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Create
a newsletter about the topic being studied.
Here's a SAMPLE NEWSLETTER from students in my middle school composition class
at Cornerstone Tutorial Center.
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Create
an advertisement for a newspaper from the time period
being studied. Example: When studying the Land Run of
Oklahoma, create an advertisement for a horse to ride
in the run.
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Write
an autobiography. For younger children, have them cut
and paste photos of themselves from birth to present day,
one to a page, and write a brief caption.
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Write
a bibliography (Author, Book Title, Publisher, Publication
Date) of the books used for researching a particular topic.
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Write
a biography of a famous person studied in the topic.
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Write
a 26-page alphabetical autobiography or biography, as
an alphabet book. "A is for Arizona. (Name of
person) was born in state of Arizona."
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Write
a Book Review of a book read about the topic.
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Create
a travel guide about a country, state, or city being studied.
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Create
and draw a cartoon that illustrates something learned
about the topic.
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Create
a catalog of items that might be available for sale during
the time period being studied.
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Illustrate
facts related to the topic with charts and graphs.
-
Write
a Consumer Guide about a product that might be available
during the time period being studied or about a scientific
invention that was studied.
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Write
a contract. Ex: Write a contract between Columbus and
the Queen relating to his sailing to the New World.
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Write
definitions to new words learned in the lesson. Keep in
a special notebook.
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Write
an editorial (Letter to Editor) for a newspaper that might
have been published during the time period being studied.
(Example: When studying William Penn, write a letter to
the editor about the need for starting a library in town.
-
Write
an essay that persuades, informs, or entertains related
to the topic.
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Write
an explanation of how something worked.
-
Write
a fable related to the topic of study.
-
Write
a story about a character who lives in the time period
being studied (historical fiction). (Character, Plot,
Theme, Setting, Point of View, Conflict)
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Create
a flyer that illustrates something learned. Example: When
studying sound, create a flyer about a new hearing aid
being developed.
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Write
an Interview of someone being studied.
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Write
a personal letter (Heading, Greeting, Body, Closing, Signature,
Envelope) to someone being studied or about someone being
studied.
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Write
a business letter (Heading, Greeting, Body, Closing, Signature,
Envelope) to the chamber of commerce to ask for brochures
and information about a state being studied.
-
Create
a magazine that illustrates what is being studied.
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Create
a menu for a restaurant of the time period; write up recipes
and then cook them. Have a special meal which includes
your recipes.
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Write
a mystery related to the topic.
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Write
a News Article/Newspaper related to the topic being studied.
Include front page stories, classified ads, cartoons,
editorials, weather, etc. Check http://www.courses.vcu.edu/ENG-jeh/BeginningReporting/Introduction/home.htm
for lessons on Journalism Reporting.
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Write
a play related to the topic.
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Write
poetry related to the topic. (Sonnet, Ballad, Haiku, Epic,
Limerick, Cinquain, Ode, Stanza, Couplet, Blank Verse).
Use 30 Days of Poetry as a guide: http://www.msrogers.com/English2/poetry/30_days_of_poetry.htm
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Write
a postcard to a friend. Pretend you are living at the
time of the event you are studying.
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Develop
and write up a questionnaire or survey related to the
topic.
-
Write
a quiz about the topic.
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Write
a report about the topic - beginning writers ((pdf document,
Acrobat Reader
needed).
1.
Sample NewsReport
2.
Sample Animal
Report
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Write
a report (Topic Sentence, Details, Organization, Closing
Statement) about the topic. 4th+
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Write
a research paper (Note Taking, Outline, First Draft, Editing,
Rewriting, Bibliography) about the topic. 7th+
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Write
a resume to get a job during the time period being studied.
7th+
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Write
riddles related to the topic.
-
Create
signs or posters related to the topic.
-
Write
a song about the topic.
-
Write
a telegram related to the topic.
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Write
a Thank You Note to someone that relates to the topic.
-
Write a letter to Henry Ford suggesting he install
a CD player in his new automobile, or write a letter
from Moses telling the Israelites what to bring on the
trip.
-
Prepare an invitation to the inauguration of President
Lincoln, the launching of the Titanic, or the lighting
of Edison’s light bulb.
-
Write a script for a play
or television show relating to a topic such as “As
the Wheel Turns”—a
show about the invention of the wheel or “Phone
Improvement”—a
show about Alexander Graham Bell.
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Create an advertisement
for a product such as silk, the printing press, rabies
vaccine, etc. and then create a brochure, poster, sign,
television ad, radio ad, or newspaper ad for it.
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Make
a travel brochure for a country or city being studied.
-
Write
a newspaper article or editorial relating to a topic
being studied such as a news flash about SCUD missiles
during Desert Storm or an editorial trying to convince
the citizens of Philadelphia they should insist that
a telegraph system be installed at the local library
-
Write a script and then video tape yourself doing
a weather forecast based on actual data collected (or
make up a pretend weather report for a pretend city)
to illustrate your understanding of weather concepts.
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Make
up a chart, graph, or diagram showing the parts of the
anatomy, how electricity works, the solar system, the
population and religions of countries of the world,
etc. Here’s where you can use computer spreadsheet
software.
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Write a speech for a political figure trying
to get elected or a citizen trying to have a law changed.
-
Make
up a schedule of events happening during the Revolution.
-
Create
a job application for an occupation from the time period
being studied'
-
Create recipes which would be eaten by
people in countries being studied, a menu for weight
loss or disease prevention, or a menu for an ethnic restaurant.
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Write a contract of sale or agreement between two
parties such as a sales contract for one of Edison’s
inventions or a contract between Columbus and the sailors
for sailing to the new world.
-
Put together a consumer
guide which compares two products such as Galileo’s
telescope with brand “X”;
compares one country with another as a vacation destination;
or compares foods for nutritional value, taste, price,
etc.
-
Write directions on how to locate a city using
a map, how to build a pyramid using simple tools, or
how to avoid lung cancer.
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Put together a directory of names, animals, collections,
diseases, etc. Include descriptions, amounts, colors,
sizes, classification, cures, symptoms, etc. This is
a good project on which to use a computer database.
-
Construct
a time line listing the events being studied and add
graphics for interest.
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Write a book report - 100's of ideas here: http://www.teachnet.com/lesson/langarts/reading/bookrepts1.html
- Use writing prompts and let them be creative! Picture prompts, Who What Where and How Prompt from Writing Fix,
.