Inventing America -- US History

Week of January 30th

2012-01-29T17:29:00.006-07:00

Students did a fantastic job on last week’s 3 Branches of Government quiz! Grades are in Power School. We are moving forward with our study of the Constitution as a map of government and a foundation for personal protections. On Wednesday we’ll be debating with Mr. Poduska’s classes, focusing on Constitutional issues.

Monday:
1. Student groups will complete drafting and practicing Amendment skits and then perform them. Classmates will try and guess which of the 27 Amendment(s) are involved in the skit.
HW: Create a set of flash card for the Amendments in the Bill of Rights plus the 14th, 15th and 19th Amendments. We will use these in class periodically until our Amendment Quiz on Friday.

Tuesday:
1. HW Check and Share
2. We begin our review of Supreme Court cases important to teens. Student groups will read about one of 6 cornerstone cases and create a summary for other groups to use in a gallery walk note-taking format.
3. Final, whole-class review of debate details for tomorrow. Debate team may need to do additional research tonight.

Wednesday:
We will complete our debate competition against Mr. Poduska's classes with our second Constitutional Debate topic. Depending on which topic classes chose last week, the topic will either be related to the 2nd Amendment or the Electoral College.

Thursday:
1.We'll finish the gallery walk of the Supreme Court cases info, and play a review game that uses student notes.
2. Review game with Constitutional Amendments.
HW: Quiz Tomorrow - Use your flash cards and visual organizer to study. Amendments 1-10; plus the 14th, 15th and 19th.

Friday:
1. Amendment Quiz: Match descriptions/ scenarios with Constitutional Amendments.
2. Current Event Update: Progress in the Republican Party Primary.

Week of January 23rd

2012-01-23T09:01:00.001-07:00

Welcome back from the snowy weekend! We are moving forward with our study of the Constitution as a map of government and foundation for personal protections. On Wednesday we’ll be debating with Mr. Poduska’s classes, focusing on Constitutional issues. There will be 3 branches of government quiz on Thursday. This will be the first grade of the 3rd academic quarter.
Monday:
1. Check debate research from Thursday and Friday
2. Constitution Scavenger Hunt – Students will find critical details from the first three articles of the US Constitution.
3. Begin Checks and Balances activity.
HW: Finish checks and balances questions for tomorrow.

Tuesday:
1. Check and share HW
2. Students will create diagrams of the 3 branches of government and the various checks and balances that create a separation of power.
3. Final prep of research and format for tomorrow’s debates

Wednesday:
Two teams of 5 students will be debating against teams from Mr. Poduska’s classes. The format is Lincoln-Douglas, which includes cross-examinations and rebuttals. Resolution 1: Some restrictions to the 2nd amendment are needed to keep Americans safer. Resolution 2: The Electoral College system of electing the president should be replaced with a direct vote of the people.
HW: Review 3 branches materials for the quiz tomorrow!

Thursday:
1. 3 Branches of government quiz: Students will demonstrate their knowledge of how the Constitution establishes a separation of powers in its first 3 articles.
2. The Bill of Rights – Establishing legal protections for citizens. Students will begin their study of the first ten amendments by envisioning scenarios without their protections. Can students guess which amendments would be violated in certain situations?

Friday:
1. Video Clip: Future Fright – Losing the Bill of Rights
2. Student groups will draft mini-skits demonstrating situations where specific amendments have been violated or repealed. Our goal is to present skits to the class towards the end of class on Monday.

Martin Luther King Week

2012-01-17T08:52:00.001-07:00

Students did a great job tackling the challenging Declaration of Independence essay prompts!!! This year’s essays were excellent. The end of the second academic quarter is January 20th, please take the time to check power school and make up missing work before the 18th. Quarterly Recognition is also this Friday, the 20th. 8th grade will be having fun at Snow King. Please dress appropriately for your activity!

Monday:
Martin Luther King Day – No school for kids!

Tuesday:
1. Dr. King – We will read a section of the infamous “I Have a Dream” speech draw connections to King’s mention of the Declaration and the US Constitution.
2. Decoding the preamble of the US Constitution. Students will paraphrase and “perform” the preamble in an effort to understand why it was created.

Wednesday:
1. Outline of articles I-III of the US Constitution. Why was a separation of powers in the best interest of our young Nation? Is this form of government still successful? Students will identify checks and balances between the 3 branches of government using a visual organizer.

Thursday:
1. All students will be researching and preparing for Constitutional Issues debates against Mr. Poduska’s history classes. The winners from last week’s debates will compete against Mr. P’s classes. Topics for this Lincoln-Douglas style debate include limits to the 2nd Amendment and Abolishing the Electoral College system of electing the President. Students will use a variety of online and print resources to collect useful pros and cons on these two debate resolutions.

Friday:
Shortened schedule – In classes we will be in final preparation for the first round of the Poduska-Wells Constitutional Issues Debates.
**After lunch we go to Snow King for a well-deserved quarterly recognition.

Week of January 9th

2012-01-09T09:19:00.001-07:00

Greetings! The end of the second academic quarter is January 20th, please take the time to check power school and make up missing work before the 18th. There will be a short essay assessment on Tuesday, January 10th. The geography bee will be held 1st period this Tuesday in room 101. 8th grade winners will compete against 6th and 7th grade winners on Thursday morning.

Monday:
1. Complete the close read and notes on the 4 sections of the Declaration of Independence.
2. Students will have the opportunity to view the essay test question for tomorrow and begin preparing an outline. Tomorrow, students will use selected class notes and their outline to construct an expository essay response on the causes of the American Revolution and the significance of the Declaration of Independence as both a political statement and human rights document.
HW: Fine-tune your essay outlines if needed.

Tuesday: Please note - Geography Bee for 8th grade – 1st period in room 101!
In Class Short Essay Response: Final Unit Assessment
(Note: 3rd and 4th period NHD students will be in class today and attend NHD with Mrs. Brumsted tomorrow)

Wednesday:
Students will select new debate topics for our third formal Lincoln-Douglas debate of the year. This round, topics will relate to promises of equality made in the Declaration of Independence and related Constitutional issues like teen rights! (We are moving forward into a Constitution Unit at the start of the 3rd quarter)

Thursday:
Final debate research and prep in class. In order to participate in our debate, students must have fulfilled their research requirements, which also count as the final current event of quarter 2.
HW: Complete debate research if needed.

Friday:
Lincoln-Douglas debates today! By now, students a more familiar with the Lincoln-Douglas format. We will make a push to use evidence-based argumentation and accountable student talk. Students will either debate or judge. Winners will compete against Mr. Poduska’s class winners.

Week of January 3rd

2012-01-04T11:43:00.001-07:00

Greetings! I hope you had a great break! May 2012 be the best year yet. The end of the second academic quarter is January 20th, please take the time to check power school and make up missing work. There will be a short essay quiz on Tuesday, January 10th.

Tuesday:
1. Refocus! An overview of where the last two weeks of quarter 2 will take us.
2. Republican Caucus and Primaries: We will discuss the general purpose of the primary elections and see a short CNN news story that reviews the 2012 Republican candidates.
3. Review as a whole group our organizer notes for events leading to the American Revolution. We will do this as a gallery walk to ensure student engagement.
Note: Short essay quiz on Tuesday the 10th – Students may use their notes to construct a short essay response on the causes of the American Revolution.

Wednesday:
1. Finish Colonies Map and turn in. Requirements: Completed legend with foundational symbols on the front map for each colony.
2. Student Play: Students will act out the final days of the Continental Congress’ initiative to draft and vote on a Declaration of Independence. What could they agree or not agree to vote in favor of including in the final version?
HW: Due Tomorrow – Equality Time Capsule - Choose any 3 of 6 types of equality and write examples that show how they were interpreted in 1776 and today. We will discuss first thing in class tomorrow.

Thursday:
1. HW check/share Equality Time Capsule
2. Working with full text copies of the Declaration of Independence, students will identify and summarize the contents of the four sections of this important, primary document.

Friday:
1. Finish our primary document analysis from yesterday.
2. Preamble Scramble! Students will begin to interpret the meaning of the loaded preamble sentences with a kinesthetic game.

Week of December 12th

2011-12-12T08:48:00.001-07:00

Greetings! This is the last full week before the holiday break. Our content focus is shifting towards the American Revolution. If you know you will be absent for any reason, including National History Day activities, please get materials and assignments ahead of time.

Monday: (Both of these items we didn’t get to do last week).
1. Quiz – Short essay response: Connect the Salem Witch Trials or the Anne Hutchinson trial with a current day example of intolerance. Use target vocabulary.
2. Complete Colonies Map. (Map Quiz on Thursday)

Tuesday:
1. Ben Franklin - Renaissance Revolutionary: He was easily the most famous American of his day, and perhaps one of the most influential founding fathers. Student groups will choose one aspect (founding drafter of the Declaration, inventor/scientist, author, civil engineer, fire chief , philanthropist ect.) of Ben Franklin to read-up on and share it with the class.
HW: Due Wednesday: Poor Richard’s Almanac – Students will translate several of Franklin’s classic proverbial writings – what insight might they give us the revolutionary spirit of the era?

Wednesday:
1. HW check and share
2. Ben Franklin groups will finish their mini-research and begin presenting to the class.

Thursday:
1. If needed, finish Franklin presentations.
2. The Boston Massacre: We will begin with a shared reading which presents this event as much as a colonist propaganda tool as well as a symbol of British aggression.
3. Student Play: The Boston Massacre

Friday:
1. Thomas Paine’s Common Sense was a lyrically written call for action against the British. Students will be paraphrasing sections, turning Common Sense into a song to be performed in class on Monday.

Week of December 5th

2011-12-05T09:02:00.002-07:00

Note: If you know you will be absent – for National History Day work, an appointment or a sport, please bring this agenda to class and get readings/HW ahead of time. Thank you!
Monday:
1. We will debate our second resolution today using the Lincoln-Douglas format. Friday’s debates went very well! Students drafted, elected and researched their own topic statements (resolutions) this time.
2. 13 Colonies overview and map.
HW Due Tomorrow: Weekly vocabulary 1-5– use the words in your own sentences that demonstrate your understanding. Use a dictionary or online tool.

Tuesday:
HW Check/Share-Out
1. Finish 13 colonies map.
1. Anne Hutchinson – A case of colonial intolerance. Pre-Knowledge and overview.
2. Student Play – Anne Hutchinson and religious intolerance.
HW due Tomorrow: Weekly vocabulary 6-10 - use the words in your own sentences that demonstrate your understanding. Use a dictionary or online tool.

Wednesday:
1. HW Check/Share-Out
1. Salem Witch Trials – We will be reading both a secondary account and actual trial transcript. What social and religious conditions helped to create this tragic episode?

Thursday:
Fishbowl Discussion Day - We will compare the Anne Hutchinson trial and the Salem Witch trials, using our weekly vocabulary while focusing on accountable student talk. History and Science teachers will be observing period 4 today!! What lessons from these trials are important for students today?

Friday:
Brief Quiz – Short essay response using targeted vocabulary – Cases of early Colonial intolerance – The Slave Trade, Anne Hutchinson and the Witch Trials of Salem.

Week of November 28th

2011-11-28T14:55:00.001-07:00

Greetings! Welcome back from break. I hope it was relaxing for you. Students with missing work may make it up during team, lunch or after school on Monday, Tuesday or Thursday this week. Please make an appointment by signing up on the back board.

Monday:
New student groups – students will find out who is in each of their new work/reading groups. We will also review the final draft of our student-created class mission statement.
1. Debate Topic Selection – Students will be using pre-selected debate forum websites to choose topics for our debate on Friday.
2. The British African slave trade – Early demographics and maps.
HW Due Tuesday: Define Slavery Terminology – In your own words. Use a dictionary, glossary or online resource. Handed out in class.

Tuesday:
HW Check/Share
1. Each class will vote from the list of debate topics generated on Monday and select two for our debate on Friday.
2. Primary Image Analysis: Slave ship blueprint. We will use the SIGH method.
3. Slave Narratives: Although few first person accounts exist, the ones that do shed a wealth of historical insight. We will begin reading four particularly amazing accounts in small groups.

Wednesday:
1. Complete Slave Narrative Readings – Groups will share out their information using small visual displays.
2. Begin debate topic research – Do your best and use your time wisely – These will be handed in after the debate on Friday for a small current event grade. Students will be using vetted sites to gather both pros and cons regarding the topics they selected on Mon/Tues.

Thusday:
Final debate research time. Students will be working in pro or con teams.
HW: Complete debate research online if needed – these will be turned in after the debate for a small current event grade.

Friday:
We will hold our second Lincoln-Douglas style debate.

Week of November 14th

2011-11-14T09:21:00.002-07:00

Greetings: Before Thanksgiving break begins, students will be working towards a quiz that compares early Spanish and British colonization in North America. The quiz will be on Tuesday, November 21st.
Monday:
1. Quick review before taking European Explorer quiz. Each class chose last week which explorers will appear on their quiz.
2. Final Edit: Class mission statement – Students will be making final suggestions/edits. We did not get to this last week.
3. Spanish Colonization in the New World: Students will be doing small group readings, and note-taking for a jigsaw activity tomorrow. There will be a quiz before Thanksgiving, comparing Spanish and British colonization.
Tuesday:
1. HW Check
2. Student jigsaw groups will from and students will explain the sections that they read about to their partners. As a whole class, we will generate a vocabulary list to be used on the comparison quiz next week.
HW Due Tomorrow: Dawning of a New Age. Students will answer 1-10 after studying an early American colonization timeline.
Wednesday:
1. HW Check/Discussion
2. Primary Image Analysis: Students will study an advertisement for the Jamestown colony posted in London in 1609.
3. Jamestown: Shared reading - The British arrive in the New World with their first permanent settlement, bringing the first African slaves. Why does this settlement fail at first? Students create the first part of a foldable organizer.
Thursday:
1. Primary Resource: The Mayflower Compact. Is this a first step towards British American self-rule?
2. Students complete part two of their foldable organizer with information about the Plymouth Colony.
HW Due Tomorrow – Current Event with Notes (See below for details).
Friday:
1.Current Event Day: Students bring in articles with basic notes written on attached sheet and present their articles to the class.
Notes will include: Title, source and date, as well as main idea and 3-5 supporting details. Notes will be turned in!

A Look ahead! Monday we will prepare for the comparison quiz on Tuesday.

Week of November 7th

2011-11-08T08:03:00.001-07:00

Greetings! Parent-teacher conferences are on Monday and Wednesday this week from 3 until 7. Parents and students signed up for a time to come to conferences through home bases. This method’s purpose is to spread out visits over the two days and is not a specific appointment time. If parents would like to schedule an after school conference on a different day, please send an email! dwells@tcsd.org

Monday:
1. Finish close reading of Columbus text – We are comparing various textbook entries from different time periods about Columbus’ landing in the New World and analyzing them. They are from the 1880s, 1946 and 1995. Students will share-out in a fishbowl format.
**Parent Conferences: 3-7pm

Tuesday:
1. The Age of Exploration! Students will be using the text and video clips to create a timeline of European exploration in the New World.
HW: Due Thursday – Write a 2 paragraph journal entry from the perspective of one of fifteen explorers. Students must include enough historical details to lead a classmate and the teacher to guess whom the explorer is. More details will be given in class.

Wednesday:
1. Finish timelines!
2. Student Play: De Soto on the Mississippi.
**Parent Conferences: 3-7pm

Thursday:
1. HW Check – Explorer journal entries.
2. Students will read their journal entries aloud, and their peers will make an educated guess from whose perspective they were written.
3. Brief Quiz: The primary European explorers.

Friday:

Week of October 31st

2011-11-01T06:53:00.001-07:00

Greetings! We had a great day of cookies and reciprocal reading our historical fiction books on Friday, as well as a really fun quarterly recognition. The media center will be displaying a lot of our history projects for the next couple of weeks, so be sure and check it out! Parent-teacher conferences are on Monday and Wednesday next week. If parents would like to schedule for a different day after school, please send an email! dwells@tcsd.org

Monday:
1. Quarter 1 reflection and quarter 2 goal setting. Students will assess their progress towards the goals they set in the first week of school and create new goals for the next nine weeks.
2. History mission statement! Students will draft a statement of purpose to post in the room. This will help remind us of why we are here each day.
3. Debate topics: Students will look over lists to begin choosing 3 topics for our first Lincoln-Douglas style debate.

Tuesday:
1. Research day for debate topics. Students will collect both pro and con data from vetted websites and articles in preparation for our first debate tomorrow.

Wednesday:
1. Lincoln-Douglas style debate! We will review the rules and limitations of this debate style, which is used by the JHHS speech and debate team. Before we begin, we will discuss how debate fits into a US History curriculum, and educated debate’s importance in our Nation’s development. Students will receive a small current event grade based on research preparedness and public speaking for participating in today’s debate.

Thursday:
1. Critically Interpreting US Textbooks. We will continue a look at interpretations of European exploration of the Americas by comparing student textbook entries of the same event from the 1800s, 1950s and 1990s.
Friday:
No school for students! Teachers will be in professional development activities today.

Week of October 24th

2011-10-24T07:53:00.001-07:00

Greetings! This is the final week of quarter one. Final historical fiction storybooks are due by the end of the day on Tuesday. There will be an after school work session in our normal classroom on Monday for students who need to take care of final details. Find the week’s agenda below.

Monday and Tuesday:
1. Monday: Homework check – Students were asked to write a 1-2 paragraph author’s note for their historical fiction pieces.
2. We will be using this class time to complete historical fiction storybooks. Most students will be completing layout and design, compiling a works cited list and making final edits to their text.

Wednesday:
We are moving onward into European exploration of the Americas.
1. SIGHT primary image analysis – Columbus’ landing on Hispañola.
2. The Columbian Exchange! We’ll look at the impact of exchanging food, fauna and disease as Europe collides with America.
HW: Please bring in a lead (front page or primary link) news story from National or International news and be prepared to present the main topic and 3-5 details to the class on Thursday. Bring article and brief notes, or highlight/underline in your article.

Thursday:
1. Critically Interpreting US Textbooks. We will continue a look at interpretations of European exploration of the Americas by comparing student textbook entries of the same event from the 1800s, 1950s and 1990s.
2. Current Events: Small groups will read, summarize and present details of major national and international stories to the whole class.

Friday:
Book walk! Most of students’ final historical fiction storybooks will be assessed and returned by today. Students will read each other’s books, leaving feedback for the authors while learning about other American Indian topics. This is both a celebration and an opportunity for reciprocal learning!

**There is a shortened schedule today with Quarterly Recognition activities in the afternoon.

Week of October 17th

2011-10-17T08:18:00.001-07:00

Greetings! We are creating well-researched, historical fiction storybooks!
We are completing rough drafts, revising and editing for a final draft this week. Also, pARTners will be coming in to help students illustrate their books. Students will need to do some out-of-class writing this week to make net Tuesday’s final due-date.

Monday: HW Check: Students needed to do 30 minutes of writing towards their rough drafts this weekend. Class will be a writing workshop. Students will be asked to print and turn in their rough drafts for teacher edits today.

Tuesday: Periods 3&4 – National History Day Presentation with Mrs. Brumsted and JHHS students.
Periods 6&7 - These students will get their rough drafts with suggestions back. They will complete and receive one peer edit today and begin making revisions and edits towards their final drafts. STUDENTS SHOULD BE WORKING ON EDITS AND REVISIONS OUT OF CLASS 20-30 MINUTES PER DAY.

Wednesday: Periods 3 & 4 - These students will get their rough drafts with suggestions back. They will complete and receive one peer edit today and begin making revisions and edits towards their final drafts. STUDENTS SHOULD BE WORKING ON EDITS AND REVISIONS OUT OF CLASS 20-30 MINUTES PER DAY.
Periods 6 & 7 - National History Day Presentation with Mrs. Brumsted and JHHS students.

HW: Students should bring in any materials that the school does not have, and they would like to use for illustrating our storybooks during the next two days. Example: bare books, special markers, and any special types of paper beyond construction or printer paper.

Thursday: Students will be illustrating their historical fiction storybooks with pARTners guest artists!

Friday: Students will be illustrating their historical fiction storybooks with pARTners guest artists!

Week of October 11th

2011-10-11T07:24:00.002-07:00

Greetings! Welcome back from the long weekend. We will be wrapping up research and starting the writing process. We are creating well-researched, historical fiction storybooks!

Monday: Columbus Day – No school!

Tuesday:
Final day of research! This is the final of five days in the media center. We are finding appropriate research sources and taking useful notes. Notes and citations will be checked tomorrow first thing as part of the project grade.

Wednesday:
1. Notes Check! We will be reviewing and organizing the information we have gathered. Along with students’ self-evaluations from their time in the media center, students’ notes will be assessed as part of the project grade.
2. Using the work students completed last week – character sketches and plot summaries- students will begin drafting their rough drafts of historical fiction. Students will be asked to denote all research details within their paragraphs.
HW for Friday: 30 minutes out-of-class writing on rough drafts!

Thursday:
Today is a studio day. Various JHMS teachers and administration will observe our classes with an eye for literacy instruction practices. We will be reading and comparing various interpretations of Columbus’ first interaction with Americans in the New World.

Friday:
1. HW Due: Students will bring in writing they continued from Wednesday. We will be dedicating the entire class to writing rough drafts. Students will be asked to denote all research details that appear in their stories!
HW for Monday: 30 out-of school writing. Rough drafts due at end of the day on Monday.

Week of October 3rd

2011-10-03T13:42:00.001-07:00

Greetings! Find the week’s agenda below.

Monday, October 3rd
1. Current Event: Saving Native Language – Lakota is reinforced to a young generation of Sioux through the classic Berentsain Bears cartoon. Students will read, take notes and discuss. Open-notes quiz on Wednesday.
2. Read-Aloud: Sheman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diaries of a Part Time Indian. We will be reading to further our understanding of historical fiction. What details are true and what parts belong in the fictional craft category?
3. If time allows, finish news interview clip. Sherman Alexie speaks about being an American Indian best-selling author!
Tuesday, October 4th
We are in the media Center today. Students have been gathering information from our media center’s American Indian collection to help them write a piece of historical fiction. This is our 3rd of 5 visits. Our goal is to complete notes/citations for 2 resources. What details do we target to create authentic and engaging historical fiction?
Wed October 5th
1. Open-notes Current Event Quiz: Bears help Save Lakota (Notes from Monday)
Character Sketch Modeling & Drafting: We will be using The Unbreakable Code” to explore the process of creating historically accurate, yet interesting characters for students’ storybook projects.
2. Begin character sketches in class. Students will be identifying and fleshing-out protagonists for their historical fiction storybook projects.
HW: For Friday: Bring in a completed character sketch in paragraph form. Typed, 12 font MLA style.

Thurs, October 6th
We are in the media Center today. Students have been gathering information from our media center’s American Indian collection to help them write a piece of historical fiction.
Friday, October 7th
1. HW check/Share: Students will share their character sketches in small groups. Volunteers will read theirs aloud. What makes an engaging historical fiction character?
2. Plot Summaries! With only one day of research left, and our protagonists coming into their own, it’s time to work on the plot of our historical fiction pieces! We will focus on elements of fiction, including RAD – Reflection/Action/Dialogue

Week of September 26th

2011-09-26T07:16:00.000-07:00

Greetings! Find our agenda below. Note: We are launching a project this week, which will span approximately three weeks. The end goal is for students to demonstrate their knowledge by creating an authentic and well-researched historical fiction storybook. We will be spending every other day in the media center starting on Wednesday.
Monday:
1. Quick Write: Share reflections from the Colter Bay Indian Arts Museum trip on Friday. What details enticed us? What connections can we make to our classroom learning?
2. American Indian Boarding Schools: This will start as a shared reading with modeled note taking – practice for the start of research on Wednesday. Students will finish in small groups.
Tuesday:
1. If needed, complete the boarding schools reading/notes (These will be collected, but not graded)
2. Read Aloud - Code-Talkers: We will be using this historical fiction storybook as a model of the genre. Students will be asked to identify the fact/fiction in this piece.
3. Introduction to the storybook unit assessment. Students will see examples of student work from previous years, read the general directions and look through a media center research collection in pursuit of an interesting topic of research.
HW: Brainstorm/write two topics and plot ideas for storybook projects. We will share these tomorrow.
Wednesday:
***This is our first day in the media center! Students will be getting used to Discovery, the new district media center cataloging tool. Students will have the goal of finding their first resource, targeting useful information and take helpful notes.
Sign-ups for project topics today!
Thursday:
1. Group process: What worked and what did we struggle with in the media center yesterday? How can we prepare for tomorrow?
2. SIGH Image Analysis: Trail of Tears
3. Trail of Tears: We will do a short, shared reading and view a brief video clip on this human tragedy.
Friday:
Day 2 in the media center. We will focus on strategies for targeting useful information and recording it in a way that can be accessed later. Goal: Students will have found their second research resource and begun taking notes.

Week of September 19th

2011-09-19T07:29:00.002-07:00

Greetings! Find the week’s agenda below. We are taking an 8th grade field trip on Friday, September 23rd to the Colter Bay Indian Arts Museum, which will be closing permanently next year. We will be making connections to our current unit of study, while preparing for our research/historical fiction project that begins next week.

Monday, September, 19
Friday’s regions quizzes handed back and reviewed.
1. We will revisit Sherman Alexie’s autobiography, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian with another read-aloud, which we began on Friday.
2. Students will be reading “Life on the Sioux Reservation, “ making connections to Alexie’s account of modern life on the reservation. Shared/group reading.
HW due tomorrow: Complete Questions: Smallpox in the Colonies.

Tuesday, September 20
HW Check and share-out
1. Finish “Life on the Sioux Reservation” and make connections to US, Census Data for American Indians.
2. Introduction to Indian storybook project examples and topics of study. Students will be asked to choose a topic by early next week, after our work with pARTners and our trip to Colter Bay.
**The entire 8th grade will be gone periods 6&7. We are going to a poetry reading at JHHS.

Wed & Thurs, September, 21-22
1. Matt Daley, and pARTners will be bringing in primary sources photos from the JH Historical Society. Students will be carefully analyzing the photos and creating “Flash Fiction” based on one of the images.

Friday, September, 23
Colter Bay Indian Arts Museum: The entire 8th grade will be making this trip, where Dan Greenblatt and the rest of the museum staff will be rotating students through four mini-tours. Students will also get to speak with this year’s American Indian artist-in-residence, DG House. This trip, students will be asked to make connections and draw contrasts to what they have been learning in the classroom. Please bring warm clothes and a lunch! Parents/Guardians, please sign below to give permission for your student to attend this trip.

Week of September 12

2011-09-09T08:00:00.001-07:00

Greetings! What a meaningful week we had in US History. We began familiarizing with the Thinking Like Historians framework and examining the 9/11 anniversary through that lens. Then we traveled back 18, 000 years to compare archeological evidence about how and when the first people migrated to the Americas.

Monday, Sept 12th:
1. Remembrance and update on 9/11 anniversary news, which we began last week.
2. Small group work and gallery-walk jigsaw. Students will be using media center resources and classroom readings to learn about American Indian Cultural Regions. What tribes and bands lived in specific regions? What were their cultures like?
Tuesday, Sept 13th
1. Right Now Activity: SIGH analysis – Iconic 9/11 Images (This will be an introduction to the SIGH method of primary image analysis, which we will be using throughout the year.
2. Students complete the Gallery Walk from yesterday, gathering and processing information from other student’s displays.
HW: Due Thursday at the start of class: Complete comparison Venn Diagram of two regions’ climates and cultures. Underlying question: How does climate affect culture?
Wednesday, Sept 14th
1. We are in the media center with Ms. Swiggum for an introduction to new and updated website and media center features, including our new cataloging system Destiny.
Thursday, Sept 15th
Right Now Activity: Free write based on in-class readings, images and discussion: How has 9/11 shaped my generation? Use at least 2 of the THL lenses. This is a collected/graded current event.
1. HW check-share-compare. As a whole class we will infer how climate affected culture in the development of American Indian regional differences. Can we also see this in modern US Culture?
2. Prepare/review for the American Indian Regions quiz tomorrow, which includes a map, tribal information and geo-cultural information.
Friday, September 16th
1. American Indian Regions Quiz: This includes map identification of regions, two tribes per region and a statement connecting geography or climate with the culture of those tribes.

Week of September 6th

2011-09-06T06:59:00.001-07:00

Greetings! It was a pleasure to meet students last week. What a great group! Here is the agenda for September 6th-9th. You might notice some content that we tried to get to last week and couldn’t fit in.

Tuesday, September 6th:
Due Today: Students should bring in 3 ring binders today. Also: Course Expectation Forms, with parent/guardian signatures are due today.

1. Today students will be introduced to the Thinking Like a Historian framework. It will be a lens we will use to critically examine US History this year. Poduska’s and Wells’ classes will be together analyzing an article about how life has changed after the 9/11 terrorist attack. Students will be asked to follow the news for 9/11 stories during the upcoming week.

Wednesday, September 7th:

1. Students working on developing their own classroom behavior expectations.
2. Competing theories on how the first Americans arrived on the continent: We will be reading a Time Magazine for kids article and analyzing competing archeological evidence on Paleo-migration.
*Related Vocab will be pre-taught and distributed. Vocab Quiz on Friday, September 12th.

Thursday, September 8th :
1. Ongoing work on American Indian Cultural Regions map.
2. Students charting evidence and theories from Wednesday’s article.
3. Vocab practice!
HW: Draft a practice paragraph using Paleo vocabulary for Friday about competing archeological evidence using specified vocabulary. They may use this rough draft on the assessment tomorrow.

Friday, September 9th
1. HW check and share – Students read and critique each others’ paragraphs.
2. Students review, adjust and sign final version of their classroom behavior expectations.
3. Brief Vocabulary Quiz: Using their rough drafts, students write a 1-2 paragraph description and analysis of at least 2 paleo-migration theories. They will use targeted vocabulary from this week’s reading.

First Week of School!!

2011-08-31T07:34:00.002-07:00

Welcome to 8th Grade US History!

On this site you will find weekly agendas and links related to our study of the American experiment in democracy.
Class objectives, standards and policies are being sent home on the Course Expectations form.

Find the agenda for the first 3 days of school below and please e-mail me with any questions that don't come up in class. Parents and students will be receiving a weekly e-mail with a link to this website. Students will also receive a paper copy on the first day of each week.

Wednesday, August 31
*Greetings!
1.Fun Survey: What do we already know?
2.Course Expectation Form (Students will need to review these with parent guardian and bring in on Tuesday, Sept. 6th).
3. Introduction and practice with course expectations and processes: (Turn and Talk – PTT - Group member tasks – Right Now Activities)
4. The Crazy Game of Team Focus!!!
Informal HW: Ask your family about basic ancestry and record their answers! Where did your ancestors immigrate from?

Thursday, September 1
1. Current Event: National Trends in US History Achievement – Students examine a recent article on nationwide 8th grade US History test results and propose ideas of how to change low national History knowledge.
2. Ancestry Map activity – Students use informal HW interviews.

HW: Bring in emergency forms to home-base tomorrow!

Friday, September 2
1. Students begin by developing their own classroom behavior expectations in assigned groups.
2. Thinking Like a Historian: Students are introduced to the Thinking Like a Historian framework, which we will use as a critical lens for examining US History this year.
HW Due Tuesday: Bring in Signed Course Expectation Forms with parent/guardian e-mails.

Week of June 6th

2011-06-03T07:07:00.006-07:00

Welcome back from the sunny weekend!

Announcements:

**Bike/Walk to School Day on Tuesday the 7th.
**JHMS Talent Show will be in the HS auditorium this Friday from 8-10am. There is a mandatory rehearsal for all participants and backstage crew on Thursday from 3-6pm in the JHHS auditorium.
** Our final US History quiz will be on Wednesday: The Civil War Amendments and the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s.

Agenda:

Monday:
Greater Yellowstone American History Grant student test: As a participating teacher, my students must take this test, assessing their ability to interpret primary historical sources. This has no bearing on their US History grade.
(We will also be playing a ZIP game to review for Wednesday's quiz).

Tuesday:
Students will be creating poetry from their SIGHT analysis of Civil Rights images we have looked at over the last few weeks. Literacy facilitator, Ms. Rooks, will be participating!
HW: Use review materials to prepare for the final quiz tomorrow!

Wednesday:
Quiz: The Civil War Amendements and the Civil Rights Movement
(Some students have elected to write a civil right's minded letter to a person in power, or to an editor, in lieu of the quiz).

Thursday:
Local Civil Rights lawyers will be in classrooms to discuss Civil Rights and the 1st Amendment.

Friday:
Movie day in celebration of our year's learning!! (After the talent show)
Video: "The Children's March" Students will analyze and debate the use of children in organized civil disobedience.

Week of May 31

2011-05-25T08:53:00.006-07:00

Welcome Back from the Holiday Weekend!

** This is the final week to make up missing work. Please check power school.

Weekly Agenda:

We will be studying and making connections with Civil Rights in the United States as an extension of the US Constitution and the Civil War units!

Monday: No School

Tuesday:
1. Segregation of Public Facilities: Students will analyze photos and documents from the era of segregation, beginning with the Jim Crow era up until the 1960s. Students will be asked to define the who, what, where and why of segregation after the Civil War based on these images and documents.

Wednesday:
1. Quick Review of Brown V. Board of Education (from the Constitution Unit): A legal end to Jim Crow.
2. School Integration: Students will be examining primary sources from the archives of Ole' Miss and the National Civil Rights Center at Little Rock High School.
3. Read-aloud: A Mighty Long Way: The Carlotta Walls Story
**What was the divide between the federal order to integrate and local and state responses.
**What types of civil action and personal risks were taken to begin integration?

Thursday:
Today students will be reading brief descriptions of Americans taking personal risks to achieve equality promised in so many of America's founding documents and court rulings. Each pair will create a quick teaching tool with which to brief their peers. Topics include: Women's Suffrage; Indian Citizenship Act; Little Rock Nine; Rosa Parks; Sit-in Protests; Freedom Rides; March on Washington; Civil Rights Act and Affirmative Action.

Friday:
Student pairs will present their findings from yesterday's readings.

Week of May 23rd

2011-05-23T06:24:00.005-07:00

Welcome!

** Civil War final essay test take place in class on Wednesday. Students will be preparing quotes and an outline in class on Monday and Tuesday.

** 8th Grade students will be visiting the JHHS on Friday. Schedule and details will be given during team time on Tuesday.

Agenda:

Monday:
1. Appomatox: The formal end of our Nation's worst crisis. Students will be examining a primary source journal entry by General Grant. What was resolved and what problems persisted with the end to military hostilities?
2. Students will get hard copies of the final essay questions and will preview the grading rubric. They will begin to collect appropriate quotes from their lit. circle novels and other sources we have used in class.

Tuesday:

1. A review of in-text citation MLA rules. Student examples will be shown.
2. Students will be finding and pulling quotes and references for their essays and writing them on 3*5 notecards.
3. Review of expository writing connector vocabulary. Students will get a guide of this vocab as well as an in-text citation reference sheet.

Wednesday:

In class essay test! We will be in the mac lab. Students may bring a 3*5 notecard with an outline and quotes, their lit. circle novel, and their citation reference guide.

Thursday:
1. Unresolved issues from the War: The KKK, Jim Crow laws and the Civil War Amendments: This will lead us into a Civil Rights Unit next week. We will be examining primary images and documents.

Friday:
1. 2nd Current Event of the 4th Quarter: Shared reading and student news.
(Students will also be visiting JHHS today to meet teachers and students involved in clubs and specials courses)

Week of May 16th

2011-05-16T07:36:00.004-07:00

Welcome back from the sunny weekend!

**We are now in our final week of Civil War lit. circles.
** Final US History essay test will take place next Wednesday, May 25th. Students will be working on outlines early next week.

Agenda:

Monday:
1. Finish Humanitarian Aspects of Civil War readings/share-outs from last week.
2. Comparison: Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th Amendment.

HW: Lit. Circle reading/roles for tomorrow.

Tuesday:
Final Lit. Circle discussion day. Students finish novels and bring in prepared roles for guided discussion.

Wednesday:
1. The Gettysburg Address: The 3 minute dedication that brought meaning to the War and to the American experiment of democracy. Students will be analyzing and creating their own, paraphrased versions.

Thursday:
Final Lit. Circle meeting! Today groups will finalize their response to literature products for presentation to all groups in our celebration tomorrow.

Friday:

Lit. Circle celebration!! All groups meet in one room. They will be presenting skits, poems, songs and other products made over the last few weeks

Week of May 9th

2011-05-09T07:55:00.004-07:00

Announcements:

*MAPS testing begins this week for the 8th grade in LA and Math classes.

*Tryouts for the talent show happen this week during lunch in the choir room. Sign-ups are still open in the Student Center!

*Midterm grades are finalized on Wednesday. Please check Power School.

Agenda:

Monday:
1. We are in the PLTW Lab today, working on photoshopping Civil War daguerreotypes and photos. Students should finish their analysis of the photos and turn in today by the end of class.
HW: Lit. Circle reading and role sheets due tomorrow. Come prepared for role-driven discussion.

Tuesday:
Lit. Circle groups meet today. Role sheets and sticky-notes passages are due. Discussion is based on prepared roles. Unprepared students will not be able to participate.
HW: All groups finish their novels for May 7th.

Wednesday:
Students will be learning about the humanitarian perspective of the Civil War. This includes such topics as humanitarian acts of bystanders, prisoner of war camps, the "Lieber Code" (predecessor to the Geneva Convention) and the birth of the American Red Cross.

Thursday:
Today is activity day for lit circles. Students will be researching, writing and creating skits, political cartoons etc. Their work must demonstrate deep, critical thinking regarding the issues in their novels. Students will get new roll sheets today and prepare them for Tuesday, May 17th.

Friday
Fridays mean fishbowl discussions. These are vertical discussion by members of ALL lit. circle groups. Participation and preparedness are assessed as part of the weekly lit. circle grade.

First Week of May

2011-05-02T08:33:00.006-07:00

Announcements:

**The Midterm for the 4th academic quarter is May 11th. Please check grades frequently on Power School.

** This is talent show sign-up week! Sign up at the student center. Next week, tryouts during lunch in the orchestra room.

Agenda:

Monday:

1. Current Event: 9/11, Bin Laden's death and the future of the war on terror.
2. Finish battle group presentations.

(On Friday, we substituted finishing battle group presentations for a co-taught lesson with Ms. Rooks. All Civil War lit. circle groups met together and participated in vertical discussions about respective plots, character motivations and authors' purposes. Each class generated a rich discussions. We will be doing this lesson each Friday during Civil War lit. circles.)

Tuesday:
1. Lit. Circle groups meet for the first discussion day led by students, who come with prepared discussion roles.
2. Cold Mt. and Killer Angels groups will get 20 minutes of in-class reading time.

HW: Each novel has a reading assignment and new role sheets to be completed for next Tuesday, May 10th. Please pace yourself well!

Wednesday:
1. Students will be researching, analyzing and "photoshopping" Civil War daguerreotypes and photos related to their lit. circle novels. They will be using online National Archive and private collections. They will use the SIGHT analysis method.

Thursday:
1. Lit. Circle groups meet again to complete response to reading activities created especially for their book. These will be shared with other literature groups after the final week of reading (May 19th).

Friday:
1. All novel groups come together for vertical discussions in the "fishbowl" style, like last Friday.

Week of April 26th

2011-04-26T07:05:00.003-07:00

Welcome back!

Weekly Agenda:

Monday:
No School for students. Teacher inservice.

Tuesday
Civil War Lit. Circles begin today. This will be an exciting change of pace, allowing students to delve deeper into the social and societal issues of the period. On Friday last week, students chose a 1st, 2nd and 3rd choice novel after a book talk in the media center. They have been placed in lit. circles based on 1. their choice; 2. their demonstrated reading level (RIT score); their demonstrated behavior this year. Students have been placed in a small groups made up of students from both Mr. Yazz' class and Mr. Wells' class. Today we check out our books, review expectations and norms for lit. circles and get our first assignments for Thursday.
HW: Read assigned pages and denote three important passages with sticky notes for Thursday.

Wednesday:
Student color groups will be teaching the class about a specific Civil War battle using a teaching tool they built last week. Presentations should include a. concrete details; b. overall strategic importance; 3. social history (what was it like for individuals?)

Thursday:
First true day of lit. circles. Today, groups will be sharing sticky-noted passages read during the last 2 days, and will begin working on a response to literature activity. Our first true student-guided discussion day will be next Tuesday.

Friday:
1. Color groups finish Civil War battle mini-lessons.
2. Current Event Updates: Congress' struggle to create a budget. (Quiz next week. This will be the 3rd current event we've done together on the budget crisis).
3. Independent Reading: Lit Circle Novels

Week of April 18th

2011-04-18T13:59:00.004-07:00

Announcements:

**There is a dance this Friday from 7-9 in the JHMS commons.

Weekly Agenda:

Monday:
1. We will be working in color groups with our current event articles from Friday. These were to be completed over the weekend. Students will share questions and challenging vocabulary from the reading.
2. Brief shared reading: Advanced technology/outdated strategy of the Civil War.
3. Gettysburg the movie: Based on Killer Angels, one of our lit. circle options. We watch a clip to reinforce the reading we just shared.
4. Introduce directions and expectations: Civil War Battle project.

Tuesday and Wednesday: Student groups will be working to become experts on one key Civil War battle. They will create a teaching tool with which to inform their classmates. Presentations on Friday.

Thursday:
We will be with Mr. Yazzolino's classes in the media center for a book talk. Seven books will be discussed and students will sign up for a first and second choice. We will begin lit. circles on Tuesday.

Friday:
Student groups will be presenting details of their Civil War battle research and using their teaching tool to educate the class on their subject! The process, product and presentation will be evaluated for a quiz grade.

First Week Back from Break!

2011-04-11T13:59:00.003-07:00

Welcome back folks!

Agenda for the Week:

HW due Tuesday
Quiz on Friday (See below for details)

Monday:
1. Students have new character and color groups. They will sit with the former and do a brief investigation into who their Civil War character is. Groups will share out to the class.

2. Primary Artifact Analysis: Students will analyze actual Civil War infantry artifacts that saw service in Vicksburg. They belonged to Mr. Wells' relative, Henry Clay Wells who fought with the Ohio Infantry.

HW Due Tomorrow: Student choice: Read about either abolitionist: William Loyd Garrison or Soujorner Truth, and answer critical thinking questions.

Tuesday:

1. HW Check and Share:

2. Final phase of Civil War artifact analysis and share-out.

3. United Streaming Clip: Frederick Douglass.

Wednesday:

1. Read in small groups: "The Soldiers" Students will compare their own 14 year-old lives with that of similar-aged soldiers in the Civil War. Groups are assigned sections, identify expository text structure for that section and create 4 QAT questions for other groups to answer.

2. Once groups have created questions for their specific section, groups read all other sections and answer the QAT questions created by their peers.

3. Whole-group discussion on the article at hand.

Thursday:

1. We will likely need to wrap up whole-group discussion of "The Soldiers"

2. Review activity for quiz: What role did the following people, who correspond to our character seating groups, play in the Civil War?
Ulysses S. Grant, Jefferson Davis, Pauline Cushman, Matthew Brady, Harriet Tubman, Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass

Friday:

1. Quiz (Civil War characters - see above)
2. Current Event: Keeping pace with the budget crisis and the Middle East

Resource List for Tuesday March, 22nd (See below for weekly agenda).

2011-03-21T14:54:00.007-07:00

Use the Primary and Secondary Resources below for each event/issue leading to the Civil War

3/5ths Compromise (1787):
Primary Source: Constitution, Article 1, Section 2, Number 3 (see your book on pg 233)
Textbook pages: 204-205

The Missouri Compromise (1820):
Newspaper Editorials: Get document from Mr. Wells
Textbook pages: 323-24, 436-37, 447, 624

The Compromise of 1850:
Political Map: Early 1850s
Textbook pages: 434, 439

The Fugitive Slave Act (1950):
Primary Document - See Thomas Jefferson document and Reward for Runaway Slave
Textbook pages: 441-42

The Underground Railroad:
Map of the Underground Railroad in Pennsylvania
Click here for Slave Narratives about escaping to freedom
Textbook pages: 406, 418 - 421 (abolitionists); 422 - 424 (Underground Railroad), 429, 442

The Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854):
Political Cartoon (Primary Sources): "Little Stephen A. Trying to Climb a Very High Chair", "Forcing Slavery Down the Throats of a Freesoiler"
Textbook pages: 442-443, "Bleeding Kansas" on 444

Dred Scott Surpreme Court Case (1857):
Editorials from Newspapers of the time, Frank Leslie's Newspaper
Textbook pages: 446-7, 505, 624

John Brown / Harper's Ferry, VA (1859):
John Brown's Last Speech (Primary Sources)
Political Cartoon (Primary Sources): On This Day..., "Premature Movement" - from class
Textbook pages: 444 (compare picture to cartoon) and 448

Week of March 21st

2011-03-20T17:57:00.006-07:00

Announcements:

**This is the first week of the 4th academic quarter.

** Nice job JHMS 8th graders! You deserve quarterly recognition this Friday. Students will be going to the movies!

** 8th Grade National History Day students will be presenting their works in the media center on Monday, period 6 and 7. Parents are encouraged to attend!

** Quiz on Thursday: Issues and Compromises leading to the Civil War. Use Discovery Education notes to study.

Agenda:

Monday:
1. Students will be revisiting 3rd quarter goals and personal mission statements, assessing their progress and identifying new goals for the 4th quarter.

2. We will have a review game for issues and compromises leading to the Civil War: Teams will compete to win. (Quiz on this material on Thursday).

Tuesday:
We will be getting more in-depth with issues and compromises leading to the Civil War, examining primary resources such as newspaper articles, political cartoons and photographs from the time-period. Students will be comparing these historical documents to secondary, text book descriptions and evaluating each type of source for value.

Wednesday:
1. Matching review/practice: Issues and Compromises leading to the Civil War.
2. Finish Debate Research: Students developed debate statements from our Middle East current event activity and presentations. We will hold the debates tomorrow after the quiz.

Thursday:
1. Quiz: Issues and Compromises Leading to the Civil War.
2. Students use their research to debate current event topics related to US relations with the Middle East.

Friday:
Mr. Wells will be accompanying National History Day finalists to compete in the regional competition in Shoshoni. Mrs. Calabrese will be substitute. Quarterly Recognition! Students go to the movies.

Have a safe and pleasant Spring Break!

Final Week of 3rd Quarter

2011-03-15T07:25:00.004-07:00

Announcements:

After school History work sessions will be open Monday and Tuesday in room 101. The final day to turn in late/missing work for the 3rd quarter is Tuesday, March 15th.

PAWS writing and math are ongoing this week. No HW will be assigned during PAWS testing.

Monday and Tuesday:
1. Opening Activity: Political Cartoon Analysis - The Media and the Middle East
2. We continue our current events research on the protests and civil unrest in Libya, Yemen, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. Students are updating their research with fresh news sources and putting together presentations using Google Earth, news video clips and written summaries of events. By the end of the day Tuesday, all groups will have presented and developed new debate statements based on their current event research.

Wednesday and Thursday:
We change pace with a look at pre-Civil War expansionism and the problems it caused with regard to the slave trade. Students will be learning about the various compromises made by Congress to limit the growth of slavery and contrast it with Supreme Court decisions affecting Slavery.

Friday:
Debate preparation: Students will be researching, citing and documenting both pros and cons for their chosen debate statement. Time allowing, we will begin our first debate.

Week of March 7th

2011-03-06T20:36:00.006-07:00

Greetings Historians!

Announcements:

This week begins PAWS testing. Students will be testing most days, but only for 2-3 periods a day. They will be attending classes outside of testing periods.

US History classes will be affected Monday-Wednesday.
Monday-Wed students will be taking the PAWS reading assessment in Homebases during periods 3 and 4. Monday and Wednesday, periods 5 and 7 will meet after PAWS testing. On Tuesday periods 3 and 4 will meet after PAWS testing.

Monday:
Periods 5&7 Meet on Monday: We will have two focuses:
1. Complete printing of Westward Expansion Newspapers (Some printer errors on Friday prevented students from printing final products). Students will be reciprocally reading each others' newspapers with an eye for Westward Expansion content.
2. Revolutions in the Middle East: This is a return from a hiatus of current events. We will be reading about and making connections between the protests and revolutions in Libya, Bahrain, Yemen and Saudi Arabia.

Tuesday:
Periods 3&4 meet on Tuesday after PAWS testing. We will have two focuses:
1. Complete printing of Westward Expansion Newspapers (Some printer errors on Friday prevented students from printing final products). Students will be reciprocally reading each others' newspapers with an eye for Westward Expansion content.
2. Revolutions in the Middle East: This is a return from a hiatus of current events. We will be reading about and making connections between the protests and revolutions in Libya, Baharain, Yemen and Saudi Arabia.

Wednesday:
Periods 5&7 meet today after PAWS testing:
Only period 5 will have an academic class: During period 7, the entire 8th grade will participate in a dodgeball tournament to blow off some steam!
Period 5 will complete the current event activity begun on Monday. Then students will develop a new round of debate statements based on their new knowledge of the recent uprisings in the Middle East.

Thursday:
periods 3, 4, and 7 will complete the current event activity started on Mon/Tues. They will then develop a new round of debate statements based on their new knowledge of the recent uprisings in the Middle East. Period 5 will research and document pros and cons in anticipation of our debates.

Friday:
Periods 3,4 and 7 will begin debate research, documenting pros and cons in preparation for our debates.
Depending on progress, period 5 will begin our 3rd round of Lincoln- Douglas debates.

First week of March

2011-02-28T09:09:00.003-07:00

It's hard to believe we are already in March and moving towards the close of the 3rd quarter!

Announcements:

** Parent-Teacher Conferences at the Middle School will be Tuesday and Thursday, March first and third. Times: 3-7pm.

** Please check powerschool frequently as we move towards the end of 3rd quarter.

Weekly Agenda:

This week is dedicated to layout and editing of our Westward Expansion Newspapers. We will be working primarily in the iMac lab Monday-Thursday. The project is due Thursday, March 3rd.

Monday: 3rd periodical style article is due at the start of class. Ms. Riley will be teaching a mini-lesson on using MS Publisher to create an authentic, research-based Old West newspaper. These layout skills, along with the photoshop skills learned last week will be utilized at JHHS next year.

Tuesday-Thursday: Students will be peer-editing 3 articles, writing period-appropriate classified ads, and completing layout of the newspapers. A works cited and image citation list is required when the final paper is due on Thursday.

Friday: No School

Week of February 23rd

2011-02-23T07:50:00.004-07:00

Announcements:

** Parent-Teacher Conferences at the Middle School will be Tuesday and Thursday, March first and third. Times: 3-7pm. A sign-up letter will be sent home to parents today.

** Please check powerschool frequently as we move towards the end of 3rd quarter.

Agenda:

Wednesday:
1. Finish final Lincoln-Douglas debate topic!
2. Review upcoming due dates for the Westward Expansion Newspaper Project.
3. Students will examine projects from past years and locally printed newspapers to establish article types. Students will be expected to make a final decision on newspaper articles to be finished by Monday. (3 historical fiction newspaper articles based on research completed last week).
4. Find an appropriate old-west photo and save to files for tomorrow's class.
HW: Compose 2 paragraphs of the first article: Students will e-mail this to their own TCSD email accounts.

Thursday:
We will be in the iMac lab with art teacher Wendy Rominger. She will be guiding students through the process of photoshopping themselves into Old West photos! These will be inserted into student newspapers.
Last night's HW will be checked in class today.
HW due tomorrow: Finish 1st article and complete 2 paragraphs of the second research-based newspaper article. E-mail to yourself or use google docs please!

Friday:
We will be in the iMac lab again. Ms. Riley will be teaching a mini-lesson on using MS Publisher to create a newspaper layout.
Students will be finishing their 2nd articles in class. The teacher will be roving, checking student progress/HW and assisting in composition.
HW due Monday: Final newspaper article should be finished. Please e-mail to yourself or save to google docs etc.

Week of February 14th

2011-02-11T14:57:00.004-07:00

Announcements:

**Tuesday night at 5:30 there will be a parent outreach event at JHMS titled "Safe and Responsible Use of Technology".

** We had a great visit on Friday by the JH Historical Society. Many students made personal connections to local history.

** Spelling Bee will be held on Wednesday morning in the gym!

Weekly Agenda:
Monday:
1. We revisit student notes and observations from the Historical Society visit on Friday.
2. Students will sign up for a theme and topic for the Westward Expansion Newspaper project.
3. Update on Current Events in Egypt - Student News
4. 20 minutes for final debate research!

Tuesday-Thursday:
We will be in the media center researching for the Westward Expansion Newspaper Project. Students will be getting mini-lessons on Microsoft Publisher layout, new subscription databases and research norms and expectations.
Due Friday at the start of class: Research notes and citations: 2 non-internet and 2 internet sources required.

Friday:
1. Brief Westward Expansion Timeline Quiz
2. Student debates! Debates will be researched-based, Lincoln-Douglas style used by the JHHS Speech and Debate team.

Enjoy the long weekend! No school for students until February 23rd.

Week of February 7th

2011-02-04T08:29:00.007-07:00

Announcements:

**The Jackson Hole Historical Society will be visiting us this Friday for a look back into the archived photos, stories and documents of early Teton County!

** On Friday, we had a captivating visit by author/historian and namesake of our media center: Ken Thomasma.

** This week students will be working on the second round of debates, writing historical fiction journal entries while studying local Jackson Hole history.

Monday:
1. Debate Reseach: Students research both pro and con of the topics they selected as a class.
2. Review of instructions and goals for the historical fiction journal entry: This will be done tomorrow in class using notes from author Ken Thomasma's visit.
HW: Optional: Prepare an outline for tomorrow's writing assignment on a 3*5 notecard.
(Note: Because of Author Ben Mikaelson's visit tomorrow during 7th period - 7th period will be taking the written assessment today.)

Tuesday:
1. Assessment of Lewis & Clark activities: Students write historical fiction journal entries from the point of view of one of the L&C expedition members...including the dog!
Note: 7th period, the entire 8th grade attends Ben Mikaelson's author talk.

Wednesday:
1. A focus on Periodical Style: JH Historical Society Newsletter: Davey vs. Teton Jackson. We will be reading this together with an eye for historical content and periodical style. (We'll be starting of the Westward Expansion Periodical Project on Thursday).

Thursday:
1. Students will be looking at Old West Newspapers made by 8th grade students during the past few years. These will be used as examples for both what to do and what not to do during the coming 2 weeks. Students will be asked to make select a research topic by monday.
2. Media Center resources: Students will have the opportunity to browse through our rich collection of westward expansion resources. This will help them select a topic that is personally interesting. Research begins Monday!

Friday:
1. Jackson Hole Historical Society outreach to present to classes!

First Week of February

2011-02-01T08:13:00.005-07:00

Announcements:

**Great job on Constitution Essays! Students are really developing their expository writing skills.
** Author Ken Thomasma visits on Friday to speak about the Lewis & Clark Expedition from the perspective of its 13 year-old guide, Sacajawea.

Monday:
1. Current Event - We watched a news brief on the Egyptian crisis and made connections to the US Constitution Unit. Open notes quiz on this info on Wednesday.
2. Intro to Westward Expansion Unit - Mountain Man Vernacular and Student Pre-Knowledge.
3. Students select debate topics for our second round of debates!
HW: Louisiana Purchase Geography Questions: Due Tues.

Tuesday:
1. HW: Check, Share, Discuss.
2. We are in the iMac lab doing a Lewis & Clark Webquest activity.

Wednesday
1. Complete Webquest in iMac lab
2. Current Event Quiz: Open Notes
3. Depending on student progress: Debate topic research and preparation

Thursday:
1. Students will see the next historical fiction assignment: Write a journal entry from the perspective of Sacajawea, York, Seaman the dog, or Captain Clark! They will be taking notes during tomorrow's presentation to use in preparation for this short historical fiction essay next week.
2. A look at some primary journal entries and sketches: These will be used as examples for student's own field observations next week.

Friday:
Author and Historian Ken Thomasma joins us to discuss his books regarding the Lewis & Clark Expedition!

Week of January 24th

2011-01-23T15:49:00.004-07:00

Welcome back!

Announcements:
Students will be taking the US Constitution Standard on Friday - This will include information from the 3 branches quiz, the amendment quiz, the Supreme Court case studies and the scavenger hunt activity.

Weekly Agenda:

Monday:
1. Students work in groups, reading/analyzing 6 Supreme Court Cases that affect teens in schools.
2. Groups create gallery walk posters.
3. Begin gallery walk note-taking.

Tuesday:
1. Groups finish Supreme Court gallery walk activity.
2. Amendment Skit groups complete and practice skits.
3. Amendment charade game!
HW: Be prepared for tomorrow's quiz! The Bill of Rights plus any other 3 amendments that students feel are important to their lives.

Wednesday:
1. Quick review game - The Bill of Rights
2. Amendment Quiz
3. Final discussion and wrap-up Supreme Court Cases.

Thursday:
1. Today is a review day of all of the components that go into the US Constitution Standard assessment: Three Branches details; Articles I, II, III info; Amendments and Supreme Court cases.
2. Students will see their essay choices for the assessment and will begin to create simple outlines. Students may bring a basic outline for their in-class essays tomorrow.

Friday:
Students demonstrate their knowledge on the US Constitution Standard.
Goal: 100% of students proficient or advanced on this standard!

Week of January 18th

2011-01-18T07:26:00.005-07:00

Welcome Back: Announcements and Agenda Below!

Announcements:
**Due to the amount of trash left behind in classes and distractions during instructional time, no food will be allowed in classes until February 7th. Bottled water will still be permitted. Please plan your snacks accordingly.
**Parents, Students: Please check powerschool at least weekly!
** Parent information night here at the middle school: Tuesday night, 1-18 at 5:30. This is informational regarding our reading and math programs.

Agenda:

Tuesday:
Quarter 3 seating groups begin today!
1. Complete notes: Articles I, II, III US Constitution
2. Share out with a gallery walk
3. 3 Branches practice: Answergarden.com activity.

Quiz Tomorrow 3 Branches of Government and their checks/balances

Wednesday:
1. Quiz: 3 Branches of Government
2. Begin Bill of Rights: Intro Activity and United Streaming Clip
3. Students begin to create skits for charades!

Thursday: Guest Expert!!
School Officer Tony Matthews is our guest expert today: An enforcement perspective on the Three Branches, Supreme Court Rulings and Due Process!
HW: Bill of Rights Identification Questions: Due Tomorrow

Friday:
1. HW Check/Share
2. Finish Bill of Rights Skits: Students perform for each other while teams compete to guess which amendment has been depicted.
3. Finish United Streaming video (From Wed. )

Week of January 10th

2011-01-10T08:22:00.004-07:00

Announcements:

**The end of Academic Q2 is this Friday! Please check powerschool for missing assignments.

**Quarterly recognition is this Friday!! The 8th grade will be going to Snow King. Students will be able to choose skating, skiing, tubing or Elks Club bowling as an activity. More details will be provided in home bases this Monday. A small student fee will be required.

**School Dance on Friday! Note: Only students who attend school on Friday can go to the dance.

Weekly Agenda:

Monday:

1. HW Check/Share - The Preamble
2. Genealogy Presentations have been awesome! Each class has 7 or 8 left. We will begin class with this.
3. If there is time: Students begin rewriting the Constitution's Preamble using synonyms.

Tuesday:
1. Students complete the preamble activity. Some classes may actually be starting this today.
HW: Study for the preamble quiz! (This will be the last grade of Q2)

Wednesday:
1. Preamble Quiz
2. Constitution Scavenger Hunt! Teams compete for Colt Cards finding key details from the US Constitution.

Thursday:
1. Note-Taking Activity: Annotated version of Articles I, II, III of the US Constitution.
2. Share-Out: Students share 3 Articles Notes via a Gallery Walk activity.
HW: Three Branches Details

Friday:
Quarterly Recognition! Please dress for the weather and your specific activity!!!

First week of 2011!

2011-01-03T14:51:00.004-07:00

Welcome back from the break!

Announcements:

January 14th is the end of quarter 2. Please check powerschool for missing assignments. Missing assignments may be handed in as late as January 7th.

Revolutionary War Short Essays were graded over break and have been entered into powerschool.

Weekly Agenda:

Monday: Literacy facilitator Mrs. Rooks will be helping students reflect on their Q2 goals set 7 weeks ago. Students will be comparing the US Constitution's Preamble with the JHMS Vision Statement and our own class mission statement as they draft their own personal mission statements. Parents will see these and student self-assessments regarding their goals at conferences next month.

Tuesday:
1. Check/Share HW: family interviews conducted over break.
2. Review directions and rubric for the family tree/immigration project.
3. Students will see a dozen examples of projects from the previous years' classes and rate them according to the rubric.
4. Students get a chance to begin genealogical displays in class.
HW: Continue to work on genealogical displays at home!

Wednesday:
1. SIGHT document analysis: Immigration Charts Comparison
2. Students will use the remainder of class to work on their genealogical displays and preparing their presentation.
HW: Finish genealogical presentations and be prepared to present tomorrow!

Thursday:
1. Gallery Walk: Students browse and analyze historical immigration images.
2. First half of genealogical presentations.

Friday:
1. Second half of genealogical presentations.
2. Begin US Constitution study: Preamble Scramble!
HW Due Monday: Pop-up Preamble

Week of December 13th

2010-12-14T07:47:00.004-07:00

Welcome!

Reminders: There are many absences during the week leading up to the holiday break. Please be sure and bring in a pre-excused absence form well before you leave!

Agenda:

Monday:
1. Review-Finish Vocabulary Notes: Quiz on Thursday
2. Students Translate Thomas Paine's "Common Sense" into their own songs in small groups. We did not get to this last week.
HW: Finish paraphrasing "Common Sense" - Be ready to share!

Tuesday:
1. Student Performances: T-Paine and Common Cents!
2. The Boston Massacre: Royal Aggression or Colonial Propaganda?
HW Due Wednesday: Short Response and Matching - The Boston Massacre

Wednesday:
1. HW Check and Share
2. SIGHT Document Analysis - Sons of Liberty Poster
3. Declaration of Independence: Identifying the basic contents of the 4 major sections of this treasonous and revolutionary document: The Preamble; Natural Rights; List of Complaints; Resolution of Independence
HW: "Get Ready to Get Involved!" Students think about and list ways that they can be civically active 13 and 14 year-olds even though they can't vote.

Thursday:

1. HW Check and Share
2. Vocabulary Quiz:
3. Declaration of Independence: Be a Truth Detective! Students receive an erroneous article about the making of the Declaration and must find the errors and correct them.

Friday:
1. Current Event Quiz: The Obama/Republican Tax Compromise: Open Notes Quiz.
1. Prepare for Essay Test on Monday: Students receive the essay question and review the rubric for the essay quiz.
2. Equality Time Capsule: How has the notion of Equality changed from 1776 to 2010? Students create comparisons.
HW: Prepare for the Essay Test on Monday!

Week of December 6th

2010-12-06T08:00:00.005-07:00

Welcome back young historians!

Announcements:

**Wednesday, December 8th is the midterm for the second academic quarter. Grade reports will be sent home via homebases. Students will need to have them signed and returned to the HB teacher.
**Remember to check powerschool and this blog at least once per week. Missing assignments or retakes may be completed up until the final week of the quarter.
** No Colt Chronicle Club this week.
** Guitar Club will be held on Thursday in Señor G's room from 2:45-3:45.

Weekly Agenda:

Monday:
Right Now Activity: Almanac Saying Interpretation
1. Review of instructions and rubric for the Franklin's Follies short research project.
2. Groups assign positions/tasks to members and begin research.
HW: Due tomorrow - Students interpret 12 Poor Richard aphorisms.

Tuesday:
Right Now Activity: "Join or Die" - Students use the SIGHT method to analyze this famous Franklin political cartoon.
1. Final day of research for the Franklin's Follies project. Students will prepare their presentations and be ready for tomorrow.
HW: Due Tomorrow - " A Remarkable Man" Students read and answer questions on Ben Franklin's revolutionary involvement.

Wednesday:
1. Group Presentations: Five groups will present their findings on the many aspects that made Benjamin Franklin a Colonial Renaissance Man extraordinaire! Per the rubric which was reviewed on Friday and Monday, students will be assessed on quality of information, visual aid, cooperative group dynamics, clarity of oral presentation, as well as individual student self-assessments.

Thursday:

1. Pre-teach: Revolutionary Vocabulary and Concepts
2. T-Paine and Common Cents - Students will read excerpts from the infamous pamphlet "Common Sense" and create hip-hop rhymes in their own words to be performed in class.
3. Overview: Sugar Act, Stamp Act, Intolerable Acts

Friday:
1. Finish and Perform Paraphrased "Common Sense".
2. Current Event: Reading and Notes (Open-Notes Quiz early next week).

Week of November 29th

2010-11-29T08:18:00.005-07:00

Welcome back from the holiday weekend!

Overview: We are in the thick of our study of Colonial British America - Topics we'll be learning about this week include Colonial Geography, the Slave Trade, the Salem Witch Trials and we'll begin a more detailed study of the fascinating Benjamin Franklin.

Weekly Agenda:

Monday:
1. Vocabulary review: Whole class kinesthetic activity.
2. Finish small-group reading and jigsaw activity: Slave Narratives.
3. Periods 4,5, 7 will complete debate # 5

Tuesday:

1. Primary Image Analysis: Abolitionist Propaganda
2. Shared Reading: "Olaudah Equiano: Kidnapped into Slavery
3. Begin 13 Colonies Annotated Map.
HW: Review/Study Slave Trade vocabulary for quiz tomorrow.

Wednesday:

1. Brief Vocabulary Quiz: The British American Slave Trade
2. Salem Witch Trials: Social and Religious Conditions in Europe and the American Colonies: Shared Reading.
3. Continue Colonies Map work as needed.
HW Due Tomorrow (Thursday): Word Match and Short Response: Lessons from Salem.

Thursday:
1. Primary Image Analysis: Using the SIGHT method, students interpret a Colonial Image regarding Salem Witch Hunts.
2. Students Play! Using the primary source interrogation records, students put themselves in the shoes of the characters of the Witch Hunts.

Friday:
1. One Man's Almanac: A preview of Ben Franklin's astounding contributions to Colonial and Revolutionary society.
2. Introduction of "Benjamin's Follies" project - Student groups chose an aspect of Benjamin Franklin and begin to gather information for a presentation to the class next week.

November 22, 23

2010-11-22T09:19:00.003-07:00

Welcome!

Enjoy the Thanksgiving Break!

Agenda:

Monday:
1. SIGHT primary image analysis: The Slave Ship Amistad
2. United Streaming Video Clip: Slave Mutiny
3. Jigsaw: Vocabulary and pre-reading of Slave Narratives (We did not get to this last week).

Tuesday:
1. Thanksgiving: Myth, Truth and Meaning
2. Final Debates! Last two research topics that have not been debated - Lincoln- Douglas style debates.

Have a nice break!!

Week of November 15th

2010-11-15T07:48:00.004-07:00

Welcome back!

Announcements:

** Colt Chronicle Club will be meeting Wednesday, in room 101 until 3:30 for final editing and to start on the layout for the early December issue.

** There will be a short written assessment on Wednesday - a comparison of Early Spanish and British exploration and colonization.

** Formal debates will be held this week - We'll be finishing up preparing ourselves for the debates on Monday and Tuesday if needed.

Weekly Agenda:

Monday:
1. Class brainstorm activity - finding similarities and differences between Spanish and British Colonization.
2. Debate research continued - Students use online and periodical resources to prepare arguments on 5 debate topics.
HW: Create an outline for the short comparison essay on Wednesday. (To be checked and shared in class tomorrow (Tuesday).

Tuesday:
1. HW Check: Students share details and commentaries from their outlines (These can be used on the in class essay on Wednesday).
2. The African Slave Trade: Analyzing early demographic data and maps.
3. Final Debate Research - depending on the short essays tomorrow, we may begin the first of 5 debates.

Wednesday:
1. Assessment: Compare/Contrast early Spanish and British Exploration and Colonization.
2. Debate #1 if enough time.

Thursday:
1. Primary Source Analysis: A Slave Ship Blueprint - Students will be introduced to the SIGHT analysis method.
2. We begin to read slave narratives.

Friday:
1. Debate #1 and 2: We will learn and begin the use the formal Lincoln-Douglas debate format.
2. Slave narrative jigsaw activity.

Week of November 8th

2010-11-08T08:21:00.005-07:00

Announcements:

**Parent/Teacher Conferences this Tuesday and Wednesday. 3pm-4pm reserved for scheduled group conferences. 4pm-7pm, all other conferences. Students are encouraged to attend and participate! This year, conferences will be held in teacher classrooms and not in the commons or gyms.

**If you cannot make a conference date, we can meet anytime this year before or after school! Please e-mail or call the middle school.

** No school Friday.

Weekly Agenda:
We are building towards the goal of an analytical comparison of early Spanish and British colonization in North America.

Monday:
1. Quarterly Goal setting and reflection of 1st quarter successes and areas where improvement could be made. (We did not get to this last week).
2. Students final review of grades before reports go to HB teachers for conferences.
3. Binder Check! Organization of essential materials and recycling of that which is no longer needed.
4. Whole group review of Conquistadors and Jamestown notes before moving on.
HW Due tomorrow: Read/Respond "The Dawning of a New Age" #'s 1-10.

Tuesday:
1. Connecting to Prior Knowledge: Students brainstorm in small groups on the topic of Puritans, Pilgrims and the Mayflower.
2. Jigsaw vocab/note activity: This is similar to the Jamestown activity.
3. United Streaming Clips: Puritans and Religious Freedom.

Wednesday:
1. Compare/Contrast warm-up activity - Ven Diagram Spanish and British Colonization of North America.
2. Mythbusters: Plymouth Rock
3. Review activity for Vocab Quiz.

Thursday:
1. Vocab Quiz: Spanish Colonization, Jamestown and Plymouth Colonies.
2. Student Play! Anne Hutchinson: Puritan Protester.

No School Friday

Week of November 1

2010-11-01T13:43:00.005-07:00

Welcome Back Young Historians!

Announcements:

** This is the first week of the 2nd academic quarter!

** Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held Tuesday and Wednesday November 9th & 10th. Students encouraged to participate. If you cannot make one of these dates, feel free to set up an after school meeting anytime. More to come on scheduling specific times.

Weekly Agenda:

Monday:
No school for students, teacher inservice.

Tuesday:
Mock Election today! Students have used the last two classes to research candidates and platforms for US House of Rep, Governor of WY, State Senate (District 17), and the non-partisan Mayor's race.
1. Review of election research notes.
2. Election!
3. Finish Spanish Conquistador jigsaw activity from last week. Please bring notes.

Be prepared! Study political spectrum chart for a quiz on Thursday.

Wednesday:

Students will be taking the ACT assessment, a pre-ACT that all Wyoming 8th grade students take.

Thursday:
1. Political Spectrum Quiz: Students place political parties and terms on a spectrum chart. Demonstrate your knowledge of how Americans describe varying political views and platforms.

2. Background knowledge and pre-teaching: Jamestown and the Virginia Stock Company.
HW: Primary Source Analysis Questions: An advertisement for the Jamestown Charter Colony. Due tomorrow.

Friday:
1. HW check/share - What does the primary source document tell us about the economic and social nature of the Jamestown venture?

2. Science meets History: A forensic investigation changes our ideas about Jamestown, the earliest, permanent British settlement.

Week of October 25th

2010-10-25T06:59:00.004-07:00

Welcome back teen historians!

Announcements:

**This Friday marks the end of academic quarter #1. Please check your powerschool reports, turn in missing work before midweek.

** Quarterly Recognition will take place on Friday afternoon. The morning will be an early release schedule and all classes will meet on an abbreviated timeframe.

** School dance on Friday - 7-9pm.

Weekly Agenda:

Monday:
1. Students will get their historical fiction books back with lots of peer comments from Friday's activity.
2. We go to the iMac lab to finish our explorer timelines and begin the foldable organizers.

Tuesday:
1. Work on foldable organizers (Finish them for HW)- these booklets will be collected on Wed. as the first homework grade of Quarter 2.
2. Jigsaw: Conquistadores in the new world! (This is the class originally scheduled for last Thursday).

Wednesday:
1. HW Check
2. Brief, open notes quiz: Early European Exploration of the Americas. (Use your foldable booklet).
3. Jamestown: Compare and Contrast - space travel and the Jamestown Settlement

Thursday:
1. Finish Jamestown Compare/Contrast
2. Midterm Election: Students do some online research to uncover and clarify Teton County and Wyoming candidates' platforms for next Tuesday's election.

Friday:
1. Abbreviated Classes: Early Release. We finish preparing ourselves for Tuesday's mock-election using internet and local periodical resources.
2. Note: Quarterly Recognition activities this afternoon - please dress appropriately for outdoor activities if that was your selection.
3. Dance tonight - 7-9 pm
4. No School for Students on Monday: Teacher Inservice

Update: 10/20/2010

2010-10-19T18:26:00.002-07:00

Change to agenda!

There will be a change to the agenda tomorrow, Wed. Oct 20th:

Most students will have received their final edited and graded drafts back and will need one more class period to embed the changes for the final bound and illustrated books. Tomorrow, we will be doing this in lieu of the Conquistador class (which we will get to next week).

Thanks for being flexible!

Week of October 18th

2010-10-18T08:25:00.005-07:00

Welcome Historians!

Announcements:

1. Final, bound and illustrated historical fiction books due Thursday at the start of class! Some of the layout and illustration work will have to be done at home.

2. Quarterly Recognition is coming up on October 29th - more info to come.

Agenda:

Monday:
1. Discussion and examples: What should be in an author's note?
2. Students craft author's notes and continue illustration and layout of historical fiction books. These are due at the start of class on Thursday. No more class-time will be used for layout and illustrations.
HW: Due Tomorrow - "From Columbus' Pen, Primary Document Analysis Questions"

Tuesday:
1. HW Check/Share
2. "History in the Making" Comparison of US Textbook accounts of Columbus' arrival and activities in America. We will compare entries from the years 1880, 1946 and 1995.

Wednesday:
1. Textbooks are distributed today. We will be using them intermittently, so please cover them.
2. Spanish Conquistadors: The motivations, methods and results of these empirical emissaries!
HW: Final bound and illustrated historical fiction stories due today tomorrow at the start of class.

Thursday:
1. Book-share and reciprocal reading of our final products! Students learning from each other's research.
2. Begin Early European Explorer webquest - a United Streaming activity.

Friday:
Today is a celebration of our completion of the 1st of 4 district performance assessments. We will be with Mr. Yazzolino's class. There will be food and hot chocolate. Students will be reading, discussing and critiquing work of students in Mr. Yazz' classes.

Week of October 11th

2010-10-11T20:11:00.004-07:00

Welcome back from the 3 day weekend!

Monday: Teachers busily reviewed and analyzed JHMS state and national test data in conjunction with our new professional development plan. We are ready for students to return!

Tuesday:
HW Due today - 4-6 images prepared for short-stories.
1. Students will receive their edited and graded rough-drafts and research notes back. We will be having a discussion of general trends found in their historical fiction writing, including what needs to be accomplished in revision and editing phases.
2. Review and ratification of student-created class mission statement. Students may opt to edit the statement before ratification.
3. Revision workshop and individual conferencing with teacher.

Wednesday:
Today we have a guest pARTners graphic artist who will be facilitating short-story visual layout and binding. Students will get a good start in today's class, but will likely finish at home.

Thursday:
1. Current Event Quiz: Midterm Election Vocabulary based on notes from last week.
2. Today is the last class period dedicated to revising and editing for the final draft. Mr. Wells will finish individual revision conferences.
HW: Due Monday, Oct 18th: Final Short Stories are due at the start of class!

Friday:
Intro: European Exploration of the Americas
1. Read Aloud: Columbus on Hispañola: Gold, Slaves and Tierra!
2. Primary Document Analysis: Columbus' Letters and Journals

HW: Don't Forget: Final American Indian Historical Fiction Short Story Due on Monday at the start of class.

Week of October 3rd

2010-10-05T07:25:00.004-07:00

Announcements:

**All 8th graders will be coming home with midterm reports that will need to be signed and returned.

** Mr. Wells will be in school Monday, but in meetings and observations with a literacy consultant from the Center for Educational Leadership.

** First draft of American Indian short story is due on Thursday by the end of class. This is 5-9 paragraphs of research based historical fiction or non-fiction writing. A noodle tools works cited in Advanced MLA format is required.

** Final draft of the researched-based short story is due on Thursday, October 14th

Agenda:

Monday:
1. Character Sketch: Based on research and notes from last week, students will be asked to write a 1-2 paragraph character sketch for the American Indian short story project. Before we begin, we will model an example character sketch using the book, "The Unbreakable Code".
HW: Complete 1-2 paragraph character sketch. Due at the start of class on Tuesday.

Tuesday:
1. HW Check and due dates written in agenda
2. Today we are completing a plot-diagram, or outline of the short stories. Students will be required to complete this before composition of rough drafts.
3. Most students will get started on their rough drafts: Students will need to underline or embolden historical details gotten from research within their stories.

Wednesday and Thursday:
1. We are writing our short stories, indicating where researched details are included and finalizing our works-cited. Mr. Wells and Ms. Fitz (periods 4&7) will be conferencing with individual students as they finalize the rough drafts.

Rough drafts and works cited are due at the end of class today. Be prepared!

Friday:
1. Current Event and Notes (Quiz early next week using these notes).
1. Peer editing and revision day. Students will be conferencing with each other to make guided critiques, corrections and revision suggestions of each other's work. Mr. Wells and Ms. Fitz (4th and 7th periods) will be continuing/finishing individual writing conferences).

Week of September 27th

2010-09-27T08:22:00.009-07:00

Welcome Back 8th Grade Historians!

Announcements:

**Believe it or not, October 1st is the midterm for academic quarter #1! This year, all students will get a printed grade report and students will be required to get a teacher signature. After the 1st quarter, only students with D's or F's will have reports mailed home.

Weekly Agenda:
This week is the primary research and note-taking week for 8th grade history's American Indian Research project. Students will be collecting historical details from the media center's vast non-fiction and reference collection. These details will be used to create historical fiction short-stories.

Monday:
1. Review Weekly Goals: Finish research, note-taking and citations.
2. Brainstorm of note-taking procedure. What details are needed for the short story? "The Unbreakable Code" by Sara Hunter is used as a model.
3. Media Center - Non-fiction, reference research.

Tuesday:
1. Indian Boarding Schools: Teacher modeled note-taking strategies.
2. Students read "Boarding School Blues: Rules, Punishments and Resistance" using the note-taking system modeled by the teacher. There will be an open-notes quiz on this material on Thursday.

Wednesday:
1. Back in the Media Center - More students will be finishing the non-electronic sources and moving to Online subscriptions and databases such as United Streaming, Nettrecker and Brain-pop. Students are gathering details that will be used to create an historical fiction short-story. There will be one more day of research in the media center!

Thursday:
1. Open-notes quiz: Indian Boarding Schools.
2. Online resource research and notes.
3. Elements of a short story - mini-review .

Friday:
Final day of media center research. All notes and citations are due at the end of class today for review.

Week of September 20th

2010-09-19T16:37:00.008-07:00

Welcome Back 8th Grade Historians!

Announcements:

School picture day is this Tuesday the 21st. Picture order forms were sent home last week via Team classes.

MAP Testing begins on Wednesday the 21st and will happen generally in Language Arts and Math classes.

We had a great field trip to the Indian Arts Museum in Teton National Park on Friday!

Weekly Agenda:

Monday:
Mr. Wells will be at a Greater Yellowstone American History Project grant (GYAHP) activity today.
1. Introduction of American Indian Short Story project expectations and parameters.
2. Students will be read aloud "Code Talker" a model short story and will move into small groups with Literacy Coach Michelle Rooks, Librarian Ms. Swiggum, History Teacher Mr. Yazzolino and ELL Teacher Mrs. Fitz. The groups are based on students' progress with selecting and developing a research topic.

Tuesday:
1. Students will divide into the same groups as yesterday and browse in guided fashion the extensive media center non-fiction American Indian collection. Some students will be beginning research, while others will still be searching for a topic that is both fascinating and narrow enough with which to craft a piece of historical fiction.
2. More examples and modeling of short story form and content will be shared and demonstrated.

Wednesday:
Today's class will be divided in two parts:
1. Brief small group read-aloud and United Steaming Clip: A policy of Indian relocation.
2. Student Play: The Trail Of Tears.

Thursday:
We are in the media center today. There will be a brief refresher course in vetted and reliable online resources after which students will be involved with research, note-taking and citation towards their American story research project.
HW for Friday: Students should bring in a minimum of 2 sets of resource notes w citation attached.

Friday:
1. HW check and share - What resources are students using most frequently? Is citation information accurate?
2. Current Event #2 (Quiz on Monday based on the notes produced today).
3. The Battle of Little Bighorn - Forensic science meets history. Small group reading and United Streaming clip.

Week of September 13th

2010-09-12T14:21:00.006-07:00

Welcome back from a beautiful weekend!

Announcements: Back to school night will be this Thursday, September 16th at 6:30 PM. Parents and guardians will be able to follow their student's schedule, meet teachers and learn a little about the class curricula.

IMPORTANT: This Friday, September 17th, the 8th grade will be visiting the Colter Bay Indian Arts Museum as part of the US History Curriculum. Students will need to bring their own lunch and warm clothing, as some of the rotations will be outside. We will be leaving JHMS at 8am and returning around 2:15pm.

Also: Guest expert - Child and adolescent author Lydia Hudusko will be in classes on Thursday!

Weekly Agenda:

Monday, 13th:
1. Student News and Class Discussion on the remembrance of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
2. Students will be mapping geographical regions of N. America. Discussion will center on how these geo-climatic regions may have helped shaped culture and language groups.
3. Student Jigsaw: Using media center non-fiction, region groups will be conducting a survey of their geographic region. What is the land and climate like? What tribes of historical American Indians lived there? How did these groups' cultures reflect their climates?

Tuesday, 14th:
1. Region groups complete collection and organization of jigsaw info and prepare to present.
2. Student groups present to the class. Peers will collect information on other regions from group presentations.
HW: Complete American Indian/Regions chart using supplementary readings.

Wednesday, 15th:
1. Check and review HW's
2. Read aloud - "Life on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation" - Group note-taking using inspiration. What is reservation life like of Sioux kids living on a reservation
3. Examination of US Census data for American Indian groups.
HW: Prepare for quiz tomorrow! (See below for details)

Thursday, 16th:
1. Quiz: Geo-Climatic Regions and American Indian Tribes
2. Adolescent Book author Lydia Hudusko will be running a quick workshop on historical genres: Non Fiction, Historical Fiction etc. This ties into our first US History Standard.

Friday, 17th:
Colter Bay American Indian Arts Museum. Students will rotate in small groups to 5 different presentations, including a visit and talk with Artist-in-residence D.G. House.
Bring a lunch and warm clothing!

Week of September 7th

2010-09-07T14:56:00.002-07:00

Welcome back from Labor Day weekend!

There will be short written assessment on Friday, September 10th. Students will write 1-2 paragraphs using our current vocabulary explaining various archaeological theories of how and when the first Americans migrated to this continent.

Monday: No School

Tuesday:
1. Revisit weekly goals and classroom behavior norms.
2. Vocab review on whiteboards
3. Small group reading and discussion: North America during the Ice Age.

HW Due Tuesday: Complete the flow chart that goes with today's reading.

Wednesday:
1. HW Check and Share.
2. Students sign classroom norm charts to show their commitment.
3. Reading and Organizer: Competing theories based on archeological evidence: Cactus Hill, Clovis, Monte Verde and Blackhawk sites.

Thursday:
1. Model expository paragraph composition.
2. Students draft rough drafts of essay.
3. United Streaming video clip: Archeologists work to solve paleo-indian questions.
HW: Be prepared for Friday's assessment!

Friday:
1. Assessment: Students write 1-2 paragraphs using vocabulary describing various theories of how and when paleo-indians arrived in the Americas.

2. Intro to regional geography of North America.

Welcome Incoming 8th Grade Students, Parents and Guardians

2010-08-27T13:35:00.005-07:00

You have successfully found our class website! Please bookmark this page. You can find updated class activity and assignment information. You will also find many helpful links that will be used in our class throughout the year.

Below is a sample of what most weekly agendas might look like. The blog is usually updated on Sunday or Mondays.

First Week of School!

Welcome Back! Get ready for an exciting year of learning and growth. You will leave this course with a firm understanding of the rights and responsibilities of a US Citizen in the 21st Century.
Agenda
Wednesday, September 1st:
1. Welcomes and Greetings
2. Survey - Your prior knowledge and expectations. Also: Students create a survey for Mr. Wells!
3. Team building exercise - Tower Building
HW: Interview parents or grandparents about your ancestry/heritage.

Thursday, September 2nd:
1. Review of course norms and expectations
2. Ancestry map activity - small groups present out to the whole class.
HW: Bring in signed CEF forms.

Friday:
1. Students brainstorm to establish class norms.
2. Paleo-Indians - Who were the first Americans and where did they come from?
3. Current Event #1 - Time Magazine - Competing theories on how and when Paleo-Indians arrived in America.

Week of June 1st

2010-06-01T07:35:00.002-07:00

Welcome back 8th Grade Historians: Time is flying!!!

Announcements:

*Students please check powerschool for missing assignments. This is the last week for retakes and make-ups!

* The JHMS Talent Show will be on the morning of the 4th: 8:30-10:30 am in the JHMS auditorium. When we return, we will be following a late-arrival schedule.

* All participants and stage-hands are required to attend an after school rehearsal on June 3rd at JHHS. Please bring equipment to school on Thursday!! The rehearsal will run until 5:30 or 6:00 pm.

Agenda:

Tuesday: Students will be taking an historical skills test that measures their improvement at the start of the year in analyzing historical documents. The scores on this test are not included in students' grades! The test is part of a federal teacher-training grant for US History teachers in Western Wyoming. It's called the Greater Yellowstone American History Grant.

Wednesday:
Students will get an overview of the Women's Suffrage movement, including Wyoming's notable contributions, the Seneca Falls Conference and and the Susan B. Anthony Amendment (19th Amendment). Why did including 1/2 of US Citizenry in the process of self-government take so long in the United States?

Thursday
United States Geography Review: Many students have not seriously studied US Geography since 5th grade. Today is a refresher to ensure all students have this basic, critical knowledge.

Friday:
1. US Map Quiz
2. A look at the rise of the KKK during reconstruction and beyond. Challenges of reconstruction will be identified.

Week of May 24th

2010-05-23T19:05:00.005-07:00

Welcome Back!

Announcements:

** The date for US History's final essay test has been changed to Thursday, May 27th. This week, students will spend considerable time in class researching, gathering quotes, brainstorming and drafting essays to be completed in class on Thursday.

** HWs this week: For Tuesday - Completed Outline; For Wednesday - Completed Rough Draft

** Students, please check Power School to make sure you are not missing any assignments. The end of the academic quarter is approaching!

Monday:
On Friday, students received their final essay questions and assignment. We will be gathering quotes, brainstorming and outlining their final essays in class today. Please bring your Lit. Circle Novels - you will need to cite the novel in your essay.

HW Due Tuesday - Bring in a completed outline of the final 5 paragraph essay. Outline organizers will be provided.

Tuesday:
Students bring in outlines of the final essays and will be working on drafting their essays - supporting the thesis statements with helpful textual and primary source evidence. Works Cited may be completed using noodle-tools and must be done in MLA format.

HW Due Wednesday - Completed 5 paragraph essay with a separate works-cited and parenthetical citation.

Wednesday:
In class - Student "Color" groups will be peer-editing essays. Teacher edits will be happening today, after school at a special essay workshop, and tonight.

Thursday:
Classes go down to the PLTW Mac Lab to type a final draft, 5 paragraph essay that includes parenthetical citation and a separate works-cited.

Friday:
1. Civil War: Wrap-up and the start of reconstruction.
2. Return to National News - Current Event. Students will be using local and national news sources to identify and summarize hot topics in National or International (US) happenings.

Week of May 17th

2010-05-16T15:15:00.004-07:00

Welcome back from a BEAUTIFUL weekend!

Announcements:

**US History final essays will be composed in class on Tuesday, June 1st. Students will get a list of several essay topics this Friday and we'll be working on gathering evidence, drafting thesis statements and rough-drafts next week.

**Vocab Quiz this Wednesday - Civil War vocab part II.

** JHMS Talent Show will be on Friday, June 4th in the JHHS auditorium.

Agenda:

Monday:
1. Finish Gettysburg Address activity from Friday and read paraphrased versions aloud.
2. Finalize vocab definitions for Quiz on Wednesday.
3. Read and discuss - Sherman's march across Georgia, and the end of the War at Appomattox courthouse.

Tuesday:

This is the final discussion day for Civil War lit circles. Students need to come prepared having finished their novels and prepared their roles for discussion. Students should have continued sticky notation for this final quarter of the novel.

Wednesday:
1. Primary Image analysis - Students will use the SIGHT method to interpret and discuss primary images from the end of the Civil War. What do they tell us about why and how this catastrophic conflict ended?

2. Vocab Quiz - Civil War part II.

Thursday:
Final Activity Day - Civil War Lit Circles: All literature circles and teacher facilitators will join together in one room for a group presentation of skits, poems, songs and other artwork or research related to Civil War Novels. Each group will show or perform their favorite product.

Friday:
1. Current Event - Supreme Court Nomination Process.
2. Students will receive their final essay questions. They will select a question and begin gathering, citing and organizing specific details from their novels, notes, supplementary readings and activities to help them compose their essays.

Week of May 10th

2010-05-09T17:54:00.005-07:00

Announcements:

**Tryouts this week for groups who have signed up for the JHMS talent show! Students need to come prepared to the orchestra room during lunch this week. Come on the day/time that you signed up for.

Agenda:

Monday:
1. The Emancipation Proclamation: What did it mean for slaves, free blacks, abolitionists and soldiers? Students will examine and analyze this presidential order that changed the course of the War. Students will draft their own presidential proclamations for the improvement of today's United States.

HW Due Tuesday - Complete Civil War novel week 3 reading and bring completed roll sheets for discussion.
HW: Due Wednesday - Finish Presidential Proclamation, and written explanation of how it will improve society. Be prepared to explain to peers in class on Wednesday.

Tuesday:
Civil War Lit. Circle Discussion Day: Students must come prepared to participate! That means they need to 1.have read the week 3 chapters; 2. have 3 new sticky-note questions in that sections; 3. have their role sheets completed - these will help drive the discussion! Please come prepared.

Wednesday:
1. Students share their own presidential proclamations: Each pair will compare and contrast with the Emancipation Proclamation.

2. The Gettysburg Address: Lincoln redefines the meaning of the War while honoring the fallen soldiers at Gettysburg. Students will examine a replica of the actual handwritten address, see a virtual performance of Lincoln at Gettysburg, and then paraphrase it in order to uncover the layered meaning behind one of the most famous speeches in US History.

Thursday:
Activity Day: Civil War Literature Novels. Students will select an activity related to their novel and create a product to share with their group. These include creative writing, artistic renderings, performances etc.

Friday:
1. The Civil War Amendments: 13th, 14th and 15th amendments - Federal guarentees of equality and due process. Students will break into groups and examine these three hallmarks of legal equality that resulted from the end of the War. What is the difference between legal and actual equality? In what ways has actual equality been realized or not in the United States today?

HW for next Tuesday: Finish Lit. Circle Novels, add at least 3 more sticky note questions and prepare role sheets!

Week of May 2, 2010

2010-05-02T19:07:00.003-07:00

Welcome back!

Announcements:

** During the Civil War literature circle unit, students are expected to complete readings and role sheets for discussions for Tuesdays. Readings are different for each of the novels, but are approximately 1/4 of the book each week.

** Congratulations Brooke Turkaviche and Sean Burkett for placing in the top 5 at the Wyoming State National History Day competition in Cheyenne!

** Sign up for the talent show on June 4th! This is a student and staff favorite each year. Sign-ups are ongoing in the JHMS student center.

** Current-event quiz based on notes from "Sons of Confederate Veterans" this Monday, May 2nd.

** The Community is invited to come hear one of the last surviving members of the Little Rock Nine speak in the JHMS commons this Thursday at 7pm.

Weekly Agenda:

Monday:

1. Current Events Quiz on Monday: This is an open-notes quiz on the CNN story "Sons of Confederate Veterans".

2. A lesson we did not get to last week: Women Spies and combatants (undercover) of the Civil War. Student groups will choose one of 7 highlighted female Civil War spies, gather information and report back to the class.

HW due Tuesday: Students complete literature circle readings and role-sheets to be used in discussion on Tuesday.

Tuesday:

Civil War Literature Circle groups will meet today. Be prepared with completed role sheets that show solid effort! Tuesdays are student-directed discussion. Some groups will be presenting activities unfinished from Thursday.

HW due Thursday: This week, all groups will complete lit. circle activities for presentation at the start of class on Thursday. Have fun! Continue to read for next Tuesday's goal.

Wednesday:
1. Clicker activity - Women Spies and Combatants of the Civil War.
2. Draft Riots in the Union and Confederacy: Students will use primary source newspaper images to interpret the what, where and why of draft riots during the Civil War.

Thursday:
HW due at the start of class today: Civil War novel product presentations. Students will present the products (sketches, reseach, music, learning activities etc.) to their literature circle groups.

Friday:
1. The Emancipation Proclamation: Was it a moral act, a political tact, or military strategy? Students will analyze the primary document and secondary sources to decide for themselves!

Week of April 26th

2010-04-26T06:50:00.005-07:00

Announcements:

**The dance this Friday was a success! Thanks for coming and dancing up a storm!! It grossed over $900.00. The net proceeds will go to help the Yazzolino family, per a student council vote.

** Civil War literature circles begin this week. Students will have readings and role-sheets (used in discussion) due on Tuesdays for the next month. These are fantastic novels that really make learning about the Civil War fun and fascinating!

** Please sign up for the talent show this week in the student center - Tryouts will be the first week of May.

Agenda:

Monday:

1. Progress: Students check-up on missing assignments, and write down assignments for this week.

2. "The Soldiers" - Who were the nearly six million Union and Confederate Soldiers who lost their lives (mainly to disease) across the five Aprils of the Civil War?
Students are broken into 5 groups and assigned part of a reading, focusing on developing QAT questions. Their questions will be posted around the room for all to contemplate.

HW for Tuesday: Finish first Lit. Circle readings and role sheets. Come prepared for discussion on Tuesday.

Tuesday:

Students meet in Literature Circles with completed role sheets. Students will discuss the characters and themes that emerged in the 1st quarter of the books. The goal is to have student-driven discussion, so please come prepared!

Wednesday:
1. I Spy: Women Undercover. Espionage, Hoop Skirts and Petticoats! Students choose one of seven women spies who made big impacts on the course of the War. Students will jigsaw the information and create a clicker activity for the whole class.

HW for Thursday: Continue reading your Civil War Literature! Note: Some facilitators will ask students to prepare work for Thursday's Lit. Circles.

Thursday: Lit Circles will meet today! Students will be choosing and working on activities designed to complement their novels. These are works of art : poetry, fine art, music, written fiction that accompanies their novel.

Friday

Student Play! This is converted text from the best-selling novel "Team of Rivals" that depicts the inner-workings of Abraham Lincoln's cabinet and staff during the war. Students will choose roles and get dramatic!

Welcome Back from Spring Break!

2010-04-11T16:13:00.010-07:00

Greetings students, parents and guardians - A sincere hope that everyone had a safe and relaxing break.

Announcements:

**Quiz on Wednesday - Issues leading to the Civil War

**HWs due this week on Tuesday and Friday - Please see agenda below for details.

**Please remember to check power school online to check for missing assignments regularly! Many students need to complete the first current event of Quarter 4.

**School Dance will be on Friday, April 23rd.

Agenda:

Monday, April 12:
1. History through artifacts! We begin our journey into our Nation's most turbulent period - The Civil War - by examining actual Civil War artifacts from an Ohio Infantry recruit. How was each one of these objects used by a young soldier? Who was this soldier, where was he and what became of him?

2. Review of key terms in issues leading to the Civil War online activity completed just before break. There will be a quiz on Wednesday on these terms! Students break into small groups and present their own explanations of the terms to the class.

HW DUE TUESDAY - Completed united streaming activity time-line and definitions "Issues Leading to the Civil War". This was started before Spring Break.

Tuesday, April 13th:
1. HW Collected
2. Small groups from Monday will locate and read archived 19th century newspaper articles which involve their assigned key terms (from Monday). Groups will make small visual presentations that involve their terms and the primary source articles. They will use these posters to teach their classmates about their terms. (Quiz on these terms in class tomorrow.)

Wednesday, April 14th:
1. Finish peer presentations from yesterday.
2. Quiz - Terms in context - Issues leading to the Civil War.

Thursday, April 15th:
1. Read in small groups: "The Soldiers" Students will compare their own 14 year-old lives with that of similar-aged soldiers in the Civil War. Groups are assigned sections, identify expository text structure for that section and create 4 QAT questions for other groups to answer.

2. Once groups have created questions for their specific section, groups read all other sections and answer the QAT questions created by their peers.

3. Whole-group discussion on the article at hand.

HW: Students read Mathew Brady article and answer questions about his groundbreaking Civil War photography.

Friday, April 16th:
HW Due beginning of class - Mathew Brady article questions completed.

1. Current Event! CNN Student News, guided notes and brief comprehension quiz.

2. Mathew Brady - Technology and bravery come together to document the first major war in History! Students use knowledge from article read for HW to search archived Brady photographs (National Archives online) and complete SIGHT primary documents analysis.

Week of March 22

2010-03-21T20:26:00.009-07:00

Welcome Back!

** National History Day regional competition in Lander this Friday! JHMS is sending 4 competitors who received top marks from judging last Tuesday by members of the JHMS staff and administration. All NHD participants are welcome to come to Lander.

**Thanks for a fantastic quarterly recognition on Friday at Snow King and the Elk's Club Lanes. 8th Graders deserve to be rewarded for showing-up and working hard consistently!

**This is the final week before Spring Break.

Monday:
1. Quarterly Goal Setting and Reflection: What have students learned? What do students want to accomplish in their last quarter of Middle School History?

2. Presentations begin for the Invent and Invest project. Students present to their peers to convince them to invest in their Inventions. Each class will have a winner who attracts the most investment capital. Winners get a pair of movie passes.
3-5 paragraph process paper is due today.

Tuesday

1. Finish Invent and Invest presentations. (See above for details) Results tally and awards!

Wednesday

1. Issues leading to the Civil War: In the decades before the Civil War, the young Union struggled with its identity, racism, rapid growth and differing socio-economic models that would test the Constitution. Students will be working in pairs in the media center's tech lab, investigating the compromises and conflicts that led the Confederacy to secede from the Union.

Thursday:
1. Finish the online activity, Issues leading to the Civil War
2. Analyze Primary Sources: Students will be investigating archived Civil War era newspapers using the SIGHT method.

Friday:

Last day before break! I will be with Ms. Brumsted in Lander with the National History Day JHMS competitors. Our classes will get together with Mr. Yazz' classes to view Frederick Douglass a feature film about one of America's most eloquent and brave orators.

Week of March 15th

2010-03-15T09:28:00.005-07:00

Announcements:

**PAWS testing continues this week with Math, Writing and Science. Last week History teachers proctored the online tutorials and reading portions of the PAWS tests. After a bumpy start with the online testing module, most students were able to take the assessment with no problems.

** Raffles continue this week for students attending PAWS testing!! For every test session that students attend, they receive raffle tickets that enter them to win prizes from local businesses.

** This is the last week of the 3rd academic quarter. All make-ups and late work are due on Tuesday by 3:45. No work will be accepted after this date.

** Quarterly Recognition will be this Friday! Students will be participating in various activities at Snow King resort. More info to come.

** Thanks to all of the students and parents who attended conferences last week. If you would still like a conference, please e-mail at any time: dwells@teton1.k12.wy.us

US History classes this week.

Due to testing, class schedules are very different. Students will be traveling to their core classes for testing (or class) based on what period of the day they normally have Math. In this way, all students will have 2 US History classes this week.

On Monday and Tuesday the following schedule will occur: Students who have Math 5th period will come to US History during periods 3-4. Then, students who have Math 7th period will come to US History periods 5-7.

On Wednesday and Thursday the following schedule will occur: Students who have Math 7th period will come to US History during periods 3-4. Then, students who have Math during 4th period will come to US History during periods 5-7.

Content:

In class, students will be drafting written and visual portions of their Invent and Invest projects as well as learning the effects that major technological inventions have had on US culture and society. We will be reading and seeing short video clips regarding the impact that the automobile had on History. Students will be encouraged to identify a societal need or problem and design an invention that resolves the problem. They will present their written and visual display to the class. Peers will choose to invest in products they consider useful and viable. Each class will have a winner who receives the most "investment" money from classmates. Winners will receive movie passes!

Week of 03/01/2010

2010-02-26T09:01:00.007-07:00

Congratulations 8th Grade Historians! The Westward Expansion Newspaper Projects turned out fantastically. Parents, please ask to see your student's work.

**This year students worked with fine arts teacher Ms. Romiger in History classes to photoshop their faces into those of theme-specific historical characters. Many of these photos are hanging in the 8th grade hallway and media center windows.

Remember: March 8th and 9th are parent conference nights: 3:30 - 7:00 - Students will sign-up for appointment times with HB teachers. A sign-up sheet will be sent home today (Monday) for this purpose.

PAWS Testing begins on March 8th and will run for eight school days! (M-Thurs for 2 weeks).

Agenda:

Monday, March 1: Students will conduct a "Gallery Walk" examining the content and stylistics of peer Westward Expansion Newspapers. This way, all students will learn a little about their peers' topics. Celebration! Grades on all projects handed in on-time to be in the electronic grade book by Wednesday.

Tuesday, March 2:
1. Article I, Section 8 of the US Constitution states that the federal government will support useful scientific innovation. We begin to examine the era of rapid innovation in the late 19th and early 20th Century. Students will gather basic information on invention and innovation of this era in small groups.
2. We then read "Off to a Good Start" - a story of how 19th century innovations are still used by today's teens. Whole Group Reading and Discussion.

Wednesday, March 3:
1. Read Aloud "Mr. Tootwhistle's Great Invention" an historically accurate depiction of the invention and use of the cattle prod on the growing network of railroads that connected the young nation.
2. Students explore the US Patent and Trade Office online in preparation for their own invention project.
What is the difference between a patent, trademark and a copyright?
We read and investigate 3 important inventions that revolutionized US development - The Combustible Engine, The Daguerreotype and the telephone.
HW: Complete brainstorm questions and develop a product for the "Invent and Invest" project.

Thursday & Friday March 4, 5:
HW Due Today - Brainstorm questions for "Invent and Invest" project.
Students are developing their Invent and Invest products in class. The instructions and a rubric with expectations will be shared on Thursday. In this project, students develop a theoretical innovation that would a. improve society b. could reasonably be designed and manufactured. Then all students will receive $300.00 of "investment money". Students will present to their peers and the student who gains the most capital investment money will win movie passes!
Also: on Friday - Current Event - Student News notes and brief quiz.

Week of February 8th

2010-02-05T10:21:00.012-07:00

Announcements:

** Jackson Hole Historical Society will be in to present to 8th Grade History students on Friday, February 12th.

** Thanks for a terrific turnout at the Student Council sponsored dance on Friday. Proceeds will go to the Haiti Recovery effort. The Student Council will meet on Wednesday in school to strategize and decide on how to best donate their earnings.

Weekly Agenda:

Monday:

1. Primary Source Analysis: Manifest Destiny. Students examine and analyze Ghast's infamous 1872 painting "American Progress".
2. "A Tale of Two Jacksons" - Jackson Hole Historical Society article. Students learn about and compare two of the Holes' namesakes.

Tuesday:
Right Now Read Aloud: Early Teton Pass history
1. Primary Source discussion: Classes examine and discuss the works of Thomas Moran - How did his art gain Congressional recognition for the region?
2. Finish: "A Tale of Two Jacksons" - Comparison.
HW For Wednesday: Notes & Vocab. - Chapter 12, Section 1

Wednesday:
HW Due at the start of class (See above)
We are launching the Westward Expansion Periodical Project - A long-term project that combines research skills, historical fiction, and graphic-design skill. We will eventually be collaborating with Ms. Rominger, the Fine Arts teacher here.
Students will see examples of Advanced and Basic projects from the last few years, view the instructions and begin topic selection with Media Center resources.

Thursday:
Research begins in earnest - We will review strategies that worked and those that didn't in our first research projects this year. Students will be looking for details that will be useful in writing periodical-style historical fiction. Students will be using non-electronic sources today. Our Media Center has a wealth of non-fiction in the Westward Expansion theme.

Friday:
Presentation, then Q&A: We have a guest-speaker coming in from the Jackson Hole Historical Society to bring us a wealth of primary sources and images from our local JH and regional history.

First week of February!

2010-02-01T14:56:00.008-07:00

Announcements:

* The Student-Council Help for Haiti drive is continuing. There are collection jars at the front office and in the media center for cash donations. We are also now working in conjunction with Mrs. Rominger's art project "Building Tiny Houses" - students can buy pins and donations will go towards the Haitian recovery.

* There is a dance this Friday at the JHMS Commons from 7-9:30. Entry is $3.00 with all proceeds going towards the recovery effort in Haiti.

* We have a guest speaker this Thursday - local author, Ken Thomasma will be sharing his experience and knowledge of Sacajawea and the Corps of Discovery.

Agenda:
HW Due Wednesday - Field Observation
Quiz on Friday: Historical Fiction - Journal entry from the point of view of one of the L&C Corps members.

Monday:
1. Review of weekly goals.
2. Details and Primary Source Examination - The Louisiana Purchase
3. Begin Web-Quest - Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis and Clark Expedition

Tuesday:
1. Reading from the Journals of Lewis and Clark: Grizzly Encounters!
2. Finish Web Quest activity.

Wednesday: HW Due at the start of class - Field Obs. & Completed web quests (If not finished on Tues.)
1. Students present Field Observations using the document camera.
2. Species documented by the Corps of Discovery
3. Making sense of the Web Quest info.

Thursday:
1. Guest Speaker - Ken Thomasma speaks about his books and impending feature film about Sacajawea.
2. Q&A
3. Students get quiz writing options for tomorow.

Friday:
1. Historical Fiction short essay quiz.
2. Current Event: Student news and notes

Week of January 25th

2010-01-25T08:19:00.004-07:00

Welcome Back!

Announcements:

** The Student-Council Help for Haiti drive is continuing. There are collection jars at the front office and in the media center for cash donations. We are also now working in conjunction with Mrs. Rominger's art project "Building Tiny Houses" - students can buy pins and donations will go towards the Haitian recovery.
**Please use the following link for more info on Mrs. Rominger's project!

** Student Council Dance: Feb 5th 7-9:30 in the JHMS Commons.

** 8th Grade History Standard: US Constitution Test will be this Thursday, January 28th.

Agenda:

Monday:
Students, in small groups, will complete analyzing Supreme Court case studies related to students' 1st amendment rights and will create gallery walk posters to teach their peers about the decisions.

Tuesday:
1. Gallery Walk: Students will evaluate and take notes on their peers' posters in an informal showroom format.
2. Students create skits related to the hypothetical repeal of the Bill of Rights: Students have to guess which amendment is at play in a charades format.

Wednesday:
1. Revisit: How a Bill becomes a Law - The many tracks and obstacles for legislating at the federal level.
2. Review for the US Constitution Standard! Essay question choices will be provided, and students can bring in one 5*7 index card with essay outline notes.

Thursday:
US Constitution Standard: Topics include: 3 branches of gov; Bill of Rights and other amendments; Supreme Court Cases we have learned; essays relating the above topics to students' own lives.

Friday:
Start of the Westward Expansion Unit - Louisiana Purchase.

Week of january 18th

2010-01-17T17:28:00.005-07:00

Announcements:

**Monday is Dr. King day - see agenda for learning activity details.

** Student Council Meets Monday, 18th sixth period in room 101. We will be starting a Haitian Recovery Fund via USAID and the Clinton/Bush effort.

** Thursday, January 21st 2:45-3:45: Guitar Club! Beginners and experienced rockers alike. Bring an axe or borrow one of our few extra guitars.

** School officer Tony Mathews visits hisory classes on Tuesday, the 19th to give us an enforcement (executive branch) perspective on the Bill of Rights.

Agenda:

Monday:
Dr. King's "Letters from Birmingham Jail" Classes read and paraphrase in their own words.

With an eye towards broad promises made in the Declaration and the Bill of Rights, classes watch and examine Dr. King's "I have a Dream Speech"

HW: Due Tues at the start of class. (tomorrow) Finish paraphrase of the selection from "Letters from Birmingham Jail".

Tuesday:
1. HW collected (see above)
2. We get a local enforcement perspective on the Bill of Rights from our own Officer Tony Mathews. This is a question answer session looking at several Supreme Court cases, enforcement issues and the Bill of Rights as it relates to students and the greater community.

Wednesday:
1. Current event quiz: Students use notes from last Friday's story on Haiti. Notes are for using!
2. Bill of Rights "foldables" project begins. These are due on Friday at the end of class!

Thursday:
Students identify and mimic the many steps to law-passage in the US Congress. Why do a relatively few number of proposed bills get signed into law? Students will re-create the process in class.

Friday:
1. Primary Image Analysis: Students use the SIGHT method to analyze political cartoon related to the Bill of Rights.
2. Supreme Court: Miranda v. Arizona as an example of Judicial Review.

Week of January 11th

2010-01-10T16:24:00.006-07:00

Announcements:

** The end of the second academic quarter is this week - Friday the 15th.

** Quarterly Recognition will be Winter Carnival. We'll be doing this on Friday the 22nd.

** 8th Grade Geography Bee participants - Monday morning, 1st period, room 101.

Agenda:

Monday:

1. Each class has 2-3 Family Tree presentations remaining. These will be completed first.
2. Three Branches of Government - We trace each branch to the first 3 articles of the Constitution, and create our own visual organizers.
3. Articles I-VII - complete and go over as a class.

HW: Due Tuesday: Questions 6-10 "A Balance of Power - Critical Thinking"
Tuesday:

1. HW Check and review
2. Scavenger Hunt! Students get into the nitty-gritty Constitutional details, competing as teams using several primary and secondary sources. Winning teams will work well cooperatively.

Wednesday:

1. The Executive Branch up close - The office of President has changed and grown throughout US History - We examine expanded powers and Cabinet departments.
2. Review for quiz on Thursday: Articles I-VII and 3 branches of government details.

Thursday:
1. Quiz - Articles I-IV, 3 Branches details
2. Begin Bill of Rights foldables

Friday:
1. "Bill of Rights Repealed" - A theoretical look at what might happen to US society without Constitutional protections, by the Discovery Learning network. Students will later be writing and performing skits using ideas from these video clips.
2. Continue working on Bill of Rights foldables.

Week of January 4th, 2010

2010-01-03T20:30:00.005-07:00

Welcome back from the holiday break!

Announcements:

Quiz on Wednesday - The Preamble Scramble!
HW: Family Trees are due on Thursday

** The academic quarter closes on January 15th. Therefore this week is the final week to make up work and/or take advantage of extra-credit assignments.

**Geography Bee sign-ups in History classes this week. The Bee will begin on Thursday, January 14th.

** Unit essay grades have been entered. If you have no grade entered in power school, please see Mr. Wells asap! Nice work - these were an excellent demonstration of historical knowledge and writing skills.

** Evidence of family interviews are due on Monday, January 4th.

Agenda:

Monday:
1. A look ahead as a class. We will examine out curricular progress as a class. Blog updates.
2. Instructions and rubric review for the family tree project. This will be due on Thursday.
3. Nation Building Simulation!! Students are assigned the heavy task of designing a government -- the same task that faced the Federalist and Anti-Federalists after the Treaty of Paris was signed.

Tuesday:
1. Preamble scramble! Students will identify the fundamental reasons that the US Constitution by rephrasing its dense preamble.
Quiz on Wed: Students recite the preamble!
2. Students finish work on the Nation Building Simulation and present to their peers.
3. We begin an outline of the functions of each of the 7 articles of the US Constitution.

Wednesday:
1. Preamble Quiz!
2. Three Branches of Government activity
3. Complete Outlines: Articles I-VII
HW: Family Trees are due at the start of class tomorrow: Students will present to peers. Students will be assessed based on 2 criteria: Evidence of Interviews; synthesis of the actual product; the presentation to peers.

Thursday:
1. Students present family trees to their peers. We keep track as a class of ancestral origins, and compare to US Immigration trends.

Friday:
1. Finish family tree presentations (absent or late projects will be presented to Mr. Wells at an alternative time. Please make an appointment).
2. Imagine a life without the basic freedoms that US Citizens enjoy daily? What if the Bill of Rights was repealed? Students will look into just such a scenario via the Discovery "United Streaming" clips " Bill of Rights Repealed!"

Congrats on Great Essays!

2009-12-21T15:14:00.004-07:00

Announcements:

**Many, many thanks for all of the generosity in the Wind River Reservation Toy Drive! It was a success.

**The Revolution Essays are looking strong! 3rd period grades are entered. The rest of the grades should be in around New Year's.

** Monday and Tuesday: Intro to the Immigration Unit: Activities include comparison of immigration statistics and a gallery walk, primary image interpretation.

** Student vs. Staff basketball game last period on Tuesday before break!

HW: PLEASE complete 2 family member interviews over break. These are due on January 4th, our first day back from break.

Have a safe and happy holiday break!

Week of December 14th

2009-12-11T15:18:00.005-07:00

Announcements:

** Please note there is an in-class essay test on Friday. HWs are due this week on Tuesday and Thursday.

This is the last week for collections for Wind River Reservation families:
Here are the details!
Where: The entrance of the middle school.
When: Until December 18th
What: New/Lightly used toys, games, winter clothing and blankets.

Agenda:

Monday:

On Friday, Students did a brilliant job of starting to interpret Thomas Paine's "Common Sense" and creating their own hip-hop renditions. We will be finishing these today and performing to the class.

** Due to ongoing absences, there are still a couple of remaining Franklin's Follies presentations. All groups who have presented will find their grades in Power School.

HW: Due tomorrow - Use vocabulary in your own sentences that are related to the movement for American independence.

Tuesday:

1. HW Check and Review
2. The final draft of the Declaration of Independence was edited specifically to be read aloud before Americans. We will be joining Mr. Yazzolino's classes to watch a special reading.
3. We identify the 4 parts of the Declaration. Why was each important?

Wednesday:

1. Students examine colonial reactions to the Intolerable Acts.
2. Friday's in-class essay question is reviewed. We will be concentrating on what elements proficient and advanced essays will include. Students will begin outlining a rough draft in class.

HW: Bring in a finished rough draft tomorrow, Thursday, for peer editing and teacher-student conferencing.

Thursday:

Expository writing workshop! A goal for the 8th grade team is to improve student expository writing. Today students will be in pre-selected peer-editing groups. Individual students will be conferencing with the teacher for editing suggestions.

HW: Be prepared for the in-class essay tomorrow! Vocabulary from the last 2 HWs will be required.

Friday:

Students will explain the causes of the American Revolution and the founding of our Nation. In class-essay test. Laptops will be available.

Week of December 7th

2009-12-04T15:20:00.007-07:00

Announcements:

The annual student-council-led Wind River toy and blanket drive has begun.
What: Please bring new and lightly used toys, art supplies, blankets and winter clothes.
Where: In the box at the front of the school.
When: Before December 18th
Why: To help one of the poorest areas in Wyoming this holiday!

Agenda:

Monday:
Students finalizing visual and verbal presentation pieces.
**Groups will present their Ben Franklin posters, .ppts, and skits with the goal of teaching their peers about the aspects of this founding father that they chose to investigate.
HW: Vocabulary related to British Colonial Oppression - Students define and use vocabulary related in their own sentences.

Tuesday:
The Roots of Discontent: British Actions and Colonial Reactions.
Focusing on text structure and related note-taking forms, students build on their notes from HW to identify the stages of British taxation and oppression.

Wednesday:
"The King's Taxes" - Students demonstrate the effects of British taxation on colonists in this role-play activity performed in with Mr. Yazzolino's classes.

Thursday:
The Boston Massacre - A clash turned propaganda event. Students begin with a SIGHT primary source image analysis.

Student Play - First reading and role assignments for the reenactment of the Boston Massacre.

Friday:
1. Vocabulary Quiz
2. Revolutionary Literature - Thomas Paine's "Common Sense": Classes begin to read the infamous pamphlet that changed colonists' hearts and minds about King Charles III. Students begin transcribing "Common Sense" into their own hip-hop renditions!

Week of November 30th

2009-11-29T16:25:00.006-07:00

Welcome back 8th grade students of History!

Our curriculum is taking us into the late colonial period and the American War for Independence! This year the 8th grade home bases are blessed to be reading "Chains" -- historical fiction dealing with the American Revolution and slavery.

Please note: No school for students this Friday.

Monday:

1. Salem Witch Trial essay tests are returned and reviewed in class.
2. Small groups will need to finalize their international demographics comparison and draw conclusions based on the data they have collected. These will go into the grade book as a current event.
3. Wit and Wisdom! We begin an examination of Benjamin Franklin's infamous almanac writings. What can these tell us about early revolutionary sentiments?

HW due Tuesday -
Students interpret four of Franklin's sayings and create their own.

Tuesday:

1. Pair/Share - Students share their HW almanac writings in small groups.
2. "Join or Die!" - A SIGHT primary image analysis of this famous political cartoon.
3. Students read in small groups - The Many Sides of Benjamin Franklin. Groups choose one aspect of the famous inventor, internationalist, writer, cartoonist, rebel. They will report to the class on Wed/Thurs.

Wednesday:
Investigation into the many sides of Franklin continues - The first 2 groups will present to the class with a visual aid (electronic or poster style), notes and their choice of a skit or lecture format.

Thursday:

Presentations will continue today. Groups are receiving a quiz grade on the process, content and delivery of their presentation.

Current Event - Student News: The President's Recently Announced Plan in Afghanistan.

Update!! Agenda - Nov. 23, 24

2009-11-20T08:42:00.007-07:00

Parents, Students -

Our Gallery Walk activity took a little longer than expected, but was very successful (Pictures soon to be posted). The quiz for Friday the 20th therefore is being postponed so that we can spend another day learning about the Salem Witch Trials in class.

Agenda:

Monday - Nov. 23rd

In-class essay quiz - Compare Salem Witch Trials to other colonial events issues. Use specified vocab from the HW last week.

Tuesday - Nov. 24th

Thanksgiving then and now! Why has this famous event maintained its importance in our society? What is the same/different from the first Thanksgiving?

Have a nice break!!!!

Week of November 16th

2009-11-15T14:57:00.003-07:00

Welcome Back!

Announcements:

**Thanks goes out to the 320 students who attended the dance on Friday!

Agenda:

Monday:

Students finish reading slave narratives, and begin creating their visual teaching-aids with which they will display to the groups who did not read their narrative.

HW: Posters need to be ready for Tomorrow's "gallery walk" activity. Group members may need to send them home with a group member, or finish after class.

Tuesday:

Students will teach each other about their particular slave narrative using the visual display they created. These will be evaluated bases on the criteria set out at the start of this project. The goal is to have students teaching students.

HW: Pre-Vocab for tomorrow's Witch Trials reading. Please define the words by using them in your own sentences. Due tomorrow at the start of class.

Wednesday:

HW - Vocabulary sentences due at the start of class.

We will begin to examine the Salem Witch Trials by looking at conditions in Europe that affected the early Colonies and comparing to conditions in the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

Thursday:

Primary Source Analysis: SIGHT examination of colonial images.
Primary Source Reading: Excerpts from the Salem Witch Trials.

Friday:

Current Event - Student News Notes and Quiz
Quiz - Vocabulary related to Salem Witch Trials readings.

Week of November 9th

2009-11-08T12:17:00.006-07:00

Announcements:

** Student Council sponsored dance this Friday, November 13th - 7 to 9 pm. Entry is $2 at the door. The dance is in the middle school commons.

** Grades for the start of the 2nd academic quarter have been updated. Many students are missing one assignment, please check power school.

** HWs due Tuesday and Wednesday this week. Please see below for details.

Agenda: Week of Nov. 9th

Monday:

1. Power School grade check-in. Students missing quizzes or HWs will be asked to come in and complete them at lunch or after school this Monday or Tuesday.

2. Student goal setting for US History in the 2nd quarter:)

3. Interpreting the slave-trade through maps. What conclusions can we draw about the origins and development of this growing institution from a series of maps and charts?

a. Students begin their own 13 Colonies maps. Directions provided for HW (See below).

4. Pre-read and select roles for this week's student play: "Anne Hutchinson - Intolerance in the British Colonies"

HW: Finish Colonial Map using textbook. Label colonies and identify reasons for establishment. Due Tuesday!

Tuesday:

1. HW assignment check and review: On what beliefs and practices were the original 13 colonies founded?

2. Performance and assessment! Students perform "Anne Hutchinson: Intolerance in the British Colonies." This is followed by discussion of the play's historical and present-day significance.

HW: Students respond in 1 paragraph "Is the Anne Hutchinson story important today? Why or why not? Please use specific details from the play in your answer." This paragraph will be assessed on ideas (content), conventions and organization.

Wednesday:

1. HW (paragraph) check and sharing of answer ideas.

2. Stories of the Slaves: A compare-contrast activity using 3 slave narratives.

Thursday:

1. Students trip to Center for the Arts to see Shakespeare's "Macbeth"

2. 7th period will meet today - we will be

Friday:

1. CNN Student News - Students practice guided note-taking, then use their notes to take a short, 5 question quiz on the current event's content.

2. My Bondage and My Freedom - Fredrick Douglass.

Our class splits up into 3 groups learning about Fredrick Douglass in 3 different ways.
Group 1: High Level autobiographical reading
Group 2: Secondary Source readings
Group 3: United Streaming clips

The groups will be recording selected information that we will be using in class on Monday.

Week of November 2nd

2009-11-01T19:09:00.002-07:00

Announcements:

**Quarterly Recognition was a big success on Friday. You deserved it!

**Parent-Teacher conferences are this Tues/Wed from 3pm-6:45pm. Students should have signed-up for a meeting-time, if desired, with their home base teachers.

** There is no school on Friday, Nov. 6th.

** There will be a student-council sponsored dance on November 13th in the middle school commons from 7-9pm. Entry is $2.00.

** The 2nd Academic Quarter begins on Monday.

Agenda:

Monday:
1. We revisit the results of our quality of life indicators state comparison activity from Friday.
2. Begin compare and contrast: Jamestown - Plymouth - Motivations, successes and governments. We create the skeleton of a comparison foldable.
3. Student Play: Select parts and pre-read:

HW: Complete Jamestown section of comparison foldable for tomorrow. Use pages 70-73 in our text as a resource.

Tuesday:

1. HW Check
2. Dawning of a New World - A time-line of early American colonization.
3. Perform student play - Jamestown!

Wednesday:

1. United Streaming clip: Myth Busters - The Truth about Plymouth Rock.
2. Continue Comparison with reading on Plymouth - Saints and Strangers.
HW: Complete comparison foldable: Use pages 76-79 in the text as a resource.

Thursday:
1. Quiz: Jamestown/Plymouth Comparison.
2. Current Event: International Quality of Life Index - A comparison of life expectancy, literacy, GDP, and the human development index (HDI) amongst the world's 195 recognized nations.

Week of 10/26

2009-10-26T14:36:00.003-07:00

Announcements!

End of the Academic Quarter this Friday, October 30th!

Congratulations 8th grade students finishing in good style on the American Indian Thesis papers!!!

Explorer Quiz on Wed. (To be part of Quarter 2 grades)

Quarterly Recognition on Friday afternoon - all classes meet in the morning.

Monday:

New Text Book - How do we approach it? A scavenger hunt will lead us in the right direction.
Working on explorer "foldables"

Tuesday:
Complete Foldables and hand-in for assessment
Student Play "De Soto!" explores the heartland

Wednesday:
Quiz - Early American Explorers - Student use foldables
Early British Colonies: Jamestown - A failed business proposition

Thursday:
SIGHT - Primary Document Analysis - Jamestown Advertisement
Forensics at Jamestown - How Science and History overlap.

Friday:
Current Event: Quality of Life Index Comparison - Which demographic indicators improve life? What areas if the world have the highest quality of life?

Quarterly Recognition!! You deserve it!

Week of Oct. 19th

2009-10-19T14:40:00.003-07:00

Yes it is true! Mr. Wells has fallen ill, like many of his students, with some strong strain of the flu. I will not be in until Wednesday.

Graded rough drafts with comments will get to students on Wed.

*** Final Drafts are due on Friday, October, 23rd ***

Agenda:

Monday: Students work on the last 2 components of the thesis paper left undone: Works Cited in MLA format, and a visual/imaged-based title page that supports their thesis.

Tuesday: Explorer foldables - Students create booklets on the who, when, where and why of early European exploration.

Wednesday: Students get rough drafts back and make adjustments to their rough drafts - they now have 2 peer edits and a teacher edit.

Thursday: Explorer webquest - using discovery education online, students identify the when and where of early European explorers in the Americans.

Friday: Students present final projects to the class!

Week of October 12th

2009-10-11T10:47:00.004-07:00

Announcements:

**No school for students on Columbus Day: Monday, Oct 12th

** Thursday, October 15th - Statewide "Explore Test". This is a pre-SAT test designed to give feedback to kids on areas of study and career areas for their futures. It will also familiarize students with the structure and content of the college entrance exam. The state of Wyoming is funding the effort and many WY middle-schoolers will be taking it this year.

** Student Newspaper Meeting on Friday, Oct 9th went well, however all students are welcome to submit to the paper by simply dropping their articles into the "Open Access" folder under the appropriate grade-level folder.

** Due Date this week: Completed Rough Drafts - Wed. October 14th at the start of class.

Agenda:

Monday: No School for Students

Tuesday:

1. Continue with "Chief Joseph Medicine Crow" read alouds
2. Quick writing exercise - Expository Connector Phrases
3. Writing workshop - Students work on rough drafts
HW: Finish Rough Draft and have Printed for Wednesday

Wednesday:

In-text citation demonstration to the class. Students will be asked to use parenthetical citation once in their papers. A format guide will be distributed.

Peer Editing Day: Students will read peer papers, using a guide to make targeted critiques. We will do a peer edit example to highlight goals and process.

Thursday:

"Explore" pre-SAT tests - entire 8th grade

** After school writing help available in room 101.

Friday:

Current Event: Goal - Filter important details, and take notes that are useful later! Students watch student news, taking brief notes. They take a comprehension quiz using their notes. A note-taking practice example will be demonstrated to the class beforehand.

Peer edit - Second Session - We will meet with Mr. Yazz' classes, and students will complete a 2nd peer edit (see wed.). Students will then be incorporating peer edit info into their final drafts.

Final Drafts due Tuesday October 20th!!! Please be on-time.

Update - October 7th

2009-10-07T06:22:00.004-07:00

Announcements:
***Yesterday, Tuesday Oct. 7th 15 students began working with PEAK coordinator, Nancy Brumstead during lunch/team to develop a topic for National History Day competition. There will be a team-time meeting on Thursday, Oct 8th with Mrs. Brumstead to help students arrive at a focused topic. This year's theme: Innovation in History!!

*** Some students took up the challenge for optional extra credit, bringing in questions for Cory Helm's Uncle, who is a diplomat in Iraq. We read a letter from him in class last Friday to establish background information. These were e-mailed to Iraq last night!! (Tues).

This Week:

Monday: Media Center - Ms. Swiggum refreshes students on the use of Noodletools citation aid. Many students will need new passwords or accounts.

Tuesday: In class - Ms. Riley and Mr. Wells discuss and model outlining for history papers using "Inspiration" Software. Students then begin building their own outlines - These are due on Thursday! Individual conferences with students to check research sources. There was not time for all conferences. Those who did not meet, will need to show their notes tomorrow.

Wednesday:
1. Read Aloud and discussion: "Joseph Medicine Crow: Counting Coup - Becoming a Crow Chief"
2. Final day in the media center! Students will have a final look at library resources. After classes today, they will be able to check these resources out.
Most students will be building their outlines on Inspiration.

Thursday:
1. Primary Image Analysis: using the SIGHT method, students continue to examine primary source images regarding our current theme - First Nations and Conflict with Settlers.

2. Outline Check - Individual Conferences with Teachers

3. Composing rough drafts - Many students will be using the Jane Schaeffer organizers with prompts, but this is not required for all students.

Friday:

1. Current Events: Students practice their note-taking skills, and take a quick comprehension quiz using these notes. Student News.

2. We will continue to draft American Indian research papers, party due to the fact that there is no school for students on Monday.

Agenda - Week of September 28th

2009-09-27T18:15:00.005-07:00

Welcome back from a beautiful weekend!

Special Note: Wednesday is mid-quarter already! As has been the policy for 7th and 8th grades, students will receive a grade report only if they are holding a D or and F in the core-content classes. You will be hearing from teachers ahead of time if this is the case.

This week, our focus is two-fold: To accelerate the progress of our research projects and to deepen what we know about American Indian history and cultural influences on our Nation's identity.

Monday:

We begin our week with a look at one of the most infamous examples of US government Indian policy in the 19th century -- The Trail of Tears. We begin with a brief reading, and united streaming clip.

Student Play: Students will be acting out a student-drama in class.

HW - By the end of class on Tuesday, students must have complete notes and citations on 3 research sources. Some students may need to do some internet research and note-taking tonight. Please use this blog's links or the links to online periodicals via the media center's site.

Tuesday:

Day 3 of media center research. Ms. Swiggum will be teaching a mini-lesson on research skills. Students will continue to use non-internet sources. Many students will transition into using media center linked online periodicals and reference sources.
By the end of today, students will need to show 3 resources with notes and citations.

Wednesday:
Today's lesson will begin with a formal review of internet-based research options. These include links to the media center's "Tools for Teachers and Students" such as WYLD, Culturegrams, and Discovery's United Streaming. We will also be learning/refreshing skills on responsible open internet searches. How can students best sift through the literally millions of websites related to their topic? A few simple tips will help them along.

Thursday:

Day 4 Media Center. By now, students should be moving along with notes and citations enough to begin thinking of a logistical outline of their paper, including a thesis statement and a series of supporting paragraphs. By the end of class today, students will need to show 5 resources with notes and citations.

Friday:

Current Event: Student News - Students use Inspiration to practice web notes. They will be dropping their notes in open access where they will be evaluated for depth, order and connection between topic ideas and concrete details.

Then, students will be encouraged to formalize their thesis statements, which will be peer-edited using a general guide which assesses the statement on a series of criteria. They will be turning these in to the teacher at the end of class so that I can make comments and get them back to kids on Monday.

Agenda - Week of Sept. 21

2009-09-21T06:51:00.007-07:00

This week, we will be moving full-steam ahead into the first district standard of the year - American Indian Research Project.

Monday:

Mr. Wells will be attending a history prof. development activity with the Greater Yellowstone American History Project with teachers from all over Western Wyoming.
Sub Plans:
1. Kids need to take a very quick online assessment that measures their ability to interpret primary sources. This is required for all teachers participating in the GYAHP grant (many teachers from across Western Wyoming are participants). This is NOT part of students' grades at JHMS.

2. Finish reading and discussion " The Sioux Today"

3. Using library resources, begin to choose 2-3 possible topics for a thesis research project. Choose a topic that you are excited and curious about. Personal/family connections are encouraged.

HW Bring to class tomorrow - 2-3 possible topics for research.

Tuesday:

1. Note-taking practice with Inspiration software. Students will watch a student-news segment on Afghanistan troop levels while using this outline software to take notes. This is technically practice for use on the American Indian thesis research. Use of this software is required on this district standard.

2. Mini-Lesson:
What is a thesis?? Students work in small teams to narrow down their research topics. This will be challenging, but will make this project do-able and more enjoyable. Students brainstorm to make broad topics more focused and concrete.

Wednesday:

1. Short Presentation by Mr. Wells and Mrs. Brumstead - National History Day - an option to extend curriculum for all students. Peak students will be doing this for Book Bistro.

2. Day one in the media center - Refresher course in document and note-taking skills.

HW: Complete all geo-cultural regions in our regional packets. Much of this will have been done in class. Due Thursday.

Thursday:
Students should have 2 sources documented by the end of this class. Quiz day! Geo-cultural regions and Myth Comparison. More info on this assessment to come.

Friday:1. Day 2 in the media center. Students will be working to find, sort through and glean useful information from a variety of media center and on-line resources. Please! No photo-copying or printing. All notes must be taken by hand or using Inspiriation software on the iMacs.

Agenda - Week of September, 14th

2009-09-13T19:28:00.003-07:00

This week, students will be exploring modern American Indian cultural groups through geographic regions. Our first TCSD#1 History Standard will begin next week, but this week's themes should be helping kids choose topics for the Native American research papers. These are thesis-centered papers.

Our first quiz will be on Tuesday - please prepare yourself:)

** Also this Wed. at 6:30 - Back to School night** Please see message to the left for more details.

Agenda:

Monday:
1.We continue our analysis and comparison of Indian creation myths with a Cherokee myth today. Students will be sketching what they hear as the myth is read aloud. We will compare to the Tlingit myth from SE Alaska that we read last week.

2. Students will be mapping geographical regions of N. America. Discussion will center on how these geo-climatic regions may have helped shaped culture and language groups.

3. Students use media-center resources to investigate 2 regions more in-depth.
HW: Quiz tomorrow - Paleo-Indian vocabulary -- use it in 1-2 paragraphs to explain various theories of how and when the first Americans arrived.

Tuesday:

1. Quiz - Use our word-wall vocab to write 1-2 organized paragraphs explaining the arrival of the first Americans to the continent.

2. Introduction to our first US History Standard - A look at sample themes and topics. Example papers from past years.

3. Highlight - Mound Builders of the Mississippi - The Cahokia and others. Ties to Wyoming's Spanish Diggings.

HW: Read and add information on 2 new geo-cultural Indian regions. Complete a comparison diagram. Due tomorrow.

Wednesday:

1. HW check and share.
2. Read aloud - "Life on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation" - Group note-taking using inspiration. What is reservation life like of Sioux kids living on a reservation
3. Examination of US Census data for American Indian groups.
No HW - Tonight is open house.

Thursday:
Today is Constitution Day. As a recipient of federal education funds, we are required to teach a lesson on the US Constitution. This is a great federal mandate, although we will be studying the US Constitution in depth this January.
Today: Student's constitutional freedoms and responsibilities in public school. Examination of 3 Supreme Court cases affecting public school students.

Friday:
We will have the bulk of the thorough media center American Indian collection in class. We will have a guided discussion, and browsing of this collection. Students will narrow their research choices down. They will need to have selected a final topic, as well as have pre-selected 3 non-internet resources by Tuesday, Sept. 22.

Stay tuned for updates to this agenda!

HW for Thursday, Sept. 10th

2009-09-09T13:47:00.002-07:00

Today was a day of Paleo-Indians, mega-fauna and extreme climactic changes!

Students who did not finish the Ice-Age reading and related questions, please finish for tomorrow. This is our first HW of the year.

Good luck middle school football and x-country!

Agenda - Week of September 8th

2009-09-04T14:34:00.004-07:00

**The first week is over and I am so happy with my incoming 8th graders! **

It was great getting to know a new group of fun, excited students.

Today, we built ancestry maps and looked for patterns of immigration and migration that led us all to the Teton Region. We also used the mandolin as an example of the many paths of American immigration and cultural adaptations in America to people and traditions from Africa, the Middle East and Europe. Mr. Wells even played a little on the mandolin.

Due on Tuesday (No school on Monday) - Completed notebook with six divided sections.

Agenda for this week:

Tuesday - All classes except 7th period in the Media Center for Ms. Swiggum's class on our revamped tech system. There are many critical skills taught here that will be used this year. If you miss this class, please remind the teacher.

Wednesday - The first Americans - Nomadic Migration from Asia, and competing theories. Students receive vocab for the first quiz today. We will also be watching a podcast of the President's address on education. We will be analyzing the content of this speech.

Thursday - Archeological sites of paleo- Indians and what they tell us forensically about where early Americans came from, when they arrived and how they lived. We will be examining how science has influenced history and vice-verse.

Friday - UWYO forensic archeologist Russell Nelson will be our guest speaker. He'll be bringing in plenty of obsidian to demonstrate how early tools were pressure-flaked.

Thursday -

Due for Friday Sept. 4th!

2009-09-03T08:11:00.003-07:00

Students - Please bring in for Friday, Sept. 4th

a. Parent/Guardian E-mail info after reviewing the expectations with your parent(s) or guardian(s).

b. A 3 ring notebook, with lined paper and 6 dividers.

Thursday - Team building tower project.
We also look at data from yesterday's surveys to help establish classroom rules.

Friday - Yarn Ancestry Activity
Students also set-up notebooks together.

Welcome 8th Graders!

2009-08-31T13:44:00.006-07:00

It's hard to believe, but another summer has gone by. Administration, support staff and teachers here at JHMS have been busily preparing for an exceptional year of learning! Below, I am pasting the 8th Grade US History Course Expectations. Students will receive a paper copy of this on the first day of class. Please review and contact me with any and all questions!

I am excited to see you all soon:)

JHMS Vision Statement:
Jackson Hole Middle School provides students with an innovative and exceptional education that instills integrity and promotes achievement in a diverse world.
Jackson Hole Middle School Course Syllabus

Teacher: David Wells

Course Title: US History pre-Columbian to Civil War

Website: www.exploringhistoryjhms.blogspot.com -- Please Check for updates!

Course Standard Projects:

1. Native America Research Paper – For many students, this will be their first complete research paper. Emphasis is on the critical processes and skills of research and writing in today’s media-rich world.

2. US Constitution Test and Essays – Emphasis on structure and current application of the founding document in students’ lives and in their community.

3. Westward Expansion/Old West Periodical – Students create an authentic newspaper based around student-chosen topics ranging from Lewis & Clark to local Wyoming history.

4. Civil War Literature Circles - Students choose Civil War related novels and assume roles in lit. circles. Assessment is based on students’ ability to relate their novels to overarching time-period themes.

Objectives:
* Students will practice and develop critical thinking and analysis skills as they relate to various historical materials and media.
*Students will develop research, reading, note taking and writing skills.
* Students will familiarize with school-wide composition, and writing assessment systems.
* Students will examine cause and effect in early US History and explore its connection to the present.
* Thematic Focuses include:
Constitution
Community
Cultures
Conflict
Contours of Freedom
Current Events

Course Materials/Supplies:

3 Ring Binder with 5 dividers and lined paper for handout materials

# 2 pencils w/erasers

A course textbook will be used lightly. A wide variety of supplemental materials and multi-media will be distributed accessed in- class.

Course Grading Specifics: % of total grade
Unit Assessments and Projects 40%

Quizzes/ Short written assignments 30%

Homework 20%

Current Events 10%

Homework: Reading is the basis for American studies and will therefore make up the basis for most HW assignments. HW is also assigned to reinforce concepts discussed in class. In order to fully participate in class, a student MUST complete the assignment. Assignments will be provided in class, and can also be found on the class blog/website.

Make Up Procedures: Students are responsible for managing missed or incomplete assignments. For everyday absence, students have two days to make up the missed work. Students and parents are responsible for obtaining pre-excused absence forms for every missed class.

Late Work: For smaller, daily assignments late work will receive a 50% until the end of the content unit. For larger projects, assignment scores decrease 10% daily.

Special Notes: Parents/Guardians, please include an e-mail address on the return portion of this form. I am forming e-mail lists for each 8th grade class and will be sending notices and reminders home regularly.

Reminder - June 1st Final

2009-05-31T09:05:00.003-07:00

8th Grade US History students will take the last of 4 standard assessments on Monday, June 1st.

Students have been working for 3 days planning outlines and gathering textual and primary source evidence to support their arguments and commentary.

Please bring only your prepared 5*7 index card and your lit circle novel.

Computers will be available for students. Hand-written essays are also acceptable.

See you there!

Other Announcements:
**Mandatory Talent Show Rehearsal on Wednesday, June 3rd. Bring all needed instruments and costumes to the JHHS Auditorium - 2:45 - 5:30.

**Talent Show: Friday, June 5th - JHHS Auditorium

** Make-up MAPS testing on Monday and Tuesday this week.

Week of May 26th

2009-05-26T11:16:00.003-07:00

Welcome back from the 3 day weekend. Hopefully everyone had fun and also reflected a little on the meaning of Memorial Day and the "ultimate sacrifice", in Lincoln's words, that all fallen US Vets have made.

Announcement: Final US History Essay Standard on Monday, June 1st. Students will be receiving a bank of essay questions on Wednesday.

Agenda:

Tuesday:

MAPS Testing will happen during History Class today - This is a reading comprehension test that will be compared to a similar assessment they took in the Fall.

Wednesday:
Last Literature Circle Discussion Day: Student led discussion on last 1/4 of lit. circle novels.

Also: All students get Final Exam Essay questions to begin preparation of quotes and responses. This test will be given on Monday, June 1st. Students may bring their lit. circle novel and one 5*7 notecard with prepared quotes or details.

Thursday:
Final Essay Test Preparation: Students will be developing outlines and preparing supporting quotes for their essays.
(Cold Mountain Lit. Circles will meet today to prepare presentations for tomorrow).

Friday:
Final day of Literature Circles: All groups meet in one room and present songs, poems, games and other learning activities. Students teach each other and share their novel details with other groups.

Announcement! Final Essay Test on Monday, June 1st.

Week of May, 18th

2009-05-19T14:24:00.003-07:00

Agenda:

Monday:

Current Events update - Supreme Court nominee process. What is in the Constitution and what to expect.
Class Notes: The Civil War Amendments: What is Legal Equality?

Tuesday:
Civil War Lit. Circle Discussion Days: By now most groups have begun to be much more autonomous. They need to have read the assigned pages for their specific novel and to have completed their pre-selected role tasks. Be ready for discussion!

Wednesday:

Today there is a brief, open-notebook quiz: Civil War Draft Riots, Emancipation, Black Soldiers and the Civil War Amendments.
Then - Student Play! "The Last Best Hope"

Thursday:

Literature Circle Activity Day: Students select and complete a small task, creating a variety of products to present to their groups. Students get new reading assignments and roles for next Tuesday.

Friday:
Finish final run of student play.
We introduce the ideas and format of the final US History Standard - This will be on Tuesday June, 2. Students will have to make connections to the Civil War and their own lives using material gleaned from Literature Circles - Essay format.

Week of Monday, May 11th

2009-05-11T08:14:00.002-07:00

Announcements:

Entering week 2 of Civil War Lit. Circles - Please keep up on reading and role tasks, especially Cold Mountain and Killer Angels groups.

Weekly HW is due on Tuesday in Lit. Circles - Read and complete role tasks so that you can participate actively in the book discussion.

Monday:
Because Mr. Wells is a participant in the Greater Yellowstone American History Grant, my students will be taking a primary source analysis test online today. This actually fits right into our curriculum. This results of the test are only shared with the federal government and will not count towards the students grade.

Then, with remaining time: Each class has 1 or 2 groups who have not presented their Civil War Battle to the class due to many extra-curricular pulls and other absences. Today they will present to the class as we finish our group timelines.

Tuesday: Students meet in literature circle novel groups. They will be required to have completed the assigned reading and their role tasks. They will need these to be able to participate in the discussion. Absent? Please turn in role sheets the next day for credit.

Wednesday:
Draft riots in the North and in the South! Students learn about the civilian upheaval in opposition to the drafts of both the Union and the Confederacy. Many of these riots took on racial and socio-economic overtones. Students will be interpreting newspapers from April, 1863.

Thursday:
Activity day in Lit. Circles. Some groups are finishing last week's activity for presentation to their circles. Other groups are beginning anew with a new activity. Skits, sketches and small writing assignments are all fair game.

Friday:
Emancipation and Black soldiers in the North - Short readings in small groups.
Student News - Notes and Current Events quiz - students may use their notes on this quiz.

Week of May 4th

2009-05-04T14:22:00.003-07:00

Announcements:

Thursday at 12:45, 8th grade students will be going to the Center for the Arts to spend an afternoon with Abraham Lincoln, our 16th president -- well, not really, but by all accounts he's a darn good impersonator! We have been prepping with a wide variety of Lincoln readings and primary source material.

Agenda:

Monday:
Students continue to present Civil War battle models and presentations.
We briefly meet in our Lit Circles, get an overall process briefing and our role assignments due tomorrow, May 5th. Each novel has different readings, assignments (due each Tuesday) and facilitators. Please ask your facilitator if you are unsure of your reading pages or tasks!

Tuesday:
First day, Civil War lit circle student-led discussions: Be prepared with your completed role-assignments:)

Wednesday: This is mid-4th quarter

Final student presentations on Civil War battles
We then develop questions for President Lincoln, who is visiting tomorrow!!

Thursday:
8th grade field trip to Center for the Arts to visit with Abraham Lincoln in the flesh! 5th grade and students from around the state will also be attending.

Friday:
Literature Circles meet - activity day: Student groups choose from a host of engaging activities related to their novel - they will be researching and producing small pieces of art, games, essays or skits based on their respective titles.

Update!

2009-04-30T14:43:00.002-07:00

There will be no Quiz on Friday, May 1!!

Students will be presenting their Civil War battle replicas or presentations tomorrow, Friday, May 1.

Students will receive their Lit. Circle Novels tomorrow, and will have required amount of reading for Tuesday, May 5th - dependent on the novel. Students will also choose a role and have a specific task to complete that will help them in novel discussion on Tuesday.

Have a nice weekend!