Due:  May 24

Circle your project choice on this paper and attach your completed project if possible. 

You may need to complete some work at home.  You will have two STAR block periods to work at school. 

Project #1. The frindle is just one of Nick's great ideas. Brainstorm about ways you could improve your own school. How can you turn your ideas into action? Write a paragraph introducing a realistic idea to improve your classroom or Grant Elementary in general.  Include a plan of action - how can this idea help the students, teachers or community. Who would benefit/be involved? What extra work or money would be needed? How would you implement your plan? Think of all the "pros" and "cons". What do others think? Give reasons to support your idea. Note: Paragraphs must be approximately 100 words (aprox. 10 lines) or more.

Project #2. Internet: There are also playful ways to boost your word power.

Do both a) & b) below.

a)Use the internet to play at least two of the following games. This may be done at home or at school.  Have your parent/guardian or teacher sign the "Game Form"

Spellaroo - http://www.funbrain.com/spellroo/index.html

Rooting for words - http://www.funbrain.com/roots/index.html

The Plural Girls - http://www.funbrain.com/plurals/index.html

Word Confusion -http://www.funbrain.com/whichword/index.html

b) Also complete the critical thinking “analogies” worksheets

Project #3 Working with words. Play the internet game of "Synonym - Walk the Plank" at  http://www.firstschoolyears.com/literacy/word/other/synonyms/interactive/synonyms.htm and then do the following:

Words I.  When Nick decides to call a pen a frindle, he creates a new synonym for a word that has few. But many words, such as friend or attractive or ugly, already have several common synonyms. Use a Thesaurus or the internet resources below to make a list of interesting words that could be used instead of said or loud.

b) From a Thesaurus or the internet sites given, list 10 words each that could be used instead of "said"or "loud".

Internet resource: "said" -  http://www.spwickstrom.com/said/

"Synonyms for loud" - http://jymkruse.com/lv4kpwr.html

Make a gravestone for an overused boring word.

Project #4 Create your own invention! Perhaps your dog needs it's own exercise machine or ball thrower, perhaps you need waterproof runners that roll up to play in the puddles?  Do pencils need improvement? Can you think of anything that you could add to the ordinary pencil to make it become more useful or fun? Create an advertising campaign for your invention, or someone else's to be used on radio, TV, or in newspapers, or magazines. Write a slogan or jingle to promote your invention. Radio - could be a script or record your own ad on movie maker on the netbook; (Read or act out this ad in front of class - ** may be done with a partner) T.V. - videotape yourself, write a script with description of what characters say and do.

Project 5 “Every good story," Mrs. Granger writes to Nick, "needs a bad guy, don't you think?" Do you agree? Does every good story have a villain? Can you think of any that don't? Write a paragraph which discusses the first statement. Include at least three stories that you have read to support your view. Explain who the main character/villian was and a brief idea of what the story was about.

Project #6  Inventors Baseball Cards - use the encyclopedia, internet or library to research information about a famous inventor then make your own inventor "baseball" card. Use the tag board provided or cut out your own 3 1/2 " by 2 1/2 " card. Draw a picture of your inventor on the front and color it in. Write the name of the inventor below or above the picture. On the back, near the top of the card write the inventor's name again and his/her invention.  Give a short history about the inventor and/or his invention including dates. Do two inventors.

Project #7 Mrs. Granger is a firm believer in improving your vocabulary. Look at the words in the list below and choose 4 of them. What do you think they mean? Write down your first idea then use a dictionary to look up the correct definition. Write down the correct meaning and then try to think of one other definition which may fool others into choosing it. When you are done you will have 4 words with 3 definitions each. One definition will be correct; the other two will be false. Can you fool anyone? ( 5 points)

Example: The word “addle” means:

a) A slow walk

b) To add more than 10 numbers

c) To become confused

Word List:  peruke,  jute,  canard,  wizened,  loquacious, daft,  expound, obtuse, intersperse.