April 30th - Cold War

Today, students started learning about the Cold War.  Students watched and discussed a Civil Defense video from 1951 to witness the concern for the Atomic bomb in the U.S.   Students had classtime to complete a worksheet on the Soviet Union and the Cold War.  Students will receive their test scores and packet tomorrow during class.  

April 29th - Test Make-up and European Countries

Today, students finished their tests and work on learning the European countries.  Students that were finished with the test took an online geography quiz over European countries.  They had time to study and practice the countries before they took the test. 

Test website Lizardpoint.com

April 28th - WWII Test Day

Test Day - All students will take their test if they have a completed packet.  Students that were gone Friday will take the test on Tuesday.  

Tomorrow students will make-up tests and finish incomplete tests.  Students that are finished will work on a Europe map activity.

April 23rd - Hiroshima (WWII)

Today, students watched a documentary on Hiroshima (24 Hours after Hiroshima: National Geographic).  The students heard first hand accounts, details about the bomb and destruction.  The goal is to create an opinion on the use of the bomb. Students also created a list of ten notes over the video.  We will finish the video tomorrow.  

Question of the Day:

What two cities were hit by the Atomic Bomb? Why did they choose those cities?
Hiroshima and Nagasaki
- military bases
- other cities in Japan were perviously fire bombed

Jeopardy:

Name the two oceans that border the U.S.

What states border Canada?

April 22nd - WWII

Today, students read an report from Hiroshima by a Jesuit who was living 4 miles from the city.  The students will use the report to answer some critical thinking questions on the Hiroshima worksheet. Tomorrow students will watch a video on the events of Hiroshima. Video

Assignment - 
Timeline assignment - moved to Friday, April 25th
Hiroshima worksheet - due Wed. April 23rd

Question of the Day - 
2. What countries did Germany invade during the rise to power?
Poland
Czechoslovakia
Austria
Soviet Union
Denmark
France
Greece
Netherlands
Finland
North Africa
etc....


Jeopardy - 

What did the emancipation proclamation do?

what wars were fought by US. in 1900's?

What was the main concern of the Cold War?


WWII Test - Monday, April 28th

April 21th - World War II

Today, students check the study guide assignment 231-234.  The study guide reviewed the information that led to two Fascist governments being created in Germany and Italy.  Students also discussed some current events in class, Boston Marathon bombing and the child that flew to Hawaii.  Students received a Timeline review assignment that will be due Wednesday, they may need to use computers to complete the assignment.

Assignments -

Timeline Worksheets - Due Wed., April 23rd

Question of the Day

1. What year was the turning point in World War II and Why?

1942

- U.S. and Soviet armies were getting more powerful

- Allies were gaining ground

- German army was  no longer invinicble 

Jeopardy - 

Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?

What year was it adopted?

Name all 13 original colonies.

Test Day - Monday, April 28th  

April 17 and 18th - World War II

Students worked as a class to create a timeline of World War II from 1932 to 1945.  Each student was asked to read different events that happened and add them to the timeline.  We were able to see the rise/fall of Nazi Germany, turning point in the war and important dates.  Every student was involved in reading and answering questions.

Questions of the day

1. Who was Italy's leader during WWII?

Fascist Dictator Benito Mussolini

2. Where was Hitler born? Name his book.

Austria and Mein Kampf


Assignments - 
Study Guide 231-234 - Check Monday in class
Timeline worksheet - Due Wednesday

Test over WWII will be Monday, April 28th

April 16th - Holocaust and WWII

Today, students worked on Study Guide 231-234 in class.  It reviewed the ideas learned during the Facist graphic organizer.  We also read a few of the soldier perspectives.

Assignments - 
Study Guide 231-234 due Friday, April 18th
Soldier Perspective paragraph - Due today

Questions of the Day - 
1. What countries had the most death during WWII
1. Soviet Union - 21-28 million
2. China - 10-20 million
3. Germany - 7-9 million
4. Poland - 5.8 million
5. Japan 2.7 million

Jeopardy - 
1. Name the two major political parties.

2. What is the name of the national anthem?

3. How many Supreme Court Justices are there?

April 15th - Holocaust and World War II

Today, students created a graphic organize to learn about Facism and its role in World War II.  The students discussed examples, definition and characteristics of a Facist government, especially those of Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini.  Most classes were also able to correct their Holocaust: Concentration and Death Camp worksheet, it will go in the test packet.  

Facism: a strict government with extreme militaristic nationalism and a dictator with ultimate control.

Question of the Day:
What was the worst concentration camp during WWII?
Auschwitz - approximately 1.1 millions deaths

Jeopardy - Citizenship Questions

1. What was the American war between North and South?

2. What are the three branches of the government?

3. Who had the power to veto a bill?

Important current event - Shooting at a Synagogue in Kansas

April 14 - Holocaust and World War II

Today, students did a further study of the Holocaust.  We discussed the speaker on Friday and events of the weekend.  Students completed a soldier's perspective of the liberation assignment.  They had to put themselves in the shoes of a American soldier liberating a labor camp.  They worked on a packet about the Holocaust, it asked them to read tables, maps and math.  

Assignments:
Holocaust packet worksheet - Due April 15th

Study Guide 231-239 - Due April 17th

Cultural Literacy - The Vandals were an East Germanic tribe, or group of tribes, who were first heard of in southern Poland, but later moved around Europe establishing kingdoms in Spain and later North Africa in the 5th century.

Question of the Day - 
Create a diagram to show the possible paths of a Jewish person in the 1936-1945.

April 10-11 - Holocaust

On Thursday, students finished their notes on the Holocaust camps.  Student also saw an example of liberation during the Holocaust.  It was quite moving to see the what the people in the camp had gone through.  Students were asked to write a soldier perspectives of liberating the camp.  Students seem to be very focused and have a some knowledge of the Holocaust.

On Friday, the 7th grade at Excelsior and Oak Ridge was able to listen to Cesare Frustaci, a Holocaust survivor.  His story and lessons on life, school and family were very inspiring.  Make sure to ask your son or daughter about the speaker.  The whole presentation was taped so we will be able to make it available to parents and family soon.  

This is his presentation at Xavier High School Cesare Frustaci

April 9th - Holocaust

Today, students were organized into groups to study the different types of camps.  Groups will share the information they found with the whole class.  The class will use the information to create three column notes.  Students will finish their notes tomorrow.

Question of the Day -

Describe life in the Jewish Ghetto.

-Depressing

- dirty

-cold

-smuggling

-little food

-disease

-overcrowding

-overpopulation

-death

-dangerous

Holocaust Speaker on Friday

Holocaust - April 8th

Today, students experienced the feeling of fleeing their homes and packing a suitcase to move to the Ghetto.  Students received a slip of paper with a suitcase on it, they add to write or draw as much as possible in the suitcase in 3 minutes.  While students were writing, they were placed under pressure by powerful music and sounds.  Student became aware of the extreme situation that Jewish people had to go through during the Holocaust.  Students also grade their study guide assignment during class. Tomorrow we will move from the Ghetto to Concentration Camp and examine differences and problems.  

Japan Seminar Test was due on Monday

April 7th - Holocaust

I apologize for the recent late post, there have been some technical difficulties. Today, students created a profile of Hitler to understand his background and rise to power. Students also had time to work on their World War II study guide assignment. The study guide is due tomorrow. We will check it in class. Reminder: Holocaust speaker on Friday We will be recording the speaker and he will also be at a few colleges in town.

April 4 - Holocaust

Students took a short pop quiz on Holocaust vocabulary terms. The quiz scores will be in Powerschool on Monday. Students will be building their knowledge of the Holocaust this week to prepare for the speaker on Friday. Reminder - Written seminar tests are due this Monday.

April 2 and 3 - Japan and Holocaust

Students did a great job with the discussion and today they received their test scores.  Students have the opportunity to take an alternative test to get a better score.  The alternative test will be due on Monday.  The scores are currently visible on Powerschool.

Tomorrow students have a pop quiz over the following Holocaust vocabulary; Nuremberg Laws, Ghetto, Treblinka, Birkenau, Auschwitz, Kindertransport, Third Reich, Liquidation, Liberation, Gypsy, and Holocaust.

Friday is the last day of testing.  On Monday, we go back to the regular schedule.  Next Friday is the Holocaust speaker, we will spend all week preparing in class.

Japan Seminar Test Day - April 1st

Today, students began their graded discussions.  Most students are doing very well, but a few will need to speak up tomorrow during the discussion.  I have extended the discussion to Wednesday as well to make sure all students participate. Students can receive points by focusing on the discussion, being respectful, offering new ideas, arguing their point, supporting classmates, and asking questions. If students do not perform well, they will be able to take the written test.