GAY BROOKES & SHARONA LEVY

Directions for Doing a Triple Entry Journal 

·       To create a triple entry journal, first open a New Word document.  Under Format, click on Columns.  Click on 3 columns.  

·       Title Column I Quotes from the Text.  In Column I, copy down two quotes from the text that you think are important or interesting or confusing.  Cut and paste the quotes from the Internet document, “Anencephalic Babies,” [http://bioethics.georgetown.edu/hsbioethics/unit1_3.htm].  Number the quotes.  Add the Internet reference (by cutting and pasting the address) to your journal document.  

·        N. B.  If you don’t know how to go back and forth between the Internet and your Word document, ask for assistance.  

·        N. B.  You will find that you have to scroll down to the bottom of the page to get to column two. 

·       Title Column II My Responses/Reactions.  In Column II, write down your comments on the quotes: feelings, thoughts, questions, associations, reactions, confusions, connections.  Put the number from the quote next to your response. 

·       Exchange places with the person sitting next to you (your partner).  Read your partner’s journal entries: quotes and comments.  Go to the third column, entitled, My Partner’s Comments, and write your responses to your partner’s responses and reactions.  (Use the same numbers.) 

·       When you both finish, read what your partner wrote to you and discuss orally (this could be done in writing or by email) what you wrote to each other.  You might print the document out at this point. 

·       As you discuss or when you finish, jot down any comments you think clarify or add to what you’ve written.  

LETTER WRITING 

Go to the reading on “Anencephalia”http://bioethics.georgetown.edu/hsbioethics/unit1_3.htm

Pick the role of one of the stakeholders to “play”: e.g. parent, relative, medical professional, social worker, HMO officer, hospital administrator, taxpayer, lawyer, politician, judge, journalist. Think about the various issues the player you’ve picked would have to confront in this situation. 

Open up MS Word 

Write a letter in the voice of the player describing the situation and issues from that person’s perspective to an appropriate person asking for advice. 

Sign it. 

Save it as “letter-wac”  on the hard drive or on a floppy. 

Move to a computer 2 stations away 

Read the letter and identify what the major issues are. Go on the web and using one or more search engines identify 3-5 useful websites. Note the website’s point of view. Note the descriptors that generate the best (or worst) search engine results. 

Answer the letter giving the above information in the appropriate voice of the person being asked for advice. Include the information about using search engines and websites you’ve identified. 

Type your response under the original writing in another color and/or typeface. 

Save it.   

QUESTIONS FOR GROUP DISCUSSION:

How would you as a teacher follow up on this lesson, given your subject area and your pedagogical goals for your students?

How might you adapt this kind of activity to your subject area?

Accounting
Chemistry
Bio
Math
ESL Writing
Political Science
Philosophy
Psychology
Health Ed
Allied Health
Coop Ed

A Creative Writing Assignment 

For a change of pace, we ask you to write a poem.  The subject of your poem is on what’s it’s like to be a person in your field, not necessarily a teacher but a working historian, accountant, psychologist, health education specialist, for example.  Pick your job or career, and write a poem telling us what it’s like being a _________.  

Go to forum number #4 on BlackBoard.   Read the poems of your colleagues.  Respond to at least one, relating what you learned about that person by reading the poem.