Homework Menu 6

Homework Menu #6

name: _____________________ date: _________

Directions: For homework this month you will be working on and completing projects of your choice. Below is a list of projects that you may choose from. If you have an idea of your own which is not listed, check with Russ for permission to try it. As you complete each project you will have a chance to share it with your classmates. Some projects may take more time than others to finish. To keep track of the time you spend on your homework projects, you and your parents will complete a homework time sheet that is to be turned in each Friday. When you finish one project, begin working on your next project as soon as you can. All projects will be due no later than the nearest Friday to the end of the month. At that time a new menu will be given out.

Focus of the Month: Technology

Skills Included: Reading comprehension; creative problem solving; research; interpreting/inferring; 2 and 3 dimensional artistic representation; descriptive, expository, and narrative writing; oral communication.

Project Menu:

Computers have tons of different parts, each with their own name. Create a dictionary of the parts of computers. You may include such items as the following: mouse, keyboard, CPU, LCD monitor, CRT monitor, RAM, CD ROM, inkjet printer, network, CD burner, etc. To get information to help you with this, go to the Click-n-Learn: What’s Inside a Computer website at: http://www.kids-online.net/learn/c_n_l.html Bonus idea: create a dictionary of internet terms.
When an inventor creates a new piece of technology, he or she applies to the United States Patent Office to get it patented. A patent is a type of copyright for gagets; it's a way for inventors to protect their ideas. It's not always easy to tell who invented a toy or widget, but if you go to the Be a Patent Detective! website at http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/ac/ahrpa/opa/kids/kidsearch.html , you can find out how to do this. Choose several interesting toys or gagets that list a patent number. Look them up using the U.S. Patent Office's website and find out what you can about the patent. Bring the things you looked up and make a small presentation to the rest of the class.
When people first encounter a piece of technology they have not seen before they often don’t know how to use it or even what to make of it. Create a comic strip that shows what might happen if a person from the past encountered a piece of technology from today. An idea might be to show Cleopatra being given a flashlight, George Washington discovering a chainsaw in the cherry orchard, or perhaps a caveman finding a crayon. Show as much detail as you can and help your reader to really understand what the characters would have thought if such a thing had actually happened.
Much of our modern technology is powered by electricity. Of course that means that some form of technology must be used to make it. In the Pacific Northwest, most of our electricity comes from hydroelectric dams such as the one at Grand Coulee. Create and label a model or diorama that shows how a hydroelectric dam works. Be prepared to share what you’ve learned with the class. Bonus idea: create and label a model of another type of electricity producing power plant.
Invent something that would make learning easier, more productive, or more fun. Create a detailed poster of your invention, labeling all of the parts and giving information as to how it works. Your invention could be for use by teachers, students, or both. Bonus idea: create a model of your invention.
Decide on a piece of technology that you are interested in. Perhaps you are interested in lawnmowers, telephones, ink pens ... there are many possibilities. Research the history of this technological wonder and create a written report or detailed poster describing how it has evolved over time. Bonus idea: include a timeline with your report.
Other: ____________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

Expectations: It is expected that chosen projects will be finished completely, neatly, and in a timely manner. It is also expected that students will gain a depth of understanding about their project’s topic upon completion. Further, while students are encouraged to work on one project at a time, it is entirely possible for students to complete any number of projects in the timeframe given. Students should also remember to keep homework interesting by challenging themselves to learn as much as possible and to do the best work they can.

Important: These projects will likely require mutual involvement of students and their parents. They also cannot be completed in one short evening prior to the due date. Each student will have to use their time wisely, doing a little bit at a time until a project is complete. Use the Project Planning Form to help you successfully complete your project on time.