Sociology

Argumentative paragraphs are due today.  We took notes from the SMARTboard about "Institutions" and about the institution of "Religion."  We set up a new EQ page with this Essential Question: "How do institutions affect our behavior and equity of opportunity?"  We will continue using the CQ page from our previous unit and then do the research at the end of this new unit.  Read both sides of the handout "Living a Whole Life," and then connect with a classmate to benefit from the informal class chat we had. 

World History

Research day #4 of 8!

U.S. History

We continued work on our work page as detailed yesterday.  I reminded the students to use the conclusion, also, in identifying the full, thorough, accurate thesis of the author....and that in this particular article, that is key to remember.  At the five-minute bell students were asked to scribble onto the margins/back of their work pages anything they wanted to note to their "post-break future selves" so that when we pick back up with this they will be in reasonable shape to move forward with it.

Sociology THURSDAY

Writing day (#2) -- argumentative paragraphs are due first thing tomorrow.

World History THURSDAY

Work day for the choice projects -- today is day 3 of 8.  Be sure to use your given time with focus and to follow the clear, step-by-step instructions. 

U.S. History THURSDAY

THURSDAY -- one more assigned item on immigration -- a claim/evidence scored work page on a secondary source (Gordon Hutner's introduction to Immigrant Voices: Twenty-Four Narratives on Becoming an American).  We worked all hour to complete that "bubbles page" (claim/evidence work page) -- to be finished in class tomorrow.

Sociology WEDNESDAY

Sorry -- I forgot to post yesterday!  WEDNESDAY I provided and discussed briefly two handouts with regard to socialization.  I then distributed and discussed the writing score sheet.  The bulk of the class time was spent in the lab for the students to have writing time -- to be continued in class tomorrow.  Students are reminded to look at their previous paragraph to review that feedback and to utilize it in their new writing.

World History WEDNESDAY

Sorry -- I forgot to post yesterday!  WEDNESDAY was a project work day.  (We also engaged in some follow-up dialogue, specifically to add a key answer to each of the following -- pg.1 #6; pg.2 #3, and pg.3 #7.)

U.S. History WEDNESDAY

I forgot to post yesterday -- sorry!  WEDNESDAY -- We did a bit of casual follow-up dialogue connected to Tuesday's Socratic discussion.  We set up our new "Turn of the Century" EQ and CQ pages.  The current Essential Question is "What was it like to be an American in approximately the 1880s-1920s?"  We viewed "Crash Course: Immigration" (You tube) to add bullet points to the EQ page and curiosities to the CQ page.  We did the same while reading a 2-page handout of Immigration facts from "Kids Discover." 

Sociology

We completed our claim/evidence analysis page on "30 Days" as detailed yesterday -- turn in this work page.  We then discussed informally the episode.  Tomorrow is our writing day -- I'll have two handouts for you -- some final food for thought, and then we go over the writing score sheet and begin our paragraph work.

World History

Socratic discussion!  If you were absent today, see me for your make-up assignment!

U.S. History

Socratic discussion!  If you were absent today, see me for your make-up assignment!

Sociology

We worked on our "30 Days: Binge-Drinking Mom" analytical work page while viewing the first 31 minutes of the episode.  This will be continued in class tomorrow.  (Watch the intro several times.)

World History

Tomorrow will be our Socratic discussion about the two textbooks (analytical work pages detailed last week) -- we reviewed the score criteria.  We then began work on our individual research projects -- pick up the small, step-by-step packet and see me with any questions you may have!  (We'll be in the lab a bit today and then all of class on W, Th, & F as well as every day of the week following Spring Break (the 7th-10th). 

U.S. History

Finish reading and Socratic prep -- the discussion is tomorrow!  Borrow the packets as needed for homework. 

Sociology

We viewed a You tube clip about gender -- Joss Whedon's 14-minute speech about "genderist."  Add bullet points to your EQ page.  We then began an audio-visual claim/evidence work page on "30 Days: Binge-Drinking Mom" -- to be continued in class on Monday.

U.S. History

We continued our reading and note-taking to prep for Socratic Discussion on the Polacheck book excerpts.  We'll continue this work in class on Monday, and then after that it will become homework.  The Socratic discussion will be on Tuesday.

World History

We continued our analysis wps as detailed over the last several days -- whatever is not finished by the end of class today is homework to be finished before class time on Tuesday.  (Monday we'll begin on-line research -- computer labs are available, and then Tuesday will be our Socratic discussion over the analysis work pages.)

Sociology

We added EQ notes as we did yesterday -- with the new clips being "ABC's What Would You Do, Bike Theif" and "Alfre Woodard's 'Ain't I a Woman' by Sojourner Truth" -- both available on You tube.

World History

We worked on the tertiary sources (text books) analysis as detailed yesterday -- to be finished in class tomorrow.  We'll have Socratic discussion about this work on Tuesday.  (PARCC testing uses the lab on Tuesday; so, we'll begin our research projects Monday, come back into the room Tuesday for discussion, and then commence research in the lab Wednesday and onward.)

U.S. History

We continued our work on "I Came a Stranger" as detailed yesterday.

Sociology

We discussed the lists of stereotypes -- the trends that might lead to those notions and the danger in using any of these stereotypes.  We then added bullet-points to our EQ page with regard to stereotypes -- see a reliable classmate for this discussion.  We then viewed the 1st half of the You tube clip "Global Poverty Project" and added to our EQ page further.

World History

8th hour received their scored EQ argumentative paragraphs.  In all hours we collaborated to complete #1 on our Unit-Closure work page.  We finished page one of our textbook analysis and then began the packet of work to accompany it (to build upon it) -- to be continued in class tomorrow.  (This tertiary source analysis work is in preparation for a Socratic discussion!)

U.S. History

We continued our work on I Came a Stranger -- moving on to the work pages to prep for Socratic discussion as we read.  (Be sure you've completed and turned in the Context/Lens work pages already!)  We also took time to add the answer to our Unit-Closure work page #1 (from our EQ writings).

Sociology

Arranged marriage articles work pages were returned and discussed. We then began discussion about stereotypes an socialization with regard to poverty, race, and gender -- to be continued in class tomorrow.

World History

We continued the work page from yesterday.  Once you have ~10 empires recorded, pick up the rest of the packet and continue the work therein -- to be continued in class tomorrow.

U.S. History

ACT today!

Sociology

The work pages for the article analyses on the topic of polygamy were returned to the students, and they discussed and edited their work pages. 

World History

Students were provided time to complete the work pages detailed late last week.  Everyone then began work on a new set of analytic work pages by which to think about our text book as well as one from many decades ago -- to be continued in class tomorrow.  This new set of work pages is in preparation for a Socratic Discussion, the date of which will be announced the day before it will take place...likely Thursday.

U.S. History

We edited our Mental Map Timeline -- the next two "units" of study will actually be combined into one.  2nd & 4th hour added their Lincoln questions to the composite list on the SMARTboard.  We began the next unit by jumping right into the topic of immigration -- pick up and begin the "I Came a Stranger Context/Lens" work page -- to be completed using the first few pages of the accompanying book excerpts.  We'll finish this in class tomorrow and then utilize a new work guide for the actual book contents to prepare for a Socratic discussion.

Sociology

We completed the arranged marriage articles and accompanying work page -- turned in for a score (context/lens).

World History

The Jerusalem article work pages (reading claim/evidence) were returned, discussed, and edited.  Then, students completed the "Empires Overview Readings" work page and turned them in (context/lens skill score).  We began work on the next analytical work -- "Analysis of Our Tertiary Source" to prepare for our next Socratic Discussion, which will be held sometime early next week.  Once we see the time needed by the students to complete this work, I will then set the discussion date -- the students will know the day prior to the discussion and score criteria will be reviewed, again.

U.S. History

Replay of Wednesday (due to PARCC testing) -- Complete the Unit-Closure work page... On to new things Monday!

Sociology

We continued our Context/Lens work pages for the three articles about arranged marriage -- a small bit of time will be given tomorrow to finish the work.

World History

The analysis pages for the Jerusalem article were returned and discussed for editing.  We continued work on our secondary source and tertiary source Context/Lens work pages -- "Empires Overview Readings."  This will be completed in class tomorrow.

U.S. History

The Sojourner Truth speech analyses were returned and discussed for editing.  We finished "Lincoln" and discussed in three groups.  Students who were absent from class on Wednesday who will also be gone Friday (PARCC or otherwise), pick up a Unit-Closure work page and complete it.  (Tomorrow will be a replay of Wed -- due to PARCC schedule.  For the few who are actually in my class both Wed and Fri, bring homework or a book to make use of any extra time that you may have.)

Sociology

The three work pages are due today.  We began work on a new work packet "Context/Lens" on the topic of arranged marriages -- to be continued in class tomorrow.

World History

The independent (to be scored) work pages for the "Empires Overview Reading" was distributed and begun.  At this point, collaboration is not permitted; I wish to assess where you are, individually, on this skill.  If at any point you get stuck, please do, however, ask me for help! : )  We'll continue this work in class tomorrow.

U.S. History

We will finish and discuss the film tomorrow when we are all together (no PARCC testing).  Today the Unit-Closure Work Page was distributed and time provided to work on it (doubles as a portion of the final exam study guide).  If time permitted, students were invited to use their phones to research some of their "Lincoln" film questions.

Sociology

We finished the analyses of the three articles as detailed Friday and/or Monday.  Please finish for homework.  If you have any specific questions, please ask at the start of class before the work is collected.

World History

We continued our collaboration time as detailed yesterday -- to be completed for homework as needed (in a very few cases).  Get in touch with classmates or email me as needed, and if any specific help is still needed, please just ask me at the start of class.  The independent work on the a Context/Lens work page will begin in class tomorrow (for a score).

U.S. History

"Lincoln..."

Sociology

We continued with the work from Friday and will finish in class tomorrow.

World History

We finished discussing the questions from Friday.  Students then began the group reading work as detailed on the bottom half of that same work page -- to be continued in class tomorrow. 

U.S. History

"Lincoln..."  (And PARCC testing)

Sociology

We continued our analytical work with the articles -- to be continued in class on Monday.

World History

We discussed our Mental Map Timeline for context of our journey from August through to May, where the current unit fits, how the previous units were important baselines for contextual understanding of our springtime studies, and how we'll approach what's ahead.  We set up our Empires E.Q. page with the current question "Are empires advanced forms of civilization?" and set up two columns:  "Yes" and "No."  Any reasonable answer will be complex and contain positives and negatives about empires; so, we are ready to log in our evidence in the near future.  Finally, for today, we began our first analytical assignment that deals with historiography -- reading and discussion about how we have studied history in the past and trends of continuity and change of such study today.  Complete questions #1-3 on the "Empires Overview Readings" work page.  We will finish discussing together (and editing our answers) from that page in class on Monday.  See a reliable classmate to check your answers that were already discussed today (5th hour #1 & 2; 7th hr #1; 8th hr #1 & 2).

U.S. History

"Lincoln" continued...

Sociology

We began work on our analyses of the three very different articles about "polygamy."  This work will be continued in class tomorrow.

World History

"Unit-Closure Work Page" -- class time given for continued collaboration; finish for homework as needed.  Tomorrow we'll begin the new unit!

U.S. History

"Lincoln" continued...

Sociology

A handout of comic strips and one of an editorial cartoon were distributed and discussed as some points for conversation with regard to socialization -- they may be useful for the end-of-unit writing.  Students finished the evidence/claim work page for the Oprah article, and we discussed in detail both for the information and to self-check how well each student performed on the skill.  A packet of 3 claim/evidence work pages were distributed in preparation for three, very different, in-depth articles we will analyze on the topic of polygamy...which will be collected for a score.

World History

Paragraphs are officially due to day.  Students began collaborative work on our Unit-Closure Work Page -- to be finished in class tomorrow.

U.S. History

We are viewing Spielberg's "Lincoln" as a capstone to our unit, recording curiosity items while viewing.  (We saw until the 30-minute mark today.)

Sociology

We discussed (and edited our notes) from the "30 Days" episode -- see a reliable classmate.  We then began analysis work of a simple article from Oprah.com about different cultural ideas about marriage -- to be completed in class tomorrow.

World History

8th hour -- CQ research is due today with the score sheet.  All hours -- the 2nd and final writing day.  Paragraphs are due at the start of class tomorrow; have them already printed and ready to hand in before class starts.  (Finish for homework as needed.)

U.S. History

2nd and final writing day -- see details posted Friday.  The written paragraphs are due at the very start of class on Wednesday (if not already submitted).  (ACT is tomorrow.)