Assignment 7 (7th and 8th Grade), Assignment 9 (6th Grade): Planet Earth Exposed!, Part 2: New York City Wildlife

Oceans, grasslands, and rain forests aren’t the only place with wildlife, New York City has it too!

1. Watch the slideshow below to see some of New York City’s wildlife:

2. Now, pick a habitat below and watch the slideshow.




3. Next, use Kidspiration to draw the habitat you chose for its animals.
Click HERE to see how to use Kidspiration for this project.

4. Finally, put your Kidspiration on your blog and explain why you chose to create it the way you did.
Click HERE to see how to put your Kidspiration on your blog.

Assignment 6 (7th and 8th Grade), Assignment 8 (6th Grade): Planet Earth Exposed!, Part 1

1. Get ready to see some incredible videos of nature.  Choose 3:

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Birds
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Fox and Ducks
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Grass
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Rainforest
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Shallow Seas
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Sharks

2. Now answer the following questions in your blog:

a) Describe the environments shown in the videos you chose. What plants or animals lived there?
b) How are the places you saw different from the nature we have in New York City?  How, if at all, are they similar?
c) Of the environments you saw, which were the most interesting?  If you could travel to one, which would it be and why?

–> Click HERE to see an example


Assignment 2 (7th and 8th Grade): Put your Presentation on your Blog

Now that you’ve made your “I Know What I did this Summer” slideshow, click HERE for directions on how to put it on your blog.

Brave New Voices: Episode 2

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Watch the first part of episode 2 by clicking HERE

Watch the second part of episode 2 by clicking HERE

Watch the third part of episode 2 by clicking HERE

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Now answer these questions in your blog:

1. What does it mean to be “vulnerable” when writing and reading poetry?

2. Why is being “vulnerable” when writing and reading poetry important?

3. Which poet did you relate most to?  Why?

Brave New Voices: Episode 2

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Watch the first part of episode 2 by clicking HERE

Watch the second part of episode 2 by clicking HERE

Watch the third part of episode 2 by clicking HERE

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Now answer these questions in your blog:

1. What does it mean to be “vulnerable” when writing and reading poetry?

2. Why is being “vulnerable” when writing and reading poetry important?

3. Which poet did you relate most to?  Why?

Assignment 38 (7th and 8th Grade) Assignment 36 (6th Grade): Robots Part 1

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So the new Terminator movie came out last week and it got me thinking about robots.  What  is the state of Robot technology in 2009?  How close are we to creating machines that can sense, think, and act as well (or better) than humans?

Watch a part of The Works: Robots by clicking HERE.

Now, answer the following questions in your blog:

1. What’s the difference between a humanoid and an android?

2.What’s the uncanny valley?

3. Is there something about humans that robots will never possess?  If so, what is it?

The Power of Spoken Word

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1. Watch part of Russell Simmon’s Brave New Voices by clicking HERE.

2. Click HERE to read some spoken word poetry.

3. Pick one that you find powerful.  Practice reading the poem in a way that brings out its power. Now, record yourself in IMovie reading it.  Put the video on your blog (make sure to give credit to the author).

** BONUS **

4. Inspired?  Write your own poem and record yourself saying it in IMovie.  Publish the video on your blog.