U.S. Constitution Project

        Working with your research partner, use the internet to find information about one of the following topics:

1.  How a bill becomes a law.
2.  The three branches of the government
3.  The Constitutional convention of 1787
4.  The Bill of Rights
5.  The Articles of Confederation
6.  Checks and Balances
 

Ben's Guide for Kids
http://bensguide.gpo.gov/3-5/index.html

    After reading The Witch of Fourth Street, students will each write his own immigrant story using the setting and characters from the book, and an immigrant character of their own creation. The directions for writing are as follows:

    1.  Using a character web, decide on your character. Where is he/she from? How old is the person?

    2.  Using the story map, create the setting for your story. Decide on the problem and how it will be solved.

    3.  After writing your notes, use the AlphaSmart computer to write a rough draft of your story.

Peaks/waves of immigration
http://www.bergen.org/AAST/Projects/Immigration/waves_of_immigration.html
 

    If each member of your group is to write a news article, you need to keep in mind just what a news article must contain. First, you need news! Then you need facts about your news. Be sure to answer the 5 w's:
 

Human Interest Story

    If you are writing a feature article, you need an event to write about, and you need to write about the 5 w's as listed above, but you also need to include some human interest in your story. How did the people who were involved feel about what happened? You may want to quote someone in your article.
 

Opinion

    If you are writing an editorial, you need to find an issue. An issue needs to have different points of view about the subject. In your editorial you need to use the 5 w's, but you need to present two sides of the issue. You need to take on side and argue your position on it.
 

Internet Links

Westward Expansion Research Topics

Oregon Trail History Library
http://www.endoftheoregontrail.org/histhome.html
This web site has a list of links to historical events and may be helpful in writing a news story.

Black Pioneers of Oregon
http://www.endoftheoregontrail.org/blakbios.html
This web site has biographical sketches of black pioneers and may be helpful in writing a human interest story.