Islam Video Project:

Raising awareness and erasing misconceptions about Islam and Muslims through documentary film clips.

The 6th Grade spent seven weeks studying the religion and history of the Islamic faith and the diversity among Muslim peoples. After their studies, the class of 2010 created their own survey questions and polled 90 people outside of the Town School community on their knowledge and opinions of Islam and Muslims. These files are large and take a moment to open.  Please be patient.

Student Resources

INSTRUCTIONS

TOPIC PREFERENCES

SURVEY QUESTION GUIDE

RESEARCH NOTES TEMPLATE

MOVIE TEXT TEMPLATE

CALENDAR

SUGGESTED SLIDE ORDER

RUBRIC

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Feudal Japan: A Website Creation Project

So far this year, you have created a movie, designed a fair booth, and learned to become expert writers and researchers.  It is time to apply those skills to the wonderful world of the web.  Your task, to "role play" as a specific or general figure from Feudal Japan and explain your life, and/or topics, in an autobiography.  This is a three-part project that will have three separate project grades. 

Use the links below to guide you:

Instructions and Calendar

Rubric for Writing and Research

Topics/Characters

Resources: 

Use these internet resources in addition to the text resources provided in class.  You are required to use at least TWO text resources for this assignment and a you must have a total of FOUR resources for this research project.  If you need a photocopy of one of our text resources, feel free to ask Ms. Hall or Mr. Schaper.

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Literature Circles: Africa

Literature Circles are an approach to reading that allows students to own their learning by choosing one of four books to read and discuss with a small group.  This year, each of our four action-adventure book options focus on the life experience of young adults in various African countries.  Many of the books touch on powerful and provocative issues, including political turmoil, oppression, social disorder, and various coming of age experiences.  We invite you to engage in frequent conversations with your son about these topics.

THE BOOKS

• A Girl Named Disaster by Nancy Farmer
  • An adventure novel about a young girl from Zimbabwe who tries to escape an arranged marriage.
• Chain of Fire by Beverly Naidoo
  • An adventure novel that address political and social issues in South Africa by chronicling the experience of young students who speak out against apartheid.
• The Other Side of Truth by Beverly Naidoo
  • An adventure story that addresses “the critical themes of political oppression, exile, Africa, and childhood,” through the lives to two Nigerian teens who are smuggled from their country to London.
• No Turning Back by Beverly Naidoo
  • An adventure novel about a 12-year-old South African boy who flees domestic abuse to live the tough life of the malunde, or homeless boys, on the streets of Johannesburg.

 THE PROCESS

The boys design their own reading schedule with the members of their group.  Our expectation is that they are finished with the novel by June 2, having reached an assigned mid-way point by May 16.  In class, we will host mini-lessons that address common themes and techniques used in all of the novels, and the boys will then discuss the book with their group and write journal responses.  Please refer to the attached calendar for a general and tentative  overview of our schedule.

THE RESOURCES

Scheduling of Readings

Role Assignments

Pre-Lit Circle Reflection

Bookmarking

Literature Circle Parent Letter

Discussion Log

NEW Discussion Log

Self-Reflection

Journal 1:  "So far I think . . ."

Journal 2: Character Portrait

Journal 3: Asking Questions

Journal 4: "If I were__(main character)___" 

Light-Bulb Session: Asking Questions

Final Project: Africa Literature Circles