Group Activity

Explorers Webquest

Description:

Imagine you are Amelia Earhart, Able Tasman, James Cook, Christopher Columbus, Neil Armstrong, or Jacques Cousteau exploring a newly discovered continent or place for the first time.

What problems will you face?

What accomplishments will you make?

How will you feel exploring a new place?

You will use the research resources given to you below to help with the following activities:

Your first task will be to choose one Explorer to research from the selection below.

  • You will need to find the reasons for exploration, obstacles faced along the way, and accomplishments for that explorer.
  • When putting all of your research together you will need to complete the given graphic organiser to organise all the facts you found out about your explorer.
Text-ZhengHe.pdf
Text-RanulphFiennes.pdf
Text-Sacagawea.pdf
Text-YuriGagarin.pdf
Text-AmeliaEarhart.pdf
Text-JunkoTabei.pdf
Text-MatthewFlinders.pdf
Text-MarcoPolo.pdf
Text-FerdinandMagellan.pdf
Text-JacquesCousteau.pdf
Text-ChristopherColumbus.pdf
Text-NeilArmstrong.pdf
Text-JamesCook.pdf
Text-IbnBattuta.pdf
Text-AbelTasman.pdf

Your second task will be to present your explorer in a "Who am I" presentation.

  • In this activity you will need to find ten facts about your explorer. Make sure to have a variety of facts.
  • You can decide on one of three choices in how to present your explorer.

CHOICE #1: Prompt your classmates to guess who you are with a list of ten fun facts about your explorer. You will begin with fact # 10 , which should be the most difficult, and end with fact #1, which should be the most well known fact for that explorer. This could be made into a Kahoot Quiz or Google Slides Quiz with hyperlinks to an answer page.

CHOICE #2: Share the information as the explorer yourself. Speak in first person telling us your life story, or read from your journal (that you will make)

CHOICE # 3: Use note cards or a report format to share explorer information with the class. You could make this into a movie like a documentary.

Success Criteria:

  • The student researches and finds all the correct information that was required.
  • The student creates a circle map that has all facts listed in the circle.
  • The student chooses one activity and correctly prompts the class to guess which explorer they have chosen.
  • The student actively participates everyday in the activities given and completes all work in the given timeframe.

Literacy Circles

A group of students will be reading a chosen novel as a group. They will choose roles within the group each week, and lead their own comprehension discussions into the novel.

The slides further describe the different roles that you will be taking on.

Below is the timetable for each Literacy Circle Group.

Introducing Literacy Circles to students
Term 3 Room 2 Literacy Circles

Great Citizens Biography Activity

List of Great Citizens that we can think of...

  1. You need to work in pairs.
  2. First select a great citizen from the list above.
  3. You need to research that person and find out the following information about them:
      • Their full name
      • When they were born and died
      • Where they lived
      • Why were they famous
      • Why were they regarded as great citizens
      • What difference / impact did they have
      • What did they do for a job / occupation
      • How have they inspired others

4. Record your information / facts about your person on a google doc. Save it in your literacy folder and share it with your partner.

5. Make a slideshow. You only have a title page and 4 slides for your presentation. The title page is the only page that you can have writing on, the remainder of the slides are just pictures selected carefully to present information about your person. Try and keep them in chronological order (like a timeline of their life).

6. You will use Screencastify to record yourselves talking about your slides. You will need to practice this first before filming.

7. Share with the class.

April Fools Day Reading Activity

t2-t-16419-april-fools-day-ks2-differen...ading-comprehension-activity_ver_2.pdf

Sergeant Stubby - An Unlikely Hero


Lesson Presentation Animals in the War.pdf

Read about dogs on the front line in the above ppt. Look closely at the photo. What is the soldier doing? What do you think the dog will do next? Why do you think this dog has a red cross on his side? Clue: Where have you seen a red cross before?

• Sgt Stubby - Read page 11-12 aloud. Can you talk with your partner about the reasons why he was honoured in this way?

Look at the medals given to soldiers that fought in the first world war. Can you design a medal for Sergeant Stubby?

Reading Comprehension Follow-up: Think of someone they know who has done something heroic and make them a medal of their own design

Worksheet - Design your own medal for Sgt Stubby.

Write down four facts explaining why Sgt Stubby was a hero.

Lesson Presentation Animals in the War.pdf

Read about dogs and other animals on the front line in the above ppt.

• Sgt Stubby - Read page 11-12 aloud. Can you talk with your partner about the reasons why he was honoured in this way?

Complete the Sgt Stubby Fact file.

Try the origami worksheet (this is printed )

Using the link below, read and learn all about Stubby and how he became an important figure in World War I.

http://connecticuthistory.org/a-true-dog-of-war-sergeant-stubby/

Answer the questions:

1. In what city and state do we first hear about Stubby?

2. Who found him and how did he get his name?

3. Fill in the blanks.

The dog quickly became the ______________of the _______Infantry, despite an _________________________on pets in the camp.

4. How did Stubby get aboard the SS Minnesota ?

5. Once in France, where was Stubby allowed to go?

6. While Stubby was on the front lines how did his role change?

7. List 2 ways Stubby was very helpful to the soldiers.

8. Why did Stubby receive a promotion to the rank of sergeant?

9. What happened to Stubby in the German-held town of Seicheprey, France?

10. How did Stubby boost morale in the hospital after he recovered?

11. Tell 2 interesting facts about Stubby after he returned to the United States.

First World War Mascots

First World War Mascots-Animals at War-SJ L2 June 2014.pdf

Audio for the text - click on the writing to take you to the Audio, listen and follow the text.

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS

Record your answers in your literacy book. Don't forget to date and title your work 'War Mascots'

  1. What are the main issues for the soldiers? (Far from home, terrible conditions, possible injury or death)
  2. Why didn’t all the mascots come back to New Zealand?
  3. Why did quarantine rules prevent some from returning to New Zealand?
  4. What does the phrase “been through a lot” mean? Why would being through a lot together make the soldiers want to keep their mascots?
  5. When have you felt you “couldn’t bear” to be parted from an animal or special toy?
  6. Reread the first sentence of the article, on page 8. What do you understand now about the roles of animals as mascots in the First World War? Share your thoughts with a partner.

For students who need further extension:

What is a mascot? A mascot is used to represent a group of people or a team. Often it’s an animal or some kind of soft toy, such as a teddy bear. Some people even think that mascots bring good luck and help to achieve success.

Use this website for further research into different military mascots. https://nzhistory.govt.nz/war/mascots

Students select one that you are interested in, find out further information and put together on card with an illustration and information about that mascot.