"Playing for Change: Peace Through Music"

Click here to watch the video

I am following blogs of some very talented educators, and I saw this video posted on a colleague's website. As I was viewing it, it really touched me to see musicians from all over the world come together as one in their efforts to bring "change through music." I shared conversation with the person who posted this inspirational video, and I thought that it would be perfect to begin the year learning about our 5th grade theme, perspective: one's attitude toward something or in regards to something; a point of view. We will cover this throughout the year as we address how one's perspective might change through experiences.

Watch the video, listen to the lyrics of the song "Stand by Me," and reflect on the apparent diversity of the musicians, but also look deeper to gain insight on the importance of global unification: even though we are different in many ways, there are many commonalities that bring us together. I love how this video uses the common language of music to promote change in the stereotypes, prejudices, and oppression that not only plague the people of our very own city of Memphis, but also the people of the world.

What would the world be like if there wasn't diversity?

Why is it important to demonstrate the need to be accepting of others' differences?

How can you make a difference? In what ways can you positively influence others at school or in your community?

Make a connection to the video and relate it to something that you have experienced in your life.

Animoto

Have a wonderful summer!! I miss you already:)

Research Topics

The 5th grade boys have been researching a topic of their choice.

5A Boys:
King Louis 16th and the Fall of the French Monarchy
Why Hershey is such a Great Company
Why Pixar is the Best Animation Studio
The History of Native American Lacrosse
The History of the Yo-yo
Why Being on Ski Patrol is so Challenging
Why the Yo-Yo is the Best Toy Ever Invented
Why Yellowstone National Park is World Famous
Why Modern Day Zoos Are Better Than Zoos of the Past
Why the Masters is One of the Best Tournaments in Professional Golf
Why Duke University Has the Best Basketball Program in the Nation
The Effects of Autism
Why Lacrosse is the Best Sport Ever
The Importance of Going Green With Solar Energy
How the Dust Bowl was Caused by the Average Farmer and Not by the Forces of Nature
Hurricanes: Causes and Effects
How Computers are Beneficial Today

5B Boys:
Why Performance Enhancing Drugs Should Not Be Allowed
How Antartica is Being Affected By Global Warming
Why Street Racing is an Intense Pass Time
How the Death of a Loved One Can Affect You
The Causes and Effects of Global Warming
How Pancreatic Cancer Affects Lives
The History of Basketball
Why the Credit Crash Affects America
How Brain Tumors Affect People
How Space Travel Has Improved Over the Years
How Going Green Can Affect the U.S.
How F-16's and A-300's are Alike and Different
Obesity: An American Epidemic
The History of ALS
How Navy Seals are Trained for Sea Hijacking
How the Stock Market Affects the United States


5C Boys:
How Smoking Can Affect the Lives of Ordinary People
How the Technology of World War II Affected Its Outcome
Why the Velociraptor is the Deadliest Animal of All Living Creatures
The Affects of Smallpox: Then and Now
How the Armenian Genocide Was the Worst of ALL Time
Why the Deep Sea is Rarely Explored by Humans
Why Mount Everest is the Hardest Feat for Climbers to Conquer
What Happened for the Fight for Fallujah to Unfold
Why O.C.D. is Very Challenging
Why Slamball is the Next Up and Coming Sport
How Cigarettes are Associated to Lung Cancer
How Smoking is Ruining American Lives
How the Beatles are the Best Rock-N-Roll Band of All Time
How Lives are Affected by Dwarfism
The Importance of Creating Better Photos
The Causes and Effects of Diabetes
Leo Frank Murder Case: Innocent or Guilty?

5D Boys:
Why a Dog is a Man's Best Friend
The Curse of the Great Bambino
Bigfoot: Legend or Reality
Why the History of Comics is the Best
How the X-43 is the Fastest Jet on Earth
How Knowing God Improves One's Quality of Life
Why the Cuttlefish is the Most Amazing Animal Known
How Aspirin is Beneficial
Why the Traditions of the Masters Make it the Best Tournament of All Time
Why Computers are Becoming an Essential Part of Life
Why the Yankees is the Best Baseball Team in Major League History
Why the Who was one of the Greatest Rock Bands of all Time
How Modern Day Pirates are an Immense Threat to Every Docking Point in Samalia
UFOs: Fact or Fiction
Big Bang Theory: Myth or Reality
Why Dogs are the Best Animals/Pets Ever

Check out my new digital learning website: GrammarCloud!

PDS Field Day 2009

Make a Smilebox photobook

Plagiarism

The following information came from *plagiarism.org

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

Research Paper Timeline

Timeline Maker

Quintura Search Cloud

This site was sent to us by Mrs. Edwards from Nespelem School to help you find informaton on the topic that you have chosen to research! When viewing the Quintura Cloud, you can visually navigate through to find the information that is relevant to what you are researching. Click the words in the cloud to discover popular search topics or surf the web. Refine, save, and share your cloud!

Huntsville Space Center

The boys have been working on the laws of motion and applying it to everyday life. During a recent field trip to Huntsville Space Center, they got to look at the history of NASA and apply Newton's Laws to the G Force and Space Shot rides. In this VoiceThread, the boys are providing information from their experiences as they recall the events of the NASA Space Center that are captured in these pictures.

We are currently working on getting their voices added to the photos seen here.

Let the Research Begin....

On Your Mark, Get Set,......

Topics for Research?

Brainstorm topic ideas. If you have trouble thinking up creative topics to write about, here are some questions you might ask yourself:

* 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.

On Monday, April 20th, you should turn in the following:

1. A page of notes that shows you have brainstormed as you have answered the questions above.

2. Three possible topics in order of preference.