| September 13, 2006
As you probably have heard, the 7th grade chose their research topics
yesterday. We actually were not scheduled to do this until Friday, but I
need Mrs. Zolezzi here with me when the students choose to record their
names and topics. She will not be here the rest of the week, so yesterday
seemed the appropriate time.
The students are to do NOTHING with these topics except to go on the
internet and EXPLORE. I do not expect them to have a narrowed topic on
Monday. They have no idea about most of these subjects and need to find out
what is out there that would make a good paper. For some reason, they were
trying to settle on a topic yesterday without knowing anything about the
topic except a bit here and a piece there.
Also, please do not go to the library for books until after their narrowed
topic is approved. In this wonderful age of computers, there is no need to
go to the library until they need something specific. I have told them that
they do not need an entire book on their narrowed topic, but rather,
something from a book such as their Social Studies or Science books. If
they have a topic where there is a lot of information and a complete book,
that is great, but a lot of times there will not be a complete book focused
on just their topic, so they can use their other books.
One of the best sources they have is their subject area teachers. They were
each given a subject area with their topics and that teacher knows our
routine and is more than happy to work with them. The subject area teacher
will be correcting their papers for content when they have been completed.
I am starting them so early because they take a long time in 7th grade and I
want them in before the Christmas break. We have so many days off between
now and then, that I have found the 7th grade papers take a long time.
Hopefully, we can get them done even earlier.
If you have any questions, you can always e-mail me at
jeanzanotti@hotmail.com. Students, you can talk to me daily as you see me
daily so I will not answer student e-mails.
Mrs. Zanotti
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