[LM_NET] VENT: Frustrated with end-of-the-year Projects

[Kay Goss <klg@TNP.MORE.NET>]

Dear LM_NETters:

Are the rest of you as frustrated with end-of-the-year kill time projects as
I am?
All of the sixth graders are doing a project on a continent (what happened
to countries?)
I have surmised that they need a map of the continent and pictures of
landmarks and animals that live there.

7-8th graders are doing science portfolios with one page of a definition
such as motion and a picture to illustrate it.

My frustration besides the fact I only have a few books on the continents,
is that the teachers have not given the students guidance.

A student yesterday typed Afrika into ask.com and printed out 20 pages of
information in another language.

A boy this morning began printing picture after picture of animals until I
caught him and shut the printer off.

I have tried to be proactive.
1. Created a research rubric
2. Presented a workshop for teachers suggesting reading and writing projects

3. Handout-planning your research project.
    Make sure students know how to spell their topic
    Limit number of pages students print
    Use print preview to print only the first page of a website
    Copy and paste pictures into word to print more than one picture on a
page
    Limit student searches to 2-3 reliable sites that you have already
investigated


Thanks for listening.

 
 
 
 
Kay Goss
Director, Library Media Services
Mansfield Secondary Library Grades 6-12
316 West Ohio Ave. Mansfield, MO. 65704
Home of Laura Ingalls Wilder
417-924-3236 Ext. 311
klg@tnp.more.net
 
"The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel,
must be intolerably stupid." Jane Austen
 

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