Unit 1

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Unit Project: Meeting Challenges

For this unit  project, you will choose an event in the Special Olympics and research the challenges competitors face.

Special Olympics: Official Site

Part 1: Identify Questions

     You must choose an event in the Special Olympics by browsing the above link. Then you must develop an inquiry question about the competitors face in this event. 

Identify Questions Think about the unit focus question: What kind of challenges do people face and how do they meet them?

  Recall the challenges that Sam Gribley faced in My Side of the Mountain..

Brainstorm ideas for specific inquiry questions about his challenges and how he met them.

For example, you might ask,

"How did Sam meet gather enough food to survive without modern tools" or

"How did Sam overcome the challenge of Winter survival on the mountain?"

Now think about the event you chose. List the challenges competitors must overcome.

Write your Inquiry question.

Part 2: Navigate and Search

     You must conduct an effective information search and look for texts and images that can help you answer your questions. Save your sites and images using this organizer. Organizer

    You may use any of the following sites in class and you may ask Mrs Archer during computer class to conduct further searches. 

• Worldbook Online
• Wikipedia (use as a starting point not as a finishing one)
• Special Olympics: Official Site

Part 3: Analyze

     Explore websites and print materials you have found. Use the sites you found last week and add any new ones to your organizer. Determine what information is useful and complete the following form. Once the form is complete print a copy to turn in with your folder.

Part 4: Synthesize

     Combine the relevant information that you have discovered over the past to weeks and answer your inquiry question from week one. Your question may be changed slightly from week one, you may need to expand or narrow down your topic. On your checklist paper, write down your Inquiry question and 5 bullet points to how you will answer it. 

Part 5: Communicate

     Create a classroom display or present your Inquiry question to the class. Whether you choose a presentation or some sort of display, you must include your question and answers along with a brief biography about your inventor or artist. 

     Your final grade will be comprised of the following:

• 10 points: Organizer, this is the one you began on Part 2. It should include all the sites you visited. When you research a topic you must credit your sources.
• 10 points: Form, this is the form from Part 3. It should be completed. This document is used to organize your information before you start your final presentation/display.
• 30 points: Presentation/Display Your score will be based on how well you communicate your findings. 

Frindle

 by: Andrew Clements

Thunder Rose

by: Jerdine Nolen

Island of the Blue Dolphins

by: Scott O'Dell

Satchel Paige

by: Lesa Cline-Ransome

Shutting Out the Sky

by: Deborah Hopkinson

Final Vocab Test 

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