Colleen ReganJune 16, 2009

MEDUC 611

The students will write two articles about events that happened during the school year using both school and world events. Digital pictures and internet research will be used to complement the articles which will be published using Microsoft Publisher.

Computers with internet access Printer Digital camera (or flip cameras) Microsoft Publisher Graphic Organizer Writing journals

Students are aware of this project in the beginning of the year and will be given opportunities to take pictures of school events.

There will be time set aside each week to discuss current events which students can note in their writing journal.

Ask students to orally describe aspects of descriptive paragraphs.

Read aloud of 1-2 descriptive paragraphs to model these aspects

Review and have students independently practice a descriptive paragraph in their writing journal.“Write a descriptive paragraph about what you do

every morning to get to school.”

Explain project—teacher shows models of projects that used Publisher

Class discussion on ideas for topics (start with current event)

Independent brainstorming; students must sign up for a topic with teacher

In class, teacher shows students appropriate news websites for current eventswww.cnn.comwww.msn.comwww.foxnews.com

Computer lab – students will research and take notes and print out information on their current event or school event

Review of five step writing process

Teacher models graphic organizer for topic (plane in Hudson)

Students begin pre-writing using a graphic organizer that best suits their topic

Students hand write first descriptive paragraph on current event.

Edit

Peer revision and editing

Handwritten “final copy”

Repeat all steps with the focus on a school event that they can describe in a paragraph.

1. Choose newsletter format

2. Save as before beginning project

Highlight and start typing!

Images for school events taken on digital cameras will be downloaded throughout the year and save in a specific folder

Images may be used from clip art to complement paragraphs

Images from the internet may be used if not forbidden by copyright laws

Awesome Clever Satisfactory Acceptable Total Points

Completed article on time 10 9 8 7

Wrote newsworthy article on a topic of interest

20 19 18 17

Added digital photograph that complemented article well

20 19 18 17

Formatted article using desktop publishing software

20 19 18 17

Organized presentation of article and photograph in a unified whole

10 9 8 7

Wrote well-developed descriptive paragraph for written assessment

20 19 18 17