January 5th Update

Good evening!

Today we started hip hop dancing, found new books in the library, prepared for our debate on video games by writing speeches, worked on our machines slideshow presentation, and discussed the beginnings of our new math unit.

Hip Hop will continue Wednesday – Friday mornings. On Monday we have an afternoon performance of what students have been working on at 1:30 PM and parents are welcome. Our class is performing as a group along with other divisions in the school.

Today we assigned debate team partners, reviewed debate vocabulary (as it has involved learning and using a lot of new words like opposition, proposition, counter-arguments, affirmative, resolution, etc.), and talked about how a debate speech is like writing a mini 5 paragraph essay. Team members discussed the evidence they each collected and then decided how each person would write about the positive and negative sides of our debate resolution.

I provided a handout that has an explanation of debate and a general outline of what debate speeches look like — this was NOT to fill out, but was to give us a starting point for what these speeches can look like. Each student is making two, 3-minute speeches, one for positive and one for negative. They will include an introduction that talks about what they believe in (whether for or against the resolution) and the 3-4 main reasons why, some paragraphs that detail evidence for each of the 3-4 reasons, and then a closing statement to sum it all up. For tomorrow: Everyone will show Ms. D their 16 pieces of evidence for a check in tomorrow morning after Hip Hop. I have also asked that they try to make a draft of the positive side speech tonight. Our debates will hopefully begin on Thursday. Depending on time, students may only get to debate on one side or the other, and they will not know which side until it is time to debate. I am handing out a rubric for the speaking tomorrow, and we brainstormed criteria for success together today.

Machines Powerpoints and Prezi Presentations should be wrapped up by Friday. Included in this assignment is a slideshow showing how a machine of their choice had an impact on human society, research notes, sources used, and commentary written down that they will use to make the presentation. The presentation should have around 10 slides, but can have more, with no more than 25. Three slides detail machine’s history, who made it, and how it works. Seven slides would have specific reasons why this machine had an impact. Some students have put more time into explaining the machine versus showing how the machine has had an impact, so I went around today and gave feedback so adjustments can be made before turning it in. Students have a rubric to refer to for this project.

In MATH we are going to be looking at geometry — area, volume, shapes, vertices, faces, angles, etc. We will be looking at this by designing our own skyscrapers, as well as by using the standard curriculum approach so key ideas are covered or expanded upon for those who are advanced in math. The unit will have a project and a final test, both of which will receive marks. The first assignment today: Look up the top ten tallest skyscrapers in the world. First 5 people to arrive with this correct list tomorrow morning can get a prize.

Several students found some great zentangle designs online, so please respond to this blog post with links to the ones you like! That way your classmates can try them, too!

Have a great night!

Ms. D