An area that has been consistently challenging for my students is the writing of well-developed paragraphs. It is hard for them to use standard writing conventions within the framework of a paragraph that has a topic sentence, detail sentences, and a concluding sentence. To also try to have them use "sparkling" vocabulary and meaningful content is quite difficult. This is why I undertook to construct a project that practiced these skills. Hopefully, it will be intellectually concrete enough and interesting enough for them to do quite well.
Curriculum Standards
2.3.6 LANGUAGE: WRITTEN AND ORAL
ENGLISH LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS
Students will write descriptions that use concrete sensory details to present and support unified impressions of people, places, things, or experiences.
Students will show awareness of the knowledge and interests of the audience and establish a purpose and context.
Students will write personal and formal letters, thank-you notes, and invitations, being sure to include the date, proper salutation, body, closing, and signature.
EARTH SCIENCES
Students will know that objects in the sky move in regular and predictable patterns.
As a basis for understanding this concept, students should know the Earth is one of several planets that orbit the sun, and the moon orbits the Earth.
