Writing students have been focusing on their career research paper. By now, students have found multiple book and web sources with information about their career choice. We've begun using Noodletools.com, a very cool online site that allows students to digitally store their bibliography and notecards. If you remember carrying a stack of index cards for your own research papers, you'll quickly understand why students are loving Noodletools so much. Students are able to create the notecards, link them to their outline and even "pile" all of the relevant cards together. Noodletools is a subscription-based service that students will continue to use through middle school and high school.
We're now entering the drafting stage of the research paper. Students are learning to use facts, cite them with parenthetical citations according to MLA formatting rules, and then explain the factual information in their own words. Students have already written the intro, pros and job duties paragraphs - and will finish the rough draft early this week.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Friday, April 13, 2012
Last AR Project of the Year - Due May 10/11
It seems hard to believe, but this is the last AR project of the year. Students can choose any type of project they'd like as long as they include the three areas that are listed below. These projects are due May 10/11.
Rather than writing a standard book report, you will instead create a book report project that will accurately explain and describe the book that you have read. As always, this project will be equal to a test grade and should be taken seriously.
For this project, you will need to read one book. It can be either fiction or non-fiction. After you finish the book, you have the option of creating a project that demonstrates your knowledge and understanding of the book.
The type of project that you choose is entirely up to you. You can make a video, dress as your character, create a PowerPoint, build a webpage, design a quote collage or create any other interesting project you would like.
While you have absolute freedom, there are a few requirements: You must include information about:
The main characters
The conflict of the novel
The theme or moral that the author is trying to convey.
Be specific, include good details, and completely convince me that you not only read the book but understand every single thing in it! All projects should include the full title of the book and the author’s name somewhere on the project. Please see me if you have any questions on your options. Good luck!
Rather than writing a standard book report, you will instead create a book report project that will accurately explain and describe the book that you have read. As always, this project will be equal to a test grade and should be taken seriously.
For this project, you will need to read one book. It can be either fiction or non-fiction. After you finish the book, you have the option of creating a project that demonstrates your knowledge and understanding of the book.
The type of project that you choose is entirely up to you. You can make a video, dress as your character, create a PowerPoint, build a webpage, design a quote collage or create any other interesting project you would like.
While you have absolute freedom, there are a few requirements: You must include information about:
The main characters
The conflict of the novel
The theme or moral that the author is trying to convey.
Be specific, include good details, and completely convince me that you not only read the book but understand every single thing in it! All projects should include the full title of the book and the author’s name somewhere on the project. Please see me if you have any questions on your options. Good luck!
B Day Reading Classes
Students in B day Reading classes have been busy working on their Literature Circle novels. In Literature Circles, small groups of students gather to read and discuss a novel. Groups have been reading one of six possible novels:
A Mango Shaped Space
The Giver
Esperanza Rising
Among the Hidden
A Wrinkle in Time
The Westing Game
Students have a group packet they complete each day where they are responsible for discussion topics, vocabulary, completing group work, and other important activities. The final project for the Literature Circles unit will not be a traditional test. Instead, students will be asked to create their own wiki.
A wiki (think Wikipedia, for example) is a website that is easily edited by multiple people. Each group is creating their own web pages that will cover the major characters, important themes, interesting vocabulary and pertinent author information. The students are picking up on the tech skills very quickly, so I'm excited to see what they can do. Ask your student to show you the start of their character web page!
A Mango Shaped Space
The Giver
Esperanza Rising
Among the Hidden
A Wrinkle in Time
The Westing Game
Students have a group packet they complete each day where they are responsible for discussion topics, vocabulary, completing group work, and other important activities. The final project for the Literature Circles unit will not be a traditional test. Instead, students will be asked to create their own wiki.
A wiki (think Wikipedia, for example) is a website that is easily edited by multiple people. Each group is creating their own web pages that will cover the major characters, important themes, interesting vocabulary and pertinent author information. The students are picking up on the tech skills very quickly, so I'm excited to see what they can do. Ask your student to show you the start of their character web page!
A Day Reading Classes
My A day Reading classes have been working on the novel, The Watsons Go to Birmingham. Students have studied the 1960s and learned more about the fight for equality during the Civil Rights Movement. Our focus has been on some of the lesser known figures of the movement. Most students recognize Rosa Parks and know a handful of facts about Martin Luther King, Jr. Our goal was to introduce other individuals and groups who contributed to the movement - like the Freedom Riders, Medgar Evers, James Meredith, and the marchers on "Bloody Sunday." Students have been researching these topics and are creating posters with a timeline, pictures, and a summary of the individual's contribution to the overall movement for justice and equality. Students will have time in class today and next Tuesday to put the posters together, before presenting next Thursday. The Watsons unit test will be April 25.
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