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What is writing?

chip bruce (chip@uiuc.edu) (ready to use)


ASK
Subject Areas
Language Arts

Grade Levels
7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, Undergraduate

Unit Keywords
literacy, writing studies, history, archaeology, artifact, archaeology

Rationale of the Unit
Through an examination of a set of artifacts, students consider which of them are writing and why.

Bruce, B. C. (1998, September). New literacies. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 42 (1), 46-49.

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Background and Resources
A set of artifacts, actually flat representations of them on paper, have been collected, numbered and recorded. They need now to be interpreted. Investigators assume the role of archaeologists as they attempt to make sense of these artifacts.

Writing Artifacts:
  1. Graphs on homelessness. From Bassuk, E. (1991). Homeless families. Scientific American, 265, 66-74.
  2. Chemical formulas for three sweeteners. From Murphy, P. (1991). Sweetness and light. Exploratorium Quarterly, 15 (4), 22-25.
  3. Spider web diagrams. From Vollrath, F. (1992). Spider webs and silks. Scientific American, 266, 70-76.
  4. Computer generated image of a thunderstorm over Oklahoma and Texas in 1964, with chronology at bottom showing the storm's life span. From Patton, P. (1992, January 19). Up from flatland. The New York Times magazine, pp. 29-31, 61.
  5. Text and table from Roblyer, M. D., Castine, W. H., & King, F. J. (1988). Assessing the impact of computer-based instruction: A review of recent research. New York: The Haworth Press.
  6. Electron microscope image of patch pipette in contact with a neuron. From Neher, E., & Sakmann, B. (1992). The patch clamp technique. Scientific American, 266, 44-51.
  7. Linear cartogram of the Washington, D. C., Metro system. From (p. 34), Monmonnier, M. (1991). How to lie with maps. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
  8. Photograph of Foster City, CA. From McDougall, M. (1992). New towns and great cities. Exploratorium Quarterly, 16 (1), 8-12.
  9. Set theory exposition from Bennett, A. B., & Nelson, L. T. (1992). Mathematics for elementary teachers: A conceptual approach (third edition). Dubuque, IA: Wm. C. Brown.
  10. Star map from a Chinese astronomical manuscript (AD 940). From Cole, K. C. (1992). First word: Order in the universe. Exploring, 16, 2-3.
  11. Portion of page from Bruce, B. C. (1976). A logic for unknown outcomes. Notre Dame Journal of Formal Logic, 17, 542-550.
  12. Tracking example. From Interactive physics: User's guide (1989). San Francisco, CA: Knowledge Revolution.
  13. Drawing from White, E. B. (1952). Charlotte's web. New York: Harper and Row,
  14. Detail from the Gundestrup (Denmark) cauldron, suggesting possible links between India and Celtic cultures. From Taylor, T. (1992). The Gundestrup cauldron. Scientific American, 266, 84-89.
  15. Confidence interval chart from Roblyer, M. D., Castine, W. H., & King, F. J. (1988). Assessing the impact of computer-based instruction: A review of recent research. New York: The Haworth Press.
  16. Chladni's figures, formed when a surface covered with sand is struck so that it vibrates. From Dalmédico, A. D. (1991). Sophie Germain. Scientific American, 265, 116-120, 122.
  17. Table: Theme repetition in the drawings of writing products, November-March. From Hilliker, J. (1988). Labeling to beginning narrative. In T. Newkirk, & N. Atwell, (eds.), Understanding writing: Ways of observing, learning, and teaching (second edition) (pp. 14-22). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
  18. Oblique azimuthal equidistant projection centered on Chicago, just east of the 90° W meridian. From (p. 16), Monmonnier, M. (1991). How to lie with maps. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
  19. Facial expression corresponding to six basic emotions: anger, surprise, sadness, fear, happiness, and disgust. From Pinocchio's nose. Exploratorium Quarterly, 15 (4), 4-7.
  20. Diagram of patch pipette used to record electrical current in cells. From Neher, E., & Sakmann, B. (1992). The patch clamp technique. Scientific American, 266, 44-51.
  21. Journal entry regarding the class teddy bear, Oscar, by Jody (G1):
    He almost got lost [at Safeway]. In the morning he got up but he did not want to get up. He see my cat. He like me because I am nice. I love Oscar. Can you guess what Oscar was playing with while I was taking a bath? S Joe! [Jody's brother].
    From Durst, S. S. (1988). Oscar's journal. In T. Newkirk, & N. Atwell, (eds.), Understanding writing: Ways of observing, learning, and teaching (second edition) (pp. 23-30). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
  22. Television test pattern. From Coontz, R. (1992). TV for insomniacs. Exploring, 16 (2), 10-13.
  23. Macintosh icons.
  24. Vector lengths dialog box. From Interactive physics: User's guide (1989). San Francisco, CA: Knowledge Revolution.
  25. Diagram for the construction of an infrared camera. From Mooney, D. G. (1992) Seeing infrared. Scientific American, 266, 112-113.
  26. Portion of score for "Guantanamera." From Folk all-timers (1977). Ojai, CA: Creative concepts.
  27. Problem assignment from Bennett, A. B., & Nelson, L. T. (1992). Mathematics for elementary teachers: A conceptual approach (third edition). Dubuque, IA: Wm. C. Brown.
  28. Portion of score for "Träumerai". From Schumann, R. (1922). Kinderszenen. New York: C. F. Peters.
  29. Chart prepared by lawyers for John Gotti, used to discredit government witnesses. From Patton, P. (1992, January 19). Up from flatland. The New York Times magazine, pp. 29-31, 61.
  30. Stephanie's (G1) composition. From Matthews, K. (1988). A child composes. In T. Newkirk, & N. Atwell, (eds.), Understanding writing: Ways of observing, learning, and teaching (second edition) (pp. 9-13). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
  31. Drawing by Kevin, age 3; began as a car, then became a camel, and finally a mask. From Bridge, S. B. (1988). Squeezing from the middle of the tube. In T. Newkirk, & N. Atwell, (eds.), Understanding writing: Ways of observing, learning, and teaching (second edition) (pp. 80-87). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
  32. Note from Jamie (G1) to Nina, "Me and you are friends." From Karelitz, N. B. (1988). Note writing: A neglected genre. In T. Newkirk, & N. Atwell, (eds.), Understanding writing: Ways of observing, learning, and teaching (second edition) (pp. 88-113). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
  33. Drawings by Danny (G1): (a) "Tree. The tree is dead. The tree is bare."; (b) "Bare." Note that in (b) the words control the picture. From Karelitz, N. B. (1988). The rhythm of writing development. In T. Newkirk, & N. Atwell, (eds.), Understanding writing: Ways of observing, learning, and teaching (second edition) (pp. 40-46). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
  34. Diagram of secant cylindrical projection. From (p. 11), Monmonnier, M. (1991). How to lie with maps. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.



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Dialogues, Discussions, and Presentations

Questions for class discussion


What process did your group go through to decide?
Which artifacts are examples of writing? Why?
Are some part writing and part not?
Are some not by any stretch writing? Why?
Which examples were particularly difficult to decide?
Did you derive any principles or features to distinguish writing?
What does this say about a definition of writing? literacy? literacy technologies?


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