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Use the attached document, Fest to search and learn about events that recently happened in ____.  This is the first of a two part assignment.  You will first locate information and organize it.  During the second part, you will communicate this information to another group of people keeping this audience in mind as your create.

Complete the Fest Document, then share it with Mrs. F or Mrs. Z.  When it is complete, they’ll send you part 2.

Have fun!

Use the document I have attached called Tiger Document to organize your learning about the tiger attack in California.  Many people have many different opinions.  Knowing this, it is important to ALWAYS and FIRST figure out who wrote the information and who sponsors the site the information is on.  Today, you will locate and read some of the opinions, identify the authors, and share what you found with the rest of us!

Tiger Document

Hi Everyone,
Below, add to a comment with 3 links about the tiger attack in CA, AND include who created the link/article/site.

Finally, tell us HOW you figured out WHO made the site.

Sometimes people think certain books should not be read by students and others.  They might try to ‘ban’ a book, or get it removed from libraries and schools and get stores to stop selling the book.  Two of Mark Twain’s books were banned:  The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. 

1.  Go online to find out WHY people have tried to ban books.  E-mail a paragraph to me telling the reasons people have for banning or challenging books.

2.  Find a list of books that were banned or challenged in the last ten years.  See how many of the books on the list you have read, either on your own or in school.

3.  Send the class an e-mail explaining your opinion on banning books.  Do you think certain books should be removed from schools and libraries, or do you think all books should be allowed, no matter what the books say?

I’m looking for who can finish this Mark Twain quiz quickly! For each question, include the site where you found the information.  You might want to put all of your answers in a Stickie or a Word document before putting them in a comment. 

1. What is Mark Twain’s real name?

2. How did he come up with the name “Mark Twain?”

3. What was the first book he wrote?

4. How many of his books have been “banned” (people said kids shouldn’t read them?)

5. How old was he when he died?

6. How many kids did he have?

7. How many books did Mark Twain write during his life?

8. Where did he spend most of his life?

9. Which book did Mark Twain think was his best book?

10. Find one really interesting fact that you don’t think I know about Mark Twain. Be sure to include the link where you found it so I can check it out!

Tomorrow you will start reading Miracle’s Boys by Jacqueline Woodson.  Today we are going to do some background research on the author.

1.  Please go to http://www.jacquelinewoodson.com/index.shtml and find the “My Biography” link.  Read about Jacqueline Woodson’s life.  Then use the Venn diagram to compare and contrast your life and Woodson’s. 

2.  Now please go to http://summerreading.nypl.org/read2003/chats/woodson.cfm to read an interview of Woodson.  After you read the interview, post a comment with three questions you would like to ask the author.  Make sure they aren’t already asked in the interview or answered in the biography you read.  Leave your answer as a comment. 

3.  Find a description of at least 5 other books Woodson has written.  Choose one that you think you might like to read, and explain why you might like it.  Leave the name of the book and why you might want to read it in a comment. 

There are many holidays in December.  Today we are going to investigate some of these holidays.  We are going to so some searching, then evaluate some sites, then ask some questions.

1)  Kwanzaa

Here is one site about Kwanzaa.   http://www.officialkwanzaawebsite.org/index.shtml

Now go find one more site about Kwanzaa.  In a comment, tell which site you think is more trustworthy. and give at least two reasons WHY you think one site is more trustworthy.

2) Hanukkah

Find two sites with information about how Hanukkah is celebrated.  In a comment, include both sites, and tell which one you believe is more reliable and WHY.  Then tell five things that people do to celebrate Hanukkah.

3)  Christmas

Santa Claus isn’t Santa Claus everywhere in the world.  In a comment, leave three other names for Santa Claus and give the sites where you found the information.

4)  Other December Holidays

 There are many other holidays celebrated in December.  Not including New Year’s Eve, find THREE other holidays that are celebrated in December.  In a comment,  leave the names of the holiday and a site with information for each one.

5) Holiday questions

Thinking back to all of the holidays you’ve read about today, leave a comment with FIVE thick questions about the holidays.  No questions with one word or one sentence answers.  We will discuss your questions, and the best ones may become information challenges for the class.  Come up with a great question so YOU can challenge the class. 

Please leave a comment that tells me and Mrs. Z, in detail, what you have learned so far about searching on the Internet. Here are some questions to get you thinking:

1) What are some neat tricks you’ve learned?
2) What is your favorite search engine? Why do you like it better than the other ones?
3) What is the most difficult thing about searching online for information?
4) What is the easiest thing about searching online for information?
5) If you were giving advice to someone new to searching online, what would the advice be? What would you tell them?
6) What do you like about the work you’re doing with Mrs. N and Mrs. Z? What do you NOT like about it?
7) Anything else you want to tell us?

Everyone likes money. Your job today deals with money around the world.

1) What is the largest bill currently made in the United States? What is the largest bill ever made in the United States? Put your answer and the site you used in a comment.

2) Who prints the money for the United States of America? Put your answer and the site you used in a comment.

3) Several countries use something called a “rupee.” Name 2 of them. Put your answer and the site you used in a comment.

4) On my way to Antarctica, I will stay in Argentina. What is the name of the money used in Argentina? Put your answer and the site you used in a comment.

5) I have $100 (no, not with me, just in the bank).  Use one of these currency conversion sites

http://www.oanda.com/convert/classic 

http://finance.yahoo.com/currency?u

http://www.bloomberg.com/invest/calculators/currency.html

to figure out the country where I can get the most money for my $100 American dollars:  Mexico, Canada, Panama, or Japan.  Leave your answer in a comment.

6) Which countries use the Euro? List ALL of them! Put your answer and the site you used in a comment.

7)  Come up with your own question about money and find the answer.  In a comment, leave the question, the answer, and the site you used to answer it.

With the storm coming through, it’s time to prepare for the season.

1) It’s important to be prepared for bad weather and emergencies.  According to experts, what should I carry in my car in case of an emergency?  What should I keep at home in case of an emergency?  Find at least TWO websites, created by experts, that answer these questions.  Copy and paste the website addresses into a comment, along with the lists.

2) Snow, sleet, freezing rain, hail, blizzards…  There are a lot of winter words.  Go to the National Weather Service Glossary to find definitions of each of these words:  snow, sleet, freezing rain, hail, blizzard.  If you can’t find a definition there, find one somewhere else on the web.  Post your definitions in a comment, along with where you found the definition if you couldn’t find it in the glossary.

3) What is the coldest temperature ever reached in Connecticut?  What was the temperature?  Where was it?  When was this coldest day?  Go online to find an answer from TWO different sites, then leave your answer and the sites you used to find it in a comment.

4) What is “lake-effect snow” and where does lake effect snow fall?  Please explain in your own words what it is and where it falls.  Leave your answer and the site you used in a comment.  (PS- I could barely understand the wikipedia article, so DON’T USE WIKIPEDIA!!!)