SCIENCE IN THE NEWS

Believe it or not, science affects you EVERY day. From the minute your alarm clock goes off in the morning, to the time you spend using your brain at school, and even during the time that you spend brushing your teeth at night, science is happening all around you.

In order to become more aware of how science affects our daily lives, we will study current advances and issues within the field of science. Approximately once a month, you will be required to give a 3-5 minute oral report on science in the news.

This is an ongoing assignment that will be DUE EVERY WEDNESDAY until the end of the semester. Each article you complete is worth a maximum of 15 points. You must attach a copy of your article with your worksheet. Each week, four (or five) students will present their Science in the News article to the class for a grade. Each time you present, you can earn up to 10 points towards your participation grade in this class.

PLEASE NOTE: You need to do your best on each of these assignments. They must be neatly written, and you must use complete sentences with proper grammar. If you are asked to write a paragraph, I expect AT LEAST 5 sentences, preferably more. Your answers should be specific and should cite specific text or examples from the article as appropriate.

If your assignment is lacking in any of these areas, I will return it to you and you will need to FIX IT in order to receive any credit! (So you’d be smart to do it right the first time). You will be given 2 opportunities to fix your work. The first time, the rewrite will be due the next day of class. The second time, you will be required to stay after school to revise your work. Again, DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME! J

SCIENCE IN THE NEWS

Name ______Period ______

Date ______Your School of Study ______

Title of Article ______

Source/Date of Publication ______

Main Idea of the Article ______

______

______

Three Important Facts that Support the Main Idea

1.  ______

______

2.  ______

3.  ______

______

One Paragraph Summary

______

Infer the author’s purpose for writing this article. What is his/her attitude towards the topic? (Cite information from the text to help support your thoughts)

______

______

What do YOU think? Describe how this article connects to your personal career interests. Be specific & cite examples from what you read. Provide your thoughts on the article/topic: why it interests you, what makes this topic important, etc.

______

At least 2 unfamiliar terms (words you didn’t understand or had to look up)

______

______

Define the terms you listed above in this space.

Science in the News Oral Presentation
Grade Sheet

(2 points for each criterion)

______Voice clear and audible, no mumbling

______Proper stance; limited subconscious body movement, good posture

______Periodic eye contact

______Limited amount of word-for-word reading

______Knowledgeable of article’s content; able to answer questions from

audience (including teacher!)

Total points + /10

Comments:

Science in the News Oral Presentation
Grade Sheet

(2 points for each criterion)

______Voice clear and audible, no mumbling

______Proper stance; limited subconscious body movement, good posture

______Periodic eye contact

______Limited amount of word-for-word reading

______Knowledgeable of article’s content; able to answer questions from

audience (including teacher!)

Total points + /10

Comments: