Decisions, Decisions: September 30, 2014

Today, we continued our work with drawing conclusions and identifying questions from evidence.  Since we are working on this in class, I have a different assignment for you to do tonight.

HOMEWORK:  Tonight, you need to review the two short-answer questions from the quiz you took last week.  If you scored a THREE out of FIVE or lower on either question, you need to revise that question.  If you scored four out of five points and want to try to grab that last point, by all means, go for it!

HELPFUL INFORMATION:

• Please make sure you write your answer in FULL sentences, not fragments or run-on sentences.  If your responses start with "Middle colonies because…" or "They had them because….", you probably need to rework that response!  
• Please make sure that your response has at least TWO ideas (facts and information) from the book to show that you used it!
• Please make sure that you CONNECT your ideas BACK to the question you're being asked to answer!  (In other words, just listing some facts doesn't prove you understand the question!)
• You need to make a statement about what you're going to prove, give at least two supporting ideas, and then connect the ideas back to your statement.  That should take about four sentences.

For the SECOND question, you can support any of the three major regions as being most valuable, but you CAN'T say the Backcountry was the most valuable, because that region DID NOT TRADE WITH ENGLAND.

For the FIRST question, do not answer any of the following:

• There were more slaves in the South because the South was the closest region to Africa.
• There were more slaves in the South because they liked the hot weather.
• There were more slaves in the South because the white people were lazy and didn't want to work.

If you have NOT taken the quiz yet, you need to make sure your chart is done for TOMORROW.  If you lost the chart, it is linked below.

Chart for book work (all of Ch 4)

The link to all the Chapter 4 sections is available on this post.

REMINDER:  If you want to take home a book for reference throughout the year, bring in a book cover (to show you will keep it covered!) and I will sign out a book to you.  Thanks!

"I only learn things when I ask questions." Question Building Activity: September 30, 2014

Thanks to Lou Holtz and BrainyQuote.com for that quote!!!

Today in class, we continued the Question Building activity.  If your class completed the model Question Building process for Input #1, then I broke you into groups and had you continue the process using the remaining evidence.  If your class did not complete that model process yet, we did that first, and then started the group work.

HOMEWORK:  If you were absent today, I have attached the form and a link to the documentation below.  If you know what to do, you can work on the Question Building process for 25-30 minutes.  Try to get through at least three inputs.  If you don't, come see me for help, and then you can pick up with the process.

If you were not absent today, you should have progressed through a reasonable number of the inputs.  If you are behind, you will want to use the link below and catch up.

This is the link to the graphic organizer you fill out.

This is the link to the documents we're using in class.

Walk This Way: September 29, 2014

Today in class, we did our first-ever Gallery Walk activity to examine the PSA posters you created.  I was very impressed by the unique and insightful ways you guys explained the rules of mercantilism and how they work!  I saw quite a few students really focusing on the activity and thinking carefully about which PSA to vote for, so thank you to those of you who led the way!

After that, we switched gears and began a new activity called Question-Building.  The purpose of this activity is to get you to think critically about information, identify the conclusions you can draw from different pieces of info, and the questions that information raises.  As I explained in class, regardless of whether or not you ever think about US History again, you will be taking in huge amounts of information for the rest of your life and you need to know how to use it to your advantage.  We will be working together to examine a number of primary and secondary sources, and arrive at conclusions and questions we can use to guide our thinking through the rest of the week.

HOMEWORK:  There is no new homework today!  Hurray!!!  However, you should check PowerSchool and look over your grades to see if there are any holes in the record or grades that are incorrect.  We are quickly coming up on the halfway point in the first quarter, believe it or not, which means progress report time is near!!

This Has Been a Public Service Announcement: September 26, 2014

HOMEWORK:  Today we had a nice, creative day making our Public Service Announcements!  If you didn't get yours done in class today, you need to bring it in on Monday.  Remember, this is what you need to include:

A snappy saying, attention-grabbing statement, or interesting slogan connected to the rule you chose;
A visual image that goes along with your message;
A few sentences EXPLAINING *why* we, as a country, should follow the rule you chose AND explaining how it connects to mercantilism.

We talked about the connection to mercantilism in terms of a GOAL - that the goal of mercantilism is to  make a country more powerful by making it more profitable.  Make sure that your description shows how you understanding mercantilism, because this is what I'm looking for to see if you understand mercantilism!

Nine Rules of Mercantilism: September 25, 2014

Today in class, I traumatized a bunch of you by showing you that SPCA ad… you know the one, with the sad Sarah McLachlan music and the poor little puppies and kitties?  I did that to introduce the idea of a PSA - public service announcement - and what a PSA includes.  We looked at a range of non-video PSAs and identified the key components, so that you could start thinking about that as we continued with…

THE NINE RULES OF MERCANTILISM!!!  So we've been talking about trade, and why the colonies were created, plus what Britain wanted from them.  It all goes back to mercantilism, the idea that wealthy countries should create colonies to provide raw materials, buy finished products, and generate wealth.  Yesterday, you started reading a number of "rules" of mercantilism, explaining how countries should try to use their colonies to generate wealth.  Today we continued to review those rules and look at how we could translate those into more modern terms.  Tomorrow, you are going to pick ONE of these rules to explain in PSA format.  This includes:

A snappy, attention-grabbing slogan;
An eye-catching visual image;
A brief explanation of what you mean.

HOMEWORK:  Your homework for tonight is to finish translating the rules (if needed), and to make a rough draft of your ideas for your PSA.

Missing in Action?

If you miss class for some reason, I have a new way to make sure you get caught up on your work.  We'll go over it in class, but if you want to get the form, it is here.

The Only Constant is Change: September 24, 2014

Hey everyone!  I've made a few changes to the ole blog to try to make it easier for all of us to use it.  First, I changed the name - too many people have a hard time with my last name, and if you misspell it, then you don't get to this site.  So the name is now the same as the title:  oldthingsanddeadpeople.blogspot.com.  If you can't remember the whole term, just do a Google search for "old things and dead people," and you should find me right away!

The other major change is that I am starting to use Dropbox to link my worksheets and such to this site. Google Drive is just too frustrating - if you try to click on the link, I have to give you permission to see it, and then I have to change the privacy settings to share it.  Now multiply that by however many students want to use the document, all of whom need individual permission, plus if I don't see your email then you don't get the document, and … well, let's just say it wasn't very convenient for ANY of us.  Let's see if shifting to Dropbox helps!

In the next few days, I'll also be showing you some other ways to get what you need, particularly after an absence.  We're about to launch into some heavy-duty thinking, so be ready!!!

I'm posting this as a test to see if Dropbox works.  Fingers crossed!

The Pause that Refreshes: September 23 and 24, 2014

Hi everyone!  I'm away from school for the next few days learning how to be the new! and improved! version of the teacher you know and already love so dearly, so you'll be doing some things outside of my expert gaze for the next two days.  You'll be taking a short quiz on the 13 colonies map and a longer quiz on the unique qualities of the colonies, and you have two days to complete them.

HOMEWORK:  When I see you again on THURSDAY, I want you to have started working on a  handout called Nine Rules of Mercantilism.  You're going to pick out some rules that you can restate in your own words, and then we'll pick up there when I get back.  I  know I'm hammering on the mercantilism idea, but I want you to understand why the colonies started getting this idea that they had the right to decide what to do for themselves, and it starts with understanding why the British government believed that the colonies did NOT have the right to decide what to do for themselves.  If you lose your packet or never got one, the link is posted below.

Nine Rules of Mercantilism packet

Trading Around the Colonies: September 18 and 19, 2014

Today in class, most of us participated in a trade simulation that should help you understand more clearly why England wanted colonies, what role the colonies played, and how the colonies were affected by mercantilism.  While we tend to think of the past as "the good old days," when times were simpler and life was easier, I hope you are getting a sense that the world of trade was already a very interdependent and complicated one.  When we finish the simulation, we're going to talk about how England's desire for power led that country to set up policies and laws that angered the colonies (and eventually put them on the road to rebellion, but that comes later).

Also of note, per 5 got a special treat when Behaylu Barry Skyped into class to join our trade simulation.  Welcome back for the day, Behay!

HOMEWORK:
You have a chart breaking down the four colonial regions that you need to complete for MONDAY. You need to use all four sections of the textbook to get the chart completed.  You are free to work with a friend to finish the chart; just make sure to do so accurately and thoroughly!

Link to Chapter 4, Sec 1 - New England
Link to Chapter 4, Sec 2 - Middle Colonies
Link to Chapter 4, Sec 3 - Southern Colonies
Link to Chapter 4, Sec 4 - Backcountry

In case you need some help remembering the original 13 colonies, here's a map.

See you tomorrow!  First Student of the Month assembly!!!

Why Create Colonies? We Begin Our Examination: September 16, 2014

Yesterday, you were broken into three groups and invited to "colonize" the New World in Room 215.  I chose to break you into three groups for a reason, that being that North America was most extensively colonized by the major European powers of England, France, and Spain.  Then last night, you had some homework defining the term "merchant" and outlining the concepts of raw materials and finished products (aka finished goods).  Knowing that the Americas were the target of three important countries, and understanding what makes raw materials valuable, are both critical to understanding just exactly why England, France, and Spain were willing to sink huge amounts of money, time, and effort into their colonization efforts.

Today we reviewed the critical ideas of raw materials and finished products.  Basically, a raw material is any naturally-occurring product that needs to be changed in some way (modified, refined, improved) in order to become more valuable/useful.  For example, trees are valuable as they are - but if you cut a tree down, saw it into logs, saw the logs into planks, and then cut the planks into pieces and make them into a chest of drawers, it is much more valuable in that finished form than it was as a tree standing in the forest.  The colonies were a very useful source of raw materials - keep this in mind as we move onward….

HOMEWORK:

This is your homework.

And I leave you with this quote:

I do think one success of Northern Europe, which the United States came from, was its willingness to accept innovation in business practices like Adam Smith and the whole Enlightenment. It essentially made the merchant class free instead of controlled by the king and aristocracy. That was essential.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/merchant.html#uMZ4pj4KJ0zHWGh3.99

Creating the Colonies: September 15, 2014

Today in class, most of us participated in a activity that allowed you to claim "land" for your colony and choose a method of colonizing.  These choices mirrored how major European countries tried to gain power and influence over the world.  You can tell which European country tried to colonize in which location by the languages we speak - Spanish to the south and west of us; French in parts of Canada and upper New England; and English in the broad middle.  We will continue to explore the major motivating factors for colonization, and why European countries would want to colonize in North America, given the high rate of failure and risk it entailed (hint:  Follow the $$$!).

HOMEWORK:  You have a vocabulary analysis worksheet to complete for tomorrow.  Please finish it thoroughly!

Hooray, It's Friday! And Paragraphs! September 12, 2014

Today I got the first chance to see your writing skills on display, with last night's homework assignment to write a paragraph about the early colonies.  There has been some "discussion" (by which I mean disagreement) about how long a paragraph should be … by this point, the target should be at least five full sentences.  This means a topic sentence, several supporting sentences, and a conclusion.  If you got your paragraph back with the request to "Revise" listed on it, you need to rewrite your paragraph to make it more complete.

HOMEWORK:  You only need to rewrite your paragraph if instructed.  We are moving on from the early colonies on Monday!

Time to Wrap Up - What did we learn about the early colonies, anyway? September 11, 2014

Today, we did a number of activities intended to draw our work with the early colonies to a close.  There were no graded activities today, but I did check off anything overdue from the three major class assignments I gave you to do.  And in case you're sitting at home bored, you can do your:

HOMEWORK:  Choose ONE of the following to respond to in writing, using FULL sentences and your BEST understanding of paragraph format!

Which colony is more important in our nation's history?

Why should Americans know and understand our colonial history?

If the early colonists could come back to the United States of America today, would they be proud of what they started, or horrified by what we've become?

I'm looking forward to seeing INSIGHTFUL thinking and LENGTHY answers!

Here's another shot of the same information, this time with student illumination!

There's Nothin' Like Discussion: September 10, 2014

Today in class, we used our learning to discuss the different sources we've examined, how they can help us to understand history more clearly, and the benefits and drawbacks of each kind of source.  I put you in groups and gave you control over your small group discussions, and I was pleased with how the vast majority of groups performed.  Of course there are a few of you who *might* want to think about staying a little bit more on task, or speaking up a little more forcefully, but we have all year to improve! ;)

HOMEWORK:  If you are all done with the three source assignments (text review, "New Look" analysis, and primary source readings and questions), you are free tonight!!!  If you need to finish the "New Look" analysis, you have until FRIDAY with no penalty.  The two other assignments WILL be considered late, unless there are special circumstances you need to tell me about.

If you were in my PERIOD 7 class today, many of you came to class without being ready for discussion.  Please make sure that you are using class time well when you have work you need to do!  If you were not in the room for discussion, you have an assignment you need to complete by Friday to get some credit for the class discussion today.  You got a handout with the questions on it, or you can choose ONE from the list below to answer FULLY in writing:

In terms of understanding the early colonies and their importance, rank order the sources – which one was most helpful?  Least helpful?  Make sure to compare your experience to your peers” – meaning, you may or may not all have the same views!

What are the relative strengths and weaknesses of each kind of source – meaning, what does each one do well, and what does each one not do well? 

What kinds of information can you get from each source?  (facts, perspectives, explanations, skill development, context?)

How are textbooks different from books like the “A New Look” series?

Compare the reasons why textbooks are written with the reasons why primary source documents (letters, diaries, autobiographies, etc.) are written. 

Which colony do you think you would choose to live in if you had to?  EXPLAIN your answer!

More About the Good Old Days: September 8 and 9, 2014

Okay, I am posting for two days at once.  I like to think of it less as "being lazy" and more as "being efficient" ;).  On Monday and Tuesday, you will continue to work with our range of sources (text, subject books, primary source readings) to find out how life fared for those brave early colonists who managed to make it through the first few years of struggle in North America.  In addition to learning about the early colonists, I hope you will figure out that different kinds of sources have different messages to share with us, and that you can't count on any one source (no matter how thorough) to show us the whole picture.  Think about the stories you shared with me, and how different people could have very different memories of the same event.  It's not surprising that one source can't contain the whole picture about any topic.  

If you need to use the textbook outside class, I have posted links below to some online versions of the text.  Make SURE you are reading the pages that relate to YOUR assigned colony!  It is pp 85-89 for Jamestown and pp 92-97 for Plymouth.  If you need to use the subject book beyond Wednesday, it will be your job to get that done during a team time or study hall.  The primary source readings and text review handout Primary Source readings and questions also are linked below in case you misplace the copy you got in class.

Creating America - Plymouth Colony pages

Creating America - Jamestown Colony pages

Primary Source readings and questions

Text Review worksheet for Creating America reading

Textbooks and Sources and Worksheets, Oh My! September 5, 2014

Today in class we began reviewing secondary sources and what they have to teach us.  A secondary source is any kind of retelling of events, such as in a textbook or a documentary.  We are going to be looking at several different kinds of primary and secondary sources over the next few days so you can see what they have to offer. Your task is going to be to take notes, observe, analyze, and compare, but we'll take it step by step.

Today I also collected the Hannah Dustin reading and questions and checked how well you fulfilled the directions.  I was very pleasantly surprised by the result!  The majority of you followed the directions, or only missed a few minor details.  If you did not complete the assignment, or need to revise your work, please do that over the weekend and submit it on Monday.

If you need another copy of the homework, look under the day it was assigned.  See you on Monday, ready to go!

Now and Venn (diagrams): September 4, 2014

Do you see what I did there?  Do you? Do you???

Okay, if you don't see it, today in class we watched an exciting video about Jamestown and Plymouth colonies, captured notes on a graphic organizer, and then plotted our learning on a Venn diagram - get it?  Now and then - now and VENN????

Hey, I have to amuse myself somehow!

If you missed class, the handouts and video are linked below.  You can do them outside class and turn them in.  If you missed the homework for tomorrow, which is the reading on Hannah Dustin (or Dunstan), it was given out yesterday and the link is on yesterday's post.

The English Come to America video

Video note guide

Venn diagram - Plymouth and Jamestown

The English Come to America: September 3rd, 2014

Hannah Dustin Reading and Writing Assignment

There's the link to the homework for the next few nights.  The instructions are right on the front page of the reading.  I'm using this to introduce you to a skill, get you thinking about some content, but MOST importantly, to see how well and thoroughly you can follow basic directions!

You have two nights to do this assignment, so make sure you do both parts well.  I strongly suggest that you do a little each night so it's not overwhelming!

Today in class, per 1 and 2 did some brainstorming games around the concept of colonies - we did this in per 5, 6, and 7 yesterday.  Then they began the excitement of learning via video!  Per 5, 6, and 7 examined the Mayflower Compact in class today.  This is a primary source document that can tell us a lot about who came to the New World, why they came, and what challenges they faced once they got here.  Tomorrow these classes will pick up with the video.  Slowly but surely, we are getting back on track and soon all classes will be doing the same work (or at least, until we practice a fire drill or have an assembly!).  During the video, you'll be capturing information about the early colonies in North America as part of your first unit of study.  Do well and there won't be any weekend homework!  Have a great evening!

First-Hand Accounts: September 2nd, 2014

Again, we are catching up from getting out of step last week with Picture Day.  It was a little too easy to slip back into summer mode over the last four days!  I hope everyone has an easier time getting back into the school routine a second time around.

Per 1 and 2 read through a primary source (first hand, original) document today and got a chance to break it down into its pieces.  I challenged you to figure out what purpose this document served, why it might be necessary, and who created it.  Per 5 and 6 wrapped up work on sources and prepared for our primary source document by reviewing their knowledge about the word "colony", then began reading the primary source.  Per 7 got through the knowledge review about "colony" and will be ready to launch the primary source tomorrow.  You have no new homework tonight, but there WILL be an assignment ready for you TOMORROW!  Have a good evening and I'll see you in class tomorrow!