Research Essay Project Due Monday, May 6

For the past two weeks, students have been working on persuasive essays and compare/contrast essays in English class. They have conducted internet research, completed graphic organizers, and written drafts of 4-5 paragraph essays on the school computers. Pretty impressive!


To culminate this work, students have to hand in a final, completed version of one of those essays. Students do not have to hand in both essays. They have to hand in either the compare/contrast essay or the persuasive essay. See below in the "What's Due?" section for more information about what students need to hand-in.

All of the documents students need to complete this assignment are available right here in this blog post in the "What's Due?" section.

Students will be graded on the organization of their paper, the quality of the internet research they completed and included in the paper, and the correctness of their grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Here's the rubric that the essay will be graded on.

This project is due Monday, May 6.

If you have any questions, use this link to let me know.

What's Due?

Students only need to complete ONE of the following essays...

Persuasive Essay

1. Outline
• Here's a blank copy of the outline students need to complete.
• Here's a sample of what a completed outline should look like.
2. Five paragraph research paper
• Here's an example of a completed five-paragraph paper.
• Here's the rubric that will guide Mr. Maxim's grading of this paper.

Compare and Contrast Essay

1. Outline
• Here's a blank copy of the outline students need to complete
• Here's a sample of what a completed outline should look like.
2. Four paragraph research paper
• Here's an example of a completed four-paragraph paper.
• Here's the rubric that will guide Mr. Maxim's grading of this paper. 

Click the cartoon to make it bigger!

Social Studies for April 29, 2013

Being literate not only means that you can decode phonemes, memorize vocabulary, and answer test questions about 1-2 page reading passages. It also means that you can make meaning from the complex symbols and images you encounter on a daily basis. One such image is a map, and geographic literacy is an important part of being a knowledgeable citizen of the world.

Your classwork today:
To help you develop your geographic skills, you'll be reading and answering some questions about world maps. Your reading and questions are available through this link, but you'll also get a hard copy in class. You should complete your work on the hardcopy you get in class, and hand in that physical copy by the end of class today.

Your homework:
Use the article above to answer these additional questions, available through this link. 

ps.
here's a picture of Lisa!

Social Studies for April 22, 2013

You'll continue your investigation of immigration today by reading an article and answering some questions. The article can be found at this link, but you'll also get a hard copy in class. Your questions can be found at this link.
  
What you will be graded on:

1. You must read and annotate the article. Here's an example of what annotation looks like on a written article. You should have margin notes, you should underline main ideas of each paragraph, and you should circle words you don't know the meaning of.
2. Your answers on the questions (the link is above). Free response questions should be at a 3 or 4 level to earn full credit.

If you finish early:

Use this article to complete the bonus questions available at this link. Completing questions 1-3 will earn you $300, and completing all questions (1-5) will earn you $500. You can do any of this work from home, too.

ps.

from left to right: Karen, Mike, and Lisa.

Social Studies for April 19, 2013

It's been over a hundred years since the Statue of Liberty found her home in the harbor of New York and it has become an important part of American culture. But would you believe that Lady Liberty was actually a gift from the French? Read on for more fun facts on the Statue of Liberty.
Your Task: 

You'll continue your investigation of immigration today by reading an article and answering some questions. The article can be found at this link, but you'll also get a hard copy in class. Your questions can be found at this link.
  
What you will be graded on:

1. You must read and annotate the article. Here's an example of what annotation looks like on a written article. You should have margin notes, you should underline main ideas of each paragraph, and you should circle words you don't know the meaning of.
2. Your answers on the questions (the link is above). Free response questions should be at a 3 or 4 level to earn full credit.

If you finish early:

Use this article to complete the bonus questions available at this link. Completing questions 1-3 will earn you $300, and completing all questions (1-5) will earn you $500. You can do any of this work from home, too.

English Assignment for April 12th

Enter your answers "Growing" here

Enter your answers for "Bone Wars" here

Enter your answers for "from 'A Time of Discovery and Rediscovery'" here 

Enter your answers for "Goldilocks and Life On Other Planents" here

Enter your answers for "James Madison: The Forgotten Founder" here

Enter your answers for "The Aqua Lung..." here.

Enter your answers for "The New Colossus" here.

Social Studies Assignment for April 12, 2013

Throughout history, most humans have tended to "stay put," or settle and live in the place where they were born. But there have always been people who move from place to place, usually in search of a new start or better life. Early hunters walked their families over gnarly mountain ranges to follow animal herds, ancient sailors built boats to bring their tribes to faraway islands, and farmers in overcrowded lands went looking for open space and fertile soil on the other side of the globe. When we talk about these long-ago movements of people, we call it migration. 

The modern world's a little different, with strict borders between countries. But people still move from one country to another motivated by hopes and dreams, and now we call this immigration.
Fact is, if you live in the United States and are not completely Native American, you or someone in your family is (or was) an immigrant. It's why you have the life you have now, in the place you have it.

Your Task: 

You'll continue your investigation of immigration today by reading an article and answering some questions. The article can be found at this link, but you'll also get a hard copy in class. Your questions can be found at this link.
  
What you will be graded on:

1. You must read and annotate the article. Here's an example of what annotation looks like on a written article. You should have margin notes, you should underline main ideas of each paragraph, and you should circle words you don't know the meaning of.
2. Your answers on the questions (the link is above). Free response questions should be at a 3 or 4 level to earn full credit.

If you finish early:

Use this article to complete the bonus questions available at this link. Completing questions 1-3 will earn you $300, and completing all questions (1-5) will earn you $500. You can do any of this work from home, too.

ps.

Isn't Lisa adorable!?

Social Studies assignment for April 11, 2013

You'll continue your investigation of immigration today by reading an article and answering some questions. The article can be found at this link, but you'll also get a hard copy in class. Your questions can be found at this link.
  
What you will be graded on:

1. You must read and annotate the article. Here's an example of what annotation looks like on a written article. You should have margin notes, you should underline main ideas of each paragraph, and you should circle words you don't know the meaning of.
2. Your answers on the questions (the link is above). Free response questions should be at a 3 or 4 level to earn full credit.

If you finish early:

Use this article to complete the bonus questions available at this link. Completing questions 1-3 will earn you $300, and completing all questions (1-5) will earn you $500. You can do any of this work from home, too.

ps.

Check out this picture of tenements in New York City in the early 1900s

English for April 9, 2013

Women have been oppressed throughout the history of the United States. They have had to fight against restrictive social structures for basic rights, such as the right to vote or the right to earn a highly paying salary at a job. Today you will learn a little about this history, and you'll learn about some very successful modern day American women.

Click here to access the article.

Click here to access the questions that go with the article.


What you will be graded on:

1. You must read and annotate the article. Here's an example of what annotation looks like on a written article. You should have margin notes, you should underline main ideas of each paragraph, and you should circle words you don't know the meaning of.
2. Your answers on the questions (the link is above). Free response questions should be at a 3 or 4 level to earn full credit.

If you finish early:

There's bonus questions available at this link. Completing questions 1-3 will earn you $300, and completing all questions (1-5) will earn you $500. You can do any of this work from home, too.

ps.

Here's a picture of Condoleezza Rice and a Quote from her:

“Education is transformational. It changes lives. That is why people work so hard to become educated and why education has always been the key to the American Dream, the force that erases arbitrary divisions of race and class and culture and unlocks every person's God-given potential.” 
- Condoleezza Rice

Social Studies Assignment for April 5, 2013

Everyone living in the United States has an immigrant past, with the exception of Native Americans. Over the last few centuries, millions of people have made their way to America. Some people, like slaves, came unwillingly. But most immigrants were drawn by the promise of greater freedom and opportunity.

Immigration - The action of coming to live permanently in a foreign country.

One example of an immigrant is my sister-in-law, Mahjooba. Mahjooba moved to America from Afghanistan with her family when she was twelve years old. 

This is Mahjooba with her husband, Erik

You may have immigrated to America, or you may know stories of friends and family who have immigrated to America. 



In the years between 1892 and 1954, immigrants who came to America had to go to Ellis Island. To learn more about Ellis Island, click on this link: Interactive Tour of Ellis Island. Go through all 10-stops on the interactive tour. When you're finished, fill out the following online, interactive KWL chart.



If you finish early,let Mr. Maxim know, and he has a fun Ellis Island word-search that you can work on and earn LiveSchool $$$$!

Also, you can check out the "Enrichment Links" tab on the top of the blog. There's some fun things to do there, including a poetry contest that has a grand prize of $500 real money!

ps.

check out this picture of my new, adorable niece, Lisa, with her mother, Karen.

English Assignment for April 5, 2013

Today students will be reading stories, watching video performances, writing dramatic scripts, and acting in class plays!

First, students will read some of the winning short stories from the BBC's 500 words contest, written by 10-12 year old authors. Click this link to learn more about the contest.

Next, students will watch video of actors from the BBC Radio Drama Company as they perform two of the winning stories, Splash by  Millie Haldane, and Defining Moments by Isobel Harwood.

After reading the stories and watching the performances, students will begin to write their own dramatic scripts. In groups of four, students will write plays about the characters from "Splash" and "Defining Moments". To see details of this assignment, click here.

Stay tuned to the blog for pictures and video of the students' performances!

English Assignment for April 4, 2013

Before you begin your assignment for today (Thursday), you need to make sure you complete your work from yesterday (Wednesday). Take a look at the grade book to see if you've completed both assignments from yesterday.

If you need to complete the assignment #1, click here and follow the directions.

If you need to complete assignment #2, click here and use "The Making of a Scientist" to answer.

Both of these assignments are directly related to the upcoming Common Core State Test and will help prepare you to pass that exam.

Today's assignment is available by clicking on this link. Use "The Making of a Scientist" to answer these questions. Even though the boxes on the form look fairly small, your answers to these question should be longer, essay-style answers. This means you should have more than two paragraphs, and you should use RACE. To earn a four, use the "Exemplary Answers" strategies that we've discussed in class.

ps.

here's another picture of Lisa!

English Assignment for April 3, 2013

Welcome back sixth graders! I hope you had a great spring break. In this box, tell me a little bit (2 or more sentences) about what you did over break...

Next, read on about today's lesson. Learning targets are helpful tools to help you understand what your purpose is during a class lesson. Today's learning targets are:

• I will be able to get the gist of "The Making of a Scientist."
• I will be able to indentify unfamiliar vocabulary in "The Making of a Scientist."
• I will be able to collaborate effectively with my peers.

Next, read "The Making of a Scientist".  Your purpose for this first reading is to write a gist statement.


Last, you have a second purpose while reading this text: to identify and circle unfamiliar vocabulary. It is important to notice complex words and determine their meaning because these words will often show up in other difficult texts that you read. As you read this last time, circle all the words you don't know the meaning of.


If you finish all your work on this page, there's bonus questions about the passage available by clicking here. Each bonus question you complete (at a level 3 or 4) will earn you $50 LiveSchool.

ps.

look at this picture of my new niece, Lisa!