KCC

We went through a lesson on how to prep the reading notes to teach it effectively to the rest of the class -- pick up an instruction page.  (We went through 2 sample slideshows -- a good example and a "non-example.")  If you've been absent, you will want to contact your group members (who read the same chapter) and be certain that your efforts into make-up work are to catch up to doing your equal share of the slideshow prep work.  We'll be in the lab Monday and Tuesday to finish -- slideshows are due Wednesday.  

World History

Socratic discussion -- Be sure to pick up a "make-up work" page and to see me if you have any questions about it.

U.S.

We continued our "Daily Life" work as detailed earlier this week.  Today, we added the "Barbarism" article, the "Who Built America" article, and the video clips "Interpreting African-American History" and "A Healing of a Soul."  (To get the videos...history.org -- multimedia -- videos)

KCC

Today is our last in-class work day for the assigned chapters -- come in tomorrow with the reading, thinking, and note-taking completed.

World

Finish the Maasai internet work packet as needed, and then do the Catal-Huyuk case study work (see new work page) -- finish for homework as needed.  These items will be used tomorrow for a scored Socratic discussion.  You may be in the 1/2 of the class that discusses the Maasai and only listens/edits notes for Catal-Huyuk, or vice versa -- prepare both well, as assigned.  ; )  Pick up the Socratic score sheet so you can be confident on the scoring this go 'round.

U.S.

We continued the "Daily Life" viewing/reading and notes as detailed on previous days -- for tomorrow be sure to have added notes (on both pages) for the articles "Every Day Life," "A Common American Soldier," and "Spies & Scouts..."  Finish for homework as needed.  This reading, thinking, and note-taking will be used for a scored Socratic discussion early next week, for some evidence on the end-of-unit E.Q. writing, and content on the semester-end final exam.  Tomorrow we proceed to more quick articles and video clips  .  .  .  

KCC

Work day for reading and note-taking on the assigned chapter -- see details posted the past two days. ; )

World History

In 3rd hour we read "14 Cows for America" aloud together and I showed to them the Maasai-made jewelry.  The Maasia map was distributed and discussed.  We then went to the computer lab to work on the "Maasai" work packet -- to be used for a scored Socratic discussion, and then, also used as a source for EQ notes for the end-of-unit writing.

U.S.

In 1st hour we edited and discussed the Meacham work page that was returned with a score and feedback -- then, transfer key EQ facts/examples from the work page onto your unit E.Q. page to use in your writing later.  We continued with our work to prepare for the Socratic discussion about "Revolutionary Era Daily Life" as detailed yesterday.  (Be sure to insert subheadings for each new source!)  To get to the videos, got to history.org -- select "mutimedia," and then select "videos."  Beneath the main video screen, you'll see the selection of videos below through which you can scroll to get to the precise items we used in class.  In 1st hour we added:  "Historic Farming," "Kids in the 18th Century," "Market Houses," and set up to be ready tomorrow for "A Common American Soldier Article."  In 5th and 6th hours we added "Dirty Life Out Back," and then the same titles as did 1st hour as well as the "Every Day Life in America Article."  (See me to borrow any needed articles.)

KCC

Registration forms need to be turned in  .  .  . !  Your completed homework by today is to have finished reading and note-taking through the end of p.159.  Today we began new reading assignments -- each student is assigned just one of the 6 remaining chapters for this unit for which s/he is to read carefully and take good E.Q. notes and C.Q. questions.  We'll have in-class reading time today, tomorrow, and Thursday.  It must be finished by class time Friday so every student is ready for the next step of this assignment... ; )  

World

Benner analyses were returned, edited via key on SMARTboard, and discussed.  Notes were then pulled from it for the E.Q. and C.Q. pages.  A bit of time was provided to finish the Deuteronomy reading from yesterday for the Ancient Hebrew case study.  We then shifted to a 2nd case study of nomadic pastoralist agri-cultures -- the Maasai!  We read aloud the children's book 14 Cows for American and then went to the lab to begin a webquest about the Maasai -- pick up a work packet that contains those directions.  The webquest will be continued in class tomorrow.

U.S.

The Meacham claim/evidence work pages were returned (with scores), and students edited their papers via my key on the SMARTboard and with much discussion.  Then, they added to their E.Q. and C.Q. pages from it.

We began some work on the social history (daily life) of the Revolutionary Era by way of a series of short articles and video clips...You will want your CQ page handy throughout all of this, and also, set up our core work page for it -- write the heading "Socratic Discussion -- Revolutionary Era Daily Life."  (Once we're done doing our individual note-taking on paper, we will have a SCORED, whole-class, formal Socratic discussion.)  On the page just set up, draw a line down the center to create two columns, labeling the left with the subheading "E.Q.," and the right "Interesting Facts."  To get us started, we are recording some information about the sources we are using.  On the FRONT side of the page, record info about Williamsburg from the handout "The History of Colonial Williamsburg," and on just for reference, on the BACK of your paper record the names and credentials for the authors of our other source "A Patriot's History" (see 1-page handout).

To proceed with the content...go to www.history.org, and select the "multimedia" link/tab and then select "video."  Scroll down below the main video screen to see the series of videos from which to choose, and use the arrows to the right to scroll through them to the right until you come to "Dirty Life Out Back."  View this while adding to the "E.Q." column, "Interesting Facts" column, and to your C.Q. page.  In 1st hour we also read and recorded notes for the article "Everyday Life In America."  In hours 5 and 6, we will read that article later, and today we viewed, instead, a second video "Historic Farming."

KCC

Pick up the Unit Closure Work Page and sample sheet for the first two items and proceed with the work as detailed therein.  Work on this for homework, knowing that you'll be given class time tomorrow, also.  Wednesday, however, we are moving on to new in-class work.  ; )

World History

We added to our Communal U.C.W.P. answers to the E.Q. portion -- in tps groups and then with brief whole-class discussion.  We began work on a primary source close-read for the Ancient Hebrews -- Deuteronomy.  See me to set up a time to complete the work page for a "Context/Lens" score.

U.S.

Today was the last day of in-class work to complete out back-up-and-review of the first unit -- see the detailed, step-by-step instructions posted last week.  The rest of the rewriting, color-coding, and picture notes needs to be completed for homework.  Tomorrow we are jumping into the unit 2 work where we last left off, and we're moving forward.  (Even after multiple assigned deadlines and catch-up reminder deadlines and several days of in-class work, the majority of the first hour students have largely blank Unit-Closure Work Pages -- yikes!  This is true for some, but far fewer students in hours 5 & 6.)  I am always willing to help and to answer questions -- let's get caught up!  

KCC

Papers are due!  Registration forms are due.  We went to the lab to complete a very casual reflective writing assignment "Metacognitive Writing."  (Pick up an instruction page.)  Whatever time remained was given to work on the reading homework -- to read through p.159 by the start of class on Tuesday.  Plan out your time management to make this a small amount over time -- it should be just a moderate amount of work.  ; )

World History

7th hour -- papers were returned as detailed yesterday (for 3rd hour yesterday).  We finished the claim/evidence (circles page) for the textbook excerpt and we discussed that identifying the thesis is nearly impossible, because there isn't one.  The intro leads us down one path, but the subheadings and text structure point to something else.  K-12 HISTORY textbooks, sadly, fail to stake expert claims.  They just give a lot of information without a framework or perspective.  SO, let's use the examples, evidence (details!) for our EQ and CQ pages, now...we can at least get that much from it.  ; )  Now that we all have back our Communal EQ writing (end-of-unit paragraphs), let's finish the E.Q. part on the Communal Unit-Closure Work Pages (see a reliable classmate to edit your paper for any additional key ideas we discussed that you may not yet have on yours.)  

U.S.

We continued our "big review activity" as detailed thoroughly yesterday.  For HOMEWORK -- you need to FINISH by Monday EITHER adding picture notes to the non-circled items on the UCWP ...OR finish transferring the circled items to the color/map page and adding picture notes to that.  

KCC

Reading day -- as detailed yesterday.  Be sure to bring in the completed KCC registration forms tomorrow.  Also due tomorrow is your first end-of-unit argumentative essay -- in hard copy to me at the start of class and also already submitted digitally on turnitin.com.  We'll do a different activity for the first half of class tomorrow, and then have the second half to work toward the homework goal for Monday to have read through the end of page 153.  We need to have read by Tuesday through the end of p.159, also as homework; we'll have other in-class activities on Monday.

World History

We finished our analyses of Benner's article -- collected for a score.  We then began a new claim/evidence analysis page (circles) for a few pages about Ancient Hebrews excerpted from a textbook -- to be finished in class tomorrow.  The end-of-unit argumentative (E.Q.) writing (paragraphs) were returned to the students with scores and a lot of feedback to help in growth for the next step.  Record the score on your Skills Tracking Page, read over the feedback carefully, dialogue with me over the parts where you need some one-on-one, oral work to come to good clarify, and then file it with your "Writing" papers.  (You can and should look at this old writing and feedback write before you begin preparing to write the next time!)  ; )

U.S. History

We're going to back up and do some intensive review and study guide (final exam) prep on the last unit before going any further with the current one.  On the far left side of a blank sheet of paper, trace the map of the colonies from p.57 in the textbook, including the OUTLINEs of each colony and label each with the colony name.  Also, use p.32 to mark and label Jamestown and Plymouth.  Next, using colored pencil, lightly color in the southern colonies in one color (Georgia, the Carolinas, Virginia, and Maryland).  Shade in the middle colonies in another color (Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York).  Do likewise (new color) for the norther colonies ("New England") (the remaining 4).  We will log in details about each of the three regions onto this page from our UCWP; so, use your three map shading colors to divide the page into three sections -- a top 1/3, middle 1/3, and bottom 1/3, outlining each box in the corresponding color.  Now, transfer (rewrite) the following items from the UCWP into the correct region box on the map/color page:  Chesapeake, Jamestown, Virginia Company, New England, Plymouth, Pilgrims, Mayflower Compact, Puritans, Massachusetts Bay Company, The Great Migration, "What the Crash Course Team..."gender equality info, Regional differences..., "While there are some useful, general trends..." info about reasons for colonization in different regions, and under "Key Dates," the dates and related info for 1607, 1620, the added item of 1630, and 1643.

Next step is to add "picture notes" to all of the items transferred onto the map/color page as well as to the remaining items back on the UCWP.  These are just quick, easy, simple sketches that create a useful memory trick for remembering the meaning AND importance of each note item.  For example, next to the term "Exploration," I might draw a boat, a Hersheys' kiss (chocolate from Americas) and a cross (Christianity from Europe), and a circle/slash "No" sign over the words "human rights" to indicate that those rights were often violated.  The many students who are visual learners will benefit from studying with pictures alongside the written information, and ALL students benefit from the PROCESS of deciding what silly pictures to use -- it requires understanding the information (!) as well as spending time with the information.

We will continue this in class tomorrow.

KCC

We filled out the class registration forms for KCC for both semesters.  Reminder that the argumentative essays are due at the start of class Friday -- hard copy AND via turnitin.com  We'll do unit wrap-up work Friday and Monday.  For now, while you're still focused at night on the papers we'll keep it low-key during class with time given for a head-start on the core text reading for the new unit.  We set up our new E.Q. and C.Q. pages and then began reading on pp.128 and go until the bell.  We'll have more reading time in class tomorrow and some on Friday...

World History

We pulled facts from the video analysis work page onto our E.Q. page and curiosities onto our C.Q. page.  We then began our first case study for Agri-culture -- the Ancient Hebrews.  A map was provided and discussed.  Then, students began and nearly finished a Claim/Evidence work page for a reading packet by Benner -- to be finished in class tomorrow and collected to be scored.

U.S.

We finished editing our Context/Lens work pages from yesterday -- finish for homework as needed.  Pull facts from the work page onto your E.Q. page and curiosities onto your C.Q. page.  We then did some review questions and discussion from the first unit Unit-Closure Work Page and some from the work pages from this current unit that we just finished editing/discussing.

KCC

The third and final in-class writing day.  Tomorrow we'll move on to new work in class.  The papers need to be finished for homework -- due at the start of class time on Friday.  Be sure to have a hard copy print-out ready to hand to me on Friday and also be sure that you have already submitted it electronically via turnitin.com (see instruction handout).

World History

We finished our claim/evidence analysis of the video "From Hunter-Gatherers to Farmers" (see me to schedule a time to make up the video).  Students then edited their papers by use of my key on the SMARTboard and much discussion.  This was a practice round in terms of the skill, but the content is not "practice" -- be sure to make up the work.

U.S.

We finished the Meacham analysis.  If you need more time, see me TODAY to schedule a work time.  In 5th hour, students pulled EQ items from the Kammen analysis work page -- we forgot to do this last week.  In all classes, we began to edit our Context/Lens work packet (returned to students today with scores), by reading aloud the text material and pausing along the way to edit answers.  This way, those who struggled with the assignment are participating in a group modeling of the work process so as to be in more confident shape for the next time we perform this same type of reading skill.  It is critical that all students edit carefully their answers, as the content is also important.  This will be finished in class tomorrow.

KCC

Writing day!  (Tomorrow will be our last in-class work day for the papers.)

World History

We finished pulling E.Q. notes and C.Q. questions from the Economist excerpt from Friday.  We then read through and discussed the "Outline of Popular Details -- Ag handout."  Pull out a lot from the top 1/2 of the page for E.Q. notes to use in your writing later, and then, pull out 2-4 interesting-sounding cultures from the rest of the handout as possible topics for your C.Q. page.  We then began work on an Audio-Visual (video) Claim/Evidence work page ("circles page") with the aid of a 1/2-sheet of instructions ("Claim/Evidence Tricks") and me giving them some pointers when pausing the film a few times.  This work will be continued in class tomorrow.

U.S.

We reviewed the 1/2-sheet "Claim/Evidence Tricks" and then got back to work on the Meacham article analysis.  Students were reminded and invited to make good use of the dictionaries and to see me whenever they needed any bit of help with getting "unstuck" on word meaning, discerning a sentence, or clarity/validation on their work on their papers.  We'll finish this in class tomorrow.

KCC

Writing day.  FINISH your planning, highlighting, and organization before you log into the computer, as you want your essay to hit the 3.0 target by being clearly structured with decisive answers and an organized format.  We'll be back in the lab on Monday and Tuesday to continue this work. The finished essays will be printed and submitted to me in hard copy form as well as submitted via turnitin (see handout).

World History

Page 2 of the UCWP was distributed and worked on collaboratively -- finish for homework as needed.  (I failed to copy correctly, and page 2 was missing from the packet yesterday.)  We then began our "Agri-culture" unit -- see a reliable classmate for adding a note to our Mental Map Timeline, to set up our new E.Q page, and then catch up in class Monday with adding EQ notes from the 1-paragraph excerpt from an article in the Economist (handout).

U.S.

We discussed the Kammen piece.  In first hour, we went through some sentences to practice how "breaking it down" looks and feels -- that it is attacking and picking apart the text in small doses with dictionaries, access to the teacher with questions, time, tenacity, and patience.  In all hours students edited their papers according to my key on the SMARTboard and we discussed the process for the skill as well as the content of the actual article.  Add notes to your CQ and EQ pages.  We then began a new reading claim and evidence work page for Jon Meacham's "God and the Founders" -- this is individual, scored work -- to be finished in class on Monday.

KCC

Students finished sharing their research and then we prepared to write  ("Writing Tutorial;" analyze notes, discern themes, and color code; read carefully the criteria on the score sheet -- see a reliable classmate or me to go through the discussion on these items.)  Next step -- use your chosen themes and organized/coded notes to write -- continued in class tomorrow and Friday.  The papers will be submitted in hard copy form and on "Turn It In."

World

7th hour went to the lab to finish the writing work.  The Argumentative Writing is due today, in class unless specific arrangements are made with me otherwise.  If needed, finish the metacognitive writing as homework and submit tomorrow.  In ALL HOURS we worked on our Communal "Unit-Closure Work Pages" -- to be finished in class tomorrow.  (This helps reinforce in one place the big ideas from the unit and will also serve as study guide for the final exam.)

U.S.

We continued our group work on the analysis of the Kammen article.  Use your 1/2-sheet of tips and tricks, and keep scratch paper handy for scribbling terms and definitions as needed while reading -- to aid your comprehension for sentences that have a lot of tricky vocab all at once.  We'll discuss the analysis further tomorrow before students embark on a scored, individual analysis of a different article.

KCC

Students presented their research -- to be finished tomorrow.  Then, we'll begin preparing to write -- have your EQ notes pages handy!

World History

Writing day -- complete and submit your argumentative (end-of-unit EQ writing) along with the score sheet.  Pick up the 1/2-sheet instructions for the Metacognitive Writing (reflective writing prompts) -- complete and turn in.

U.S. History

We finished the Crash Course analysis and then edited/checked papers with my key on the SMARTboard.  Staple this particular work page to the back of your current E.Q. page, making a note on the E.Q. page "see attached!"  We then began work in a packet of excerpts from Michael Kammen's Mystic Chords of Memory -- read the first 1 1/2 pages of the packet for context/lens, noting questions you have on your CQ page.  Then, in tps groups, complete the new claim/evidence wp (circles) for the whole Kammen packet -- to be finished in class tomorrow.

KCC

Research day -- we reviewed the criteria and then went to the lab to work!  This is due tomorrow.

World History

We completed our "Writing Tutorial" highlighting and discussion -- catch up with a reliable classmate.  We then applied that same process to our EQ pages to prepare to do our own, individual writing on the Communal Essential Question -- see the full-page score sheet.  We will finish the writing process in the lab tomorrow.

U.S.

Reminder -- If you need extra time  on the Context/Lens work pages from last week, be sure to see me today during a study hall, during Advisory, after school or tomorrow morning before school -- the deadline is 8:05 tomorrow (Wednesday).  We did a claim/evidence analysis work page (circles page) on Crash Course U.S. History #7 -- to be finished in class tomorrow.  

KCC

The Treckel "circle pages" were returned with scores, and we edited per my answers on the SMARTboard and discussed.  Then, add notes to your EQ page based on the Treckel content as relevant.  We began work on our end-of-unit Curiosity Research -- read over the full page and 1/2-page of instructions, score criteria, and research tips.  Spend at least 40 solid minutes researching -- due Tuesday.

World History

I showed a few video clips about Communal cultures, Agri-cultures, and Urban cultures for humor to get the day started.  The curiosity research is due today.  We began our preparation for the end-of-unit writing.  See me or a reliable classmate to discuss and highlight appropriately the "Target" sample page handout and the "Writing Tutorial" handout -- to be continued in class Tuesday.  Be sure you're caught up with your many, many E.Q. notes from the unit and have them with you for the writing on Tuesday.

U.S.

We finished the Context/Lens work pages.  (In 5th hour we added notes to our Mental Map Timeline, too.  I forgot to do that yesterday in that class period.)

KCC

Finish reading Chapter 4 (through p.127) before the start of class tomorrow...today was given as a reading day.  Add notes to your EQ page and curiosity questions to your CQ page.

World History

We continued with some more of the "National Geographic: 30 Years" DVD that was begun on an earlier "drop-in lesson" day.  (Due to a morning visit from the Career Center.)  We'll be back to our regularly-scheduled program tomorrow!

U.S.

In 1st hour we set up our new E.Q. and C.Q. pages.  In all classes, we visited our Mental Map Timeline for big-picture context for this unit in relation to the year of study, and we added a few notes to it, also!  We continued our context/lens work that was begun yesterday -- to be completed in class tomorrow.  Be sure to conference with me during class about your paragraphs.  ; )

KCC

Reading day!  Begin Chapter 4 in "America," adding to your EQ and CQ pages, as usual.  Aim to be through p.113 by tomorrow; so that you can pace yourself to finish Chapter 4 by the start of class Thursday.  (Thursday will be research day...Next Tuesday we'll present and turn in our research and prep to write....next Wed through Friday will be writing days...Detailed instructions and guidance on research and on writing to come at those appropriate times.)

World History

Socratic score sheets were distributed to the students -- overall, a pretty good go for the 2nd time (and the first time being teacher-scored)!  Be mindful that the next discussion will have additional criteria, as we work our way to full criteria over time.  Use your 1/2-sheet score page and the full, highlighted instructions/tips page for research to look up some of your Communal Curiosity Questions.  Be ready to turn in and present your research by Thursday.  (We'll be doing something different in class tomorrow.)

U.S.

A final writing handout was provided ("Writing Tutorial"), and we discussed our way through it together while using 2 highlighters (different in color than what we used yesterday).  Student metacognitive and argumentative writings were returned -- pay careful attention to the score and the written feedback...work with the different writing handouts and also see me to talk through your writing one-on-one.  (In 6th hour we finished our work with the "Breaking Down Some Basics" with the three highlighters.)  We revisited our Mental Map Timeline and added a few notes to it.  Finally, we began a Context-Lens work packet for some excerpts from a text packet -- to be continued in class tomorrow.

KCC

We revisited our "History's Habits of Mind" handout in light of the cultural differences between elite colonial culture and our 2015 culture.  (See a reliable classmate to catch up with that discussion.)  In class we then read the rest of Chapter 3 (pp.88-97) in America while recording EQs and CQs -- finish for homework as needed

World History

Socratic discussion over the E.Q. today -- a chance to test-out your ideas to improve your clarity as needed before writing day AND an opportunity to steal ideas and evidence from classmates by taking notes and posing questions, also, during the discussion.  This skill was scored by Mrs. Cluver today!  If you were absent, be sure to see Mrs. Cluver to arrange for make-up work for this discussion.

U.S.

We filled in the E.Q. portion of the Unit-Closure Work Page (via SMARTboard).  Paper labels and paper clips were provided to the students (along with a significant amount of class time) to organize all papers, now, by skill.  Each time we approach/repeat a skill, students should access their old papers and helpful instruction pages to "get into the zone" and use former practices as individualized aids in the new skills performances.  (Note: the Unit-Closure Work Pages and the start-of-year papers will be separate from the labeled/clipped packets.)  We did some follow-up work and instruction on argumentative writing....see a reliable classmate for the highlighting (3 colors) we did on the Target sample page and on the new "Breaking Down Some Basics" handout.  More to come tomorrow...

KCC

Finish and turn in the Treckel analysis.  Be sure to finish reading in "America" through the top of p.88 by Monday.

World History

We continued "Bizarre Foods" as detailed yesterday.

U.S.

Finish the Unit-Closure Work Pages.  Note: the scores for the first writing assignment will be entered into Power School, but "dropped" so students and parents can see the first performance, but as it IS the first performance, it is a practice grade.  A skill like this really has to be attempted and then feedback given before it can be adequately understood; so, I 'm not going to have the writing score "count" in the grade until the second performance.  

KCC

HW reminder -- read from "America" pp.64-88 by Monday.  We continued our work on Treckel -- to be finished in class tomorrow.

World History

We continued the "Layering-to-Today" work as detailed yesterday.  This work will be used for a scored Socratic discussion early next week!  We then began viewing the Kalahari (bonus episode) of "Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern" (Collection 4; Part 1).  While viewing, take notes onto your E.Q. and C.Q. pages.  (Not only will these notes be used for our writing and research, but will also be discussed in the discussion next week for a score.)  If you can not access the show via You tube or Netflix, see me to schedule a time during Advisory to view the missed footage.

U.S.

EQ writing (the formal, academic, argumentative paragraph) is due today.  The metacognitive writing (very casual, reflective bit) is also due today.  A packet -- "Unit-Closure Work Pages" -- was assigned today, and the class period was provided for the work.  Follow the instructions, and USE all of the many work pages listed that you've ALREADY completed while in-unit.  Work smarter, not harder to get good info on those pages in the least amount of time possible.  We'll finish them in class tomorrow.