Embedded Files
Social Studies: I teach Social Studies for 6th, 7th, and 8th Grade
In Grade 6, we travel to the Eastern Hemisphere with a focus on the Five Themes of Geography. We learn through various activities, games, and collaborative group work.
In Grade 7, we explore the many facets of American History beginning with Pre-History and working to the Civil War Period.
In Grade 8, we continue our study of American History starting with the Civil War Period and working to the present.
We learn through collaborative projects which include role-play, oral presentations, debates, and mock trials. We also discuss current events with technology playing a key role in our learning.
Current Event Assignment & Rubric
Choose an article from a current news source. If you choose your own article, it can be no older than 2 weeks and you must approve the article with me before you begin. Read the article carefully at least twice.
You will write an (at least) 2-paragraph (8-10 sentences) report on your chosen article. This summary must include the 5W & and the H: who, what, where, when, why, and how of the article. You must also tell why you chose the article and why you felt it was an important story to tell. Please be sure that you are writing this report in your own words and that you use proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation. You must use a 14-point-sized Times New Roman or Arial font and double-space between your sentences. Finally, cite your article source, title, and article date at the bottom of the report as well as include your full name.
Rubric:
Written Report: 100 points total
Spelling, Punctuation, Grammar, Formatting ___/20
Quality of information ___/40
5Ws & H all included and in your own words
In on time ___/10
Article Cited ___/10
Title ___/10
Name on report ___/10
*****************************************************************************
*****************************************************************************
Getting Started
Getting Started
1. Read the entire article. Your objective with this assignment is to write a summary of the news story, so you need to fully understand the article. Look up any words you don’t know. Take notes on the article or highlight passages that you think are important.
1. Read the entire article. Your objective with this assignment is to write a summary of the news story, so you need to fully understand the article. Look up any words you don’t know. Take notes on the article or highlight passages that you think are important.
2. Recount the article. After you’ve read the article, try to recount the article out loud. You can either tell someone else or just tell yourself. This will help you figure out the main idea of the article. The headline typically indicates the article’s main idea, but the article will likely include more information that is relevant to your summary. Choose five main points from the article that you think are important.
2. Recount the article. After you’ve read the article, try to recount the article out loud. You can either tell someone else or just tell yourself. This will help you figure out the main idea of the article. The headline typically indicates the article’s main idea, but the article will likely include more information that is relevant to your summary. Choose five main points from the article that you think are important.
3. Read the article again. Did you catch an important point that you missed before?
3. Read the article again. Did you catch an important point that you missed before?
4. Make a list of the five Ws and H. The five Ws and H are: Who, What, When, Where, Why and How. These correspond to the details of the article that you’ve read. They help you make connections between the main idea and the various elements involved that make up the story. Give specific details for each one. For example:
4. Make a list of the five Ws and H. The five Ws and H are: Who, What, When, Where, Why and How. These correspond to the details of the article that you’ve read. They help you make connections between the main idea and the various elements involved that make up the story. Give specific details for each one. For example:
Who: This is the person or group involved in the story. For a story on a recent arson case, you might say, “The people involved are four teenage boys who were charged with arson, a police investigation team, and the community that lost its historic baseball stadium.”
Who: This is the person or group involved in the story. For a story on a recent arson case, you might say, “The people involved are four teenage boys who were charged with arson, a police investigation team, and the community that lost its historic baseball stadium.”
What: This is the event or the action discussed in the story. In an arson case, it might be: “The oldest wooden baseball stadium in the country burned to the ground.”
What: This is the event or the action discussed in the story. In an arson case, it might be: “The oldest wooden baseball stadium in the country burned to the ground.”
When: This is the date and time when the event took place: “The stadium burned down at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, June 29.”
When: This is the date and time when the event took place: “The stadium burned down at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, June 29.”
Where: This is where the event took place: “The baseball stadium was in the middle of the city, surrounded by residences.”
Where: This is where the event took place: “The baseball stadium was in the middle of the city, surrounded by residences.”
Why: This is the cause or reason for the event: “The summer has been unusually dry and hot. The stadium had been sitting empty for five years and was not patrolled by security.”
Why: This is the cause or reason for the event: “The summer has been unusually dry and hot. The stadium had been sitting empty for five years and was not patrolled by security.”
How: This point explains the ways in which the events took place and the connections between them: “The teenagers walked into the stadium and began playing with lighters and loose debris. Once the fire was set, they ran off.”
How: This point explains the ways in which the events took place and the connections between them: “The teenagers walked into the stadium and began playing with lighters and loose debris. Once the fire was set, they ran off.”
5. Write a sentence that gives the impact of the story. Why is this story important? Why are we talking about it? After your list of the five Ws and H, write down your thoughts on the impact or importance of the news story. Think about the story’s connection to your community, the nation, or the world, for example.
5. Write a sentence that gives the impact of the story. Why is this story important? Why are we talking about it? After your list of the five Ws and H, write down your thoughts on the impact or importance of the news story. Think about the story’s connection to your community, the nation, or the world, for example.
6. There is a grading rubric for the assignment below. Review this before turning in the assignment. Make sure you have met all the requirements to ensure a good grade.
6. There is a grading rubric for the assignment below. Review this before turning in the assignment. Make sure you have met all the requirements to ensure a good grade.
Page updated
Report abuse