Thursday, October 28, 2010

The Fairness Project


We have begun our fairness project on civil rights with the focus of answering the guiding question, "What can I learn from the past civil rights struggles to help resolve current issues that still exist today?" Each group has been arranged according to the topic of interest: race, gender, disability, and age. Our class wiki includes the details of our journey.

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Tuesday, October 19, 2010

The sentence

The sentence
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Friday, October 1, 2010

Wall Wisher: Preposition or Adverb?



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Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Monday, September 20, 2010

What Is A Preposition?

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:
What Is A Preposition?
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Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Specific Criteria for the Research Paper

The following are the requirements for your research paper:

*Font size 16

*Font style must be something traditional such as Times New Roman, Geneva, Ariel, Helvetica, etc.

*The First page is the title page that should have your approved topic centered in the middle of the page. Double space and center your first and last name. Double space again and center the due date May 17, 2010;


*The outline should be single spaced with your last name and the number 2 in the upper right hand corner.


*The body of the paper should be double spaced

*A minimum of 3 sources should be used

*A minimum of 2 paraphrases and 2 quotes should be used correctly in context.

*The bibliography page should have a heading and should be capitalized; the sources should be alphabetized according to the beginning word whether it is the author, editor, or title.

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Using Inspiration for Organizing an Outline




Inspiration helps to organize ideas using a cluster diagram which is great for the visual learner who can use shapes and colors to arrange and categorize information. The students have used the cluster diagram for organizing their thoughts for their research paper. They began by using the center circle for their thesis and from there, they linked it to their three supporting details. With each support, any specific examples were linked accordingly. Each section of the cluster contained only words and phrases (not complete thoughts) since they would eventually convert it to outline form. Once they arranged all of their ideas, the simple click of a button turned their graphic organizer into an outline with Roman Numerals, letters, and numbers.

Once the outline was checked for needed revisions and edits, it was then transfered to a word document with another simple click of a button. The ideas from the outline were then used to compose sentences for their research paper.

Avoiding Plagiarism

Many people think of plagiarism as copying another's work, or borrowing someone else's original ideas. But terms like "copying" and "borrowing" can disguise the seriousness of the offense:

According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, to "plagiarize" means

1. to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one's own
2. to use (another's production) without crediting the source
3. to commit literary theft
4. to present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing
source.

In other words, plagiarism is an act of fraud. It involves both stealing someone else's work and lying about it afterward.
But can words and ideas really be stolen?

According to U।S. law, the answer is yes. The expression of original ideas is considered intellectual property, and is protected by copyright laws, just like original inventions. Almost all forms of expression fall under copyright protection as long as they are recorded in some way (such as a book or a computer file).

All of the following are considered plagiarism:

* turning in someone else's work as your own
* copying words or ideas from someone else without giving credit
* failing to put a quotation in quotation marks
* giving incorrect information about the source of a quotation
* changing words but copying the sentence structure of a source without giving credit
* copying so many words or ideas from a source that it makes up the majority of your work, whether you give credit or not (see our section on "fair use" rules)

Most cases of plagiarism can be avoided, however, by citing sources. Simply acknowledging that certain material has been borrowed, and providing your audience with the information necessary to find that source, is usually enough to prevent plagiarism. See our section on citation for more information on how to cite sources properly.

Example for using quotations

Example for using paraphrasing

*What is Plagiarism? (n.d.) Retrieved May 4th, 2009
http://www.plagiarism.org/learning_center/what_is_plagiarism.html

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

sweetSearch Student Search Engine




Click here for a direct link to the sweetSearch site where you can explore your chosen topic. You can also use the sweetSearch Widget that has been added to the sidebar of our blog! Happy researching!

Writing a Thesis and Using KWL for Brainstorming & Inquiry

You have now had your conference regarding a topic for research and have received approval. It is time to turn your topic into a thesis statement which will serve as your claim for your evaluative research paper. Your thesis needs to be one sentence and you need to use the main words of your title that you wrote. Try removing the How or Why of your title, but remember that you aren't limited to the words that remain. You can add phrases or clauses for more detail and complexity.

Your prior knowledge needs to be recorded so that you can distinguish between what information belongs to you and the new information that you will gather through your research. Using a KWL chart, record everything that you can recall about your thesis. Allow that thesis to be the focus of your research. Then, jot down questions that you want to learn about your topic. This will help guide your research if they are thoughtful, meaningful questions.

I found the following from www.youthlearn.org that will help you with inquiry.



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Fifth Grade Topics for Research

Screen Shot 2016-04-05 at 7.42.52 AM
Think Tank is a great tool to use for generating ideas for topics of interest. Click on the image below to begin the interactive brainstorming tool:
Screen Shot 2016-04-11 at 7.15.26 AM

Read and answer the following questions.  Your answers do not have to be in complete thoughts, so use bullet points for each idea.  The more you brainstorm, the more options you will have to choose from when selecting your topic for research.
  • What am I interested in?
  • What do I like to do for fun that might translate into an interesting paper topic?
  • What do I feel strongly about?
  • What do I know a lot about?
  • What would I like to know more about?
  • What are some issues or topics that are in the news right now that I find interesting and important?
  • What are some issues or topics at my school that I find interesting and important?
  • Can my friends or family members offer me suggestions for topics that I find interesting and important?
Pick the topic on your list that you find most interesting and important. Remember, it's much easier to write a paper that you find interesting than one you do not, so take the time to pick out a topic you truly care about. The topic can NOT be something that you already know a great deal about.  It defeats the purpose of needing to research to learn more about it.
My top three topics that I want to further explore through research are the following:
1.
2.
3.

After brainstorming and choosing your top 3 choices for a research topic, explore this link and choose three more possible choices that you would find interesting. Add the topics of choice to your list.
1.
2.
3


Screen Shot 2016-04-06 at 9.50.10 AM


The following are some research topics my 5th graders came up with:


5A Research Topics:
Why Lacrosse is a challenging sport
Why the Vietnam War was One of the Worst of All Time
How Nuclear Missiles Cause Devastation
Why Steve Nash is the Best NBA Player
How Pirates have evolved Over Time
How Aircraft Carriers Can Improve
Autistic Savants: Drawbacks and Advantages
Why Jamar Chaney is the Best Rookie Linebacker in the NFL
The Challenges of Conquering Mt. Everest
Why Gil Stovall is One of the Best Swimmers in America
The Reasons for Butterfly Migration
Why High Fructose Corn Syrup is Unhealthy
UFO's: Myth or Reality
Why Golf is One of the Most Challenging Sports
Why the Octopus is One of the Most Exotic Animals Ever
Why Football is the Best Sport to Play

5B Research Topics:
The Causes and Effects of Sun Exposure
Why Mt. Everest is the Hardest Mountain to Climb
The Causes and Effects of Arthritis
The Cruelty of Using Animals for Entertainment in the Circus
Why Black Hawk Down Went so Bad
Why Beagles are Unique Dogs
The Importance of Recycling
What Makes America's Armed Forces the Most Advanced in the World
Why Golf is the Best Sport Ever
Why the Swine Flu is such a Perilous Disease
Why the University of Alabama is the Best College
The Negative Effects of Cigarettes
Why Alcatraz is World Famous
The Reasons Why Pet Snakes Should be Prohibited

5C Research Topics:
The Devastating Effects of World War II
Why the Red Birds is the Best AAA Baseball Team
How the Zulu Tribe of Africa lives a Unique Life
The Effects of Steroids
How Shoes Affect Your Running Form
The Yeti: Myth or Reality
Why Nike is the Best Brand in the World
The Causes and Effects of Tornadoes in Tornado Alley
Why Al Capone is the Most Notorious Gangster of all time
Why Ole Miss is the Best College
Why 9/11 was the Most Tragic Attack on America
How the Traditions of the Masters Were Created
The Causes and Effects of Snake Venom
Why Hurricanes are the Most Devastating Natural Disasters
The Causes and Effects of Dreams
UFO's: Myth or Reality

5D Research Topics:
Why Football is the Best Sport of all Time
The Benefits of Boy Scouts
Why Exotic Cars are the Fastest Cars Ever Made
Why Nike is the Best Merchandising Brand
Why German Shephards ard the Best Breed of Dog
Why Football is the Best Sport
The Likes and Differences of Native American and American Lacrosse
Lochness Monster: Myth or Reality
Why It's Essential for Kids to Play Sports
How the Mayans Created Amazing Architecture
Why the Beatles Are the Best Rock Group of all Time
The Benefits of Modern Day Warfare
Why Basketball is the Best Sport of all Time
How Lacrosse is the Most Strategic Game Invented


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Explore Your Interests for a Research Topic



* What am I interested in?
* What do I like to do for fun that might translate into an interesting paper topic?
* What do I feel strongly about?
* What do I know a lot about?
* What would I like to know more about?

* What are some issues or topics that are in the news right now that I find interesting and important?
* What are some issues or topics at my school that I find interesting and important?
* Can my friends or family members offer me suggestions for topics that I find interesting and important?

Evaluate each appropriate topic for ease and quality.
How difficult will this topic be to research and write about?
Is the topic too broad?
Is the topic too narrow?
Remember to get help from the teacher to find out if your topic is manageable. You also might need to do some library and computer research to find out how much information is available about your considered topic.

Pick the topic on your list that you find most interesting and important. Remember, it's much easier to write a paper that you find interesting than one you do not, so take the time to pick out a topic you truly care about.

Get permission from the teacher to make sure that your topic is appropriate and not controversial। Then, let the fun begin as the research process unfolds during English class! Follow my blog posts as I take you through the steps of researching and writing a paper on your approved topic.

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Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Planning Ahead: a Fifth-Grader's Perspective




All my life, I have strived to put myself in the best position that I could be in. I have an older brother who is about to go to the University of Illinois to play football. He had many offers from different colleges like Ole Miss, Memphis, and many others. Throughout this whole recruiting process, I’ve had many learning experiences as well. But there’s one thing that I’ve held on to, and that’s the grades that I have to have to succeed. While watching my brother do his school work, and play football, I wondered how I’ll be when I go to high school. Will I be a football star, and make excellent grades, and as a result get a lot of offers? Or will I be a football star and make poor grades, therefore get little offers? In life, most people don’t realize that our time is short. We are only on the earth for a little amount of time, then we're gone. The question God has for us is how will we spend our amount of time while we are here? Will we spend it out on the streets selling drugs and acting like fools? Or will we spend it making good decisions? All of it is up to us. I went on one Official Visit with my brother at the University of Memphis. It was a life time experience that I will never forget. Hopefully it will not be my last one. While I was touring the campus, I felt a little older. The classrooms where amazing, and I was really impressed with the school. The coaches were really nice, and treated us well by by feeding us gigantic steaks and baby-back ribs. They took us to the Grizzlies’ game, where we watched them play the Hornets. The life time experience was amazing. While going through this whole process I’ve realized that it’s up to me to be the best I want to be. And that I’ll have to work for it.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Problem/Project-Based Learning

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The boys have worked hard to complete the newly designed models of space shuttles, rockets, space suits, and space missions as they were problem-solvers and decision-makers throughout the whole process.

Watch the boys in action as they brainstorm their topic, find problems, hypothesize, research, find possible solutions and weigh the pros and cons of their decisions. They are truly amazing!! REFLECTION BLOG

Monday, January 25, 2010

Project-Based Learning




We are finally done with our brainstorming for project/problem-based learning on space missions and flights. The students have worked to create guiding questions that will be chosen for investigation based on their personal interests. We are currently studying nouns, pronouns, and adjectives that will be incorporated within the project to provide a more meaningful and purposeful approach and to show how they function in context to enhance written and verbal communication skills. Check out our wiki site where we have documented all of the wonderful brainstorming the students have done so far.

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Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Vocabulary for Achievement Lesson 15

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Vocabulary for Achievement Lesson 15

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