Due February 4 (FI#24 Timed Writing at Home - Challenger)

Hi All,

I know that Mrs. Cortez did not make an official writing assignment this week, however, I know that some of our students truly want to keep practicing their skills.  Therefore, I'm offering up an extra credit assignment for those who wish to participate.

Timed writings are a valuable skill and offer us a great insight into student's progression in developing ideas and getting them onto paper.  I would like each student to practice a 20-minute timed writing exercise using the prompt listed below.  Please bring papers to be turned in next class.  (along with Fix its and Vocabulary Week 24)

Remember:  
Choose one side of the discussion; yes OR no.  
Use literary, historical, and/or personal examples.  

Write, write, write without stopping!  At the 2 minute mark, try to wrap up your thoughts in a quick conclusion.  

Before completing this assignment, perhaps encourage your child to question you about the event to give them more information about it.  As a high school student at the time, I witnessed the catastrophe and have never forgotten the feelings it left me with.

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January 28th (that was Wednesday) marked the anniversary of the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger in 1986.  At 11:39 am EST, the shuttle was 74 seconds into its flight and about 10 miles above the Earth when it unexpectedly exploded.  All seven crew members were killed, Challenger was destroyed, and the United States Space Program was temporarily suspended.  Christa McAuliffe, a teacher who was the first ordinary citizen in space, died along with astronauts Francis Scobee, Michael Smith, Judith Resnik, Ellision Onizuka, Ronald McNair, and Gregory Jarvis. 

The Challenger disaster was a terrible tragedy.  However, most space flights are safe and successful.  The majority of astronauts have flown in space with no accidents or problems. 

Do you think it is  important for people to travel into space?  Why or why not? 
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Happy writing!  See you all on Feb. 4th.   I have many papers to return!

Mrs. Harrelson