Camp Timber-Lee Field Trip has always been a highlight of the students' sixth grade year.  We enjoy a three day/two night stay at the all inclusive camp.  After the excursion, each student must write an article to include in a newspaper in which to  remember the trip.  Pictures will be included taken from a digital camera.  Students not being able to troubleshoot problems that occur will look for guidance from one of the four or five previously trained students in the class.  This newspaper will be wonderful for students, parents and faculty to enjoy!

Goals:
*Students will create a web site newspaper to share their stories with friends and family over the Internet.

*Students will choose a picture to go with their newspaper article and take it from the digital camera and insert it into the web site.

*Students will work collaboratively while creating the newspaper.

*Students will write for an authentic audience which will enhance their need for a well written article.

*Students will learn about some of the technology available to them at school.

Illinois State Goals and Standards for English/Language Arts being met are:
State Goal 3: Write to communicate for a variety of purposes.

3.B.3a Produce documents that convey a clear understanding and interpretation of ideas and information and display focus, organization, elaboration and coherence.
               
3.B.3b Edit and revise for word choice, organization, consistent point of view and transitions among paragraphs using contemporary technology and formats suitable for submission and/or publication.
               
3.C.3a Compose narrative...writing(s)...for a specified audience.
               
3.C.3b Using available technology, produce compositions and multimedia works for specified  audiences.

Technology:
    *Microsoft Word

    *Digital Camera

Process:
    *First, the students and faculty go on the field trip which allows the students to experience the camp.

    *As a class, we will brainstorm ideas of topics which the students can write about the camp.  Each student will write about something different.

    *After each student has chosen a topic to write about, the student will complete an interactive web site to tell me about their subject and the deadlines they have chosen or the class has chosen.

    *After their proposals have been accepted, each student will write an article to tell about one particular experience.

    *Once the students have their papers written, they will be peer edited.

    *Students will revise the papers and write them on Microsoft Word.

    *Once the students have typed out their papers, four students in class will be in charge of creating a newspaper style to the text and putting all of the articles together.

    *Each student will pick out the picture they want to put with their article in the newspaper.

    *The newspaper will be linked to the school web site so parents, students, and faculty can enjoy!

Web pages used:
    * Six-cess Newspaper

    * Interactive Proposal Writing Assistant

     * Sixth Grade Homepage

Conclusion:  When the students work on this project, they will be accomplishing two seperate goals that I have for them.  One is to work with the technology and feel comfortable using the computer and learn how to put it all together.  The other goal they will accomplish is to have their work published in a public domain.  By their work being published, I believe it will bring out their best writing because their friends and family, where ever they may live, can enjoy their newspaper online.