A Christmas Carol Thinglink

Today you are going to create a Thinglink on Charles Dickens and A Christmas Carol. Choose two of the topics on the picture to write about You may need to research the topic if your choose Charles Dickens or Dickens' London. Then write a couple sentences about your topic. If you finish creating both links, you can add an image, video or website to your icon. Remember to check spelling and punctuation. These links will be read by other people: your peers, parents, and other people interested in the topic.

The Twilight Zone: The Monsters are Due on Maple Street

7th graders-- Today we begin a new play, The Monsters are Due on Maple Street. This is a screenplay, a play that was written for television. It was written as an episode for a show called The Twilight Zone. Ask your parents about it--many of them will remember watching it. We will watch a clip today of the opening scene of every Twilight Zone show. Rod Sterling, the writer and narrator of The Twilight Zone began every show the same way. His opening introductions are a good example of a lead that really pulls you in and makes you want to know more! Click here to watch the epilogue of The Monsters are Due on Maple Street

A Thinglink on Harriet Tubman and The Underground Railroad

Click the icons on the pictures to learn more about the Underground Railroad and Harriet Tubman.
Or click here to go directly to the Thinglink the class created.

Characters Development in A Christmas Carol

You have finished reading the play A Christmas Carol and worked on analyzing the different literary elements.  Today you are going to create a Voki and a comic strip using Go Animate.

For the Voki-  Choose a character the play.  Write a brief paragraph introducing the character,  speaking in the character's voice, using words they might use.  Be sure to show us what the character is like by what he/she says.  If the character is dynamic and has changed, create 2 Vokis--one that shows his behavior before and another that shows his behavior after the transformation.

Click here to go to Voki--You can create an account on Voki.  be sure to write all your account information on your tech sheet.  When you finish your Voki, create a new post and embed the Voki there. 

Go Animate--Then, choose a scene that you feel is very important to the play--it represents the turning point, shows an important character's personality, includes part of the theme or the message of the play.  Create a brief storyboard of this scene, being sure to write the dialogue.  Then go to Go Animate and create this scene there.

Click here to go to Go Animate--Again, you can create an account with Go Animate.  Be sure to write down your account information!.  When you finish your cartoon, embed it in your blog as a new post

Learning about Charles Dickens

Click here to watch a biography on Charles Dickens.  There is an interactive element to the video as well as games to learn more about Dickens. 

Harriet Tubman: Guide to Freedom

We are going to read Harriet Tubman: Guide to Freedom a story that describes the Underground Railroad and Harriet Tubman's role in helping free the slaves in the south in the 1800s.  Before we read the story in our textbook, you are going to learn a little about The Underground Railroad and Harriet Tubman by watching a video, completing a web quest and completing an interactive journey on The Underground Railroad yourself.

Watch Underground Railroad on PBS. See more from History Detectives.

Click here to watch a video about Harriet Tubman 

Your assignment is to complete the web quest on Harriet Tubman. Follow the directions on the sheet and learn more about Harriet Tubman. You may write your answers on the back of the paper.

Click here to go to interactive Underground Railroad site

iMovie Tutorials

You will be working on your Book Trailer in class.  The final Book Trailer is due on Wednesday, November 28th. Click here to view the Book Trailer requirements.  

Use these video tutorials to help you learn the ins and outs of iMovie. 

iMovie Video Tutorials 
 (click title of video to open video up in another tab and make bigger)

iMovie in Under 5 Minutes (5 minutes video going over basic tools in iMovie)



iMovie Tutorial:  Beginners and Basics (this is a little longer basic overview)

 

How to import images and videos in iMovie

Your next Book Project: Create a Digital Book Trailer

You just finished your independent reading book, now you are going to create a Book Trailer based on the book.  A Book Trailer is a lot like a movie trailer--a short clip that pulls you into the book and makes you want to read it.  The music, pictures and captions all spark the viewer's interest.  Book Trailers are short--they either create the mood, sum up the theme or the main problem of the book.  Today we're going to watch some Book trailers and discus how they were made and why they work.  Click here to visit The Rundlett Library website to view more Isinglass Book Trailers. 

Things to consider as you view the Book Trailers: 

Do they speak or are only words used?

How did they use music?

Did they use still pictures or actors?

How did they use writing to grab your attention?

How much information did they give the viewer?

How did they create interest?

A Monster Calls



Bystander

  This Dark Endeavor

Sean Griswold’s Head

Brain Jack

Stuck on Earth

Creating a Survey Using Google Forms

Today we are going to make surveys using Google Forms.  Think about some topic that interest you that you'd like to learn your classmates' views on.  We will create a survey together and then you'll have a chance to create your own.  Once you've decided on a topic, follow the directions below.  After you have posted your survey on your blog, take of some of your friends surveys.  You are required to answer your 3:00, 7:00 and 11:00 partner's surveys.  I can't wait to see what you create.  Remember choose a good topic that you can ask interesting, school appropriate questions about. 

Click here for the instructions:  Tech Class:  Creating a Survey Using Google Forms

The Orphan Train

"The Orphan Train"

“It is not flesh and blood but the heart which makes us fathers and sons.” —Johann Schiller

We are going to read a nonfiction article about the Orphan Train which deals with an often-overlooked episode in American history, when many of our nation’s neediest city children were “placed out” west with new families. The orphan-train program was controversial, and while some kids went on to lead good lives in rural America, others weren’t so lucky. But in spite of their shortcomings, the orphan trains paved the way for today’s foster-care system.
This story has been paired with the moving story of one orphan train rider named Lee Nailling with a profile of a young African girl named Michaela who was adopted in Sierra Leone.

Click here to read "The Orphan Train"

After you finish reading "The Orphan Train"click here to take the comprehension quiz.  You may use the story to answer the questions.  Print out a copy of your quiz and hand it in to Ms. Casassa

After you finish reading "The Orphan Train" and the profile of Michaela, and have taken the quiz complete this Compare/Contrast graphic organizer. (Click here to open the graphic organizer)

This segment from CNN features clips from a 2008 interview with one of the last surviving orphan-train riders.

Frankenstein--What Could Go Wrong?

Debate:
You read the play Frankenstein and discussed some of the ethical issues around the creation of the monster.  We are now going to read the article “Should We Bring Back the Woolly Mammoth?”  and consider the positive and negative potential consequences of cloning the woolly mammoth.  Complete the chart on page 21 when you finish reading the article.  Be sure to support your opinions with facts from the article.

Research:  Working in groups, you will do additional research on cloning.

Group 1:
1. National Human Genome Research Institute: Cloning Read all the sections through “What are the potential drawbacks to animal cloning?”

Group 2:
2. Genetic Science Learning Center: Cloning
Read sections “What Is Cloning?” “Click and Clone,” “Why Clone?” and “What Are the Risks of Cloning?”

Group 3:
3. CNN: “Research progress: Pig cloning for organs” and Daily Mail: “Heart of genetically modified pig ‘successfully transplanted into monkey’, South Korea scientists claim”


As you research, consider the following:
1. What does the source explain about how cloning works?
2. What benefits of cloning does the article present?
3. What drawbacks of cloning does the article present?
4. Based on what you read, what is one recommendation you would make to a scientist who is interested in cloning?

 Each group will present their findings to the class.