U.S. History

Students finished their in-class assessment work on the Loewen packet.  If absent, see me to set up a time to make up this scored work.  The Unit-Closure Work Page for this Introductory Unit was distributed, discussed, and finished -- clarification on my not-so-great typed instructions -- staple to that page your History Vocab notes AND your Enlightenment and Revolutions handout of notes, and then all you have to do is #2 under Big Ideas.  When the Loewen work is returned we'll come back to #1.  ; )

World History

We discussed and edited our E.Q. notes referring to "Professor Garry's article," and subheading that part of your E.Q. page with that source.  New subheading: "UN Human Rights" -- add more E.Q.s while viewing the 9 1/2-minute Intro video AND the following PSAs: 1,4, 11, 12, 14, 18, 19, 20, & 26; "Over the Hedge" and view clip; "Pocahontas" and view 2 clips.  (Note: there are some historical problems with the Pocahontas film; however, there are some things, like these clips, that they got right.)  Remember, also, to add CQs while doing these viewings.  

KCC

Ditto the U.S. post, except instead of the Loewen work, we began a C&E on the Stannard essay in the red/blue book -- must be completed on paper (not Chromebook) and IN MY CLASS, as it is a scored assessment.  ; )  If you were absent, see me to set up a time to make up the work on Stannard.  Reminder -- Chapter 1 notes are due tomorrow by the start of class.

U.S. History

We discussed as a whole class the Enlightenment & Revolutions page while adding to and otherwise editing our individual pages.  We then revisited via SMARTboard slide #4 from the year-end slideshow from World History and I reminded that we will find this in U.S. History, too, as it, like World History, is the study of people.  We then began a scored Claim & Evidence on a small reading packet to get us acclimated with Dr. James Loewen's book "Lies My Teacher Told Me."  If you were absent, see me to schedule a time to make up the C&E assessment.

World History

We set up our E.Q. (Essential Question) and C.Q. (Curiosity Questions) pages for our first unit, "Humanity."  The E.Q. is:  What does it mean to be human?  (Additional clarifiers for your EQ page -- go beyond the scientific definition to make notes, instead, during our unit of study on the human experience.)  To get us started, students were provided an article about 1991 Watseka alum Hannah Garry to read and consider in light of the E.Q. while adding bullet point notes/answers as well as some CQs to the C.Q. page.  We then collaborated in our small seating groups to discuss and swap answers.

KCC

We took our Pre-test today.  If you were absent, see me to set up a time to make up this assessment during Advisory.  A bit of time was given to work on the Chapter 1 reading and notes (until everyone finished with the Pre-test) and students could ask for feedback/guidance on their notes to make sure they are brief enough.  See the U.S. post for instructions for the Enlightenment and revolutions handout.  (Reminder -- the rest of Chapter 1 is due Friday -- homework!)

U.S. History

We did our Pretest today.  If you were absent, please see me to set up a time to make up this assessment during Advisory.  Finish the vocab work and staple it to the handout about the Enlightenment and several key revolutions (to continue reviewing the context from last year into which our U.S. History fits).  On that handout label the country name for each of the three, and using the themes listed for each, brainstorm back to the documentaries we watched last year on the last two revolutions to add details -- to be discussed together tomorrow in class.

World History

We took our Pre-test today.  If you were absent, see me to set up a time to make up this assessment during Advisory.  7th hour was given time to finish their "Let's Get Acquainted" survey and I also provided them with the hard copy of the balanced media handout.  (The other hours did this yesterday...getting 7th hour caught up the rest of the way from Monday's early dismissal.)

KCC

Permission slips?  Time was given for small groups to collaborate on the assigned parts of Chapter 1.  For homework, finish the reading and note-taking on the whole chapter by the start of class Friday.  I demonstrated effective (BREIF!!!) note-taking by using the paragraph that begins on the bottom of p.12, using the SMARTboard.  This is important for avoiding plagiarism, not to mention saving yourself a lot of time.  Don't forget page numbers in your notes!  Tomorrow we will begin in-class activities, leaving the reading for homework.

U.S. History

Permission slips?  2nd hour received the previously forgotten Media handout to be used at Research time (throughout the year).  Socratic scores were returned and charted.  As always, see me if you have any questions about your score or performance.  I shared a quote on the board that connects to the quotes discussed in Socratic and lays the foundation for what we'll be doing this year at the high school level for history studies.  Add to your "History Vocab" list (of last week) the additional terms from today's SMARTboard list and define them -- break down the meanings to make sure you comprehend what they mean...The French & Haitian Revolutions handout work for review will be undertaken tomorrow.

World History

Permission slips?  Finish and turn in the "Let's Get Acquainted" work.  7th hour -- ALSO see yesterday's post for the details for getting caught up today!!!  ; )  

KCC

We attempted to collaborate on the EQ notes students were assigned to take from the intro and the conclusion of Chaper 1....bumpy start -- a number of kiddos didn't do the reading and notes.  Soooo, let's get caught up with that tonight and then stay caught up!  ; )  Additionally, start taking EQ notes from the first five pages of the guts of Chapter 1 -- due tomorrow.  (Then, the rest of the chapter is to be finished before class time Friday.)  A few tips -- use the headings in your notes, as they contain content as well as are an organizing feature; read the first sentence of each paragraph to get the topic sentence (paragraph thesis) and use it to discern if you, personally, need to read the entire paragraph (if the content is new or confusing to you), and be sure to have Google at the ready as you read -- it is normal to have to look up quite a few things while reading this stuff! 

U.S. History

Permission slips?  Socratic discussion over the history quotes from Friday.  (If you were absent, be sure to complete the "Socratic Replacement" work found in the Socratic section in Google CLASSWORKS.)  ; )

World History

Permission slips are due.  I collected the "My Voice" work.  We discussed the use of holiday posters in the classroom as a window into other cultures, and students submitted a 1/2-sheet on which they listed the holidays important to them.  We got set up in Google Classroom and oriented that the permanent collection of items to be reused throughout the year is found in the "Classwork" section, and daily resources (videos, articles) are found in the "Stream."  If ever absent be sure to go to the Classwork section and click into the top item -- "Make-up Work" to get my daily instructions.  Note that the full department curriculum is found in Classwork, if you're interested.  Two handouts were provided and discussed -- the Mental Map Timeline and the Balanced Media handout -- keep these as we'll reuse them throughout the entire year!  Finally, students began work on a "Let's Get Acquainted" student survey...to be continued in class tomorrow.

KCC

Permission slips are due today.  Finish recording the questions and answering them on your paper "U.S. History Intro Survey" and turn it in.  Textbooks were distributed.  The "white book" (by Henretta, Hinderacker, Edwards, & Self) is the traditional textbook from which the assigned homework readings will come.  Chapter 1 is due next Friday.  To get started, we set up two "E.Q." (Essential Question) pages ON PAPER (no typed notes) -- one for Book Notes and one for Class Activities.  Instead of a separate CQ page, put your curiosity questions directly into your E.Q. notes and color code them to stand out (colored pen or highlight).  I suggested students may want to purchase their own copy of the textbooks used from abebooks.com or textbooks.com if they find it helpful to be able write in their books.  Another option is to use the books I checked out to them and to write notes on post-it notes.  In either case, using the small, clear, colored post-it tabs to tag key points in the book is useful.  We then began "gutting" the first part of Chapter 1 all together via SMARTboard with my demonstrating how to pull out good notes and be focused during reading, reminding to have Google up and running for looking up terms as needed.  Students then continued the work with access to each other for collaboration and I roamed, giving feedback on their note-taking.

U.S. History

Permission slips are due.  Finish recording the questions and then answering them through #7 on your paper "U.S. History Intro Survey" and turn it in.  Break down the meaning of each quote on the History Quotes page and write that meaning directly on the page to be prepared for the Socratic discussion on Monday over these quotes.

World History

We discussed supplies required for class.  The "Grades" information pages were distributed, read aloud together, and discussed.  Parent information was distributed -- please have parents read and sign the permission slip, and bring it to me on Monday.  Leave the rest of the packet with them for their own use/filing.  We discussed together (and edited as needed) our definitions for the key terms on the front of the "Voice" work pages we began yesterday; then, finish the work on the remaining pages.

KCC

Ditto the U.S. post today...clarifier in THIS class, however, there WILL be some homework -- the reading of the textbook and note-taking at home as already mentioned, which will begin tomorrow with in-class instruction and whole-class practice on effective reading-for-comprehension with focus on the essential question.  AND regarding the Google Classroom stuff -- for this class there are also the course syllabi loaded there, too!

U.S. History

Seating chart.  In 2nd hour the "Grades" information was distributed, read, and discussed.  Parent/Guardian packets were distributed and students asked to put a homework reminder in their agendas about getting the permission slip signed and returned.  We got set up in Google Classroom, orienting ourselves that the permanent items that will be used all year are in the "Classwork" tab, and we spent time going through the "Make-up Work" link at the top, the "What to Bring to Class" link at the bottom, & "Curriculum."  In 5th hour we used a few slideshow images to remind students that improving their skills takes some trial and error and not to get too frustrated in the process...they are taking a step up to junior-level rigor.  I also gave 5th hour a new hard-copy handout of the news sources grid with reminder that if using news sources for curiosity research to aim for the center-top (balanced politically and analytical).  Students then began answering questions to the "U.S. History Intro Survey" on a sheet of their own paper -- to be finished in class tomorrow (if absent, do through #5).

World History

Seating chart.  We finished our note-taking and discussion with the slideshow "The Historian," and then addressed the now-obvious connection between that and the "H.S. History Skills" handout.  We then discussed through the slideshow "Skills in History" slideshow to address why this class looks different than when the kids' parents and I were in school.  Students then began work on the "My Voice matters" work -- pick up the sheets from the tray on the side of the classroom if you were absent...finish defining the 4 vocab terms on pg. 1 for homework as needed, and we'll finish the rest of it in class tomorrow.

KCC

Ditto the U.S. post, and we also did a casual Q&A regarding their curiosities and possible worries about a college class.  

U.S. History

Ditto the World History post, except we did the "historian" slideshow quickly as a review and without note-taking.  We then reviewed on paper and in collaborative groups 4 key history terms (see reliable classmate for the notes).  Fill out the "So, You Ain't New to Cluver's Room" info sheet, please.  In 5th hour the info sheets on grading were distributed, read, and discussed.

World History

We went over class rules and I pointed out the side board where each day's agenda can be found.  We then worked together to make a list of what "history" is. (If absent, see a reliable classmate to copy these notes.)  We then began to complete together a simple note page (see handout) while having a lecture-discussion via slideshow about what historians do -- to be finished in class tomorrow.

KCC (Dual-Credit KCC U.S. History)

Welcome back to school!  You can check here every day for accurate, detailed instructions of what we did in class.  As is always the case, should you have questions, I am more than happy to oblige.  This will be a far more reliable place for you to find out what you missed than making a friend responsible for remembering every little detail for you.  This blogsite is linked as the very first item in the "About" section of Google Classroom to make it easy peasy for you!

U.S. History

Welcome back to school!  You can check here every day for accurate, detailed instructions of what we did in class.  As is always the case, should you have questions, I am more than happy to oblige.  This will be a far more reliable place for you to find out what you missed than making a friend responsible for remembering every little detail for you.  This blogsite is linked as the very first item in the "About" section of Google Classroom to make it easy peasy for you!

World History

Welcome back to school!  You can check here every day for accurate, detailed instructions of what we did in class.  As is always the case, should you have questions, I am more than happy to oblige.  This will be a far more reliable place for you to find out what you missed than making a friend responsible for remembering every little detail for you.  This blogsite is linked as the very first item in the "About" section of Google Classroom to make it easy peasy for you!