Introduction to Informational Writing

Where do you see informational writing? Number of websites created every day…in the last minute 571 websites were created. During our class over 25,000 websites have been created.  By the end of the month, you may have created your own website.

 

Padlet Timeline of the Holcaust

Writitng a Position Paper

You are going to write a position paper on whether "Role Playing Games with simulated violence are perilous or diverting for kids."  Choose a side and then use the resources below to find evidence that support your reasons.

“Do Games Like ‘Grand Theft Auto V’ Cause Real-World Violence” by Erik Kain, ForbesMagazine

“Essential Facts about Games and Violence” a brochure produced by theEntertainment Software Association

“How online gamers are solving science’s biggest problems” by Dara Mohammadi,
The Guardian

“Shooting in the Dark” by Benedict Carey, The New York Times
 
“Violent video games may stop crime by keeping criminals busy playing violent
video games” by Evan Dashevsky, TechHive

The Giver-create a voki

Click here to go in to Voki classroom.  Create an account using your user name and password.

Assignment:Explain a ritual or rule in The Giver Community. Then explain why this rule might have been created. What are the benefits. What are the negatives of this rule or ritual? 
 

Spitz Voki

The Giver- Learning about Utopian and Dystopian Societies

Your job is to research utopian and dystopian societies and report your findings to your community (teacher and class). You may divide up the work, but each member of your group needs to be able to explain the material that the group has researched--that means you need to explain what you have read and learned to everyone! You will need hard proof that these societies you are researching are utopian or dystopian.  They may even be both!

Click here to read about Utopias

Complete steps 1-4

Click here to read about Dystopias

Complete steps 1-4 (the video on step 2 does not work.)

Complete a 4-6 slide presentation on Utopias and Dystopias which shows your research and knowledge on the topic.

Click here to access the class presentation on Utopias and Dystopias

Mini-Biography

This week we are going to write a mini-biography together as a class.  We will be writing about Dav Pilkey.
Video on Dave Pilkey
Comic Autobiography
Scholastic Biography

A Christmas Carol-Create a Go Animate

Create a Go Animate to show how Scrooge changes or an important theme of the play.
Click this link to go to Go Animate
Here's our classroom code:  0OSKQzn8JjqvRrlNrLVpT

try this one:  0OSKQzn8JjqvRrlNrLVpT6g

Ted Talk Tuesdays: Detention or Eco Club: Choosing your future - Juan Martinez

"When kids who have very little really experience the power of the great outdoors, it can change their whole lives."—Juan Martinez

Watch the Ted Talk and then complete the graphic organizer.  Be prepared to discuss in class on Tuesday.  Below you can find background information to explore some of the topics Martinez discusses in his Ted Talk.

• Click here to learn more about Juan Martinez and his work spearheading the group Natural Leaders Network of the Children & Nature Network

• Richard Louv's Last Child in the Woods

• Click here for background on the LA Riots in 1992

• Learn more about his reference to the street gangs in LA 

Understanding Point of View

The Faces of the Syrian Refugee Crisis

This fall we read a Scope article on the Syrian Refugee Crisis- In "Swimming for her Life"  we read about Yusra Mardini's incredible journey from war-torn Syria to the Olympic Games (November Scope page 10).  We have also watched two videos about children refugees.  You are going to choose a topic connected to the Syrian Refugee crisis to research and create an Infographic which will explain the topic to other people who might not be informed.
Possible topics to explore:

     Children Refugees

     Why people leave Syria?

     Where do the refugees go when they leave?

     Settlement Camps

     Where is Syria?  (Background information)

     What is the conflict in Syria about?

What is an infographic?  Click here to see some examples of Infographics.

Research resources:
First try Ebscohost-on Barnard School website

Save the Children

Children Under Siege-UNICEF

Time for Kids-Children Refugees

Syrian Refugee crisis-what you need to know
Newsela-Refugee family settles in US after fleeing war in Syria
CNN-Everything you need to know about Syrian Crisis