Is this unreasonable?

[Parrothead]

I want to assign research papers for dd.  Not full blown dissertations.  But simple 2 page, slightly more than the 5 paragraph essay, research papers that she has to research on her own.

 

If doing that is reasonable for a 9th grader, how many are reasonable?  One for each course not due at the same time?  She could do a math paper early on since she has been doing math her entire school career.  I don't want more than one per subject.  I just don't know if one for each subject, to be done over 10 months, is too much for the average 9th grader. 

 

 

There would be one for math, biology, history, latin, art, and human geography.  So roughly six weeks between each one.

[LizzyBee]

Not unreasonable at all.  I'd consider it on the lighter end of the spectrum for 9th grade.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

I want to assign research papers for dd.  Not full blown dissertations.  But simple 2 page, slightly more than the 5 paragraph essay, research papers that she has to research on her own.

 

If doing that is reasonable for a 9th grader, how many are reasonable?  One for each course not due at the same time?  She could do a math paper early on since she has been doing math her entire school career.  I don't want more than one per subject.  I just don't know if one for each subject, to be done over 10 months, is too much for the average 9th grader. 

 

 

There would be one for math, biology, history, latin, art, and human geography.  So roughly six weeks between each one.

 

Not too much.  I taught an Intro to Lit class last year to 8-9th graders.  They worked up to a full essay from just paragraphs, then were doing one about once a month.

[Cosmos]

I want to assign research papers for dd.  Not full blown dissertations.  But simple 2 page, slightly more than the 5 paragraph essay, research papers that she has to research on her own.

 

If doing that is reasonable for a 9th grader, how many are reasonable?  One for each course not due at the same time?  She could do a math paper early on since she has been doing math her entire school career.  I don't want more than one per subject.  I just don't know if one for each subject, to be done over 10 months, is too much for the average 9th grader. 

 

 

There would be one for math, biology, history, latin, art, and human geography.  So roughly six weeks between each one.

 

May I ask a question? I'm gearing up for high school next year, so I'm reading a lot of the ninth grade threads.

 

What would she be writing about in math? I didn't write a research paper in math until I was in graduate school (or maybe upper level undergraduate). Learning how to write proofs seems like plenty without adding research. Same question with Latin. I can't really think of appropriate topics for research papers at the high-school level.

 

My plan is to focus writing in science, history, and literature (with or without research).

[Harriet Vane]

Totally reasonable. I teach writing classes and routinely assign high schoolers of all ages (including 9th graders) to do 12-15 page research papers over the course of about six weeks. My dd was in 7th grade when she wrote her first, 5-page research paper.

 

Aside from the research papers, my high school students turn in 2-3page essays every 1-3 weeks. The first week is to write it; teh second week is for revisions; the third week is if further revisions are needed. Often the third week is not needed and they just start a new essay.

[levelopourdeux]

I don't think that would be too much. I am also interested in what she would be writing about in Latin and math though.

[Parrothead]

May I ask a question? I'm gearing up for high school next year, so I'm reading a lot of the ninth grade threads.

 

What would she be writing about in math? I didn't write a research paper in math until I was in graduate school (or maybe upper level undergraduate). Learning how to write proofs seems like plenty without adding research. Same question with Latin. I can't really think of appropriate topics for research papers at the high-school level.

 

My plan is to focus writing in science, history, and literature (with or without research).

http://education.seattlepi.com/write-math-essay-2230.html

 

More suggestions from this site: http://www.brighthubeducation.com/middle-school-math-lessons/39398-math-writing-prompts/

 

 

Although students in the upper grades can benefit from writing math fiction under certain circumstances, they can also use writing to understand the way that they think. Metacognition, or thinking about thinking, is an important concept in education. When children are forced to think about their own thought processes, they clarify concepts for themselves. Reading their writing can also help you understand where your students are coming from, as well as how to help them reach their goals.

 

Here are several writing activities and prompts you can use in the math classroom to encourage metacognition:

 

Write a math biography – or a history of your feelings about math. Include your first memories about math, any math classes that affected how you feel about math, and your current feelings about math. What were your best and worst experiences with math?

Write about the subject you are learning in math class. What do you think about it? Do you find it easy or hard? Do you think it will be useful in the real world?

What is the most interesting math skill you have ever learned? Which skill do you think you’ll use the most in life? Why?

When you are struggling to do a math problem, how do you feel? What process do you use until you are finally successful?

When you get a math problem wrong (and everyone does sometimes), what is your reaction? How would you like to react?

Math is fun: agree or disagree? Discuss your answer.

What goals do you have that relate to math? How do you hope to reach those goals?

How do you study for a math test? Why do you think that your study methods work? How could you improve them?

Another thing could be a biography of a mathematician,

[Parrothead]

May I ask a question? I'm gearing up for high school next year, so I'm reading a lot of the ninth grade threads.

 

What would she be writing about in math? I didn't write a research paper in math until I was in graduate school (or maybe upper level undergraduate). Learning how to write proofs seems like plenty without adding research. Same question with Latin. I can't really think of appropriate topics for research papers at the high-school level.

 

My plan is to focus writing in science, history, and literature (with or without research).

Sorry I forgot to answer the same question about Latin.

 

Some prompts:

How did Latin develop

How did Latin spread

how did Latin becomes a dead language

Do you think latin should continue to be the language used in biological classification

Should we continue to study Latin

[Parrothead]

Totally reasonable. I teach writing classes and routinely assign high schoolers of all ages (including 9th graders) to do 12-15 page research papers over the course of about six weeks. My dd was in 7th grade when she wrote her first, 5-page research paper.

 

Aside from the research papers, my high school students turn in 2-3page essays every 1-3 weeks. The first week is to write it; teh second week is for revisions; the third week is if further revisions are needed. Often the third week is not needed and they just start a new essay.

We will be using CW Herodotus in English so there will be essays. Lots of essays to go along with the additional papers.

[Catwoman]

I want to assign research papers for dd. Not full blown dissertations. But simple 2 page, slightly more than the 5 paragraph essay, research papers that she has to research on her own.

 

If doing that is reasonable for a 9th grader, how many are reasonable? One for each course not due at the same time? She could do a math paper early on since she has been doing math her entire school career. I don't want more than one per subject. I just don't know if one for each subject, to be done over 10 months, is too much for the average 9th grader.

 

 

There would be one for math, biology, history, latin, art, and human geography. So roughly six weeks between each one.

If it's OK with you, I'm just going to follow you around and stalk you here on the high school forum, because you've been asking all the questions I've wanted to ask. :D

[Parrothead]

If it's OK with you, I'm just going to follow you around and stalk you here on the high school forum, because you've been asking all the questions I've wanted to ask. :D

It is going to be a wild ride over the next two weeks to get all this planning done.

[Catwoman]

It is going to be a wild ride over the next two weeks to get all this planning done.

I'm right there with you!!!! :svengo:

[Nscribe]

Me three.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Other ideas for Latin would be historical or cultural content that would be related to the NLE.

There's all kinds of interesting essay topics you could assign around Latin.

 

You could focus on the language itself:

 

o) Latin has no definite or indefinite articles (a, an or the).  How does impact what you can express in Latin?

o) Latin is highly inflected, English much less so.  What are some advantages/disadvantages to inflection?

o) Take two lines from some well known Latin work, and find four professional English translations of those lines.  How do they compare?

 

 

Or talk about culture:

 

o) Why did the Roman Empire last as long as it did?

o) Many people like to compare the current political situation to that of the Romans before the fall of their empire.  Is this an accurate comparison?

o) Compare and contrast the Roman government with ours.