Mallory Goetz

This upcoming unit in 8th grade social studies will be to choose a research topic about Ancient Greece or Ancient Rome, do research with library materials and databases, narrow their topic, create a thesis, conduct more research, and write a research paper!

8th grade has done extensive work this year about researching, finding quality sources, citing sources correctly and in the text.  This assignment will be the final piece to making sure they are ready for the rigor of research and research ...
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Each student received a country in Africa and they research various components of that country.  They added their information to 'pins' in a class Google Map with text, pictures, and links to videos or other resources.  After each student had added their piece of the project to the Google Map, we exported it into Google Earth and used Google Earth to 'fly' arou...
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In 8th grade writing wheel, the students, in preparation for future class presentations, were given a presentation about what mediums they could use to create presentations and tips on how to present more effectively.  Students explored Powerpoint, Prezi, Popplet, Google Presentations, Photostory3, and more in order to critically think about when one medium of presenting might be better or worse than another!
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No one like to be the judge...but during March that is exactly what I was doing for 7th grade and 8th grade English classes.

In 7th grade, students wrote a persuasive presentation around which candy bar to ask the FDA to 'keep on the market.'  Students conducted consumer research, presented reasoned arguments about their candy bar and fought hard...but ultimately only 1 candy could win!

After reading Flowers for Algernon, students prepared a debate around the topic of if the medical trial done ...
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6th grade social studies tried a new way to share their learning with each other with a Popplet presentation!

Students were assigned groups and a section of the chapter reading in their textbook.  Students then answered questions summarized the main points and defined chapter vocabulary in their presentation to the rest of the class.
As each group presented the rest of the class took notes on a graphic organizer -- a new way to have classes jigsaw information!

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8th grade social studies classes, created a presentation using Popplet - an online Web 2.0 tool.  Students were asked to choose an ancient culture and research each of the components of GRAPES (Geography, Religion, Achievements, Politics, Economics, Social Structures) for that culture.

Students put it all together with pictures and video in a Popplet graphic organizer presentation - little did they know that they also wrote an essay while doing the project!

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