Video games...are they bad for you? Or could they be considered good for you? Do they have a primarily negative or primarily positive effect on children? That's the issue at the center of our daily ELA block right now, as the kids are gathering research in support of one side. I've provided them with kid-friendly articles, but this week they'll have the opportunity to seek out other sources in support of their claim. They'll be using the information they find to write a five-paragraph essay on the topic, and eventually we'll have a text-based debate. In years past, I've held debates on various matters, such as the benefits and harms of technology and the age in which students should be allowed to play contact supports. It's a really fun way to teach into and combine a variety of skills and strategies, from reading informational texts to persuasive writing to speaking and listening standards. Not only that, but it's important that students are able to respectfully disagree with others when they don't share the same view on an issue, and debates are the perfect way to foster such open-mindedness. 

This week, we also started the book The One and Only Ivan. This is one of my favorite books of all time, and though we only have about a month left in the school year, we'll prioritize finishing it by the beginning of June. I really enjoy using the book as a mentor text for several different writing techniques, and it's a great story to analyze for theme. It's also based on a true story of a real gorilla who spent a good chunk of his life living in a shopping mall. So crazy! I can't wait to continue reading with the kids.