. Pinckney's Funeral

Wednesday/Thursday, September 12/13

1. Ted Talk handout and 6 higher-level questions are due at the beginning of the hour.

2. Socratic seminar over article and Ted Talk.

- We will start our discussion about talking about critical thinking and questions.
- Because we have different Ted Talks, we are going to address the issue/argument that the Ted Talk proposes. Those who watched that talk will summarize the content, and then propose the questions to the whole group. We will do this for each Talk... and then work to see the common threads in the multiple talks and articles.

Due Friday:
Please turn in Socratic reflection sheet.
Socratic Seminar Sheet