Page 77 - SpringBoard_CloseReading_Workshop_Grade7_Flipbook

Close Reading of informational Texts in social studies/history (continued)
ACTIvITy 4
Synthesis Questions
Your teacher may choose or ask you to choose one of the following assessments as a way of showing your understanding of the texts you have read.
Writing Prompt: Revisit the work you have done with the texts in this workshop to identify tone and purpose. Note that the purpose of each text affects the writer’s tone. Choose a building, monument, or location near your home, and write a descriptive essay with a clear tone and purpose. State your intended purpose clearly in the title or introduction.
Debate/Discussion: In March of 2013, Russian photographer Vadim Makhorov shared photographs that he had taken when he climbed to the top of the Great Pyramid of Giza. The photographs provoked a debate, in part because climbing
the pyramid is an illegal act. In response to critics, Makhorov apologized and said, “We didn’t want to insult anyone. We were just following the dream.” Prepare to debate or discuss the extent to which individuals should be allowed access to sites of cultural or historic significance. Conduct research into the international treaty, “Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage,” adopted by UNESCO in 1972. Participate in a class discussion about the relative importance of personal freedom when it conflicts with the preservation of World Heritage sites.
Multimedia Presentation: The Great Pyramid of Giza is one of the original “Seven Wonders of the World.” The Seven Wonders of the World was a list compiled by
the ancient Greeks of the most notable locales in their known world. In later years, different groups have proposed new lists of “wonders” such as the “Seven Wonders of the Modern World” and the “Seven Natural Wonders of the World.” Explore
both the original list and some of the new lists of “wonders.” Choose one site and find images and texts that illustrate what people found impressive about this site. Present your findings as a video or slideshow.
Reflection
Think about what you have learned from your close reading and analysis of the passages you have read in this workshop.
1. How does a writer’s purpose affect the way that writer describes something?
2. In this workshop, you have learned how to make meaning of different texts.
How can you use what you have learned to help you as you encounter challenging texts in the future? What strategies best helped you as a
learner during this workshop? When and why would you use these strategies in the future?
76 SpringBoard® English Language Arts Grade 7
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