This week marked the mid-point of the first quarter. I realize we only have two (or three) graded assignments submitted, so it may not seem like much, but the frequency of grades will pick up soon. We spend a good deal of time practicing procedures and protocols during the first part of the quarter and now we are "cooking with fire." I was planning on discussing the "re-do" policy and procedures with the students on Friday but I was at home with a sick kiddo--so I'll introduce it on Monday. The students will have the opportunity to resubmit nearly every assignment they do this year as I wholeheartedly believe in second-chance learning. The students will simply need to complete a "re-do" ticket and turn that in with the work they are resubmitting.
As I was out on Friday, I once again did NOT get a chance to show a video--however, I will be showing one on Monday when we return. This week's video comes from a guy named Inky Johnson and is called "Impose Your Will." Inky was on the fast track to being a millionaire and NFL player before an injury changed everything in an instant. I think you'll love this video-I know I do!
Last Week:
Tuesday: Tuesday was a "what you need" day for the students. Some students needed to finish the Boston Massacre writing piece we did in class on Friday (#019 on the Google Classroom) and others were ready to move on. While the students that needed more time to finish their essays wrote, the rest of the class watched part of America the Story of Us to help gain a broad overview of how we went from the Pilgrims landing at Plymouth Rock, to the first shirts being fired at Lexington & Concord.
*The honor's classes finished working on their #018-Copare & Contrast Colonial Protests products instead of the writing--they finished that earlier last week.
Wednesday: The whole goal of today was to have the students practice something called "Numbermania." In this activity, the students create infographics to tell the story of a historical event. Today, the students created infographics about the Declaration of Independence and the Second Continental Congress. Check out some of the work the kids were able to do in only one class period!
Thursday: We spent today diving into the Declaration to gain a deeper understanding of the goals of our nation. The students were wowed by a story of true love and heartbreak (you'll have to ask them about it) and then we discussed how the Declaration was basically the greatest breakup letter in human history (eat your heart out Taylor Swift). We ended the day by working on paraphrasing and trying to translate the Declaration into modern-day language.
Friday: I was out today but the students continued to work with the preamble of the Declaration by creating either text messages or "Instagram posts" with the content. This assignment is graded and will be finished in class on Monday.
Next Week:
Next week is a bit of an odd week! We are off of school on Wednesday and the students will have shortened class periods on two days so they can take some diagnostic testing. Here's a rough plan of what we're hoping to accomplish in class next week:
Complete ✅ #024-Friday, September 30, 2022, and submit it.
Discuss the process for submitting late work and resubmitting work.
Complete a mid-quarter self and course evaluation.
Complete a "Thick Slide" to help understand the Constitutional Convention.
Begin to discuss the principles of our nation as set forth by the Constitution.
Welcome: This week, we had the privilege of watching a video titled "Dear High School Self," created by a former student. This heartfelt message serves as a poignant reminder for our students to cherish their time in school, as it passes quickly. Many students found it relatable and impactful, highlighting the importance of reflection during their formative years. This Past Week: Monday: I was out today for a few doctor's appointments and the students worked on a Wizer activity meant to help them differentiate between primary and secondary sources and recognize bias. The guest teacher had nothing but great things to say about the students! Tuesday: Today was the final day for the students to work on their Unit One Timelines (#10 on the Google Classroom). It was great to hear the students discussing the different ways to go about finding the information for the timeline. One student said, "ohhh, it's like a game and you have to put together the clues." ...
Welcome: I simply cannot believe how quickly these past two weeks have gone! We are nine days into school and the students are doing great. They have been learning the new morning routines and bell schedules and it's starting to feel like we never left for summer break. This week I showed a quick little video about happiness by Jay Shetty. If you follow anything in the personal growth space you may know that Shetty has come under fire recently as claims that he may have embellished his background have surfaced. I feel that we can all believe whatever we like about him, but the message of this video still stands--it's all about how to be truly happy in life. This Past Week: Tuesday: The students came back from their long weekend today and were given time to finish the Week 1 Gameboard before we used MagicSchoolAI to practice using AI to research so we can formulate and defend opinions. The big question for today was "Should we study history or is it a waste of tim...
Welcome: Well, we are finally finished with the first quarter content and moving on to our next topic--Westward Expansion! I'm very excited to dive into the new content as we get closer to Thanksgiving Break and parent-teacher conferences next week. The week after Thanksgiving starts one of my favorite things we do as a school community--Operation Giving Tree. This drive helps make the holidays better for families within our school community. Check out the quick video, flyer and spreadsheet for more information. Operation Giving Tree Social Studies (1, 5 and 6) This Past Week: Monday: We took time today to go through a self-directed Pear Deck activity meant to help the students learn the meaning of the term "Manifest Destiny," review for the Civics Exam, join the new Google Classroom, and start working on the first assignment for the second unit called ✅ #01-Westward Map & Timeline Activity. Tuesday: The students got a preview of the C...
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