Mystery Research Project

Link to project description

Mystery Research Project

During the next two weeks, you will be researching a true, unsolved mystery. These mysteries could be unsolved murders, unsolved disappearances, paranormal occurrences, historical mysteries, and mysterious creatures. You will be researching police reports, news reports, eye-witness testimony, and relevant evidence. Your focus should be on a particular mystery instead of a broad topic. For instance, you could research “Area 51” instead of “Aliens.” Each person in the class will be researching a different topic. A list of possible topics can be found here. You will be turning in an eight paragraph, typed essay, a rough draft with editing and revision markings, and 10 fact note cards. Your research project should have at least five reliable sources, one of which cannot be an online source. Check the blog for updates and further instructions. This will be due on Friday, May 29.

Note cards:

The note cards for your research should be a great way to help you organize your information and also assist in avoiding plagiarism. Here are some steps to help you get started!

   

1. At the top of the card, write down the MLA citation. There are many websites that will generate the citation with minimal effort.    

       

2.  Gather facts- As you gather your facts, type them into a new card.

               

• should NOT be written in complete sentences unless they are a direct quote

• should contain facts, quotes, or statistics

• should have an average of 3-4 facts on each card
  

3. Keep the note cards organized; you may divide a sheet of paper into four parts instead of using real note cards.

Research Project:

Eight (at least) written paragraphs, 5-7 sentences each

1. Thesis statement and introduction
2. Historical background of the topic (time period, location, first occurrence) Two paragraphs
3. Modern day research/evidence (eyewitness testimony, scientific data, suspects, police reports, etc.) Two paragraphs
4. Theories/explanations (what else could it be?) Two paragraphs
5.  Closure/proving of the thesis

Anne Frank Journal Entry Options

Option A- We quickly learn that Mrs. Van Daan is a superficial person who probably only married her husband for money. Describe the perfect person to date. Are your ideals superficial? Does personality matter more than appearance? What are the best qualities a person can have?

Option B- Anne’s relationships with adults vary widely. With some, she is friendly and cordial. With others, she is combative and antagonistic. She believed that many adults just did not understand her. What are some things that you wished adults (in general) better understood about you? Why? Why don’t they understand these things?

Option C- Assume you had to hide from those who wanted to imprison and ultimately destroy you. Where would you go? Why would you go there? How would you provide for yourself? What would you do to occupy your time?

Bell-ringer and Activity

Be good today. I expect an excellent report when I return. Enjoy your abbreviated spring break. Do good thing; make me proud.

Bell-ringer:
Direction: Create and solve the equation. You cannot use a calculator.

For a field trip, four students rode in cars and the rest filled nine buses. How many students were in each bus if 472 students were on the trip? 

Directions:
Block-6th Period:
1. Do the web quest found in yesterday's post. You will have to write on your own sheet of paper. Be sure to write down the name of the website where you found your information for each question.
2. If you finish the activity, you may go to freerice.com

7th and 8th Period:
1. Finish the Non-Jewish Victims Chart
2. Do the web quest found in yesterday's post. You will have to write on your own sheet of paper. Be sure to write down the name of the website where you found your information for each question.

Bell-ringer and Web Quest

Bell-ringer.

Re-write the following sentences, correcting any grammatical, mechanical, and spelling errors. 
1. three mile island pennsylvania was the cite of the worst neuclear accident in us history.

2. On march 28 2013 at 4 am a valve got stuck open in a reacter
3. Because of this the reactor were not able to be cooled down.
4. The workers of the plant was not trained proper for the situation.
5.  A small amount of chemicals were release in the air. 

Directions for today:
1. Finish the Non-Jewish Victims chart from yesterday.  You are not finished until the whole chart is complete. This is a group grade.
2. Complete the Web Quest. This document cannot be edited. You will need to use multiple web sources (not Wikipedia!). Write your answers on your own sheet of paper. 
Click here.

Bell-ringer and Google Doc Activity

Bell-ringer:
Create an original sentence for each word from yesterday's bell-ringer. Your sentences should be at least ten words long. Make your sentences descriptive and interesting. If you did not figure out the definition of the word yesterday, then use an online dictionary.

Goals:
1. To determine and summarize the most important information from text
2. To conduct a short research project
3.To gain knowledge to make informed decisions when faced with conflict  

Non-Jewish Victims Chart
Directions: Each class has been divided into multiple groups. Each group will be working together to create a chart on google documents. Click on the link beside your name and fill in the chart using the informative websites that have been provided. The chart will be updated in real-time, so you will be able to see as your team mates add to the chart.  Each document has a section that allows group members to chat with one another. Mr. Spivy will be monitoring these documents, too.

Resources: 
Roma and Sinti--click here
Jehovah's Witnesses--click here
Physically and Mentally Handicapped--click here
Poles--click here
Homosexuals--click here
Soviet POWS--click here

Block
Group 1-Barre, Bennett, Burrows, Carpenter click here
Group 2- Cottrill, Gillis, Greenleaf, Leonard click here
Group 3- Lockhart, Lowers, Malone, McGee click here
Group 4- McMullen, Morris, Norman, Nutter click here
Group 5- Peters, Shepherd, Simmons, Stanley click here
Group 6- Stewart, Velten, Walcutt, White, Worthington click here

Fifth
Group 1- Brown, Burrows, Carmichael, Carson click here
Group 2- Chesar, Clemente, Crowson, Dent, Melrose click here
Group 3- Ferrell, Hensley, Hernandez, Hess click here
Group 4- Hickman, Hill, Jarvis, Jarrell, Martin click here
Group 5- Mitchell, Parker, Perkins, Shank click here
Group 6- Shuman, Simmons, Smith, Stephens click here

Sixth 
Group 1- Adebulu, Baker, Braniff, Bulnes, Clark click here
Group 2- Derenberger, Ellis, Fallon, Fullerton click here
Group 3- Gordon, Haga, Hayes, Kennedy click here
Group 4- Lang, Lemon, Martin, McCoy click here
Group 5- Melrose, Mills, Newland, Rosenbohm click here
Group 6- Sandmeier, Scott, Sparaco, Stiffler, Sturms click here
Group 7- Swearingen, Wilcox, Wright, Wright, Yoho click here

Seventh 
Group 1- Anthony, Clemente, Conley, Fields click here
Group 2- Gatrell, Holbert, Holbert, Hughart click here
Group 3- Hutchinson, Johnson, Keefe, Lambert click here
Group 4- Olrogg, Prim, Primm, Randolph click here
Group 5- Sams, Shedd, Smith, Smith click here
Group 6- Sprouse, Vandergrift, Vaughn, Watson, West click here

Eighth
Group 1- Bell, Barker, Barker, Burleson click here
Group 2- Cooper, Dailey, Eddleblute, Feick click here
Group 3- Fields, George, Gorrell, Grygiel click here
Group 4- Hawkins, McMullen, Moore, Moore, Shamblin click here
Group 5- Vincent, Walcutt, Wilson, Chevront click here

When the whole chart is completed, you may begin tomorrow's activity below. 
 Hitler and Himmler Web Quest--follow the directions found in the link. Click here. 

Bell-ringer and Smarter Balance

Bell-ringer: Write the sentences and define the underlined words using prior knowledge and context clues.
1. George's olfactory was damaged after smelling the noxious chemicals.
2. Though Olly thinks he is omniscient, there is quite a lot that he does not know.
3. Though today's assignment seems simple, it is actually onerous.
4. The opulent family took trips around the world and owned a fleet of Ferraris.
5. Because of my fatigue, I fell asleep during the long oration from the boring speaker.

Smarter Balance Test Practice--Must be on Chrome to work!
1. Click on the Smarter Balance link=> click here.
2. Click sign-in.
3. Select Grade 8
4. Click on the ELA Grades 6-8 Training Test (top right)
5. Scroll to the bottom and click sign-in
6. Scroll to the bottom and click "Yes, start my test"
7. Click on the sound icon (the sound does not work; because of this, guess for #4)
8. Click "yes."
9. Begin test. Read EVERYTHING.
10. FOLLOW DIRECTIONS
11. If you finish this practice test, then work on the performance task assessment.

STAR and Bell-ringer

Directions: Read ALL of the directions before you start any of the assignments.

1. Take the STAR Reading Test.
Click on the the link to get to the website. STAR Reading
Your username is student ID number (9600...)
Your password is the first letter of your first name and the first letter of your last name (ex: js)

2. Do the bell-ringer below

3. Do the grammar exercises below the bell-ringer.

Bell-ringer: 

Create and solve the equation. You cannot use a calculator. 

The Cooking Club made some pies to sell at a basketball game to raise money for the new math books. The cafeteria contributed four pies to the sale. Each pie was then cut into five pieces and sold. There were a total of 60 pieces to sell. How many pies did the club make?

Grammar Exercises:

Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers

Pronoun Agreement

Subject-Verb Agreement

When you have completed EVERYTHING, you may go to freerice.com and do some of the quizzes.