Skip to main content

Week 16: Decemberr 9, 2024

Welcome: 

This week we welcome the students back from Thanksgiving break and to the month of December! It was a busy week in homeroom as we had a second-step lesson on Wednesday and clubs on Thursday. We've also been busy collecting items for Operation Giving Tree--donations will be accepted through December 11, so please think about helping if you can. 


Social Studies (Periods 2, 6, 7 and 8): 

This Past Week:

  • #22-Trails West Google Doc: Most of the week was centered on this Google Doc. The students completed four parts to help them gain a better understanding of the lengths to which Americans went in order to survive and thrive in the West in the 19th century. 
    • Part One: This was a simple chart about the trails that went west that the students completed using content burst videos recorded by Miss Boyd (the Orange Team social studies teacher). 
    • Part Two: The students then answered a series of questions to help serve as guided research about life on the Oregon Trail. 
    • Part Three: The students took some time to update a Canva presentation they created called "My American Story." They will be making updates to this presentation throughout the quarter and will use it to create a video detailing American history as they see it. 
    • Part Four: This portion of the assignment was the only graded part. The students selected an essential question that they will be answering throughout our study of American history and then applied what they've learned in the first three parts to their answer for the question. 
  • My American Story Website Updates: The students also updated their website called "My American Story." They will be using this website to keep track of everything we learn throughout the year and will have a portfolio of sorts when the year is finished. 

Next Week:

  • Content Check-in #5: The students will take the fifth content check-in of the year on Friday, December 13. We will continue to play small review games in class and the students can use the review games on the Google Classroom in the Classroom Resources section to study on their own at home if they'd like. 
  • The California Gold Rush: The students will spend most of next week learning about the gold rush that took place in California in the mid-19th century. We will watch parts of America the Story of Us: Westward and the work for this activity will closely mirror the work the students did for the trails west. 

Accelerated Social Studies (Period 3): 

This Past Week:

  • #22-Trails West Google Doc: Most of the week was centered on this Google Doc. The students completed four parts to help them gain a better understanding of the lengths to which Americans went in order to survive and thrive in the West in the 19th century. 
    • Part One: This was a simple chart about the trails that went west that the students completed using content burst videos recorded by Miss Boyd (the Orange Team social studies teacher). 
    • Part Two: The students then answered a series of questions to help serve as guided research about life on the Oregon Trail. 
    • Part Three: The students took some time to update a Canva presentation they created called "My American Story." They will be making updates to this presentation throughout the quarter and will use it to create a video detailing American history as they see it. 
    • Part Four: This portion of the assignment was the only graded part. The students selected an essential question that they will be answering throughout our study of American history and then applied what they've learned in the first three parts to their answer for the question. 
  • The California Gold Rush: The students also spent time learning about the gold rush that took place in California in the mid-19th century. We watched parts of America the Story of Us: Westward and the work for this activity closely mirrored the work the students did for the trails west. 
  • My American Story Website Updates: The students also updated their website called "My American Story." They will be using this website to keep track of everything we learn throughout the year and will have a portfolio of sorts when the year is finished. 

Next Week:

  • Content Check-in #5: The students will take the fifth content check-in of the year on Wednesday, December 11. We will continue to play small review games in class and the students can use the review games on the Google Classroom in the Classroom Resources section to study on their own at home if they'd like.
  • The Transcontinental Railroad: The students will take some time to investigate the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad in the final Google Doc about groups that went west. They will continue to answer guided research questions, add to their "My American Story" Canva and then answer an essential question. 
  • My American Story Video: The students will make their final additions to their "My American Story" Cavna presentation this week and will then record their videos to help them make sense of the story of Manifest Destiny in America.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Week Eight: October 14-18, 2024

Welcome:  Just like that, we are into the middle of October and more than halfway done the first quarter! The students started the annual fundraiser this past week and went wild over rubber ducks and possible trips to Citizens Bank Park. Next week marks the beginning of the Make a Difference Day collection--the students will be collecting canned goods, paper products, and personal hygiene products to donate to the Coventry Food Pantry to support local families.  I've been listening to a lot of Ryan Holiday and his Daily Stoic podcast lately and he has been on a moment mori kick. Momento mori  is the idea that everything must die, it although it sounds morbid, is a great reminder for us to live our lives to the fullest. This reminded me of one of my favorite clips from the movie Dead Poets Society-- we didn't have time to watch it on Friday so we'll start the week with it on Monday.  This Past Week:  Three Branches Mastery Grid: The students spent most of the wee...

Week Nine: Friday, October 28, 2022

Welcome:  Nine weeks down! I can't believe that we are already at the end of the first quarter and that the students will be taking their Civics Exam on Friday! This past week we were able to watch a great video from Goalcast that talks about the wisdom of a third grade drop out and asks the students "how ya living?" The video is a longer one (almost 10 minutes) but is well-worth the time to watch and I pick up new things each time I watch it. I hope you enjoy!  Social Studies (Periods 1, 4 & 5)  This Past Week: Tuesday:  The students did an activity called Iron Chef today. They worked in groups of 4 to create a presentation about 4 amendments in the Bill of Rights and then presented before leaving class. Check out some of the slides they were able to create here.  Wednesday:  We started to look at some of the responsibilities American citizens have today by discussing the process by which we elect our presidents. After playing a bit of a review game fo...

Week Three: Friday, September 13, 2034

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."  ...