REMOTE LEARNING WITH STUDYSYNCcontent.studysync.com/support/2/5Day-MiniLesson-MK... · • Poster Board: Create a poster displaying the lyrics to your anthem. Add pictures or words

StudySync — 5-Day Mini Units for Grades 6-12 1

REMOTE LEARNING WITH STUDYSYNC5-Day Mini Units for Grades 6-12

We understand the challenge of supporting students remotely. To help you get started with your remote learning instruction, here are a week’s worth of lessons for each grade level developed by our Implementation team. Designed thematically, think of these mini-units as a starting point for your planning.

These lesson plans were written to engage students with Reading and Writing. They can be delivered digitally or in print (including the texts).

• View instructions on how to print materials for a packet in this video: “Printing for the 5-day Mini Units” and PDF: “Printing or Creating PDFs From the Library.”

• Find Student Facing instructions on how to search the library in this video.: “How to Find a Text in the Library” and PDF: “Searching Specific Texts in the Library - Student Version.”

Let the StudySync community know how you are doing via social media channels using #SyncUpChat or email us at [email protected] with tips that you would like to share with your StudySync peers.

Questions? Please reach out to our Implementation Team at [email protected].

https://vimeo.com/399238745/54f87e7c01

https://vimeo.com/399238745/54f87e7c01

http://content.studysync.com/support/2/Printing-or-Creating-PDFs-MK-V1.pdf

https://vimeo.com/399238808/cba724b65b

https://vimeo.com/399238808/cba724b65b

http://content.studysync.com/support/2/Searching-Specific-Texts-Students-MK-V1.pdf


TEACHER LESSON PREPARATIONDAY ONLINE OFFLINE

PLAN Teacher assigns an online Blast to students. Decide how you want students to submit their work for Days 2, 4 & 5.

Print and distribute a packet containing Lesson Plans, the Blast, a selection of the Blast’s Research Links (if students will have no internet access), and the Self Selected Texts.

Decide how and if you want to collect responses from students.

DAY 1 Instruct students to read and annotate the Blast background and answer the prompt.

Instruct students to read and annotate the Blast background and answer the prompt.

DAY 2 Direct students to return to the Blast assignment and click on research links. They should write a paragraph or notes making connections among them.

Direct students to read printed research links or access them on a smart device/ computer and write a paragraph/ notes making connections among them.

DAY 3 Instruct students to use the StudySync Library to preview each text from the list provided. Then they will select one. Students will read the text and consider the question.

Instruct students to select one of the printed texts from those provided in your packet. Students will read the text and consider the question.

DAY 4 Have students follow the instructions to complete the activity on Day 4.

In a notebook, have students follow the instructions to complete the activity on Day 4.

Note: If you are an 8th grade teacher, here is an alternative offline option for Day 4 that works offline:

Students, interview someone older in your household and ask them the following questions: How do you think music impacts society? Do you think it's had an impact on the past? How? Is music impacting our society presently? How? Take notes and write a paragraph to share their viewpoint.

DAY 5 Students will choose one of the Creative Extension activities to complete.

Students will choose one of the Creative Extension activities to complete based on their access to technology.


GRADE 6Theme: The Power of Music

DAY STUDENT ACTIVITY

DAY 1 BLAST: Your Fight Song

PROMPT: What makes a song an anthem?

Read and annotate the Blast background. Respond to the prompt, “What makes a song an anthem?”

DAY 2 EXPLORE the Blast Research Links. Consider how the topic and ideas presented on the site connect with the ideas presented in Your Fight Song. Write a paragraph or create a bullet-point list on how they connect.

Research Links:

The Let It Go Phenomenon

Colorful Anthem Lyrics From Around the World

The Treachery and Grandeur of the Star-Spangled Banner

The Best Stadium Anthems

How “Respect” Became an Anthem

DAY 3 Visit the Texts tab in the Library, explore the self-selected texts below.

• A Long Way From Chicago by Richard Peck (Fiction)

• Holes by Louis Sachar (Fiction)

• We’re on the Same Team by Jacki Jing (Non-Fiction)

• The Worm by Ralph Bergenren (Poem)

• Hope was Here by Joan Bauer (Fiction)

SELECT one text that grabs your attention. Think, what more about the subject matter are you in the mood to read at this moment?

Read the text independently then consider what theme songs or anthems might arise from the ideas and events that occur in the text you selected.

DAY 4 COMPLETE the activity below to further explore the ideas and topics presented in the Blast Your Fight Song and your self-selected text.

Connection Activity:

Discussion

Discuss with family members, household or via technology with peers songs that have been memorable to you. Generate a list of responses and compare the similarities and differences between ideas and thoughts.

DAY 5 CHOOSE one of the following activities to further your understanding of the Blast topic for the week.

Creative Extension:

• Expand on your original Blasts response: What makes a song an anthem? Research and choose an anthem for one of the characters you read about in your Self-Selected Reading.

• Poster Board: Create a poster displaying the lyrics to your anthem. Add pictures or words to explain how they relate to your life.

• Video Response: Make a video of you and your family enjoying their favorite music. Whose music speaks to your family?

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READ and annotate the Blast background. Respond to the prompt, “What makes a song an anthem?”


Research Links:






DAY 3 In the Library, explore the self-selected texts below.

• Same Song by Pat Mora (Poem)

• Hope Was Here by Joan Bauer (Fiction)

• Witnesses To Freedom: Young People Who Fought For Civil Rights by Belinda Rochelle (Non-Fiction)

• The Third Elevator by Aimee Bender (Fiction)

• British Goblins: Welsh Folk-Lore, Fairy Mythology, Legends and Traditions by Wirt Sikes (Non-Fiction)


READ the text independently then consider what theme songs or anthems might arise from the ideas and events that occur in the text you selected.


Connection Activities:

Writer’s Notebook

Freewrite in your Writer’s Notebooks in response to the following question: How can music bring people together and help people form connections? Why is it able to do this?


Creative Extension:

• Journal Prompt: How does music move you? Give at least 3 examples

• PowerPoint: Create a slideshow showing occasions (in pictures and words) when music has brought people together.

• Expand on your original Blasts response: What makes a song an anthem? If you were to write an anthem about a current event in your life, what would it be about? Why?













Research Links:







• Speech at the United Nations by Malala Yousafzai

• Woodsong by Gary Paulsen

• A Beacon of Hope: The Story of Hannah Herbst by Rebecca Harrington

• Rainbow’s Journey by Jacob Abbott

• I Am Offering this Poem by Jimmy Santiago Baca

SELECT one text that grabs your attention. Think, what more about the subject matter are you in the mood to read in this moment?

READ the text independently then consider what theme songs or anthems might arise from the ideas and events that occur in the text you selected.

DAY 4 COMPLETE the activity below to further explore and compare the ideas and topics presented in the Blast Your Fight Song and your self-selected text.

Connection Activity:

Virtual Scavenger Hunt

Have students work to find out more information about anthems or theme songs that captured a movement or time, by locating a video or audio clip of a song that united, uplifted, or changed the world during one these times or movements:

• The Civil Rights Movement

• The Revolutionary War

• Environmental Change

• Vietnam/Anti War Movement

Explain the connection between the anthem or song of a movement and the significance and impact it had during that time. Then, challenge students to make connections between the anthem or song and another text from StudySync library.

You are encouraged to add new information to what you already know and share your learning.









Creative Extension:

• Journal Prompt: Think about a song that gives you hope and speaks for who you are at this time in your life. Write about that song explaining why it empowers you and speaks to your identity.

• Poster Board: Create a poster displaying the lyrics to your anthem. Add pictures or words to explain how they relate to your life.

• Video Response: Get moving by recording yourself and family member or friend performing your theme song! Be creative by considering props, dance moves, or personalizing some of the lyrics.


GRADE 9-10Theme: The Power of Music






Research Links:






DAY 3 In the Library, EXPLORE the self-selected texts below.

• Sympathy - Paul Laurence Dunbar (Poem)

• Strike a Chord (Blast)

• The Voice That Challenged a Nation: Marian Anderson and the Struggle for Equal Rights - Russell Freedman (Non-Fiction)

• M’sieu Fortier’s Violin - Alice Dunbar-Nelson (Fiction)

• Delta Blues: The Life and Times of the Mississippi Masters Who Revolutionized American Musics - Ted Gioia (Non- Fiction)


READ the text independently and consider the role of music in society.


Connection Activities:

Writer’s Notebook

Freewrite in your Writer’s Notebooks in response to the following question: How can music affect people's lives? Does it have the power to affect society? How?


Creative Extension:

• Journal Prompt: Music is often more than just music. Why is music so emotionally powerful? What music has an effect on you emotionally? Why?

• Expand on your original Blasts response: What makes a song an anthem? Use your Blast response as a claim and expand on your ideas.

• Video Response: Record yourself performing a song or spoken word poetry. The poem or song can be an original creation or written by someone else. In the video explain why this song or poem is powerful.







GRADE 11-12Theme: The Power of Music





DAY 2 Explore the Blast Research Links. Consider how the topic and ideas presented on the site connect with the ideas presented in Your Fight Song. Write a paragraph or create a bullet-point list on how they connect.

Research Links:







• “I Hear America Singing” by Walt Whitman (Poem)

• “Everyone is Going Through Something” by Kevin Love (Essay)

• “Lift Every Voice and Sing” by James Weldon Johnson (Poem)

• “Beneath the Lyrics of Leon Bridges” by Breanna J. McDaniel (Non-fiction)

SELECT one text that grabs your attention. Think, what more about the subject matter are you in the mood to read in this moment?

READ the text independently then consider the role of music in society.


Discussion

Discuss (with family members, household or via technology with peers) the power of music in helping society cope with challenges. Generate a list of responses and compare the similarities and differences between ideas and thoughts.


Creative Extension:

• Journal Prompt: If you could curate a soundtrack for how you’re feeling today which artists and songs would you choose? Why?

• Expand on your original Blasts response: Use your blast response as your claim and finish writing a paragraph about the role of anthems in society.

• Video Response: Create a vlog that you could share with your classmates answering the questions: How can someone use music to get through a difficult time? What type of music or specific songs do you recommend?






Documents

REMOTE LEARNING WITH STUDYSYNCcontent.studysync.com/support/2/5Day-MiniLesson-MK... · • Poster Board: Create a poster displaying the lyrics to your anthem. Add pictures or words