Category: Research Papers
“You Can’t Take a Donkey and Make Him Win the Kentucky Derby.” (With Example.)
We had our district-wide kick-off assembly this morning. Snacks were a little skimpy: muffin in a cup, fruit in a cup, juice, coffee. Bacon or other pork product was nowhere in sight. It was supposed to last us from 8 until noon. It didn’t, I can tell you what. I was seriously dopey (oxymoron?) by […]
Continue Reading...The Titanic Finally Really Sinks! (Also: Sidekicks.)
First year ever! No Titanic! O. M. G. The average is about 7 or 8. The record was the 1997-98 school year with, count’em, 27. There was a renaissance in 2010, with about 20. I’m talking about research papers. And finally, for the first time since I started at this school in 1993, I won’t […]
Continue Reading...Best Misspelling Ever (Also: Research Rerun)
When my eighth graders were reading Flowers for Algernon, they all laughed at Charlie’s spelling in the early Progris Riport (sic) entries. It happens every time I do that story. But as you all know, Charlie ain’t got nothin’ on your typical middle schooler when it comes to creative spelling: radickulus begging (for beginning — […]
Continue Reading...Wish I had at least one this year…
No, I’m not dead yet. Though they are slowly killing me this year. I haven’t posted much lately because: 1. The kids turned in their research papers last week. I have turn-in timed every year, so that if I read about 12 per day, I finish the day before the last day. This year it’s […]
Continue Reading...I’ll take 32, please.
We’re at the halfway point in the research process; one week in, one week to go. You can tell how exciting this past week has been by the lack of snappy posts. There are still about a dozen shmarties who basically haven’t started, but most seem to have something going on. The Titanic is […]
Continue Reading...CSI?
Every year, I threaten to stop putting myself through this. As I have said before, let social studies or someone else teach the research paper. Let someone else slog through in-text citations. (“What? After every fact? There’s gonna be a ton of them.” Yes, I know.) Let someone else read another encyclopedia paper about the […]
Continue Reading...Whatever it is…it ain’t working.
Prologue: “Nancy” (she of fraternal twin fame) announced yesterday, “They changed my medicine, and I’m supposed to be able to pay attention better now.” Let’s see how that goes. Here on Earth. That dreaded time of year is at hand: Research. We’re going into the library next week, and we’re trying to get topics dialed […]
Continue Reading...Do the Math.
There was a comment over at seventhgradeenglish.com (how’s that for cross-promotion?) about how the commenter had just finished The Outsiders for the 75th time, and watched the movie at least as many times. Twenty five years times 3x each year. Several thoughts ran through my mind as I read the post. One: Yessss. Another veteran […]
Continue Reading...More Research Follies (Also: “How do I raise my grade?”*)
Today was our last day in the library. Today I collected one page of their paper. I don’t have the time or the inclination to have them write rough drafts, correct them all, and then do it again with the final drafts. No dice, Cheese Slice. So I tell them to take whatever section of […]
Continue Reading...Open Mouth Democracy?
First off: Ok, Ok. I’m starting to find my happy place with research. Thank you for the comments and suggestions; I think next year will be better. You guys gave me some good ideas. We’re working on outlines this week, prepping for research. Among other activities, I give them partially completed outlines and word banks […]
Continue Reading...Research This II. (Also: More Obliviousness.)
Yesterday I whined about research papers. But I think I’m starting to get this research thing dialed in a bit. It all starts with the right questions. Here’s the list from yesterday. We’re trying to decide which ones would be good research-type questions. 1. Why are flamingos pink? 2. Who invented the car? 3. What […]
Continue Reading...Research This.
Raise your hand if you are sick of teaching the dreaded “research paper.” Not to mention having to read the gems you usually end up with. I know, I know, it’s my job to show them how to find the joy in learning how to research and prove their thesis that dolphins would make a […]
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