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Darlene is upset because her school has dropped holding dances. She tries to take her remarks to Mr. Harrison, the school principal, but she gets carried away describing types of dances. In another sequence, a boy is preparing to write a formal letter and considers the readers' interests, knowledge, and expectations. Finally, Darlene is well-prepared to meet with Mr. Harrison in favor of school dances.
As part of their social studies report, Joyce and Scott decide to scour the library for everything they can find about Mexico. It bogs them down that they haven't decided what areas of Mexico they want to cover. But another team of two students have an easier time breaking down their theme paper: ""Panama is a Country Between.""
How can you gather information on something that has no written record? Sally Ann is trying to interview Mrs. Dockstedder for a report on working mothers' provlems. What follows is a shambles that only adds to Mrs. Dockstedder's troubles. Thus Sally Ann must set an appointment with Mrs. Dockstedder, ask permission to use a tape recorder for the interview, and most of all, ask specific questions.
What's going on at the school newspaper, The Weekly Bull Dog? Nothing, it seems. The staff can't decide what story should go where. One reporter favors putting a boa constrictor story on the front page, but others disagree. It takes a while, but the staff reminds itself of the paper's purpose. That is the first step toward publication, as all the stories are organized into categories.
Ricky has written a script for a play, but no one can understand it. No standard form is adhered to. In order to make his script presentable, Ricky must first look at examples of scripts.
Mrs. Dockstedder criticizes Jeff on the sources he used for his report on San Francisco. His report is basically a travel brochure description, but Jeff has not used quotation marks or a bibliography to credit the brochure. Even the lines from I Left My Heart In San Francisco are taken without footnotes. Stephanie Edwards emphasizes that quotations from others are to be acknowledged, and that they should not replace the body of one's oral or written message. Jeff finally uses his own words in his San Francisco report.
STUDENT BODY FUND BANKRUPT is the headline Rita wants to use for her story in the school paper. When she takes the story for approval, Mr. Harrison rejects it, saying that while the student body fund is low, it can pay all its debts. By the end of the program, Rita and her friend Sally Ann discuss the right word, with the right denotation and connotation to get the message across. They come up with ""teetering"".
Darlene has a tough science project assigned her? How can she get people's interest in comets if no one knows exactly what comets are? It's a road block that drives the interest of her classmates down. Breaking reality is a piece on a TV director putting together a spot for the station's local movie show. At the end of the program, Darlene finds and uses an eye-popping approach to discussing comets.
Mrs. Dockstedder wants Joyce to give a message to Mr. Harrison that a sporting event will be cancelled due to potential inclement weather. Joyce gives the message to Sally, who doesn't get all the facts right. Thus, when she asks Ricky to pass a message, he enters Mr. Harrison's office with talk of Corn Flakes and W.C. Fields. Clearly, the kids have to pay attention, ask questions, and restate the message to improve their listening skills.
Mrs. Dockstedder wants directions to a locale. Rita gives a vastly-complicated set of directions, spelling out unimportant street names, distances, and nitpicks. It confuses Mrs. Dockstedder to no end. In another scenario, Jeff gives Sally Ann a derogatory comment about her feet. She is ready to answer back, but as she speaks, she sees Jeff's reactions. In doing so, Sally Ann redirects her comments so that he can understand her feelings. Finally, with all the pointers covered, Rita gives Mrs. Dockstedder a map showing directions to a merchant.
Sally Ann feels she has enough material in her boa constrictor story for the school newspaper. Scott's suggestion for a second draft sounds like a rejection. But by the show's end, Sally Ann discovers that the best writing comes from reassembling drafts.
Rita submits a story for the school paper. Sally Ann, the editor, gives Rita a totally irrelevant commentary. It is clear that Sally Ann should be more positive and tactful in critiquing someone else's work. For her part, Rita discovers that if she wants a critique, she sould be prepared for it.