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Well…It is October…the weather is getting colder…and our topics are heating up!! Ok…that was cheesey. Here is our schedule for this shortened week.
Monday, Oct. 6th
- Review Game: Social Studies Basketball
Tuesday, Oct. 7th
- Unit Test
- Grades are due today…Hopefully I’ll put the Unit Test on the Mid-Marking Period Grades. Check TeacherEase for an up to date average.
Wednesday, Oct. 8th
- We’ll start talking about debates today. Hopefully we’ll get to watch some of the presidential debate and discuss.
Thursday, Oct. 9th
- Take the day off…my treat
Friday, Oct. 10th
- Watch the presidential debate and analyze.
Next week, we’ll start discussing River Valley Civilizations…Can you feel the excitement?!?! I can!!
This past week in school was great. Back to School night was a great success. I’m so glad I met all of your parents. I’m sure your parents were excited to hear about TeacherEase.
I’ve also posted a variety of 9/11 comparison projects for everyone to see. Check them out at the project page.
For those of you involved with the Investor$. Please check out the Investor$ page for information about the Stock Market Game. The Game begins NOW (9/29/08)!!!
Looking ahead…we have a Unit Test to prepare for. I’ve decided to move the test from its original date of 10/3/08 to 10/7/08. You get an extra weekend to prepare for it.
Here’s your schedule for the week…
Monday (September 29, 2008)
Finish Video – Neanderthal
Complete Venn Diagram in class. –> neanderthal-cromagnon-venn
Tuesday (September 30, 2008)
School is closed.
Wednesday (October 1, 2008)
HAPPY OCTOBER!!!
Read pages 33-40.
Complete Fact Sheet on Paleolithic Age. Download here –> Prehistoric_People_Fact_Sheet
Thursday (October 2, 2008)
Read pages 41-46
Complete Fact Sheet on Neolithic Age.
***Extra Credit*** – Watch the VP debate and write a 2 paragraph reaction paper. (10 point assignment)
Friday (October 3, 2008)
Causes and Effects of the Paleolithic and Neolithic Age.
I’ve decided to open this blog up to my students again. I feel it is a great way for them to stay connected with the classroom.
There have been a number of absences and this is a great way to stay of top of your work so it doesn’t snowball.
This week in Social Studies…
Monday:
- Review Graphic Organizers… “6 Essential Elements of Geography” and “Natural Resources and History”
Tuesday:
- Review 2nd Geography Quiz
- Vocabulary Discussion: tectonic plates, continental drift, Archaeology, bands, migrate, specialization
Vocabulary Log-Unit A-Geography 3
Homework: Read Pages 25-30…Answer this Questions –> Why did scientists begin to study artifacts?
Wednesday:
- Stations: 5 Stations – 5 Questions
BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT!! – back-to-school-night-FAQ
Thursday:
- Atlas Activity
Friday:
- Video Clips: Neanderthal vs. Cro-Magnon
Venn – Diagram Comparing these two —> DOWNLOAD HERE —>neanderthal-cromagnon-venn
So I walked into my new school today with the utmost excitement. New school. Fresh faces. New material. 
Fresh start. And then I walked into my new classroom. NO WHITEBOARD. NO TELEVISION. NO PROJECTOR. EEEEEK!!! I guess I’ve been spoiled for the past two years. I’ve used whiteboards, televisions, and projectors. I’ve used technology!!! Anytime I could get my hands on it, I’ve used technology. I love using it and kids of any age embrace it.
I think I can live without a whiteboard. I actually like the look of an antiqued chalkboard…I just wish I had better handwriting. Hopefully, I won’t use the board much because I’ll be using an LCD projector that will find its way to my classroom.
My entire style of teaching has evolved in a way that can not be returned to its previous state. (I sound like a drug addict jonesing for technology)
What should I do? Should I beg my principal for some techie tools? Should I buy my own goodies to use? I’ve been trolling for projectors and Interwrite pads on ebay and craigslist, but it’s nothing I can afford right now.
I’m stuck in a pickle!!
Here’s another radio commercial for Murrell’s Inlet. Sometimes the music in the background sounds too perfect.
Murrells Inlet – sadie-and-kylie
This was my favorite commercial. For such a quiet child, Maleek really shined on this project!!
The final test is done. The kids stopped bringing materials to school. The weather is nice. It must be the summer…
Think again!!
We still have 2 partial weeks of school.
As far as the PACT test goes…I think most of my kids nailed it. I received a pretty warm response to the test. Of course, I had some students claim that I didn’t teach them anything this year, but those were the ones who didn’t bother to learn my name, let alone learn some history. The kids that wanted to learn something…did learn something. Now, I’m not saying they’ll remember it for next year, but I hope they’ll remember some of the major topics.
My plan for the last days of school are to work on a radio advertisement for a city in South Carolina. With a little begging and handiwork, all of the computers in the Media Center have been equipped with audacity. Let the games begin!!
Today the students take the Social Studies PACT test. I’m very nervous. After reviewing for a few weeks, I’m still convinced they don’t get it. Our curriculum for 7th grade is kind of over their heads, but I’ve tried my hardest to relate the material to their worlds. And… I’ve definitely watered down the material for them. This is why I’m scared. I’ve breezed through a lot of the standards so the students could get just a taste of the information before we had to move on. I think a taste of information is better than no taste.
More reasons to be nervous:
1. Did the kids get a good night sleep?
2. Did they eat a good breakfast?
3. Did anything happen to them last night or this morning that would cause them to have a bad testing day?
4. Will they try their hardest? Or will they give up easily because they’ve been testing for 2 weeks?
5. Will they intentionally do bad to make their teacher look bad? (Although, I’m sure 90% will try their hardest, there is still that 10% I’m just not sure about)
6. Will they remember the topics we’ve covered in September? (From the looks of yesterday’s review session, the answer to that one is NO)
7. Will they have a quiet testing environment in every classroom? (I know I run a tight ship in my class, but I can’t speak for every teacher)
I can’t wait until these testing days are over. The schedule makes everyone crazy…including teachers.
I’ve decided to start a new project with the kids for the remaining 10 days of school after our state-wide testing is finished. We’re supposed to start next year’s curriculum, which is South Carolina history.
I’m thinking about having the students create a radio commercial about a city in South Carolina. After doing simple research on a city, they’ll have to put together a 60-second advertisement about their city of choice. They’re main goal will be to attract tourism to their city.
The only part I’m struggling with is finding the proper program that has the ability to record, bring in music, and export as an mp3. The only one that I’ve used is audacity. This is a great little program, but it might be a little too hard for most of my 7th graders to get a grasp on.
Eventually, I’ll make them available as podcasts.
I might just have to suck it up and use audacity!!
I hope the kids enjoy this little project…it’ll keep them out of trouble during the last days of school.
We will begin our PACT review this week. It is always fun to dust off the material from September and October to see what the kids actually remember. I really don’t want to be disappointed, so I’m assuming that they don’t remember much. Now, here’s the question…Do they not remember the information because I didn’t present them the material in a memorable fashion?…or…Did they truly forget because they are teenagers going through changes in their life where their social activity far outweighs the enlightenment ideas of John Locke or Jean-Jacques Rousseau? I know what was going through my mind when I was in middle school…and it wasn’t European Exploration. Maybe that’s why I kind of understand why so many kids “hate Social Studies.” I just wish some of them would try a little bit harder, who knows, they might actually like talking about this stuff…I know I liked it as soon as I tried it…Hey, isn’t there a Dr. Seuss book about that?
Ok. So I spent a few days in the Media Center, sans Cathy Nelson, and had my students complete a project using animoto.com. All things considered…it went really well!! The one major problem that I came across was that only one group was allowed to create a video at a time. That slowed the process down immensely. In fact, I still have a few groups that need to complete their slide show. Some of the videos came out really great. I’ll share a few with you below..
These are just three…there is no way that I can post 50+ of these videos.
Well…3rd quarter interim reports come out this week. I hope this lights some fire underneath all those students who are not working up to their potential.
I’m still planning on an animoto.com project. Recently, the district integrated our computer system over to a Microsoft based log-in. Unfortunately, every student has a user name and password. This causes a major headache when you bring a class of 25 students to the computer lab and they have all forgotten their user name and password. The project might also hit some speed bumps since our district blocks every single usable website. I’ve got “my people” working on knocking that firewall down.
Here’s the schedule for the week:
Monday, February 25, 2008:
MIRP
CNN Student News
Review Quiz
Tuesday, February 26, 2008:
Vocabulary Discussion:
appeasement, demilitarized, conscription, Anschluss, Munich Pact, Rome-Berlin Axis, D-Day
People to Meet:
Winston Churchill, Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Douglas MacArthur
Place to Go:
Rhineland, Sudetenland, Pearl Harbor, Normandy, Hiroshima
Wednesday, February 27, 2008:
Video – “The Road to War”
Thursday, February 28, 2008:
7-5.5 Notes – World War II – Turning Points of the War
Video Clips
Friday, February 29, 2008:
7-5.5 Notes – World War II – Aftermath of the War
Video Clip – “Aftermath of the War”
Be sure to keep your DO NOWs in order this week…hint hint…wink wink…
The kids have a short week this week. Unfortunately teachers have a full week ahead of them.
Monday: February 18, 2008
Teacher workshops and staff development
Tuesday: February 19, 2008
Vocabulary Discussion:
censorship, fascism, communism, Stalinism, authoritarian, purge
Enabling Act, Reichstag, Five-Year Plans, Politburo, Benito Mussolini, Joseph Stalin
Homework: finish vocabulary log
Wednesday: February 20, 2008
7-5.4 – Notes on Totalitarian Regimes
Thursday: February 21, 2008
Finish Notes
myempire.com – 1st and 2nd blocks
Totalitarian Leaders – 3rd and 4th blocks
Friday: February 22, 2008
7-5.3 and 5.4 – Quiz
We’re just wrapping up our WWI Accordion foldable project. The students really put all of their effort into these projects.
Here is our schedule for the week.
Monday, February 11, 2008:
MIRP
CNN Student News
Finish WWI Accordion Foldable
Read pages 191-197: Answer Questions #1-4
Vocabulary:
armistice, reparation, mandate, Balfour Declaration
Tuesday, February 12, 2008:
7-5.2 – Notes – Effects of World War I
Wednesday, February 13, 2008:
7-5.3 – Vocabulary Discussion:
stock market crash, recession, depression, Great Depression, tariff, New Deal, Nazi Party, Nazism, totalitarian state
People to Meet:
Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Adolf Hitler
Places to Go:
7-5.3 – Vocabulary Log – Depression – Economic Collapse
Thursday, February 14, 2008:
7-5.3 – Causes and Responses to the Depression
Friday, February 15, 2008:
Review Game: Taboo
Benchmark Quiz
We are continuing our WWI foldable this week. I’m hoping to squeeze a quiz in on Friday.
There will be 5 different phases for this foldable.
Phase I-WWI vocabulary
Phase II – Causes of the War
Phase III – Central Powers vs. Allied Powers
Phase IV – Timeline of events
Phase V – Effects/Results of the war
Some more picture updates:
Wednesday: January 30,2008
Today we’re starting our study of World War I.
We watched a few video clips from unitedstreaming.com.
Tonights Homework was to read pages 181-188 in your red books and answer questions #1-5.
Thursday: January 31, 2008
Start of the World War I foldable
Friday: February 1, 2008
Continue Phase I of the WWI foldable.
This week we start our wiki project. I’m a little apprehensive about the entire thing. I’m also excited to see how it turns out. I’m placing all responsibility into the hands of the students. All I’m showing them is how to work with the wiki website. All research and editing is up to them.
Our project schedule is as follows:
This project should take no longer than 5 school days.
Monday: January 27,2008
“Wikis in Plain English”
Video from: http://www.commoncraft.com
The Rules of Wiki – The Warranty
Groups and Topics
Preliminary Research in Classroom.
Tuesday: January 28, 2008
(Media Center)
Research in Media Center
Pictures and Information with citations
Wednesday: January 29, 2008
(Media Center)
Edit text in MS word first, then copy and paste to Wiki
How to edit in Wiki.
Thursday: January 30, 2008
(Media Center)
Complete editing.
Touch-ups.
Friday: January 31, 2008
(Media Center if needed)
Any finishing touches
I’d like to say we’re in the Home Stretch, but we’re not. But, I can see the finish line…you just have to squint your eyes a little.
Here’s our agenda for the week:
Monday – January 21, 2008
No School – MLK Jr Day
Tuesday – January 22, 2008
Review page 166 – #1 and 2
7-4.4 – Graphic Organizers – page 169
Vocabulary Discussion – Modernize – To advance technologically
Read Pages 169-171
Answer Questions #1,2,3
7-4.5 – Questions #1-3 on page 171
Wednesday – January 23, 2008
7-4.4 & 7-4.5 Notes – Discussion
Now What?
Thursday – January 24, 2008
Review Game
Friday – January 25, 2008
7-4 – Big Quiz
Pick Groups For Wiki-Project
Ladies and Gentlemen…HOW ‘BOUT THEM GIANTS!!
The 2nd Quarter ends this week, so make sure you hand in any make-up work that you might have for me. You will not be able to hand in any old assignments after the quarter ends. We must move forward.
Monday, January 14th
MIRP
Vocabulary Discussion: Monroe Doctrine, annex, treaty
People to Meet: James Monroe, William McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt
Tuesday, January 15th
Causes and Effects of the Spanish American War
Video: America Becomes a World Power
Wednesday, January 16th
Vocabulary Discussion: rebellion, sovereignty, Sepoy, Great Mutiny, Open Door Policy
People to Meet: Rudyard Kipling, Jane Addams
Thursday, January 17th
Early Dismissal for Students
Are you For or Against Imperialism?
Page 166 #1 and 2
Friday, January 18th
Student Holiday
Here’s our agenda for the week
Monday – 1/7/2008
MIRP
Vocabulary Discussion: Imperialism, colony, direct rule, indirect rule, protectorate, sphere of influence
People to Meet: James Cook, Ferdinand de Lesseps, Thomas Raffles, Robert Clive
Tuesday – 1/8/2008
Wednesday – 1/9/2008
Map Activity – European Imperialism in Africa
Thursday – 1/10/08
7-4.1 Cause and Effect Activity
Friday – 1/11/08
7-4.1 and 4.2 Quiz
In your red workbooks: Read Pages 155-158. Answer questions 1-3
Here we go…holiday break is any second now.
Monday – 12/17/2007
Finish our vocabulary flash cards.
Study for Test.
Tuesday – 12/18/2007
7-3 Test
Wednesday – 12/19/2007
2 1/2 hour early dismissal today!!
VoiceThread Theater
I just created an animoto video. Pretty cool how it the program edits the pictures for you. And adds music!! I just don’t know how to make this a project. I’d like to add writing to it. Maybe I can turn a PowerPoint slide into a jpg.
Sorry there was no podcast this week. We’ve been busy, busy, busy!!! I’ll get one up as soon as possible.
Here is our schedule for the week:
Monday – December 10, 2007
MIRP w/ conferences
Current Events – CNN Student News
Tuesday – December 11, 2007
Vocabulary Discussion:
nationalism, kaiser, chancellor, militarism, guerrilla warfare
People to Meet:
Napoleon Bonaparte, Guiseppe Garibaldi, Wilhelm I, Otto Von Bismarck
Wednesday – December 12, 2007
Growth of European Nationalism:
Thursday – December 13, 2007
Unification of Italy & Germany
Friday – December 14, 2007
Let the Review Begin
People to Meet Graphic Organizer
Here is the schedule of events for this week:
Monday: December 3rd, 2007
Finish VoiceThreads in the Media Center
Read “Great Britain Leads the Way” –> Answer Review and Write Question
Read “A Revolution in Textiles”
Complete Review and Write paragraph for homework
Tuesday: December 4th, 2007
Read “Thomas Newcomen Invents an Engine”
Read “James Watt’s Fire Engine”
Compare and Contrast both engines in a Venn Diagram.
Wednesday: December 5th, 2007
Vocabulary Discussion:
Patent, mass production, interchangeable parts, division of labor, assembly line, puddling
page 127 Question #6
Thursday: December 6th, 2007
Read “The Development of Factories” –> Answer Review and Write
Read “The Social Impact of the Industrial Revolution” –> Answer Review and Write
Video – The Industrial Revolution
Friday: December 7th, 2007
Review Game: Baseball Challenge
Quiz: 7-3.4 and 7-3.5
Welcome Back to School.
I hope everyone enjoyed their long Turkey Day Weekend. I know I did.
I hope you had a chance to check out our first official podcast. We made it rather quickly because of our short week, but it was still fun to make.
Lets take a look at the week ahead:
Monday 11/26/2007:
We will meet in the 7th grade computer lab today and begin our initial picture research for our revolution voicethreads. Remember to look for pictures at our 2 available websites:
or
If you stumble or get stuck just visit our project page.
Tuesday 11/27/2007
MAP testing begins today.
We are back in the classroom today for a quick vocabulary discussion.
Factory System, Urbanization, monopoly, Partnership, corporation, Trade union
Industrialism, Agricultural Revolution, Enclosure Movement, Textile, Crop rotation, Domestic System
7-3.4 – Vocabulary Log – Indsutrial Revolution
Wednesday 11/28/2007
Today we will meet in the Media Center and continue to work on our voicethread projects. You will write 2 sentences for each picture you have saved. Use the picture script that I have supplied for you.
Thursday 11/29/2007
We’re back in the Media Center today to begin the recording phase of our revolution project. Hopefully our headsets will have arrived today.
Remember to follow the directions on our project page.
Bummer!!! Headsets didn’t come in. 
Only one microphone worked at a time
Everything will be fine.
Friday 11/30/2007
We’re in the Media Center today continuing to work on our VoiceThread Projects. I hope we can get more finished today.
I’m going to have a group of people working on our podcast for the week.
Here is the first official podcast. Although we had a shortened week, we still managed to put something up. I’d like to thank all the kids who worked so hard to help create the podcast.
Let’s get ready for a short week!!
Monday – 11/19/2007
MIRP
Finish our 7-3.3 – Reading Questions and our 6-pack of Questions.
Tuesday – 11/20/2007
7-3.3 Quiz – Latin American Independence Movement
Begin The Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution Begins – Questions
Wednesday – 11/21/2007
2 1/2 Hour Early Dismissal!!!
Announce VoiceThread Project!!
**All of your project questions can be answered on the project page
I hope everyone has a Happy Turkey Day!!!
Thursday – 11/22/2007
Eat a lot of Turkey!!
Friday – 11/23/2007
Recover from eating a lot of Turkey
Hey, I just tried this program called voice thread. It is really cool. I created a simple 2 minute voice thread about a classroom revolution. Since we are studying revolutions, soon I will ask you to create a voice thread about any revolution you want.
Check out mine here.
I got the help of my fiancee to record some of the comments. Our librarian Ms. Nelson has also recorded some comments into the voice thread. I think this will be an exciting project for you guys.
What a weekend!! (refer to previous blog)
Here’s what’s on the agenda for the week. Now we’re on the fast track to learning.
Monday- 11/12/07
MIRP
CNN Student New –> Student News Questions
Reading – “The French Revolution Begins”
The questions – French Revolution Begins – Questions
HOMEWORK – Finish “The French Revolution Begins” and 5 questions
Tuesday – 11/13/07
Things got jumbled up today because of our work in the computer lab. Sorry for the inconvenience. We’ll just catch up tomorrow.
Wednesday – 11/14/07
Reading – “The French Revolution Expands”
The questions – French Revolution Expands – Questions
Causes of the French Revolution – G.O.
Extra, Extra – Notes on the French Revolution
Video on the French Revolution.
HOMEWORK – Finish “Causes of the French Revolution” Graphic Organizer
Thursday – 11/15/07 – PAY DAY!!
7-3.3 – Latin American Independence movement.
Vocabulary Discussion – peninsulares, creoles, mestizos, caudillos, mulattos
People to Meet – Simon Bolivar, Miguel Hidalgo, Jose Maria Morelos
Friday – 11/16/07
Reading – pages 107-110 – Latin American Independence
6-pack of Questions
Monday: 11/5/07 —-Project unveiled
MIRP
Read section 7-3.1 in Red Workbook and answer questions #1-5 at the end of the section.
Current Event Articles with Current Event Organizer
Tuesday: 11/6/07
Vocabulary Discussion
revolution, scientific method, heliocentric, geocentric
People to Meet:
Galileo Galilei, Ptolemy, Francis Bacon, Isaac Newton
7-3.1 – Vocabulary Log – The People
7-3.1 – Causes & Effects of the Scientific Revolution
7-3.1 – Causes & Effects of the Scientific Revolution – Complete
Thursday: 11/8/07
Start the French Revolution
Vocabulary Discussion:
human rights, tyranny, estates, aristocracy, bourgeoisie, Reign of Terror, coup d’etat, Napoleonic Code
People to Meet:
Louis XVI, Napoleon Bonaparte
Causes of the French Revolution
7-3.2 – Vocabulary Log – French Revolution
Friday: 11/9/07
Review Game: wordo.doc
Vocabulary Quiz on the Scientific Revolution and French Revolution
LOOKING AHEAD:
Causes of the French Revolution – G.O.
The Project is coming up…I just need to work out the kinks.
This week we will be wrapping up Standard 7-2 and beginning Standard 7-3
- 7-2.1 Age of Absolutism
- 7-2.2 Age of Enlightenment
- 7-2.3 Constitutions & Governments
Tuesday:
Branches of Government Activity – Create 3 branches of government and institute a system of checks and balances with each branch.
I will check your 7-2 Review Guide
I will also collect all three parts of your Constitution Project.
- This assignment will be graded as a 30 point project grade for the 1st nine weeks
Wednesday: HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!
We will continue our review of Standard 7-2
I will answer and questions about the review packet and we will play a review game as a class.
Today I promise I will look over your review packets and count them as your first homework grade for the 2nd nine weeks. Thank you for working so hard on them.
Thursday:
Test Day
Start 7-3.1 after the test.
Friday:
Introduction of Standard 7-3
Revolutions!!! –> What are they?
Check out this revolution…
from this…
to this…
Watch the videos and analyze….EXTRA CREDIT?
What’s the same? What’s different?
See What They’re Saying…