Today all the grade sixes and I explored the three main types of sentence structure.

We investigated the shape of  Simple, Compound and Complex Sentences, and discussed the differences between Independent and Dependent Clauses. The class realised we needed to understand the differences between the two types of clauses as they were key to our definitions. Although, to begin with we needed to form an understanding on what constitutes a sentence, which led to the following definition:

A sentence contains a complete thought or idea and it makes sense, I don’t need extra information. It contains a verb (Run!) and in most cases a verb and a subject (Johnny was told to run.)

A sentence also begins with a capital letter and ends with a full stop (or ! or ?), unfortunately something I still have to remind older students.

As with most lessons in our class we now GANAG them and begin by setting a clear goal which is connected to the AusVELS standard we are unpacking:

Investigate how complex sentences can be used in a variety of ways to elaborate, extend and explain ideas (ACELA1522)

The elaborations behind this are:

• knowing that a complex sentence typically consists of a main clause and a subordinate clause
• knowing that the function of complex sentences is to make connections between ideas, such as: to provide a reason (for example ‘He jumped up because the bell rang’); to state a purpose (for example ‘She raced home in order to confront her brother’); to express a condition (for example ‘It will break if you push it’); to make a concession (for example ’She went to work even though she was not feeling well’); to link two ideas in terms of various time relations (for example ‘Nero fiddled while Rome burned’)

When students next complete a 100WC writing task please include an example of each sentence type in your piece of writing.

The following links are for students to help student’s further their investigations and includes a couple of sites where they can test their understandings:

Our unit of work for term 1 was on Australia’s path to Federation, the three levels of government in Australia and the ways we are represented.

To complete this unit select one of the following issues, decide who you need to write to and prepare an email to send.

Local: Wilson Street traffic lights, MPPS bus shelter

State: East/West tunnel,  Biker rider’s safety, Ambulance driver’s pay, Homeless shelters, more trams and trains

Federal: Global warming, Northern Territory crocodile hunting, Asylum seekers, the Crimea conflict, TasmanIan forests

Don’t send your email till we are back at school. In the meantime think of  the following questions around the issue you choose:

What is the main problem?

What are the causes of the problem?

What are the effects and who does it effect?

What is the solution you would like to see?

Then think which level of government would be responsible and who you would need to write to.

Following on from today’s Harmony Day lesson record the following information on the country where different members of your family were born. Don’t worry if you can’t answer all of the questions. Just answer as many as you can. Please don’t post this to your blogs, place it into OneNote.

I was born in …………………….

My parents were born in …………………………………………………….

and …………………….…………………………………

My mother’s parents were born in …………………..………………………

and ………………….…………………………….

My father’s parents were born in ……………………………………………….

and ………………………………….….……….

Do you know the countries where the parents of your grandparents were born?

How many different countries are listed?

Next:

Select one of the countries that a member of their family was born in. Find out something interesting about life in that country and prepare a story to display in the Many Stories museum we will be setting up in the classroom. You can do some research about the country or ask your family if you can bring an object or photo from that country to school. You will need to bring this in during the last week of this term.

Today is Harmony Day your group’s task is to go to - http://www.harmony.gov.au/schools/teachers/lesson-plans/lesson-plan-kofis-story/

Read Kofi’s story and with your partner complete Activity 2: Refugees in Australia. This will involve reading Fact Sheet 4 – More than 60 Years of Post-war Migration

When creating your PowerPoint slides:

• check out the design templates
• use standard position, colour and styles
• only use necessary or essential information
• content should be understandable to anyone who reads it (you shouldn’t have to explain it to them)
• use colours that are contrasting but not jarring or distracting

When creating your PowerPoint slides:

• check out the design templates
• use standard position, colour and styles
• only use necessary or essential information
• content should be understandable to anyone who reads it (you shouldn’t have to explain it to them)
• use colours that are contrasting but not jarring or distracting
• if you use effects, transitions and animation try and make them relevant and consistent
• too many slides will lose your audiance

Think about the text on your slides:

• generally no more than 6 words a line
• generally no more than 6 lines a page
• no long sentences
• emphasis important information with a larger font
• keep font size at between 16 to 48
• fancy fonts can be hard to read
• have text contrast with or stand out from the background
• avoid abbreviations and acronyms
• don’t over use punctuation marks

Graphics, Images and Clipart:

• should enhance and complement the text, not overwhelm it
• should balance the slide
• generally no more then two images per slide

Finally what makes a good presentation is:

• careful planning
• thorough research
• time and Practice the actual presentation
• speaking  clearly and at a reasonable pace

Like all programs life is made easier if you know and use a few short cuts. Check out:

Finally PowerPoint is more than a presentation tool. you can also use it to create a quiz game. To find out how go to:

How to Create a Quiz Game Using Just Powerpoint

• careful planning
• thorough research
• time and Practice the actual presentation
• speaking  clearly and at a reasonable pace