Feb. 28 - The Great War

Attention! Attention!
There has been a schedule change!  The test is moving from Monday to Wednesday.  I will be gone Monday and I would like to be available during the test if students have any questions.  

Today, we did an activity looking at Ethnocentrism - belief in the superiority of one's own ethnic group. This is a central idea in colonization and WWI/WWII.

One of my favorite ways to teach cultural understanding is to look at the Nacirema people (American backwards) Nacirema.  Do these people seem familiar?

Assignments due -
Post Card from the Trenches is due today, Friday, Feb. 28.

Feb. 27 - World War I

Students put together packets for the test over World Religions and World War I.  The students should have the following assignments in a packet completed.

World Religions chart                              

Russian Revolution                                

World War I Map                                   

Colonization of Africa                              

World War I Notes   \

World War I Definitions                              

Cultural Literacy                                     

Questions of the day                               

Life in the Trenches notes

Students were given a study guide to fill out before the test on Monday, it will help them study and practice using their packet.  

Assignments -

Post card from the trenches is due this Friday. It must contain at least 5 facts about the trenches in the letter, an address, a drawn on stamp and a picture on the other side that represents the war.  

Question of the day - 
What were the major problems of living in the trenches?

Rats
bad weather and food
constant bombardment and gun fire
snipers
trench foot
disease

Feb. 26 - World War I or The Great War

Students had work time to complete their postcard from the trenches.  Students need to use real facts from the trenches to write a fictional postcard from the front lines.  This assignment will be due on Friday, Feb. 26.  We will put our packets together tomorrow and we will take the test Monday.  Thursday, I will send students home with a study guide for the test.

Cultural Literacy - 
Rabbi - A rabbi is a Jewish spiritual leader. The word "rabbi" means "my teacher" or "my master" in Hebrew. A rabbi has pastoral duties, such as leading a congregation in prayer; preaching duties, such as delivering a weekly sermon; interpretive duties; interpreting the Torah; and administrative duties. A rabbi will often be available to a member of his or her congregation for spiritual guidance.

Questions of the Day - 
What were the new weapons in World War I?
Tanks, Machine guns, submarines, airplanes, blimps, grenades

What was the international organization that was created at the end of WWI?
League of Nations

Feb. 25 - World War I (Life in the Trenches)

Today, we experienced life in the trenches of World War I through a video and an article.  Students will use the information to create a fictional soldiers letter home from war.  The letter should discuss daily routines, food, problems, deaths, warfare and weather.  This assignment will due Friday, Feb. 28th.

Questions of the Day
1. Who assassinated the Archduke Ferdinand?
The Black Hand - Gavrilo Princip

2. What is a stalemate?
Neither side can win, tie

Jeopardy questions -
50 years ago, This fighter defeated Sonny Liston to become the heavyweight champion of the world?

Who is the first African American to own a tv and movie studio? Created the character Madea.

Updated World War I notes

The World War I Powerpoint presentation is available on the website for uploading.

Website

Feb. 24 - World War I

Students finished their notes from the World War I presentation.  Presentation is available through email.  Today, students learned the spark that started the war, new technology and results.  This will be an important resource for the test which will probably be Monday, Feb. 3.

Question of the Day -

1. What is the acronym for remembering the causes of WWI?

MANIA

2. What did Italy do in 1861 and Germany in 1871?

Unify

Students are participating in Jeopardy questions related to Black History Month all week.

- Who was the first African American to win the PGA Championship?

- Who would not give up their seat on the bus and started the Montgomery Bus Boycott?

- Brown v. The Board of Education was found unconstitutional and ended _______________ in schools.

Feb. 21 - The Great War

We continued our study of World War I or The Great War, by defining some important vocabulary from the time period.

Nationalism

Imperialism

Unification

Revolution

Anarchy

Exile

Armistice

Colonialism

Alliance

Dual-Monarchy

Austria-Hungary

We got more in-depth with a powerpoint on the causes of World War I. Our acronym for remembering the causes it MANIA!

M - Militarism

A - Alliance

N - Nationalism

I - Imperialism

A - Assassination

Cultural Literacy WOD was Quark: Quarks and electrons are the tiniest particles. There are three quarks in every proton and three in every neutron, and protons and neutrons are the pieces of an atom. We can't see a quark, even with an electron microscope, but we know they must exist because that's the only way to explain what happens when scientists do certain experiments. 

Questions of the Day:

What agreement was signed 11/11/1918?

Armistice of WWI

What were the two major Alliances of WWI?

Triple Alliance

Triple Entente

Feb. 18 - World Religions and World War I

The days have been hectic lately, but Social Studies must go on!

Assignment due dates -
World War I Map - Today(2/18)
Religion Comparison research - due Tomorrow(2/19)
Religion Comparison - Due Friday (2/21)
Colonization Worksheet - Due Friday (2/21)

Today -
We discussed the Crisis in Syria and its possible effects on the World and United States.
We reviewed the most recent Olympic events and U.S. medal count
In honor of President's day, students are participating in Presidents Jeopardy
-Who was the tallest president?
- Who is the largest president that needed a special bath tub installed in the White House?
- Name the 8 presidents that died while in office?

Possible sources for research-
http://www.religionfacts.com/big_religion_chart.htm
Christianity
Judaism
Islam
Buddhism
Hinduism

Feb. 11 - Russian Revolution and World War I

I think we are finally over these crazy half days and cancelled days.  Class will finally be able to get back on track.  Students used today to get caught up or finish their Russian Revolution packet which will be due on Thursday.  Tomorrow we will have new Cultural Literacy and Questions of the day.

Students are reviewing the medal count and discussing the countries at the top this week.  

Test Retakes and Results

The test retake is now available on the website.  It is eleven vocabulary words and term, students can use any resources to write two to three sentences.  I will be handing these out to students the received a D/F on Tuesday.

Results

Mod 2 - 16 students were proficient (80% or better) out of 28 at 57%

Mod 3 - 19 students were proficient out of 29 at 66%

Mod 4 - 20 students were proficient out of 29 at 69%

Mod 5 - 23 students were proficient out of 30 at 77%

Mod 8 - 18 students were proficient out of 29 at 62%

The midterms grade may not be accurate because of weather and grade updates happening before midterms.

Feb. 9th - World Religions and the Russian Revolution

Students missing tests, quiz and manor projects will need to get them made up on Monday.  I will be putting students on the student spreadsheet and some students will need to stay after school on Tuesday.  I will be calling home for those students Monday after school.  In the upcoming days will be discussing test retake options.  I will also be providing data on our last test.  

Due Monday - World Religions chart (available on the class website)

Due Wednesday - Russian Revolution study guide

No School Friday

Upcoming - I'm excited to announce that students will have the opportunity to meet a Holocaust Survivor on Friday, April 11th.   Here is some background on the speaker. http://tomchang.wordpress.com/2013/05/03/holocaust-survivor-were-still-fighting/

Feb. 6 Middle Ages Test and World Religions

Students took the Middle Ages test on Tuesday.   I am in the process of grading the tests and resource packets.  I hope to have most grades on Powerschool by Monday.  Students will have a grade for their manor project, test and resource packet.  Absent students will make up quizzes, test and projects by Monday.

Today, students studied five major world religions.  This information will give them some background knowledge for World War I and World War II.  Students studied symbols, important figures, locations, beliefs and holy books of Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, and Hinduism.  This assignment will be due on Monday.  Handouts are available on my website.

Cultural Literacy WOD - Lobotomy also called prefrontal leukotomy,  surgical procedure in which the nerve pathways in a lobe or lobes of the brain are severed from those in other areas. The procedure formerly was used as a radical therapeutic measure to help grossly disturbed patients with mental illnesses. There are a few videos on youtube, but I don't know if I recommend watching them.  Makes me queasy...

Questions of the Day - 
Why did people get sick in the Middle Ages?


What is the holy book of Islam?

I will be gone tomorrow, Friday, Feb. 7 for a Professional training opportunity. Students will be reading pages 112-116 from the World Cultures book and completing a packet.  This assignment will help students understand the Russian Revolution.  It relates to World War I and World War II, and eventually the Cold War.

Today's News - Speaking the Russia, don't forget to watch the Winter Olympics.  Qualifying events begin tonight with snowboarding, moguls, and figure skating.  The opening Ceremony is at 6:30 on NBC, the performances will tell you a lot about Russia culture.

Feb. 3 - Middle Ages

Questions of the Day -
1. What did a peddler do?

2. Name the four humors.

Today, students took a 11 point quiz over their Cultural Literacy and Pompeii.  Students are doing very well so far.
Tomorrow students will be taking a test over the Middle Ages.  We put together a packet of resources to use during the test.  Here is the list of assignments:

Middle Ages Reference Packet

Pompeii KWL

World Cultures pg.84-89

Medieval Times (Parts of a Castle)

World Cultures pg. 95-104

Internet Search

Cultural Literacy

Questions of the Day

Students also have a Manor project due on Thursday.  Students had to draw and label a Medieval Manor.

Tuesday - World Religions chart

- Students will use an article to organize information on religions.  Extra handouts are available on my webpage.