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What causes conflicts among people, and how can resolutions be reached?

7th Grade

Bellingham Schools Research Investigation

 

 

Teacher Tips for This Project

This project can be done in a team format or as an individual project.   You might even assign some parts to be individual assignments and others as a team.  These directions are written as an individual project with teamwork in the final presentation.   

 

Beginning the Project

 

1.  Kennewick Man Introduction: Who is Kennewick Man Worksheet 

This is a document made from World Book Online.  It is followed with questions to answer to guide students’ reading and a list of vocabulary words needed for further study.  Use the worksheet as a good overview of the issue.  This worksheet helps to motivate students thinking and wondering and begins to develop a knowledge base before starting the project.  (Suggestion: use a reading strategy with this worksheet.)

Answers to Nova site worksheet: Who is Kennewick Man?
 

2.  Before beginning the project, walk the students through or teach each step of the research cycle.  Then walk your students through each step of the project, show them how the project is organized.  Test students' knowledge of the research cycle before or after the project, or while continuing with the project. 

 

3.  Before you begin the project, but after reading and discussing the answers to “Who is Kennewick Man?” teach students the procedure a judge follows in making a decision that is fair and legal.  You may use the following link to a scenario that takes students through a decision making process.  This process also mirrors the research cycle.  Making a Fair and Legal Decision Scenario

 

4.      Hopefully you have taught persuasive writing skills and genre before hand.  If not you may need to teach or review the elements of persuasive writing.

 

5.      If you would like your students to work as a group and jigsaw the project, here is one suggestion.  Use the Roles and Requirements worksheet that contains directions for this type of learning activity.

 

 

Vocabulary

 

Critical Vocabulary Words This is a link to a vocabulary worksheet you might choose to use to teach or introduce before beginning the online project. 

 

 

Create a Work Collection Folder

 

If you want to create a “work folder of assignments” for your students, here is a sample of an assignment sheet you could use.  Assignment Sheet. This assignment sheet shows the activities students are required to complete.  In this folder you might also put a copy of the document YOUR JOB, which informs students of the task(s) to do for each step of the research process.

 

 

 

Final Presentation Ideas

 

Divide into groups of 4. Each group will be a jury. Each student will read their legal brief to their group. After hearing the opinions of all group members, the group must come to a unanimous decision regarding the ownership of the Kennewick Man and share that decision with the class and give the reasons why.

 

Invite a guest from the legal field, such as a judge or lawyer, to hear your presentations. Before the guest arrives, divide the class into three groups. One group for each claimant group: the Asatru, the archaeologists, and the Umatilla Indians. Each group will compile reasons why they have claim to the bones of Kennewick man and why the others do not. Then organize the information into a decision statement that is well supported. After that, each group will select at least one member to make the presentation to the class and the legal professional. Finally, ask the legal professional to write and send to the class a decision based on the presentations and the facts presented.

 

Invite A Guest Speaker

 

Ask a person from the legal field to participate with you who may be willing to understand the project and who will teach students a simple form of a legal brief.  When students have written papers, allow the volunteer to evaluate the briefs choosing several that are exemplary for various reasons.

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

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Copyright Notice: No materials on any of the Bellingham Schools' WWW pages may be copied without express written permission unless permission is clearly stated on the page.
Creators: Peggy Zehnder, Marion Hiller Graphics: from Microsoft Online Clipart
Research modules based on use of the Research Cycle, Module Maker, and ideas in Beyond Technology by Jamie McKenzie.