> The Things You Can Read: Titanic Research Project: Building Background Knowledge

The Things You Can Read welcomes you and thanks you for your readership. We, here at The Things You Can Read, ask your help, if you visit our site regularly, please follow us either via email or Google Friend Connect.  Launched on June 7, 2012, our site has already attracted a great deal of attention.  One of the goals of the site is to feature reviews of Children's Picture Books, Young Adult novels and Adult Literary Fiction/Nonfiction.  A second goal for the blog is to be a resource for teachers of English and writing--with examples of student created writing, writing tips, resource links, and the opportunity to pick the brain of a seasoned English teacher.  To spice things up...every now and then, we'll also include random quotes and thoughts on education and life in general, but our ultimate goal is to reach out into the blogosphere and be a "Book Whisperer" and "Writing Whisperer" to children and adults of all ages.   Thank you for your readership.  Here is to a lifetime filled with reading and writing.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Titanic Research Project: Building Background Knowledge



Checkout out the NEW material that has been added to Titanic Research Project-Student Writing 2012 and 2013 Page.  We will be sharing our Research Journey with you in the coming days, weeks, and months.  Here is a sample of how we kicked the unit off.  Visit Titanic Research Project-Student Writing 2012 and 2013 Let us, here at The Things You Can Read, know if these resources are useful!

Titanic Research Unit
Building Background Knowledge
Day 1

Give each student a piece of yellow "Legal Paper". Ask them to fold it in half

Left side
What Do You Know About the Titanic?

Right Side
What Do I Want to Know About the Titanic?

Give students about 5 minutes to complete and then have them share in groups or as a class.  You decide!

NEXT

Have students read an excerpt from Exploring the Titanic by Robert D. Ballard-often an excerpt is found in literature books for middle school aged children.  

Before reading share with students background information on Robert D. Ballard

File:Robert Ballard.jpg


Discuss the excerpt

NEXT

Discuss/Review the Genre: Historical Fiction 
Read Prologue of Titanic: Unsinkable Book 1 by Gordon Korman 

Summary Courtesy of Goodreads...

Unsinkable (Titanic #1)

3.79 of 5 stars 3.79  ·   rating details  ·  638 ratings  ·  116 reviews
The ultimate action/adventure trilogy begins, with #1 bestselling author Gordon Korman plunging readers into the heart of the Titanic.

The Titanic is meant to be unsinkable, but as it begins its maiden voyage, there's plenty of danger waiting for four of its young passengers. Paddy is a stowaway, escaping a deadly past. Sophie's mother is delivered to the ship by police - after she and Sophie have been arrested. Juliana's father is an eccentric whose riches can barely hide his madness. And Alfie is hiding a secret that could get him kicked off the ship immediately.
The lives of these four passengers will be forever linked with the fate of Titanic. And the farther they get from shore, the more the danger looms.

Lastly,

Have students add to their "Legal Paper" on either or both sides
What new questions does this create?
What did they learn that they didn't know before reading this excerpt

Share what students have added as a class discussion




Check out Stunning Images of the Titanic: HERE


Worksheets for Building Background Knowledge: Click HERE


Happy Reading!
The Things You Can Read
Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books!






No comments:

Post a Comment

Your Comment is awaiting moderation. It will appear once it has been approved.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...