Mrs. Loughrige’s Homework Blog

 I just wanted to take a few moments to welcome everyone back to school!  Many of you are returnees and some of you are brand new to McDowell.  Either way, I am glad you are here! As you all know by now I will be out of the building for a few months because we are expecting our first addition to our family this year.  Just because I will be out of the building - doesn’t mean I will be out of the loop though.  I will keep in contact with you via email and the blog during the first half of the year.    During the second half, the blog will be used for us not only to communicate with each other, but for interesting links I come across and extra help for you for class.  You can find the actual homework information through my classroom website (click the link on the right of the blog page, or above this one on McDowell’s page.  Hopefully I’ll be here for at least one more week - and I look forward to getting to know every one of you this year! 

Create a “Pirates Today” Powerpoint

Skull and crossbones buccaneers have resurfaced with “Terminator”-style tactics, shining a spotlight on an age-old crime that some experts warn could inspire terrorists.

Unlike the pirates of yore, today’s bandits of the sea use computers and satellite technology to track their prey. Then, under the cover of darkness, they sneak up alongside ships in powerful speedboats. Armed with machine guns, rocket launchers, and grenades, gangs of pirates board the vessels by clambering up poles or grappling irons hooked onto the skips’ railings.

PowerPoint Requirements
8 informative slides, plus title and ending slides (10 slides TOTAL)
4 main ideas supported by research
4 graphics highlighting your ideas
Appropirate transitions
Appropriate animations
Ideas organized well

Link to rubric: RUBRIC

We are begining our fantasy unit. This unit is treated a bit differently. The students are split into four different groups and are reading four different books. They reach all aspects of fanasty and a bit of science fiction. They will be reading in a literature group fashion and will each have a different role per meeting. The roles have been chosen by the students and they have already had their first meeting.

We will meet on Tuesdays and Fridays for the next three weeks to wrap up the book. During the week of testing (April 28-May3) we will wrap up the unit with short stories from our literature book.

Role Description

Discussion Director - responsible for writing down 5 thought-provoking questions for the purpose of group discussion based on that day’s reading assignment. As group facilitator, it is also this student’s job to direct the group discussion, keep track of the student work, and rate the group’s “Habits of Work”.

Literary Luminary - responsible for choosing parts of the story that he/she wants to read out loud to the group. The idea is to help the students remember some interesting, powerful, puzzling, or important sections of the text being read. You might decide on passages or paragraphs that are worth being read aloud. You must justify in writing the reason for selecting them. Additionally, if the Discussion Director is absent, this student will serve as stand is Facilitator.

Connector - responsible for finding connections between the text his/her group is reading and the outside world. This means connecting the reading to the following: his/her own life, happenings at school or in the community, similar events at other times and places, other books or stories, other writings on the same topic, or other writings by the same author.

Character Captain - responsible for revealing specific personality traits of the charater(s) within the novel. This means he/she will find examples in the assigned reading of behaviors/actions that help the group members to know the character(s).

Vocabulary Enricher - responsible for finding especially important vocabulary in the story. Vocab is selected should focus on words that are unfamiliar, interesting, important, repetitive, funny, puzzling, descriptive, vivid or those used in an unusual way.

We are starting a unit on the novel Treasure Island! Arrrrr, it do be hard mateys but it be worth it all in the end. Okay, seriously, this is a good book and we will learn a lot about the time period as well as the history of pirates and character portrayal in novels. Good pirates versus bad pirates. There is also the poor little kid aspect in many types of novels. We will also research the BLACK SPOT.

On each one of these sections I am listing at least one website that will give you information about each of the topics listed above. Use each site to get at least three interesting facts for each topic. You will use this information to write a short informative essay on pirates. Click on the links listed under each topic to get your information. These are the sites that I have approved for you to get your information.

Activity 1: Pirates
DUE:_____________

Go to www.infohio.org and click on 6-8. Type in the word piracy. Use this site to answer the following questions.

Other useful links: http://library.thinkquest.org/J0110360/history.htm
http://library.thinkquest.org/J0110360/biography.htm

1. What is the definition of piracy?
2. What is piracy often confused with and why?
3. What type of crime is piracy considered?
4. When did piracy first start?
5. What is privateering?
6. What are the names of the two women who were pirates?
7. Blackbeard. Who was he?

Activity 2: Research a Pirate Poster
DUE:_____________

You are to research three pirates; one of these should be a woman. Your poster must include:

1. A title that reflects your topic
2. A table of at least 5 facts or interesting trivia that deals exclusively with your pirates
a. Should be created in a Word Document
3. Drawings and graphics of the pirates you choose

a. Use markers or colored pencils.
b. Poster should be bright and colorful.
c. Printed items and pictures must be mounted first to construction paper then placed on display board.
d. Be creative and original

Helpful Links:
http://www.ebs.hw.ac.uk/EDC/CAC/pirates/pirate.htm
http://www.powerup.com.au/~glen/pirate1.htm
http://www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/qar/HISTORY/history1.htm
http://members.tripod.com/cathreese/DefiantWomen/pirates/
http://library.thinkquest.org/16438/old/tourof.html

Activity 3: Create a Jolly Roger: Pirate Flag
DUE:_____________

Use this site http://www.blackbeardlives.com/day1/jolly.shtml to answer questions about how the flag of pirates was developed!

1. What is one of the ways historians think the name Jolly Roger came from?
2. What was the purpose that pirates flew this particular flag? What message was it supposed to send to other ships?

In modern society we use license plates to identify our vehicles. Pirates didn’t have license plates, they used Jolly Rogers. A Jolly Roger was the flag pirates flew from their ships. Much like personalized license plates Jolly Rogers not only identified the ship, they told any other ships they encountered a little bit about the pirate in command of the ship.

Getting the idea:
1. On a piece of paper draw a circle with your name in the center.
2. Radiating out from the circle web as many things as you can think of that are important to you such as identifying characteristics or hobbies.
Making the design:
1. Using ideas from your web, design a Jolly Roger that is uniquely you!
2. Make sure to use pizazz.
Recommended Materials:
1. felt, burlap, heavy demin
2. attach the flag to a dowel

More info. on the background of the Jolly RogerJolly Roger

Jolly Roger Examples

Black Spot: What is the Black Spot and what does it mean?

We have read half of the novel. We are pausing to discuss how the South really was during the 1930’s. The first activity has to do with Cassie and the trials and issues she goes though (so far) in the novel. It is important to understand the mindset of some people in that time period.

You will be working in partners and are under the honors stystem that both of you do the same amount of work for the piece. You will both receive the same grade.

Here is the link to the assignment.

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry - Editorial

Since we have been studying the Holocaust we know the millions of Jewish casualties, but there were millions more persectuted who were NOT Jewish in faith.

Here is the link to begin your research project.

Choose a group from the list on the left of the page. Begin with this website to find out information about that group and how they were persecuted and why.

Here are more links that you will find useful.

Jehovah’s Witnesses
The Handicapped
Gypsies
Homosexuals
Afro-Europeans
Polish

Here is the link to the webquest in activity we are working on. We will begin reading the book tomorrow (1.29.08)

Mrs. L

Just wanted to remind everyone (parents and students alike) that you can find what we are doing this week in class by visiting my regular classroom website! There you will find all kinds of goodies - and if possible, links to many activities.

http://web.mac.com/cloughrige/DiscoveryZone/Home.html

We have spent the past few weeks researching and collecting information for our Multi-Genre Projects. I have some more informational help for everyone. First, HERE is a link to the rubric. This will help to remind you of exactly how you will be graded.

HERE is a link to the assignment that will be due this Friday. I want you to be able to see what your writing should look like.

Some of you are still confused on perhaps how to “package” your project. We will review some more techniques this week, but here is an example of what someone in the past has done.

My topic for the Multi-Genre Research Project was Elvis Presley. I am going to put all of my different genres in a guitar case. Inside the case, it will be decorated in zebra prints and flashy colors to symbolize Elvis’s unique flair that would he brought to his family and fans. The leather material outside is going to have stickers of his albums that he sold. I want the viewers of my presentation to feel like I know who the “King of Rock and Roll” is.

Since he was a singer, I want to make a CD of all of his popular songs. I will make the CD, with a decorated cover. Inside the case, there will be information about the song and trivia. Since Graceland is such a huge attraction, I want to make a brochure. The brochure will be colorful, vibrant, and full of interesting facts that will make people want to visit Graceland.

The Final Instructions
The “Must Have’s”:
You may choose any number of genres [but at least seven - two of them have to be non-fiction (one of which is the research essay); one has to be a type of technical writing to tell the story of your subject. Some of these genres you have studied before— this year or in previous years. You have, for instance, learned the proper form for a business letter; many of you have written haiku poems or sonnets; and all of you have listened to radio broadcasts and seen play scripts.

Your entire paper should be at least 1,500 words in length and will be turned in as a paper.

Information about your subject should not be repeated in several pieces. For instance, do not write an encyclopedia-type entry with all the major facts about your subject and then present the same information in various creative pieces. We should learn new things about your topic with each piece of writing. The only exception to this is the research essay. The information in it does not count toward this “rule.”

The pieces you create should be arranged in some logical order. The research essay should be first. It serves as your “introduction” to the topic.

You’ll organize all of your genres and put it in a topic-appropriate package.

You are expected to present your proect as well. This is a major requirement. I will be blocking off 10-15 minute time periods for presentations. See the calendar for details on when to sign up for your presentation time.

I have a few more examples for you. I have a research essay exampleand a project example.

I hope this information helps you to put your project together. We are not using class time this week, so be sure to use all out of class time creatively and wisely!!

If you need any help, email me or leave me a message on the blog.

Mrs. L

Monday we will begin our Pre WWII Picture Project. The objective behind this project is for students to see that before WWII and the Holocaust that German Jews were everyday people. They lived their lives just like you and I. We often see the negative images of the concentration camps and the emaciated prisoners found within. This is a great project for students to see beyond that. To compare the life of a person more than 60 years ago to their current lives today.

Here is a link to the worksheets handed out in class.