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  =Sparta STEP = A Website Created by 6th Grade STEP Students  .

Welcome to the Sparta STEP page! Here we will be discussing various topics including weather, unsolved mysteries, travel, student created stories, politics, book reviews, social awareness, and whatever strikes your interest! Follow the guidelines below to begin creating your own page. Certain elements are required, but additional topics may be added to focus on your personal talents.

Objective:

 * Students will create their own web page using the Renzulli Independent Research Process.

Procedure:
Step 1: Have your permission slip signed and return with an email adress for joining purposes. Step 2: Create a user name and password (give to your teacher) Step 3: Create a name for your page (give to your teacher) Step 4: Follow the checklist as you proceed through your research. Step 5: After all criteria is met, decide what additional topics you would like to include Step 6: All students will be required to post messages on peer pages when assigned.



Criteria:
Your page must include summaries on the following:

1. One wild weather event 2. One Book Review 3. One Unsolved Mystery 4. One science/technology current event 5. One political current event 6. One social awareness topic (poverty, wars, disease, etc.) 7. One topic on "How Stuff Works" 8. A works cited page 9. One link to the I-Search Process Reflection

Additional ideas once criteria is completed: 1. Student created math problems for others to solve. 2. Travel information (either places you have visited or places you would like to go) 3. Poetry 4. Comics 5. If I were President, I would... 6. Interesting Facts 7. History Mysteries 8. Famous People 9. Student created stories/poetry 10. puzzles 11. Technology sites to visit 12. Pet information 13. Favorite animals 14. Hobbies 15. Student created invention

Technology Criteria: (Mini-lessons will be given on each of the following) 1. One Google Map 2. One "Voki" or "Gizmoz" 3. One graphic representation for each topic chosen (you may use more) 4. One video 5. One animation (again, you may use more) 6. Links to websites related to your topics



= Reflections on the “I-Search” Process = Your summaries should include: Section 1 1. Write a strong lead that interests the reader. 2. State why you were interested in this topic. 3. State what you found out after researching various websites on your topic.

Section 2 Our Research Process: 4. Describe the steps you took in the research process. 5. Tell what research problems you encountered and how you were able to resolve them. 6. Tell who added helpful posts

Section 3 What This Means to Us 7. Describe which things you learned mean the most to you and tell why they are important. 8. Describe the advantages of working with your peers posting messages to your discussion boards. 9. Tell how you developed as a researcher (for example, what do I know about gathering information now that I didn’t know before.)

Section 5 Resources: 10. Use the correct method for creating a bibliography of all the resources you used for writing this page.

STEP RESOURCES
Try this fun site to make your own art creations to post on your wiki page! http://artpad.art.com/artpad/painter/

http://artpad.art.com/?undefined

http://www.freerice.com/index.php

Writing Contests:
Check out these websites to submit any of your creative writing: http://www.cobblestonepub.com/kids.html

Discovery Education is hosting a young scientist contest - Check out this site!