Back in the Saddle: January 29, 2015

Hi everyone, my name is Mrs. Siecke and I will be your Social Studies teacher this year…. seems like it's been so long since I've seen you, some reintroductions are in order!

We have lost a significant amount of time and are currently running about two weeks behind where I want to be at this point.  I am going to be picking a few key things to focus on and kicking up the pace. You will need to make sure to use this blog, your notes, your study skills, and your organizational skills to stay on top of what's coming up.

The first thing you need to know that is I expect you should have the Constitution scavenger hunt done, and be done with the Ch 8 Sec 3 notes.  I have found that most of you are not done.  If you did not complete those in class, you have one last chance to get full credit on those assignments.  They need to be done for MONDAY.  After that, they are late.  There are links to the necessary sections of the textbook below.

The second thing you need to know is that your Recommendation Request assignment is due TOMORROW.  If you forgot, I asked you to show me a rough draft and a final draft.  Please print your final draft and turn it in, along with any rough drafts, notes, or graphic organizers you completed.

Here is the link to the Constitution from the textbook.

Here is the link to Ch 8, Section 3.

Sick and Tired: January 26, 2015

Hi everyone,
Sorry to be out yet again.  This is turning out to be a bad winter for viruses and germs in my house - and eventually every one of them finds me!

While I was out, you finished up your Scavenger Hunts and did some book work.  If the storm we are supposed to be getting hits tonight, I am guessing we will not be in school tomorrow.  If not, then I am sure I will have a very cranky and unhappy group of 8th graders tomorrow!

HOMEWORK: You have a recommendation request writing assignment due TUESDAY.  You do not have the assessment rubric for it yet.  I will give that out tomorrow and it will be due WEDNESDAY.  If we have a snow day tomorrow, it will be due THURSDAY.

Later in the week, I will need your ch 8, Sec 3 notes or questions, but that will be after Wednesday at the earliest.

Workin' For The Weekend: January 23, 2014

Well, today was another wild and crazy day.  With the field trip, being out for the day, and then the Algebra midterm today, I am glad this week is over and done.  Maybe on Monday we can focus on, oh, I don't know, history???  :)

So here we go:  You have your Recommendation Requests due on Tuesday of next week.  On Monday, I am going to introduce the wrap-up assignment for Constitutional compromises.  You will do a great deal of that work in class, but you will need to think about how to get it done outside class if you don't use time well.

HOMEWORK:  If you need anything to complete the Recommendation Request, see yesterday's blog post.  Have a great weekend!

Calling All Students: SOTM Nominations Desperately Needed!

Dear Hurricane'rs:
We, your teachers, are asking for some critical help from you, the students.  We have no current Student of the Month peer nominations.  We really prefer to use student nominations to fill these awards, because you know one another far better after 2 1/2 years together, than we do after only 2 quarters.

So how can you file a nomination?  Easily!  Simply send an email to me at csiecke@sau16.org.  Make sure to tell us it's a SOTM nomination.  Give the student's first AND last name, and tell us whatever specific reasons you have about why this student should be recognized in front of the student body for his or her sterling qualities.  Thank you for your help!

Looking Ahead: January 22, 2015

Hi everyone!  I was out yesterday with a kiddo who felt under the weather.  Given the virulence of disease running riot through the SAU, I thought it was best to keep her home for the day.

Today, we are finishing up our prep work on Constitutional compromises.  You need to have your compromise graphic organizer done by the end of class.  When you get that done, you can get started on the Constitution scavenger hunt.

HOMEWORK:  It's time to start thinking about what you want to do for World History next year.  You have an assignment to complete for me, both to get you thinking about the demands of the different course levels, and for you to demonstrate your abilities for the level you want to take.

Here is the assignment description and graphic organizer, if you need it.

Here is the high school's course description handout if you need it.

FIELD TRIP DAY!!! January 20, 2015

Today we are going to go see the movie Selma.  I hope you enjoy it!

HOMEWORK:  Get your Venn diagram assignment done!

How It Really Played Out: January 15, 2015

Please don't forget to bring those field trip forms in!  TOMORROW I will need to know if you are attending or not.  If you are absent and do not think you will be in on Friday, send me an email to let me know what your plans are so I can account for you to the bus company and the movie theater!

Today, we wound up our work on the Constitutional Convention by finding out how the Framers actually set up the Constitution (at least for the issues we cared about).  As it turns out, some of us were very much in line with the founders of our country, and some of us were far more forward-thinking. It was interesting to see how many of our classes could not make different decisions from the Framers, even knowing what we know now about issues like slavery.

If you missed class, come see me tomorrow and get the handout you missed.  You can complete it on your own this weekend.  You do not have new homework, but PLEASE get the field trip form in!  Thanks!

Field Trip Form

If you are missing the field trip form, here it is.

If that doesn't work, let me know at csiecke@sau16.org.

Thanks!

Constitutional Convention continued: January 13, 2015

Hi everyone!  I was out yesterday, but it seems like you guys worked well for Ms. Dugin.  Today we are reviewing each group's position and attempting to change one another's minds to get your ideas into the Constitution.  Tomorrow, we will finish voting on the issues and then we will compare our decisions to the decisions actually made in the Constitution.  I look forward to seeing where we aligned with the Framers, and where we parted ways.

HOMEWORK:  Yesterday, I gave out an assignment about population and representation.  Complete it for tomorrow.  If I get a chance to scan it in, I will post it here.  Thanks!

Constitutional Convention, Day 1: January 9, 2015

Today, all classes began a role-play about the Constitutional Convention.  Your job is to try to get the most favorable conditions for your group written into the final document.  You will have to negotiate with other groups of Americans to try to get your way.

We will continue this process on Monday.  If you were not here today, please come in on Monday ready to do some writing to catch up.

HOMEWORK:  Turn in your revised essay on MONDAY.  It needs to be properly formatted, typed, and printed in hard copy!  Please include your original grade sheet.

A Time of Transition: January 8, 2015

We are starting to look at how we shifted away from our first form of government (the Articles), and began the process of creating the form of government we currently live under (the Constitution of the United States of America).  Today, we are preparing for a role-play discussion of how the Constitution was written, and how different groups of people did (or did not) participate in the Constitutional Convention.

We are using our textbooks to find some basic background information on the Constitutional Convention, EXCEPT for period 7, which caught up on some vocab.

HOMEWORK:  Per 1, 2, 5, 6:  If you did not finish today's book work in class, you need to do so.  A link to the chapter and section is below.

Per 7:  No homework tonight!

DON'T FORGET:  Your REVISED ESSAY is due Monday!  Don't wait til Sunday night to get started!

Chapter 8 Section 2 link.

More about the Articles of Confederation: January 7, 2015

Today, we continued our work with the debate about early government.  We started with some instruction about vocab and then worked on our Critical Period Report Cards.

If you were not here for the vocabulary, please get a copy of the vocab handout from me when you return, and get the notes from a friend.

If you need some more resources to complete the Report Card, check the links I posted yesterday and the links below:

Articles of Confederation PowerPoint

Chart comparing Articles and Constitution.

Study Aid on the A of C

Detailed article from history.com - longer but lots of info!

An article with good detail, but higher level reading.

Factmonster Discussion

Wikipedia discussion of money - read the first paragraph

Info about the post office.

HOMEWORK:  Finish your Critical Period report cards!

Making the Grade: January 6, 2015

Today in class, we tied up loose ends for our study of early government and started assessing our first form of government with the Critical Period Report Card assignment.

The completed report card is due Thursday at the start of class.  If you need resources, there are some links below:

Chapter 8 Sec 1 link

Background on the Articles

Happy New Year!!! January 5, 2015

Welcome back, everyone!  I don't know about you, but I had a hard time getting out of bed this morning.  But take heart, we are past the shortest day of the calendar year and soon will be at the midpoint of the school year.

Getting back to academics, we ended last year by examining our first national government.  Tomorrow, we will do a full review of what we've done and where we are in our discussion of early government. However, to give you an easier re-entry to the world of school, we are spending today experiencing the excitement of learning via video.  We are watching a video on Shays' Rebellion to find out how the weaknesses of our first government played out.  You took notes on the video and will use that information to help you frame a paragraph response.

HOMEWORK:  Complete the paragraph assignment, using the notes you took on the video to help you.

If you weren't in class, or had a hard time taking notes from the video, here are several resources to help you.  Make sure you take notes on the front of the handout AND write your paragraph!!!

IF YOU WERE ABSENT, here is the handout.  Use the links above to take notes, then write your paragraph.  If you want to use the paragraph builder, you may.

ESSAY INFORMATION:  If you want to submit a revised essay for grading, please prepare the essay as follows:

• DOUBLE-CHECK for the following:
• proper capitalization
• proper sentence structure
• double-spacing
• full header on the first page and page number on all subsequent pages
• PRINT your essay and submit it with the ORIGINAL grading rubric.

Please note, you will not get the same extensive comments and editing this time.  The final due date for this assignment is MONDAY, JANUARY 12TH.  Thank you!