Research Resources (Jan. 13th and 17th)

Dear Class,

Here are some resources for you as you do your research today. Remember, you have two research goals today.

1. Pick out your top three book choices for the book group.
2. Decide on a topic for your research project.

Book Choices
You can find the powerpoint I showed you in class last time here.
Another resource is this pinboard that shows you each of the books.

 On this board, you click on the picture of a book and it will take you to that picture's page. 

 If you click on the picture of the book again, it will take you to the Goodreads page for the book.

 This page gives you a summary, and, if you scroll down, you can see other people's reviews of the books. These can help you get a sense of whether or not you would like the book.

Remember to fill out your book choice worksheet/permission slip completely so that your parents can get a good idea of what you want to read. They are due next class period.

Research Topic
Remember that your research topic does not have to be the same one as the book you read. You can choose any topic you like as long as...

• It's school appropriate.
• It represents a culture outside of the United States.
• The aspect of culture you choose is relevant to the current time (so, no ancient civilizations/ruins unless they play a big part in the culture right now).
• It is specific.

If you're not sure where to start, think of a place you're already interested in traveling to or learning about. You can start by researching a country or region (say, China) and look for interesting traditions, festivals, foods, etc. that you could focus in on.

You can use any reliable websites your want for your research.  Here are some places where you can find some ideas and information.

• National Geographic- Obviously, this site has a lot of reliable and up to date information
• If you want to look up the National Geographic videos specifically, like the ones we watched in class, you can click here, then look under "Travel & Culture Videos."
• Culture Grams- This is a collection of cultural information.
• World Book Encyclopedia- Great source for general facts about a country/culture.

When you've chosen your topic (which you'll have to stick with, so choose carefully!), fill out the approval form and turn it in to the basket.

Please work hard, stay on task, and be good for the sub! I really appreciate that I can trust you guys to be good even when I'm not there. You're the best!
-Mrs. Harrell