Happy last week of school before break! I tried to send out an email reminder for the quiz tomorrow, but I'm not sure everyone received it.
So.....I'll try here: There is a quiz tomorrow on chapter 23 civics. The students know what they need to study (hints were given out on Monday)
---- this week though, instead of starting on chapter 16 - we continued with out study of the UN and other peace keeping organizations. Block one enjoyed hearing about the Peace Corps from a former student of mine, Sarah Slinker. We read The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry - and spent yesterday and today creating songs/stories/peoms/skits about peace. It has gone amazingly well and I am looking forward to seeing them performed in class tomorrow and Friday! It was a true gift yesterday to watch them ALL engaged in the collaborative process and overhear someone say, "This is the best thing I've ever done in school!" ---- Probably it's not the best, but none the less, they were really enjoying the activity :) We also have looked a bit more at other aspects of the UN (like UNESCO World Heritage Sites) and the roll of summits and diplomacy. Browsing through the web sites of peace organizations, it was reinforced that education is critical to democracy and world peace (we looked at the Peace Corps, Unisef, World Vision and others). I hope they take a week of peace study with them over the holdays --- I know I have felt enriched by unit as well :)
After the quiz and the presentations - I will be giving the intro to Night of the Notables - please have some conversations with your student regarding thier thoughts on this project.
FYI - choice book journals are due on January 9th
Enjoy the vacation and I wish for all of you peaceful moments amidst plenty of joy!
kw
Thursday, December 12, 2013
post and pre holiday update
Well hello :) I have had issues with this blog...again :( Thankfully today, after clicking a few more buttons, we seem to be up and running again!
First - I was out of the classroom with a family emergency (my mother broke her elbow and required surgery just a day before Thanksgiving). The kids were in the capable hands of Mrs. Grow. She wrapped up our disabilities literature circle with them. They read Raymond's Run in our literature book, enjoyed welcoming Mrs. Cartwright (our counselor) into the classroom to share her experience as a mom of a child with autism, and finished Temple Grandin - the movie.
Currently -
In English and Civics - we have been learning about Nelson Mandela and South African apartheid. These topics provide a review of the Cycle of Power - forms of government - ideal citizenship (preparing for Night of the Notables) - and foreign relations.
Chapter 23 Civics - all three sections - reading focus ?s and key terms at the beginning of each section are due at the end of class on Friday.
Quiz on chapter 23 will likely be scheduled for Tuesday of next week. 12/17
There will be classtime today and tomorrow as we work our way through the National Geography Bee (7 rounds).
Next week - we will start chapter 16 on the justice system - this will continue after break.
Finally - students will be introduced to Night of the Notables so they may begin the process of exploring possible choices for their notable. We will begin the formal process of reseach in February, but independent research using such sources and biography.com is very useful for narrowing the scope of choices.
First - I was out of the classroom with a family emergency (my mother broke her elbow and required surgery just a day before Thanksgiving). The kids were in the capable hands of Mrs. Grow. She wrapped up our disabilities literature circle with them. They read Raymond's Run in our literature book, enjoyed welcoming Mrs. Cartwright (our counselor) into the classroom to share her experience as a mom of a child with autism, and finished Temple Grandin - the movie.
Currently -
In English and Civics - we have been learning about Nelson Mandela and South African apartheid. These topics provide a review of the Cycle of Power - forms of government - ideal citizenship (preparing for Night of the Notables) - and foreign relations.
Chapter 23 Civics - all three sections - reading focus ?s and key terms at the beginning of each section are due at the end of class on Friday.
Quiz on chapter 23 will likely be scheduled for Tuesday of next week. 12/17
There will be classtime today and tomorrow as we work our way through the National Geography Bee (7 rounds).
Next week - we will start chapter 16 on the justice system - this will continue after break.
Finally - students will be introduced to Night of the Notables so they may begin the process of exploring possible choices for their notable. We will begin the formal process of reseach in February, but independent research using such sources and biography.com is very useful for narrowing the scope of choices.
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