10-11+Gruse

__**Character Counts Unit:**__ This sixth grade writing unit is being used to supplement the students' previous knowledge of character and the Character Counts curriculum. The students will be using the website www.CourseSites.com to reflect, analyze, and post their feelings and responses based on a variety of character-based prompts. Before the students begin their research, the students will be required to work in a small group setting to discuss what it truly means to show character and address how each student individually uses character in his/her everyday life. Through using the web 2.0 tool, CourseSites, the students will be able to interact with one another digitally as well as personally. They will have an opportunity to not only respond to their own issues of character, but also to respond to the responses of their peers.

Attached is the link to the unit plan and student work samples.

http://sbsmas.wikispaces.com/10-11+MAS+Adam+Gruse

The sixth grade weather unit is being used to supplement the students' previous knowledge of our weather unit for science class. The students will be using multiple websites to research information, share that information with his/her partner by using todaysmeet.com, write a reflective weather summary, and then post the information to wikispaces.com. Before the students begin their research, a lesson on using and finding credible sources was presented to the students to provide them with the essential information needed to complete this project. Through using these web 2.0 tools, the students will be able to interact with one another digitally as well as personally. My portion of the project was the creation and implementation of the credible sources activity and PowerPoint presentation.
 * __Weather Wiki Unit:__**

Attached is the link to the unit plan and student work samples.

http://sbsmas.wikispaces.com/10-11+MAS+Adam+Gruse

Throughout the year we have uses technology (mainly Microsoft Word) to express our thoughts creatively and digitally. We struggled in the beginning of the year with learning how to use a word processor, but once the students practiced more with it, their skills grew. Attached are multiple work samples from a variety of writing topics: issues of character, how weather affects us, and a discussion of slavery.
 * __Technology and Writing:__**

Weather and Life by Brianna Williams

"Would You Help An Escaped Slave?" by Tatianya Evans

Caring by Deron Jackson-Pugh