This week we are preparing for a major group presentation. Each group will be writing, producing, directing, and filming a newscast based on the Civil War Era. The groups were given different topics and need to do research, create scripts, act out and film scripts, and edit the newscast. During these four days we introduced the project, got organized, and wrote scrips. There are several due dates throughout that are listed on the Google Calendar.
One bonus for each group is that we are working interdisciplinary with the broadcast students. So each group was assigned a broadcast student that will be guiding them through the process.
During this four day stretch students continued filming their Civil War Newscasts. Once filming is done students will begin to edit their product. Editing should start no later than end of the period Tuesday.
*Don’t forget Overall Unit 6 IN check on Monday
TUESDAY-MONDAY (May 15-21)–
These four days are reserved for editing the newscasts. We are lucky to have the broadcast students helping us through this process using the Mac lab.
Reminder–8th grade awards and picnic is on Friday, May 18
TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY (May 22 & 23)–
During these two days, we watched and evaluated our newscast presentations. It is apparent how much work everyone put into these. They look great!
We are about to start a major group project. To prepare, your assignment is to watch the news at any point during the day or night and answer the following questions. It doesn’t matter which channel or time that you watch. You must complete this by Monday morning, May 7.
After a three day student weekend we jumped back into the Civil War with an activity called “Telling the Numbers”. Students charted some bar graphs with some of the amazing statistics from the Civil War. After creating the graphs, students then used their own graphs to answer questions.
WEDNESDAY–
Today we took a more in depth look at Lee’s surrender at Appomattox. Students partnered up with one taking the role of Lee and the other Ulysses S. Grant. They worked out terms of surrender and then compared their terms to what really happened using these questions.
Lee surrenders to Grant
THURSDAY–We took most of the period today to review for the Unit 6 test. Students played “Are You Smarter Than an Eighth Grader” to test their knowledge. Here is the Civil War Review Slide.
STUDY TONIGHT!
FRIDAY–Today we took our Unit 6 Test. Hopefully everyone studied and did well. We’ll start a major group project on Monday.
PREZI REVIEW–HERE IS THE PREZI REVIEW THAT I DID AFTER SCHOOL TODAY IF YOU WANT TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK!
Friday (April 20)–
Today we began our STAAR review. Students were handed a review sheet with 100 facts. Students must first correctly complete this packet and then they may move on and play STAAR review games. We also had the IN check #6.2.
MONDAY-WEDNESDAY (April 23-25)–
We continued our STAAR review during these three days. Students completed their review sheet and then went on to play games such as puzzles, quizlet with the iTouch, flashcards, who am I, and so on. Start looking over your old info and review sheets now. Here is the STAAR Review Sheet in case you’ve lost your other one. GOOD LUCK!
REMINDER: VOLUNTARY REVIEW SESSION IN THE CAFETERIA THURSDAY AFTERNOON
THURSDAY (April 26)-–
SCIENCE STAAR–GOOD LUCK
**Study for the History STAAR tonight**
FRIDAY (April 27) –
HISTORY STAAR TODAY
GOOD LUCK!!!
FYI–Unit 6 Test will be next Friday. Here is a Review Slide in case you want to get a head start.
Our next topic is Reconstruction. Students are actually going to learn two things at once (crazy, I know) during this five day stretch. Our main focus is on the era after the Civil War. We will learn about this using something known as a DBQ. A DBQ is a document based question. Students will spend the next three days learning how this process works while also getting information about Reconstruction. Students will be working through this packet during these three days using this power point.
WEDNESDAY (April 18)–
It is on this day that students will write their actual DBQ. The students were able to outline their responses during the previous day. They will have the entire period to write the response but may not take it home.
THURSDAY (April 19)–
Today students will peer edit each others DBQ’s using this rubric which was provided earlier.
Football and History–well that is “kind of” what we tied in today in an activity called the “The Blue and the Gray Bowl”. We looked at the leaders of the Civil War and had a discussion on their influence and importance using this power point. Then, students were given a football diagram and set up the leaders for both the Union and Confederacy as if they were part of a football team. It ranged from the coaches–Lincoln and Davis to the quarterbacks–Grant & Lee.
TUESDAY (April 10)
Today we did an activity called War Games. Our main focus was on the advantages and disadvantages of each side of the Civil War. We also discussed the strategies and plans that each side wanted to use to achieve victory using power point. After our discussion students created a summary chart in their IN based on the notes.
Union Blockade
WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY (April 11 & 12)
CIVIL WAR! This two day period was primarily focused on the battles of the Civil War in an activity called “A House Divided”. We had a discussion, filled out a battles chart, and created a battles map to summarize the major events of the United States Civil War. We used this power point as our guide.
During these two days we did an activity called “From Compromise to Conflict”. Students worked in pairs attempting to resolve real life historical issues. One student represented the North while the other was on the side of the South. Students were given historical scenarios in the years prior to the Missouri Compromise, Compromise of 1850, Dred Scot Decision, and the Election of Lincoln. We used this form to fill out the information for the compromises. Students were able to chat and work on the forms all at the same time. It was interesting to see the compromises or lack there of that students came up with.
Friday & Monday (March 30 & April 2)–
During these two days we began an activity called “A Mighty Avalanche”. We will focus on the events that led up to the Civil War such as Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Compromise of 1850, and the Dred Scot Decision. Students used reading strategies while looking at this information to answer questions and fill out a chart. Students then filled out a Civil War issues chart while discussing the issues that led to the Civil War in this power point. Students determined what the North and South’s points of view would have been on each issue.
FYI–IN CHECK #6.1 ON WEDNESDAY 4/4/12
Tuesday – Thursday (April 3-5)–
During this three day stretch we worked on an activity called “Fueling the Fire”. Each day students focused on one of the major events the helped lead to the Civil War: Uncle Tom’s Cabin, The Dred Scot Decision, & John Brown’s Raid. We really looked at how to interpret and understand primary sources such as cartoons, court documents, book excerpts, etc…… Each student answered DBQ’s (Document Based Questions) for the primary & secondary sources.
Today we played a review game for the Unit 5 Test. There is a review session on Thursday morning at 7:55.
THURSDAY, MARCH 22–
Unit 5 Test today. Hopefully everyone studied and did well. After the test we set up our new IN’s (including the Unit 6 Table of Contents) for our final unit of the year which will cover the Civil War and Reconstruction.
FRIDAY, MARCH 23–
Today we introduced our new unit which will cover the Civil War and Reconstruction. Students will explore the causes of the war, main battles, events, and people of the Civil War, and finally the tremendous effort to put the country back together again after the war was over. We filled out an overview while discussing a Civil War Overview power point today.
Here are the requirements for the upcoming flipped lesson on the Reform Movement. PLEASE READ CAREFULLY!
1. Watch 4 short videos over the different parts of the Reform Movement. The links to the videos can be found on the right tool bar under vodcasts or below. YOU MAY HAVE TO REFRESH THE PAGE TO GET THE VIDEOS TO APPEAR. Make sure you are filling out your notes as you are watching each vodcast. Notes pages were handed out in class, but in case you’ve lost them you can print an an extra copy here.
Part 1: Foundations of the Reform Movement
Part 2: Abolitionists
Part 3: Women’s Rights & Prison Reform
Part 4: Other Reform
2. As questions arise during the videos, pause the video and go to Edmodo and reply to the questions post. I’ll try and answer as many as possible before Thursday. You only need to post if you have a question, it is not required. Also, if you know the answer to another student’s question, feel free to answer it. Make sure you put an @ symbol in front of your response so they will know you’re responding to their question. For example, if I’m answering Tom’s question I would put @Tom before answering.
3. Take the online vodcast check posted on Edmodo. This will be only over the basic information on the vodcasts and notes so study before you take it. The vodcast check will be timed so as to avoid the opportunity to cheat. You will have a total of five minutes to complete eight questions. This will allow you enough time to read and re-read the question before answering. This will count as a daily grade.
YOU MUST COMPLETE STEPS 1-3 BEFORE 7:00am ON March 8 TO GET CREDIT!
4. If you receive a 75% or higher on the vodcast check, then you will move on to the next activity. If you choose not to watch the videos or made below a 75% then you will re-watch the vodcasts in class and take a second vodcast check.
5. The first activity is an apply/analyze lesson calledMix and Match. Working alone or with a partner, students take their incomplete chart and attempt to fill it in. The chart consists of images, people, events and quotes from the Reform Movement. They must determine which of each fits in the major reform categories.
6. Once you have completed the first activity you will move onto the create/evaluate portion of the lesson which is:
Students will create a glog using the website glogster.com
Students choose from amongst the categories and follow the rubric provided.
Use this video to help you get set up:
7. Once students have completed all of the activities in steps 5-6 they will take a higher level post assessment given by the teacher.
8. Once you’ve mastered the post test, you may move onto the Bonus Activities. You can choose from one of three activities found below:
Option 1 is to go to HippoCampus.org and view the videos under the section titled American Culture and Reform, 1800 – 1860. The student can choose whichever videos they would like and complete the lessons that go along with each topic. There will be no chance for a replacement grade on this assignment. It is purely for additional information.
Option 2 is to go online and find a copy of the Declaration of Independence and the Declaration of Sentiments and create a Venn Diagram comparing the two. The student will then use the diagram to write a brief Edmodo post evaluating which document was the most influential.
Option 3 is to have the student listen to the songs and read the lyrics of Henry Clay Work using the Music of Henry Clay Work website. Students should listen to the following songs: ”Marching Through Georgia,” “Babylon Is Fallen,” “Kingdom Coming,” and “Come Home, Father.”. After listening and viewing each of the songs, the student should create an Edmodo post answering the questions “How are these songs representative of the reformers?” “How do they combine more than one reform movement?”
MONDAY-WEDNESDAY–These three days were about a closer look at how America achieved MANIFEST DESTINY. We began a discussion on events such as Oregon Fever, The California Gold Rush, and the Mexican War and filled out the Manifest Destiny Graphic Organizer. At the same time as our discussion we worked on a Brochure to sum up the events with a mural, map, etc…
DON’T FORGET THAT WE HAVE AN IN CHECK ON WEDNESDAY AND ALSO DON’T FORGET YOUR REFORM FLIPPED VODCASTS AND VODCAST CHECK IS DUE BY THURSDAY AT 7:00 AM.
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