How To Create Your OWN Version of "MONU-Mental..."
Prewriting:
- Choose a monument, building, statue, battleground, etc. that interests you. It might be one you are learning about in social studies or it might be a monument in your very own home town.
- Fold a piece of notebook paper into 3 horizontal sections. Label the sections "K," "W," and "L." Beneath the "K", jot down everything you already KNOW about this time and place.
- Beneath the "W," jot down everything you WANT to KNOW about your city. Have you wondered why that monument was in the town square? Jot down your questions.
- Begin your research by answering your questions. Use the media center or the World Wide Web to find your answers. As you read and browse, beneath the "L," write down all that you LEARN.
- Search for music, advertisements, fashions, famous people who lived during the time period, etc., that will help your readers truly experience this era. You may add sound clips and graphics web pages to make your project come alive.
- Collect or draw pictures that illustrate the story.
Research
- Include at least 3 print resources and 2 Internet sites. (This may be revised by your teacher)
- Include a bibliography of the resources you use with your story.
Writing
Use your notes to begin writing your story. Include details about when, why, and how this monument came to be. Know your facts, but remember to include stories about the people who made the monument happen. Tell your readers the most interesting things you discovered.
Edit your final copy for correctness and clarity. Include a bibliography of the resources you used. (NOTE: Use MidLink's handy "How to Cite Your Sources" page.) Always let a friend read your paper to help with editing.
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Illustrating Your Story
Make your story come alive with graphics! Choose one or more of these ways:
- Create an original picture in any graphics program (Kidpix, HyperStudio, ClarisWorks painting or drawing, MSPaint, Photoshop, etc.) and save it as a pict, jpg, or gif file.
- Use graphics from the Internet. NOTE: Remember to ask permission to use these graphics. Use these handy forms letters.
- Draw a picture and scan it.
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The Final Product: Choose one!
- Use your word processor to write your report. Use the drawing tools to draw a picture of your monument.
- Create a PowerPoint presentation or HyperStudio stack. We can put a limited number of projects on our web server.
- Create web pages to about your monument. Include digital pictures or drawings. Add links to related sites on the Internet.
