Is
an answer key available?
No. Most of the homework questions are designed to be higher order
questions, so there isn't one set answer. I encourage students to
take chances and not be afraid of wrong answers. Wrong answers are
sometimes better than right answers because they let the teacher
know what the students need to know. Also, if I made an answer
key available, students would be able to simply copy from it. There
generally is more than one correct answer to problems in life, so
I don't limit students to what I expect of them. Often, they deliver
more than I could ever imagine!
Can teachers use the
lessons in the Electronic Passport?
Yes. The units are available
online and in document form. The documents and homework assignments
were all created in Microsoft Word 2000. I only ask that you
tell me how you are using the assignments. There is no charge.
Can teachers edit any
of the material?
Yes. You can download the assignments
and edit them to suit your needs. I ask that you keep the copyright
notice at the bottom of the page. Many of the documents are available
on the homework pages for each unit, but if something is missing,
e-mail me and I will be happy to send it to you. You can delete
the sections you don't want or add new sections as you see fit.
One request: if you add to my material
and use it in your classroom, please e-mail it to me. I'd like to
make it part of the Electronic Passport for everyone. I'll be happy
to give you credit for any contributions to this site.
What is a Study Sheet?
I give my students a study sheet
at the beginning of every unit. Students and their parents use the
study sheet to answer homework questions and to study for the test.
How did you get started
with this?
I developed the concept of study
sheets many years ago while teaching exceptional educational students
at Jensen Beach Elementary School in Jensen Beach, Florida. I discovered
that students were more productive if I provided them with study
guides. Parents liked the study guides because they were able to
work with their children. The lessons became more complex as I moved
to a regular education setting. I now use the same methods with
sixth and seventh grade gifted students.
Are you a real teacher?
I've been a Florida teacher since
1992. I've taught in Martin County and Palm Beach County, Florida.
I've been on the staff of Roosevelt Middle School in West Palm Beach,
Florida since August 1993.
Can you help me with
my homework?
No, I cannot respond to individuals
asking for homework help. There just aren't enough hours in the
day. I get as many as 500 e-mail messages a day, and I cannot respond
to everyone. I wish I could.
Why are there so many
bullet lists in the Electronic Passport?
The bullet lists are designed to
aid students in developing paragraph writing. I often require my
students to write one-paragraph essays based on the bulleted material.
I expect them to begin with a valid topic sentence, followed by
two or three sentences that support the topic sentence, and a conclusion
sentence that restates that topic sentence.
The first part of the assignment
is straightforward for most students. Many times the headline is
a valid topic sentence. The bullet items contain enough information
to complete their paragraphs, but be careful, not all bullet material
is relevant. Students may have to make some changes to allow the
list items to fit into the paragraph. The last section is where
students can be creative. I generally accept any conclusion so long
as it does not repeat the topic sentence verbatim, but I look for
the most "twisted" responses. At the beginning of the year, we have
a tape of Chubby Checker's "The Twist," and we dance to the best
of the conclusions.
What is a Treasure Hunt?
The Treasure Hunt is a non-graded
activity where the children work in teams to find answers to questions
related to the unit. The answers are found in one of the classroom
resources. I offer suggestions as to where the students might find
the answer, and I verify answers. The Treasure Hunt is over by a
specified time, or when one teams gets all of the answers. I use
the Treasure Hunt to explain all of the topics that I did not have
time to cove in class. An example of this is the Magna Carta in
the Middle Ages unit. After I announce the answer, I then give a
short explanation about the topic. I have recently changed my philosophy
regarding the Treasure Hunt. The Treasure Hunt is designed to build
team-building skills.
What are the Crazy Voices?
I have been a radio personality
for over twenty years and I have done stand-up comedy. I bring quite
a bit of my background into the classroom. You can find many "historical
impersonations" on the Crazy Voices page, where I become a
caveman, a hunter, a mad scientist, and more. I encourage my students
to use their creativity to make our class more interesting. One
student wrote a fantastic piece called "The
Twelve Days of Archaeology."
Are there tests available?
Everything is available on the Download
Page. The material can be downloaded quickly if you have the
free Adobe Acrobat reader. You must have Microsoft Word 2000 for
Windows if you would like to edit any of the files. The same material
is available in the form of online quizzes. Look for the box at
the top right corner of the page.
Are there any mistakes,
typos, errors, or broken links?
I have the benefit of people from
around the world looking at my site. I have learned a great deal
from people who have made improvements to the Electronic Passport.
If you see a mistake, I'd be very pleased to hear from you.
--Mike Dowling
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
January, 2002
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