Dear Parents,                                                               November 30^th, 2009

Denise DeSart-Strasser           

 Dear Parents,                        February 19, 2010


    We will begin working on our research paper next week. This letter is to give you the specifics of the paper and the person that your son or daughter will research.
    Your child has chosen _____________________ as the person that he/she will research. Students were allowed to choose from a list provided. The list was based on availability of information. The people on the list were chosen because of the ease with which an outline can be taught using the life of a person.
     There is a time line on the back that gives all due dates and grade dates. The date that involves you is the first, resources.  This is the date by which your child must have three resources at school from which we can begin to work. Some of these resources will come from your local library.  The breakdown of resources needs to be as such:

1. A minimum of two books, other than an encyclopedia, is to be used.
2. One reference (encyclopedia book or CD) source must be used but reference books are not to be more than one-third of all resources.
3. Internet sources may be used, but are above and beyond the listed minimums.
4. Periodicals may be used, but are above and beyond the listed minimums.

Beginning Thursday, February 25th, your child will need to bring his/her resources to class every day. We will be using the books for writing note cards and bibliographies.
    Beyond the trip to the library to research, checking out resources and purchasing note cards (if you haven’t brought them to school) most of the work will be done in school. Time management will be important for your child for this assignment but ample time will be given during class for most of the work on this paper.
    Please keep this handy to help remind your son or daughter about deadlines coming and ask about his/her progress.
    Thank you for your support in this project.

Sincerely,


Denise DeSart-Strasser




I have seen and read the parent research letter sent home Friday, February 19, 2010.


_____________________________                                    ____________________
Parent signature                            date

 

                                September 17, 2009



Dear Parents,

As part of the 6th grade social studies and Minnesota history curriculum, the students complete a research project.  Students research their family’s history.  We will be using the skills of researching, interviewing, writing, and more.  This project is not due until January 26, 2010 but starting now has many benefits.

    This project consists of several aspects:
1. Photographs are to be collected of relatives.  Pictures will be mounted by the students, labeled, and handed in with the project.  Please take all photos , and photocopy them at a store.  Photo- copies  cost 3-5 cents each.  
2. Documents are to be collected.  These could include birth certificates, marriage licenses, report cards, awards, and other scrapbook type stuff.  These will also be mounted and handed in with the project.  Please send only photocopies of these things as well.
3.  A family tree will be assembled to the best of your knowledge.  I realize that this could be a very fragmented section.
4. An interview with a grandparent of another older relative is completed.  You know who the keeper of the family’s stories is!  I will provide some questions for use in this interview.  Your child should use most of the questions and will also add some of their own.  This interview needs to be saved on cassette or videotape.  This preserves not only the information, but the voice of the person.  I still have a tape of my grandfather, and it has become a family heirloom!
5. Having fun as a family!  My hope is to have you and your child spend time together discovering your family.  I think you will enjoy digging through those boxes of old photographs and your children will enjoy the discoveries they make about their past!

This project, as a finished product, could end up being volumes.  Please choose an area of focus as you help your child narrow things down.  Possibilities could include:  one side of the family, one person, veterans, a particularly interesting or colorful member of the family, all wedding photographs,, all grade school or high school classes, a family homestead, etc.  I am sure that ideas will emerge as you begin talking and going through scrapbooks.

Once again, I hope that you will enjoy this project as much as the kids do!  Please feel free to give me a call if you have any questions.


                                Sincerely,



                                Mrs. Jahr
 

6th Grade Family History
Project Grading


Photo/Scrap Book
Family Tree
Taped Interview
Written Story/Questions
    a)  Write out one interesting longer story from the interview.
    b)  Write out the answers to 10 questions from the interview.



PHOTO ALBUM
    1------------------------------------------------------------------------------------10
Messy, very little                        Variety of photos and
work put into it.                        documents.  Neatly                                         arranged and labeled.

FAMILY TREE
    1------------------------------------------------------------------------------------10
Very little filled in.                        As complete as possible.
Messy                            Neat   

TAPED INTERVIEW
    1------------------------------------------------------------------------------------10
You do not have a                     All questions put to the
complete list of questions.                to grandparent or relative.
You know none of the                 Taped and tape handed in.
answers. No tape.                    You know the answers.

WRITTEN STORY/QUESTIONS
    1------------------------------------------------------------------------------------10
Messy, one word answers.                Neatly written or typed.
Short as possible.                    Selections chosen for
                                special interest. Complete
                                answers or story.                   

 Dear Parents,          

    During the month of February the students in 6th grade will be using the "Health" magazine for Health. In this magazine we will be talking about our brain, jealousy, dental health and dancing.   During PE we will be learning some dance steps that we could do at the Sock Hop that the PTFA is putting on February 19th

Mrs. Strasser