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Week Three: Friday, September 15, 2023

 Welcome: 

Wow--what a week! This most likely goes without saying but I have never experienced anything like this in my 20 years of teaching. I'm extremely proud of the way this community came together and supported one another during the crazy events that unfolded this week. I realize that many of us are still trying to process what we endured as a community this week so if you feel there is anything I can do to help support your child please don't hesitate to reach out. 

Now on to happier things--namely, the video I showed this week. The video that we watched in class is extra special for me because it was made by one of my former students. Juliana was a member of the graduating class of 2020 and she created this video as a project for one of her film classes in high school. I love showing this because it reminds the students to appreciate the time they have since it flies by-and this is much more meaningful coming from a 17-year-old instead of a 42-year-old teacher! 



This Past Week: 

Social Studies (Periods 1, 5 and 6): 

  • Monday: We started the week off by doing another one of the Blooket games with content about the causes of the American Revolution. I let the kids know that it was okay to get questions wrong here (in fact, I expected it) but that part of this is growth so they should try to avoid getting the same question wrong twice. Every class increased their average by at least 10 points! Once we were done the students had time to continue working on #008-War of Independence Timeline. 
  • Tuesday: We had our crazy and unexpected day off today. 
  • Wednesday: Another crazy & unexpected day off today. 
  • Thursday: The students watched an EdPuzzle of a video called "How We Got Here" to help them understand the early history of the United States. We also did another one of the Blooket games with content about the causes of the American Revolution. The students also had more time to work on their #008-War of Independence Timeline. 
  • Friday: The students started the day by reviewing the "How We Got Here" presentation yesterday before we moved on to do a quick content burst on the French & Indian War. The students were then given time to continue working on #008-War for Independence Timeline before we finished up the week with the video above. 

Accelerate Social Studies (Periods 3 and 8):

  • Monday: We started the week off by doing our first content burst of the year. The students watched an EdPuzzle of a video called "How We Got Here" to help them understand the early history of the United States. We also did another one of the Blooket games with content about the causes of the American Revolution. I let the kids know that it was okay to get questions wrong here (in fact, I expected it) but that part of this is growth so they should try to avoid getting the same question wrong twice. Every class increased their average by at least 10 points! 
  • Tuesday: We had our crazy and unexpected day off today! 
  • Wednesday: Another crazy & unexpected day off today. 
  • Thursday: We started with another content burst today--this time we discussed the French and Indian War. Once the students were finished with the discussion the students continued their work on the timeline assignment. 
  • Friday: The students started the day by reviewing the "How We Got Here" presentation yesterday before we moved on to do a quick content burst on the French & Indian War and the series of taxes and acts passed by the British after the war followed by a quick Sketch & Tell. The students were then given time to continue working on #008-War for Independence Timeline before we finished up the week with the video above. 

Next Week: 

Social Studies (Periods 1, 5 and 6): 

  • Monday: The students will begin Monday by watching an EdPuzzle video in which I discuss some of the taxes and acts passed by the British Parliament that upset the American colonists in the years leading to the American Revolution. The students will then be given time to either finish their #008-War for Independence Timeline assignment from last week or get a jump on the Boson Massacre Activity we'll be doing this week. 
  • Tuesday: We'll spend some time today discussing the events from the timeline that the students did last week and then playing a review game meant to help them make sense of the information. 
  • Wednesday: We'll introduce the Boston Massacre primary source activity today. This activity will be done in class and will take them the rest of this week and the beginning of next. 
  • Thursday: We will continue to work on the Boston Massacre Eyewitness Account primary source chart today in class. 
  • Friday: The students will have a presentation from the Chester County Intermediate Unit today during their social studies classes. 

Accelerate Social Studies (Periods 3 and 8):

Next week will focus on the events that unfolded on the night of March 5, 1770, on the streets of Boston. The students will be investigating a series of (mostly) primary sources about the Boston Massacre. The students will then decide which side deserves more of the blame and why in their first graded writing assignment of the year. Here is a proposed outline of what next week will look like: 
  • Monday: Content Burst about the Sons of Liberty & the Boston Massacre, followed by time to complete the sources chart.
  • Tuesday: Content Burst about the Tea Act, Boston Tea Party, and the Intolerable Acts, followed by time to work on the Boston Massacre chart. 
  • Wednesday: The students will complete their charts today, and we'll discuss the Boston Massacre as a group and play a review game. 
  • Thursday: The students will spend today doing a Claim-Evidence-Reasoning writing response about the Boston Massacre in class. They will formulate their own opinion and cite specific evidence to support their claims. 
  • Friday: Content Mastery Check #1 and a brief discussion of the American Revolution. 

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