Polar Problems


Polar Problems

 

Guiding Question: How have the people and animals living in the arctic Beaufort Sea area adapted to their extreme environments? How are these arctic dwellers interconnected with the rest of the world? 

 

Intro Persuasive Writing Project

Project: We have been asked to create a presentation as part of International Polar Year. We must prepare a brief (approximately 5 minute) presentation to persuade the countries of the United Nations of the interconnectedness of changes in the polar environments, their respective community, and the global community.

 

Historical View of Arctic Canada/Victoria Island Copper Inuit

 

Introduction

 

  1. Project
    1. Introduction
    2. Step One:
      1. Possible Links for you:  polar adaptations
    3. Assignment: Anecdote
      1. Questions:
    4. Reflection
    5. Step 2
    6. Step 3
    7. Step 4
    8. Next Step: 
  2. Topic Resources
  3. Process Resources
    1. Note-taking
    2. Summarizing
    3. Gist Statements
    4. Evaluating Web Sites
    5. Citations
    6. Key words
    7. Headlines
    8. Leads
    9. Paragraphs
    10. Essays
    11. Persuasive Writing
    12. Introductions and Conclusions:
  4. Products
      1. Animoto
      2. MyMaps 
    1. Final Product:
  5. Standards
    1. Washington Standards
  6. Objectives

 

Project

 

Introduction

 

Start here.  Arctic

Study and Agree: Acceptable Use Policy      Wiki Etiquette For Students  Must be completed before Step 4.

 

Step One:

 

See the critters by playing this game.

 

Research with note-taking strategies.

 

Choose partners. Research a specific arctic animal, plant, or human culture indigenous to the Beaufort Sea and its surrounding arctic regions and the many ways that the organism has adapted to such harsh habitats. (Make sure you understand the following terms: behavioral adaptation and biological adaptation.

 

Choose one of the following animals, plants, or human cultures indigenous to the Beaufort Sea area:

Use the Internet, beginning with the resources listed below, to research their chosen topic guided by the

Polar Research handout

 

Be prepared to share their findings with the class about:

 

Possible Links for you:  polar adaptations

 

 

Assignment: Anecdote

Be your animal or person! Write a "lively" anecdote of a slow motion event in your life!

Pretend to be the animal or person.

Think of an event that might happen.

Describe that even in slow motion.

Include the researched facts about your person or animal

Continue revising your anecdote so that it includes:

Content:

diet

habitat

size

predators

adaptations (behavioral and biological)

environmental issues

environmental threats

Style:

Action

Vivid verbs (Action)

Nifty nouns (Names)

Evidence

Experiences

Short/Long sentences

Simile

Alliteration

Onomatopoeia

Dialogue (Thinking/Talking)

Write your draft.  Then create a new page called "W7 Code Polar Story" using the Polar Story template.

 

 

Questions:

Reflection

Think about our learning goals that will help us succeed in our Polar Problem Project.

Step 2

Hypothesize how what we do may affect the polar environments.

 

Brainstorm how you think these changes may ultimately affect us.

 

Explore the following resources to get more information about how global warming is changing the Arctic life, and how these changes may subsequently affect the place where we live.

 

Project Links:

NOAA: Global Warming FAQ

Global Warming: How Hot? How Soon?

 

Other Links:

Arctic Statistics

IPY Home

 

 

How does global warming work?

http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/gw-impacts-interactive.html

 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19463513/

 

http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/

 

http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/gw-overview.html

 

 

Discuss the two articles in class; use the information from the articles to revisit the following questions:

Step 3

 

Reflection

 

 

Step 4

 

 

Study and Agree: Acceptable Use Policy      Wiki Etiquette For Students  Must be completed before Step 5.

 

 

Next Step: 

 

TBA

 

 

Topic Resources

 

http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/caer/ce/eek/index.htm

 

http://www.epa.gov/students/

 

http://epa.gov/climatechange/kids/index.html

 

http://audubonaction.org/audubon/home.html

 

http://www.pewtrusts.org/

 

 

Go to the NOW Archive at http://www.pbs.org/now/thisweek/archive.html and select a program and subtitle that matches with their own perspectives or points of interest. Try these:

 

Process Resources

 

Note-taking

 

http://www.englishcompanion.com/Tools/notemaking.html

Download graphic organizers that fit your style

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornell_note-taking_system

Cornell Note-taking  

 

http://www.englishcompanion.com/pdfDocs/cornellintro.pdf

A Cornell Note How to from Jim Burke

 

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=13&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cls.utk.edu%2Fpdf%2Fls%2FWeek2_Lesson14.pdf&ei=Q6nNSIi6EpmWsAPzveCIBw&usg=AFQjCNH7f7Yl42v76z7A7vTNVasFmh372A&sig2=2Uf9paP1E6149TW_HYzPiA

How to

 

https://whatelse.pbwiki.com/Google-Search-Lesson

Our google search lesson

 

Summarizing

 

http://library.thinkquest.org/J001156/forms%20of%20writing/bc_summary.htm

How to

 

http://www.mantex.co.uk/samples/summary.htm

How to

 

http://homepage.smc.edu/reading_lab/writing_a_summary.htm

How to

 

http://glory.gc.maricopa.edu/~mdesoto/101online/summary.htm

How to

 

http://www.columbia.edu/cu/ssw/write/handouts/summary.html

How to

 

http://cwl.oregonstate.edu/h-sum.html

How to

 

http://educatoral.com/paraphrase-vs-summarize.html

How to from Chimacum Schools

 

http://www.kidbibs.com/learningtips/lt33.htm

How to

 

 

Gist Statements

 

http://coldfusion.mead.k12.wa.us/ls/subject2.cfm?callvar=gist

Mead School District Gist Strategy (just like ours :)    )

 

http://coldfusion.mead.k12.wa.us/ls/subject2.cfm?callvar=gistexa

An example: The article and the gist statement in twenty words

 

http://www.warrenlocal.k12.oh.us/whs/literacy/STRAT/GIST.htm

The procedure we use

 

 

 

Evaluating Web Sites

http://www.clubi.ie/webserch/resources/index.htm

 

Citations

 

http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schrockguide/referenc.html

Links to: How To; Online Interactives to create citations

 

http://citationmachine.net/

A place to enter your information to create your citation

 

Key words

 

http://www.seochat.com/c/a/Choosing-Keywords-Help/Effective-Keyword-Choice-Strategy-and-Useful-Tools/

How to choose key words --- note their is a table of contents to several pages

 

Headlines

 

 

http://www.poynter.org/content/content_view.asp?id=4631

Rules for Headlines

 

http://www.newseum.org/todaysfrontpages/

Let's look at headlines.  What do you notice?  Which ones grab your attention?  Why and How?

 

http://www.newmediabytes.com/2008/03/25/differences-between-web-online-print-headlines/

Web and Print: What's the difference?

 

http://web.ku.edu/~edit/heads.html

Writing Effective Headlines

 

http://www.copyblogger.com/how-to-write-headlines-that-work/

Writing Effective Headlines

 

http://www.newmediabytes.com/2008/04/10/how-to-write-headlines-for-search-engines/

Headlines for the Web

 

Leads

http://www.bloggingtips.com/2007/10/31/the-seven-most-important-leads-types-for-bloggers/

How tos for writing great "leads"

 

http://www.kimskorner4teachertalk.com/writing/sixtrait/organization/leads.html

Writing great leads

 

Paragraphs

 

http://writing.umn.edu/sws/quicktips/style_grammar/activepassive.htm

Write with action

 

http://writing2.richmond.edu/WRITING/wweb/paragrph.html

Writing effective paragraphs

 

http://howtowriteaparagraph.com/index.html

How To Step by Step

 

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/606/01/

Paragraph Writing

 

http://languagearts.pppst.com/paragraphs.html

Lots of information on paragraphs

 

Essays

 

http://members.tripod.com/~lklivingston/essay/

How to Step by Step

 

http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Atrium/1437/howto.html

How to Step by Step

 

http://ccj.p2technology.com/print/181

Basic Writing Tips

 

http://teenspeakonline.com/

Teens speak out

 

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/speakout/archive.html

Teens speak out

 

http://www.scoop08.com/

Teen Issues on the Campaign

 

http://www.linkedin.com/answers/marketing-sales/writing-editing/MAR_WED/285934-15873054?browseCategory=MAR_WED

Advice from writers to writers

 

http://www.brainpopjr.com/writing/essay/howtoessay/grownups.weml

How to with movie

 

http://www.newmediabytes.com/2007/11/14/online-web-writing-vs-print-writing/

Web and Print: What's the difference?

 

Persuasive Writing

 

http://www.orangeusd.k12.ca.us/yorba/persuasive_writing.htm

Let's look at what it is

 

http://teacher.scholastic.com/dolphin/conwin1.htm

Sample student essay

 

http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/persuasion_map/

Interactive Persuasive Map Site

 

http://readwritethink.org/materials/letter_generator/

Letter Generator

http://www.orangeusd.k12.ca.us/yorba/persuasive_writing.htm

Let's look at what it is -- our lessons

 

http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/persuasion_map/

Online persuasive writing interactive helper

 

http://www.writingcentre.ubc.ca/workshop/tools/argument.htm

The Basics

 

http://pzweb.harvard.edu/Research/RubricsSelfPE.htm

Let's examine this rubric to review what we know about persuasive writing.

 

http://www.wiretapmag.org/about/resources/

Use the right sidebar to find helps.

 

http://teacher.scholastic.com/writeit/cavalcade/genre.asp?genre=Essay

Download many helps we can use for lessons.  Which one works for you?

 

http://www.educationsector.org/analysis/analysis_show.htm?doc_id=686650

Sample Essay (partial available)

 

http://www.4literature.net/Benjamin_Franklin/Rules_for_Reducing_a_Great_Empire_to_a/

Sample persuasive essay from history

 

http://www.cerritos.edu/fquaas/resources/English100/persuade.htm

How To

 

Introductions and Conclusions:

Creating A Frame to guide your reader

 

Products

 

Build an actic/environment-focused website by creating and editing pages, uploading files and embedding photos, videos, documents, presentations, calendars, charts and more on issues and concerns about which you think will persuade others of the polar problem and its interconnected dilemma with us.

 

Activities

 

Animoto

workBench

VoiceThread

Create, collaborate on and share professional-looking thirty second presentation about the Arctic and its issues, and the concerns you have for the Arctic and us.

 

Activities

 

MyMaps 

Draw and add placemarks, photos and more to Google Maps, and share the results with others to show the location related to the issues and conerns of the Arctic about which you think the next president should know and address.

 

Activities

Working alone or in a group,

 

Final Product:

Write about the issues and concerns you want to share with others, including the next president and publish your statements in written, visual, and audio format on VoiceThread for a national audience.

Standards

Washington Standards

 

EALR 1: The student understands and uses a writing process.

1.1.1 Analyzes and selects effective strategies for generating ideas and planning writing.

-Maintains a log or journal to collect and explore ideas; records observations, dialogues, and/or descriptions for later use as a basis for informational, persuasive, or literary writing.

-Uses a variety of prewriting strategies (e.g., story mapping, listing, webbing, jotting, outlining, free writing, brainstorming).

-Gathers and paraphrases information from a variety of resources (e.g., interviews, multimedia, periodicals) and chooses an organizer to analyze, synthesize, and/or evaluate information to plan writing

-Uses prewriting stage to determine purpose, analyze audience, select form, research background information, formulate theme (for narrative writing) or a thesis, and/or organize text.

1.2.1 Analyzes task and composes multiple drafts when appropriate.

·       Refers to prewriting plan.

·       Drafts according to audience, purpose, and time.

·       Drafts by hand and/or electronically.

·       Assesses draft and/or feedback, decides if multiple drafts are necessary, and explains decision.

1.3.1 Revises text, including changing words, sentences, paragraphs, and ideas.

·       Selects and uses effective revision tools or strategies based on project (e.g., referring to prewriting, checking sentence beginnings, combining sentences, using “cut and paste” word processing functions).

·       Rereads work several times and has a different focus for each reading (e.g., first reading — looking for variety of sentence structure and length; second reading — checking for clarity and specific word choice; third reading — checking for layers of elaboration and persuasive language).

·       Decides if revision is warranted.

·       Seeks and considers feedback from a variety of sources (e.g., adults, peers, community members, response groups).

·       Records feedback using writing group procedure (e.g., partner reads writer’s work aloud, and writer notes possible revision).

·       Evaluates and justifies the choice to use feedback in revisions (e.g., “I don’t want to change this because …”).

·       Revises typographic devices (e.g., bullets, numbered lists) to clarify text and to meet requirements of technical writing forms (e.g., lab reports, graphs).

·       Uses multiple resources to improve text (e.g., writing guide, assignment criteria, peer, adult, electronic or other thesaurus).

1.4.1 Edits for conventions (see 3.3).

·       Identifies and corrects errors in conventions.

·       Uses appropriate references and resources (e.g., dictionary, writing/style guide, electronic spelling and grammar check, conventions checklist, adult, peer).

 

1.5.1 Publishes in formats that are appropriate for specific audiences and purposes.

·       Uses available technological resources to produce, design, and publish a professional-looking final product (e.g., charts, overheads, word processor, photo software, presentation software, publishing software).

1.6.2 Uses collaborative skills in adapting writing process.

·       Delegates parts of writing process to team members (e.g., one member may interview; another may collect information from other resources).

·       Collaborates on drafting, revising, and editing.

1.6.3 Uses knowledge of time constraints to adjust writing process.

 

EALR 2: The student writes in a variety of forms for different audiences and purposes.

2.1.1 Applies understanding of multiple and varied audiences to write effectively.

·       Identifies an intended audience.

·       Identifies and includes information and uses appropriate language for a specific audience (e.g., defines technical or content-specific terms or jargon).

2.2.1 Demonstrates understanding of different purposes for writing.

·       Writes to pursue a personal interest, to explain, to persuade, to inform, and to entertain for a specified audience

·       Writes to analyze informational and literary texts.

·       Writes to learn (double-entry journal in math, social studies, or science; letter to teacher assessing own work; reflection).

EALR 3: The student writes clearly and effectively.

3.1.1 Analyzes ideas, selects a manageable topic, and elaborates using specific, relevant details and/or examples.

·       Presents a central idea, theme, and manageable thesis while maintaining a consistent focus (e.g., narrows the topic, uses an essential question to guide research and maintain focus).

·       Selects specific details relevant to the topic to extend ideas and develop elaboration (e.g., multiple examples, statistics, anecdotes, reasons).

·       Uses personal experiences, observations, and/or research to support opinions and ideas (e.g., relevant data to support conclusions in math, science, social studies; personal knowledge of an illness to persuade the audience that water pollution is dangerous).

3.1.2 Analyzes and selects effective organizational structure.

·       Writes unified, cohesive paragraphs (e.g., inverted pyramid: broad topic, narrowing focus, specific details).

·       Develops a compelling introduction (e.g., startling statement, setting/description, quotation).

·       Composes an effective ending/conclusion that is more than a repetition of the introduction (e.g., response to a “so what” question, connection to bigger picture).

·       Uses transitional words and phrases between paragraphs to show logical relationships among ideas (e.g., moreover … , because of this issue … , equally important … , as opposed to … ).

·       Selects and uses effective organizational patterns as determined by purpose:

- explanations (e.g., process description)

- comparison (e.g., all similarities grouped together and all differences grouped together)

- persuasion (e.g., vary sequence of arguments)

- narrative (e.g., problem-solution-outcome)

·       Emphasizes key ideas through appropriate use of text features (e.g., headings, charts, diagrams, graphs, bullets).

3.2.1 Applies understanding that different audiences and purposes affect writer’s voice.

·       Writes with a clearly defined voice appropriate to audience.

·       Writes in an individual, informed voice in expository, technical, and persuasive writing.

·       Writes from more than one point of view or perspective

3.2.2 Analyzes and selects language appropriate for specific audiences and purposes.

·       Selects and uses precise language to persuade or inform.

·       Selects and uses precise language in poetic and narrative writing.

·       Uses the vernacular appropriately.

·       Selects and uses specialized vocabulary relevant to a specific content area (e.g., meteorologist, climatology).

·       Selects and uses persuasive techniques (e.g., powerful and emotional imagery).

·       Selects and uses literary devices (e.g., metaphor, symbols, analogies).

·       Selects and uses sound devices in prose and poetry (e.g., two-syllable rhyme, repetition, rhythm, rhyme schemes).

·       Considers connotation and denotation when selecting works (plump vs. fat, shack vs. house).

3.2.3 Uses a variety of sentences consistent with audience, purpose, and form.

·       Writes a variety of sentence structures and lengths to create a cadence appropriate for audience, purpose, and form.

·       Writes a variety of sentence structures (e.g., inverts sentence to draw attention to the point being made in an essay: “Down the stream swam the salmon fingerlings.”).

EALR 4: The student analyzes and evaluates the effectiveness of written work.

4.1.1 Analyzes and evaluates writing using established criteria.

·       Identifies aspects of the author’s craft (e.g., point of view, purpose, bias).

·       Identifies persuasive elements in a peer’s writing and critiques the effectiveness (e.g., audience appeal, concession and rebuttal, call to action).

·       Explains accuracy of content and vocabulary for specific curricular areas (e.g., description of scientific procedure during a class lab).

4.1.2 Analyzes and evaluates own writing using established criteria.

·       Explains strengths and weaknesses of own writing using criteria (e.g., WASL, classroom-created, or 6-trait rubrics; scoring guides specific to purpose or form of assignment).

·       Rereads own work for the craft of writing (e.g., point of view, figurative language) as well as the content (e.g., specific and relevant information).

·       Uses criteria to choose and defend choices for a writing portfolio.

·       Provides evidence that goals have been met (e.g., selects piece that shows improved introduction technique).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Objectives

Students will

 

 

National Standards

 

3 - Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).

4 - Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.

5 - Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.

7 - Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and nonprint texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.

8 - Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.

 

Footnotes

  1. From Google's "Election Tools for Educators" http://www.google.com/educators/elections_tools.html#target ▲
  2. From Google's "Election Tools for Educators" http://www.google.com/educators/elections_tools.html#target ▲
  3. From Google's "Election Tools for Educators" http://www.google.com/educators/elections_tools.html#target ▲