Quiz Reminder and a Science Handout Too!

Hey everyone, enjoy your weekend!  It will be warm and sunny, so you can have a picnic while you study for Monday's quiz!!!!!  Links and materials in yesterday's blog post.

Science handout - in case you need it!  Ms. Cunic asked me to post it.

Materials to Review: Quiz on Monday, 6/1

Here is the link to the lecture PowerPoint with seat chats.  If you need a hard copy, print it off in "Notes" format.  You need to know:

• The goals of each side
• The meaning of "limited war" for each side
• The strategies each side followed
• The outcomes of this stage of the war

Here is the link to the "Cheat Sheet" on the five key events and vocab terms associated with the Pre-Civil War era.

Here is a link to the Quizlet with the exact terms you need to know for the quiz.

Here is a link to information about the Battle of Antietam.  If you don't have the handout we did in class, and can't get one from a friend, then use this to refresh your memory.

Here is a link to information about the Emancipation Proclamation.  If you don't have the handout we did in class, and can't get the information from a friend, then use this to refresh your memory.

Get Ready for Quizzing! May 27, 2015

Hey everyone,

The following is going on today:

Per 1 & 2 - Later Civil War, Part 1 - guided notes
Per 5 - review the Emancipation Proclamation; begin foldable study guide
Per 6 & 7 - make your foldable study guide for Monday's quiz!

Here is a Quizlet on the ten terms I expect you to know (** Note:  TWO of those terms SHOULD be major review!!! **)

Homework Weekly Wrap-Up: Week of May 25 - 29, 2015

Our LAST week before we head into the LAST month of your LAST quarter before you move on to high school and the big, wide world!!!  A lot is going on inside and outside school, I know.  Here we go:

Monday (Memorial Day) - due on TUESDAY when I see you next!

Please make sure you completed whatever I assigned you on Friday to have for me when we got back.

Tuesday - due on WEDNESDAY

This is the original due date for your essay.  Some of you may need more time.  I will accept essays through Friday and not consider them late.  However, you will have to keep up with the regular day-to-day assignments as well.

Wednesday - due THURSDAY 

We have a quiz on the Pre-Civil War era, vocabulary, and Early Civil War on MONDAY of next week.  For Thursday, please have your North Vs. South foldable COMPLETED for tomorrow.

Thursday - due FRIDAY

All classes:  BE SURE YOUR FOLDABLE STUDY GUIDE IS DONE.  Submit your essay tomorrow on line or in hard copy.  Email me with questions if you have any!


VOCAB REVIEW - Your choices are as follows:

• Make a vocab foldable (I will share a possible format with you)
• Use Quizlet to study for 15-20 minutes
• Use your flashcards (if you made them for the earlier assignment) to study for 15-20 minutes
• Make up your own pencil and paper vocab quiz - try swapping with a friend and take theirs!

Friday - you have a quiz on MONDAY!!!

We will play a review game in class on Friday - check your understanding - are you ready???

Happy Long Weekend!

Hey everyone!

Today in class, we all discussed where you are with your essays and what you need to get done.  I set a goal for you based on what you have done and what you need in order to progress.  Your goal may be different, but here are the most common goals:

If your outline is done and approved --> draft 2 body paragraphs

If your outline has a few gaps --> finish outline, draft 1 body paragraph

If your outline is off-target --> redo outline

Some of you have graphic organizers to complete for your body paragraphs.  If I gave you a packet in class today, please look through it and make sure you do what you need to do.  Sorry I can't be more specific, but I individualized a LOT of assignments!  Have a great weekend!  Remember why we celebrate Memorial Day!!!

Essay Update: May 21, 2015

Hi everyone,
Here is where we are after testing:

1) You should have filled out your pink essay outline by now and had me review it.  However, if you haven't, it is linked under Friday, May 15th if you need a blank copy.  The document you need for primary sources is linked under Thursday, May 14th.

2) If you HAVE filled out the pink essay outline AND you know that you have specific evidence to cite, start drafting body paragraphs.  Two would be great, but one is fine.  If you have specific concerns, feel free to bring in your outline to me tomorrow and I'll check it over.

3) If your pink essay outline is not done, it HAS TO GET DONE ASAP.  I need to see it during class tomorrow.

TL;DR VERSION:  OUTLINE SHOULD BE DONE.  START DRAFTING PARAGRAPHS.

Testing, 1, 2, 3... May 19 and 20, 2015.

Ohhhh the joys of standardized tests.... keep working on those essays!  Use the resources posted under last week and this week to help you out.

If you need to do your Seat Chats, that resource will be posted soon.

Summer Lucky, Summer Not: May 18, 2015

Welcome back!  Yesterday felt like July, today feels like we went back to late March.  The joy of springtime in New England...

Today in class, the classes that were all caught up (1 & 2) watched a video on Antietam.  My remaining classes will finish the lecture on the first phase of the war, and then start the video.

See the weekly wrap-up for homework.

If you missed either part of the lecture, I am posting the PowerPoint with the seat chats and narration.  You will need to view the PowerPoint and complete the seat chats on your own.  Turn in the seat chat handout when you're done.  I hope to post the PowerPoint today, but check back later if it's not here now.

Homework Weekly Wrap-Up: Week of May 18-22, 2015

Here is what we have going on this week:

Monday - due on WEDNESDAY before you leave the building!!!

You have an extension on the essay outline that was due today because of copying issues.  If it's done, turn it in.  If not, you have until WEDNESDAY when you leave the building to get it done and in.  It is your job to remember to complete this assignment and get it to me even though we are testing!! It is linked under Friday of last week if you need a copy.

Due on FRIDAY before you leave the building

Please submit drafts of TWO of your body paragraphs.  If you have been following along and doing what you need to do, you should head into the weekend with a completed introduction, all your topic sentences done, your supporting evidence identified, ideas for your conclusion written down, and two body paragraphs underway.  That leaves you with one body paragraph to complete and some editing and polishing to finish.

No Use Crying Over Spilt Milk ... Or Coffee? May 15, 2015

Yes, it was a little whiffy today up in room 215, wasn't it?  Rumor has it that an old coffee with cream in it - as in months old - got knocked over, and we got to enjoy the resulting aroma.

So things got a little different through the day.  Here is the recap:

P 1
P 2 - Finished Early Civ War lecture; turned in Seat Chats

P 5
P 6
P 7- Will finish lecture Monday

HOMEWORK:
P 7 - since our class got interrupted by a fire drill, I will check any outstanding thesis statements and topic sentences on MONDAY

EVIDENCE OUTLINE ASSIGNMENT - I noticed today that the handout is incorrect.  I will get you new copies on Monday, or you can print your own from the link below. THIS IS NOW DUE TUESDAY OR WEDNESDAY.  Yes, we are testing during those days.  Yes, you have to find me and turn it in anyway.  Yes, I will remind you. Yes, you should continue moving forward on drafting your essay.  No, I am not changing the due date, I built in several extra days just in case.

Essay Evidence Organizer

JUST FOR FUN -
Great turnout for Superhero Day, today, everyone!!! Here is our very own superhero AND Student of the Month, with his archnemesis at his side, looking thrilled to be in Social Studies:

And here he is in action, with the League of Justice by his side!

HAPPY WEEKEND, EVERYONE!!!!!

Happy Thursday! May 14, 2015

Hi everyone,
I got a very good report from the substitute yesterday - thank you for your good behavior!

Today in class, we started our overview of the early phase of the Civil War.  If you miss part of today or tomorrow, come back to this blog for an update about what to do to make up that work.

HOMEWORK - I collected topic sentences.  I will have them back for you tomorrow.  The next phase is to find evidence to support each topic sentence. That is due on MONDAY after the weekend!

I will link the DBQ primary source packet and the essay evidence outline below.

Essay outline assignment

DBQ primary source packet

A Rainy Tuesday: May 12, 2015

Hey everyone!  Today was a light work day in class, but it was necessary for me to get a glance at your thesis statements and check them for thoroughness.

We filled out a handout that I can give to absentees next time I see you.  IF YOU WERE ABSENT TODAY, I MUST SEE YOUR THESIS STATEMENT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.  You can email it to me or bring it tomorrow!!!

HOMEWORK:  Check the weekly homework wrap-up :) :) :).

BTW, if you loved today's movie clip, here it is!

Introduce Yourself! May 11, 2015

Today in class, we worked on introductions for your essays.  Since everyone's essay is on the causes of the Civil War, we can all use similar ideas in your introductions.

I have put all the information you need for homework on the weekly wrap-up post below.  If you need help writing your thesis statement, I have linked my thesis and intro guidelines for ideas.  If you are really, really stuck, just get some ideas down on paper and we'll work on it tomorrow.

I got some really good ideas for introductions today in our group work!  You can see the results of our hard work below!

Jay and Tucker showing us how it gets DONE!

Homework Weekly Wrap-Up: Week of May 11 - 15

Hi all!
I liked having all the week's homework up on the blog for Monday so that people could plan their week, so I'm going to continue this as much as I can through the end of the year (and that is coming up fast!).  Please understand that things change and I have to be flexible, so if something needs to be shifted or reconfigured, look HERE to make sure you know what to do.

HOMEWORK

MONDAY - due on TUESDAY
Develop a thesis statement for your essay, based on the level of essay that you are choosing to complete.  Write it out COMPLETELY and in FULL SENTENCES on a separate sheet of paper to turn in tomorrow.  Use the prompt to help you create the thesis!

AC:  Your thesis should identify the three specific events you are exploring
CP:  Your thesis should refer to broader, underlying issues (economic, political, social)
Honors:  Your thesis should introduce the theme you are tracing throughout the essay

Three Models of Thesis Statements/Intro Paragraphs

TUESDAY - due on THURSDAY

• Draft a topic sentence for each body paragraph.  Be sure your topic sentences reflect the thesis! You can submit this on a Google Doc or on paper.

THURSDAY - due Friday or Monday, your choice

• Identify TWO pieces of evidence from the DBQ (or outside sources) you could use in each body paragraph.  You might need to look back at the original packet to get specifics.  I will have a handout to help you with this.

VERY IMPORTANT - Many of you are at the point where you do not need to be led through the essay process, or the way I structure the essay is not the way you do it for yourself.  Please listen in class, as I will be offering an option for those of you who wish to work more independently.

DIY Essay Contract

Happy Friday!!!!! May 8, 2015

Hey guys,
Today in class, you worked on finishing up your packets.  If you are not done with that, that is your homework for the weekend.  If you need a packet, it is linked below:

DBQ Packet - What Caused the Civil War?

Wrapping Up The Week: May 7, 2015

Hi all,
Hope you have been keeping up with the homework!  Many of you forgot to do the video and questions, so you will need to get those done.  I'll be doing a specific homework post for next week as well, so remember to check in from time to time.

Today and tomorrow, we will have a lot of absences because of trips and such. If you are in school, your job is to finish the DBQ packet.  If you don't finish, or aren't in school, please work on it over the weekend.  The link to the packet is in yesterday's post.

HOMEWORK - see the homework post from 5/4.

Bringing the Heat: Cinco de Mayo, 2015

Hi everyone,
It is getting warm up in 215, and our fancy-schmancy air conditioner?  Isn't working.  SAD. FACE.  I have put in a request to the head of maintenance to help us figure something out, but until then, just be ready for some warm afternoons in the Social Studies house!

This week, we are preparing to write our FINAL major essay by analyzing a number of primary and secondary source documents. If you are not going to be here on Thursday and Friday, you need to get a copy of the question packet (either from me or from this blog) and finish answering the questions in your packet.  Come in next week, ready to take your learning check on the key facts from the vocab handout during team time.

HOMEWORK:  Don't forget to watch the video and answer the questions on the May 4th post for tomorrow.

Here is the packet mentioned above.

Cotton and Slavery: MAY 4, 2015

I'm doing things a little differently this week, ladies and gentlemen.  We have a lot going on in class, so I am giving you ALL the homework for the week RIGHT HERE, and you can come back to this page when you need a reminder.

HOMEWORK

Assignment #1 - Vocab

For WEDNESDAY, please have your Vocab Sketches assignment (or your alternate choice) done.  If you lost/can't find the handout for the sketches, click here.  If you lost your vocabulary and key points list, click here.

Assignment #2 - Video

For THURSDAY.  Hey, guess what, guys!  This homework assignment is only going to take one minute and 29 seconds!! You know how I know this?  That's how long this video takes to watch:

If you can't get that to play, here is the link.

If you can't get THAT to play, here is a 6-minute video that goes over the same info, but in way more detail:

Okay, I'm exaggerating a little - once you get finished with the video, you will need to answer TWO simple questions.  Here goes:

QUESTIONS FOR HOMEWORK:

How did the cotton gin make it easier to raise cotton for profit?  Explain your answer.
Why did the ability to raise cotton for profit lead to more need for slavery?  Describe the cause and effect relationship.

How are you going to answer these questions?  You have a choice.
You can write/type out the questions AND your answers on separate paper and turn them in to me.
You can put your answers in a Google form - click here to go to the form (you will need to sign into your SAU 16 account).

Also, if you need clarification on abolitionists or the Underground Railroad, you can watch another short video here.

Assignment #3 - Pre-Civil War Learning Check
On FRIDAY, I am going to ask you a FEW simple questions on the five events on the "key points" side of the vocab list.  It will all be "w" type questions - who, what, when, where.  You will have one question per event, 2 points per question, five events = 10 points total.  The link to the vocab list has the key events with it, if you lose that.