See You Next Year! December 22 and 23, 2014

While all of you are desperately trying to remember if you were more naughty or nice, we still did a *little* history on Monday.  If you missed class, you have a worksheet to do and some work to do on your chart.  Get that info from me when you get back next year.  Otherwise, have a GREAT vacation and a GREAT new year!  For those of you celebrating Christmas, please ask for some PENCILS in your stocking, as everyone seems to be out….If you are celebrating Festivus, feel free to include me in your Airing of Grievances!

See you on Tuesday for pizza and relaxation, and then again in 2015!!!

Articles of Confederation: December 19, 2014

Hi everyone!!  Sorry, I forgot to do this earlier - I got all off-schedule with our per 8 assembly!

If you and your group didn't finish your work today trying to figure out how the Articles of Confederation did (or didn't) fulfill certain government functions, please use your handouts from class today and finish those up.

If you have not paid for the team pizza party on Tuesday, please bring that money in on MONDAY.

Here is the link for the worksheet.

Here is the link to the Articles of Confederation.

Have a great weekend!  See (most of) you on Monday!!!

Be Careful What You Wish For: December 17, 2014

Hey everyone,
I will do a recap of what we did in class tomorrow, if you missed today.  I gave out grade updates and collected overdue work, so make sure to get that from me!

HOMEWORK:
Complete the following reflection sheet.  Here is the link.

The Roots of Our Government: December 16, 2014

Today in class, I worked on catching up with the HUGE piles of papers that have gathered on my desk, while you cherubs worked on a reading assignment that introduced some concepts about government.  Remember, as soon as the colonies declared their independence, the individual colonies became states, and those states needed a way to run themselves.  Without a mother country to run them, they needed to make their own rules and set up their own governing systems.  Each state drew up a blueprint we call a "constitution".  Our national constitution eventually would take many ideas from these state constitutions and include them.  In class, you read from the We The People textbook and answered questions about the ideas included in the state constitutions.

HOMEWORK/IF YOU WERE NOT HERE:

Advanced readers should read and answer the REVIEW questions at the end using this link.
Grade-level readers should read and answer the REVIEW questions at the end using this link.

• If you are asked to list information, you may use bullet points.
• Please capitalize information correctly!

POWERSCHOOL HAS BEEN UPDATED.  If you think you did something and it's a zero, please check the ABUNDANT number of nameless wonders magneted to my board.  If you have a question about an assignment, ask me tomorrow in class.

Bringing It to a Close, For Now: December 15, 2014

Today in class, we are wrapping up our study of current events by completing a solo or partner task.  The focus of these tasks is to get you to see the issues through the eyes of the people involved.  Civil rights and social justice are critical to our society, and recent events in our country are very complicated.  I hope what you have learned above anything else is that our identities do have an impact on how we experience events, and that issues like this do not have easy answers.

HOMEWORK:  IF YOU WERE HERE DURING CLASS, Either you can finish the task you began in class if it is not done, or you can answer the following sentence starters:

One thing I learned over the past four classes was….

One question I (still) have is….

My hope for our society is….

One thing that should change in the future is….

IF YOU WERE NOT HERE TODAY, please choose ONE of the following tasks LISTED BELOW to complete.  See me to get any handouts or other information you need to finish the assignment.

Read the other article if necessary.  Make a Venn Diagram comparing the two authors.  Write a response, are they more alike, or more different?  Explain your answer.

Write a letter to the author of one of the articles.  Ask at least THREE questions and make THREE observations.

With a partner, write a dialogue between the two men that shares each man’s point of view, and attempts to find common ground between them.  Be ready to share it!

Review the Declaration of Independence, particularly the inalienable rights.  Do these events prove we respect these rights as a society or not?  Explain your answer.

Read the laws around the use of deadly force in NH.  Summarize the conditions under which officers may use deadly force.  Does this help you understand these situations more clearly, or does it make the issue more complicated?

Two Sides to Every Story: December 12, 2014

Today, you had a chance to do retakes of your Revolutionary War test.  Most of the tests I've scored so far show improvement!  Great job!

We did some reading on the perspectives different people have on some of the situations we've discussed in class.  On Monday, we will use our reading to discuss how we can understand ourselves and our society.  Be ready to come in Monday ready to think, talk, and share.

HOMEWORK:

• If you need to do the reflection writing (p 7 and anyone who hasn't turned it in yet), please get that done for Monday.
• If you are in per 5, finish the reading I gave you in class.
• If you are in per 1 or 2, write down your five points about your article and bring it to class on Monday.

If you need the prompts again, they are posted under yesterday's heading.

Liberty and Justice for All: December 11, 2014

Today in class, we continued our discussion of identity and society.  We looked at how one man's identity played into how he interacted with other people, and the decisions he had to make.  Then some classes watched a few news clips about recent events that concern identity and society, while others will begin that process tomorrow.

IF YOU WERE NOT HERE TODAY:

Watch this video.

Write a one-paragraph response to this question:

After watching this video, were you surprised by the decision Jesus Colon made when he was on the subway?  Why do you think he made this decision?  What issues did he have to consider while he was making his choice?  At the very end of the video, what does he decide he's going to do differently next time?  Why do you think he changes his mind?      

HOMEWORK:  For homework, per 1, 2, 5, and 6 students need to complete ONE of the prompts in a response writing paragraph.  The prompts are at the end of this post.

• Write a strong topic sentence
• Do not use "I think" or "I believe" statements
• CAPITALIZE WORDS CORRECTLY, PLEASE AND THANK YOU!!

Per 7 will do this over the weekend.

ALL CLASSES:  If you must take or are choosing to take the Rev War test again, remember, this grade WILL REPLACE your original grade, whether it is higher or lower!!!

• With teacher permission, you only need to retake sections on which you scored poorly
• Use your current test to study for tomorrow's test - same content, different setup
• Review the info on the Quizlet links 

Quizlet - People

Quizlet - Key Terms

Quizlet - Turning Points

HOMEWORK PROMPTS - CHOOSE ONE

Questions for further reflection:

Is it right for people in the public eye, like entertainers and athletes, to use their status to promote a point of view?  Is it acceptable for them to do so in the context of their jobs? 

I’ve told you before that life is not fair, and I will continue to tell you this:  Life is not always fair.  At what point, however, does unfairness become injustice?  What is the difference between these two terms?  If a situation is unjust, whose job is it to fix that – the government’s, the affected group’s, or the individual’s?

After listening, reading, and watching the information presented in class today, what has changed in our society over time, and what has not? 

Have you ever experienced a time when you were judged based on your identity in society (as a child/teenager, male, female, athletic/nonathletic, etc.)?  Did you benefit from this judgment, or were you hurt by it?  How did it make you feel?  Would you want this treatment to continue or not? 

Are we close to or far from creating a country where “all men are created equal” and we have “liberty and justice for all”?  If you think we are close, how have we gotten closer to those ideals over time?  If we are far from that ideal, what do we need to do to close this gap?

Pursuit of Happiness: December 10, 2014

Today in class, we started discussing what identity means, and how our perceptions can color our views of events.  You also got your Rev War tests back - retake on Friday!

PLEASE NOTE:  You must retake the test if you earned lower than a 70.  Above a 70, it is your choice.  HOWEVER, if you choose to retake the test, you are choosing to take that new grade.  You don't get to go "shop" for a grade based on which grade is better.

HOMEWORK:  Study for your retake.  You probably will have a short homework assignment tomorrow night, so be ready!

By the way, it will not be the same test - same content, but different format.

Today, We Read: December 8, 2014

In class today, we took a day off from our march through time to experience another way of learning history:  Through children's literature.  Some of the best historical writing, in my experience, occurs when an author's interest is sparked by something he or she didn't know before.  Who was this person? Why did this event occur?  So today, we had a snack and read in the library.  I shared a book I found interesting, and offered you a chance to spend time with our library's collection of history trade books to see what you could learn.  Also, we had snacks - and who doesn't like snacks??

HOMEWORK:  If you did not finish your map and questions, please bring them tomorrow.  Our test retake will be on Thursday or Friday of this week - start reviewing if you think you want to retake the test!  You will get your original tests back tomorrow.

Here are some action shots of per 5 getting their read on:

Here's Wyatt looking up a word on his device, right???

I really enjoyed today's class, guys.  I got to share some stories, you got to eat snacks, we all got some time in a different setting - it was a win-win!

Where Are We??? December 5, 2014

Congratulations on your test performance, everyone!!!  Most of you acquitted yourselves very well on the Revolution test.  If you need to take it, or if you want to do a retake, you will have a chance to retake next week.

I hope you learned some different ways to approach reviewing and learning information.  I know I saw some good work!  Here are some samples of people hard at work:

Yeah, I don't know why he thinks this is comfortable, either. 

Now THIS is what studying looks like!!!

Today, we worked on refreshing our geography skills.  If you didn't get this done in class, please make sure you finish the assignment - AND THE QUESTIONS - for Monday!

HOMEWORK:  Finish the map assignment!

If you lost the directions, here they are.

If you lost the map, here it is.

Enjoy!!!

Waiting to Exhale: December 4, 2014

Hi everyone,
I am sure you are all relieved to have today's test over and done with!  You have no new homework tonight.  If you need to retake the test, we will talk later about how you will accomplish that.

It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Quarter: Test Time!!! December 1, 2014

My goodness, THAT holiday weekend flew by, didn't it???  Here's a little joke for ya:

(Please ignore the lack of apostrophe in the word "here's," denoting a contraction.  The interwebs has plenty of funny, but not so much grammatical correctness!)

Today, all my classes wrapped up our study of the Revolutionary War with a review of what made it possible for such a weak, small, underfunded military force as the Continental Army to defeat a much larger and more powerful military.  Now we are heading into our review for the test you're going to have on content knowledge this Thursday or Friday.

HOMEWORK:  Your homework for the week is to study for your test.  You are getting a handout in class that will list several ways you can prepare, using either "old school" methods or web-based tools.  Your job is to study at least THREE times, for twenty minutes at a time.  If you were not here on the day before Thanksgiving break, your first study session can be to go through your packet and correct your work.

I have made some web-based study guides for you.  They were made on Quizlet, which will allow you to study in several different ways.  Try more than one!!!

Miscellaneous Key Terms - Quizlet
Key People - Quizlet
Rev War Battles - Quizlet

Please note, this is NOT the only information that will be on the test!

Here is a copy of the study options and study session tracker if you lost yours.

If you were NOT in class last Tuesday, and did NOT get a handout to correct your packet, there is link to the correction key on last Tuesday's blog post.

Happy Holiday Tuesday!! November 25, 2014

Hi everyone!  Today was a quiet day, with fewer Team 12'ers in attendance than usual, but that is to be expected on a day before a holiday weekend.  So, without further ado, here is what we did today:

First, we corrected our Revolutionary War packets.  Then, I gave classes the choice between working on their analysis of why the Continental Army was able to win the Revolutionary War or participating in an activity known and beloved as the Holiday Hand Turkey Factstravaganza!!!!

I bet you can guess which one was more popular.

Anyway, if you were not here today, you need to use the correction key below to check your worksheets.  Otherwise, we had no homework - I have enough to do correcting essays over the long weekend as it is!

Hope you all have a wonderful holiday.  Don't eat too much - by which I mean, stop before you actually blow up, okay?

Rev War packet answer key

A TWO DAY WEEK?!? Heck, Yeah!!! November 24, 2014

Hi everyone!
Well, it's been pretty hard for all of us to concentrate, what with visions of turkey dinners dancing in our heads, but we're going to make it happen.  Personally, my very favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal is the sandwich afterward - you know, with cranberry sauce, stuffing, turkey, a little lettuce, some mayo, maybe a smear of gravy - wait, we were talking about something???  Oh yeah.  SCHOOL!

Since we're not done yet, here's the scoop on class activities:

Per 1 - you guys did the recruitment posters that the other classes did last Friday, since we missed you for Student of the Month.

Per 2, 5, and 6 - Today, we started discussing how the weak, understaffed, underfunded Continental Army managed to defeat the world's military superpower of its day.  You had a chance to share your ideas and work with others to expand upon those ideas.  Tomorrow we will finish that process.

Per 7 - you had a work day to complete your packets.

HOMEWORK:  Only per 7 has homework, which is to finish your Rev War packets.  See you tomorrow!

Who Doesn't Love Friday??? November 21, 2014

Hi everyone,
I can tell we are getting close to the end of the month… and a holiday… and a full moon, too, for all I know!  Anyway, here is where we are:

1) I was out yesterday, and you got to experience the excitement of learning via video!  I collected the completed handouts today, so if I didn't see you in class, you need to get that to me soon.  If you were not here yesterday, you win the "I don't have to make work up!!!" lottery!

2) Per 1, 2, 5, and 6 - you guys got a little bit of a break today.  Per 1 had Student of the Month.  Per 2, 5, and 6 did recruitment posters for the Revolutionary War.  You have no homework this weekend.

3) Per 7 finished up the Rev War lecture notes.  If you were not here, you need to watch the online presentation and finish up your notes.  It is linked on a previous blog post from two days ago.

HOMEWORK:  Per 7 - you need to review the American Revolution packet (it has the Don't Tread On Me logo on the front).  Choose TWO assignments you haven't completed yet, and finish those for Monday.  IF 75% OF THE CLASS COMPLETES TWO ASSIGNMENTS THIS WEEKEND, YOU CAN HAVE MONDAY FOR WORK TIME.

Continuing on…November 19, 2014

Hi everyone,
We're mostly done with the lecture, except for a few classes that are wrapping up tomorrow.  Tomorrow we get to experience the excitement of learning via video!!!  What a week!

Below is a link to the online version of the lecture.  It has a voiceover of your very favorite teacher (NO IT'S NOT MR. ZAKIAN!!!).  If you missed part of the lecture, or just want to double-check your notes, here it is:

Link to Prezi

HOMEWORK:  Keep working on the packet!!!  It is due on Friday for everyone except per 7.  It is worth FIFTY POINTS on your classwork grade!!

You Say You Want a Revolution: November 17 and 18, 2014

Hi everyone!

We are moving on from the events that led to the Revolution, and are starting to look at the Revolution itself.  How did such a small, weak, overmatched fighting force manage to defeat the greatest military power of its day?  That is a question well worth pondering!!

We are going to answer this through a couple of different activities.  First, we are going to have a lecture to give you an overview of the war as a whole.  Lectures aren't necessarily fun, but they are something you probably will encounter at some point in your academic career, so we might as well start getting you used to them.

Also, you will be working through the week on a packet of activities.  When we have down time in class, you can work on the packet.  It is also your homework through the week, so if you have study hall or team time and nothing to do, guess what???  You can work on your Social Studies!!!  Many of the activities can be done without the textbook, but you will need the book for some of them.  I've linked all four sections of the textbook below, or you can borrow a loaner from me.

Finally, we are talking today about how to take notes from lecture.  It's not always easy, and you're not always going to capture every last detail the first time through.  We will chat about how to make your note-taking more efficient and how to make sure you capture all the significant information.  As part of that, I put the lecture into an online presentation that is linked below.  If you need to review the lecture, either to capture more notes or just to prepare more fully for our test, you can use the link below.

HOMEWORK:  The packet of activities is due Friday.  DON'T LOSE YOUR PACKET!!  There is a one per customer rule!!!

Links to book sections  below:

Ch 7 Sec 1
Ch 7 Sec 2
Ch 7 Sec 3
Ch 7 Sec 4


Ch 6 Sec 1
Ch 6 Sec 2
Ch 6 Sec 3
Ch 6 Sec 4

Here is a link to the online version of the PowerPoint lecture

Final Words of Wisdom: November 13 and 14, 2014

Hi everyone,
I get the sense that tomorrow is going to be a very busy day, so I'm going to talk about a few things here.  This goes for today and tomorrow, so there will not be a new post on Friday.

HOMEWORK:  Your GRADED DRAFT of your Causes of the Revolution essay is due TOMORROW unless you are in period 7.  Your essay is due MONDAY.

What does this mean?  It means that you should have a complete essay, beginning to end, ready for me to read and grade by 2:10 on Friday.  It should be PROPERLY FORMATTED (see handout linked below) with CITATIONS IN TEXT (see handout below).

How should I submit it?  During class time on Friday, you will have a chance to go to the West Wing and work on your essays.  I'd like it submitted through Google Docs (preferred) or printed and handed in (still very acceptable).  Unless you have special permission from me, I expect it to be typed.

What if I'm not done?  You can expect to see some notation of this in PowerSchool, and it will seriously affect your grade until the work comes in.  If you don't get the essay done within a pretty quick time frame, you will need to stay after school with me to get remedial help.  I guess I know what you're doing this weekend!!!

Here is the information referenced above:

Quotes and Formatting Instructions

Moving Along…November 12, 2014

Boy, it's weird coming to school after a couple of days off, isn't it?  Okay, here we go…

…if you took the past four days off from thinking about the essay, that is something you're going to have to take into account as you continue your work this week.  The graded draft is due for ALL classes EXCEPT per 7 on Friday of this week.

If you copied down the group intro we wrote in class, then your first paragraph is basically covered.  Your last (concluding) paragraph is a restatement of your thesis statement and topic sentences, so no new ideas should be introduced in the conclusion.  If you have your thesis and topic sentences done, then your conclusion should be easy.  That leaves you with the three body paragraphs to do.

If you did NOT work on the essay over the weekend, then, I suggest the following work schedule:

Wednesday night:

• Type up the introduction, using the group intro as your guideline.
• Type up the conclusion by reframing your topic sentences and thesis statement in new words.
• Draft the first BODY PARAGRAPH as thoroughly as possible,
• Type up the topic sentences for body paragraphs 2 and 3.  

Thursday class/study hall/night:

• Draft the second and third body paragraphs.  
• Review the first body paragraph and improve/expand/edit
• Check each paragraph for specific use of evidence and internal citations

Friday class/study hall:

• Review second and third body paragraphs and improve/edit
• Submit via Google Docs or print and hand in by 2:10.

HOMEWORK:  See above or last Friday's blog for suggested work load.  Per 7, please come in tomorrow with TWO pieces of evidence for each body paragraph.  Use the information we gathered in class to help you.

Suggestions From The Teacher - Ignore At Your Own Peril!

Next week, we are moving forward with our studies while you work on your essays independently.  And by "work on your essay independently," I do NOT mean, "wait until Thursday night and panic."  You have a FOUR day weekend, so as much as we all need, want, and could use a little mini-vacation, you do need to continue making forward progress.  Here is a suggested work sequence for you:

Is your thesis drafted?  (99% of you have done this)
              If so, then move on to ----->

Are your topic sentences drafted?  (most of you have done this)
              If so, then move on to ----->

Have you identified 2 to 3 SPECIFIC, DETAILED pieces of evidence (quotes, statistics, concrete details) to support each of your topic sentences?  (many of you are still working on this)
              If so, then you might want to ----->

• Bring your organizer to me for checking

               OR

• Start drafting your body paragraphs

Have you shown me your evidence for approval?  If not, try to conference with me during class next week.  While you are waiting for your conference, you can STILL begin drafting your body paragraphs!  If your organizer is filled out well, most of the hard work is already done! 

For those classes submitting their essays on FRIDAY (per 1, 2, 5, and 6), the following sequence will get you to the finish line:

Monday (or weekend) - set up introduction written in class; write body paragraph #1

Tuesday - write body paragraph #2 and #3

Wednesday - finish body paragraph #3 if needed; draft a conclusion

Thursday - last round of edits and polishing; print essay if you're not going to share it.

Friday - submit essay and relax!

Essays Cont'd: Nov. 6 and 7, 2014

We are continuing to move forward with our essays over the next two days.  Here's the plan:

• If I haven't approved your thesis, make sure I see it and approve of it.
• Once I approve your thesis, review the topic sentences we drafted in class.  If you want to use those, that's great.  If you want to write new ones, have at it.
• Put the thesis and the topic sentences in the green essay organizer.  Make sure I get a chance to review the topic sentences soon.
• Begin identifying CONCRETE, SPECIFIC, DETAILED evidence that help prove your points.  These can be quotes, statistics, dollar amounts, numerical details, etc.  Use your BOOK, the D of I, and your DBQ to find these!!!!
• During this process, try to check in with me so I can make sure you are choosing appropriate evidence.
• Begin drafting your essay.  If you have questions or issues, feel free to share them with me via email, or you always can Google Drive what you have to me so I can review it.

HOMEWORK:  Continue working on your essay.  By now, you SHOULD have a strong thesis statement, well-organized topic sentences for each body paragraph, and at least a few specific details to support each topic sentence.  If you aren't at this point already, work toward getting this done!

Rending Order from Chaos, I Hope: November 5, 2014

Well, we've reached that point in the essay process - the point where we're transitioning from "we're writing an essay and here's what it's going to be about," to, "now it's time to get your ideas down so we can see if you're ready to write the essay."  I always - ALWAYS - think I'm going to break the process down into such concrete, specific steps that everyone will be able to move through the essay together at the same pace, and I am always - ALWAYS - wrong.  Why?  Because writing an essay reflects your personal knowledge and understanding, and that means it's a reflection of you.  With 116 or so of you, there is no WAY all of you are going to be in the same point in the process at the same time.  So I am learning to embrace it and just muddle through.

So where are we?  Well, per 1 & 2 students, almost all of you have had your thesis statements approved.  I need to check in with you about your topic sentences, and you need to find specific evidence for each body paragraph.

Per 5 & 6, you guys worked on thesis statements, and per 6 got to the point where you can start drafting topic sentences.  I want to see topic sentences and thesis statements from you guys soon.

Per 7, you built some model thesis statements today.  Tomorrow I want to see drafts of your thesis statements and topic sentences for approval.

HOMEWORK:  It depends upon which class you are in.
Per 1 & 2 - finish the evidence sheet for TWO of your body paragraphs, putting the info on the green organizer.

Per 5 - fill out draft topic sentences on your green sheets.

Per 6 & 7 - finish drafting a thesis statement if you haven't already, and draft your topic sentences.

More Essay: November 4, 2014

Today is election day!  Remind your parents to go out and exercise the rights that they have as American citizens!!!

In class today, we continued to work on essays.  I want to make sure that you have solid thesis to support and strong ideas to use in your writing, so we are taking our time and working on this slowly.

Per 1 & 2 had thesis statements checked and began drafting intro paragraphs.  Per 1 also reviewed the DBQ packet answers.
Per 5 & 6 framed thesis statements with me and listed information that they should have in their intro paragraphs.
Per 7 finished the process of analyzing the content they want to include in their essays and will begin the thesis process tomorrow.

HOMEWORK:  Per 5 & 6 ONLY - take the info we listed in class and use it to create an introductory paragraph.  Use the thesis you created in class as your last sentence!!!

Talking About A Revolution (Sounds Like An Essay!): November 3, 2014

So do you guys get the musical reference in the blog title?  No?  Go ask your parents…. In fact, I tell you what - the first parent to identify the song reference correctly in the blog comments wins five points for their student to use on a late or missing class assignment!  (Now I can see who's reading this blog, too!)

Okeydoke, on with the show…today, per 1 and 2 reviewed themes and common ideas about the underlying causes of the Revolution.  They completed that task and reviewed my handout on historical essay introductions.

Per 5 and 6 finished reviewing their themes and common ideas, and we did some group work to identify the common themes they saw.  They completed all four major underlying causes.

Per 7 began catching up from missing class last Friday.  Students who are doing the events approach began a graphic organizer.  Students who are doing the causes and justification approach started identifying the underlying causes that led to the Revolution.  As you can see, we had a very busy day today!

HOMEWORK:

Per 1 & 2 - please submit a draft thesis statement ON SEPARATE PAPER for me to check.
Complete the Evidence Analysis worksheet.

Per 5 & 6 - If you are doing the events approach, make sure you have items B, D, and G from the DBQ finished for tomorrow. If you are doing the underlying causes or justification approach, complete the Evidence Analysis worksheet.

Per 7 - see homework from above.  If you don't understand what to do, come in tomorrow with as much done as you can understand and we'll review it tomorrow.

DBQ'ing It, Day 2: October 30, 2014

Yesterday, I introduced the concept of a DBQ and gave you guys a packet of sources to help you build your knowledge of the causes of the Revolution.  Today, you had time to work on the questions and (I hope) meet with me to discuss the essay option you want to pursue.  Make sure you answer your questions thoroughly and well!

HOMEWORK:  If you have NOT finished all the questions in the DBQ packet, please do the following:

* Start working in your packet where you left off.  You marked it at the end of class with the date. NOTE THE TIME YOU START, AND THE TIME YOU FINISH.  If you finish before the 20 to 30 minute requirement, just write "Finished" in your packet.  Otherwise, just put the time you STOP in the margin of your packet.

If you HAVE finished all the questions, I gave you a document analysis handout.  Work on that for your 20 minutes or so.

Our First DBQ!!! October 29, 2014

Here is my second period class, thrilled to be assigned our FIRST DBQ!!!!!!

Aren't they cute????

FYI, a DBQ is a specific kind of assignment used in the social studies (mostly history).  Think of it as an "essay kit" - it provides you with all the information you need to write an essay on an assigned topic.  You do need to bring your background knowledge and learning to the task at hand, but the DBQ provides supporting information to help you do a good job.

This DBQ is based on - guess what! - the causes of the Revolutionary War.  You have a packet with a number of sources (primary and secondary) for you to review. Each source has some analytical questions for you to answer.  Then, when you are done reviewing the material and your background knowledge, you'll use your learning to help you frame an answer in a traditional five paragraph essay. We will be breaking this down step by step over the course of the next few days, so it will be VERY IMPORTANT for you to know where your class materials are and keep them in order.

HOMEWORK:  Choose ONE of the small-group tasks (not the vocabulary one, however) to answer fully and completely in writing.  Write out the question along with the answer.  PUT IT ON SEPARATE PAPER, PLEASE.  Do NOT just show me your notes tomorrow and claim you did it!

Back In the Swing of Things: October 28, 2014

Hi everyone!  I was out yesterday, and you got to watch an exciting video in lieu of your usual thinking and learning in Social Studies.  I hope you enjoyed the break, because we are back into the groove and a LOT of new stuff is coming our way.  Hold on…

First, many of you are getting your Impressions of America assignments back.  If you are dissatisfied with your grades, you CAN revise it … HOWEVER … your second round doesn't get looked at until everyone else gets a first round.  If I have to submit a change of grade form after the report cards go home, so be it.

Second, we are heading into a MAJOR ESSAY which will be our first major assessment grades for second quarter.  You will want to make sure you stay up to date on your class work and are aware of what is going on, so you do not fall behind.

Today, we continued (and per 1 began) looking at the small-group tasks associated with the Declaration.  You get to pick and choose which tasks you do in what order.

HOMEWORK:  You need to complete the STUDENT SELF-EVALUATION handed out in class.  Keep in mind that this is for ALL your classes, and not just Social Studies, so please make sure you are thinking of your entire Q1 experience when you respond.  Also, we will be using these surveys as a way to communicate with parents/guardians and other teachers, so please fill these out and be specific - name your classes when that is appropriate.  For example, when it says to name projects or assignments you did well on, name the class AND the assignment (English short story analysis, Music original composition) so we don't have to guess what you're talking about.  We appreciate that!

Also, this document is NOT one I made up, so you have to get an original from me and NOT LOSE IT.  I don't have copies of it here.  I will see if I can get one, but no guarantees.

Finally, if you put a bunch of one-word answers, you'll be staying with me at team time to make it more useful and thorough, so use full ideas and explain yourself the first time.

Happy Tuesday!

And here's Garrett sharing England's view of the colonies during this very important time period:

We Need Your Voice!

Here is a link to help us with Student of the Month nominations:

Nomination Form

Please help us by sharing details about what makes this person so great.  We especially appreciate information about what your nominee does when s/he is not in class, and how s/he interacts with peers beyond just friends.  Thanks!

One-Quarter Done With 8th Grade?!? October 24, 2014

Can you believe THAT?!?!

Today, we missed Per 1 for Student of the Month.  Congratulations to Sydney and Nick v.d.M. for their well-deserved accolades!

The rest of my classes continued with the process of analyzing the Declaration and its impact.  Most of you are done with identifying the original quotes and matching them to the "modern" translations, and have moved on to the small-group tasks.  The purpose of these tasks is to get you to put the Declaration in the context of all the events of the times, and to see where it fits in the big picture.

Next week, we will start working on our essays, so be ready!

HOMEWORK:  Complete the "We Hold These Truths" assignment given yesterday, if you have not done so already.

Better Late Than Never? October 23, 2014

Oh my gosh, I forgot to put this up!!  My apologies!!!

We continued our work from yesterday, so check out yesterday's post.  I did add the following:

HOMEWORK:  If you are not done with the Modern Language/Original Quotes assignment for the Declaration, work on that for 25 - 30 minutes, or when finished, whichever comes first.

Due MONDAY is your take on We Hold These Truths.  If you want to do it earlier, great!  I will post it below.

Here it is.

It's Too Late to Apologize: October 22, 2014

W're continuing our work examining the Declaration of Independence today.  First, we all owe an ENORMOUS debt of gratitude to Will G., Peter G., Becca H., and Colin J., because they kindly stapled all the copies of the Declaration I needed to hand out today.  (Note:  I had to copy that document THREE TIMES to get it to copy correctly!!!  I apologize to all trees, everywhere.)  Here is proof of their dedication and effort on behalf of their fellow students:

There was some grumbling about "sweatshops" and "child labor," but I'm sure they didn't mean it :).

Anyway, back to class…. so just about everyone finished the task of identifying the four major parts of the Declaration and matching modern language statements with the correct part of the Declaration.  Most of you are at the point where you are finding the original language quotes and matching it to the modern language versions.  When you are done with that, you'll use your new learning to discuss the content and impact of the Declaration in small groups.  But that is still to come!

To wrap up class, we watched a parody of "Too Late to Apologize".  If you want your parents to feel old, show them this and ask them which musicians are being parodied in the "rock concert" scene….I was the only one who knew them in class, and no, none of them are Kiss!

HOMEWORK:  Nothing new tonight…but you will have an assignment tomorrow. Be sure to stay current with your English essay!

Declaring Yourself: October 21, 2014

Today, we started looking at the Declaration of Independence.  We've been talking about the actions that the colonists took to show their displeasure with England.  We call those colonists Patriots, as opposed to the Loyalists who did not want to split from England, or the neutral colonists who had no preference.

We began by discussing the differences between freedom fighters and domestic terrorists.  We had a very insightful discussion of how violence and intent can make the difference between someone fighting for a cause, versus someone inflicting pain on others for negative ends.  Here are some pictures of period 2's discussion:

We followed this by listening to the Declaration read out loud.  It is worth listening to the Declaration once through before we start breaking it down, as it was meant to be heard in one sitting.  Here is a copy of the video.  It stars Morgan Freeman, and who doesn't love Morgan Freeman?

All the classes completed viewing the video, and most classes began identifying the four major categories of the Declaration and matching ideas to the categories.  Here is a picture of Brett, showing us his masterful work:

HOMEWORK:  You do not have new work assigned today.  However, you DO have an essay in English, and we are rapidly coming up to an essay in Social Studies as well.  You need to know what happened before the Revolution occurred, so if your outline is not finished, you should finish it.  See you tomorrow!

A Brief Update: October 20, 2104

This seems to sum up everyone's feelings about today:

….but we all survived!

Today, we finished the peer interviews we started in class on Thursday (for most groups) and today (for per 7).  We will be using this as a jumping-off point for discussing the Declaration of Independence as we continue through this week.

HOMEWORK:  If you did not have your outline done for today, you can finish it tonight for 8 out of 10 points (per 1, 2, 5, 6) and you should finish it for per 7 for full credit.  The links are available through last Friday's post.

Rebels With A Cause: October 16, 2014

Today in class, you continued to work on finishing your chapter outlines, and you started to use the outlines to answer questions, working with your classmates to draft responses.  I firmly believe that two (or three) heads are better than one, so I hope you are helping each other formulate thoughts and polish your ideas.

HOMEWORK:  Your Impressions of America assignment is DUE tomorrow - please check your High Quality Work checklists!!!  There are links to documents under yesterday's post.

Also, make sure your ropes course form is here for tomorrow - we are going to have an experiential class, and I'd hate for you to miss it! Wear appropriate footgear and bring your form if it's not here.

If you have not finished the pink outline, you need to do so for Monday.  This is a GREAT team time activity, because you can get it done and have nothing to do outside school for the weekend!!!  Period 7:  You need to finish through the bottom of the third side.

Below are some links to the textbook for those of you who still need to get your outlines done.

Ch 6 Section 1
Ch 6 Section 2
Ch 6 Section 3
Ch 6 Section 4

More Thinking About High-Quality Work: October 15, 2015

Happy Wednesday!  It's nice to have a short week, because when Tuesday is your Monday, then Wednesday is your Tuesday and the week is already half over!!!

Today in class, I gave out the grading rubric for the Impressions of America assignment, and the checklist of descriptors for high-quality work for each kind of product.  Please take some time to review your work AGAINST THE CHECKLIST.  It will remind you of the little bits and pieces you might not remember or forgot to include!

We also continued to work on our chapter outlines today in class.  Most students are done or nearly done with them, so we will use them tomorrow and then you can have some class time to finish up.

HOMEWORK:  Be sure to get your ropes course form filled out and returned if you have not done so this week!  Even if you did one at the beginning of the year, do it again.  Not many people turned in the forms, and many of them were the old version, so we do need all of you to turn in a new, recent version of the form.  We are going to do an experiential lesson on Friday, so you want to be ready!!!

Also, keep working on your Impressions of America assignment.  Revision works best if you do a little at a time and do your work thoughtfully and well!

Grading Rubric
Descriptions of High Quality Work
The original assignment, in case you forgot