Previous Homework Projects
Poetry Inquiry
Job 1. Poem Search –Due Monday, December 11th
Find two (2) poems that have deep meaning and resonate with you. Bring copies of both poems to your teacher for approval. You will choose one to analyze and memorize. Please note, silly poems are unacceptable for this assignment.
Job 2. Letter to the Poet
Write a letter to the poet explaining why you like his/her poem. Explain the following in your letter:
Job 3. Poem Doodles
Type your poem into your own document. Leave a good amount of space after each line (press “enter” 2-3 times). Print out this version of your poem. Draw little sketches next to each line of your poem that illustrate the meaning of the language in each line. Try to make your sketches clear, mostly neat, and somewhat detailed. (Typing and doodling are two strategies to help you memorize your poem.)
Job 4. Memorize Your Poem for Recitation
We will recite our poems from memory in class on Tuesday, December 19th and Wednesday, December 20th . You will have the option of reciting your poem at The Beatnik Café on Friday, December 22nd .
Job 1 Due Monday, December 11th
Jobs 2-4 Due Wednesday, December 20th
Poetry Inquiry Handout
Sample Poems
Job 1. Poem Search –Due Monday, December 11th
Find two (2) poems that have deep meaning and resonate with you. Bring copies of both poems to your teacher for approval. You will choose one to analyze and memorize. Please note, silly poems are unacceptable for this assignment.
Job 2. Letter to the Poet
Write a letter to the poet explaining why you like his/her poem. Explain the following in your letter:
- Poetic techniques that you admire;
- Why the poem resonates with you;
- Any questions you have for the poet.
Job 3. Poem Doodles
Type your poem into your own document. Leave a good amount of space after each line (press “enter” 2-3 times). Print out this version of your poem. Draw little sketches next to each line of your poem that illustrate the meaning of the language in each line. Try to make your sketches clear, mostly neat, and somewhat detailed. (Typing and doodling are two strategies to help you memorize your poem.)
Job 4. Memorize Your Poem for Recitation
We will recite our poems from memory in class on Tuesday, December 19th and Wednesday, December 20th . You will have the option of reciting your poem at The Beatnik Café on Friday, December 22nd .
Job 1 Due Monday, December 11th
Jobs 2-4 Due Wednesday, December 20th
Poetry Inquiry Handout
Sample Poems
Government in Outer Space
You are from the planet Guargork. A hundred years ago, the people of Guargork overthrew their crazy king in hopes of starting a better form of government. They sent an ambassador to Earth to learn about the representative democracy at work in the United States. The ambassador learned all about the Constitution and the three branches of the U.S. Government and brought that model back to Guargork. Your civilization has been modeling its government off of the U.S. Government ever since and it’s been a great success!
Job 1. A Day in the Life Story
Choose a role in one of the three branches of the Guargorkian government –legislative (make laws), executive (run the government), or judicial (interpret the laws). Write a story from the point of view of your politician or judge describing a day in the life at your job. Use details that you learned from research about what the duties are for that branch of government –but now make those duties happen in outer space!
Job 2. Political Advertisement
The year is 3016 and the Guargorkian presidential race is coming up. Create two advertisements, one for each presidential candidate. Each ad should tell Guargorkian voters why they should vote for the particular candidate. Remember to focus on the important issues that Guargorkian voters care about. (What are those issues? You decide!)
Job 3. Political Song
The people of Guargork support you in your work so much that they wrote a song about you and your achievements. Write lyrics to a song that praise you and your achievements at your role in the Guargorkian government.
Resources to help you research:
Early Due Date: Wednesday, November 15th
Normal Due Date: Monday, November 20th
You are from the planet Guargork. A hundred years ago, the people of Guargork overthrew their crazy king in hopes of starting a better form of government. They sent an ambassador to Earth to learn about the representative democracy at work in the United States. The ambassador learned all about the Constitution and the three branches of the U.S. Government and brought that model back to Guargork. Your civilization has been modeling its government off of the U.S. Government ever since and it’s been a great success!
Job 1. A Day in the Life Story
Choose a role in one of the three branches of the Guargorkian government –legislative (make laws), executive (run the government), or judicial (interpret the laws). Write a story from the point of view of your politician or judge describing a day in the life at your job. Use details that you learned from research about what the duties are for that branch of government –but now make those duties happen in outer space!
Job 2. Political Advertisement
The year is 3016 and the Guargorkian presidential race is coming up. Create two advertisements, one for each presidential candidate. Each ad should tell Guargorkian voters why they should vote for the particular candidate. Remember to focus on the important issues that Guargorkian voters care about. (What are those issues? You decide!)
Job 3. Political Song
The people of Guargork support you in your work so much that they wrote a song about you and your achievements. Write lyrics to a song that praise you and your achievements at your role in the Guargorkian government.
Resources to help you research:
- Ducksters: Straightforward information. Get the facts you need. http://www.ducksters.com/history/us_government.php
- Play an iCivics game on your chosen branch. This will simulate what life is like in that role of government.https://www.icivics.org/games
Early Due Date: Wednesday, November 15th
Normal Due Date: Monday, November 20th
What If…?
Consider the following:
- What if you could transport yourself into any book and become a character in the story?
- What if you could go back in history and experience one important event?
- What if one morning your pet cat, Sammy, started talking to you in very precise English?
- What if you ran your own business as a kid?
- What if every time you touched anything, it turned into plastic?
- What if you found a way to travel through a black hole?
- What if your stuffed animals and toys secretly came to life after you went to sleep?
- What if you got sucked into a video game and couldn’t find your way out?
Job 1: ‘What If’ Story
Choose one of the situations from the list above (or a variation of one of them) to write about in a story. Write a detailed, well-thought out story that describes what happens in an exciting, step-by-step way. Your story should include the following features:
- A beginning, middle, climax, and end.
- Paragraphs that signal changes in time, place, speakers, or ideas.
- Many details that help make readers feel like they are actually in the experience.
- Some of your inner thoughts as well as some dialogue with other characters.
Job 2: Action Artwork
Make artwork that shows an exciting scene or scenes from your “What If” story. You could make a colorful poster, a set of illustrations, a detailed comic, a 3-D sculpture, or a diorama.
- Bring your story to life with lots of visual details!
- Include a short caption that describes what is happening.
Job 3: Movie Trailer
Pretend that your “What If” story is going to be made into a movie! Create a plan for the movie trailer or the actual movie trailer that will give the audience a sense of suspense, mystery, and excitement. Lure viewers into seeing the movie without giving away too much.
- Fill out a Movie Planning Sheet or create a script with sketches that shows what the audience would see and hear if the trailer played.
- Create a movie trailer using video editing software on your home technology and save it as a movie file with one of the following extensions: .mov, .avi, .mpeg, or .m4a. Only choose this option if you can create a video file with limited assistance from adults.
Early Due Date: Thursday, October 19th
Normal Due Date: Wednesday, October 25th
Link to the What If Project Handout
Link to the What If Planner
All About Me
Your first project is to help me get to know you better.
Job 1. Story about Me
Choose one of the following to write a story about:
Job 2. Predictions
Choose 3 friends plus yourself. Write a little blurb imagining what each of you will be doing with your lives 20 years from now. Include specific details about work, family, and/or hobbies. You can include a little sketch about each person to enhance your blurb.
Job 3. Compliments
Write a list of compliments to friends and family members. Try to get 10-15 thoughtful, sincere compliments in your list. Be specific with your compliments. Go beyond “I like how nice you are to me,” and instead write something like, “I like how you always smile and wave when you see me in the hallways. It makes me feel like I belong here.”
Job 4. Portrait of Me
Create a piece of artwork, a sculpture, or a poster that contains images, cut-outs, items, and/or photos expressing your personality and what makes you YOU. Remember to use the appropriate graphic design tips that I taught you as needed: start with pencil, bubble letters for titles, ruler for lines, fill-in techniques, cartoon or beefy people, cool background, and outline in pen, marker, or sharpie.
Normal Due Date: Monday, September 25th.
Early Due Date: Wednesday, September 20th.
Remember, parents are encouraged to monitor their child’s planning and progress, but the student should complete the project with limited parent assistance. Thank you!
Link to the All About Me project handout.
Link to the All About me project planner (optional).
Your first project is to help me get to know you better.
Job 1. Story about Me
Choose one of the following to write a story about:
- One of the proudest moments in your life.
- A time in your life when you realized that someone cared a lot about you.
- A super exciting experience.
- A time when you were very nervous or scared about something.
Job 2. Predictions
Choose 3 friends plus yourself. Write a little blurb imagining what each of you will be doing with your lives 20 years from now. Include specific details about work, family, and/or hobbies. You can include a little sketch about each person to enhance your blurb.
Job 3. Compliments
Write a list of compliments to friends and family members. Try to get 10-15 thoughtful, sincere compliments in your list. Be specific with your compliments. Go beyond “I like how nice you are to me,” and instead write something like, “I like how you always smile and wave when you see me in the hallways. It makes me feel like I belong here.”
Job 4. Portrait of Me
Create a piece of artwork, a sculpture, or a poster that contains images, cut-outs, items, and/or photos expressing your personality and what makes you YOU. Remember to use the appropriate graphic design tips that I taught you as needed: start with pencil, bubble letters for titles, ruler for lines, fill-in techniques, cartoon or beefy people, cool background, and outline in pen, marker, or sharpie.
Normal Due Date: Monday, September 25th.
Early Due Date: Wednesday, September 20th.
Remember, parents are encouraged to monitor their child’s planning and progress, but the student should complete the project with limited parent assistance. Thank you!
Link to the All About Me project handout.
Link to the All About me project planner (optional).
