Writing for information, or the nonfiction genre, often gets overlooked. If our students are going to be bloggers, multimedia writers, contributors to websites associated with the workplace, they need to master this skill. Writing is something that unites all content areas- Language Arts may provide the foundation, but writing is used in the fields of science, engineering, business, accounting, law, and healthcare. The writing they will be doing may be online content meant to inform. This is good practice for the types of jobs our students may fill that have yet to be created.
You need only do one. But if you find more that you will definitely use in the future, feel free to add more. The more content the better!
1) Include a link to an article or nonfiction text that pertains to something you would discuss in class. If you are a science teacher, your source can be about weather patterns or wind turbines. I have no idea, the science world is one that mystifies me and sometimes I have no idea what is actually a thing and what is really more just science fiction. That's why I'm an English teacher :)
So, find something that relates to your content area. It can be current events related or it can be more of a how-to, but it needs to be within the last couple years (I'll let you just use your discretion), so something fairly recently posted so that the link is still active and will be for you to use in the future.
2) Insert an image that gives students an indication of what the link they will be clicking on is about. Please include a link to where you found it.
3) Lastly, a brief prompt for your article/link. What would you like the students to write about relating to the article? Would you like them to perform a 5W summary (Who-What-When-Where-Why) or would you like them to do more of a 3-2-1 strategy (3 things I learned- 2 things I already knew- 1 question I still have)? Or for high school students, maybe you want to go a little more into critical thinking with your prompt. Again, it should be something you think you will tuck away into your repertoire to pull out when you have extra time or need something to assign on the fly.
MY EXAMPLES: (I got carried away as usual! I found these all to be so cool. You can just randomly pick one, don't feel obligated to click through them all).
A) Hidden 'Jane Eyre' attic opens to public tours for the first time
Image source: see link above.
B) The superficiality of the Great Gatsby
Suggested prompt questions: What is one important point the author of the article makes? What is his intended purpose for writing this article? Who is the intended audience? What two things does this article inform you about that you missed after reading the book/watching the movie in class? Answers are more of an interpretive, personal nature and may vary from reader to reader.
C) Nation's First Bookless Library Opens
Prompt: What are the costs versus the benefits of an all bookless library? How will this impact your future with regards to your academic or work career, or even your personal enjoyment?
D) 7 Millenials too busy changing the world to take selfies
Image source: see link above,
I think it took me maybe 20 minutes to post all of these, links and images included. I have a StumbleUpon account that I save all kinds of resources like this to so I can access them in the future. You can follow me and peruse mine to get you started but I definitely recommend starting an account if you don't already have one. It's like a more intellectual pinterest! Find me on SU
Can't wait to see what you guys find! And again, I did more just because I got carried away, you need only add at least one.
Jameson:
NEWS ELA Article
(click the link to access the full article)
Historically, museums have posted signs which have read "No photography" or "Cameras not allowed on premises." However, things are beginning to change as many museums are beginning to realize the benefits of allowing cameras (especially camera phones) near exhibits. Read the article carefully, then respond to the following quote using the provided prompt:
"Museums don't need to be Disneyland," Michael Duncan, corresponding editor of Art In America, said. "They need to be places where you experience art, and selfies get in the way."
Do you agree or disagree with the above statement? Take a position on the use of cameras in museums, and use evidence from the text to support your response.
Ashley:
I think in an 11th or 12th grade English class it is important to teach students about how important it is to plan for their future, and how their education will benefit them. I plan to use writing prompts as an outlet for students to discuss their education goals, career goals, hopes, dreams etc. I read a lot about entrepreneurship and found this short article to be encouraging and thought provoking in the sense of "what am I going to do now?"
10 Life Hacks from a Millennial Millionaire
The article is titled "10 Life Hacks from a Millennial Millionaire"
I would present this article to students and ask them to state the number one goal for their future and describe how these encouraging hacks will help them achieve it.
Eleventh and Twelfth Grade is such a confusing and influential age when it comes to life planning, and I firmly believe we need to encourage our students to explore their options and provide for them the tools to plan for those goals.
Note for Carly: I originally posted this as a Blog post on your blog, but it pushed your original post to the bottom. I could not "add" to your original posting, so I am posting the content as a comment. Also, I cannot add a picture to my comment. Sorry :(
ReplyDeletehttps://newsela.com/articles/museums-selfies/id/10701/
Historically, museums have posted signs which have read "No photography" or "Cameras not allowed on premises." However, things are beginning to change as many museums are beginning to realize the benefits of allowing cameras (especially camera phones) near exhibits. Read the article carefully, then respond to the following quote using the provided prompt:
"Museums don't need to be Disneyland," Michael Duncan, corresponding editor of Art In America, said. "They need to be places where you experience art, and selfies get in the way."
Do you agree or disagree with the above statement? Take a position on the use of cameras in museums, and use evidence from the text to support your response.
Oh no! Maybe I need to change some settings, it doesn't indicate what the added "authors" can and can't access.
ReplyDeleteGreat article! Students need to think about how they experience elements of culture such as art, as these assets are starting to fade in importance, sadly. Perhaps technology is getting in the way of experiencing traditional things like museums and we don't even realize it. Students also need to reflect on the good and the bad sides of technology and how it may be holding them back. I also like that you included that they need to use evidence from the article because this will require some of them to read it a little more closely.
It won't let me revert to draft to edit, so I am going to post here!
ReplyDeleteI think in an 11th or 12th grade English class it is important to teach students about how important it is to plan for their future, and how their education will benefit them. I plan to use writing prompts as an outlet for students to discuss their education goals, career goals, hopes, dreams etc. I read a lot about entrepreneurship and found this short article to be encouraging and thought provoking in the sense of "what am I going to do now?"
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/247214
The article is titled "10 Life Hacks from a Millennial Millionaire"
I would present this article to students and ask them to state the number one goal for their future and describe how these encouraging hacks will help them achieve it.
Eleventh and Twelfth Grade is such a confusing and influential age when it comes to life planning, and I firmly believe we need to encourage our students to explore their options and provide for them the tools to plan for those goals.