Just the Facts, Please
Just the Facts, Please
$160 per month
1 session per week
Teachers
Assignments
Student's informative essays and videos will be published on the Academic Warriors blog.
PenPal Schools
PenPal Schools is an online resource where students investigate aspects of a certain topic then write a paragraph answering a question about the topic being researched. Students from different countries and in the United States reply to each other's paragraph. The students' conversations are kept secure on the website. At the end of the topic being investigated students complete a project showing everything they have learned throughout the sessions they have participated in. PenPal Schools only offer services to private and public schools.
Subjects
Writing
Ages
10 - 14 years old
Sessions
Session 1: Introduction to Informational Writing
LESSON OBJECTIVES:
Students will learn how informative writing differs from persuasive, argumentative and narrative writing.
Students will examine different types of informative writing and how they are used in the media.
Students will be introduced to the research process and the research projects they will be conducting throughout the course.
Session 2: Blogging, Vlogging and Podcasts
LESSON OBJECTIVES:
Students will examine blogs, vlogs and podcasts.
Students will compare/contrast blogging, vlogging and podcasts.
Students will learn how to create a blog post and what makes a great informative blog.
Students will brainstorm for their blog topic.
HOMEWORK: Students will create a blog post. Their blog post should be between 300 - 750 words. It will be published on the Academic Warriors blog.
Session 3: Newspapers and Magazines
LESSON OBJECTIVES:
Students will examine what it's like being a news reporter for a newspaper.
Students will compare/contrast different types of articles in online newspapers and magazines.
Students will analyze why the following questions are important ask: who, what, when, where, why and how.
Students will describe the differences between facts, opinions and bias.
HOMEWORK: Find something interesting that has happened in your community and write a news report about it. Your news report will be featured on the Academic Warriors blog.
Sessions 4 - 10: In the News
LESSON OBJECTIVES:
Students will identify an important topic they would like to evaluate in PenPal Schools.
Students will complete lessons about the topic they are interested in.
Students will write a paragraph to answer a writing prompt in each lesson.
Students will reply to different students from around the world that are participating in the same research project.
Students will complete a project at the end of their research showing different aspects of the topic they had learned about.
Sessions 11-16: Fake News
LESSON OBJECTIVES:
Students will examine the affects of fake news on local communities.
Students will compare/contrast fake news and opinions.
Students will describe what propaganda, humor and satire are.
Students will explain why some news outlets release fake news into their local communities
Students will describe what makes a new outlet a credible source of information.
Students will write a paragraph to answer a writing prompt in each lesson they explore in PenPal Schools.
Students will reply to different students from around the world that are participating in the same research project.
Students will complete a project at the end of their research showing different aspects of the topic they had learned about.
