7th+Grade+Current+Events+Project

Welcome to this year's current events project. flat =**Lesson 1**= For this project you will research a current event. You are to become very familiar with the situation and try to imagine yourself in the position of the people involved and understand the issues surrounding the event.

We will be using the News on Atlas app developed my Mr. Fastiggi to find information on current events and take initial notes.

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Please go to http://www.newsonatlas.com and create your account by registering as a student with your abc-net email account.

Next, click on the News Reel option in the top left hand corner and have a look at what the news feeds from around the world are reporting. 



Next search by mousing around the map and clicking on articles of interest. Scroll down. What do you find?

Finally try searching using the Select Continent, Find Country and Find News Options.



2. Choose a current event to focus on. 3. Use the note section of the feed to record a minimum of 3 questions you need to find the answers to.

Brainstorm some ideas for questions you may want to pursue.

4. Write down 3 important facts that you have found out from the source news article.

__**Homework**__
__Make sure you can log into your Diigo account before next lesson!__

= Lessons 2 =

You will be working in **Diigo** for the next two lessons you will begin bookmarking, annotating and taking notes on the web resources you have found so far using **__News on Atlas__.**

Join your group by clicking on the correct widget below. || media type="custom" key="26507350" || media type="custom" key="26507354" || Today we define a research question.
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Task
__ Write a research question for your topic. __

Be specific! **Example: Is global warming causing ocean levels to rise?**

Look at the questions you created in Lesson 1. Develop a research question for your topic, to guide your search and note taking.

Y ou will use Diigo sticky notes, the highlighter and comments to record the most important ideas which you can use to put your talk together. Please remember to include pictures as well as text. = = =**Lessons 3-4**=
 * Smart Searching**

**Task**
__ Searching using Keywords and Phrases __ Let's look at the keywords and phrases here. Can you identify them?

"global warming", cause, "ocean levels" rise


 * Synonyms can be a great help when performing web searches. **
 * __ Can you think of any synonyms for these words that might help you in your search? __**

__** Useful Synonyms **__
 * Rise: increase, soar, ascend, escalate... **


 * __ Not Very Useful Synonyms __**
 * mutiny,prosper, intensify **


 * 1) Identify the **keywords** in your research question.
 * 2) Write these **keyword**s down, along with some useful **synonyms**, in your notes on __ **News on Atlas** __, and use them when forming your searches.(
 * __ **Remember to use quotation marks around phrases for better results.)** __
 * Use the ** online Collins Thesaurus ** if needed.
 * 1) Continue searching for more information on your current event.
 * 2) Today you will need to answer the following questions about your current event, if you have not already done so.

Add these questions to your notes on **News on Atlas** and find sources using the **Smart Search Tools** to annotate and take notes on using your __**Diigo Toolbar.**__
 * __Questions__**
 * 1) What is the current event you have chosen?
 * 2) What is one of the causes of this current event?
 * 3) What is one of the outcomes of this current event so far?
 * 4) What might some of the outcomes in the future be if this event continues?
 * 5) Who are the people or entities involved?
 * 6) Are their differing opinions on about this current event?
 * 7) What are some opinions you have been able to find about this event?
 * 8) Think about what you have learned about this current event so far. Think about the different sides and opinions involved. What is your opinion about this event?

Your next step will be to create an ebook, using iBooks Author which focuses on your current event.