Research Reports with a Twist

1. Research Reportswith a Twist Penfield Central Schools Facilitated by Dawn Pruszynski Ext. 5719

2. Use card template Depending on level Spell word accurately Draw picture and/or write definition When done, students use dictionary for writing How could you use it? Class biography In pairs: Draw picture of each other, write one page biography (interview each other) Place in ABC order on long sheet of paper In time, remove and make into accordion book  The Alphabet

3.  Alphabet Challenge Class encyclopedia • Study encyclopedia publications (on-line??) • Decide on topic • Draw ABC grid – 3 columns • Column 1 – letters • Column 2 – topic • Column – student names to do research • Think outside the box – encyclopedia of “Things to do in your spare time”, Zippy verbs

4.  Storyboards • For book • Plan book – page count in multiples of 4 • Index cards • Research on cards for organization • Class example (think flow chart) • Plan video & story (research info) • Use storyboard to plan • Record video • Evaluate/reflect

5.  Good news/Bad news • Gather facts • 3 column: good news, bad news, your choice news (weird facts)

6. Like Karnec – on Carson show Gather facts – specific Focus on determining importance Write facts and questions on index cards Create “wise” person i.e. Wise Woman Ready for THE SHOW Example Host: “Oh Great Gerty, what does this fact mean? It is 338 miles long!” GG. “Ah, that’s an easy one, Pauline. How long is the Erie Canal?”  Question “Person”

7. List facts about subject Think about how it would sound if “it” kept a journal Think about grocery lists, TO-DO lists, private thoughts, appointments, questions, goals, romantic wishes…  Using Voice Notebook

8. Yeah but… Discovering half truths Jefferson wrote, “All men are created equal.” Yeah, but did you know that Jefferson never freed his own 200 slaves. Famous last words Lemmings: little furry mammals that periodically walk off the edge of steep cliffs to their deaths. FLW: “Walk a little closer to the edge and we can get a good view of the sea.”  Fun fact sharing or… Short, Silly Reports

9.  Using Art • Wanted Poster • Can be people, species, countries… anything you are studying • Fill poster with facts about your subject • Focus: note taking skills on poster – no sentences; determining importance • Example – copy pp 67

10.  Graphs and Maps • Sometimes graphs provide most striking way of showing info. • Graph life of person with happy/sad points. • Graph info to compare Number of feet a human can smell hamburg compared to dog

11. Research person Make lists of major events in his/her life Determine what might go into a “doll kit” Accessories Write 30 second TV spot doll – think of audience i.e. Elena Kagan doll, judical robe, supreme court building, Harvard diploma, apple…  Real Life Action Figure

12. Teach “irony” Have message contradict the real message Collect cards and have kids analyze Decide on audience & message To The Explorers You came to our land and brought us tobacco, now we have lung disease. You came to our land and took it. Now we live on reservations. Thanks for coming. From Native Americans  Greeting Cards

13. Great way to connect % and history. You can see brain of historical figure. Analyze research on figure – determine importance Create profile of figure – make pie chart in brain Can be serious or funny  Create a Brain

14.  Trading Cards • Use for variety of content areas • Have kids trade cards • Jigsaw activity • Math, beginning of year introduction, characters for literature study, locations • Can vary size depending on age/grade level – great to differentiate

15. Tabloid news Find shocking details & creative title of publication Mama Wolf Barf for Babies Discuss parody Write newspaper from point of view of time period/person or animal…  Print Media comes to Life

16. Create personal ad for person/animal/location… Review your research to create an ad Use specific facts You can use abbreviations  Animal Personal Ads

17. Can do a person or… animal or number scientific concept or.. Determine importance Need lots of facts Write in first person or third person – consider  A day in the life of…

18. Crazy advice column Create an expert list for your person Abe Lincoln- splitting logs, ending slavery, ending Civil War… Think about what advice columns there are Create “Ask Abe” column Dear Abe, I am in fifth grade and we are having lots of fights on the playground. Do you have any suggestions to stop the fights? – Bullied in School Dear Bullied in School, Do not despair. I had the same problem during the Civil War. I have a simple suggestion for you. Find a new general to guard your playground. I found an outstanding general, Ulysses S Grant. He kept things under control. Good luck, Abe  Advice from an Expert

19.  Did you say TV??!! • Historical celebrity jeopardy • Any content area • http://www.superteachertools.com/jeopardy/ • http://jeopardylabs.com/

20. Bring characters together from different periods in history Ham it up Set up as interview show Dress the part Bring together slave owners and ex-slaves Thomas Jefferson and Abe Lincoln Ms. Multiplication, Dr. Division, Auntie Adding… Green plants and Air pollutants  A meeting in time

21. Analyze recipes for vocabulary Verbs Take facts and create You may want to begin with a name Constitution Cookies… Alliteration is great tool to use Exploding Universe Cupcakesby Wittikin, sixth graderIngredients: 1 cup sugar (stars) 2 cups baking soda (space dust) 1 cup pudding (dark matter) 6-10 marshmallows (galaxies) 1 1/2 cups white vinegar (empty space) 2 cups water (gravity) Instructions: Mix 1/2 cup of stars with space dust, 1/2 cup of dark matter, and the galaxies. Add 1 cup of your gravity and mix thoroughly. Put in oven for thirty minutes on high heat. While it's cooking, mix the other cup of gravity with empty space, remaining stars and remaining cup of drak matter. Stir well. Drizzle this mixture on the baked universe. Back away about ten feet and watch the explosion.  Recipes

22. Find a fact Write first 3 words Then next 5 words Then funny/surprising 3 words Think about Kagan Fourth woman on Supreme Court Judging all men Make your own form 3-7-2-4-1 Poem Electricity springs up From the batteries inside each tiny cell “I’m tired” Snap off the lights Sleep  3-5-3 Poems (Lune)

23. Perspective Voice Word choice Addresses speaking component Civil War States Countries Shapes (math)  Poems for Two Voices

24.  Picture books • Coming Home by Floyd Cooper • The Book of HOW? By Kingfisher, New York • The Book of WHY? By Kingfisher, New York • We Are Extremely Very Good Recyclers by Lauren Child

25.  Thank you for sharing and caring! • Resources • Starting with the Real World by Alan Trussell-Cullen • 51 Wacky We-Search Reports by Barry Lane • Revisors Toolbox by Barry Lane • But How Do You Teach Writing by Barry Lane • Teaching Writing in the Content Areas by Vicki Urquhart and Monette Mclver • http://drop.io/writingacrosscurriculum2 • http://penfieldtraits.wikispaces.com/

26. Thank you for all you do for students in Penfield Please contact me if you have questions or if you’d like to work together on any of these strategies, or have me teach a lesson or.... Dawn @ x5719 Dawn_Pruszynski@penfield.monroe.edu