Precedence Diagram Practice: Fill & Download for Free

Gantt charts are most popular way of data visualization when it comes to scheduling, it has activity list, durations and correlation between the activities.On the other hand, precedence diagrams are more of a scheduling technique, dating back to time when PM software were not around (see Critical Path Method for more). It can also be used instead of Gantt charts but in limited cases. The more the number of activities, the more complex it gets when you consider all that relations between activities. I have not seen practical use of it however I can imagine few activities / work packages can be blown up out of schedule and analyzed.With that said, the main reason it is still around is it is actually the way how scheduling works. It is therefore to understand these diagrams are created and how late/early start/finish duration of an activity can be determined.

QUESTION: Does sentence diagramming actually help kids learn to read?ANSWER:READING: Sentence diagramming improves a child's comprehension of complex sentences and paragraphs.WRITING: Sentence diagramming helps the mind develop an instinct for writing complex sentences correctly and the ability to recognize the varied ways in which the same thought can be expressed.COGNITION: Sentence diagramming also improves a child’s cognitive skills in that the process of writing complex sentences which can be clearly understood requires refinement of thought. The more refined and precise one's thinking is, the better the sentence structure.ANALYSIS: As a teacher of GED prep for inner-city students, I had an interest in determining why they struggled with language skills when I found language so easy. Since they weren’t less intelligent, what instruction had I received in grades K-6, when we learn the foundational basics of all language skills, which they hadn't received? The most significant differences are features that were eliminated at least 40 years ago: daily recess, no homework, and sentence diagramming instruction. Instead, K-6 students have been and are still being assigned voluminous amounts of homework and instructed by "new" and "innovative" reforms, which, according to lower test scores, are ineffective.Further research into the topic seems to indicate a general misunderstanding about the purpose of sentence diagramming and when it should be taught. Of those who think it's wasted effort, most received that instruction in grades 7–12. However, it’s most useful if taught in elementary school, when children are still sponges soaking up knowledge instead of challenging the credibility of the instructional method. As they practice the "art" of sentence diagramming, they absorb information about the function and placement of words and phrases in a sentence and learn that their location can either enhance, confuse or, as a misplaced comma can do, change the meaning of the sentence.Though there's an absence of studies proving or disproving its benefits, my own education and experience with underdeveloped language skills in adults who did not receive sentence diagramming instruction, along with the prevalence of mediocre and error-filled writing on the Internet produced by younger generations educated by ineffective reforms, lead me to believe that sentence diagramming is the best method for developing highly evolved reading comprehension, writing and cognitive skills for K-6 students.This is supported by the fact that, after the elimination of sentence diagramming lower scores on standardized tests are primarily about reading comprehension to such an extent that even many math questions are word problems, re-implementing as part of the K-6 curriculum is the one change that will do the most to improve scores on standardized tests. So, while concrete knowledge...background knowledge...is a necessary component of well-developed reading comprehension skills, that knowledge by itself won't do much to improve scores among any age group without the skill developed from learning sentence construction (Hirsch, Jr., E.D., The Knowledge Deficit. Houghton Mifflin Co., NY, NY. 2006. p.21, 74, 104-105). As Hirsch indicates: "we need to see the reading comprehension problem for what it primarily is --- a knowledge problem" (Ibid. p.25). What I don't think he realizes, though, is that part of that knowledge has to include knowledge about how complex sentences are constructed.Thus, both sentence diagramming and more knowledge in the curriculum in general are are vital to the improvement of tests scores and academic performance in general.As to the articles denouncing sentence diagramming that do exist, it appears the authors have misunderstood the purpose of sentence diagramming. In one recent article, "The Wrong Way to Teach Grammar" by Michelle Navarre Cleary (The Wrong Way to Teach Grammar), the author claims : "A century of research shows that traditional grammar lessons—those hours spent diagramming sentences and memorizing parts of speech—don’t help and may even hinder students’ efforts to become better writers." But, sentence diagramming isn't intended to teach grammar. It's intended to teach sentence construction.Ms. Cleary goes on to say this finding was "confirmed in 1984, 2007, and 2012 through reviews of over 250 studies— [and] is consistent among students of all ages, from elementary school through college" and further that "one well-regarded study followed three groups of students from 9th to 11th grade..." Well, first, the studies discussed in 1984, 2007 and 2012 do not mention sentence diagramming, as far as I was able to ascertain. Second, sentence diagramming is a K-6 instruction tool. Third, the "well-regarded study" covers grammar instruction which, again, is not what sentence diagramming is intended to teach.This author also states that "we need to teach students how to write grammatically by letting them write," but the grade at which this is to occur is unclear and the only review and correction of this activity is peer review. So, one student who is trying to learn grammar by writing...which I'm having trouble imagining... is going to review the writing of another student who also hasn't learned grammar yet? Needless to say, as a parent, I wouldn’t be pleased.It's been a long time...many decades, in fact...since sentence diagramming has been taught in most elementary schools. Maybe that's the reason for the misunderstanding about its purpose and benefits as an instructional tool. To be clear, it cannot be used to teach grammar, because one needs to know grammar to diagram a sentence. This is why it usually isn't used until about 4th grade to improve writing and reading comprehension sills by teaching students how to construct complex sentences that make sense. It does this by training the mind to see that complex sentences are comprised of separate components that convey a message by their placement in the sentence and by the relationship each has to the other and to the main subject and verb.Learning to write is a process. It begins with learning grammar. To complete the process, students in the upper grades learn more about writing when they receive instruction in writing with a purpose, such as persuasive, expository and argumentative writing. This includes instruction in things like the introductory paragraph and conclusion and organizing the message in between the two, so it’s in a logical, sequential order and the topic sentence ties the preceding paragraph to the next one and introduces what is to be discussed in that next paragraph.In between learning basic grammar and the finer points of writing an essay, research paper or complex business letter is the need to learn how to construct complex sentences that make sense and to learn there are often several ways to express the same thought, some are awkward and others have rhythm and flow. This is the role of sentence diagramming...to teach students how to construct complex sentences which, if they have enough writing experience in the upper grades, will develop into the ability to write the kind of sentences which give a piece enough polish to make it a pleasure to read.I'm a big proponent of teaching as the best way to learn a subject, because, you don't truly know something until you can explain it to someone else. In trying to thoroughly and concisely explain a concept to another, you learn how well you know and understand it yourself. This is also true of writing.And, as noted, the place where the absence of sentence diagramming instruction seems to be most evident is in the writing currently being posted online. Though the authors of these articles and essays are intelligent and have a worthwhile message to share, that message too often gets lost in a sea of awkward and clumsy sentences and/or bad punctuation that make the piece difficult to read and understand. In this venue, it becomes easy to see how sentence structure is a reflection of one's cognitive skills.From my perspective, the gaping hole in the analysis and reasoning in the above-referenced article is an example of the underdeveloped skills that result from a less-than-adequate education, as it's impossible to have such a system for over 45 years without it resulting in adverse consequences for several generations. For some, these consequences were avoided or overcome by attendance at a private school; by being a self-taught, independent learner; or by articulate parents who engaged their children in lively discussions and rich experiences. But, because many millions were not so fortunate, the workplace in the U.S. is now comprised mostly of individuals with underdeveloped writing, comprehension and cognitive skills.An unfortunate paradox of this is that, of today's reformers, many were educated by the same inadequate system they're trying to fix and, thus, don't know what they don't know. They don't know what a good education looks like.If your own school district is stumbling in its effort to improve education, check the personal bios written by members of the local school board. If they're anything like those written by district’s board members, it may be that the awkward, disjointed phraseology of their poorly written bios stems from the same disjointed thinking that's been trying unsuccessfully to improve your schools.The same is true nationally. An analysis of some of the ideas being promoted by politicians...like school choice because competition will entice schools to improve, since they won't improve unless enticed???..., illustrate the same disjointed, incomplete thinking.To my knowledge, there is no other instructional tool used in elementary school that benefits children in as many ways as sentence diagramming, but I must defer to K-6 teachers for confirmation of that.

Mr. Trump has taught me so much on becoming an alpha male, it’s fair to say I owe my journey of transformation to his example.Lesson one: The hip hinge.The first insight I gained from watching Mr. Trump was to hinge at the hip. Real alphas lean in. It shows confidence and direction; the alpha male is someone whose potential energy is so primal, so strong, it is only sheer force of will that prevents it from propelling him forward at any moment.Also, keep your feet together. The alpha male is not concerned about stability. Nobody moves the alpha male no matter where his feet are.Behold:Now, the finer points aren’t necessarily easy to master. You’re not simply leaning forward. It’s that hinge at the hip that makes this an alpha move, as opposed to simply a cheap imitation of the Tower of Pisa.I added a helpful diagram to the above image to illustrate. (Preceding images: Body Language & Emotional Intelligence)Those of you familiar with the deadlift exercise will recognize the hip hinge. However, if you master this power stance, you won’t need anything as beta as strength exercises to reach you alpha potential: All you need is a few inches of forward lean. You’re not actually going to pick up anything off the floor — we alphas have people to do that.Nor should you turn this into a full Japanese bow. Alphas bow to nobody.Make sure your arms are relaxed and hands dangling just in front of the hip joint, not alongside your body, as betas’ hands will inevitably do.Lesson two: The accordion.When speaking — note: alphas don’t talk; we speak — use your hands. You already know this. Here’s the secret: Move them laterally, palms in.(Image: Trump caught on hot mic whining about ink stain on shirt moments before coronavirus speech: 'I got a pen mark')This should be your default. If no other alpha gesture presents itself in the moment, make like you’re squishing a soft, pudgy beta between your palms. Boing! Boing! Boing!There is a simple training aid to build the muscle memory that makes this automatic:(Image: Plan Toys Concertina Toy Accordion)Imagine yourself like this:(Image: This video of Trump playing the accordion is everything you didn't know you needed in your life)About 10,000 hours of practice is what it takes to become an expert, so get started now. Alphas are made, not born.Lesson 3: The shamble.Forget this “walk purposely” stuff. That’s for pseudo-alphas. The real alpha shows he doesn’t even need to try.Study closely footage of Mr. Trump scaling the stairs to Air Force One; this is where this alpha move shines most clearly.Stoop just a little. Do not hurry, do not move with purpose — those are the signs of a tries-too-hard alpha. Remember, alphas don’t try. They do. (Image: Trump boards plane with paper stuck to his shoe)Here is a another crystallized example. Notice the stoop; this is not the hip hinge from above but, for select moments, a forward sloping of the shoulders:(Image: President Trump Gets Roasted For Not Knowing How to Use Umbrellas)Better yet, study the video. Study it well:That’s all I’m going to share here. Too much alpha can be overwhelming all at once. If I were to share all of Mr. Trump’s alpha-male body language all at once, you will be overwhelmed by winning, winning so bigly you won’t know what to do about all the winning.Only alphas can really handle the winning that comes with being alpha. The three lessons above will get you started, and then you have to ease your way into it on your own, like I did.Thanks to Mr. Trump.