In Newsroom this year, we started with a story telling unit. We are working on public speaking and presentation skills. The students are working to learn a story using effective performance skills. They will be telling their stories to younger students the week before winter break. Please be sure you child is practicing their story each night at home.
Once we return in January, we will begin working to develop the students’ reading, writing, speaking, and research skills through a Power of Persuasion (POP) unit. We will be focusing on the following understandings:
· There are multiple viewpoints, often based on experience.
· They need to gather reliable information to make informed decisions
· Language is powerful and the power of a message is influenced by how it is presented.
· Positions to an argument can change over time
· They can express their opinion with conviction, evidence and reasoning and respect the same in others.
Some examples of skills in which we will be working are effective listening, differentiating between fact and opinion, evaluating cause and effect, organizing and prioritizing an argument, and proper presentation skills. This unit will culminate in a District-Wide Power of Persuasion Celebration. This exciting event will be held at a Middle School (to be announced) the evening of April 25.
