1. Writing to Learn: Support from the Library Media Center

3. Thesis: How can school library media centers help produce better writers?

5. Many teachers believe that students hate writing… But, Maybe it’s the kind of writing teachers ask them to do that they hate.

8. World History Research Project: Narrative Throughout our study of World History, we have learned of many historical events which have caused the acquisition or loss of power . This power exchange has usually been the result of a military defeat or conquest. In an effort to determine which leader of a military action may have been the most influential throughout our world’s history, it will be the task of my students to research one military leader. The military leader may be from any time period or part of the world. The underlying purpose of this project will be three fold. First, students will practice the research process including gathering information, citing the information properly, summarizing information in their own words, and making a solid argument which has a clearly defined thesis and ample supporting information. Secondly, students will reinforce their critical reading skills by deciphering pertinent information from insignificant facts. Finally, the third purpose of this project will be for students to utilize the world history themes by incorporating at least one of the themes into their thesis. By using a variety of sources, both primary and secondary, students will use many historical thinking skills. Through the analysis of at least three sources, students will be comparing and contrasting authors’ points of view. The criteria of at least one of these sources being a primary source will force students to recreate the past based on their own findings, not simply by reading someone else’s account of what happened. Additionally, students will use this project as a way to reinforce skills outlined in the Baltimore County Public Schools curriculum for 10th grade World History. The 10th grade guide to world history has the students apply themes to events they learn about throughout the year. Even if the students’ military leader is not directly covered in the curriculum, the skill of applying that theme is an aspect of the project that is directly related to the curriculum. However, many of the military leaders that students will choose from are either directly from the curriculum, such as Napoleon, or the event that they were involved in is covered in the curriculum, such as World War I or WWII. In order to prepare students for this type of rigorous historical research, students will have to be taught and practice certain skills in the classroom prior to completing the project. These skills include finding appropriate sources, properly citing a source, writing a report in original wording, and effective reading. assignment