New Option for Book Presentations

 

 

Students can create a Cereal Box to present their Independent Book Presentation. Each side of the box will have a required element (same as the previous projects). If a student chooses to create a cereal box, the student will not have to make note cards. I've attached pictures to use as an example. Presentations are due Friday.

 

 

Upcoming Project

Independent Reading Presentation due January 15th

Independent Reading Presentation

Project is due ___________.  You must present your project on a book you have finished between the dates of __________________.  If you have not finished a book by the project due date, you will receive a POW, and 10% will be deducted from your score.  You will still be required to present your project even if it is late. 

Every presentation must include the following:

·         title and author

·         main character(s)

·         compare how two characters from the story are different and/or similar

·         short summary of the story without giving away the ending

·         one challenge the main character(s) face

·         how the main character responds to the challenge

·         theme (main idea of the story)

 

Information must be written on note cards.  Be sure to practice reading in front of someone before presenting.  Try not to read straight from the cards.  Practice and then practice some more.

 

Choose one of the following to include in your presentation:

·         three items in a bag that relate to the story- you must explain how the objects relate to your book

·         movie poster you create that represents an event from the story- you must explain how the movie poster relates to your story

·         two or three PowerPoint slides with pictures that relate to the story- you must explain how the pictures relate to the story (PowerPoint must be saved to a flash drive and brought to class)

·         create a book mobile using a wire clothes hanger- attach at least five pictures (hand drawn or printed from computer) or items that represent the book.  Be prepared to explain how each picture or item relates to the book

 

Below is an example of a book mobile:

 

I would like to keep the book mobiles to hang in the classroom.  Please do not attach anything to the book mobiles that is of personal value. 

Unit Four: America in Conflict

We started our new unit, America in Conflict on Tuesday.  Literacy class will seem more like a History class for the next five weeks.  The following is a brief summary of the Unit.

Brief Summary of Unit: In this unit students read historical fiction and informational texts about Abraham Lincoln’s assassination and his assassin, John Wilkes Booth. In order to gain a deeper understanding about the events surrounding the assassination of Lincoln and the 12 day hunt for his killer, students will also examine a variety of primary resources (e.g. letters, manuscripts, newspapers, pamphlets, government documents, etc.) The culminating activity will be to create an end of unit presentation on their opinion essay about dealing with conflict, or on their response to the overarching essential question, "How are fictionalized characters and real people changed through conflict?" as well as the question, "What can we learn from this unit of study that can help us as individuals when we face conflict?"

READING:



We will read from Assassin by Anna Myers and Chasing Lincoln's Killer by James L. Swanson.






I've attached links to the videos we will view in class.

http://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/photos#videos

WRITING:

Students will focus on Persuasive Writing or Opinion Writing.  Students will be given a variety of opinion pieces to read, discuss, and analyze for the structure and techniques that authors use to write an effective opinion essay.  Students will use their knowledge of structure and technique to write an opinion essay dealing with conflict at school.  The final draft for this essay will be typed using WORD.  Students will have time at school to type the final draft.  If a student does not use his/her time wisely or is absent, it will be the student's responsibility to finish the draft either before school or during study hall.  The library is open from 7:30-8:15 each morning.  Students will be working on this essay for the next four weeks.  I will send an update when a deadline for the final draft is decided.

 

 

Students created a Magazine Cover featuring the toy they have been researching.  Students used the website www.bighugelabs.com to create the project.  Students were given an ID and password in class today.  We taped the information inside the back cover of the students' assignment planners.  Some students were able to finish, but others need to make a few adjustments.

 

I've attached the rubric that will be used in grading the Magazine Cover.  Hopefully this will help you see how students will be earning the points.  Below is an example of one I shared in class.

Students will have until Friday, October 26th to complete the Magazine Cover.  Students will need to use their study hall time or use the library from 7:45-8:15.  Students can work on the cover at home if they wish.

Research of Toys

We have researched the history of the following toys-

Silly Putty
Mr. Potato Head
Slinky
Super Ball
Legos
Bicycles
Hula Hoops
Play-doh
Toy Trains

The students do not need to do further research unless they would like to.  The information we used from the internet came from http://www.ideafinder.com/history/category/toys.htm

 Students (and parents) might be interested to see the commericals for the toys.

TOYS!!!

Finally!  We have found a topic kids love to research. 

Students will research and write a report about a toy.  Students will give the history of the toy including who invented it, when it was invented and how the invention came to be.  Students will also write a description of the toy focusing on the physical characteristics.  Students will also get a chance to PLAY with the toy.  This step in the research process is VERY important.  Students will also include in their paper how to play with the toy. 

Students will also create a Magazine Cover to go with their report.  The Magazine Cover will be created in the library using the computer.  Our class will go to the library on Tuesday, October 23.  If a student is absent, it will be his/her responsibility to go to the library during study hall or before school to complete the Magazine Cover.  The library is open from 7:45-8:15 every day.

Students will present their reports on Friday, November 2nd.  However, the Report and Magazine Cover will be due Monday, October 29.  Students will not read the report for the presentation.  For the presentation, students will need to summarize their report on note cards.  Students will also share the Magazine Cover as part of their presentation.

The following rubrics will be used to grade the project:

 

 

This week in class, we have looked at prefixes, base words, and suffixes.  We've located words with prefixes and/or suffixes in the book Leonardo: Beautiful Dreamer.  We have also created our own words with our knowledge of word parts.  One of my personal favorites was INVENTOLOGY, which we decided was the study of inventions.  Today we practiced INVENTOLOGY, as we took notes on important inventions and how they have changed society.  We will continue taking notes next week.  Eventually, students will choose which invention they believe is the most important and will write a paragraph explaining their choice. 

Next week we will continue our study of Leonardo da Vinci.  We will take notes on Text Features and determine how text features make nonfiction easier to understand.  I have attached the PowerPoint we will use.  Students will hunt for examples of text features using the book Amazing Leonardo da Vinci, Inventions You Can Build Yourself.  Students will get a chance to create polyhedra (three dimensional polygons) using marshmallows and toothpicks.  Students will use their knowledge of text features to create an octahedron, an icosahedron, and a rhombicuboctahedron. 

If you ordered from the book order, your items should arrive early next week.  I will send home October's book order on Friday. 

 

 

 

Have a Great Weekend!!!